The beloved esthetician opens up about his journey.
Sean Garrette’s last year has catapulted him to global visibility and notoriety.
Since then, he’s been tapped to work with numerous skincare brands and publications.
While many began hearing his name in 2020,Garretteis far from new to the skincare scene.
And, he places a special emphasis on helping people of color care for their skin.
As a Black man in skincare, Garrette is very clear about his purpose in the industryto break barriers.
The conversations he’s fostered thus far have undoubtedly moved the needle towards greater inclusivity.
And for everyone enamored by him, it’s exciting to know his next move will top his last.
Was skincare always the career path you wanted to pursue?
Sean Garrette
Before I got into skincare, I wanted to work in the art and fashion space.
My dream was to be a wardrobe stylist.
I wanted to work at magazines and be a creative director for fashion publications.
At what point did your interest in fashion switch to beauty and skincare?
It took me a while to get to the point where I felt I could be an esthetician.
I grew up in a very beauty-conscious family.
Almost all of my cousins and aunts are hairstylists, barbers, nail artists, and designers.
I began to see skincare as a career when I decided fashion wasn’t the route for me anymore.
It didn’t feel like an innate thing I would be successful in.
And I was really driven to be successful back then.
I wanted to be a mogul and I realized it would not happen in fashion.
What was your journey like to become an esthetician?
I started working in a spa because I wanted to be around beauty and skin.
I was the worst receptionist ever at this spa.
I think I almost got fired twice.
She ignited something in me to take my career seriously.
It was 2016 at the time and I still did not see many successful Black estheticiansespecially male estheticians.
In 2017, something just clicked.
I decided to go to school and make it happen.
The past five years have been nonstop.
I feel like I walked into my purpose.
Last year I opened my spa in New York and worked with Fenty Skin.
Everything I had manifested over the past 10 years came to fruition in one year.
There’s more to skincare.
We can use glycolic acid, salicylic acid, get chemical peels, and do laser.
I wanted to spread that knowledge with my platform.
You’re regarded as a “skin therapist.”
How does that approach influence the way that you treat skin and talk about skin?
I create bonds with my clients and people who interact with me.
When people feel good energy, they open up, and you get to learn more about their life.
Your skin is a huge part of your self-esteem.
It covers your entire body.
So when you’re experiencing things like hyperpigmentation and acne, it does take a hit on your self-esteem.
I know how I felt when I had acne.
I didn’t want to go out.
I didnt want to date.
I would apply pounds of makeup on my face and feel so low.
While we’re on the topic of skin talk, I would love to get into your routine.
What is your daytime and nighttime skincare routine during the summer?
Honestly, it’s so hot during the summer that I never want to put anything on my face.
In the mornings, I keep it pretty simple.
If I don’t do a gentle gel cleanser, Ill use cleansing water.
I’ll useBiodermaor one from this new drugstore beauty brand called Rael.
Then, Ill do a hydrating toner.
I like to use antioxidant serums like vitamin C, niacinamide, and maybe alpha-arbutin in the morning.
I also apply SPF.
I have to check that that I cover all of my exposed areas and reapply throughout the day.
At night, I focus on resurfacing treatments and more in-depth hyperpigmentation treatments.
I use products that have kojic acid or tranexamic acid.
I also love azelaic acid because it keeps my texture smooth and keeps my skin even.
I do retinol about two nights a week, and I exfoliate about two nights a week.
At night, it’s all aboutsandwiching hydrationas well.
Sean Garrette
What are some of your favorite sunscreens?
I’m honestly not that picky with sunscreen.
You have mastered the art of creating engaging, informative skincare content across all platforms.
Do you have any tips on creating content that stands out?
Because I come from a fashion and art background, aesthetics were important to me off the bat.
It was just innate.
Doing what’s innate will help engage the most with your audience.
Ive always treated my community as my friends.
I keep things very conversational, especially on Twitter.
It’s been a journey.
In 2016, nobody was really talking about this shit on Instagram.
I’m sure you’re approached by brands all the time to create content.
How do you filter out who you’re going to work with?
While I was working with Fenty Skin, my whole focus was being the global ambassador.
When I moved on from that position, I wanted to explore working with different brands.
I want [my partnerships] to be something my audience will be interested in.
And, the brands I work with have to have some integrity and be inclusive.
That’s what led to my long-term partnership with Paulas Choice.
I’ve been working with them for four years now.
They were one of the first brands that I saw include transgender people in paid ads.
That was not a thing two or three years ago.
Your job requires you to be on camera a lot to film content and engage with people for interviews.
But, would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?
Oh my god, I’m such an introvert.
I’m a true Virgo.
Unless you’re in my close circle, you don’t get the extroverted version of me.
That’s why I don’t do dancing TikToks.
But it’s something I’ve enjoyed so much because I love connecting.
As an introvert, you need time to recharge after work.
What do you do for self-care?
I go grocery shopping, buy shoes, and watch the Housewives.
I’m someone who gets very overwhelmed with energy very quickly.
Because we work from home, it’s nonstop now.
So when I’m feeling overwhelmed, I attempt to take an hour to eat or watch a show.
Then, I’ll come back to emails.
Ive also stopped only doing special things for myself when I feel like Ive accomplished something big.
Now, if I want to do something for myself, I do it.
Its all about bringing more joy into parts of my life.
I want to be someone who made skincare accessible for everyone.
Before I got my job with Fenty Skin, you barely saw Black boys included in skincare campaigns.
We did classes in Russia and my little Black ass was teaching Russian girls about this brand.
And it was so odd because it hadn’t happened before.
At one point, it was like I was the only one.
I don’t ever want to be the only one of anything.
I want people who look like me to have the same opportunities.
I want to make change.
I hope I continue on that journey and do more exciting things.
