Pretty Smart Too

👧🏻 ABOUT THIS EPISODEShe was sick in bed, scrolling her inbox, and almost deleted the email as spam. It was Cengage (Milady’s parent company) asking her to be a contributing author on the next aesthetics edition because they’d found her teaching skin of color on TikTok. Six months later, she was on a set in LA shooting facial demos for twelve hours straight. Armenthia Carr, ASCP’s 2026 Esthetician of the Year, joins Laura and Brandy from just over the bridge in North Little Rock.This one is for anyone who’s ever felt boxed in by their license. Armenthia has built a thousand-student teaching career, an online CE company, a textbook credit, and a corrective skin practice, all inside the scope of an esthetics license. Along the way, she gets honest about what schools still aren’t teaching about melanin-rich skin, why following a brand protocol without reading the skin in front of you is malpractice-adjacent, and why “AI won’t take your job, but somebody using AI will.”🧠 WHAT YOU’LL LEARNHow many careers actually live inside an esthetics license (teaching, CE sponsorship, textbook authorship, brand education, social media), and why the treatment table alone won’t hold up your back for thirty yearsWhy a brand protocol is a starting point, not a prescription, and what happens when you put salicylic acid on dry, acneic skin because the sheet said toHow to learn ingredients instead of product lines, so you can still serve a client when you run out of your favorite brandWhat the education gap around skin of color actually looks like from inside a classroom, and how to close it for yourselfThe “loud and right” rule: how to research a position (medical journals, dermatologists, podcasts) before you advocate for it, and how to own it publicly when you’re wrongHow an AI dermoscope changes the client conversation from “trust me” to “look at this”⏱️ CHAPTERS(00:00) Meet Armenthia Carr, Esthetician of the Year(04:48) Chicago Beauty School to Arkansas Homecoming(08:38) Becoming a Milady Textbook Author(13:17) Building IAMA Artistry Online(17:17) The Skin of Color Education Gap(20:09) Protocols Versus Reading the Skin(25:13) Mentorship: My Ceiling, Your Floor(32:27) Inside the SmartSKN AI Dermoscope(40:47) Using AI Without Losing Soul(43:26) Becoming the Woman You Needed(46:23) Wrap & Farewell💡 TIP OF THE WEEK Before your next facial, pull the ingredient deck for every product on your shelf and learn what’s actually doing the work, not what the brand’s protocol card tells you to reach for. The day you run out of your go-to serum mid-week, ingredient knowledge is the only thing that lets you finish the appointment without wrecking someone’s barrier.🛍️ PRODUCT OF THE WEEKSmartSKN AI Dermoscope, a handheld device that images skin at 60x, reads moisture levels, and merges it all with a client questionnaire to return skin type, hydration, wrinkle depth, sensitivity, redness, and oil production. Armenthia has run 100+ scans and says it hasn’t missed yet. Head to the For Professionals tab, and you get a one-on-one onboarding with her when you buy.🔗 RESOURCES & MENTIONSArmenthia Carr, esthetician, educator, mentor, and advocate for skin of color; ASCP’s 2026 Esthetician of the YearIAMA Artistry, iamaartistry.com, Armenthia’s education company and the best way to reach her or book a class. Approved CE sponsor in Illinois for hair, skin, nails, hair braiding, and instructors. Classes in microneedling, dermaplaning, chemical peels, threading, sugaring, and more, one-on-one or group📅 Book a facial with Armenthia at Ur Skin Therapist, 812 Reservoir Rd, Little Rock, AR. Corrective skin care: consultations, signature facials, chemical peels, microneedling, acne and teen treatments, waxing, threading, lashes, and brow lamination📖 Booked, Paid & Unapologetic, available on Amazon, a step-by-step guide to the business side of a beauty career, for anyone tired of undercharging and overexplainingSmartSKN, smartskn.com, the AI dermoscope and custom Korean skincare line Armenthia serves as Director of Education for. Professional device info lives under the For Professionals tabMilady (Cengage), the standard aesthetics and cosmetology textbook. Armenthia is a contributing author on the upcoming aesthetics edition and shot the facial video content in LA; release expected late this year into nextAssociated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP), ascpskincare.com, where the Esthetician of the Year feature and full write-up are online in the magazineTalk about ingredients, not brands: salicylic acid vs. benzoyl peroxide for acne on dry skin; hydroquinone used correctly; balancing and repairing the barrier before treating pigment✨ HIGHLIGHTS“If you’re not willing to put in the work, I’m not the esthetician for you. You’d waste your money and both of our time. I can refer you to somebody else.”“My ceiling is your floor. Everything I know, I’m going to teach you, and it’s your job to grow with it.”“In order to be loud about something, you have to be loud and right, not loud and wrong.”“A brand can give you a protocol. But if they’re not physically looking at the skin, you can have acne and dry skin at the same time.”Social media: “You can be the best in the business, but if nobody knows about it, it doesn’t matter.”“AI is not going to take your job, but somebody using AI will.”“AI can’t touch people. AI can’t have that emotional connection with the client. Only you can do that.”“This is a trillion-dollar industry. There’s plenty to go around.”When teaching: “I want you to feel like a towel that’s been wrung out at the end of the day. This is your education, so ask me everything.”“That license opened more doors for me than my four-year degree ever did.”💥 CONNECT WITH US🎥 YouTube: @PrettySmartTooPod📸 Instagram: @PrettySmartTooPod🎵 TikTok: @PrettySmartToo👥 Facebook: Pretty Smart Too🌐 Website: prettysmarttoo.com🙌 LOVED THIS EPISODE? Follow Pretty Smart Too on Apple Podcasts & YouTube - and leave us a review! It helps more people find the show. We read every single one. 💗Wishing you love, peace, & great skin! Laura & Brandy XOXO 💋 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prettysmarttoo.substack.com

🙉 ABOUT THIS EPISODE:“Brandy, who’s gonna do all that every morning?” If you’ve ever looked at a seven-step routine and thought exactly that, this one’s for you. We’re live from the bathroom, freshly showered, walking you through the real, unfiltered morning skincare lineup an oily girl swears by. From why the scalp is skin too, to the one product that makes every other product a waste of money if you skip it.By the end, you’ll have a step-by-step order of operations you can actually follow, permission to stop matching your brands, and the pro tips (bulk buy, break it down, protect your neck) that separate good skin from great skin.🧠 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:Why oily skin may need a daily hair wash and how your scalp and hairline breakouts are connectedThe correct order of operations: cleanse, exfoliate, serum, eye cream, brow serum, hydrate, SPFWhy you don’t have to match your brands The aesthetician bulk-buy trick: purchase the back-bar size and break it down at home for better valueWhy SPF is the single most important step and how the sun can undo everything else⏱️ CHAPTERS:(00:00) Good Morning from the Bathroom(00:28) Why Wash Your Hair Every Day (Your Scalp Is Skin!)(01:45) In the Shower: Cleanse & Exfoliate(03:30) It’s Okay to Mix & Match Brands(04:15) Step 3 — Vitamin C Serum(06:00) Step 4 — Eye Cream(07:15) Step 5 — Brow Boosting Serum(08:10) Step 6 — Hydration for Oily Skin(09:30) Step 7 — The Most Important Step: SPF(11:30) Don’t Forget Your Lips (13:00) Wrap & Farewell💡 TIP OF THE WEEK:Buy your favorite cleanser in the professional back-bar size and pour it into smaller bottles for every shower in your house. You’ll get far better value, and there’s one in reach every single day. Your scalp is skin too, so treat it like it.✨ HIGHLIGHTS:“Your scalp is skin just like on your face, and it must be cleansed, it must be exfoliated.”“You can do all these other things and go sit in the sun all day, and none of that’s gonna work.”“Who wants to have a saggy neck when you have beautiful skin on your face?”For more information about the products Brandy uses, make an appointment with Brandy at Exhale Med Spa in Little Rock, AR. 💥 CONNECT WITH US:🎥 YouTube: @PrettySmartTooPod📸 Instagram: @PrettySmartTooPod🎵 TikTok: @PrettySmartToo👥 Facebook: Pretty Smart Too🌐 Website: prettysmarttoo.com🙌 LOVED THIS EPISODE:Follow Pretty Smart Too on Apple Podcasts & YouTube - and leave us a review! It helps more people find the show. We read every single one. 💗Wishing you love, peace, & great skin!Laura & BrandyXOXO 💋 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prettysmarttoo.substack.com

📌 ABOUT THIS EPISODEWe’re in the same room FINALLY! To kick off Brandy’s birthday (and a whole new trip around the sun), we grabbed a stack of magazines, our Mod Podge, and our favorite Walmart glue and made vision boards live on the show. What started as a craft session turned into a very real conversation about the goals we actually want but are scared to admit. You’ll walk away with a simple five-question framework to build your own vision board, plus some honest reminders about rest, self-doubt, and why the people you surround yourself with matter more than you think.🧠 WHAT YOU’LL LEARNA 5-question prompt list to guide your own vision board (built around beauty, business & balance)Why “the busier I am, the more productive I am,” and how to still protect your rest before your body forces itThe 10-minute-a-day exercise trick (working to the point of breathlessness) we heard on the Mel Robbins PodcastHow to quiet imposter syndrome, including the mirror high-five that actually flips the switch in your brainWhy women need peace before almost anything else on the to-do listHow to build a “goodness shield” and surround yourself with people who lift you up⏱️ CHAPTERS(00:00) Finally Together …Brandy’s Birthday Kickoff(02:00) Why We’re Doing Vision Boards (Beauty, Business & Balance)(03:30) Q1: What Would Make This Year Unforgettable?(07:00) Q2: What Are You Scared to Put on Your Board? (+ the 10-Min Workout)(11:30) Q3: What Goal Feels Impossible? (Millionaire Mindset & Imposter Syndrome)(17:00) Q4: What Do You Want More Of?(20:00) Q5: What Do You Want Less Of?(22:29) Wrap & Vision Board Reveal Coming Soon💡 TIP OF THE WEEKMake a vision board, but make it a conversation. Grab old magazines, a world atlas, and your favorite glue, then answer five questions out loud: What would make this year unforgettable? What are you scared to put on it? What feels impossible? What do you want more of? Less of? The goals you say out loud are the ones you start moving toward.🛍️ PRODUCT OF THE WEEK“Too Pretty to Work” mug (Walmart), the cutest little vision-board-session prop, complete with bows. Fair warning: fill it after the recording starts. 💦Shop Pretty Smart Too Walmart Storefront for all of our top picks! Elevated necessities and fun luxuries at an affordable price point. 🔗 RESOURCES & MENTIONSThe Mel Robbins Podcast - the episode (featuring Dr. Patrick) on exercising 10 minutes a day to breathlessness, endorphins vs. dynorphins, and high-fiving yourself in the mirrorMama Sol - inspired us to finally do vision boardsRockwater Resort (Little Rock, AR) - Brandy’s new home base; the community, the gym, and the Vices coffee truck (get the hot honey)Syndeo Hydrofacial Machine - FOR SALE - barely used, great condition. Estheticians, DM us for an offer (yes, we know about the licensing fee - talk to us!)📆 Book an Appointment with Laura: https://laurabarrowmua.com/📅 Book an Appointment with Brandy: https://rockwaterspa.glossgenius.com/✨ HIGHLIGHTS“You have to rest, or your body will force you to rest the wrong way.”“It’s okay to have downtime, but the busier I am, the more productive I am.”“We’re not gonna let self-doubt give us imposter syndrome no more, because we ARE successful.”💥 CONNECT WITH US🎥 YouTube: @PrettySmartTooPod📸 Instagram: @PrettySmartTooPod🎵 TikTok: @PrettySmartToo👥 Facebook: Pretty Smart Too🌐 Website: prettysmarttoo.com🙌 LOVED THIS EPISODE?Follow Pretty Smart Too on Apple Podcasts & YouTube - and leave us a review! It helps more people find the show. We read every single one. 💗Wishing you love, peace, & great skin!Laura & BrandyXOXO 💋 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prettysmarttoo.substack.com

📌 ABOUT THIS EPISODEWe took a little break, but we’re back and we've got receipts. Laura and Brandy are officially relaunching Pretty Smart Too with a brand new format: more interviews, more insider product knowledge, and the trade secrets they’ve been keeping in their back pockets for years. Think of this as the “previously on” episode before things get really good.This week they’re spilling on two products that have quietly been saving them time, money, and back pain. They will also be previewing the technique deep-dives coming in future episodes. If you’ve ever felt like you were the last to know something obvious in the industry, this one’s for you.🧠 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN* Why Brandy swapped her lash supply order for a $30 Amazon find — and why it might be the best 250 feet of your career* How Laura carries foundation for every skin tone on the planet in three small palettes (and what that means for your kit)* What’s coming next: interview episodes, technique breakdowns, and product reveals every single week* Why Laura’s extraction technique has been her most-guarded professional secret — and that she’s finally ready to share it* How Brandy’s lashing approach breaks the “one size fits all” mold — and why that’s exactly what makes clients come back⏰ CHAPTERS(00:00:00) Welcome Back — Catching Up & The Band Name You Didn't See Coming(00:02:04) Season 2 Announcement & What's New This Season(00:03:02) Reintroductions: Meet Laura & Brandy(00:04:21) Brandy's Lash Journey — 10 Years in the Making(00:06:02) Product of the Week: The $30 Parafilm Hack Every Lash Artist Needs(00:08:47) Product of the Week: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation Palettes(00:13:09) Trade Secrets Preview — Extractions, Lashing Technique & Tutorials Coming(00:17:48) Next Week's Guest: Lucy Lindsay, CIDESCO Esthetician(00:19:35) Wrap Up & See You Next Week🌱 FUTURE EPISODES June 8, 2026 Our sisterhood episode! Lucy Lindsey of Lucy Lindsey Beauty stops by to share her results driven products and 50 years of experience in the always growing beauty industry. https://lucylindseybeauty.com/June 15, 2026 Ana Lauren Actress, writer, producer, and model shares her journey in the entertainment industry. https://www.instagram.com/theanalauren?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==June 22, 2026 Ariel Moody, CEO and Co-founder of Mama Sol stops by to share her non-toxic products and how she started her brand. https://www.shopmamasol.com/pages/our-story🛍️ PRODUCT OF THE WEEK* Parafilm (250 ft roll) — The lash glove technique essential Brandy switched to from her lash brand’s overpriced sheets. Same product, fraction of the cost. https://amzn.to/4dJtaQ4* Make Up For Ever HD Foundation Palettes — Laura’s secret weapon for covering every skin tone on set or at a wedding without hauling a suitcase full of individual foundations. Full, medium, and light coverage all in one book. https://amzn.to/4o8ZOyg🔗 RESOURCES & MENTIONS* Make Up For Ever — HD foundations, lip pencils, lipsticks & palettes. Cinema-ready, no flashback, all skin types. https://amzn.to/4eeUJkl* Parafilm (Amazon) —“Parafilm 250 ft roll”. https://amzn.to/3RFyU4Y* Lucy Lindsay Skincare — Laura’s sister & next week’s guest. CIDESCO-licensed esthetician, business owner, and owner of her own skincare line. https://lucylindseybeauty.com/* 📆 Book an Appointment with Laura: https://laurabarrowmua.com/* 📅 Book an Appointment with Brandy:https://rockwaterspa.glossgenius.com/💥 CONNECT WITH US* 🎥 YouTube: @PrettySmartTooPod* 📸 Instagram: @PrettySmartTooPod* 🎵 TikTok: @PrettySmartToo* 👥 Facebook: Pretty Smart Too* 🌐 Website: prettysmarttoo.com🙌 LOVED THIS EPISODE?Follow Pretty Smart Too on Apple Podcasts & YouTube and leave us a review! It helps more beauty pros find the show. We read every single one. 💗✨ COMING UP NEXT* Next week: Laura’s sister Lucy Lindsay joins the show — CIDESCO-licensed, globally trained, and the woman who walks into a spa and immediately knows exactly what you’re doing wrong (lovingly). ♥️* Soon: Laura’s extraction technique.. the one she’s never taught employees until she knew they were staying. 🤩 * Soon: Brandy’s lash mapping method the technique behind lashes that look like you, not like there’s caterpillars 🐛 on your clients eyes.Wishing you love, peace, & great skin!Laura & Brandy XOXO 💋 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prettysmarttoo.substack.com

📌 Episode SummaryIt’s our spooky-season special! Laura (in her “Morticia chair” 🖤) and Brandy swap hilarious, slightly horrifying, and super-useful waxing stories—first Brazilians, “butt strips”, screamers, mother-in-law mishaps, even a spray-tan-gone-pumpkin. In between laughs, they share practical pro tips on hair growth cycles, pain management, timing around your period, setting client expectations, and how small-town spas can build a booming waxing book. If you wax, want to wax, or just need a laugh—you’re home.🧠 What You’ll Learn* How to time Brazilians for less pain (and what to avoid before your appointment)* The truth about the “butt strip” (why it barely hurts + why clients love it)* Hair growth cycles 101 and why consistent waxing gets easier (and thinner!)* Scripts & setup for managing “screamers” without spooking the whole spa* Small-town strategy: build a once-a-month visiting waxer program* Wax + tools recs to explore (hard wax, trimmers, and what makes a difference)⏱️Chapters(00:00) Halloween vibes, new clients, auditions & Monsterpalooza weekend(07:39) Topic kickoff: Why Brazilians still scare people (and why they shouldn’t)(09:56) Who gets waxed? Everyone—from athletes to grandmas(12:32) Cleveland caper: speeding (…in km/h), sushi, and a first “butt strip”(18:22) Airport chaos, missed flights & cardboard Ludacris 🤦‍♀️(19:36) The “butt strip” case for comfort + cleanliness(20:34) Hair growth cycles: why consistency = less pain, less regrowth(22:17) Pain tips, period timing, and scheduling screamers wisely(24:28) Spray-tan horror: orange, tow yard, and a lesson learned(29:59) Small-town playbook: the monthly visiting Brazilian specialist(30:45) Wax talk: Mermaid, Cirepil, Bushbalm—plus the tiny “peanut” trimmer(32:11) Family tales: yes, Laura waxed her mother-in-law (consent + comedy)(42:24) When a trainee asks for scissors… (and why prep matters)(45:41) Razorback stencils, athlete legs & memorable clientele(47:29) Plot twist: the professor-vibe client who was a retired adult-film star(48:22) Wrap + Halloween wishes✨ Highlights* “The butt strip doesn’t hurt like you think—clients are always surprised.”* Book Brazilians the week after your period for the calmest experience.* Tell clients: hair should be about a grain of rice—too short or too long hurts results.* Quiet room hacks for screamers: isolate bookings, manage expectations, breathe together.* Small-town win: host an out-of-town waxer 1 day/month and fill 10–13 slots = great revenue.💡 Tip of the Week: Set your waxing clients up for success: pre-appointment text with hair length guideline (grain of rice), timing tip (week after period), pain expectations, and aftercare. Less fear, better results.🔗 Resources & Mentions Cirepil Blue WaxBushbalmWahl Peanut TrimmerBook an Appointment with Laura in Pasadena: Book an Appointment with Brandy in El Dorado: Book an Appointment with Brandy in Little Rock: 💥 Connect with UsYouTube: @PrettySmartTooPodInstagram: @PrettySmartTooPodTikTok: @PrettySmartTooFacebook: Pretty Smart TooWebsite: prettysmarttoo.com⸻🙌 If You Loved This Episode…Please follow Pretty Smart Too on Apple Podcasts & YouTube. Reviews help more people in beauty and business find the show—and we love hearing what resonates with you!⸻ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prettysmarttoo.substack.com