There may not be a shortage of beauty spas in the City of Houston, spread out across a wide geographic area, but a nationally-renowned medical spa with locations predominantly in the Ohio and Illinois regions is now shaking things up, bringing its unique brand of expertise in the wellness and beauty industry to Texas. This is Skinovatio’s first appearance in the state and it chose Houston as its first salon site at 701 Shepherd, just south of the Katy Freeway, with easy access and free parking.
Shawna Barbeau, the franchise’s new owner, is excited to bring the brand’s revolutionary treatments to Houston.
Shawna Barbeau brought her red carpet-level passion for aesthetics to the new Skinovatio Houston. (Photo by Stephanie Shirley)
“I’m thrilled to be part of the Skinovatio family and to offer cutting-edge skincare treatments that truly cater to every skin type,” she said in a recent news release. “The brand’s dedication to inclusivity and real results is what drew me to this incredible opportunity.”
Skinovatio bills itself as a premier skincare franchise known for its innovative approach to advanced, non-invasive skincare. With a focus on inclusive beauty and results-driven treatments, Skinovatio offers services that are scientifically backed and tailored to each individual’s needs. The brand, according to the company, is “dedicated to empowering its clients through the transformative power of skincare.”
Barbeau, who was born and raised in Colorado but resided in California, moved to Texas for to take advantage of this franchising opportunity.
“Doing research and figuring out the numbers for aesthetics versus the options, I was given maybe three or four states, after I did all of my research,” she recalled. “And I said to myself, where would I be comfortable moving and running my business? And Houston was number one for me.”
When asked about what her business offers to customers she said, “We do it all. We do membership. If you want to come and get a membership, you pay a monthly fee and you get an unlimited amount of laser. Or if you are a person that is really into your skin and you want to get micro-needling, get three or four micro-needlings a month, you get a membership for that. Or you can just do any of our services as a single use.”
Skinovatio also offers more invasive procedures like micro-needling, skin peels or even Botox injections that require a little bit of recovery time. But something they are really proud of is a procedure that she brought with her from L.A. called a ‘Glass Facial’. In the current ‘need-it-now’ environment, it stands far above the rest, Barbeau explained. Unlike other procedures, it only requires a day’s recovery time before looking fabulous, with incredible results.
Reception area at Skinovatio Houston. (Photo by Stephanie Shirley)
“I also want people to know that this is a spa that’s available for men and women,” she said. “I want men to feel comfortable coming here, too, and getting their laser hair removal or their skin treatments, because that’s big. I think a lot of men don’t take care of their skin, like us women. Skincare is big for us. We buy all the creams and we get all the services, but men kind of shy away from it, maybe because it’s a little bit too overwhelming. So I want this to be a comfortable place for men to come get services.”
When asked about how she planned to increase her male customer base, she added, “We’ve been thinking about it. My staff and I have been thinking of doing something like a ‘Thirsty Thursday’ or something like it once a month, where we’d invite men in and we show them a whole skincare regimen. We show them the creams and the SPF that they need. We’d want to come about it from an educational perspective, to teach them and make them feel comfortable. And, no question is a dumb question. Often guys are too nervous to even ask questions. Or, they’ll say, ‘I don’t even know what to do with my skin.’ So, we want to have informational nights where the guys come in and do a ‘Thirsty Thursday’ party or something and have drinks, good music.” Barbeau said her spa is committed to making skincare accessible and attractive to all.
Ebony Wadlington is one of several Skinovatio astheticians and medical professionals that bring decades of combined experience to the spa. (Photo by Stephanie Shirley)
Skinovatio also offers a Hydrafacial procedure, a non-invasive skin resurfacing treatment. It combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration, and antioxidant protection. The aesthetician first performs an intake to assess any skin-related concerns, known allergies, current skincare routines before implementing a step-by-step procedure designed to beautify and clarify the skin, removing dead skin cells and impurities, and simultaneously delivering moisturizing serums to the skin.
For more information about Skinovatio services or to book an appointment, visit skinovatiohouston.com.
