Meet Dani Larkin | Owner & Esthetician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dani Larkin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dani, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting my own business was initially never a part of my plan as an esthetician. It wasn’t until I went through a handful of jobs in the industry that I realized I needed more. I was unsatisfied with the quality of care the places I was working at were offering, whether it was cutting corners on time, quality of products, machines, lack of customization and so forth. I created DLSKINCARE with all of that in mind, determined to give my clients an experience that is truly focused on them. I customize everything to give the best. I never compromise and book adequate time to give them exactly what they need

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is based completely around my clients. Most facial consultations only include basic skincare questions (allergies, products, if you’ve had a facial before), but skincare is so much more than that. Mine cover anything and everything that could be contributing to your skin conditions. Your eating habits, stress levels, lifestyle and more need to be taken into consideration to determine treatment and home care. Continuing education and challenging myself are also a huge part of my practice. There are constantly innovations in skincare and it’s important to stay up to date to provide the best. No one knows everything about what they do, there’s always something to learn or expand on. Last year I entered the international skincare competition, The Skin Games, and placed Top 10 in the Acne and Pigmentation categories. I entered wanting to test my knowledge and skill set against some of the best estheticians in the world and was ecstatic to make it so far on my first attempt. Getting to where I am today hasn’t been easy, I’ve definitely made a ton of mistakes, but taking them all as a learning experience has made things easier. I’ve learned to trust my gut and ignore what I feel pressured to do because of trends or what’s “exciting”. I used to want to be the esthetician who could do everything, waxing, lashes, skin, body contouring, laser, you name it, but I’ve learned to niche down and follow my passion. I wasn’t successful or happy when I was pushing myself to do all of that and it’s obvious to my skincare clients that they’re in good, passionate hands.

I’d love for people to know how much I care about what I do and that I always have their best in mind. If I could do what I do for free, I would because being the support and helping people reach their skincare goals and the confidence that gives them is the best feeling in the world

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Texas Live in Arlington is always one of my go to’s in DFW. It’s a huge entertainment center with around 10 bars, different types of food, and a 100ft tv that splits into different screens where they play sports and music videos. The Stockyards in Fort Worth are super fun for weekend bar hopping, good food, and a more southern experience. Sundance Square and 7th St in Fort Worth offer a more modern, but similar experience. If the Rangers are in town, the games are the best bang for your buck sporting events to go to

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Various other estheticians in my life over the past few years have shaped who I am and my success. Starting even before I was a licensed esthetician, my earliest mentor, Stacy, encouraged me to go to school for it. Throughout my education she enhanced my training, working with me on the side to practice any skill I needed. From there, an inspiration of mine was a friend and coworker of mine, Ali, who is an extremely talented, caring, and successful esthetician. She taught me how to connect with clients to maintain long term relationships and to focus on every detail of treatment. I’ve also taken a few training courses from influential estheticians such as Lori Crete and Raya Schwartz who have helped guide me through owning a business. They’ve introduced me to communities of like minded business owners who have become a huge part of my support system

Website: https://dlskincare.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dlskincare_/?hl=en