Our Story

The IE Esthetician Collective began in October 2025 with one simple TikTok video.

I'm Kaila, the founder of the IE Esthetician Collective. I posted a video asking if estheticians in the Inland Empire would be interested in coming together. The response was overwhelming. I quickly realized so many estheticians were looking for community, education, and meaningful connections within our industry.

At the time, I had never planned an event. I started an Instagram group chat called IE Esthetician Collective, and as the community continued to grow, I began searching for a place where we could all meet. After realizing how quickly venue costs added up, I reached out to community centers, schools, and local businesses until Salon Success in Upland welcomed us to host our very first event.

That first event was completely self-funded. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I wanted to show our community that I was serious about creating something that would last. Around 50 estheticians joined us for a day of networking, local educators, and open conversations about our industry.

It's also where I met my now partner, Mari. She volunteered her time by speaking, donating products for our giveaway bags, and supporting the event from the very beginning. Le Mieux also believed in our vision, generously donating samples and giveaway products despite us having no event history. Their support helped us build credibility and open doors to future brand partnerships.

Our second event grew to over 90 attendees and focused heavily on education. We welcomed Circadia as a vendor, featured local educators teaching classes on waxing and skin lightening, Korean lash lifts, business marketing, result-driven treatments, and sugaring, while also showcasing local Inland Empire vendors, food, networking, and a photo booth. While Mari focused on teaching her class, I managed the event behind the scenes so she could fully focus on educating.

Today, the IE Esthetician Collective continues to grow. Our upcoming November event is expected to welcome over 150 attendees and is proudly sponsored by COSMEDIX, with more educators, vendors, and industry partners to be announced soon.

What started as one TikTok video has grown into a community built on education, connection, and collaboration.

Our mission has always been simple: community over competition. We believe there's room for every esthetician to learn, grow, build relationships, and support one another. Every event is created with that purpose in mind, and we're just getting started.

I also have one branding suggestion: since your Instagram is IE Esthetician Collective, I'd make that your public-facing name everywhere (website, emails, social media, tickets). Then, if you eventually expand outside the Inland Empire, you can simply rebrand to The Esthetician Collective without changing the heart of the organization.