La Grange native focuses on building relationships through new Luxe Wax Studio

LA GRANGE – It's not easy to own and operate a small business as a single parent. But La Grange native Andrea Smith took a risk and opened her own studio, despite obstacles and discouragement from others. And now, that risk has paid off, as Luxe Wax Studio and Spa in La Grange is growing and thriving just a few months after opening.

Smith, 31, is a licensed esthetician and offers full-body waxing for men and women, facial services, brow and lash tinting, and spray tanning. Smith, who has a 4-year-old son, conducts all the services for her 150 clients and runs the entire business by herself.

“It feels amazing. It’s something people told me I wasn’t able to do and was too big a risk,” she said. “Sometimes when people tell you that you can’t do something, it’s more of a problem within themselves.”

While her clients come for the high-quality services she provides, they often remain loyal because she’s able to bond with her clients during their appointments.

“I’m about people, not just the service. I have a strong passion for people,” she explained. “I have a genuine interest in my clients’ lives. I know their names, and I ask them about their kids. When they come in, it’s always me they see, so I’m able to have personal relationships with them.”

Kelly Doerr of Brookfield has been a client of Smith’s for almost three years. Doerr said she began seeing Smith for facials, and her skin began to dramatically improve. She looks forward to her appointments with Smith because they’ve now developed a friendship.

“She goes above and beyond every time. Her services are top notch,” Doerr said. “She’s very welcoming and warm and has a lot of knowledge. She’s doing what she was meant to do. I’m ecstatic to see her open her own place.”

Smith grew up in La Grange and graduated from Lyons Township High School in 2003. After that, she moved to Chicago to work in a restaurant with her cousin, where she saw firsthand what it was like to operate a small business. When she was 21, Smith enlisted in the U.S. Navy and spent three years in Virginia working to fix naval airplanes. She said she loved her time in the service, and while it wasn’t always easy, she learned many important lessons.

“It was awesome. It taught me resilience. I’ve been able to overcome adversity,” she said. “I was the only woman in the shop, and I learned I could do the same things the men could do. I finally got the respect I was due, and I learned that every place you go, you have to prove yourself.”

After being honorably discharged in 2007, Smith returned to Chicago, and when she enrolled at the University of Aesthetics in Chicago, she knew she found her calling. After she graduated from the seven-month program in 2011, she began working at Sean Patrick’s Salon and Spa in La Grange, where she was able to perfect her craft.

“I gained a lot of knowledge of what works, what didn’t work, and that was amazing,” she said.

Smith left Sean Patrick in February 2016 to open Luxe Wax Studio. She said at first she was a little intimidated to open in town, but the community support has been overwhelmingly positive.

“There’s a lot of negativity in the media about the black community, and I want to bring some positive attention as well,” she said. “A lot of people told me I couldn’t do it. But I want people to know it is possible to do it. I’ve overcome a lot of barriers to open this business, and the response has been amazing.”

An important part of Luxe Wax Studio is charity work. Each month, Smith devotes her time and resources to a different charity in the Chicago area. In May, she visited Shriners Children’s Hospital to paint little girls’ nails, and this month, she’s distributing “Luxe Love Bags,” which contain soap, toothpaste, water, granola bars and other essentials, to homeless people in the area.

“There’s a lot of need in the world, and not many people who are looking to fulfill those needs or don’t always have an outlet to do it,” she explained. “But you can impact people by donating just a little. It feels good to make others feel good.”

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About Luxe Wax Studio

Address: 810 W. Arlington Ave., La Grange

Hours: noon to 5 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday

Info: luxewaxstudio.com