May 15, 2017

Meet Eva Bui of Eve Beauty in Northshore

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eva Bui.

Eva, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was 26 years old when I first immigrated to the US and spoke limited English. I had a three-year-old child with me, and I knew it was important to support myself and my family financially. In 2003, I became a cosmetologist, and worked for a few hair salon and spas. At the time, I liked what I did but wasn’t passionate. After a few years of working in the beauty industry, I decided to go back to school at Salem State University and study part time. I am extremely grateful for my husband who was very supportive of me otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to work full time, go to school, and raise a family at the same time. I decided to pursue a B.S. degree in accounting, because during my childhood, I always dreamed of working in a professional setting. It was a big accomplishment to graduate in 6 years and also achieve my dream of working in an office setting. But after two years of working there, I realized that it wasn’t something that I wanted. I missed the interactions I had with my coworkers in the beauty industry and the conversations I had with my clients. I realized that I really enjoyed this aspect of the beauty industry and knew what direction I wanted to pursue for my career.

In 2012, I started a nail and spa business in Lynnfield. Shortly after, I decided to pursue the lash extension business. When I started training and getting certified for lash extensions, I got hooked and fell in love with the results my clients had. I loved how it made them look and feel prettier. In 2014, I learned volume lashes and was one of a few people in Boston who acquired the training at the time. As I continued to work on clients for lash extension, I noticed that the clients’ eyelashes looked great after the service was done, but their eyebrows appeared light and sparse. So in 2015, my next goal was to learn micro blading. I received one of the best microblading training from Irina Lechuk, Director of Lash and Brow Academy in Russia. Eighteen months later, I finally obtained a permit that would allow me to do this procedure, and it propelled me to open up my own business that would specialize in eyebrow microblading, permanent makeup, and eyelash extension. After reflecting on my personal journey and all the knowledge I gained along the way, I decided to name my business Eve Beauty.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s never a smooth road when you decide to pursue anything and I faced many challenges along the way. The challenges of first immigrating to this country was learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, and providing for my family. In terms of pursuing higher education, it was balancing a full time job, going to school, and raising a family. When it came to starting my own business, it was challenging to find enough clients to practice volume lashing because back then it wasn’t as popular as it is now and not many people knew about it. I faced the same situation when I received training for microblading in 2015, I wasn’t able to find enough people to work on because most of my clients were afraid and didn’t know what it was.

Another challenge I faced was obtaining a permit for microblading procedure from towns and cities in Massachusetts. Many towns and cities didn’t have any regulations on it and for a long time I wasn’t able to get a permit. I visited countless town halls in order to apply for one. And because microblading was new and was considered body art, every town and city had their own regulations and requirements for applying for the license, which was not easy to fulfill. There were many times where I wanted to give up, but what motivated me and kept me focused was my love and passion for what I do; and giving people confidence in their beauty and making my clients happy. After eighteen months from the first visit at Peabody City Hall, I finally received a YES from the city of Peabody and was incredibly happy.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Eve Beauty story. Tell us more about the business.
The meaning behind the name Eve Beauty is a combination of two words: beauty and Eva which is my first name. When you combine the two, it becomes ‘before beauty’. The reason I came up with this name is because after a client receives a service at my studio, they feel more beautiful and confident than before.

Currently, I have multiple roles in my company. I am the owner, as well as eyelash, permanent makeup and microblading artist. My company specializes in microblading, permanent makeup and eyelash extension. What sets Eve Beauty apart from other businesses is that we are committed to high quality products and going above and beyond for our customers. We value being lifelong learners and are always open to learning new techniques. We stay up-to-date on the latest trends, and we try new products that will help improve our services and the clients’ experiences.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
My interest in the beauty industry started when I was very young. I was interested and then became passionate in this area, because I knew that bringing the best out of a woman looks-wise can also help her feel more happy and confident. I want to bring happiness and joy to people, and that’s why I’ve been in the beauty industry for a long time and why I started Eve Beauty.

I would say I was very ambitious at a young age. I’ve always achieved whatever goals I set for myself. My family and I come from humble beginnings, and I feel that’s the source of my desire to be driven. I grew up in a time when Vietnam was very poor, so there weren’t many financial opportunities for women. I am proud of how far I’ve come and am happy with where I am now. I am grateful for all the opportunities that have come my since coming to the US.

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