Jes Harding

she/her

Esthetician

Jes is originally from Buffalo, New York but has called Winston-Salem home since 1997, when she moved here at age 10. She fell in love with skin care when she helped open the Sephora store in Hanes Mall in 2013, but didn’t get her estheticians license until 2020.

It wasn’t until she spent a miserable few months working in a call center that she finally decided to do something with her career that she was truly passionate about. After receiving her license from Dermacademy, she worked at a corporate spa, and started her own business in 2024, before finding her new work home at Alkali.

Her favorite service is  her own pressure point facial massage she created to release tension, increase circulation, and boost radiance. Her clients absolutely love it. So be sure to ask her about it!

Jes specializes in hyperpigmentation and has focused most of her continuing education learning everything she could about it. One of her biggest skin achievements was helping a client in her 20s rebuild her moisture barrier. The client had been using Tretinoin every day, and her skin had become so sensitive, that rinsing with cool water was painful. After reducing her use of Tretinoin and a series of ultra nourishing facials, Jes was able to get her client’s skin back to normal.

Another skin challenge she’s especially proud of solving, was when she successfully faded a client’s hyperpigmentation to the point it was only noticeable if you look very closely. If she could give anyone a skin makeover or treatment, it would be Lady Gaga. Mainly because she seems really into beauty, she’d love to meet her, and feels they’d have an amazing conversation.

No stranger to skin issues herself, Jes struggles with dermatitis around her mouth. She’s normally able to keep it controlled by a strict skin care regimen, but if she skips her routine, even for a day, she can have bad flare-ups. Because of this, she’s extremely empathetic about her clients’ skin challenges and loves helping them achieve their skin goals and be happy in their skin.

Jes’s ideal client is anyone who is curious and genuinely curious about learning more about their skin.

On a personal level, Jes admits she can be a little awkward when first meeting people, but the more she gets to know you, the more she opens up. It’s not hard to get her talking about skin, though. She can do that all day!

Jes’s Top 4 At-home Skin Care Tips

1. Wear sunscreen every day, all the time, rain or shine, even indoors.

2. Consistency is key to any skin routine for best results

3. Invest in quality skin care products you can buy AND use consistently

4. Embrace your imperfections. It’s about having healthy skin, not perfect skin.