Hi. I’m Yaya, co owner of KLA Beauty. I’m so grateful to be able to say that.

This was never in my plans but God, love and life have a way of taking us to unimaginable places in life. My love for beauty started at a young age but didn’t blossom until 2020. I started working at 14 and before I blinked a lot of life happened, like a lot. I never thought I’d make a career for myself led alone help someone else make a career that could change their lives like it did for me. What started over a Mexican dinner date with my partner in business where we were living two different worlds changed when we mixed love and dreams.

Qu was already hosting certification courses when we joked about him teaching me how to lash one day. I was happy at my job but I wanted to spend more time with my daughter and him but I couldn’t because I had to work 5 days a week for 40hrs. One day we were made vision boards and one of the many pictures we includeda picture of a cosmetology school on his vision board. It was a beautiful moment because we shared the very things we both wanted in life. His goals were and continue to be important to me, so that cosmetology was in the plans. That day came 6 months after making our vision boards. I remember driving 40 mins after my 9-5 to go look at commercial spaces with Qu, or I would read contracts or file city permits and meet with contractors and different agents to open the very place that is home to us and now so many beautiful beautiful people.

Who knew that crying after feeling exhausted and depleted after making those long days and long nights would be worth it. Who knew that the arguments, stress, tears, laughter, meals on the go, resting when possible would be worth taking the risk. Who knew that having someone push me that much to believe in me, helped me see that there was more in me. Who knew that the risk in putting in my two week notice at my corporate job and my notice at my 1b studio would welcome change. Everything changed the moment I gave lashing and myself an opportunity. Now, we pay it forward. Its a privilege to be able to empower and encourage men and women to fulfill something that helped me change my life. 🦋