D’vonne Dolly brings sunshine to San Juan with day spa

D’vonne Dolly never had much of an interest in makeup application, nor did she plan on becoming an entrepreneur at 19. But a birthday gift of a makeup palette and brushes from her best friend was a catalyst to Le Soleil Day Spa, which operates out of Farroe Terrace, San Juan.

The spa offers makeup application, facial and full-body waxing, hairdressing and nail services.

"I do the makeup and waxing. I rented out a station to a hairdresser and I currently have a nail tech station available for rent," Dolly told Business Day.

She said after she had played around with her gift, she decided to get certified in makeup application from Port of Spain-based makeup artist CassieB in January 2020.

"I enjoyed using the makeup on my own face so much, I decided to do a course."

Then she got certified in waxing at Face Forward Trinidad, a beauty industry training institute in St Augustine, paving the way for the opening of Le Soleil.

"The area I live is called Sunshine Avenue, San Juan," she explained of the significance of her spa's name. "I wanted to name it along those lines but didn't want it to be sunshine day spa. I did French at school and Le Soleil means 'sunshine' in French, so I felt it was a fitting name." As a tribute to her community, she said, for a limited time, residents of Sunshine Avenue get a discount on selected services. "They can get as much as 50 per cent off depending on what they come for."

She said because of the pandemic business has been a bit slow. "People aren’t going anywhere and many people are working from home because of covid," and the fact that is it mandatory to wear masks in public doesn't help the makeup industry at all. But, she said, people are still booking their hair and waxing appointments, and there are some customers who book appointments to do their makeup for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, even if it's just for a small, intimate gathering.

"People are getting fed up of not being able to go out. I definitely expect things to pick up with the easing of some of the restrictions." One of her regulars, she said, is her mother and Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.

"It's about the service and ambiance at Le Soleil Day Spa for me! So proud of my daughter #SmallBoss..." Gadsby-Dolly had posted on her Facebook page on March 14. The minister told Business Day she considers entrepreneurship to be a very important part of training for success.

"No matter how small the venture, it teaches one valuable and practical life lessons about the relationship between working hard and achieving success. I believe a practical skill helps young people to always have an outlet for creativity and it also gives a secondary income stream which can be used to grow wealth." She said a formal education is essential, but "as they say, 'common sense make before book sense.' Entrepreneurship allows young people to develop common sense – to learn about life, people, sacrifice, investment, competition, self-confidence – all life lessons which complement and enhance formal education."

Dolly, a second-year law student at the UWI St Augustine campus, said although Le Soleil didn't evolve from what many people describe as a "passion", she does not see it as a side hustle.

"To me, they (law and business) are both on the same level. Right now, because of the flexibility I have with school because it's online, I can do both comfortably." Eventually, she said, when she will be required to attend physical classes, she intends to hire someone to do the waxing and makeup when she is not available.

"And when I’m finished with school and have to practise law, I may not be able to physically do services in the spa, but I’ll still be CEO of Le Soleil," which she plans to expand by opening other branches and going into retail with the sales of weaves and hair accessories. She currently sells Super X TZ braids (coloured), hair beads, and reversible bonnets. She believes with proper marketing Le Soleil will certainly make its mark in the cosmetology industry.

"I have been using Instagram to spread the word, I have brand ambassadors and face model, I offer makeup services at a discounted price in some instances, and it has definitely been working."

She said customers can book online and are required to make a 50 per cent deposit within 48 hours of booking and should confirm appointments by 7 pm on the night before the appointment date.

For information follow Le Soleil Day Spa on Instagram @ lesoleil_dayspa or Le Soleil Day Spa on Facebook.