Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Miller.
Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I did not always know I wanted to be an esthetician. I moved around quite a bit growing up, and after high school I planned to become an orthodontist. I studied biology at USC Sumter, SC for over two years and worked in an orthodontic office during my freshman and sophomore years of college. I learned everything I could, assisting where allowed, helping with sterilization, X-rays, and absorbing as much hands-on experience as possible. The goal was to stay there long-term and train as an orthodontic assistant while continuing toward dental school. Long story short decided to take a break from college and focus on training to be an orthodontist assistant.
Unfortunately, shortly after, that decision my orthodontist lost his battle with lung cancer. When the practice was sold, the new owner had to make significant cuts due to the state of the economy in 2008–2009, and my position was eliminated. It was a difficult and unexpected turning point, but it led me to a role in a cosmetic dental office, where I shifted into the business side of patient care, treatment planning, insurance, finances, and overall client experience. That experience taught me how much I loved working with people and helping them feel confident and cared for.
In 2015, I moved to Toledo with my (now) husband and found a home in a local orthodontic office. The team there became like a second family to me. Coincidentally, there was a hair salon located below the office, and I began going there regularly for eyebrow waxes. A couple of weeks before my wedding, my stylist suggested I try a dermaplane facial with their new esthetician. She booked me for a consultation the very next morning and that appointment was when I learned about an esthetician.
After coming back from my honeymoon, I received a handwritten card from the esthetician congratulating me and wishing me well. So, I scheduled another appointment, and during one of those early visits, she looked at me and said, “I can help you with your acne.” That sentence stuck with me. I had struggled with acne for years, including a severe reaction to Retin-A in high school that resulted in full-face sun poisoning and blistering. After that experience, I learned it was easier to hide behind makeup and accept acne as something I’d always deal with.
But for the first time, I felt hopeful.
I had always known I wanted to do something meaningful and people-focused, but also creative. Working with her inspired me to start researching esthetics. To not only to understand my own skin better, but to help others who felt the same frustration and insecurity I did. I enrolled in esthetics school in 2018, still struggling with my own acne and quietly wondering if people would trust me before I had everything figured out. Now I know that is one of the main reasons clients trust me, they know I understand what they are going through.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road getting here, and honestly, I still feel like I’m on the bumpy part! But I think that’s what keeps life interesting and keeps me growing.
I graduated from esthetics school in 2019, excited to finally be working toward my passion and less than a year later enters a global pandemic. I also started 2020 pregnant with our first daughter and quickly realized I was part of the 1% who experiences hyperemesis gravidarum, which is basically extreme, all-day morning sickness. I was so sick I had to be put on at-home IVs for dehydration. When the world shut down in March, I joke that I was the only one excited, it helped ease the guilt I felt for needing to constantly call off.
By 2021, I was ready to refocus and gain as much experience as I could. I worked at Massage Envy and European Wax Center to build my hands-on skills with different skin types and service styles, and that eventually led me to a local spa where I thought I’d stay and grow long-term. But like so many other parts of my story, that chapter ended up being just a stepping stone.
I realized that in order to truly help clients the way I envisioned with customized care, education, and long-term skin health in mind I needed to build that space myself. So, in March 2022, Solutions for Skin was born.
As you know, we’re big fans of Solutions For Skin. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Solutions for Skin is my skincare studio located inside Solutions for Hair in Maumee, Ohio, where I specialize in helping clients manage acne and feel confident in their skin again no matter their age or starting point.
While I offer a variety of services like customized facials and body waxing and I truly love performing them all! I have to highlight my Acne Program, it’s how I truly make a difference for my acne clients. It’s a personalized, education-first approach that combines professional treatments, curated homecare, and lifestyle support. I’m a certified Face Reality Acne Specialist since 2023, and I work with both teens and adults. I guide them through a plan that actually makes sense and gets results.
What sets my business apart is that it’s truly personal. I’m a solo esthetician, so when someone books with me, they always know exactly who they’re going to see. I take time to get to know my clients and make sure they feel seen, heard, and supported whether we’re talking about their skin, school, work or life in general.
I don’t promise overnight results or push trendy products. I focus on real skin, real solutions, and real people. My goal is to take the overwhelm out of skincare and create a space where clients feel comfortable, educated, and empowered.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
favorite? I’m not sure if this is a favorite but its memorable and fun to tell, at least my husband likes hearing it. So, I mentioned I moved around a lot as a child, within the first year or so we were living outside of Chicago, in Indiana my dad was off for a few days which it was rare with him working swing shifts. So, I was about 8 or 9 we were playing outside and my parents decided that we were “close” to Canada so let’s pack up and go for the day. So, to not waste any time my parents packed us up in what we were wearing, I will never forget I was wearing jeans and a white turtleneck. by the way we definitely did not make it to Canada that night, we had to stay the night at a hotel in Michigan and then cross the border the following day. I still remember having to sleep in my clothes and not being able to swim in the indoor pool because we didn’t have swimming suits. To this day I do not wear turtlenecks, and I always pack a swimming suit. In the summer I have been known to just leave one in my car.
Pricing:
- Consultations (Acne & Skincare) $99
- Virtual Skin Consultation $135
- Acne Treatment $125
- Custom Facial Treatment $132
- I do not accept tips, its already factored in pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.solutionsforskintoledo.com
- Instagram: @solutionsforskin_
- Facebook: solutionsforskinmaumee
- Other: tiktok @solutionsforskin_
