How Olia Majd Left Accounting To Pursue Her Passion For Beauty & Skincare

Olia Majd is a popular blogger and esthetician, as well as the founder of the skin care line, O Cosmétiques! She got her degree in accounting and turned her internship into a full time career. However, after passing the state board exam, Olia took a leap of faith and decided to leave her career in accounting to chase after her true passions: fashion, lifestyle, and beauty! Olia pivoted career paths and was able to successfully turn her passions into reality. We had the opportunity to speak to this blogger and entrepreneur about navigating career transitions and creating her own company. Check out her profile feature below! 

Q: How did you navigate the transition from a career in Accounting to becoming an Esthetician and Blogger?

Olia: “This was a time in my life where I was so lost and confused but just knew I had to make a change. I got my degree in accounting and just assumed that was the path I had to take in life to be 'successful.' When an internship turned into a full time job once I graduated, I felt like I had made it. It was shortly after however, that I realized it wasn't at all what I wanted to do with my life. I had always been interested in the beauty field as I grew up with an Esthetician mother who gave me the opportunity many times to come work with her doing the same. I was stubborn and told myself I should go my own route and surely was I wrong! About a year into my career as an Accountant, I caught myself looking at the clock all day waiting to log off, dreaded going back to work after weekends and just felt unfulfilled. I decided at that time, I was young enough to go back to school and get my license to become an esthetician so that is exactly what I did. It wasn't easy juggling the two but ultimately, when you want something badly enough you find a way to make it work. After passing the state board exam, I quit my accounting job and immediately went to work with my mother as an esthetician at her salon in San Diego. I didn't look back once.

After being engulfed in the beauty world as an esthetician I decided to start a blog where I could share all my skincare tips/tricks with anyone who chose to read and follow along. That eventually morphed into fashion/lifestyle and anything I took an interest in my daily life! After juggling the two for about 2 years I decided one thing had to give to be able to put all my effort/energy in it and I knew the blog was my ultimate passion. I still to this day carry my Esthetician license however if I ever choose to go back!”

Q: You’re the Founder of O Cosmétiques, a skin care line you launched in 2019! Can you share your inspiration behind creating your company?

Olia: “Working in the field of clients daily, I was able to see specific skin care concerns with my own eyes and a lot of the time, people suffered from the same issues. A lot of it was not using the right products for their skin type and I knew there was a market for someone who really had worked on clients in the past to develop products that truly helped problematic skin without over-irritating the skin and I wanted to do exactly that!”

Q: Do you have a favorite skin care product from your line?

Olia: “My favorite is the Glycolic Cleansing Milk. It includes glycolic and provides a deep cleanse as it washes away makeup residue and impurities without overdrying the skin. It is also infused with antioxidants such as Vitamin E & C to fight against free radical damage.”

Q: What is your go-to skincare routine?

Olia: “My routine changes all the time depending on weather, condition of skin and how my skin concerns I'm going through at that moment. Right now I've been incorporating retinol into my skincare routine which I have been loving but I always do any products that are slightly stronger in moderation so that the skin doesn't react negatively. But typically I won't go a day without Cleanser, Toner, Serum & Moisturizer!”

Q: On your blog you share that you’re half Persian, half French, and that “the European influence has carried on into [your] fashion obsessed world” - Can you share how so?

Olia: “Growing up with my mother who is French, I remember her always being put together. She would always be dressed chic, effortless and makeup was always minimal with a focus on skincare. I feel there is something about the European culture that has us all envious because they always look so poised, well dressed and chic and that's something I completely identify with.”

Q: What does the word “beauty” mean to you? How has your perspective of beauty changed over the years? 

Olia: “I think now more than ever I have much respect for natural beauty. It's important to take care of yourself from the inside out and as much as I love makeup and such, there's nothing better than giving your skin the type of nutrients and ingredients it needs to thrive. Same goes for your body! I love as I've gotten older that I've placed less emphasis on material things and more emphasis on loving yourself for who you are.”

Q: Any advice for women aspiring to become Licensed Estheticians? 

Olia: “It's an amazing career, you get to be your own boss and develop amazing relationships with clients. There's also an amazing feeling when you can improve someone's skin and see their confidence level go from 0 to 100. Schooling is a little tedious but it goes fast and once you pass the state board exam you are good to go immediately after! I have never once regretted having my license!” 

Thank you for chatting with us Olia! Olia is wearing our Charcoal Tie Dye Mock Neck Pullover & Jogger from our Fall 2020 collection.

Connect with Olia on @oliamajd and her blog! And check out her skin care line, O Cosmétiques!

Photography by Olia Majd