Follow Your Dreams

A Redondo native builds on the dreams of her ancestors to create a beauty hub in the South Bay.

Like many businesses, Dollface Beauty, an epilation salon in the Riviera Village, has experienced the two-sided face of a global pandemic. The shutdown, closures and ever-changing mandates have shaken everyone’s world, and services as seemingly trivial as hair removal have helped us retain a sense of normality and weather the storm over this past year.

This realization led new clients to discover Dollface Beauty, which has been in business for eight years, and its owner, Erin Trujillo. “People are surprised to hear how long I’ve been around!” Erin says.

She had planned a major branding campaign for 2020, but like most businesses, she had to pivot and change plans. She is now back to work, focusing on her digital footprint, branding, new storefront signage and other ways to make her mark both physically and online.

“I follow my heart and I am true to myself, and at the end of the day that is what matters most.”

At 27 years of age, Erin opened her store in 2013 after a professional setback. She wasn’t sure if she was making the right choice, but over time her hard work, sacrifices and ambition have paid off. “Follow your heart, and chase your dreams,” says Erin when asked about her main message to our readers. “I love what I do. It doesn’t feel like work. It’s actually less about the services I offer and more about the bonds that are formed between my clients and myself.”

Erin credits her entrepreneurial spirit to her family as she follows in the footsteps of those before her. Her father’s side of the family has lived in Redondo Beach since the 1920s and boasts four generations of Redondo Union High School graduates. Her family is featured in the book Old Redondo: A Pictorial History of Redondo Beach, California, first published in 1982.

In the 1960s, Erin’s maternal grandfather uprooted his wife and six kids from Mexico City and immigrated to the South Bay. They passed on their stories of overcoming adversity to the next generation, and Erin is living her grandfather’s dream of a better life for his family. “Everything I do, I do with him in mind,” she says. “I know he’s proud of me. I follow my heart and I am true to myself, and at the end of the day that is what matters most.”

Erin has helped several women start their own beauty business in the South Bay. She doesn’t see it as competition; instead, she appreciates having safe options to refer clients to if she is not able to accommodate them for any reason. “I hope to mentor and educate anyone wanting to become more proficient in waxing or electrolysis or anyone wanting to go solo in the beauty industry,” she shares.

Dollface Beauty operates inside Sweet Serenity Day Spa in Redondo Beach. A guest favorite is Ruby, Erin’s 14-year-old Min Pin who serves as mascot and door greeter. “For a tiny dog, she definitely has a big presence,” Erin says.

She holds licenses in both cosmetology and electrology—the only permanent hair removal method recognized by the FDA and also an essential service for the transgender community. The bulk of her business is Brazilian bikini waxing, and she also offers full-body waxing, lash lifts, brow lamination and Tooth Kandy tooth gems.

Living out her version of the American Dream, Erin has accomplished her longtime goal of being her own boss. She is proud that her business offers clients a welcoming, inclusive, judgment-free and safe environment. “I want everyone’s experience walking into Dollface Beauty to be the best that it can be, whether it is their first visit or 100^th. I want them to leave their appointment feeling amazing!”