Meet Trailblazer James Turner

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Turner.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my journey with the beauty industry about 13 years ago as a part-time salon coordinator and makeup artist while I worked on my art degree at the University of Tennessee. Turns out, Art History was a questionable choice of majors, and my part-time beauty job became a full-time beauty career. I moved to LA and freelanced my new (entirely amateur & pre-youtube) makeup skills in the film and fashion industries before moving to the Front Range in 2011. Since then, I’ve worked for and consulted with salons and cannabis beauty companies (topical products) and am now officially the proud owner of a beauty and wellness studio on 30th and Downing, Reign Rituals. In that same building space is a CBD skincare manufacturing company that I co-founded, Luca Lab.

Has it been a smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road? Hell no! My father always told me that smooth seas never made a skilled sailor and damn was he right. I’ve had two failed business partnerships, navigated crazy amounts of debt, and sacrificed precious free time (laundry, dating, cool Instagrammable vacations, etc.) My advice? Keep going. Always keep going. Keep going and write all the fear moments down just to get it out of your mind. Fear is loud and we (womxn) have been socialized to operate with fear as our baseline and self-doubt as our currency. Tomorrow’s another day and yesterday’s blues can make for excellent content. Use it as fuel and keep going. Did I mention keep going?

Also: Work with other womxn whenever possible! Womxn show up, come prepared, and don’t explain your own business to you. When and if you find yourself in a professional work relationship with a man always have defined boundaries and a detailed, legally binding contract. Actually, that part should be applied to ALL work relationships. Legally protect yourself in the beginning and you won’t have to suffer down the road. Trust me. Also, follow up with a detailed email after any meeting and keep records. This part is both annoying and extremely essential.

p.s. Keep going.

We’d love to hear more about Reign Rituals.
Reign Rituals is a space to help womxn find power and strength in their own beauty. We provide classes, services and trainings on topics varying from beauty and makeup skills, to spiritual authenticity, to business training.  I help people find their personal beauty and teach professional classes and workshops. I specialize in makeup, brow design, lashes, beauty rituals, and style curation and am filling my space with practitioners of all kinds who see people in their truth, body and soul.

I’m incredibly proud of Reign Rituals and of the community we are building there. most proud of the shop I just opened and the space I’m cultivating for my community. Seriously, it feels surreal on so many levels and I still can’t believe I’ve gotten this far. For a long time I’ve felt so much shame about working in what I perceived as a “shallow and surface-level industry” and for such a long time and that attitude really limited me. I opened Reign Rituals with the intention to change that narrative and to create a space where everyone feels welcome and the “normal” beauty standards do not apply. The fact that I worked through that and realized my responsibility to help transform the world of “modern beauty” is wild and empowering and I’m so grateful and excited to share my work with others and create space for other practitioners to share their gift and change lives.

What sets Reign apart? I want  It is a space for everyone to feel and experience their own true beauty. It’s such a power! Really. And I know that maybe it sounds crazy but how we present ourselves to the world around us our social currency. We do not function at our highest potential when we try to force ourselves to fit bizarre beauty standards dictated by the media and beyond. I want every person who books a service with me at Reign or attends a workshop to fully explore their own unique style and gain the tools to weave that style into true and authentic personal beauty rituals at home. Also, the shop is so beautiful GORGEOUS and I’m fantastic at styling. True story.

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
My industry has limited (and extremely dated) resources for progressive and inclusive beauty education which, in my opinion, has created countless barriers for new talent (especially WOC and LGBTQ+). and It also creates massive burn out for long term practitioners due burns out those who build careers long term to non-existent health benefits and unsustainable schedules. Mothers have no support. hose coming into their Crones years have no support. It is unacceptable. We need to create Better working systems for stylists and practitioners as well as in addition to more accessible education opportunities outside of what is currently available will change the industry for the better.

I don’t have any new thoughts on barriers for female leadership beyond the usual misogynist BS we continue to navigate daily and all see in the media every day. Womxn are forced to do it all and more while experiencing harassment and oppression endlessly. Spoiler alert- Being female in a leadership role only escalates that harassment and oppression, but there are so many womxn standing up and fighting against this system. honestly, but it shouldn’t stop you. If anything it should fuel our fire to One by one, we will change the system. Our adversity (like centuries and centuries of it) has only made us stronger and more resilient. Buckle up, patriarchy, there’s a very wicked storm coming.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2801 N Downing St.
  Denver, CO 80205
• Website: www.reignrituals.com
• Phone: 720-900-1549
• Email: james@reignrituals.com
• Instagram: @reignrituals
• Facebook: @reignrituals

Image Credit:
Personal photo- Rae Scott Studio, Others- James Turner

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