Mytherine Nguyen: An Inspiration Pursuing her Dreams in Highland Park's Salons by JC

Megan O'Connor, owner of Highland Park's salon collaborative Salons by JC, was surprised and quite curious when a tenant moving into a suite last year brought along a roasted pig to "bless" the space before moving in. Though blessing a salon suite with a roasted pig isn't exactly common practice in Highland Park, not much about the woman who performed this good luck tradition is. But that's exactly what Mytherine Nguyen did when she moved into the suite that she decided to rent so that she could open up her second business, and pursue her passion in life.

Today, Mytherine works as the CEO and Manager of her own welding business, MB Welding Solutions where she is also a welder. Additionally, Mytherine works as a Quality Assurance Inspector for a business called Skodie Manufacturing. While this would seem to be more than enough work for a single mom of two who grew up in both Vietnam and Japan and immigrated to the US 20 years ago, Mytherine has still found the time to open up a beauty business in a salon suite at Highland Park's Salons by JC to practice her true passion - permanent make up.

Permanent makeup is still relatively new to the beauty industry, and is often misunderstood. While permanent makeup is a cosmetic tool that can make people's lives easier by eliminating the daily application of makeup, it has deeper value to those looking to repair damage to the skin as a result of illness or scarring.

Mytherine was first introduced to the value of permanent makeup years ago while working in an Oncology Surgeon's office, where she trained to learn how to apply areola replacement on women who had lost their own as a result of breast cancer. She worked for years perfecting this skill, along with other permanent make up capabilities like eyebrow replacement for patients with Alopecia, or for cancer patients who had suffered hair loss during their treatment. Mytherine also learned how to apply permanent makeup to correct skin pigmentation irregularities from burns or scarring. These services require serious artistry, and Mytherine has spent years mastering her art. Thrilled to have Mytherine on the team, Megan O'Connor states, "My's area of expertise stretches past the services one usually associates with salon suites -- but it fits with the "beauty and wellness collaborative" that we are building here."

Whether replacing an areola to make a woman feel better about her body post surgery, or applying eyebrows to someone unhappy with their own, Mytherine uses permanent makeup to improve people's lives. She is an inspiration for single working moms, immigrants, and people pursuing their passions through work. She is a valuable asset to the team at Highland Park's Salons by JC, and can be found there most days bringing lost or new found confidence to her clients -- permanently.