10 May 9 - 15, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Rainbow Bright Through her Beyond The Binary skincare studio, Jenna Leigh Kapitan offers beauty services aimed toward LGBTQ+ clients. BY ALEX GONZALEZ A t Jenna Leigh Skin Studio, owner Jenna Leigh Kapitan wants all of her clients to feel comfortable in their actual skin. Through her Beyond The Binary private skincare studio, Kapitan offers services such as full body waxing, scar revision, skin restoration and more — all specifically aimed toward LGBTQ+ clients. Having grown up in the small Texas town of Wills Point, Kapitan recalls feeling like a rainbow sheep, not knowing many other peo- ple who “fell under the LGBTQ+ umbrella” like herself. When she moved to Dallas and began her aesthetician training, Kapitan was surprised at the number of LGBTQ+ people who had trouble finding adequate skin and beauty treatments affirming the community. “Over the years, after I went to aesthe- tician school, I knew that I didn’t want to work under anybody else,” Kapitan says. “I wanted to start my own thing and have a space where people who felt weird or out of place would feel comfortable. I feel like [Beyond The Binary] stemmed from like a personal space, but into something that I wanted to help other people with.” Kapitan welcomes clients from all walks of life. Her process is fairly comprehensive. All new skincare clients must book a first- time consultation through Kapitan’s web- site. From there, Kapitan creates a treatment plan and a homecare plan to help clients reach their goals. Some of Beyond The Binary’s more ad- vanced treatments include chemical peels targeting acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation and aging. Kapitan also provides DMK en- zyme therapy and body waxing to help cli- ents arrive at their desired aesthetic corresponding to their gender identity. Scar revision and acne bootcamp treat- ments are also helpful to clients who have received gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapy. And microchanneling and brow lamina- tion especially help queer and trans people who are newly out, finally living their lives to the fullest. According to a survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality, 19% of par- ticipants were refused medical care due to their transgender or gender-nonconforming status. Of those surveyed, 28% postponed re- ceiving assistance when sick or injured due to discrimination, and 50% reported having to explain transgender care to their providers. Though these stats specifically refer to medi- cal care, the idea of receiving aesthetic treat- ments as a queer or trans person could be just as daunting, Kapitan says. “I find that a lot of other aestheticians may not know how to care for somebody in the community,” says Kapitan. “Maybe they don’t fall under the umbrella, maybe they’ve just never been around a queer person or a trans person before, and they’re unsure about how to service them. I feel like a lot of training in aesthetic schools, and even continuing edu- cation, no one really talks about the LGBTQ community. Quite frankly, it’s kind of insane to me that no one really talks about it, espe- cially in the skincare space. So I’m just here to be loud and proud about it and let people know that I’m here, I exist. I’m here to help anyone under any marginalized community, especially the LGBTQ community, who’s nearest and dearest to my heart.” Kapitan says that she has come across queer, trans and gender-nonconforming cli- ents who have shared that some aestheti- cians don’t know how to provide treatment for their specific needs. “When people think of an aesthetician, there’s kind of a certain mold in their mind,” says Kapitan. “Breaking that mold has been really important to me.” In order to maintain a comfortable space and maintain a feeling of safety for her clients receiving intimate services, Kapitan wants to keep her studio space for as long as possible before expanding into a larger storefront. But she also wants to become a household name, and to help educate other aestheticians on how to provide care to LGBTQ+ clients — and help provide LGBTQ+ clients with the re- sources needed to access adequate care. When she eventually opens a storefront of her own, Kapitan plans to prioritize pro- viding employment opportunities to LG- BTQ+ people. But for now, Kapitan is happy to provide a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community and for the misfits, the black sheep and those who simply want to elevate their aesthetic and revel in their inner and outer beauty. “I’m not only open to having just queer clientele,” says Kapitan. “I welcome so many different types of people. But all of the queer- dos are more than welcome in my space.” ▼ Culture Madison Truscan Aesthetician Jenna Kapitan is spreading beauty across the queer scene in Dallas. Moving Pictures: Karl Struss and the Rise of Hollywood is organized by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. The exhibition is supported in part by the Leo Potishman Foundation and the Alice L. Walton Foundation Temporary Exhibitions Endowment. Karl Struss (1886-1981), Gloria Swanson, Something to Think About (detail) (1920), gelatin silver print, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas, P1983.23.1650 May 12 – August 25, 2024
