Erika & Marcella sit down with legendary MakeUp Artist, Monica Boyd Lester, the woman who makes people feel beautiful before ever touching their faces.

In this heartfelt, hilarious, and raw episode, we talk about menopause, makeup, motherhood, and the real secret to glowing skin (spoiler: it’s not your foundation).

✨ Highlights from this episode:

The beauty counter stories that shaped Luminous

How to glow through menopause (and yes, vaginal red light therapy is a thing)

What Monica really uses on her skin

Why women over 40 are done with the BS

The moment Erika stopped judging her face (because of Monica)

Monica’s wisdom on grief, peace, and finally arriving in your beauty

If you’ve ever judged your skin in a harsh light or wondered when self-acceptance finally clicks in... this episode is for you.

💬 Monica Says:

“Stop touching your face. Stop judging your face. Just love yourself.”

📍 Mentioned in this episode:

That serum Monica swears by (DM us to find your perfect one)

Red light intimate therapy 🚨 Now available at Luminous

Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s Book – “The New Menopause” in-store now

🛍 Visit us in person

We’re glowing-up during renovations! Come shop + book at our temporary home:

📍 156 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ

📞 Text us: 201.857.2711

🌐 shop.getluminous.com

📲 Connect with us

Follow us on Instagram: @getluminous

Follow Monica on Instagram: @MonicaBoydLester

Tag this episode and share with a woman who needs Monica’s magic.

🎧 Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you’re ready to stop judging your reflection and start showing up softer, wiser, and more luminous... come see us. Consults are complimentary. Confidence is priceless.

Marcella chopped her hair (kind of), and we’re talking all things foundational beauty—from lived-in lashes to low-maintenance brows. We share the real truth about lash care, allergic reactions, brow serums, and why a great lash artist can change everything.

✨ Plus:

Lash lift corrections (and how to avoid disasters)

The benefits of rotating lash artists—and loving the imperfections

What we really think about brow tints, serums, and prostaglandins

Behind the scenes of a lash lift gone wrong—and how we fixed it

Our plea for a brave eye doctor to talk lashes with us (seriously!)

The Luminous low-maintenance beauty lifestyle we swear by

💡 Glow Guide: Think about the beauty service you cannot live without—your foundational fave. Is it a fresh brow tint? A quick lash nap? A spring spray tan? Whatever it is... book it now and start your glow-up for the season ahead.

👀 Keep Glowing with Us:

🔗 Book your spring + summer lash & brow appointments: shop.getluminous.com

📍 Come hang at the studio — we’re temporarily in Mahwah while we finish our renovation!

📲 Follow us on Instagram @getluminous for behind-the-scenes, inspo, and more beauty without the BS.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Soundcloud

If this episode made you laugh, nod, or feel seen—share it with your beauty BFF. 💕

From tomboy to Trish McEvoy, national champ to skincare queen, Karin Stephan shares her journey into beauty, balance, and becoming a Luminous legend. We talk sports, sarcasm, skincare holy grails, and how a glam girl can still love a leather flyswatter. This one's got heart, humor, and the glow-up we all need.

✨ Karin’s Glow Guide: Make your everyday surroundings beautiful. It’s a game-changer.

Follow us on Instagram @getluminous

Visit us in Mahwah (for now) at 156 Ramapo Valley Rd

Book or shop: 201.857.2711

Shop online: shop.getluminous.com

Welcome back to The Luminous Life Podcast, the beauty podcast that’s all about real talk, no filters, no fluff. In this week's episode, Erika and Marcella are serving up their signature blend of humor, honesty, and insight as they dive deep into their love-hate relationship with social media. Spoiler: it involves pasta-printed tees, beauty blush mishaps, and the unexpected comfort of TikTok sports content. Yes, really.

They’ll dish on:

📺 What they're (still) watching...hello Shrinking, goodbye White Lotus

📱 Why curated social media can actually feel more inspiring than raw

😬 Erika’s realization that social keeps us connected and distracted

🤳 The beauty of memory-keeping (shoutout to friend group historians everywhere)

🧼 The danger of “compare and despair” scrolling...and how to protect your peace

🌸 Their favorite follows for joy, laughs, and gentle inspiration

Whether you’re a reel junkie, a TikTok minimalist, or someone just trying to make sense of this digital world—we got you.

💡 Glow Guide of the Week:

Curate your feed like you curate your life—unfollow what drains you, lean into what delights you. If it doesn’t feel good, let it go. And yes, you can be a little judgy. Just don’t stay there. 😉

📲 Stay connected IRL and URL:

Follow us on Instagram → @getluminous for the beauty without the BS you actually want to see.

Book your lash, brow, or skincare consult → shop.getluminous.com

Come say hi in store—we’re always down for a good convo and even better skin.

✨If this episode made you laugh, think, or nod in agreement, leave us a 5⭐ review and share with a friend who’s got their own love-hate thing with social.

This week on The Luminous Life Podcast, we’re pulling back the curtain on a question from our community: “Why are we doing the renovation now?” The answer? It’s layered, and more personal than you'd think.

Erika opens up about her experience starting a GLP-1 medication (often known by brand names like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound) and the life-changing impact it’s had, not just on her body, but on her brain. What began as a step toward managing obesity turned into something much deeper: clarity, calm, and the ability to finally execute on long held dreams. Marcella joins the conversation with her own vulnerable story of body image, comparison, and what it really means to feel healthy and beautiful in a world obsessed with transformation.

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt judged, overwhelmed, or at war with their body—and is ready to reframe that relationship with radical self-love and honesty.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:

What GLP-1s actually do for the brain (beyond weight loss)

Releasing food noise and discovering mental clarity

The complicated feelings around compliments like “Did you lose weight?”

Personal body image stories from childhood to womanhood

Why feeling strong or healthy can be more beautiful than any number on the scale

The pressure to “transform” vs. the power of just being yourself

And yes… why we finally started the renovation at Luminous

LET’S CONNECT:

✨ If this conversation resonated with you, we’d love to hear from you. DM us on Instagram @getluminous and tell us what part hit home.

💌 Got a question for a future episode? Send it in—we love hearing from our Luminous Life community.

🏡 Local? Come visit us at the shop. We're always down for a good conversation (and great lashes and brows).

🛍️ Not nearby? Explore our curated products online at shop.getluminous.com

FOLLOW + SUBSCRIBE:

Make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss a moment of beauty—without the BS. And if you loved this episode, share it with a friend who needs to hear it.

Building, Brows & Baby No. 2 with Kristen Oakley

The girls are back (construction dust on their pants and all) and today, they're bringing on one of Luminous’ brightest lights: lash & brow artist, bridal makeup queen, and hilarious storyteller, Kristen Oakley.

From navigating construction chaos in stilettos to discovering skincare trends at the IBS show (and clarifying what IBS really means), Erika and Marcella take us behind the scenes of a boutique in flux, and into a conversation full of heart, hustle, and LOLs with Kristen.

We talk about:

🧱 Surviving a renovation with grace (and power tools)

💡 Beauty trends spotted at IBS: red light therapy, peels, and the missing VFit moment

💄 Clean girl aesthetic vs clean girl energy and why makeup should always be a choice

🐴 How Kristen’s horse reunited a client with her childhood pony (yes, really!)

🍼 The real talk on motherhood, TikTok fame (hello, @theweenwrangler), and balancing glam with grace

🤰🏽A wild gender reveal mix-up that had the whole staff (and half of Bergen County) shook

🎨 Her beauty evolution from maximalist to mindful minimalist—and a no-buy commitment that’s actually sticking

👁️‍🗨️ Why brows are her forever service (and why henna might be your new beauty BFF)

Kristen’s story reminds us that the path to your dream life doesn’t always follow the plan...and that the best glam comes with a whole lot of love, laughter, and learning as you go.

Special Guest: ✨ Kristin Oakley – Lash & Brow Artist, Makeup Artist, Dog Mom x3, Horse Lover, TikTok-er, Real Mom of Bergen County, and all-around Luminous Legend.

Building, Brows & Baby No. 2 with Kristin Oakley

Episode Summary:

The girls are back—construction dust on their pants and all—and today, they're bringing on one of Luminous’ brightest lights: lash & brow artist, bridal makeup queen, and hilarious storyteller, Kristin Oakley.

From navigating construction chaos in stilettos to discovering skincare trends at the IBS show (and clarifying what IBS really means), Erika and Marcella take us behind the scenes of a boutique in flux—and into a conversation full of heart, hustle, and LOLs with Kristin.

We talk about:

🧱 Surviving a renovation with grace (and girl power tools)

💡 Beauty trends spotted at IBS: red light therapy, peels, and the missing VFit moment

💄 Clean girl aesthetic vs clean girl energy—and why makeup should always be a choice

🐴 How Kristin’s horse reunited a client with her childhood pony (yes, really!)

🍼 The real talk on motherhood, TikTok fame (hello, @theweenwrangler), and balancing glam with grace

🤰🏽A wild gender reveal mix-up that had the whole staff (and half of Bergen County) shook

🎨 Her beauty evolution from maximalist to mindful minimalist—and a no-buy commitment that’s actually sticking

👁️‍🗨️ Why brows are her forever service (and why henna might be your new beauty BFF)

Kristen’s story reminds us that the path to your dream life doesn’t always follow the plan—and that the best glam comes with a whole lot of love, laughter, and learning as you go.

Special Guest: ✨ Kristen Oakley – Lash & Brow Artist, Makeup Artist, Dog Mom x3, Horse Lover, TikTok-er, Real Mom of Bergen County, and all-around Luminous Legend.

✨ Connect with Kristen:

Book with her: shop.getluminous.com

Follow her: @theweenwrangler on TikTok

DM us on Instagram: @getluminous

This week on The Luminous Life, we’re hitting record in the middle of our renovation dust—literally—and sharing a raw, real conversation about something that goes beyond skin-deep: intergenerational friendships.

It’s just Erika and Marcella today, back to our roots, reflecting on how our nearly 20-year age difference shaped our friendship—from boss/employee vibes to chosen family. We’re getting honest about what makes friendships grow, the beauty of learning from each other (yes, even when it’s how to wear blush differently), and why our relationships are one of our greatest beauty secrets.

In this episode, we dive into:

What intergenerational friendship really means—and why it’s magic

Why we never drag the skincare dropper across our faces 😬

How Millennials and Gen Z have changed beauty, body image, and business

Beauty trends we love, and some (ahem, skinny brows) we’ll never bring back

How to evolve with your friendships instead of outgrowing them

The power of seeing women in every season of life...and celebrating them all

This episode is full of laughter, love, and zero judgment (okay, maybe a tiny bit—see: the dropper thing). It’s a reminder that the beauty industry can be a place of connection, not competition—and that real beauty is about how we treat each other.

✨ Mentioned in this episode

Our Ask Us Anything is live! → Go to shop.getluminous.com and click Podcast in the menu to send us your questions, thoughts, or ideas for future episodes.

Want to talk beauty IRL? Come visit us in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ—or book a complimentary skincare consultation with Erika or one of our estheticians. Learn more here →

💬 Let’s keep the conversation going:

What have you learned from a friend of a different generation? Message us on Instagram @getluminous or reply to our latest story—we love hearing from you.

🛍️ Shop the products we love, minus the BS:

From glow-giving serums to the perfect lip liner, our curated collection is full of gorgeous, pro-picked skincare and beauty that actually works. Explore it at shop.getluminous.com

🎧 Subscribe, Rate & Share:

If this episode made you laugh, think, or feel something—send it to your group chat or leave us a review. Your words help more women find The Luminous Life.

Until next time,

Stay luminous ✨

Erika & Marcella

Join hosts Erika & Marcella as they chat about imposter syndrome, balancing work & fun, and the truth about lash extensions. Special guest Glory B shares her journey to Luminous, how confidence transformed her beauty, and expert lash care tips. Plus, we debunk lash myths and share simple ways to enhance your natural beauty!

Highlights:

Conquering imposter syndrome & finding balance

Lash extensions vs. Lashify – what’s best for you?

The secret to keeping lashes healthy

Embracing beauty as confidence & energy

Clearing negativity with Cancel, Cancel, Cancel

Visit Luminous!

💖 Book a lash appointment & explore our luxury skincare in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ: shop.getluminous.com

📲 Follow for beauty inspo: @getluminous and Glory @iamglory_b

Listen & Subscribe:

🎧 Love this episode? Follow The Luminous Life Podcast & share with a friend!

The Luminous Life Podcast Episode 3

Pushing Past Imposter Syndrome & The Luminous Renovation Reveal

📍 Live from Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ – Your Go-To Boutique for Luxe Beauty

✨ What’s Inside This Episode?

This week, Erika and Marcella open up about imposter syndrome, stress, and how it all shows up on our skin (hello, breakouts!). Plus, we’re pulling back the curtain on the Luminous renovation—yes, it’s happening, and we’re bringing sexy back to our boutique.

👯‍♀️ Meet Lisara – Brow Queen & Beauty Hype Woman

We’re joined by Luminous’ own Lisara, a lash and brow artist who embodies what we stand for—real beauty, no BS. Lisara shares her love for brows, how she hypes up every woman in her chair, and her next big move: permanent makeup.

💡 Glow Guide of the Week:

✔ Check Your Horoscope! (We love the Co-Star app.)

✔ Grab a girlfriend & head to Janice Bistro (@justjanice) for a salad + fries (truffle optional, but highly debated!).

✔ Oil cleanse your face—non-negotiable.

✨ Come visit us at Luminous!

We’re moving—but only temporarily! Stop by our new spot in Mahwah (156 Ramapo Valley Rd) and get your last appointments in. And when we’re back? Luminous is getting a major glow-up.

🔗 Book your lash & brow appointment here → https://shop.getluminous.com/pages/services/#book-now

💖 Follow us for updates:

📍 Visit us in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ

📷 Luminous: @GetLuminous

💄 Lisara: @glamwithli

🛍️ Shop online: shop.getluminous.com

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-luminous-life-podcast/id1477261004 | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3xKuiy7a0hiGrB8q1YLHyL?si=f0c913dbb2214907 |

In this episode of The Luminous Life, Erika and Marcella dive into the recent decline in beauty industry sales and what it reveals about consumer fatigue. Is the beauty client finally over the endless marketing hype? They break down what’s happening behind the scenes, the shift toward mindful purchasing, and why luxury beauty clients are choosing quality over quantity.

Plus, we’re bringing on a special guest—our OG lash artist, Ali! She shares her journey from corporate to beauty, how Luminous changed her relationship with beauty, and why lashes and brows are more than just aesthetics—they’re empowerment.

Other hot topics this episode:

✨ The truth behind marketing myths: Is there really such a thing as "formaldehyde-free" lash adhesive or "mink" lashes?

✨ The anti-aging marketing lie—why we should stop using the term altogether.

✨ Preventative Botox: Should you start young, or could it actually cause aging?

✨ Luminous’ take on real beauty services and why our lash and brow business is still thriving.

✨ A glow guide you don’t want to miss—reframing the way you talk to yourself in the mirror.

Podcast Perk!

Mention this episode in-store and get 10% off Allie’s favorite beauty staples: Itchi Cleansing Oil, St. Jane Beauty Serum, and Venn Vitamin B Moisturizer.

Stay Connected:

💡 Follow us on Instagram: @getluminous

🛍️ Shop Luminous: shop.getluminous.com

📍 Visit us in-store for beauty without the BS