Roberta Moradfar has always understood the importance of cultural competence in skincare.
As an advanced nurse practitioner, she got her start working in dermatologists’ offices that often prioritized their bottom line over specific care. It was then she realized she had to make a change.
“The doctors I worked with were great, but they would routinely prescribe things that worked on white skin, and wouldn’t have the same effect on ours,” Moradfar said, who’s of Hatian-American descent.
After she discovered her job with a hospital was underpaying, she decided to answer a job posting ad in Craigslist–a decision that changed her life. “I’d always been incredibly invested in the customer experience and wanted to try something that helped me explore that, so when I saw an opportunity at a local medi spa had opened up, I said ‘why not’ and applied.”
She got the job and immediately fell in love, quickly building a large list of loyal clients. She says it’s because she really saw them. “As a Black woman, I understand the specific skin issues we deal with,” she said. “As a professional, I refuse to stick to the cookie cutter solutions most white-ran medi spas swear by,” she said. “I understand that a Retina-A that works for a white girl won’t target the dark spots or melasma a Black woman is looking to treat.”
This realization led her to launch her practice Efface Aesthetics, one that she says is intentional about prioritizing the client’s unique needs. Efface is the only Black nurse practitioner-owned and operated LA Medical Spa.
Her gentle touch has quickly earned the trust of many celebrities, including Kristen Bell, Angela Rye, Evelyn Lozada, Estelle, Sir John, Claudia Jordan, Serayah, Sheree Zampino, Tameka Foster and Samantha Mumba among others.
She even managed to increase her sales over the pandemic, a feat that is impressive since most of us were at home for months. “I think the success can be attributed to our commitment to the customer,” she said. “We make everyone feel special and more than anything, are passionate about helping them love the skin they’re in.”