Gleam Esthetika: My Story

I founded Gleam Esthetika in 2024 out of a lifelong passion for skin, nutrition, and helping others feel their best. My love for beauty and wellness began long before formal training, shaped by my late grandmother and the wise women I grew up around in Malaysia.

Among Malay women, beauty and wellness traditions run deep — lesser-known globally than Korean beauty but rooted in herbs and natural remedies. From a young age, I learned the power of plants like pegaga (Centella asiatica), often eaten fresh as ulam or brewed into tonics. For generations, women believed pegaga supported circulation, memory, skin healing, and graceful aging — wisdom now confirmed by modern research on collagen and rejuvenation.

Another tradition that inspires me is Jamu, a centuries-old herbal practice from Indonesia and Malaysia. Jamu uses adaptogens and roots to restore vitality and beauty from within — a philosophy that continues to guide my work today.

My journey also carried me to Manhattan in 1999, where I worked briefly with a star esthetician whose clients included Cyndi Lauper and Phylicia Rashad. It was there I first encountered the Oxygen Facial — not knowing how life would bring me full circle into esthetics years later.

After dedicating many years to family, I felt called to return to my passions. With my son becoming more independent, I embraced a new chapter, earning my esthetics license from Premiere Aesthetics Institute and my Nutrition Certification from AFPA.

My philosophy is a 360° approach to beauty — one where internal wellness and external glow are inseparable. At Gleam Esthetika, my mission is to provide personalized care that supports both skin and lifestyle, empowering women to feel radiant, confident, and whole. I remain committed to lifelong learning, blending ancestral wisdom with modern innovation to serve every client in the best way possible.