About Us
Ascendant Salon is a skin care studio where Texas Medical Center healthcare professionals can retreat for a short time; returning with glowing skin, feeling relaxed, refreshed, and more ready to face the stressors of regular life again. We provide skin care services and products for face and body. We design home routines to help our clients elevate their Self Care routines, achieve then maintain their skin goals, and reduce their stress. Our services are individualized for minimal irritation and maximal effectiveness. Our products are gentle, high in active ingredients, and are made locally.
Founding
Before she was a licensed aesthetician, our founder, Ahlem Beruk, RDH, LE, was a registered dental hygienist who suffered with chronic stress, overwhelm, and burnout until she chose to elevate her relationship to Self Care.
After yet another stressful day at work, one evening while washing her face, Ahlem noticed the simple but pure joy that great skin care products brought her. Of course she loved the results–dewy, glowing skin. She also loved the routine itself– the scents, the pretty bottles, and a sense of renewal. She realized that enjoying her skin care routine meant she had low effort access to joy to look forward to every day. She decided she would devote those moments to feeling as much joy and peace as she could. On that day, the most joyous and peaceful experience she could picture was a summer vacation. So as she went through each step of her routine, she imagined herself on her ideal vacation.
I’m swaying in a hammock in the shaded courtyard of a sleek pink villa. The weather is sunny and hot, though it feels perfectly comfy here in the shade. On my right is a pool, pink tiles lending the water a rosy hue. On my left, a flock of flamingos doze, balancing on one leg in a lush garden. Ahead of me in the distance, the sea laps the rocky shore. The sun gifts all the water I can see a brilliant orange glow. The babbling rush of the pool’s fountain echoes gently off the courtyard walls. A gentle breeze dances through the garden’s leaves carrying the scent of flowers, fruit, and salt water. I have no plans. Maybe I’ll sway here for an hour. Maybe I’ll sway here all summer…
When she was finished with her skin care routine that night, she hadn’t solved all her problems but she did feel good. So she kept going back to recharge at her imaginary villa. Eventually she named it Ascendant Salon. Each time she returned from the imaginary Ascendant Salon, her skin looked great and she felt a bit more relaxed, refreshed, and ready to manage regular life. Though she didn’t realize it, all those trips to the villa were developing her skills at being mindful and at honoring her own needs and wants. In time, she gained the self awareness and inspiration to redesign her life to better manage stress and prevent overwhelm and burnout.
Elevating Skin Care and Self Care made her feel like a more whole, happy, and healthy human who is a more confident and impactful healthcare provider. Ahlem founded Ascendant Salon because she wants other healthcare professionals to experience the magic she did so they can share it with their patients, friends, and family.
Philosophy
At Ascendant Salon, we believe:
Elevating the way you think of Self Care is a low effort and powerful way to manage stress.
Skin care routines are a great opportunity to shower yourself with self love and to release stress.
With simple skin care routines and key powerful ingredients, it can be pretty easy to achieve then maintain skin goals.
The harder you work at caring for others, the easier it can be to view Self Care as a drain on your energy and free time.
Supporting healthcare professionals helps them feel their best, which improves the quality of healthcare for all patients.
The word Ascendant refers to…
The choice to elevate the priority and function of Self Care beyond mindless requirements to intentional opportunities for self love and stress relief.
…and to the results of that choice…
The instant boost in mood from spending a few minutes mindfully caring for yourself or from catching a glimpse of your skin glowing when walking past mirrors.
The sensation of years of built up stress gradually lifting off your shoulders, heart, and mind.
The upward direction of pathways for self growth that become visible after lifting away enough built up stress.
Let’s schedule your facial or consultation today!
AscendantSalon 