Today we’d like to introduce you to Sunny Ferguson.
Hi Sunny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story starts with my own skin. I came up in hair and makeup, but in my mid-20s, I started dealing with acne, congestion, and hyperpigmentation, which wrecked my confidence. My first facial was a turning point, and I was hooked instantly.
What pushed me deeper into this work was something harder: I was severely burned during a treatment by someone who didn’t fully understand how to properly work with skin of color. That experience was traumatic, but it became my purpose. I had to figure out how to heal my own skin, and in doing that, I realized how much the industry was failing people who looked like me. That realization is what sharpened my purpose.
I opened GB Aesthetics Miami in 2021 because I couldn’t keep watching clients feel unseen in spaces that weren’t built for them. As a Black queer woman, I knew that feeling personally. So I built the space I wish had existed.
I also recently became a registered nurse, which has allowed me to expand our services into internal wellness and more advanced treatments, while keeping skin health at the center. This has never been just about skincare. It’s about helping people feel confident in their skin.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not smooth — but I wouldn’t change it.
When I opened GBA, I was underfunded, overwhelmed, and figuring out business ownership in real time. Nobody hands you a blueprint. I overspent, burned out trying to wear every hat, and spent way too long letting imposter syndrome tell me I wasn’t ready.
What most people didn’t see was that I was also quietly struggling with my mental health. I kept a “sunny” personality on the outside while dealing with a lot internally. As a marginalized person building something visible, there’s this added weight of feeling like you have to prove yourself constantly — and for a while, that kept me playing small.
The shift came when I stopped waiting to feel ready and started betting on myself anyway. Therapy helped. Building community helped. Having a strong support system helped. And eventually, I just decided that shrinking wasn’t an option anymore.
Nursing school, on top of running a business, added another layer of hard work — but it also gave me clarity and opened up a whole new chapter for GBA. Every struggle has pointed me in a direction I needed to go. I’ve learned to trust that.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about GB Aesthetics Miami?
GB Aesthetics Miami is a corrective skincare studio specializing in acne, hyperpigmentation, and melanin-rich skin. We take a barrier-first approach — meaning before we chase results, we make sure the skin is strong enough to handle the journey. No aggressive protocols, no quick fixes, no one-size-fits-all.
What sets us apart is how we think about skin. We don’t just treat what’s on the surface, but we also look at the full picture. Lifestyle, nutrition, internal health, all of it factors into what’s showing up on your skin. That philosophy is what led me to nursing school, and now that I’m an RN, we’re expanding into internal wellness services, including injectables and IV therapy, to back that up clinically.
What I’m most proud of is the culture we’ve built. Whether a client spends $50 or $250, they get the same level of care, attention, and expertise. Clients tell us they feel safe here, like they can actually exhale. We built this intentionally for clients who may not always feel that in a beauty space, and that will never change.
At its core, GB Aesthetics isn’t just a skincare studio. It’s a space where people feel noticed and leave looking like it too.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The aesthetics industry is moving toward integration fast. The days of skincare living in a separate lane from overall health are ending. Clients are more informed than ever, and they’re connecting the dots between what’s happening internally and what’s showing up on their skin. Providers who can bridge that gap will lead the next era of this industry.
I also think we’re going to see a major shift in how the industry treats skin of color. The clinical data, the formulations, and the training have historically been built around lighter skin tones. That’s changing, but not fast enough. Over the next decade, I expect that to become a baseline standard rather than a niche specialty.
Technology is going to play a bigger role too, from AI-assisted skin analysis to more advanced treatment modalities becoming accessible outside of hospital settings. The barrier between medical aesthetics and traditional esthetics is narrowing, which is exactly why providers with both clinical and aesthetic training will be the most well-rounded option for clients.
And honestly, I think the biggest shift we’ll see is clients demanding more transparency and personalization. Cookie-cutter treatment menus won’t cut it. People want providers who actually know their skin and health history and can build a plan that’s specific to them.
That’s the space GBA is already building toward, and I feel like we’re right on time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.glowbae.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbaestheticsmiami
