VIOLET GREY profiles female beauty entrepreneurs who are considered industry game changers because of their individual approach to business. Each one entered the conversation in her own manner and maintained a steady, if not unparalleled, trajectory with her indomitable spirit.

Joanna Czech’s hands are a godsend. And no wonder—as the facialist to Hollywood’s A-list, she’s been in the business of gorgeous skin for almost 30 years. But becoming a skin guru was not at the top of her list. “My dream was to become a singer, and my dad’s dream for me was to go to medical school and become a doctor,” says the Dallas-based esthetician, who just opened a skin clinic at the The Webster in New York City. “I failed the physics test and landed at the Beauty Institute in Poland while studying for physics, and I never looked back.”

And it’s a good thing she didn’t. Clients like Kim Kardashian West, Christy Turlington Burns, and Carey Mulligan flock to Czech to get their best skin ever and some blunt advice—no sugar coating allowed. “With beauty and in life, I’m straightforward and honest,” she says, “but I do it with a lot of love and care.” Here, she gets honest about her career wins, beauty struggles, and the facial tool that mimics her signature massage technique for higher cheekbones at home.