Ashlei Martin, LME
Ashlei Martin, LME, is an award-winning skincare and hair specialist, educator, and founder of AVM Beauty, with more than 25 years of experience in the beauty industry. Her career began in hair before expanding into makeup and ultimately evolving into her true passion—advanced aesthetics. She obtained her esthetics license in 2007, long before the field gained mainstream recognition, positioning herself as an early pioneer in clinical skincare. Today, she is widely recognized for her expertise in melanin-safe skincare and non-invasive regenerative treatments, as well as her ability to merge science, strategy, and inclusive systems thinking to elevate standards across the industry.
Martin’s career reflects a dynamic blend of hands-on artistry, education, and innovation. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she launched her LLC, Avian Beauty, building on her earlier work as the founding esthetics instructor at The Salon Professional Academy in Washington, DC, where she designed and implemented the school’s program from the ground up. She later served as an educator with Dermalogica, traveling nationally to cities such as Houston, Dallas, and Austin to deliver advanced training while mentoring fellow professionals. As both a practitioner and instructor, she continues to maintain a private clientele from her salon suite while teaching basic and master esthetics in hybrid learning environments. Her proprietary GlowSculpt facial technique and non-invasive anti-aging protocols—designed to deliver results without fillers, Botox, or surgery—have earned her international recognition, including Innovator of the Year (2025) and Hair and Skincare Specialist of the Year (2026).
In addition to her clinical and educational work, Martin is deeply committed to shaping the future of the beauty industry. Through AVM Beauty and her broader platforms, she is actively working to bridge the gap between esthetics education and real-world professional practice, including pursuing grant funding to expand access and improve student outcomes. She remains closely connected to her craft—equipped with her own advanced skincare technology and dedicated to ongoing self-treatment and experimentation—while staying attuned to emerging trends and industry challenges, from the influence of Korean skincare to evolving Gen Z preferences and the rise of cosmetic injectables. With a mission to provide clarity in an increasingly complex landscape, Martin is building frameworks, protocols, and educational systems that serve as a guiding compass for professionals worldwide.
• Basic Aesthetics License
• Cosmetology Instructor License
• Master Esthetician Certificate, Master Aesthetician/Esthetician
• Cosmetology Instructor/ Cosmetology Program, Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor
• Mesa Community College - AS, Beauty & Wellness
• Innovator of the Year 2025 for Gloscope Facial from British publication
• Hair and Skincare Specialist of the Year 2026 from E2 Media
• Associated Skincare Professionals (ASCP)
What do you attribute your success to?
I've had my own personal hurdles in life and a traumatic upbringing, and not wanting that for someone else has driven me. I've seen the dark side of life and the ugliness in life, and the one power that I have is to make things beautiful and to make people feel good. I leave a lasting impression on people emotionally because I know what it feels like to not be loved and not be chosen and not be seen. I create a safe environment for the people around me because I know what it's like to be unprotected and not feel safe. That's my why, that's what makes me successful.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from my mentor when I was a hairstylist. I got a lot of slack for not going to college right out of high school like my friends did, but I had a vision and I knew that I would create a lane in the beauty industry. My mentor told me to get every license that I can, get all the experience, and eventually it would all come full circle. And it did. It definitely came full circle. In my community, I was 15 years ahead of this golden age of aesthetics. No one could barely pronounce the word when I went to aesthetic school in 2007. I was way ahead of the curve. So that was the best advice: see what no one else sees, seize the moment, and it'll come back around, and it definitely did.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Remember your why. Remember why you're doing it, because there's gonna be a lot of early mornings and a lot of late nights, and you're gonna be the first one there and you're gonna be the last one to leave, and it gets dark, and you gotta keep going, and you have to remember why you got into it in the first place. And it can't be the love of money. It has to be deeper than that. You have to dig deeper than that. The money will come, but you have to have deeper roots than that. A lot of girls get in this industry because social media has painted this picture, and it's work. It is work. It's a lot of studying. I'm constantly learning, and I'm a teacher. You have to keep up. And it goes beyond just learning. It's about being a visionary. What's missing? I created a protocol for non-invasive anti-aging facial that doesn't require filler or Botox or plastic surgery that is making a difference and changing the game, which is why I got the Innovation Award last year.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Currently, the biggest challenge is bridging the gap between school and the industry, between being a student and being a professional. I see it because out of all the students that I've trained, they are amazing and they pass the board, but then there's a disconnect in what it takes to be a professional and actually execute once they graduate. I can't give them that, or there needs to be more training. There needs to be more on-the-job training or some type of medium between getting a job, because they can't keep jobs. They can't get jobs! And I'm only one person, and I can't be everywhere. So that's my next thing. I'm actually working on grant proposals now, trying to get some money so I can expand and help bridge that gap.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Consistency, honesty, authenticity.
Locations
AVM Beauty
Washington, DC 20020