Rikki
Aven
Owner & Medical Aesthetician
Rikki is the owner and the Medical Aesthetican of The Standard Spa. She graduated in 2004 from Michigan State University with a degree in Elementary Education, but when the love of skin became her passion, she decided to move her career to Aesthetics. She later attended and graduated from the Douglas J Aveda Institute in 2010 with an Aestheology license and again in 2011 with an Aestheology Instructors license. Later in 2012 she received her Medical Aesthetics license. Rikki continues to further her education with many different Aesthetics classes including Dermatology studies through the University of Michigan.
Rikki is married with one son, an Alice in Wonderland fanatic and will do almost anything for Art Nouveau or 1920's antique collections.
Check out Rikki's story below.
RIKKI'S JOURNEY TO THE STANDARD SPA
It was 2004 and I just graduated MSU with an Elementary Education degree and the recession was hitting hard. Finding a teaching job was nearly impossible... and when I finally found a teaching job it only lasted about 2 years before I found myself out of a job again.
Remembering how much I LOVED apothecary and the history behind it, I came across the amazing world of AESTHETICS.
I quickly enrolled in Douglas J Aveda Institute for Esthetics and graduated at the top of my class. I was so in love with skin care I decided that an Esthetics license just wasn't enough. So I turned right around that same week and enrolled to get my Educators license to teach my passion for skin.
I was quickly hired into Douglas J after my 2nd graduation and began life as a teacher again.
The more I taught, the more I wanted to learn and decided to enroll in Dermatology courses and attend a MedSpa school to receive my Medical Aesthetics certification. The thirst for knowledge was never satisfied and I went on to become a licensed Medical Aesthetician specializing in anti aging, lasers, microdermabrasions, body sculpting and more.
This journey led me to become an education specialist and sales manager for Benefit Cosmetics under Louis Vuitton. For over 6 years I traveled all over the US teaching and educating hundreds of licensed Estheticians on skin care, state laws and rules of Esthetics and sales.
As fun as this job was, I missed my family and the travel was becoming too much for my body. I made the very hard decision to quit ... but it turned out to be the best decision of my life. This is where I met my friend, my sister, my soul mate: Michelle Waugh. Michelle is the owner and mastermind behind The Standard as a whole. If it wasn't for her and her amazing husband Matt, my journey wouldn't have led me here. Michelle was juggling both the salon and spa and it was starting to take away from focusing on her passion: hair.
After a year and a half of working at The Standard, in 2020 Michelle offered me an amazing opportunity to take over the Spa as my own business so I could grow on my own and she could focus solely on her dream and business.
We are now running two separate businesses, The Standard Hair (Owned and operated by Michelle Waugh) and The Standard Spa (Owned and Operated by me, Rikki). I am thankful for her kindness, her mentorship and her selflessness she has given me everyday. If it wasn't for her pushing me to believe I can achieve greater things... my journey never would have led me here.
Check out Rikki's work below!
