from survivor to success | isabel vita

Summary

Podcast Summary: CHEERS! with Avery Woods

Episode: From Survivor to Success | Isabel Vita

Date: May 4, 2026
Host: Avery Woods
Guest: Isabel Vita, founder & CEO of Dolce Glow

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Episode Overview

In this emotionally powerful and inspiring episode, host Avery Woods sits down with Isabel Vita—the resilient founder and CEO behind the luxury self-tanning brand Dolce Glow—to discuss her extraordinary journey from surviving childhood abuse in the foster system to building an internationally beloved beauty business. The conversation dives deep into Isabel's traumatic upbringing, her path to healing, the hustle of entrepreneurship, motherhood, and the values behind her brands. With vulnerability, honesty, and warmth, Isabel shares both wisdom and practical tips in an episode that is equal parts moving personal testimony and practical beauty masterclass.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Isabel's Introduction and Dolce Glow (02:52–08:11)

• Quick Background: Isabel introduces herself as a celebrity spray tan artist, founder of two sunless tanning brands—Dolce Glow (luxury-focused) and Sunny Bay (youth-friendly, more accessible).
• Avery's Testimony: Avery describes how discovering Dolce Glow changed her confidence, particularly as a public figure:

  "There’s nothing that a tan can't let me accomplish. Truly... it fades so beautifully on my body." (03:47)

• Product Philosophy: Isabel emphasizes her products are about more than just a tan—they’re about empowerment and self-care.

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2. Building a Celebrity Clientele & Professionalism (08:11–13:18)

• Isabel lists some A-list clients: Kylie Jenner (her first big celebrity), Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen, Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox.
• Quote:

  "Sometimes I go through my Rolodex of clients and I’m like, pinch me. Like fucking pinch me. This is insane." —Isabel (10:57)

• Avery notes Isabel's discretion and professionalism, which makes even the most vulnerable situations (like spray tanning nude clients) comfortable and empowering.
• Discussion on the relentless work ethic and hustle required, especially during major events (tanning 300–500 people in days, often with a small team).

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3. Isabel’s Childhood: Foster Care, Abuse, and Trauma (13:18–31:25)

• Isabel shares her harrowing childhood: placed in foster care at 7 due to parental neglect and severe malnourishment—her family were generational addicts; her father, a rock musician, and her mother unable to care for her five daughters.
• Memorable Moment: Surviving on dog food as a child, developing a bleeding ulcer, and being rescued after neighbors intervened.

  "At seven, I’d almost died of a bleeding ulcer. I was eating dog food to survive...They were out getting high somewhere... That was normal for us." —Isabel (15:08)

• Foster care did not bring relief; instead, she and her twin underwent another decade of abuse, neglected by the system.
• Quote:

  "We were abused. Not just physical abuse. There was a lot of other abuse... We were there for 10 years." —Isabel (24:34)

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4. The Broken System & Generational Cycles (27:34–31:25)

• Avery and Isabel bond over the hidden epidemic of systemically failed children, sharing stories from Avery’s nursing and law enforcement experiences.
• Emphasis on how trauma is cyclical, and intervention is often blocked by bureaucracy or family secrecy.

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5. Healing & Breaking the Cycle (31:25–40:05)

• Isabel describes leaving her abusive foster home with nothing but a backpack and $20, working menial jobs, and starting intensive therapy.
• Highlights the lasting effects of trauma—night sweats, panic attacks, and PTSD.
• On Therapy & Medication: Isabel credits 12 years of therapy and the right antidepressant (Celexa) with saving her and making high-functioning adult life possible.
• Quote:

  "If you have high blood pressure, you take medication to lower it. Why is it not okay for you to rebalance your brain cells?" —Isabel, quoting her therapist (35:18)

• Stresses the need to destigmatize mental health support and medication, as well as self-empowerment through exercise and healthy habits.

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6. The Birth of Dolce Glow: From Survival to Entrepreneurship (40:05–48:57)

• The “aha” moment: an early spray tan improved her confidence so profoundly it sparked the initial business idea, though she couldn’t afford services herself.
• Out of financial necessity (her daughter’s expensive medical formula), she bought spray tanning equipment with their last money, experiment-mixed her own solutions, and started a side hustle.
• Within the first year, earned over $100K, reinvested, developed her formulas, and named the brand after her daughter, Mia Dolce Vita.
• Quote:

  "If I wouldn’t have spray tanned, it forever changed my life." —Isabel (47:23)

• Built her business by word-of-mouth, leveraging her deep understanding of both skin (from dermatology work) and customer needs.

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7. Brand Growth, Philosophy, and Giving Back (48:57–63:34)

• Trained over 4,000 people worldwide in her tanning technique.
• Launched at-home self-tanning products, investing every cent (and more via risky loans), which quickly sold out due to unique quality and trust with her community.
• Launched Sunny Bay as a more affordable alternative, inspired by her own past poverty:

  "That was a piece to me that I wanted to give back to. That younger version of myself was providing a second option." —Isabel (51:17)

• Avery reveals she and her husband invested in Dolce Glow, given her beliefs in the products, company, and Isabel herself—the only brand/entrepreneur she’s felt compelled to back at this level.

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8. Vulnerability, Values & the Realities of the Beauty Industry (56:28–64:36)

• The real trust between Isabel and her clients, witnessed in the intimate nature of her work, creates genuine community beyond celebrity.
• Isabel emphasizes her work ethic, gratitude, and survivor mentality.
• Future goals: Expand further (now in Ulta, Sephora), potentially get acquired, but always be involved and give back—especially to foster youth and other women in shelters.

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9. Rapid Fire: Tanning Tips from the Pro (65:22–72:25)

(Practical, timestamped advice for beauty lovers)

• How to Self-Tan Your Back (65:43):
  Use the Dolce/Sunny Bay self-tanning can; it works upside down and covers hard-to-reach spots.
• How Soon Can You Dress After Tanning? (66:42):
  Use the Dolce Glow drying powder for instant absorption; can dress in under a minute.
• Avoiding Streaks (67:38):
  Don’t shave or shower immediately before; watch for razor and soap residue; use drying powder and rinse bronzer thoroughly.
• Working Out While Developing (68:19):
  Use a clear self-tanning option and drying powder if necessary; otherwise, wait until rinsing off before heavy sweating.
• Tanning Hands/Feet (70:28):
  Never apply mousse directly—use spray or self-tanning water, ‘bear claw’ your hands, and spray at a distance for even tone.
• When to Tan Before a Big Event (71:12):
  2–3 days prior for best, natural development.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Surviving Trauma:

  "I'm not a victim, I'm a survivor... I don’t sit here, I don’t want sympathy. But it's my story, I can’t lie about it." —Isabel (63:35)

• On Work Ethic:

  "Work ethic cannot be taught." —Isabel (61:34)

• Avery on Investing in Isabel:

  "That was the easiest wire transfer I've ever done in my life...I know your team. I know what’s to come in the future and I genuinely believe in the brand." —Avery (53:18)

• On Breaking Cycles:

  "If I didn't go through those steps of healing and getting the help...there’s no way I'd be the mom, the business owner, the friend, the wife." —Isabel (35:33)

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Episode Flow & Tone

The episode is personal, emotionally charged, and deeply authentic. Avery’s warmth and admiration for Isabel create a supportive space, allowing Isabel to share her story vulnerably while also celebrating her achievements. The tone is intimate, friendly, and empathetic—making the story not just one of business acumen but of fierce survival and hope.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Dolce Glow Backstory — 02:52–08:11
• Celebrity Clients/Industry Realities — 08:11–13:18
• Childhood Trauma & Foster System — 13:18–24:34
• Systemic Failures — 24:34–31:25
• Healing Process — 31:25–40:05
• Entrepreneurial Journey — 40:05–48:57
• Brand Philosophy, Giving Back, and Investment — 48:57–63:34
• Rapid Fire Tanning Tips — 65:22–72:25
• Closing Reflections — 72:25–End

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Final Thoughts

This episode of CHEERS! is not just about building a beauty empire—it’s a masterclass in resilience, authenticity, and using personal pain as a catalyst for purpose and impact. Listeners walk away inspired by Isabel’s grit, moved by her story, equipped with beauty know-how, and reminded of the power of believing in (and betting on) survivors.

Transcript

[Isabel]

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[Avery Woods]

Cheers is presented by Ashley. Ashley Luxe is an all new collection that's changing the meaning of luxury and inspires your everyday spaces with premium furnishings at a surprisingly practical price. I'm so excited because I just got two of the upholstered armchairs with the round end table to add to my office from Ashley and it totally transformed the room. It brought everything together and it just looks so, so luxurious and beautiful. As you guys know, I remodeled our whole house and did all of the furnishings. It was such a large project and what I've come to realize is that you really do not need to break the bank to have luxurious furnishings in your home. Ashley does such a great job at having luxurious options at a lower price point to make sure your home is looking like Architectural Digest worthy. Ashley Lux really helps set the mood for the house. When I'm hosting friends, I have more seating in my office now when I'm having meetings and it's just been so, so warm and welcoming for everyone that's coming into my space. Discover the new Ashley Luxe collection by visiting Ashley in store or online at ashley.com l u x e. Hey, it's Avery. Welcome to Cheers. Hi Isabel.

[Isabel]

Hi. How are you? I'm doing so good. How are you?

[Avery Woods]

I'm so good and you brought me the most beautiful flowers ever. Thank you so much for that. I love you. I'm so happy you're here and I told you I was like, I am so tired from such a long week and so it's so nice just to sit and chat with someone that I know and is easy and can have a great conversation with.

[Isabel]

Always. I'm so excited to be here. And I wish I was wearing eye patches with no makeup on too. But we switched roles today because normally.

[Avery Woods]

But look at you.

[Isabel]

I'm like you.

[Avery Woods]

I mean you looks stunning.

[Isabel]

Oh my gosh. Thank you. Shout out N. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

I love it. Love the glam. I have so many exciting things to talk to you about today. First of all, you are the founder and CEO of Dolce Glow, which is the most iconic self tanning spray tan company of all time. Thank you. And I die on that hill, by the way. Tried them all. I'm telling you, there is nothing better. When I first started getting into spray tans, David was not a fan.

[Isabel]

Most of the men aren't now. They hate him.

[Avery Woods]

He's like, you look orange when it's coming off you. You look like you're shedding like a snake. Like snakes scaly skin. He didn't understand it. And that was the best option that I had at that time.

[Isabel]

Totally.

[Avery Woods]

Cuz I hadn't met you yet.

[Isabel]

Yep.

[Avery Woods]

And then when I got that Dolce Glow spray tan, it was like. I don't even know how to describe it. I'm actually like at a loss for words. Cuz it not to be dramatic, but it kind of changed my life a little bit.

[Isabel]

Yay.

[Avery Woods]

Because I think when you're in the public eye, you obviously want to do what you can to feel confident. And there's nothing that a tan can't let me accomplish. Truly. And the technique you guys use is so unique, it's so different. You're the only company that does it. It's hydrating, it's natural. I always get asked if I'm just laying out in the sun, it fades so beautifully on my body. And then when I started using your self tanning products, I was like, I mean the spray tans are amazing, but like how good can the self tanning? It's amazing. I literally every Sunday when I self tan myself, that's the product I'm using. And I'm excited to learn more about you because your story is incredible. And I think it's really important that people hear it to be inspired, but also about starting the brand.

[Isabel]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

So for those that don't know who you are, can you give a quick introduction of yourself or.

[Isabel]

Well, thank you so much for having me. I'm so just hearing just all the amazing things you have to say about Dolce Glow is exactly what the brand is. Right. From the formulas to the founding story and my expertise. And so I'm just so Happy to hear that. How much you loved it, how you had experienced everything else before. And you're like, when you try Dulce Glow, you're like, there's just something so different about that. And it ultimately goes down to our formula. But I always say in everything I do, it's more than just a spray tan. It's more than just a self tan because there's this huge layer of what the brand has become. So for those of you guys that might not know about Dolce Glow, about Me I am a celebrity spray tan artist at heart, which is how this brand started. And I'm actually the founder of two sunless tanning brands. One Dolce Glow. And then we just launched our sister brand, Sunny based Skin, really for a different demographic. And. And so Dolce Glow is really your high end, prestigious luxury celebrity. Loved self tanning brand spray tanning brands. And Sunny Bay is more for like, I actually really made it for my daughter who's an All Star cheerleader. 11 years old, has to spray tan and self tan every cheerleading event, but might not want to pay for a luxury self tanner. Might want something just hydrating. And so that's when we launched Sunny Bay Skins by specifically for that demographic. Because there is a change in age and people that love Dolce Glow and Sunny Babe. It's so wild to be, you know, sitting here today. And there's so much more to just what we're talking about from the having the amazing products and the brand, but really the story that ultimately got me here today, which is pretty insane. So.

[Avery Woods]

And what's crazy, do you know Sunny Bay was actually the first self tanning product I tried from you. It wasn't even the Dolce line. Yeah. So. So obviously you guys would spray tan me all the time, but it was the Sunny Bay contour stick. I remember self tanning one night and I was like, oh, I've gotta try this brand. Cause it comes from the heart of what Dolce is. And I used the contour stick and I woke up the next morning and I was like, oh, I'll never use anything else.

[Isabel]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

It literally changed my face. Because I love a cream contour and so I know how to put it on, makeup wise. But when you first put on your skin at night to sleep in it, it's kind of scary. I think it's gonna be too much.

[Isabel]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

And then you shower the next day. Not only are you so beautiful and bronzed and confident for like a no makeup makeup day.

[Isabel]

Exactly.

[Avery Woods]

But it carves out those cheekbones. It's it literally looks like you're. You're wearing makeup contoured.

[Isabel]

I say it's like the best mom hack. Totally like us with running around with our kids. Like, I literally will use the contour wand before I go to bed and I'll spray myself with their self tanning water aqua. So then the next morning, I don't have to wear blush, I don't have to wear concealer. I'm like, ready to go. And I actually look alive in the morning. You know, after working till two in the morning and tanning, you know, half the celebs I tan. So.

[Avery Woods]

And that's the thing too, is that, like, I want to hear your. Your story is amazing and I want to go into it, but, like, I don't think people understand how iconic you are, like, who you tan. Like, can you just give like a few celebs?

[Isabel]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Like, throw some names out. Like, I want you to brag about yourself for a second.

[Isabel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Avery Woods]

Because you'll be like, oh, I just came from so and so's house. I'm like, casual, casual cas. So, oh my God, talk about it.

[Isabel]

You know, I have to say that I've been so lucky. It's not something I take for granted. I think sometimes with you guys, I feel comfortable sharing because you guys are like friends of mine. I'm like, oh. But it's like sometimes I have to stop. And to the everyday person, they're like, wait, that's like so iconic. You just came from whose house? You know, so even for me talking with you guys, it's one thing, but just my general friends, just day to day people, they're like, that's like insane. Wait, like you actually went to that person's house? So it's so wild because that's really how my career started. So I started spray tanning just to make extra money, which we'll dive into my story in a little bit. But my first big celebrity spray tan was Kylie Jenner, which was probably, I want to say, seven to eight years ago. And then it was this domino effect and then it was Kim Kardashian and then it was Chrissy Teigen, and then it was Miley Cyrus, and then it was, you know, Megan Fox. And what I love so much, much, it's. I really am such a professional. And when I go into all these people's houses, like, it's just about them. It's just about their tan. I don't let them know who I just tan before unless I feel comfortable with you. But I try to keep it like my job is, it doesn't matter.

[Avery Woods]

You're very professional.

[Isabel]

Yeah. Like, you have to.

[Avery Woods]

And it's a very vulnerable thing. Like, hi, so nice to meet you. Let me get fully nude right now for you to spray. Tammy.

[Isabel]

Hi, nice to meet you. Naked. Yes.

[Avery Woods]

And it's no matter who you are, what you do, like, it's, you're very shy until you're comfortable with somebody. But you've, it's never been uncomfortable.

[Isabel]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

Like, you've always made it so professional, so welcoming. Also, you're in and out so quick, which is so convenient for people that are in this celebrity world that are so busy and working all the time. Just to be able to wake up and feel confident after you only being there for like 15 minutes is an incredible thing that you are able to do.

[Isabel]

Thank you. It's, it's been, it's a lot of hard work. Late nights, early mornings, when you work for the high caliber clients that I've been able to work with now 11 years, which is so insane to me to even say that. There's so much grind and hustle and people like, you know, it's so nice you get to work with all these high caliber, some of the most influential people in the world. But I was like, it's also so much work and very long hours. But I'm so grateful because so many of these people have had such a huge and incredible influence on Dolce Glow in our brands that if I didn't have the opportunity to work with them, I'm not sure if Dolce Glow would be in the same place. And I always say I'm like forever in debited to so many of these just people that gave me an opportunity when there's so many other options. Actually, tanning is probably the least amount of options that you have. There's not a lot of good spray tans and self tans out there. So I, you know, just think about how grateful I am to be able to work with some of the most influential people in the world. And sometimes I go through my Rolodex of clients and I'm like, pinch me. Like fucking pinch me. Like, this is insane. You know, and just talking about it, I can talk about it, but it's, it's not normal. Like, God chose me because this does not happen. And I, everyone.

[Avery Woods]

And I also want to say, not only are you so amazing at what you do, you all of you work so hard. Like you will literally tan from the time you wake up to the Time you go to bed when it's like, Coachella or stage coach, you guys are doing, like, 20 to 50 people a day. It's insane. And I've seen the events that you throw. I. I see how many tans you guys are giving every day. And it's also very physical. Like, you guys, thank you for talking about all day. You're crouching down. You're in the.

[Isabel]

Carrying our cases. Oh, my God, the stairs. Down the stairs. It's a lot, and it's a lot of. You're in your cars for so much. You're driving a location. Location. But for Coachella and Stagecoach, I think we tanned close to 300 to 500 people in our small team.

[Avery Woods]

Insane. And that's just like, the 24 hours before.

[Isabel]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Like, it's not like, oh, over the last two weeks. No, no, no. They're all getting it, like, a day or two before. So it's a fresh tan. That's a lot of people in just a couple days.

[Isabel]

It's so beautiful to say this because we have such a smart, small team, but our team, they are the hardest workers you will ever find. Like, even if it's late, we'll find a way to get to you. And our motto is, if you. If we don't say yes, someone else will.

[Avery Woods]

Yes.

[Isabel]

And so all of our team were, like, cut from, like, the same cloth. Like, everyone is such hard workers, whether it's Bailey, who's our chief marketing officer, C suite level me, the CEO and founder. I had to put my hair cap on at our Coachella event and knockout because things were going a little slower. So I'm like, I can tan in two minutes now. I knocked out, you know, five people in the span of, you know, 10 minutes. And so for us, what I love so much about our team is there's not anyone who feels like, oh, I'm not going to spray tan. Like, people are like, no, I'm jumping in. It's. People are like, whatever it is to make this brand shine. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

But what I love about your success, though, is where you come from. And I want you to talk about your childhood. You grew up in the foster system, and that just makes me love and appreciate and respect you even more than I already did when I found this out about you. Because I worked with so many kids like that when I worked as a nurse in the picu, and I just wanted to take all of them home every day. You know, you and me both. Oh, my gosh, it's so hard. So if you're whatever you feel comfortable with. If you just want to give a little bit of a background story about, about where you came from.

[Isabel]

Yeah, it's. I love that you say that because it really is such. It's been such a journey. And sometimes when I talk about it, because this year I'll be 37. So I was put in foster care at the age of 7 years old. So I come from a generational family of addicts. So my dad actually had one of the biggest rock bands in the 1990s and one of the biggest heavy metal bands. And it was at an era in the 90s where like drugs like PCP and like all the stuff was like, you know, they were getting high and all that. And so my parents, my mother and father, obviously my mom had five daughters, were all in different foster homes. Every single one are adopted. So my mom just never could keep her kids. And then years later, so I have two older sisters and then it's my sister and I, so God bless him with a twin sister because there's no way I would have made it through life without having my backbone. We were each other's, we survived because we had each other. And then I just found out I have another little sister who my mom had years later after we were put into foster care that I still haven't met.

[Avery Woods]

Wow.

[Isabel]

And so my oldest sister actually unfortunately died from addiction 11 years ago. She wasn't able to change her life. And it's just, it's generational trauma and addiction. People don't realize how much that can affect generations. It's not just one generation. It goes, you know, if you don't stay straight, like, you can easily be sucked into that. And so at the age of seven, I had almost died of a bleeding ulcer. I was eating dog food to survive. My parents would leave for three to five days and leave my sister and I alone in the house and there was nothing to eat other than. I will never get this vision out of my head. It was a yellow pedigree bag of dog food that was God knows years old and it was just like in a shed. And I remember we found it and that's what we were eating because our parents were nowhere to be found. They were out getting high somewhere. And so you have these five and six year olds by themselves. And it got so bad that we would run out of the dog food. We started knocking on our neighbors houses and asking them for food and they're like, where your parents were? Like, we haven't seen them for three, four days. Like, to even tell the story seems so. Like, it just seems so fake, especially as a parent. As a parent, like.

[Avery Woods]

Like, you think about. You're, like, putting your child in that position, and you're like, it's a totally different way to think about it.

[Isabel]

Like, when I talk about it, I'm like, wait, that's my story, right? Because it just seems like it's been so long. But I still remember, like, knocking on my neighbor's doors and saying, hey, do you guys have food?

[Ad Host/Announcer]

We.

[Isabel]

My mom hasn't been home for three days, and we're starving. We had no shoes. I remember going to school, no underwears, missing a sock. Like, I just remember so much of that. But, like, that was a norm for us, right? Like, we didn't stop and think, oh, my gosh, our parents are. We're five and we loved your parents regardless. We didn't know that that was. That was normal for us, our parents being.

[Avery Woods]

Go on unconditional love, no matter where they come from.

[Isabel]

And so being so malnourished for so many years, seven years old. I remember going to the restroom. I get this cramp in my stomach, and I go to the restroom and I wipe myself. And it didn't seem like most of the time, like, you might look at your wipe or whatever. So I remember, like, wiping myself. And I looked at the toilet paper, and it had blood on there. And I was like, I don't know what it is. So I took the toilet paper out to my mom, who was getting high in the garage with pcp. I'll never forget. She had all her stuff laid out, and I showed her the toilet paper, and I was like, I just went to the bathroom, I wiped myself, and it looks like it's blood. And she's like, oh, it's probably something you ate. And then I got this massive cramp, and I went back to the restroom, and I started bleeding to death from a bleeding ulcer. Like, just pounds of blood coming out of me. Like, they couldn't stop. So then they called their paramedics, and at that point, all I remember was like, I'm gonna die. They're pumping tubes up my nose and putting ice down. I literally remember this. And when I got to the hospital, I had to get several blood transfusions, and they were telling my mother that I wasn't going to make it. And at that point was when a DCFS case was opened, and they knew that I was sick. Like, I was like a sack of bones. Like, I was so sick. I was. You can See, just like some of. We see those sad videos online of like dogs and how when they don't eat, like, literally I was this 7 years old girl and so I had got this bleeding ulcer because I was so malnourished. And so then at that point there was an investigation open. And I, I want to say a few months after that, then we were. Then I remember I was at school and they called. My sister and I were in elementary school and it was Limerick Elementary. I'll never forget that, in Canoga Park. And they called us to the front and they're like, you're leaving? And I was like, where are we going? They're like, oh, we're taking you away from your parents. And I'll never forget just how traumatic that day was. I remember they had to carry us to the car and. And I was hitting and kicking the social workers because they're like, you're not going home. We're taking to another home. But at that point, love is love. Like, that was my parents. And for me that was normal. Right? It's all you ever knew. It's all I ever knew. So I remember hitting the social workers and not. They had to like, literally, like, push me in the car. And that was the start to what I thought was going to be a better life in my foster home. And it wasn't.

[Avery Woods]

So you were put in a system or taken to another family's home.

[Isabel]

So we were put in the system. And then we're. So we're obviously, then we become, I think it's called a word of the courts or whatever. So now the courts are in charge of us. We're no longer connected to our biological. They're still our parents. But now the county or the state takes over and we were placed into a foster home. So it's a private family's home and we're placed in there. And they were nice enough to take my twin sister and I because they don't want us separated, which was God's gift. Few months into that home, everything was fine and great. And, you know, I, I remember like, we were supposed to go back to our parents as long as they went in their classes and became. Got clean and provided a healthy home. And they're like, DCF is like, you're going to be back. It was in 1996, and they're like, by Christmas you're going to be back with your family. And so we're so excited. Christmas came, we weren't back with them. And so we felt like there was a little bit of shadiness. That was done because our father at the time had done everything DCFS had asked of him and they didn't give us back to him. And so which was really sad. And I'll talk about how it's just so crazy all the systems aren't always in the best interest of the kids. I mean, for every kid that they adopt out, there's these agencies get paid money. And so the agency's job is to adopt or is to get, at least when I was in the system was to get as many kids adopted as possible and not returned home to their biological family because they made tons of money. So we were hoping that we'd go back and unfortunately that day never came. And I was hoping and you know, they got everything, did everything they're supposed to and cleaned up their lives. We didn't go back to them. And then shortly onto that, the abuse started at our foster home.

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[Avery Woods]

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[Avery Woods]

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[Isabel]

going forward. A few years later, they ended up adopting us. They got foster parents of the year. And all I remember was like, the

[Avery Woods]

foster parents that were abusing. You got foster parents.

[Isabel]

Yeah, because the system covered it up for so long. There was people in the family calling dcfs saying, these people are abusing these kids. And DCFS would just hang up the phone and say, how could you call on so and so in your family? And I mean, we were black and blue. It wasn't even like, oh, you're a little spanking. I mean, we were abused. And not just physical abuse. There was a lot of other abuse that was happening in that home. And we were there for 10 years. There was days where even at that home, we didn't clean the dog's bowls properly. And they said, I lied to them and served me my dinner in the dog's bowls and forced me to eat out of them. And this is what this home was supposed to be, protection for us. And it wasn't.

[Avery Woods]

It makes me so emotional because in the over a decade of law enforcement work that David did, the stories he would come home and tell me, because I would obviously get these kids as patients if it got to that point, because they would have to obviously in the icu. Like, they would have to be really, really sick. But there are so many stories like this that people have never heard. And they don't understand how broken our system is beyond. And it is gut wrenching. And it happens so often. And I'm so sorry that you ever had to go through that. No child deserves that. It is unfathomable. And I remember specifically one time David called me when we didn't have a lot of money. I'd been in nursing for, like, maybe a couple years. So we're like, you know, paying my student loans off. And we had just bought a house. So we're like.

[Isabel]

We were tight.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. We essentially worked paycheck to paycheck. And there was a family panhandling on the side of the road in Arizona, and the moment was making the kids hold the signs. And in Arizona in the summer, it can get up to 120 degrees. These kids had no shoes on. They were holding signs while their mom was sitting in the shade. And they were sleeping under the bridge of the overpass. And he called me and he said, are you okay if I buy them a week's worth of a hotel room at Motel 6 so that they can get on their feet? Because mom was waiting for money or something from family. And I said, yes, like, do it. So he did it. And he's like, but the agreement. The agreement is you get these kids off the street. They should not be doing this.

[Isabel]

No.

[Avery Woods]

And also, it's against the law there. So he could have ticketed them. He didn't. We got him a hotel room when we just really wanted to be able to pay our. Our grocery bill. But it was the right thing to do. And then the next day, he saw him out again. So he approached the family. And the mom had hundreds and hundreds of dollars in her purse with all of her drugs and alcohol because she was using all of the money to buy substances.

[Isabel]

Yep.

[Avery Woods]

Rather than making sure that her kids had a roof over their head and accepted our money to, you know, get the hotel room. Long story short, he ended up finding out that she had a sister that was extremely wealthy that lived 20 minutes down the road that's been begging to have these kids in her custody, had been opening investigations with DCS calling the cops. And the mom was refusing to allow her kids to stay at her sister's house. And so David said to the mom, I'll give you two options. You can let your kids go stay with your sister, and I will not take you to jail.

[Isabel]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

Or you can Give your kids to the system.

[Isabel]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

And you're going to jail.

[Isabel]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

And she said, they will not stay with my sister. Put them in the system. And he said, I'm taking your choice away from you. Took her to prison and took those kids to their aunt's house, and they were happy and thriving. He checked in like a year later. But that is an everyday occurrence.

[Isabel]

Living there for 10 years and the abuse on so many levels that happened there. And the system knew and the way they covered it up. And, you know, at the age of 17, my sister actually left six months before I did.

[Avery Woods]

Your twin?

[Isabel]

My twin. And I was so scared. And I remember when she left, she's like, this is your time. And I was just always so scared. I was the one that, like, didn't make a fuss, and she was the one that always, like, stood up for herself. And it's funny as life now, it's different. Like, I'm the one who's like, so on it business. This is my decision. But younger, I was always the one that was scared and kept my mouth shut. So I didn't get beat. Yeah, I would. Like, I was just this scared one. And so, I mean, there was beating so bad that, like, my adopted dad, because they did adopt us, would try to pull his own wife off of my sister. And he physically is a man. The beating was so bad that he couldn't even pull his own wife off of her. And then there was a day where her head was cracked wide open with the shoe and there is blood everywhere, and I had to clean up all the blood. And they threw her in the shower and put super glue on her head and said, you can't go to the hospital. Like, this is how bad it was. And I remember when they got foster parents of the year, I remember sitting there and saying, like, if you guys only fudgeing knew.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Isabel]

You know, and how it's like such a helpless. Helpless, because it's just like, it's so funny as you go through life, people that come out with, you know, molestation or abuse, and they're like, well, why did you only talk? Why is. How's it been 20 years since you've talked about it? When you are a survivor, you are just trying to survive. You're not thinking how you're gonna go tell the world and get out and make Saving Grace. Like, you're literally just surviving. So when you hear about stuff now and like, abuse allegations or molestation, I always tell my husband, because I was living in it and I didn't feel comfortable talking about my life until years later, until I went through 12 years of therapy myself after I left their house and got on medication and antidepressants. Because when you go through the trauma and abuse like there was no other way than getting self help. I'm a huge advocate for that now, but I mean we lived through that for 10 years straight. My sister leaves before I did, I left six months after her and I left with the backpack with probably 20 bucks. I was a janitor, I was cleaning boys restrooms, I was working a jack in the box, just graduated from high school and I started running a room in a stranger's house for $300. And that's how I was getting by. And I thought I was going to finish my undergrad to become a psychiatrist to be able to help foster kids, but clearly now I'm doing therapy in my spray tan tents.

[Avery Woods]

So I, I want to know how you have stayed so graceful and not fallen into that, that cycle of abuse and have kept so level headed after experiencing so much trauma.

[Isabel]

Oh my gosh. I think about it was probably 19 years old where I'm like, I was waking up every single day, I was having nightmares of abuse. I was waking up in night sweats. And I remember I had thought something was wrong with me, like medically because I was waking up soaked. My sheets, sheets were soaked and everything. And for months and months I'm thinking there's something medically wrong with me, right? But then one time I ended up waking up at 2 in the morning and I ended up waking up during a bad dream. And what I noticed in my bad dream, my heart was going 200 like pounds per minute. Like it was. And so what I noticed, what was causing my night sweats was I was actually having panic attacks during my sleep that was causing me to soak my sheets. So it wasn't like something medically was literally straight panic attacks from the trauma and the PTSD that I'd gone through. Of all these years of abuse, you know, you go from seven years of not being able to eat and feed for yourself and drug addict parents and you go to this next home and you think it's supposed to be better and ends up being worse. So 17 years of my first years of life were like the worst. And so I remember probably 19 years old, I was like, I need to go find a therapist. Like there's no way I can function like this, like this anxiety, this trauma. And so I found a therapist and by the grace of God, I would literally and She, I had no money. I had insurance, but I had no money to like pay like the co payments and all that stuff. And she ended up working with me on a sliding scale and I had to pay her like six bucks a visit. And so there was days where I would go three, four times a week and just cry in her office. Like not even say a word, just cry. But it was like this safe room for me and I'm like, I don't know why I'm here, but I can't stop crying. She's like, just cry. And I would just go there sometimes and just cry and cry and cry. And little did I know they say in therapy it feels like you're taking 20 steps back, but you're really taking 20 steps forward.

[Avery Woods]

I feel that all the time in therapy. I'm like, am I just going backwards right now? And then I feel so relieved when I leave. You do.

[Isabel]

And, and just like the calming music and the scents they use and this person is so non judgmental.

[Avery Woods]

Yes.

[Isabel]

They don't know anybody in your life. They're not being biased. They're not. It's literally just about you. And so I saw the Same therapist for 12 years straight, multiple times a week. And I swear she is what I think really had a huge part in like me being able to talk and you know, talk about my life and go through life and being a professional because I just saw her so much and how to handle these situations. Situations. And then it was time for me. I remember towards the end of my session she, she used to hand write everything. My stack was like this big of like papers. And there was a time where we were going to take away their foster care license and I thought they were going to subpoena her records. And she's like, they can subpoena my records, but let me tell you, it is going to take them years to go through your records of like all the year, all the statements that I made. And so we were able to take away their foster care license, which was at least one chapter was closed, that no other kids would go through the same thing in that home. But I never pressed any other charges. I never, I was just like, I just want to close this chapter and move on because like, I don't want to re dig all those wounds that I felt were closing and healing. And then I got on an amazing antidepressant that I'm such a huge advocate for. It was Celexa. And I've been on the same one since, you know, 12 years, same dose I think without the therapy, the right medications, there's no way I would be the mom, the business owner, the friend, the wife. I'm not perfect and no one is. But I don't think if I didn't go through those steps of healing and getting the help that's. I'm a huge believer in, like, get the help. I remember she said this to me one time where I was like, I'm afraid of taking these medications because I don't want to become an addiction like my mother, right? So there was always that because my sister was an addict too, my older sister. And I was like, no. And she goes, why is it okay for someone with high blood pressure, high cholesterol to take medications to lower that, but it's not okay for you to take the medications for a disease that you have through trauma to rebalance your brain cells in your brain. Why is that not okay? Because society looks, oh, if you take Xanax or you take an antidepressant, you must be a kook or crazy or. And she's like, that is what we need to change. And you are not going to be able to get through life, at least not now at that state that I was so fresh without getting some extra serotonin or whatever the stuff that's in there.

[Avery Woods]

No, I love that perspective. It's so true. Mental illness, so real. I wish there wasn't such a stigma behind taking medication for it because it changes people's lives.

[Isabel]

It does. And I'll never forget that statement, though. Like, you have high blood pressure, you take medication, lower it. Totally high cholesterol, you take medication, but, like, it's not okay for you to rebalance your brain cells.

[Avery Woods]

I love that.

[Isabel]

And so for me, and made it. She just made it so acceptable to be like, no, you are the people why these medications are made for people like you that actually need it. And so ever since then, I just looked at medication in a totally different way. But I made a promise to myself that I would do other things, like try to walk or work out or instead of like just going and grabbing a Xanax or whatever. That was the one thing that I'm like, you know what? Like, it was recently, my husband and I was such an overwhelming day. And I was like, I can easily take something to make me feel calm. But I was like, let's go for a walk. And we did a two, two mile walk down our hill and we're like, on the hill. And I was like, so out of breath, but I can't. It was just looking at other things to not have to need to take certain medications all the time. And so I made that promise to myself that those medications wouldn't be the end all do all for me that I would actually do the additional work.

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[Avery Woods]

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[Avery Woods]

Chime makes your everyday spending work harder by delivering real rewards and financial progress. Chime is not just smarter banking. It is the most rewarding way to bank join the millions who are already banking fee free today. It just takes a few minutes to sign up. Head to chime.com avery that is chime.com Avery Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services the secured Chime Visa credit card and my pay line of credit provided by the Bancorp Bank NA or Stride Bank NA. MyPay eligibility requirements apply and credit limit ranges 20 to $500. Optional services and products may have fees or charges. See chime.com feesinfo advertise annual percentage yield with Chime plus status only. Otherwise 1% APY applies. No minimum balance required. Chime Card on time Payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Results may vary. See chime.com for details in applicable terms. So you're moved out, you're in therapy, you're taking meds, you're working a jack in the box. You're running a room.

[Isabel]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Where does tanning come into your story?

[Isabel]

I always say like, truly by like the grace of God. Like I'm a huge believer. Like I wear this cross Everywhere with me. Because the amount of times in my life where I literally almost died. But there was something that wanted me to remain on this planet. And I don't think without God protecting me that I would have made it through all these things that had to happen. Like the story, like the numerous times of the beatings that we could have died from non eating, the, you know, stomach ulcer that I went through. There's just so many of these things where I'm like, I easily could have died. And some kids have died. We've heard about it, you know, and so by the grace of God, I remember. So my sister invited me. I was probably 18, 20 years old, couldn't even tell you. But every week I had $20 I would put away in a sock for groceries. And I only shopped at a 99 cent store. Like, I would get like the four packets of soup that were like 25,

[Avery Woods]

like the ramen in, like.

[Isabel]

So beat those and all that. Yeah, exactly. Ramen, the Mexican soup. And so I would buy that and 20 bucks a week. Like I would get a bunch of stuff, get TV dinners, like all the things. I still love my TV dinners. No, my grandpa's are so good. But so I remember looking, my little fridge, it was like this big. And I was like, oh, my sister's like, hey, do you want to come over and get a spray tan? I'm like, I literally only have my grocery money, the 20 bucks. And I remember I opened them, I was like, you know what? I got enough TV dinners to get me through like the week, you know? And so she's like, okay, I'll put in the difference. And this was like 18 years ago. 15 some. Something like that. And so she put in the difference. It was probably like 50 bucks or whatever. She probably paid 35. 30 bucks or whatever.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Isabel]

And I remember waking up the next morning, I knew nothing about freaking spray tans. Like, she's like, hey, we're gonna do it. And so I go over and I get this tan. I don't. I couldn't even tell if it was good or bad. All I could tell you is the way this damp spray tan made me feel the next morning. Holy.

[Avery Woods]

You're like, I'm so hot. I'm half the size. Literally half the size.

[Isabel]

What did they say? Like, if you can't literally tone it, tan it. But for me, remember, I'd just gone through the most traumatic, insane life. This spray tan felt like all my bad memories. I actually felt better on the inside.

[Avery Woods]

It rejuvenated it rejuvenated me.

[Isabel]

I felt confident, I felt sexy, I felt excited. I didn't have, like the depression that morning. Like, I literally felt so good. And I remember the thought had come to me that day and I was like, oh, my gosh, this girl just came, like, charged me 50 bucks. This was like 17, 18 years ago. And I was like, well, what if I start spray tanning, make extra money. I can make people feel good and look amazing and also make money at the same time. So I didn't follow through with it. And then years later, my husband and I, I met him when I was 21 and I got married at 22 and then had my daughter at 26.

[Avery Woods]

Okay.

[Isabel]

So at 26 years old. So now years passed. I was then, right before that, working for the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants. So I was their only. I found this job on Craigslist, by the way, and I remember Craigslist back

[Avery Woods]

in the day, wasn't it?

[Isabel]

So I would buy my.

[Avery Woods]

All my used cell phones on there because I couldn't afford to like, go to Verizon and buy one. So I'd be like, hey, can I buy a cell your side for like 65 bucks?

[Isabel]

The coolest thing ever for like rentals and everything. So I remember I came across this job and it said, oh, it pays $45,000. That was a lot of money.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, yeah.

[Isabel]

Then I was like, there's no way if I get this job. My life is changing forever. Like, that type of money. It's so young at 21 years old. So I ended up getting the job and it was the coolest job ever. I was working with all the dermatologists, planning their events, working on their continuing education website. Back end. I was their only paid employee for the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants. So. Right. I ran this entire organization and I started learning about like skin cancer and reading about, like the moles that were on people's skin. And so at that point, my going forward a little bit as I'm working there, I think I had just started another job. I was there for about four years, but I started to fall in love with. With skin and all the things on it. At 26, my daughter was actually born with the a soy and protein allergy, which you might be familiar with this. And so she actually had to be put on a medically requested formula, Similac. Nothing worked. It was pure amino. I'm not sure if you're familiar with it. The most broken down formula you can get. Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Because we would Have a lot of kids with allergies in the hospital. So we had like, like every formula that you could think of as an option just in case.

[Isabel]

And so Pure Amino is the most broken down formula that you can get for. She was having blood in her stool. Like that's how bad it was. And so our insurance company refused. Although I needed a prescription, our insurance company refused to cover it.

[Avery Woods]

So now it gives me PTSD from the formula shortage during COVID Yep. I remember literally, like sending parents home with formula, like sneaking it, because I

[Ad Host/Announcer]

was like, you have to feed your baby.

[Avery Woods]

Literally so crazy to me. You got refused.

[Isabel]

My twin sister's kids, which had been hereditary, we had kids around the same time. So her insurance covered the, the prescription. And so she was giving me all her extra cans. And then I was buying an influx of cans off of Craigslist of other people's insurances that we're covering, and they had extra cans. So it was like $250 a week for cans. We had one car, living in a one bedroom apartment, maybe $30 a week now for groceries. Barely getting by. And I told my husband, like, I need to figure something else out. Like, we were literally sharing one car. He would. He was working three hours past Vegas, driving to and from once a week just to come see me when I sit in la. After our first year of marriage with our daughter, like, it was just so, like the struggle. When I talk about, like our life, this is like this. Like we had no money, could barely afford formula. And so I was like, I'm gonna start spray tanning to make extra money. And so I literally used the last money that we had and bought all my equipment and everything. I was like, I'm gonna spray tan at night and on the weekends and to make people feel good. So then I hated everything that was out on the market. So I started mixing all these stuff that I could, different formulas. Like this one would say less dry and this one would say more skin. And so I'd mix those two together and people are like, oh my gosh, this is the best formula. Like, I was in the kitchen, like, making my own stuff. And then I was like, I need to commercialize this. So my first year spray tanning, no joke. I had made over a hundred thousand dollars as a side business.

[Avery Woods]

How did you learn the technique?

[Isabel]

So it's so funny. I actually took a spray tan class.

[Avery Woods]

Okay.

[Isabel]

It wasn't the greatest free tan class. Like, she handed me a spray tan gun and my models were like walking out soaked, and it Was just not the greatest. And I remember feeling super defeated after. So my husband's like, you need to learn this. So I literally had to spray tan him like a hundred times until poor guy shout out to my husband, Vinnie, always a champ. Running to save the day.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Isabel]

So I'm spray tanning him a bunch of my friends and I got really good at it just through watching practice, practice, practice. Obviously made tons of mistakes my first year. Like, even spray tanning a bunch of people is just like, promo. I still made a decent amount of money. And then at that point was like, oh, I need to make my own spray tan solution. Like, I need to commercialize this. So I found a lab that did small batches. I did that, and I started selling that and then going back. Dolce Glow is actually named after my daughter. So my daughter's name is Mia Dolce Vita. So I was like, I'm going to name Dolce Glow after her. Because this is why I started it was to be able to afford groceries and formula for her. And so I started with that name, started spray tanning. And it people were loving their spray tans finally. And then they started tagging Dolce Glow. They started talking about their spray tans. People hated them before. And then commercialized my own formula and then started doing spray tan classes, which I still do because if I wouldn't have spray tanned, it forever changed my life. So I tell like, stay at home moms, if, like, whether your baby's sleeping, you can open up your garage and 10, three, four people make 200 bucks even if you charge them $50. Like, it's such a quick service. And so that's why, like, I love doing my spray tan classes, whether it's in person or zoom, because for me, it changed my life.

[Avery Woods]

Well, and like, if people can learn from you, you are the best of the best. Thank you.

[Isabel]

Like, thank you.

[Avery Woods]

No one can do a technique like you and the people that you train. So, like, that's a huge, huge opportunity for someone if. If they want.

[Isabel]

It's.

[Avery Woods]

It just.

[Isabel]

I mean, it. It literally changed my life. And now at this point, I've trained over 4,000 people across the world. I had a girl here the other day from Lithuania. Whoa. That flew here. I'm like, oh, my gosh. Like, I'm so honored, you know, and so seeing through the years. And so I started working with these celebrities. And then I launched the at home and I started doing my trainings. And then five years ago, we launched that self tanning collection for at home and we launched into Nordstrom. And this is my husband and I. Yes, this was my husband and I. Literally, no joke. We had no money. We charged up every single credit card. Like we had those. And I got like these hard money loans not knowing what they were and they had to be paid back like in two weeks. And now we're running on three weeks and they're calling me every single day. And I'm like telling like our girls from our team, like, we need to launch yourself Tanners because, like my groceries, like, I have no money for groceries. Like, because all of our credit cards were declining because we charge our first purchase order and everything on like our cards. And I remember the day we like went live. Like we ended up like pretty much making all that money back that we had like put into there because people were wanting something different. They wanted this like, I want to say liquid gold. They just.

[Avery Woods]

It like it's liquid gold.

[Isabel]

It really is. And when it like I was, I was talking, talking to someone the other day and they're like, I don't know what you did, but it's so damn different. Like, it's so different. And so we like pretty much like had sold out right away. There was a need in the market for something really good. There hadn't been a company that really owned the elevation of self tanning. Like, it had always just been like the same sticky, smelly, streaky tans. But there wasn't really a company that was like, I'm gonna own the marketing. I'm gonna make this elevated. I'm going to make this feel like a lifestyle brand. And I was like, this is where we need to jump in and own it. And so we saw that opportunity and launched Nordstrom. And then we went to Ulta. And now recently we launched our second brand, Sunny Bay, which is at a lower price point again for cheerleaders, dancers, college students that might not be able to afford this luxury self tanning brand that's loaded with anti aging and everything. Sunny Beige, just like a very simple formula, but it's so good. It's incredible. It's such a good formula.

[Avery Woods]

It's an incredible product.

[Isabel]

And Dolce Glow makes it so we know what we're doing.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah, it's. And so we just want amazing.

[Isabel]

We realize people are at different places of where they're at in their self tanning journey. And I don't want to lose a customer because Dolce Glow is too prestige. Like, I want to humble myself and give another option to someone that might have a price cap because let's be honest, when I left my foster home with 20 a week, there's no way I could have afforded a luxury self tanner, which Dolce Glow is. And so I, that was like a piece to me that I wanted to give back to. That younger version of myself was providing a second option. And so people that have tried Sunny Bay, they're like, oh my gosh, like I'm obsessed with it.

[Avery Woods]

I, you said Kylie was the first celeb that you spray tan. How did that come about?

[Isabel]

So I was actually referred by her makeup artist, Arielle. Oh yeah. So I had tanned him.

[Avery Woods]

Okay.

[Isabel]

And he loved it. He's like, when I put you on, girl. Yeah. And he, you know, referred me and I was say, in this business, like, it's not about hiring the best social media manager. It's not about like hiring, you know, or paying thousands of dollars behind paid media on Google in tanning. It's referral based.

[Avery Woods]

I feel like networking in this industry is everything. Like I, when I moved here because I'm, we're from California but not la.

[Isabel]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

And so when we came here, it was the different type of networking that I've never experienced experienced before. I mean, you know this. But I have focused so much more on the backside business of what my brand is and who I invest in, what I invest in, rather than just posting for a quick buck online because it's so easy to do that. It's so easy to work with every brand whether you legitimately use them or not, just to get a paycheck where I would rather say, hey, let's do something natural that feels right, that I,

[Isabel]

something that you like, something that I

[Avery Woods]

genuinely like that I'm a paying customer of, that I can invest in or have equity stake in. And we haven't shared this publicly.

[Isabel]

I know.

[Avery Woods]

But I did invest in Dolce Glow.

[Isabel]

You did? Yep.

[Avery Woods]

And I, I, I will tell you, that was the easiest wire transfer I've ever done in my life. I'm serious. Like, like you, it's obviously when you do something like that, it's a really big deal. It's a lot of money.

[Isabel]

And like you're hard earned money too.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. And we don't come from money. And so when you do something that large, it's usually something that like we'll sit on for a long time. Think about it and really think about it. This was not something I felt the need to do that for because it's a company that I've used for so long that I believe in. I know you. I know your team team. I know what's to come in the future and I genuinely believe in the brand so much that David and I were like, no questions asked, like it's done, it's a done deal and I am so proud to be part of that family and I feel so honored that you've allowed me to be a part of it. This show is sponsored by Better Help. Better Help has been a life changer for me when it comes to having therapy and the convenience of my own home. Therapy has truly changed my life. I I don't say that lightly. I recommend therapy to quite literally everyone. I feel like I'm a walking ad for Better Help because everyone in my life knows the way that therapy has changed the game for me and I encourage it to everyone. Even if you don't think you need therapy, if you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious or unsure, that's okay. Those feelings are more common than we think. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a good reminder that you don't have to go through those feelings alone. Having someone with you to listen, to understand and to support you can make make all the difference. Whatever is keeping you up at night, therapy with Better help can help you. Whatever's keeping you up at night, therapy with better help can help you check in with yourself and gain support from experienced professionals. That's one of my favorite parts about having a therapist is that I feel like I was always emotionally unloading on my poor husband and I needed a third party perspective of someone that wasn't so involved in my life to give me great feedback and try to help me deal with emotions in a healthier way and how I can convey my feelings and communicate with other people. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform. Just take a short questionnaire to identify your needs and preferences and Better Help will handle the initial therapist matching work for you. Feel confident knowing Better Help therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the us. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10 off at betterhelp.com averywood that's betterhelp.com averywoods America's best

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[Isabel]

I feel so lucky because I feel, you know, we're just talking about like social media and you know, obviously the show and all these things, right. And I what I love so much about my relationships. We talk about vulnerability, right? Being naked and you're being vulnerable with these people, you're seeing them naked. It's a different type of trust. And I think what I love so much about you is I get. And not just you, it's all my clients. I see far beyond what the media likes to portray and think or say that they know based on something they pulled out of a podcast and ran with it. Right. Like I've been able to see you, how you carry your family and your life and your business and how you're like, I want to be a part of something like bigger. Like you're so smart and I feel so lucky that I get to have like a little piece of that in our family now. And that's why I feel so lucky is because I feel like I get to see my clients at their most vulnerable state. And it just feels so authentic and so real and so I think you and a lot of others that have believed in us, it just means so much to me and just knowing, seeing where the brand is going and it's.

[Avery Woods]

And you see a different side of us because I do. Like when I look at who you tan, it's so funny because I never, I never think of myself as like some, you know, crazy celebrity or anything. When you do share your life publicly, people obviously have a certain perception of who you are, but you get to have these like intense, intimate, one on one conversations. Even if they're only 10 minutes in their house.

[Isabel]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

You get to know them as a person. Not when cameras are on, not when they're recording. It's just a quick conversation. It's so easy to know if someone's genuine or the type of human they are. You can read that so quick 1,000%.

[Isabel]

And that energy doesn't lie, you know, And I think that that's why I was so excited because I've been able to get to know you at a totally different level than what everyone else is thinks that they know and see. And like you're actually, you're so smart, you're like, listen, like it's not just about these one off brand deals. It's like, no, I Want to have equity stake in companies I actually love

[Avery Woods]

and that I, I genuinely use. I'm so tired.

[Isabel]

Like, I. You're smart, by the way, because people are now starting to not take these fast checks. You're like, hey, can I actually put dollar amount on or do sweat equity or whatever? Because this is a brand I believe in and this is a brand I want to be a part of and I don't care to get a fast check. Fifty, a hundred thousand. You're like, hey, if I even. It's even different when you put your own money in.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Isabel]

You know, like it's your own hard earned money.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Isabel]

You could have used, bought a Chanel purse, bought a Birkin, and you're like, no, I'm putting this behind. And I think that says also a million things about you because you could have used that money and been selfish and be like, I'm gonna buy a Birkin or I'm gonna buy myself a new car. You could have. Right. But you're like, no, like, I believe in this brand. I believe in this girl. I believe in this founder. You've gotten to know me, I've gotten to know you. And like, I think that says so much more about you as a person that now I hope with this podcast, people get to see far beyond what they think they know about you.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, thank you. I also think I, I would say confidently, I probably turned down about 90 of brand deals I presented to me because I don't use the product right. Because back in the day when I was working as a nurse and I was able to make an extra income for my family, I took anything I could get just solely to be able to make sure we're taking care of. Because compared to my $42 an hour I made as a nurse, I was like, holy, I can make X amount of money for posting this to my story. Yeah, I'll pretend to like anything.

[Isabel]

Right.

[Avery Woods]

I have now gone to a place where I'm so lucky to be able to be picky and only share companies that I genuinely use every day.

[Isabel]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Avery Woods]

And that was why it was a no brainer for me, because it is something I use weekly, either by self tanning myself or you guys are here to tan me. And I've literally convinced everyone. I literally told you I was talking in the cast and I was like, everyone's getting spray tans. Because, like, what's going on with yourself, Tanner, right now? Like, we're going to fix you up,

[Isabel]

we're going to fix you up.

[Avery Woods]

But I'm just. I'm so excited, and I want to hear your goals and, like, where you envision the company being in the next few years, because there's a lot of really exciting things coming.

[Isabel]

Yeah. So many exciting things. While we just launched in Sephora, which was huge. Huge.

[Avery Woods]

Like, congratulations.

[Isabel]

Thank you. I mean, that alone. It's very rare for a brand to be at both Ulta and Sephora.

[Avery Woods]

Yes.

[Isabel]

That just goes to show just how different our products are. And so we're so grateful to be in some of the biggest and best distributors in the world. And, you know, I. I think the reason why we've been able to make it this far is because the grit right in me and my husband, our family, our team. I always say, work ethic cannot be taught.

[Avery Woods]

Yes.

[Isabel]

And when you come from a life like I came from, where shit was not handed to me, I didn't leave my house or, you know, girls go to college and they have their parents paying for their apartments and cell phones and Uber rides. And I'm like, these kids are so lucky nowadays, and my daughter will be one of them because I want to take really good care of her. But I didn't have that. Like, I had nothing. Like, I didn't even have money for my daughter's formula. Like, I didn't have anyone to bail me out. But what that taught me was this tendency and this work ethic to where, like, I'm gonna figure this out, and I'm taking this to the top. And so for me, like, building Dolce Glo and now our second brand, Sunny Bay, was not just to have one brand is hard to add a second one to the mix. But I was like, if anybody can do it and kill it, it's us. And so to see, like, the next, like, our plans for the next three to five years is so amazing. And, you know, obviously, the goal would be to get acquired by some of these incredible companies that, you know, it's down the line, but it doesn't mean just because you get acquired. Like, I want to still be involved. Like, it's my baby. This is my everything. And so I think you see that a lot with brands that get acquired. The founder's gone. For me, I always want to be involved, and I want to be able to do more things to give back. So, you know, a piece of our sales could go to our foster youth or, like, when I left my foster home, I left with the fricking trash bag, you know, like, to be able to do more things like that. And so I think as we grow, we want to be able to do more things for our community, especially foster youth and, you know, women in shelters and stuff like that. But the goal is to build it as big as I can. And I think the sky is the limit. I know sky's the limit and I truly know that the next five years, I hope and I know we will be the biggest self tanning brands in the world.

[Avery Woods]

You will. No doubt.

[Isabel]

I'm feeling it.

[Avery Woods]

No doubt about it.

[Isabel]

And there's always going to be someone that's not happy or doesn't like you or oh, listen, I'm not on here. I listen, this is my story. Like it's, I'm not, I'm not a victim, I'm a survivor. And I don't think without my life I would be where I'm at today. So I don't sit here, I don't want sympathy. But it's my story, I can't lie about it. This is what brought me here. This is what led me to tanning. This is what led me to Dolce Glow.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah.

[Isabel]

So everyone has their story. It might just be a little different. So, you know, and I'm owning it. And I didn't come from a perfect family and I never will. And part of me, do I wish I had a mother to be there with me on the day I got married and tie up my dress and a normal family and you know, do I wish I had my dad to walk me down the aisle? Absolutely. There's things that, you know, I'm strong, but there's things that deep down will always hurt me and it's, it's just a part of life. And again, it's my story and can't change it. It is what it is. All I can do is make the best out of it.

[Avery Woods]

And you have. And you should be so proud of yourself. I feel immensely proud of you.

[Isabel]

Thank you. That means a lot.

[Avery Woods]

From where you've come from and what you've built. I mean, it's incredible. And that's why it was a no brainer for me because obviously I believe in the brand, but I also believe in you so much.

[Isabel]

And I think that's, that's, I'm so grateful, like so, so grateful that you believe in me because I always say, like, I'm the hardest worker you will ever meet. You are, you know, and you never stop. And I don't know, I don't know how. And you are too though, you know, look at all the work. People think social media is easy. Posting Three to five tick tocks a day. When you're working as a, you have your kids and you're a nurse, like that's hard, you know, and so I believe when you work really hard, it works. True. Hard work does pay off.

[Avery Woods]

I love it. Okay. Usually we end with rapid fire, but we're gonna change it up for you.

[Isabel]

Okay, let's do it.

[Avery Woods]

My producer wrote these questions.

[Isabel]

Okay.

[Avery Woods]

Because she's obsessed with your work and she's been dying to ask a professional. Okay. These are for all my girls out there struggling in the bathroom with their self tanner. So we have some questions for the expert.

[Isabel]

Let's do it.

[Avery Woods]

For our strong, independent women who are self tanning alone, how on earth do we reach our backs without looking like Apache Mess?

[Isabel]

Great. You need to use our Dolce or Sunny base self tanning can. And baby, that can turns upside down with the 360 spray and you will be able to get your back. Yep. So if you're using a mousse, use a can on your back.

[Avery Woods]

And I love, because Isabelle will post on on her social media platforms how she applies the self tanning products. And I told you the other day at that event, I was like, those are my favorite videos. Keep doing those.

[Isabel]

Yep, yep.

[Avery Woods]

Because like watching you as an example expert, I was, I was like, oh, I'm locked the in right now.

[Isabel]

Yeah.

[Avery Woods]

Because I'm like, whatever she says I'm doing.

[Isabel]

Yep. So get that can, spray it on your back. And ours is not a true aerosol. So you could turn it upside down. So I always use the can on my back.

[Avery Woods]

Oh, that's so nice.

[Isabel]

And it's so good.

[Avery Woods]

That's so nice. I've trained David.

[Isabel]

There you go. Or yep, if you could spray an spf, you can spray that.

[Avery Woods]

So Yep. Okay, the age old question, how soon after applying the tan can we activate actually put clothes on? We don't want to ruin a white sofa.

[Isabel]

So what I love about this is if you haven't tried the Dolce Glow drying powder, you need to try.

[Avery Woods]

I love that powder.

[Isabel]

Yes, it is so good. It actually has two ingredients in there that actually absorbs any excess moisture on your skin. Or not just moisture, any tackiness, wetness, body odor. And so it'll actually make you drier quicker so you could get dressed quicker. And so if you use a post tan drying powder like Dolce Glow, you should, should be able to get dressed within a minute so you could sit down on that couch. And I always say long sleeve shirt, long sleeve pants.

[Avery Woods]

I was Just telling a girl I work out with at the gym cuz she showed me her inner arm.

[Isabel]

Yeah the triangle.

[Avery Woods]

And I told her, I said you need to use a drying powder especially in like your crevices.

[Isabel]

Exactly.

[Avery Woods]

I'll do it in like my armpits and like the crevice of my thigh behind my knees.

[Isabel]

Anywhere you have obviously movement you want to use the post hand drying powder.

[Avery Woods]

Yeah. What is the number one common mistake people make that causes a quote streaky tan.

[Isabel]

So the reason why people get streaks on their body is one, they shaved right before spray tan or self tan so they want to shave the night before because that razor residue is a form of exfoliation. So do not shave right before the tan dude. The night before. Two, they took a shower but right before their self tanner spray tan session the soap residue was left on their body so it like trickled down. So the soap, the DHA is not going to adhere and it's going to leave the those soap residue. Third, sweating at night. So using a post tan drying powder and four not rinsing off that bronzer the next morning the water marks in the shower. So you want to keep rinsing until the water is clear.

[Avery Woods]

Can we work out while the tan is developing or is that a disaster?

[Isabel]

What I recommend is if you are going to work out you can use a clear self tanning solution. So we have a clear option. So it goes on clear. There's no bronzer so you definitely can work out. I recommend using using a post tan drying powder that will absorb any sweat if you are developing that tan. Clear options are always the best. It's not a mistake. I prefer for people to just wait until they do that first initial rinse before they work out. But if they do have a drying powder and they're using a clear self tanning option, most of the time they won't have any issues. But if they are concerned, maybe they do sweat, maybe they're doing like a cycling class and they're like soaking. That's probably not a bad idea. But if it's like doing weights or something and something that's not as strenuous or not as sweaty, that's fine, use a clear self tanning solution. But if they are doing like a heated cycling or something like that, then I do recommend they wait till after they obviously rinse before what first blew

[Avery Woods]

my mind when I got my first spray tan from Dolce was obviously of the option. Like you can sleep in it or you can rinse it after a couple hours depending on which formula you get. And it was during the day, the summertime. And I was really. We were in a rental while our house was being remodeled. And I was like, I just get so sweaty at night. Cuz this house is so hot. And she's like, no, no. You can rinse it off after two hours and go to bed and literally sleep naked. Yeah, like it's not going to get on anything. It's rinsed off. And I was like, I don't know. But I was like, okay, I'll try it out. Rinse it all off. And I was like, I'm pale. And she's like, it's going to continue to develop overnight. And I woke up the next morning, I was like, this is the best breach I've ever had. And I. You didn't have to sleep in it all night.

[Isabel]

That's why I love the express formula. And it's not. You don't have to sleep in it. It's not going to get on your sheets. Do an express rinse two hours before bed, you're going to wake up, tan the next day.

[Avery Woods]

That's amazing. My dog licked my leg after I applied self tanner. What do I do?

[Isabel]

Honestly?

[Avery Woods]

Leave it.

[Isabel]

Believe it or not, it's just the cosmetic bronzer that's affected and not the final tan. So a lot of people, like, you'll see girls crying. It's just the bronzer, just the makeup that's affected. The DHA is not affected.

[Avery Woods]

I would have never known that. Okay, how do we tan our hands and feet without them looking like we've been digging in the dirt?

[Isabel]

I'm so happy asking that question. I wish I had a sample here, but. Okay, you guys, ladies, please stop putting the mousse on your hands. Okay? Psa. Like, please just stop putting mousse directly on your hands. Don't take the mid and do the excess over the hands. Like, we need to stop that. Use our spray, our self tanning water. Either the light or the dark one that we just launched at Sephora or the can at a distance. I'm going to show you bear claw like this. I'm going to pretend this is the can and you're going to spray it like this.

[Avery Woods]

And you bear claw so that your knuckles don't look white when you.

[Isabel]

Exactly, exactly.

[Avery Woods]

If I have a spray tan for a big event like a wedding, how many days before should I be getting it done?

[Isabel]

So I always recommend two days in advance. Brides, you can actually do up to three days in advance for a more natural look. The day before an event, it's really hard. So they'll be like, hey, we all do it. I'm the same way. Like, I have an event tomorrow. I need a self tan tonight. So the spray tan is always going to look best on day two. So although you tan so you tan at night, you sleep in it. You wake up the next morning, you rinse off the bronzer. The DHE will continue to develop for the next 24 to 48 hours on your skin. So the next day you'll look nice. But day two and day three will be the fully developed tan and will actually be your best day. So I always recommend two to three days before any major event.

[Avery Woods]

I had a photo shoot this week and I got my tan two days before. I don't know what it is about that day too. I'm just like.

[Isabel]

Because it's done developing and then you just, you know, moisturize. That's the biggest thing with tanning too is making sure you're moist.

[Avery Woods]

I was just going to say, I think the biggest mistake people make to not get their tans to last a long time, both spray tan and self tanning is they are not hydrating.

[Isabel]

They're not. And they're not exfoliating the day before. So you should be exfoliating the day before. Including shaving, exfoliating. You want to make sure that you are still applying your lotion one to two times a day. That's going to actually extend the life of the tan.

[Avery Woods]

Okay. Well, I could talk to you for literally ever, but this episode is going to be 40 hours. I'm honored that you came on.

[Isabel]

I'm so honored.

[Avery Woods]

I'm obsessed with you. I love you so much. I support everything you do. And I'm. I'm honored to be part of the Dolce Glow family.

[Isabel]

Thank you.

[Avery Woods]

Welcome. I just. I just cannot wait to see where you take this. Because it's already so amazing and successful and there's no other products like it. And I know you're just scratching the surface. Well, I adore you.

[Isabel]

I adore you and I love being here.

[Avery Woods]

I love you so much. And thank you for my flowers.

[Isabel]

You're welcome. I love you.

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