A BEAUTY NAMESAKE
Faith guided Royal to open beauty business
Butterflies appeared to be everywhere.
“This has to be a sign,” 48-yearold Yvette Royal said.
The beautiful insects seemed to visit several friends and family members near the hospital, burial site and other random places following the death of newborn Anastasia Renee Pender in May 1997. She died shortly after being born premature at UPMC MageeWomens Hospital in Oakland.
The death left those present emotional as they crowded the hospital room, especially Ms. Royal’s sister, Yvonne McKinnon. For Ms. McKinnon, it was the loss of her second-born child.
Although Anastasia did not survive being born early, the family’s pastor provided encouragement that another child would soon come. There was sadness, but a “peace filled the atmosphere” for faith that God would provide, Ms. Royal recalled.
Eight years later, Ms. McKinnon gave birth to a healthy baby girl — a second child who would now join her son, the first to be born.
At the time, no one knew that the sightings of butterflies and symbolism of Anastasia’s name, which means “resurrection,” would years later become the namesake of her aunt’s beauty company, Anastasia’s Crown Esthetic Services, now located in
Shadyside.
“I held her in my arms after she passed at birth,” said Ms. Royal, of Penn Hills. “It seems like everywhere we went we kept seeing butterflies . ... We often associate resurrection with spirituality, but looking back, this was definitely symbolic of promises to be fulfilled. That’s why the logo for my company is a symbol of a purple butterfly with a crown. My sister persevered during a challenging time in her life, so this is also a tribute to my sister’s strength.”
As one of several endermologists in Pittsburgh, Ms. Royal in 2016 became the first black woman in the city to open an aesthetician salon with equipment for endermologie — a non-surgical procedure for cellulite treatment, blood circulation, and overall skin appearance. It was first developed in Europe and was later introduced in the United States in the late ’90s, after being approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
In 2000, Endermologie by Debbie became the first endermologie clinic in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh, according to the company’s website. The services are worldwide, typically consisting of a series of treatments that “massage and stretch” the skin.
“When I considered opening the business, I Googled the current costs of endermologie machines, and it was really an obstacle,” Ms. Royal said. “I paid $47,500 for my LPG device. I tapped into my 401(k), all of my personal savings and I sold my house. I put a big payment down on an [endermologie] machine in 2016 ... many black women don’t know about endermologie.”
But Anastasia’s Crown, which also provides waxing, makeup, nail, spa and sauna services, was
not always the plan Ms. Royal had in mind, she said. She previously had hopes of climbing the ranks as a representative for Clinique at Macy’s after working there from November 1998 until July 2014. She eventually moved on and became an employee of Mac Cosmetics from 2014 to 2016, while also running her own licensed cosmetic services on the side out of her home and at hotels for bridal parties.
She was introduced to endermologie treatments in 2012 after losing about 30 pounds. Personal insecurities about cellulite led her to try the services, she said.
“I didn’t always have the confidence I have today,” she said. “I grew up in the ’80s where curves were not appreciated. Penn Hills was all white then, and there were like three black girls in my class. Nobody talked about curves. I am all about body confidence, but I realized that I like smooth skin ... I was not the most popular or prettiest girl in school.”
A church message, along with a push from her husband, helped changed her perspective about owning her own business along the way. Changing markets and shifts to online purchasing also eventually led her away from cosmetic retail, she said.
“I was in church one day, and I heard a word that said I would own my own business,” she said. “I buried it, because I wasn’t sure, and I was set on working for Clinique. It wasn’t until a couple years later when I interviewed for the dream job position and the door was shut that I knew God had something else for me. When I left Clinique, I left with a purpose.”
Historic African American trailblazers like Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks have provided inspiration, she said.
“When I think of Harriet, most notably, she acted selflessly, wanting to help other people while going back and risking her life constantly,” Ms. Royal said. “This is nothing compared to what I’m doing, but there were women who made sacrifices for my basic human rights. It’s a great inspiration. I had to hustle and work hard for where I am now.”
According to her, Anastasia’s Crown is a “ministry.”
“Because of what we do here, there’s a vulnerability with people,” she said. “I like to nurture and soothe. I want people to know this is a safe place.”