INTERVIEW: Miss Illinois 2022, Angel Reyes
Figuring out how to give your skin a flawless photo-ready finish is a struggle for everybody– but for beauty pageant queens, it’s more than just that. It’s a showdown! This past May, SpaDerma’s own Angel Reyes gave the game of beauty everything she had, and became the second Latina in history to be crowned Miss Illinois.
With the Miss USA competition right around the corner, we chatted with Angel about her fight for the state crown, plus how her time on the management team at SpaDerma North Shore has helped her crack skincare’s biggest challenges.
SpaDerma: Where are you from originally?
Angel Reyes: My family’s from Puerto Rico, but have been in Chicago since 1978–I was born and raised here. I spent my early childhood on the South Side, but I’ve been on the North Side since the age of 10.
SD: Outside of pageants and being on the SpaDerma team, what keeps you busy?
AR: I love indulging in new and different culinary experiences, freelancing as a makeup artist, and spending time with my four pomeranian puppies. I’m a lover of all things beauty, fashion, and lifestyle!
SD: What gave you your start in the pageant world?
AR: Growing up, my circumstances made it so I was never involved in many extracurricular activities. But I was always interested in modeling, and I grew up watching Miss USA and Miss Universe on TV.
My mom signed me up to do my first pageant in 2012 when I was 15 years old. After placing 1st-runner up at my very first pageant, I felt like I had found my "thing." I was bit by the pageant bug and have been competing ever since. I’ve held titles on the local, state, regional, national and international levels.
SD: How did you feel competing for Miss Illinois?
AR: My main goal going into competition week was making sure I felt like the best version of myself, and I was able to do just that. I had to make sure I was physically fit, but I also had to make sure my mental health was in a good place. I hit the gym, interview trained, runway trained, and made sure I was communicating with my mentors on a daily basis.
SD: And how did it feel to win?
AR: I competed for the title of Miss Illinois five times before I was crowned. I grew up watching Miss USA and Miss Universe as a little girl and it has always been my life’s dream to represent my state on the biggest stage in the nation.
After all, competing at Miss USA is like the Olympics of pageantry. Winning the title has been the biggest dream come true for me. It feels amazing to have all of my hard work, dedication and perseverance come to fruition.
SD: You’ve been with us at SpaDerma for a year and a half, first as one of our desk coordinators at North Shore, but now as part of management. What’s been your favorite treatment since joining us?
AR: Hands down the Geneo facial. It really is a 3-in-1 super facial! I love how amazingly fresh and clean my skin feels afterwards. It does a great job exfoliating my skin while still leaving me feeling radiant and hydrated. The best part is that there’s a pod for everyone’s skin type and concerns!
SD: Everyone’s going to want to know: what’s your skincare routine?
AR: My everyday regimen consists of all my favorites! I cleanse with SkinBetter’s Oxygen Infusion Wash, and my favorite moisturizer is SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture. I love to exfoliate with the Micro Exfoliating Scrub. And I always top everything off with EltaMD’s UV Daily Tinted SPF.
SD: What do you love about medical aesthetics and pageants?
AR: Pageants and medical aesthetics go hand in hand. It’s far beyond what meets the eye. The glitz and glam is a fun bonus; but through pageantry and aesthetics I’ve been able to learn more about myself. I’ve grown confident in my own skin. Self-love and confidence is a journey that doesn’t come naturally for everyone, and through my professional and pageant careers, I’ve been able to hone in and truly find who I am.
I’m a firm believer that if you look good, you feel good– and it’s been my passion and my mission to help others look and feel confidently beautiful.
SD: What are you most excited about with Miss USA coming up?
AR: When I won my title, I became the second Latina to win the title in Illinois history. I’m excited to represent not only my Hispanic heritage and culture, but to be a girl who has come from extremely humble beginnings. Being born and raised in the inner city of Chicago, I had to work to overcome adversity and make my dreams come true. I’m excited to show that to the world and be a beacon of hope to those facing challenges– to show that dreams do come true if you work hard enough to pursue them.
We are so proud of Angel and so grateful to have her on our team, both for her hard work in our spa and on the stage! We wish you the best of luck and can’t wait to watch you bring home the Miss USA title! ◾
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