Though she originally moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in modeling, Shani Darden had long harbored an obsession with skincare. “I was always making masks for my friends as a kid,” she says. But during her teenage years, she “started to understand how skin issues can affect your confidence.” Her mom would drive her from their home in upstate New York to the closest dermatologist, over an hour away in Vermont.
Once in LA, however, Darden realized “I was still obsessed with skincare, so I decided to pursue a career as an esthetician.” Working for a dermatologist right out of school, she learned about the benefits of retinol for treating acne and keeping skin youthful. It became the basis of her product line, leading her to create Retinol Reform, which combines lactic acid with retinol in a formula designed to reduce irritation and dryness, along with other staples. “A great skincare routine filled with the right products for your skin type can have a transformative effect,” she explains.
Darden recently opened her official brick-and-mortar location, Shani Darden Studio, in Hollywood, collaborating with LA- and New York-based designer Jake Arnold on the interiors. “The main goal was to create a sense of calm and serenity while maintaining the feel of a high-end spa,” she says. Her favorite feature is a custom limestone fountain where she keeps fresh flowers. “You walk in the entry where the fountain is, then through an arch into the reception area,” Darden says. “It’s a beautiful, calming moment as you enter the studio.”
Photography by Michael Clifford and courtesy of Shani Darden
This article originally appeared in HD’s March/April 2020 issue.
