What Studio CARA does

Studio CARA, operated by CARA Cosmetics International, Inc., is a boutique beauty studio founded in 1997 and operating since 1999 from a single location at 668 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 208, Maitland, Florida. Founded by Leslie Christin — a makeup artist with 30 years of film and television experience and an IATSE 798 union background — the studio delivers makeup application, lessons, bridal services, facials, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, brow and lash treatments, professional headshots, and corporate personal branding programs. The company serves a primarily local Central Florida clientele (Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland) with on-location bridal and event services extending its reach regionally, and a virtual Looks to Lead program reaching clients globally.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model spanning one-time service fees, recurring membership subscriptions, branded product sales (CARA Cosmetics), and corporate personal branding engagements. Pricing is unit-based for services (e.g., $85 bridal trial, $120 signature facial, $204 HydraFacial, $399 headshot package) with four membership tiers priced at $79–$169 per month on 3- or 12-month commitments. Customer acquisition is driven primarily by word-of-mouth referrals, online booking through Vagaro, and the studio's Squarespace-hosted website; no paid advertising infrastructure or external capital has been deployed. The proprietary CARA Cosmetics product line — including custom blended foundations, lipsticks, brushes, and skincare — is sold via a separate e-commerce site and in-studio.

Studio CARA employs 1–10 people including founder Leslie Christin and a small team of licensed makeup artists (Felicita, Melanie, Kylie). Its competitive positioning rests on founder talent credentials, celebrity clientele (George Lucas, Elizabeth Hurley, Rob Schneider, Kenan Thompson), corporate client references (Universal Studios, Netflix, Disney, PwC, Walmart), and 20+ years of local brand reputation. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or third-party investment, and operates as a founder-led lifestyle business rather than a venture-backed growth entity.

Name

Studio CARA

Legal name

CARA Cosmetics International, Inc.

Website

https://studiocara.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Studio CARA is a privately held boutique beauty studio in Maitland, Florida, founded in 1999, offering makeup, bridal, facial, brow and lash services, memberships, and personal branding programs to Central Florida consumers and select corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beauty and Personal Care Services

NAICS

Beauty Salons (812112), Photography Studios, Portrait (541921)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Bridal Makeup Services (HSALAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makeup Artistry Training Programs (HSALANAE), Makeup for Photography/Headshots (HSALAHAO)

Keywords

• Professional makeup artistry
• Bridal beauty services
• Skincare facial treatments
• Brow and lash services
• Personal branding photography

Headquarters

HQ city

Howey In The Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Service Fees: One-time service fees for makeup applications, lessons, facials, brow/lash services, and bridal packages. Prices vary by service type and duration.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly membership programs offering recurring beauty services (facials, makeup lessons, brow services) at discounted member pricing. 3-month and 12-month options available.
3. Product Sales: Sale of CARA Cosmetics branded skincare and makeup products, including foundations, lipsticks, brushes, and accessories.
4. Corporate Programs: Corporate personal branding workshops, leadership image sessions, and team experiences for businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Studio CARA is a boutique beauty studio in Maitland, Florida that delivers in-studio and on-location makeup artistry, facial and skincare treatments, brow and lash services, bridal beauty packages, and professional headshot and personal branding photography. It also sells its proprietary CARA Cosmetics product line and offers recurring subscription memberships for facial, brow, lash, and beauty services. The studio is operated by founder Leslie Christin and a small team of licensed makeup artists and skincare specialists serving Central Florida clients.

Product overview

Studio CARA is a beauty studio offering a unified portfolio of makeup artistry and skincare services. The core offering centers on Makeup Services (lessons, applications, and bridal makeup), Facial Services (signature facials, HydraFacial, peels, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning), and Brows & Lashes Services (brow design, lash extensions). Supporting offerings include Headshots & Personal Branding photography packages, the Looks to Lead Program for executive branding, and the On Camera Makeover for camera-ready techniques. Studio CARA also offers subscription memberships (Beauty, Brow, and Lash) and sells its proprietary CARA Cosmetics product line. The service architecture combines in-studio treatments with on-location capabilities for events, weddings, and corporate programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CARA Cosmetics: The company's signature line of professional-grade skincare products and cosmetics for all ages and skin types.

Products and services

• Makeup Services Personalized makeup lessons, makeup updates, event and special occasion makeup applications, and professional makeup for film, television, and commercial productions. Targeted at women and individuals seeking customized makeup artistry for events, education, or screen work.
• Bridal Services Complete bridal beauty packages including bridal trial makeup, bridal day application, bridal party applications, and add-ons such as lash application, airbrush makeup, and on-location touch-up services. Targeted at brides and bridal parties in Central Florida.
• Facial Services Skincare treatments including signature facials, specialty facials, HydraFacial, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, and enhancements such as LED therapy and high frequency treatments. Targeted at women and individuals seeking professional skincare treatments.
• Brows and Lashes Services Brow design, maintenance, tinting, lamination, face and body waxing, lash lift, lash tint, lash application, and lash extension services. Targeted at women and individuals seeking brow and lash grooming and enhancement.
• Headshots and Personal Branding Professional photography packages including makeup application, studio session, wardrobe changes, retouched photos, personal lifestyle photoshoots, teen headshots, and glam pet photoshoots. Targeted at professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, realtors, news anchors, and others building a public personal brand.
• CARA Membership Program Recurring monthly membership tiers including Beauty Membership, Brow Membership, Lash Extensions Membership, and a combined Beauty and Brow Membership offering discounted services, member pricing on products, priority booking, and member gifts. Targeted at recurring beauty clients in Central Florida.
• Looks to Lead Program Personal branding program for professionals and executives featuring style archetype assessment, professional makeup lessons, wardrobe strategy, hairstyling recommendations, on-camera coaching, and a virtual masterclass for executive presence development. Targeted at professional women and corporate leaders.
• On Camera Makeover Three-session program teaching camera-ready makeup techniques covering product inventory, professional branding makeup lesson, and a camera-ready look for webinars, videos, and social media. Targeted at professionals needing on-camera appearance skills.
• CARA Cosmetics Proprietary cosmetics and skincare product line including custom blended foundations, lipsticks, brushes, and skincare products for all ages and skin types. Sold online via caracosmetics.com and through the studio.
• Teen Glow Camp Summer makeup camp for teens teaching camera-ready, photo-flawless makeup techniques for portraits and daily selfies. Targeted at teenage girls and their parents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transformed thousands of faces over 20 years of business
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Now Massage: The Now is a boutique wellness chain offering personalized beauty and massage services in a stylized, appointment-based studio environment — comparable to Studio CARA's appointment-driven, multi-service boutique service model.
• Skin Laundry: Skin Laundry operates multi-location facial studios specializing in signature facials, peels, and laser treatments on a membership/subscription basis, directly comparable to Studio CARA's facial services, HydraFacial offerings, and recurring membership tier.
• Heyday Skincare: Heyday is a facial-focused skincare studio chain offering signature facials, dermaplaning, and add-on enhancements in a membership-friendly boutique setting, comparable to Studio CARA's facial services menu and membership subscription model.
• Blushington: Blushington operates beauty lounges offering makeup applications, brow services, and lessons in a multi-service boutique format, directly comparable to Studio CARA's integrated makeup, brow, lash, and headshot offering, but as a multi-location chain rather than a single studio.

Broad incumbents

• VIO Med Spa: VIO Med Spa is a multi-location medical spa chain offering facials, injectables, and skincare treatments. Comparable to Studio CARA's facial and skincare services, but with a broader medical-aesthetic portfolio beyond makeup artistry.
• Charlotte Tilbury Beauty: Charlotte Tilbury is a global prestige makeup brand with a flagship store concept offering makeup applications, masterclasses, and bridal services. Comparable to Studio CARA's bridal and pro makeup artistry positioning, but as a global brand rather than a local boutique.
• Sephora: Sephora is a global beauty retailer offering in-store makeup applications, lessons, and skincare services comparable to Studio CARA's makeup services and lessons, but at massive retail scale rather than a boutique studio.
• MAC Cosmetics: MAC Cosmetics is a professional-grade makeup brand with artist training programs, bridal services, and pro artistry positioning — comparable to Studio CARA's film/TV makeup expertise, professional makeup classes, and bridal specialization at a global brand scale.
• European Wax Center: European Wax Center is a franchise chain specializing in waxing and brow/lash services with a membership-based pricing model — comparable to Studio CARA's brow/lash offering and subscription approach, though at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Beautify by Lili Salon Suite Bridal: Beautify is a Florida-based bridal beauty provider offering on-location hair and makeup services comparable to Studio CARA's bridal offerings. Less relevant as a peer (it primarily aggregates independent artists) but shares the Central Florida bridal market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studio-cara

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Studio CARA