Melanie Simon

“We are entirely energy, and when we start thinking of things in terms of energy we see ourselves differently and care for ourselves differently. Instead of covering things up, we learn to nourish and build up what we have.”

Please briefly introduce yourself.

My name is Melanie Simon. I am an Electrical Esthetician of almost 2 decades and the founder of ZIIP, which is an at-home facial device that sends electrical facial treatments through varying waveforms (micro and nanocurrents) with a touch of a button using the ZIIP app. As an Electrical Esthetician, I create electrical waveform combinations that are best for your skin, depending on exactly what it needs at that moment.

What is a typical day for you like?

As a business owner, there is no typical day! I wake up and start my day with coffee, heavy whipping cream, and 2 cubes of brown sugar. I look forward to my coffee! Then, I go on to do my complete skincare routine, while other mornings, I simply move on from last night's application (which is always a several-step process) by re-applying only the last step again before moving on to sun protection. Then, I head to work on ZIIP where no day is ever the same. I might be creating content at a photoshoot, spending a day on ZOOM calls with the team, training retailers, or coming up with new electrical combinations for our next treatment launch. To wind down, I will usually watch a movie or take my daughter out for dinner before hopping in the tub for a soak. Before bed, I try to listen to one of my favorite guided meditations off of the Insight Timer app.

“I have always seen beauty in the most unexpected ways and still do. I am really drawn to unique style and confidence. Often it isn’t obvious beauty.”

How has your background and experience shaped the person you are today? 

I was raised by two hard-working parents who instilled in me to take pride in my work. It was conveyed to me that if you are going to do something, you should do it to the best of your ability. I was always a go-getter and I had to work hard for everything. It made me strong and gave me motivation.

Does balance play a role in your life?

If upside-down counts! Although I may not attain balance, I do strive for it. I like to quiet my mind and take a mental vacation, even for just a few minutes a day. I cannot live my life on a treadmill at a constant running pace. I have to at least give myself a spontaneous quiet nap or some time to decompress on a daily basis. This is time I really treasure. 

What are some tips on maintaining balance and taking care of your well-being?

I am not the best person to give advice on this, but I would say to try and carve out just a small amount of time for yourself each day. This could mean having your morning coffee in peace and just reflecting, taking a bath, giving yourself a facial, or doing a mask. We are in such a fast-paced world and just a small amount of time devoted to ourselves each day can have a cumulative effect.

How has your perception of beauty evolved over the years?

I don’t know I would say it has evolved. I would say it has expanded. I have always seen beauty in the most unexpected ways and still do. I am really drawn to unique style and confidence. Often it isn’t obvious beauty. We just did a campaign for Mother’s Day for ZIIP and we shot three generations of women in my family. The feedback was absolutely incredible and my grandmother really stole the show. Her confidence, the way she looked into the camera and her owning her age was pure beauty to me.

Are there any beauty tips from your culture that you can share?

This is not necessarily from my culture per se, but I am a huge proponent of sunscreen on the face and neck every single day rain or shine. Those are areas that are constantly exposed and need the most protection (hands too). I come from a working-class family who spent a lot of time outdoors. The importance of sun protection was always stressed to me growing up and thankfully so. Most people don’t realize they have sun damage until it’s too late. Whenever I go out for an extended period of time in the sun, I always wear a big hat, sunblock containing zinc and titanium, and big sunglasses. On the flip side, I know we need our Vitamin D and the sun makes us feel good, so I don’t mind exposing the skin on my body a bit more to the sun. Again though, I slather on sunscreen.

What are your beauty and wellness rituals?

I use my ZIIP regularly. It’s great for contouring and firming, and it’s also very relaxing to use. Every two weeks, I set aside time to give myself a long facial using my favorite products. I start with a cleanser first, followed by a masque treatment. After that, I ZIIP for at least 30 min. Then I cleanse again, really taking the time to massage my neck and face. Next, I apply serums followed by a moisturizer, and then I press on a finishing fluid to lock everything onto my skin. This is usually an hour process, but it is so worth it. It is one of the only ways I truly and honestly take care of myself on a consistent basis.

What is the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?

To moisturize from a young age. If you make this part of your daily routine early on (for your face especially), It will pay off. From my teens on, moisturizing was like brushing my teeth. It is an everyday am and pm routine.

What SUPEREGG product does your skin love the most?

I love the Gentle Elements Cleanser. It is super versatile and works great with my skin. Also a little goes a long way. A great cleanser that moisturizes skin and leaves it feeling genuinely clean is really, really hard to find. This accomplishes that.

 What are you reading or listening to that has made a lasting impression on you lately?

Think Again by Adam Grant. It is about perspective and has really helped me to look at things from more than my own point of view, to be more open-minded. The research findings are fascinating. My takeaway is that no one ever has all the answers, but even when we think we do, it can benefit us to rethink them.

What are some conscious decisions we can make to help the environment and our planet?

To buy what we will use and to be hyper-aware of what we can recycle. I only try to buy things that I have run out of, need, or really, really want vs being a “collector” of a ton of stuff. Less consumption overall — from food to fashion to home goods — becomes so much more when you truly value it and realize it is better for the planet.

What is your personal or professional mission?

For people to see themselves as electrical beings instead of just the body that others’ eyes can actually see. Everything is electric, everywhere. The things that we can see are simply moving slow enough so that the nerves in our eyes can view them. We are entirely energy, and when we start thinking of things in terms of energy we see ourselves differently and care for ourselves differently. Instead of covering things up, we learn to nourish and build up what we have.

What does being a Good Egg mean to you?

To me, being a Good Egg means being humble no matter what level of success you have achieved or confidence you portray. It means being able to put yourself in other people's shoes and understanding their perspective. It means having compassion and understanding. It means genuinely caring about others and putting their needs before your own at times. To be a Good Egg means questioning whether you deserve the title, and bestowing it thoughtfully on others. I am so thankful to be surrounded by Good Eggs.

Make a wish for your future self.

My ultimate wishes are 1. For my daughter to be proud of me as her mom and as someone she looks up to, and 2. for me to be proud of my accomplishments and the business I built.

 Follow Melanie’s journey at @melanie.simon and @ziipbeauty.