“I have a passion for elevating other entrepreneurs, providing exceptional guest experience and creating a culture that makes a difference,” said Yara de la Torre, owner of Lashes & Curls Studio in Key Largo.
De la Torre had a vision and purpose at a young age. She was born and raised in Costa Rica and moved to the Florida Keys at age 14. She then went to Coral Shores High School for a few years before asking her parents to get her GED and an associate’s degree. Shortly after that, at age 17, she started working at Hair in The Tropics, which has since closed.
Now, as the owner of Lashes & Curls, which is located in the plaza south of Nun Thai, they recently celebrated its fourth anniversary.
“I did all the interior process myself. I received a $5,000 loan from my late father and started organically to serve myself and the community. And now we are up to five chairs, all taken with incredible stylists,” De la Torre said. “Lashes & Curls is also the hair home of Balayage, which is a low maintenance, gentle, long-lasting, sun-kissed look hair process. It creates dimension, fluidity and extends the life of the color. I also offer a service that ensures your hair in between the treatment.
“I want my clients to look and feel good from the moment they leave the salon until the moment they come back,” she continued.
Those in the Keys community may know de la Torre had a spinal cord injury that occurred from a fall in April 2019 that left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair. She left the hospital after three weeks and came back to work very fast—five months later.
Thinking back, de la Torre says, “It was put your head down and push forward at many levels — physically, professionally and intellectually, which motivated me as a business owner and an inspiration to others.
“However, additionally, I had a version of my story, and what I told the world, I swallowed up all of the cause and the fault,” she continued. “I convinced everyone that it had been an accident and people, knowing me, went along with it. I’ve since come to understand my confused level of distress- physical, financial, and emotional from the relationship I was in. I have been out of that relationship for a year now.”
In hindsight, she thought she needed to protect her abuser, which is what happens after spending years under someone playing with your emotions — gaslighting, triggering and then love bombing.
“People ask me the most, why did you stay?” Unfortunately, I was already so deep into the manipulation tactics that it didn’t take much to forgive,” she explains.
In truth, the inquiry was due to an altercation and reactive abuse back, which caused the fall— she was pushed.
“I think a lot of people can relate to my situation. I built a beautiful business while hiding that part of myself. Convincing the world that you’re okay while you are not really okay. Now I am sharing my story for what it really is, and this has not come easily.”
She continues, “First, I had to understand the level of abuse, then face it and then sit with the embarrassment and shame. It was a process.”
In the summer of 2021, so many things and a series of events led her to realize, “I really need to get out of this. My biggest fear was “what would happen if I fall?” And she was never even my caretaker. It was a year after that before I fell. I faced my biggest fear, and it was fine. I have been healing on so many different levels from this.”
De la Torre is also bravely and confidently sharing her story on Instagram and TikTok (both at @yaradelatorre) to help others. So often, children, such as her 9-year-old daughter Alex, are also affected.
“It’s so important to speak on this. When we think of an abusive relationship, we think of a dainty, shy woman, and I show up big, built a business, smile so big,” she said. “If I could do this, imagine the others that go through this too.
“I need to speak on this, not just for me but an entire group of people,” she continued. “Today, I am much healthier and more vibrant from getting out of the relationship and speaking my truth. Energetically I have changed.”
How would de la Torre advise someone struggling or having a bad day? “Feel your feelings and give yourself grace versus pushing it off and also know it won’t last forever. Important not to push our feelings away and bury them. Trauma is not just what happens with us; it’s what stays with us.”
What’s important to de la Torre? “Seeing other people feel and look better regarding themselves. … most of my clients always leave with a little golden nugget of wisdom. I think seeing other people be willing to do something for themselves will take them to a higher place. Whether it’s getting their hair done or opening their own business.”
Where does she see herself in 10 years? “I would love to have a one-stop shop with independent professionals who can run their own business but be part of a network that has a higher standard. We already have two sister companies— Lashville by Marilyn Clore and Beauty by Griselle, which does manicures and pedicures.”
She adds, “I envision this salon as part of the community; women come and relax and have a glam girl’s day and for tourists when their husband is fishing. I picture nails, massage, a spa and a little garden outside. A place where everyone can feel seen, heard and uplifted. I also imagine mentoring. I imagine they can come and get support from me wherever they are in their lives.”To learn more, visit, @lashesandcurlstudio or visit www.lashesandcurlsstudio.com.
