As a licensed Skincare Consultant, Sheri Joseph has made it her mission to transform lives—one glowing face at a time. From battling hormonal acne to building Sheri Approved, her journey is proof that with the right tools, anyone can reclaim their confidence.
Sheri isn’t just another Caribbean beauty influencer. She’s a trusted expert, accredited by the prestigious Skin Masterclass® in the UK, with years of hands-on experience. Her science-backed, heart-centered approach has helped countless clients achieve real results—whether it’s managing acne, tackling hyperpigmentation, or finally understanding the importance of SPF.
With over a decade of empowering clients and educating her audience, Sheri’s message is clear: great skin isn’t just about products; it’s about confidence, self-love, and consistency. Ready to take your skincare journey to the next level? Let Sheri show you how.
Sheri, you’re celebrated as the Caribbean’s first Licensed Skincare Consultant, accredited by the renowned Skin Masterclass® in the UK. Can you share how this qualification has impacted your career and shaped your approach to skincare consultation?
In today’s world of social media education, being qualified is really important especially when you want to approach your niche as an authority on the topic. Practically, I have been creating successful skincare routines for persons for many years but I felt it difficult to be more public with what I could offer without this qualification. Becoming a licensed consultant has added the confidence I needed, not just to gain new clients, but to also train and consult for skincare brands. I chose this specific qualification because it is a continual professional development qualification. In order to maintain our license, we have to keep up with the training, new data, science etc and that keeps my services on the cutting edge. My skincare consultation clients now also receive a more elevated and structured consultation report that focuses on the parameters that they need to be aware of.
Your personal journey of overcoming skin struggles has resonated with so many. What motivated you to turn that experience into a passion for helping others, and how does it feel to be a trusted voice in both the local and international beauty community?
I’ve struggled with hormonal acne due to PCOS since my teens. From around 18, I would religiously go for monthly facials and extractions to manage my skin. While skincare products would have been recommended to me, the routine focused on what we knew mainly about at that time – cleanse, tone, moisturize. Sunscreen was mentioned but not in the way it really should be used. I used my products but if I missed a facial it would be chaos. Why? Because the products did not have any active ingredients to manage my skin condition. I started doing research and testing products. On my own I have bought and tested hundreds of products over the years. Once I found things that were making a difference, I started posting my thoughts in facebook groups. Most of the products I reviewed were not available in Trinidad and that led to people asking me to source the products and help them incorporate them into their routine. One thing led to the other and that grew exponentially.
Trust is a vital principle for the success of anything and understanding the trust and confidence that people have in my recommendations to them, is held dear to my heart. My integrity is not for sale because people believe me and that’s not only really important to me, but also very humbling.
You’ve built Sheri Approved into a respected brand over the past decade. What has been the most rewarding part of growing your social media platforms into educational hubs that empower consumers to make informed skincare choices?
It definitely has to be the testimonials that I get in my DMs or emails everyday from a random person who may be a silent follower and or a consultation client who is letting me know that they’ve done x or y because I recommended it and it literally changed their life. I never tire of seeing these messages. These messages make me very emotional every single time, but they give continuous encouragement to keep going and make it all worth it.
Your expertise covers everything from product formulations to the science of skincare. What’s one ingredient or skincare trend that you’re excited about right now, and why?
This is a tough one because there are so many. I have been a K Beauty skincare fan for a very long time and I am happy to see that more and more people are understanding the philosophy behind the success of K Beauty skincare which includes the use of very interesting ingredients that can make a world of difference to the right person. These days Ectoin and PDRN are starting to trend and I’ve educated my followers on these a couple years ago already so they are starting to see that I was probably right and keeping them ahead of the game.
Many people turn to you for advice on at-home skincare routines. Can you walk us through the process of how you assess and recommend routines tailored to different skin types?
Sure! Generally I would provide an initial questionnaire so that someone can give me information on the skin issues that are affecting them, their current routine, what products they’ve had success with before, which products they’ve had issues with, allergies, sensitivities, illnesses etc , along with looking at the skin. Based on the information a client provides, I may have specific follow up questions because when I tell you that everyone is different, that couldn’t be truer in the world of skin. Once I have all the info I need, I will generally do a report for the client that includes an analysis of their skin issues, skin condition, provide a detail on specific ingredients and percentages that will be applicable to their skin at this point in time, provide insight on usage and how the skincare routine may change in the coming months and of course, provide the actual recommended skincare routine which will include the specific products, how and when to use etc.
You’ve also made a significant impact as a business development and trade expert. How do these skills intersect with your work in skincare, and how have they helped elevate your brand’s influence?
Interestingly skincare was my hobby and sideline – just an area of interest that evolved into a passion and business. With more than two decades of professional experience in business development and international trade, I have a lot of insight into what goes into bringing a product to the shelf, from marketing strategies and channels, to the actual export and import process, shipping and dealing with regulations and tariffs in various countries, understanding the differences in markets etc. This experience has definitely given me a huge bouncing board for the other side of Sheri Approved where I supply products to my clients that may not be otherwise easily accessible to them.
Social media plays a huge role in your success. What’s your strategy for creating content that’s both educational and engaging, and how do you balance staying authentic while being a beauty influencer?
Social media has honestly been my biggest challenge and it is a learning experience every single day from having to understand the differences of various platforms, to being engaging while remaining relevant to my niche. I am actually not a creative by nature so this is what I have to work hardest on. I actually don’t think I’ve found the right mix yet for content, but I am experimenting and working on it. Authenticity may be one of the reasons why I may not have seen the growth expected, because authentic I definitely am and it is difficult to just jump on trends or do/say things that are just not me.
Let’s have some fun: If you had to choose only three skincare products to use for the rest of your life, what would they be and why?
This is HARDDD!!! But if really only three, then I’d have to go with a cleanser, sunscreen and I’d choose a retinoid in moisturizer form because my skin absolutely needs that.
Your journey has undoubtedly required resilience and continuous learning. What’s one lesson from your career or personal skincare struggles that you think everyone should know?
CONSISTENCY and TIME are the main keys when it comes to skincare and frankly success in anything. This tends to be difficult for most people because of the “instant/microwave” society we’ve become but it is still the best way.
The other thing is that skincare results are not linear. You could be doing really well and one bout of illness or stress can erase a lot of work. Give yourself grace, understand that life happens, tweak accordingly and keep going.
What misconceptions about skincare do you frequently encounter, and how do you address them through your platforms or consultations?
Oh there are many but I’d highlight these.
- Misconception: Oily skin could skip moisturizer. I always encourage people that before they add any serums or active products to their routines, moisturizer is part of the base 3 products that they should be using daily, even if you have oily skin. Most of my clients are persons with skin of color and our more melanated skin is more prone to trans epidermal water loss especially at night. Oily skin can be both oily and dehydrated so the issue should be addressed. I also try to help persons with oily skin regarding product selection so they can moisturize and still feel comfortable.
- Misconception: Skin of color does not need sunscreen. Culturally we haven’t been brought up to reach for sunscreen except on the random trip to the beach or pool. We’ve also heard that black does not crack and that our melanin naturally protects us. And while very very deep skin tones do have a natural SPF of up to around 13, this is far from being enough to protect from the damaging long term effects of UVA and UVB rays. I am constantly doing videos and posts to share on why we need sunscreen, the benefits of it and demoing sunscreen on my skin. Did you know that studies show that people with skin of color are four times more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage melanoma of the skin and is 1.5 times more likely to succumb than caucasian people with a similar diagnosis? Our skin color is also hugely underrepresented in skincare research etc so I have to keep going with education.
- Misconception: Hyperpigmentation is a big issue for the majority of my clients and most of them expect that 1 product will fix it. I’m often having to educate on why it’s not going to be 1 product and how we have to get the synergistic effects of several ingredients to deal with the particular type of hyperpigmentation successfully. Many persons also want that 1 product but don’t want to use sunscreen.
Sun protection is crucial, especially in the Caribbean. Do you have any memorable or unique ways you emphasize the importance of SPF to your audience?
I recently did a video that was a bit out of character for me as I tend to go for the “nice” approach. But in the video I was basically saying that I’m not going to be able to help you if you’re not going to commit to sunscreen. I had a lot of doubts about posting that video, but I shockingly got so many leads out of that video. I guess people needed it. Generally I do sunscreen demos often and that encourages the use or try of various products.
What’s your go-to ritual for self-care that goes beyond skincare, something that rejuvenates both your mind and spirit?
Besides skincare, three things mainly:
- Quiet time meaning absolutely no sound and just listening to myself breathe, listening to my thoughts and being silent.
- The piano. I’ve been playing since I was 7 and sometimes I’d sit and play for 1-2 hours of worship and that really helps to reset me. Music is so powerful.
- Conversations with my hubby. My husband and I have been friends since our childhood days, so we were friends long before we became lovers. The thing that grew our relationship were all these random deep conversations and up until today, those conversations bring renewed perspective and rejuvenation that I realize is a NEED for me. I love to explore his mind.
Looking ahead, are there any projects or initiatives you’re excited about that aim to further revolutionize Caribbean skincare?
That will be left to be seen, but I am working with some brands on some things behind the scene, really to bring consumer education and looking forward to where that might go. I also look forward to doing more work with corporate. Several companies invite me from time to time to give skincare talks to their employees as part of self care initiatives It is very rewarding and I’d love to see this type of interest in human resources continue.
Finally, what’s the best piece of advice you would give to someone who is just beginning their skincare journey and feels overwhelmed by all the options out there?
Stop watching other people’s routine. This can create anxiety and also send you down the wrong road. Start with a cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. Get consistent with that and then add. If you need help, book me lol.
How can persons connect with you to book a consultation?
It’s as easy as sending an email to sheriapproved@gmail.com or a DM on any of my social media platforms. We go over the options so that the client can choose what’s best for them and schedule accordingly.
