Celebrity tan artist Isabel Alysa reveals how she went from foster care to the Kardashian's go-to tanner

By MARGARET ABRAMS, US ASSISTANT LIFESTYLE EDITOR (STYLE & BEAUTY)

Updated:

Hollywood's go-to spray tan artist is sharing the remarkable story of how she went from foster care to becoming everyone on the A-list's favorite tanner. 

Isabel Alysa has tanned Miley Cyrus, the Kardashians, Jennifer Lopez, and Selena Gomez. 

At Coachella this year alone, she gave influencers Alix Earle, Becky G, Dixie D'Amelio, Olivia Culpo, Brianna LaPaglia, Jake Shane, and James Charles their glows. 

But before she became the tanning artist to the stars, she grew up alongside her twin sister in the foster care system in California. 

Isabel discovered her calling after getting her first spray tan - which she said changed her life - and calls where she is now in her career 'surreal.' 

'Leaving foster care at 17 was one of the hardest things I've ever done,' Isabel told DailyMail.com. 'There's no manual for how to survive on your own at that age, let alone thrive.' 

That same year she got her first spray tan while she was 'going through a really difficult time and searching for anything that could make me feel confident again.'

Her twin sister asked if she wanted a tan, and she said 'although I didn't have much, I was willing to spend the money on a beauty service.' 

Hollywood's go-to spray tan artist is sharing the remarkable story of how she went from foster care to becoming everyone on the A-list's favorite tanner

Hollywood's go-to spray tan artist is sharing the remarkable story of how she went from foster care to becoming everyone on the A-list's favorite tanner

Isabel Alysa with Khloe Kardashian
Isabel Alysa with Jennifer Lopez

Isabel Alysa has tanned Miley Cyrus, the Kardashians, Jennifer Lopez, and Selena Gomez

Isabel created Dolce Glow six years into her tanning career. Miley Cyrus is an investor, often acting as a model for the brand

Isabel created Dolce Glow six years into her tanning career. Miley Cyrus is an investor, often acting as a model for the brand

When she saw herself in the mirror, she felt 'put together, glowing [and] like I had control over how I showed up in the world,' adding that the 'moment sparked something' in her. 

'I knew if a simple spray tan could make me feel that empowered, I wanted to give that feeling to other people too,' Isabel said. 

Isabel grew up in the foster care system and discovered her calling after getting her first spray tan - which she said changed her life

Isabel grew up in the foster care system and discovered her calling after getting her first spray tan - which she said changed her life

After she left foster care, Isabel was renting a room for $300 and working odd jobs but she 'always had a vision of something bigger for myself.'

'I easily could've been a statistic but I wasn't going to let that happen,' Isabel said. 

She and her husband saved up money, and she used the last of it to take a spray tan class. 'I really taught myself from experience, what to do, what not to do, then started offering tans wherever I could for free,' the celebrity tan artist revealed. 

'Building my business was personal for me. It wasn't just about beauty, it was about creating something no one could take from me,' Isabel revealed. 

The first celebrity she tanned was Kylie Jenner, and the opportunity came about after 'years of saying yes to every job.' 

'After that, word started to spread, and I found myself in rooms I had only dreamed of,' Isabel told DailyMail.com. 'From there, it was a whirlwind, working with some of the most influential people in the world - it felt like all the dots I had been connecting for years suddenly aligned.'

The first celebrity she tanned was Kylie Jenner, and she said the opportunity came about after 'years of saying yes to every job' - now, she works with the whole family, including Kim Kardashian, above

The first celebrity she tanned was Kylie Jenner, and she said the opportunity came about after 'years of saying yes to every job' - now, she works with the whole family, including Kim Kardashian, above

She launched Sunnee BAEskin to offer her products at a more affordable price point 'to give people a product that felt luxurious, that had skincare benefits but was actually accessible'

She launched Sunnee BAEskin to offer her products at a more affordable price point 'to give people a product that felt luxurious, that had skincare benefits but was actually accessible'

Isabel created Dolce Glow six years into her tanning career when she realized there weren't many tanning products that also included skincare ingredients and her celebrity clients were along for the ride. Miley Cyrus is an investor, often acting as a model for the brand. 

She called Miley's seal of approval as an investor a 'full-circle moment,' explaining that she's 'not just an investor, she believes in what we're building and how we are breaking barriers in the beauty industry.'

Isabel then launched Sunnee BAEskin to offer her products at a more affordable price point 'to give people a product that felt luxurious, that had skincare benefits but was actually accessible.'

'When I was younger, I couldn't afford high-end beauty products, let alone anything skincare-focused - but I still wanted to feel beautiful,' Isabel recalled. 

'It's not just about affordability, it's really about inclusivity,' Isabel said. 'I know what it's like to feel like you don't belong in certain spaces.' 

'Whether you're 15 or 35, just starting out or figuring it out, you deserve to feel confident, cared for, and seen.'

Becky GBrianna ChickenfryJennifer Lopez