La Reina's School of Fine Arts Opening in Topeka, Bridging Gap in Local Beauty Education
Topeka is getting its first school dedicated to esthetics and nail education. La Reina’s School of Fine Arts, founded by beauty industry veteran Khrysten Nicole, celebrates its grand opening Saturday, April 4, from 1-4 p.m. The community is invited to attend for a ribbon cutting at 1:30 p.m., and to learn more about the school’s programs.
Nicole, who has more than 20 years of experience in the beauty industry, opened the school, at 6730 S.W. 29th St. Suite B, to address a gap in the greater Topeka area. As owner and operator of La Reina’s Beauty and Spa, she found herself spending considerable time and resources training new hires who lacked foundational skills, because there was nowhere local to learn them.
“I realized there wasn’t a place in Topeka that trains people in esthetics and nails,” Nicole said. “The nearest school with a program like ours is at least 50 miles away. I wanted to address that gap by offering accessible education that ultimately creates a community of locally trained estheticians and nail technicians. Our mission is to prepare students to not only pass licensing exams, but to succeed in the real world by building profitable careers, growing clientele, and becoming leaders in the beauty and wellness industry.”
La Reina’s School of Fine Arts expects to begin classes in early April and is enrolling now for upcoming cohorts. The school offers a 350-hour nail technician program, which runs for about four months and is priced at $5,000. It also has a 1,000-hour esthetics program, which takes about a year to complete, for $18,000. Classes will be offered in the evenings and on Saturdays, to accommodate a variety of student schedules.
“I am super excited for the opening of La Reina’s School of Fine Arts, especially for the esthetician program,” said Topekan Abigail Moore, who plans to enroll. “I’ve always wanted to do this but did not want to have to drive an hour or more away to take the course. Now with a program being offered in Topeka, it will be way more convenient for me. Knowing Khrysten personally, she has always been inspiring and uplifting. She truly is a force to be reckoned with, and I’m so thankful she created this opportunity for all of us future esthis and nail techs.”
Programs are designed with small class sizes in mind to ensure an intimate, hands-on learning environment with personalized instruction. Payment plans are available. Nicole hopes to eventually accept grants and provide scholarships to expand access.
“We already have a waitlist of potential students, and I’ve announced Joyce Thomas as the lead of our esthetics program,” Nicole said. “She brings more than two decades of experience in the industry, including time as an educator. She’s going to help set the tone for this program and our school.”
As a licensed cosmetologist, instructor and tattoo artist, Nicole brings deep roots in the beauty industry to the endeavor. She sees La Reina’s School of Fine Arts as a way to serve aspiring beauty professionals in the greater Topeka area, while working to strengthen the broader community by empowering future small business owners and local leaders.
For more information on the school and to enroll, visit LaReinasSchoolofFineArts.org or email LaReinasArts@gmail.com.
