Mona Vand

Mona Vand thought she found her calling when she decided to be a pharmacist. Once she started practicing, though, she was underwhelmed by the ho-hum of having a 9-to-5 job.

When a friend suggested she become the type of medical professional that appears on TV segments, Vand began building her brand and her eponymous website, Dr. Mona Vand (she’s a Doctor of Pharmacy). Now working full-time as a blogger specializing in wellness and skin care, Vand’s goal is to make people’s transition to healthy living a little bit easier.

On what she does. “I’m a pharmacist turned entrepreneur. My health, wellness and skin-care advice stems from a medical perspective, but it’s shared in a down-to-earth and relatable way.”

On the start of her career. “When I was studying pharmacy, I loved working toward this big goal [of graduating]. Every exam, semester or year that passed just got me closer to the point when my life could finally ‘start.’ When I graduated, I moved back to Los Angeles and started working as a pharmacist. I’ll never forget the first day, I left work and had a self-realization moment that I couldn’t do this my whole life. I hated the job environment and got this overwhelming feeling of ‘so this is it.’ I think it was the fact that I had spent so many years working toward something and now was at this finish line with nowhere to go. As I was working as a pharmacist, I made friends with a lot of people in the entertainment industry, including a news anchor. I remember her saying to me, ‘You should be the medical expert on TV!’”

On what she loves about her job. “It’s always changing and exciting, there’s always something new to strive for and there really is no limit to how far I can take it. That’s what excites me and that’s what makes it a passion versus a job.”

On her perfect day in L.A. “I would wake up and have a green juice and some fresh berries. Then I’d head to my workout with my trainer and get a facial at Kate Somerville (my aesthetician Lucy is amazing!). Of course I’d do some work (it honestly feels like a hobby to me), and finish up the day with a great vegan dinner with my friends.”

On the skin-care hack she swears by. “One of my biggest skin-care hacks is ‘dressing up’ the rest of my face so I can leave my skin alone. This includes getting organic spray tans, filling in my eyebrows and having eyelash extensions. These are my absolute beauty essentials, because they give you a polished look on their own, so you don’t need to wear foundation, blush, bronzer, etc., which reduces breakouts and clogged pores. Of course I wear makeup for events or important meetings, but on a day-to-day basis I like to let my skin breathe.”

On the best piece of advice she’s ever received. “To become interesting to myself. Because if I don't find myself interesting, how can I expect anyone else to.”