Long before she stole your heart with her larger-than-life personality on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Heather Gay was… well, a real housewife. That seemingly perfect PTA mom, you’d see her gliding through the neighborhood with her stroller and three daughters "dressed to the nines," says Beauty Lab + Laser business partner, Andrea Robinson (Dre).
Meanwhile, Dre was a single mom struggling to shuttle her daughter around and working at restaurants to put herself through school.
Fast forward five years later and this unlikely pair of moms would not only become best friends, but pioneers in the med spa industry—supporting each other through divorces, business successes, Heather’s RHOSLC fame, the loss of Dre’s brother, and much more.
It all began when Heather asked Dre a life-changing question:
“What will our daughters wear to the debate tournament?”
In her typical fashion, Heather knew the answer. They’d wear matching outfits from the movie Clueless (Duh!), so if anything, they could win by their outfits alone.
Yes, they won.
After the tournament, Dre realized “there's more to this mom [Heather] than the perfect outfits and cute hair.” So at their daughters’ next school event, it was only natural for the two to reconvene. This time, Heather came with a truly life-altering question.
Heather had purchased a med spa and dreamt of turning it into something extraordinary. However, she wasn’t sure how to go about it. Dre, on the other hand, had been working in the med spa industry for over ten years and possessed the skillset to bring Heather’s dreams to fruition.
As Heather says, “Dre is the wind beneath my wings.” The rest was Beauty Lab + Laser history.
With a mission to “demystify hot girl secrets” and make beauty accessible to all, their friendship blossomed into a powerhouse partnership, affectionately dubbed "Dreather.”
One of their first moves in “pulling back the curtain” was offering their trademarked Mini Lip Plump—for everyone who wanted just a little extra pout for half of the price. It ruffled their competitors’ feathers because of the lower profit margin, but Dreather remained unphased and committed to their customers and vision.
Beauty extends beyond business for these two, it’s personal. Which is why they also guarantee results. “You're going to like how you look. No matter what it takes, we are in it with you,” says Heather.
Their latest campaign, "Beauty is for all of us," further underscores their dedication to serving clients of all backgrounds and identities.
As Heather encapsulates, "I think beauty is when you wake up, you think of who you are, and then you look in the mirror and it reflects that.” Adding, “We say, ‘Love thy selfie.’ We know that everyone's selfie is different, but that self-love comes from a place of liking how you look. And sure, a part of that is accepting it, but a part of that is also investing in yourself to change whatever is keeping you from living your fullest life or realizing your full identity.”
Another very near and dear aspect to their business is Don’t Leave, a nonprofit that they started in honor of Dre’s brother, Tim, who she lost to suicide.
Tributed to him and those who suffer from mental illness, Beauty Lab + Laser is committed to removing tracks and other self-harm scars for free. With the support of their staff, they have designated weekly blocks in their schedule solely for giving back to the community. Their hope is that the movement will catch on at other med spas around Utah and beyond.
As far as being moms and of young women, beauty is a topic you can’t get around—especially in a society where beauty serves as currency, as Heather says.
Both of them have chosen to empower their daughters to dictate their own narrative, rejecting societal pressures and embracing individuality.
"As a mom with daughters, I basically just want to remove guilt and shame and fear from as many decisions as they make. And to instead build it with autonomy and individuation and confidence," Heather shared.
Dre echoes this sentiment, telling her daughter, "Don't let anybody else decide what you do with your body, your time, your mind, your face, all the things you are in charge of. We have autonomy to live the way we want, look the way we want, and as long as you feel good and you feel happy and you feel beautiful, that’s what's important."
Reflecting on their journeys, both Heather and Dre offer words of wisdom to their younger selves.
"I would tell myself, you can do it. And you are more capable than you thought," Dre mused.
Heather added, "I would say to myself, the things that you know about yourself, never forget them. Because you may not understand them now, but you're going to come back to who you are."
Particularly moved after meeting the legendary Dolly Parton, they are most inspired by women who age on their own terms (however that looks). But above all, whose kindness and creativity transcend their age and looks, which is clearly what DREATHER is aspiring to do.
"We don't think about the age or the looks of the people we most admire. We just think about the things they’ve accomplished and the way they make us feel," Heather says.
Louder for those in the back—Heather and Dre want you to know, "You are beautiful, you deserve everything that you want in life, and we are here to help you get it."
Stay on the lookout for the highly anticipated fifth season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City; Heather’s upcoming book, Good Time Girl; and television projects from Dre and Heather’s production company, Topnotes Inc. You can also get more Dreather on the podcast, Live Love Lab with Heather Gay.
"I think beauty is when you wake up, you think of who you are, and then you look in the mirror and it reflects that.”
"You are beautiful, you deserve everything that you want in life, and we are here to help you get it."
