About Our Founder &Creative Director

Yalanda Rene Jacques
Founder & Creative Director,
Polished Beauties

INSTAGRAM:

 
@yalandarenejacques

Yalanda Rene Jacques is a Businesswoman, Beauty Expert, Actress/Producer, Motivational Speaker, and Veteran of the U.S, Air Force who has over 20 years of combined experience in the beauty, fashion, TV/entertainment & image development industries. As the Founder/Owner and Creative Director of Polished Beauties, her focus is in giving women the tools they need to feel confident and look fabulous.

Yalanda is the epitome of the polished woman, having changed her own image and life after growing up on the rural roads of East Texas surrounded by farm life til about 12 years old. She wanted more for her life and to see the world, so when done with home chores she immersed herself in books, and devoured the pages of fashion magazines like Vogue, Texas Monthly, and Town & Country. All magazines left behind by her mother, a very accomplished seamstress.

At 14 years old her mother enrolled her in the Barbizon School of Modeling to learn poise, posture, and basic etiquettes for life. The modeling training paid off, and she later combined that knowledge with her later military experience to delve into entrepreneurship. Yalanda has been profiled by some of the most prestigious news and fashion magazine publications in the U.S. like Ocean Drive Magazine, The Miami Herald Newspaper, South Florida Business Journal, and also made guest appearances on TV shows like MTV's Tr3s Quiero Mis Quince as an Etiquette Coach and Image Consultant.

As an entrepreneur, she founded a successful modeling agency in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida called Jacques Models, Inc. which managed over 400 models & talent. Later she launched Jabbermouth Entertainment Productions, which produced an entertainment lifestyle TV show about the happenings in South Florida; and in Dallas, Texas created & produced, "The VIP System Makeover Program", an instructional beauty & self-esteem development DVD for young women before millions of Instagram and YouTube makeup videos became popular.)

Her experience in the beauty and fashion industries include retail department management for luxury giants like Neiman Marcus where she managed fine jewelry and designer handbags; beauty & skincare management for Mary Kay Cosmetics, and L'Occitane. Then later coming full circle as an Instructor at the Barbizon  School of Modeling in Dallas, Texas where she herself had been trained.

As an MC and Public Speaker, she's done events ranging from live PBS TV fundraisers, to hosting graduations, personal development workshops, and motivational talks.; as a Film Coordinator for the Dubai International Film Festival; and ultimately as an MC/Commentator for a royal diplomatic, black-tie charity event in Dubai for the Walter Sisulu Pediatric Cardiac Foundation, co-sponsored by Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum - Ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. 

As a music artist, her work includes being a Singer for a band, called "Skin & Sweat" in Germany in the late 80's. And more recently in 2022, playing the role of a Nurse on FOX TV's medical drama, "The Resident" for Seasons 5 and Season 6; as a SWORD Agent on MARVEL Studios "WandaVision" and more.

Yalanda is a Veteran of U.S. Air Force. and served her country in the U.S. with both the 20th and 16th Special Operations Squadrons, then overseas in Europe for NATO with the 17th Air Force HQ where she first nurtured her love for travel.

Her selections for the website are empowered from a knowledge of both the beauty and fashion industries and having traveled to over 22 different countries. 
Yalanda's willingness to learn and evolve ensures our products and style will always be classic, fashionable, but most importantly an unforgettable ride.

Polished Beatuties is based in Atlanta, Georgia.