The APCI Team

Darren Taylor
Owner, CEO, Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist, Educator

Darren Taylor is a business executive from Arkansas with over 30 years of diverse professional corporate management, marketing, sales, and healthcare experience. As a graduate of Harding University, Searcy, Arkansas, Darren has invested the majority of his professional career building numerous businesses from the ground up. Darren has founded many state and national business brands, while currently serving as the Chief Business Development Officer for the 6th largest massage brand in the nation, Massage Advantage, that he founded in 2008. After Darren’s wife, Christine took a personal interest in permanent cosmetics; he noticed a very serious lacking of proper student education and training offered within the current local field. Drawing from his previous successes, he assembled a team of Instructors and professionals to offer the solution for his fellow Arkansans. Our #1 Goal is to build the Most Successful Permanent Cosmetics & Mirco Blading School within the state of Arkansas. “We don’t just want our students to graduate; we want them to be successful”! When Darren is not working on one of his businesses, he is spending time with his family or enjoying the outdoors. Darren and his wife Christine share six children: three boys and three girls, often laughing about being the real-life “Brandy Bunch.” Family is our life, and we are so blessed to be in a position to help others while supporting our community and raising our family in the great state of Arkansas.

Christine Taylor
CEO, Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist, Esthetician, Educator

Christine Taylor is a Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist licensed by the State of Arkansas. Mrs. Taylor has also been certified in paramedical procedures such as 3D areola and nipple tattooing for breast cancer survivors. She is the owner/operator of Cardī Professionals (Cosmetic and Reconstructive Dermal Inking). In addition to her dedication to Permanent Cosmetics and reconstructive dermal inking, her greatest love is her family. Christine and her husband share six amazing children. With lots of laughter and love, her family is what truly keeps her going and inspires her to be the best in every area of her life.

Meagan West
Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist, Instructor

Meagan West is a Permanent Cosmetics Licensed Artist who specializes in Powder Brows, Microblading, Eyeliner, Lips and other permanent cosmetics procedures.

Lexi Vanwinkle
Admissions Director

Lexi is a graduate of Harding University where she earned her BBA in Accounting.  She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, talking to her Nana, and going to Disney World!  She is the Admissions Director at Arkansas Permanent Cosmetics Institute where she desires to make all students feel at home, as well as make the enrollment process simple and easy for each student.  Family is everything to her, and their encouragement has been a driving force throughout her life.

Susy Melendez
Social Media Director, Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist, Esthetician, Educator

Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist on staff at APCI; Susy Ismail was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and has over 12 years of beauty industry experience. Licensed esthetician and award-winning traveling artist; trained by celebrity makeup artists and top iconic skincare & luxury brands in the world. Susy is the right professional to turn to when it comes to determining the right type of products that not only help enhance the facial features cosmetically but also promote healthy, problem-free skin. What she loves most about her career in the beauty industry is being rewarded with the opportunities to change her clients lives, she loves enhancing her clients natural beauty but most importantly, making them feel beautiful!

Cotie Evridge
Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist, Classroom Educator

Cotie Evridge started out as a student at APCI before becoming a staff member and licensed artist. She currently does client procedures and is a classroom educator for the school. She aspires to be able to perform paramedical procedures as well as the cosmetic procedures she performs.

She came from other avenues before landing in Permanent Cosmetics. She started out by serving our community answering 911 for around 5 years straight out of school before going into banking while she attended ASU Beebe in programs such as Teaching and Computer Systems and Networking. Her love to make people feel good about themselves and love of the power of cosmetics lead her to us. She is work-driven and a bit of a perfectionist. Cleanliness and organization are her forte.

When she is not working or furthering her education she spends time with her husband gaming, finding a new trail to walk the dogs on, or taking their boat out on Greers Ferry lake.

Cindy Archer
Licensed Permanent Cosmetics Artist, Administrative Assistant

Cindy Nelson Archer has been a nationally licensed paramedic for 26 years; and is now an Arkansas licensed permanent cosmetics artist.  She has an associate’s degree in science from Keiser University in Florida.  She is a native of Northeast Arkansas, orginating from Gosnell.  Her greatest heart fulfilling moments are spent with her two daughters, grandprincess, grandprince, and bonus grandson.  They make her life very enjoyable.  Cindy took interest in Permanent Cosmetics in 2020 during the COVID pandemic.  She is now fulfilling her dream working as an artist and administrative assistant at Arkansas Permanent Cosmetics Institute.