My Skin Philosophy
Kelly, Esthetician & Advanced Facialist at Skin Philosophy Livermore
As a teen and young adult I struggled with severe acne. Before we had beauty bloggers and influencers sharing the latest trending acne remedies on the internet we had magazines like Tiger Beat and Seventeen sharing tips like, “put toothpaste on your pimple and it will disappear overnight”, or “put some hemorrhoid cream on your zit before a big date” <insert eye roll here>. As a desperate acne sufferer I gobbled up all of their ‘tried and true tips and tricks’ and tried them all. Shocking news, none of it worked.
Eventually I went to a dermatologist and tried everything from topical antibiotics, oral antibiotics, and even Accutane. I still struggled with cystic acne. At that point I thought it was just something I would have to live with, until I met my Esthetician and future mentor, Christina (hey girl!). To say she made a change in my life is an understatement. Christina educated me and showed me that the products and makeup I was using on my skin were making things worse, much worse. With her help my skin cleared. At this same time I was also looking for a career change and it was in her studio where I was admiring my post treatment skin in the mirror that I had my a-ha moment, or light bulb moment as some like to call it. “I want to help people feel the way she makes me feel.” That was it; I knew from that moment on that my life would change.
Fast forward a few months and I was enrolled in beauty school. Fast forward a few more months and I graduated beauty school, passed my California Board Exam and became a Licensed Esthetician. While I still worked my corporate 9-5 gig I started working part time under Christina. The blessing of having an industry veteran with over twenty years of experience at the time was a true gift that I am forever grateful for. She took a chance on me and I am forever thankful she did. We attended advanced education classes together and some of her clients let me shadow her while she worked on them, and some were even brave enough to let me, the newbie, perform their treatments, bless their hearts. I learned so much from Christina and will always be grateful for the opportunity she gave me and the positive impact she’s had on my life.
”Beauty is a state of mind.”
— Kelly, Founder of Skin Philosophy and Empowered Estheticians
My philosophy about skin care and how I wanted to practice skin care has changed over the years as I have grown as an Esthetician and as a person. Right out of school I was focused on corrective skincare and peels. Anything that involved massage was just seen as fluff to me and a waste of time. After working in the treatment room for a couple years this really shifted. While I still loved corrective skincare I saw a major need for the relaxing aspect the facial and massage brought to the treatments. People were so stressed and tired that they truly needed a combination of relaxing massage and effective treatments. Enter my philosophy of, “corrective skincare with a healing touch.” Now in my treatment room you will find a range of treatments focusing on correction and relaxation. Self-care and confidence are all part of the journey toward inner and outer beauty.
Skin care is not one size fits all. Just because something works for me doesn’t mean it will work for you, that’s why I believe in custom individualized treatments. My goal is to get to know you and be a part of your journey in achieving your skin care goals. I want to help you reclaim your confidence and know that your self worth has nothing to do with your skin. Beauty is not about filters, beauty is about self love and self confidence. Beauty is a state of mind.
Thank you for being here and sharing in my journey. I look forward to sharing in yours!