Exploring Life & Business with Lesley Thornton of Klur.co

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesley Thornton.

Hi Lesley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As an esthetician with over twenty years of experience in the beauty industry, my journey has been both fulfilling and challenging. My passion for making people feel beautiful led me to start my career as a makeup artist, which provided me with a certain level of expertise, but I quickly realized that I lacked knowledge of skin function, ingredients, and education. This realization led me to enroll in a licensed esthetician program in 2010, with a focus on skincare education and product development.

During my time as a skincare professional, I noticed patterns with my clients that opened my eyes to the importance of proper skincare, education, and a healthy lifestyle to achieve optimal skin health. Many of my clients were using harsh skincare products that were doing more harm than good and lacked the education needed to make informed decisions about their skin health. Moreover, they had unhealthy lifestyles that didn’t support their skin health, and they experienced similar skin triggers, including stress, lack of blood flow, insomnia, and food-related issues.

As I began implementing fragrance-free and simpler botanical formulas that focused on skin barrier repair, as well as suggesting anti-inflammatory foods, I noticed remarkable improvements in my clients’ skin health. Over time, my focus shifted from just addressing the problems and products to adjusting one’s individual lifestyle. I developed a holistic framework to treat skin that worked to improve both skin and overall health.

The success of my holistic approach led me to realize that my facial studio, KLUR, was becoming a reliable and consistent brand for my clients. I eventually stopped doing facials and focused on building the brand, which has become a unique and thoughtful brand in a crowded market. Even though the market had everything, it was my well-considered philosophy and a decade of teaching my clients how to achieve optimal skin health which needed to be shared with others.

My hands-on practical experience gave me the confidence to pursue and build something unique that would stand out amongst the rest. Without that human connection, I wouldn’t have created such a thoughtful brand. Today, I am proud to have built a brand that empowers people to make informed decisions about their skin health and lifestyle and to provide them with products that are safe, effective, and environmentally responsible.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My journey as an esthetician and entrepreneur has been far from smooth, as it has been filled with a number of challenges and struggles. In the beginning, it was difficult to transition from being a makeup artist to an esthetician as I had to start from scratch and learn everything from the ground up. The process of acquiring the necessary education, licenses, and certifications was also a significant challenge.

Another major struggle that I faced was educating my clients about proper skincare and the importance of lifestyle changes to improve skin health. Many of them had been using harsh skincare products for years, and it was difficult to get them to adopt new habits and routines. Additionally, navigating the crowded market was a challenge, as I had to find a way to differentiate myself and stand out from the competition.

Building a brand from scratch was a significant hurdle that I had to overcome. It required a lot of time, energy, and resources to create a brand that resonated with people and provided them with safe and effective skincare products. There were also challenges associated with sourcing high-quality, sustainable ingredients and finding manufacturers that aligned with my values.

Despite these challenges, I persevered and remained focused on my goal of providing people with safe, effective, and skin-health products. I was able to build a team of passionate individuals who shared my vision, and we worked tirelessly to create a brand that we could be proud of. Today, I am proud to have overcome these challenges and to have built a brand that is making a positive impact on people’s lives.

 

As you know, we’re big fans of Klur.co. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
KLUR is a botanical skin health brand that is dedicated to providing evidence-based, effective, and sustainable skincare products. We specialize in creating products that are formulated with high-quality, plant-based ingredients that are gentle on the skin and deliver real results.

What sets us apart from other skincare brands is our holistic approach to skincare. We believe that skincare is not just about the products that you use but also about your lifestyle choices and overall health. As such, our products are designed to work in tandem with lifestyle changes such as stress reduction and healthy eating habits to provide optimal results.

We want readers to know that KLUR is not just a skincare brand but a movement towards a more conscious and gentler way of living. Our offerings include a range of skincare products such as cleansers, serums, and moisturizers, all of which are formulated with high-quality, plant-based ingredients.

At KLUR, we are committed to making a positive impact on people’s lives and the environment, and we believe that our products and philosophy can inspire optimal skin health while also promoting a more conscious way of living.

What were you like growing up?
As a child growing up in Los Angeles, creativity was a part of who I was from the very beginning. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia in the third grade, and it was a game-changer for me. Suddenly, everything made sense. I realized that my brain was wired differently from others, which made me approach the world in a unique way, but it wasn’t just about creating for me; it was about the joy and the fulfillment that came with it.

Being dyslexic meant that I had to find new and creative ways to learn and communicate. It also meant that I had to rely heavily on my intuition and creativity to navigate the world around me. As a result, I developed a deep sense of empathy for others and a heightened ability to see and feel things that many people cannot. It was a challenging realization, but it also opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

My family would tell you that I was always working on something new, always making something with my hands and one of the biggest influences on my life was my grandmother. She was a huge supporter of my creativity and always encouraged me to express myself in any way I could. And it was through her that I discovered some of the most incredible natural ingredients that would later inspire my work at KLUR.

As a little girl, I remember watching my grandmother use olive oil in my hair, shea butter all over my body, and castor seed oil for everything in between. At the time, I didn’t understand just how amazing these natural ingredients were, but looking back, I realize they were some of the best skin remedies anyone could use.

Growing up, I was lucky enough to be part of a large family of beautiful women who were always getting done up. I loved watching them, learning from them, and eventually, I started doing child beauty pageants these experiences taught me immense confidence from a young age, and that confidence has been an essential part of my journey as an entrepreneur.

So, what was I like growing up? I was a creative, curious, and confident kid who was lucky enough to have an extraordinary childhood. And it’s those early experiences that continue to inspire me today as I work to create the very best products for the KLUR community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.klur.co
• Instagram: klur.co

Image Credits
Susanne Kindt