Nice to Meet You!
Hi there! I'm so glad you stopped by. Inner Light Skin Care is more than a place to have a facial or waxing, it is a piece of my heart and the accumulation of all my experience in skincare as an esthetician, a product developer and a consumer. Let me tell you a little bit about myself, my journey to skincare, my philosophy on caring for your skin and why I love what I do.
I am the proud momma of two teenage girls and one furry little dog named Finn. If you ask my girls my favorite thing to do, they will most likely say "washing my face". It seriously brings me so much joy. I love spending time with my daughters, my sisters and friends. I enjoy baking, yoga, reading and ALL things skincare. My love of skincare was inspired at a young age by my mom. My mother is Korean and has always made caring for her skin a priority. I remember many, many years ago my mother gave me a sun visor as a gift. She brought that visor ALL the way back from her visit to Korea. The visor actually looked like a cross between a casino visor and welders helmet- no joke. At 48, I can now appreciate the thought behind the visor and wish I would have had the confidence to wear it. I'm not the only daughter that was inspired to go into the esthetics field, two of my beautiful sisters work for the same plastic surgeon and Caroll is also a brilliant esthetician and educator for Candela Laser (we'll be picking her brain about all things laser in another post).
Before becoming a mom, I was a flight attendant for United Airlines. After 9-11, like so many, my world and my priorities changed. After having my daughters, I was inspired to look closer at the products I was bringing into our home and using on our skin. My skin had become increasingly sensitive after giving birth, and I began questioning the approach I had always taken with my skincare. The chemical peels and aggressive products I used to treat my skin issues seemed to be too much for my post baby skin.
So began my journey into the skin care world. My sister Jane and I created a line of all natural and gentle skincare products. Orenda Skin Care provided a solution to the skin issues I had been experiencing and became the foundation of my philosophy for caring for the skin. My experience with developing products, researching ingredients and working with formulators and cosmetic chemists actually had me asking more questions. What causes sensitive skin? What is truly healthy skin and what did it look like? Could we improve the appearance and functions of the skin without the use of traditional and aggressive treatments and ingredients? The biggest question for me was this, if the skins barrier was designed to keep things out and the good stuff in, why do so many treatments disrupt this protective layer? These questions and my desire to know more about the skin guided me to esthetics.
It's funny how life works. How one curiosity can lead you to another and before you know it, you find yourself in something familiar yet all together different. I made the decision to go to esthetics school so I could bring a more well rounded point of view to my role in product development for Orenda. I wasn't looking for a career change but the universe had something else in mind for me. I was not at all prepared for how much I would fall in love with the hands on aspect of facials. The power of touch is truly amazing. Inspired and since I am not known to do anything by halves, I sought out training from the best instructors in holistic esthetics. One of the very first trainings I attended was for oncology esthetics. The training was profoundly life changing. What I learned changed the way I approached all of my clients as did Gua Sha and Dr. Vodders manual lymphatic drainage training. To see first hand how touch can elicit change in the skin, the contours of the face and the nervous system is truly something amazing. Because of this, Gua Sha, MLD and facial massage have become the cornerstones to all my facials. Learning techniques and modalities that actually contribute to the health of the skin, that support its natural functions and help to create vitality and clarity in the skin makes my heart sing!
My philosophy on skin care is simple, I believe our skin is intuitive and is in constant communication with us. Aggressive treatments, products and ingredients can throw off its innate ability to function at its best. Age, genetics and external factors such as the sun and lifestyle also play a large roll in the health of our skin, but how we care for our skin can make a huge difference in how we age and the overall vitality of the skin. I so strongly believe that the relaxation aspect of a facial is as important as the work we do on the skin. Stress and tension show on the face and can be felt throughout the entire body as each part is innately connected. My goal in any treatment is to create a relaxing experience while still effecting real change in the health of the skin. Beauty is NOT pain (sorry mom). A more gentle approach to treating the skin can be effective and in the long term, better for the health of your skin. Each and every product and modality that I choose to bring into my practice is thoroughly researched and tested by me. My approach is based on what I look for in a treatment: effective, relaxing and a healthy combination of holistic and clinical modalities that support and nourish the skin.
My hope for my clients is that they leave a session with me glowing, revitalized and feeling that their session with me was time and money well spent. As a mother and business owner I know the demands of life can make it difficult to find the time to care for yourself. When you do, I will be here, ready to help you achieve your healthiest and best skin.
Wishing you love, peace and healthy skin,
Renée