There aren’t many of us who can say they escaped adolescence without the dreaded case of pimples and frustrated maturing skin. It’s not easy being a teenager, but for Katelyn Rousselle, 29, acne and pigmentation issues were not to be forgotten past the junior prom. For her, they became a mission to solve and to treat in ways that she felt, even at age 13, were not yet perfected.
That mission is why she founded The Skin Room in Edson, Alberta, Canada, where she offers clinical esthetics including laser hair removal and microdermabrasion amongst other skin care techniques and products, including one she developed herself.
“I was interested in skin care at a young age. Using products and noticing the changes in my own skin kept me interested in learning more about the industry,” Rousselle said.
“I wanted to find solutions because I knew there could be a way to treat the skin without using strong medication. There had to be a way, using products, that could allow the skin to respond in a positive way,” she added. “Doctors are taught to fight disease and acne isn’t life threatening, so the answer has just been an antibiotic. That isn’t addressing the issue of the acne, just masking the symptoms. I knew I had to figure out an answer.
“I always knew if I wanted to stand out and reach for a part of the industry that wasn’t popular yet I would have to work hard and get recognized,” Rousselle continued. “From day one I worked very hard to learn and achieve what it would take to be a skin care professional.”
She began her professional studies in 2004 at the Versailles Academy in Ottawa, Canada, and has since worked to master skills in all avenues of skin care and treatment. While learning the ways of advanced microdermabrasion, hair removal technologies, pigmentary disorders and even skin needling, Rousselle had also been focused on finding new and more realistic ways of teaching the very lessons she was learning.
“My initial studies included a basic learning of the skin and skin care products. There were times when I felt school wasn’t challenging enough, or better yet, not focusing on the areas that were very important,” Rousselle confessed. “For example, a lot of time was spent learning the specifics of certain products, which after graduation we never used again. I believe a better understanding of the structure of the skin is extremely important and should be the majority of the curriculum. I’ve worked as a teacher at Esthetics schools and the focus is still not in the right direction and it needs to be addressed.”
In 2012 when Rousselle moved to Edson, Alberta, she saw an opportunity to utilize her skills and breakout on her own terms and ideologies by opening her own business.
“The Skin Room started when I moved to an area where there was no skin care professionals available and a huge market for those specific services. With my 10 years in the industry I knew what needed to be done to open and stay successful,” she said. “My dream was to open a skin care clinic that was result-focused and where treatments were specific and customized for each and every client.”
Within a few short years of opening, local magazines and affiliated skin care associations quickly recognized Rousselle and The Skin Room, bringing in a loyal customer base and confirmation that she was indeed on the right track.
Prior to opening of The Skin Room in 2012, Rousselle developed her own product, Pink Wipes, a 100 percent Vegan, individually wrapped luxurious personal wipe for women. Seeing a need for a feminine wipe that didn’t result in using a shared container of baby wipes, Rousselle found herself surprised that a product didn’t already exist specifically just for women.
“The idea of Pink Wipes came to be when I was working as an Esthetician five years ago. I was always very surprised that there were no products like it already in the market. This product not only brings comfort to the clients using them but the Esthetician as well,” she said. “It took a lot of research, time, and dedication for Pink Wipes to get started.”
Well worth the time, once Pink Wipes was ready for market, it was fast reaching within the world of aesthetics, even being picked up as a gift bag sponsor for the 2012 Emmy Awards. But the recent accolades and success isn’t yet the top of the mountain for Rousselle, who says she has more to achieve.
“It seems every year my professional accomplishments continue to change. I am constantly growing and meeting professional goals that I have set. Pink Wipes went to the Emmy’s in 2012, which was amazing. Running The Skin Room is my dream career and I never feel like I am working. That is a pretty great accomplishment,” she said.
With plans of launching Pink Wipes in the U.S. market and continue to grow brand awareness in her field, Rousselle has a lot in store for the future. A new mom, she has no plans to slow down, looking to eventually expand The Skin Room and create her own skin care line. After the success and learning experience of creating Pink Wipes, she has her eyes set on other feminine skin related issues that she hopes to re-imagine for the better.
“I would love to take my experience in working with many skin care lines and knowing what works and what doesn’t and bring together a line that is both active, and effective,” she said. “I am really looking forward to starting that.”
With baby in tow, Rousselle encourages herself and other working moms to know their limits but to never forget themselves and their own personal goals.
“Luckily, I have an amazing baby. Who doesn’t right? I am still able to work from home with Pink Wipes and able to continue helping my regular clientele at the Skin Room. I’m learning to balance home life with work life and if I’m unable to complete my long list of ‘to do’s’ in one day it is totally OK,” explained Rousselle, who stresses that patience is key, “if you stress too much you will find nothing gets done. Make sure you take time for you, keep yourself a priority.”
From a nagging bout of acne to the owner of her own Clinical Esthetic Shop and creator of a fast spreading feminine product, Rousselle has been the living example of what can become of determination, inspiration and the belief that there is always another solution to an old problem.
“I’ve always believed in myself, and made sure to trust my intuitions,” Rousselle proclaimed. “Anything is possible if you work hard enough and keep your head up, even if you are afraid.”
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