Inspiring Conversations with Kristin Watkins of Redeeming Radiance Skin Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Watkins.

Hi Kristin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am not originally from Kansas City; I moved to the city from Nebraska about six years ago. I moved to KC for no other reason than I wanted to start a new adventure with a fresh start. I was a little “stuck” back in Omaha, going through some of life’s more difficult challenges; I knew I needed a change so Kansas City felt like a great leap! Here, I went to school full time for esthetics; schooling for this career is definitely a full-time thing… class hours were Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm. I would go to school all day and then hop on over to one of my jobs and bartend all night. It was much more difficult than I could of ever expected, that is for sure.

Finally, I graduated and was ready for my first job in the field! I ended up finding one, but it was not quite the right fit for me. I then found what would be my job for the next 4.5 years. Here, I worked my way up, giving the company all I had, to managing two locations. It was here where I thrived and really fell into my role and knowing that skincare and relationships and helping people feel confident in their skin is my burning passion and that I am really good at it. Things at this company ended up not working out, as our core values were not as in line as I thought. We parted ways in later December of 2020 and I was online researching how to start a small business in January. The overwhelming support from my clients made me realize that I CAN DO THIS; I can open my own business. It was long days and so much (still is) a lot of learning, a lot growing, a lot of tears, a lot of work, but I knew it would pay off. I got my LLC in January, looked at a space in February that I knew instantly was exactly perfect. I signed the lease in March and got the keys to the studio on April 1, took my first client on April 20th.

I ended up meeting my now-husband, who has been my biggest fan and my biggest cheerleader. I really don’t know how I’d be here without him or my amazing family… they have been the biggest help and I can’t go on without giving them to highest credit. Here we are… two months in and I am still learning and growing but I am loving every single second of it and I find myself in tears every once in a while because I am just so happy and so proud to be where I am today.

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?
I would say the short of this is that it hasn’t been a super easy road, but really what good things are?! The road I took to get to even being an esthetician was full of ups and downs and then even when I did find my passion, life just kept throwing some curveballs at me. 🙂 I would say that in terms of just opening a brick and mortar and being a small business owner, the biggest challenge for me was just knowing where to even start. Once I got rolling on that, things seemed to be going okay. It wasn’t until I got the keys and actually started getting the studio set up that things started to feel overwhelming, nothing major… but some issues with the building itself and learning how to manage issues that arose as well as the client load. It was a rough first two weeks, but things have been pretty good since.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Redeeming Radiance Skin Studio?
Redeeming Radiance is a unique take on targeted skincare. My studio is an open 1,000 square foot space. I wanted to create a space that was inviting to anyone and everyone. Along with skincare and beauty services, I wanted to create a space for community and a place for friends to gather. Here, you can grab a few pals and chat, sip some champagne while each one gets pampered. I am also partnering with other local businesses for different pop-up events to help support other small business owners in our awesome community. My passion is targeted skincare and building relationships with each and every client. I have an intentional price point, as I believe healthy skin should be for everyone, not just the rich and famous. The line I use is a very results-driven + concentrated. I chose this line bc results are always the reason people coming back.

I would say what sets me apart is that it is not your typical spa, not a single dark room with waterfall music, that is $100+. It’s a place where all can feel relaxed and welcome with a skincare expert that truly cares about not just your skin but you as a person. A place for community!

I am most proud of how it all came together; I am honestly just so proud of everything that RR is and will be. For now, it is just me, but I do hope to hire some amazing estheticians in the future who share my passion and will keep me proud of my brand.

Services include: Facials, to pinpoint your skins every need. Peels, two different levels, Dermaplaning, Brow Lamination, Bow waxing, Brow tinting. A few other services comin soon. 🙂

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Skincare and beauty is always changing! I hope to add a few more services that still fit my intentional pricing, but I do foresee more services to be discovered over the next ten years. I think the beauty industry is very “trendy” right now and I think it’ll stay that way!

Pricing:

• Radiance Facial $60 Facial customized to pinpoint your skins every need
• Chemical Peels Progressive $70/Mid Depth $75
• Brow Lamination $55-$70 (can add on waxing and tint) Semi-Permanent shaping of the brows to appear more uniform and full. LASTS 7-8 WEEKS!
• Brow wax $13
• Dermaplaning $65 Dermaplaning is a treatment that is performed using a specialized surgical grade blade to remove vellus hair (peach fuzz) & the top layer of dead skin cells.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.rrskinstudio.com
• Instagram: skinstudiokc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Redeeming-Radiance-Skin-Studio-101987641919359
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/redeeming-radiance-skin-studio-kansas-city

Image Credits
Kelsey Mahoney Photography