Episode 13: Your Face Deserves Better Than Beef Tallow

Ever wondered why that expensive skincare product isn't delivering results? Or why your face breaks out despite trying every trendy solution on TikTok? Registered nurse and aesthetics business owner Kelsey pulls back the curtain on the skincare industry in this eye-opening conversation.

"The future of skincare is natural, healthy, safe, regenerative," Kelsey explains, but that doesn't mean what you might think. We discover why medical-grade products often outperform drugstore alternatives (it's all about molecular structure and stability), which ingredients actually penetrate the skin, and why some viral trends like beef tallow are skincare disasters waiting to happen. Turns out that clean girl aesthetic isn't just about looks—it's backed by science.

What surprised us most was learning that effective skincare doesn't require a complex 12-step routine. Kelsey walks us through the essential four steps everyone needs: cleansing, addressing specific concerns, moisturizing, and sun protection. The shocking revelation that just two sunburns per year significantly increases skin cancer risk had us reaching for our SPF before the episode ended.

Beyond product recommendations, Kelsey shares her inspiring journey from hospital nurse during the pandemic to successful business owner, offering wisdom about entrepreneurship, work-life balance, boundary setting, and not letting fear prevent you from pursuing your dreams. Her candid approach to managing multiple priorities and "reframing" difficult situations provides valuable perspective that extends well beyond skincare.

Ready to transform your skincare routine with science-backed information? Listen now, and follow Kelsey on social media for more personalized advice and service information. Your skin will thank you!

Chapters

• 0:00 Meet Kelsey: Nurse and Aesthetics Expert
• 3:19 Natural Skincare Revolution
• 6:34 Medical-Grade vs. Drugstore Products
• 11:28 Skincare Basics: Cleanse, Treat, Moisturize
• 17:58 Acne Struggles and Treatment Options
• 22:11 Skincare Routines: The Hosts Share
• 39:45 Balancing Business, School, and Self-Care
• 52:04 Setting Boundaries and Managing Priorities
• 58:09 Episode Wrap-up and Resource Information

Transcript

Meet Kelsey: Nurse and Aesthetics Expert

Rachael 0:34

Hey everyone, welcome to Girl Gang Podcast. My name's Rachael.

Sarah 0:37

I'm Sarah

Brandi 0:37

and I'm.

Brandi 0:38

Brandi, and we are your hosts for this episode.

Rachael 0:40

So this week we are talking about skincare routines because, let's face it, we're all not the best at our skincare routines. So we thought that we'd bring in our friend Kelsey. She's an amazing person and business owner and she has amazing skin, so she knows a lot about it and we want to hear from her. So, Kelsey, tell us about yourself. What do you do and how do you know so much about skin and taking care

Rachael 1:04

of your skin?

Kelsey 1:04

Hi, my name is Kelsey. I'm a registered nurse. I've been practicing for about five years and two years ago I took the jump and opened my own aesthetics practice. I specialize in Botox, filler, skincare, all of the things. So who hasn't had acne at 15? Raise your hand, yep

Sarah 1:26

right, my goodness.

Kelsey 1:28

Hence the passion.

Rachael 1:30

And like a year ago, I was saying hey, Kelsey, what should I do about my skin? You know I probably need a better routine. And she's like you don't need anything, you just need good products and a good routine. And I feel like I've been a changed woman ever since, so excited about the products that she recommended me. So we were kind of thinking, like you know, for those of us who have money, great, we would love to know what those products are. But I feel like, also, most of us are on a budget and we might want to know about products that are more on the budget friendly side of things

Kelsey 2:01

absolutely.

Natural Skincare Revolution

Sarah 2:03

And the ones that are good for us, because I feel like there's a lot of stigma around skin care too and a lot of brands who are emphasizing on, oh buy this because it has this thing in it. And I mean I never really know what to believe because this is totally out of my realm. But I've had skin issues for as long as I can remember, so I know I feel like I've tried every product that has been out on the shelf that I have been able to get my hands on and nothing works. And I know that now we're kind of going towards this whole like clean and you know, better products for you. So I'm super interested in hearing, like, what your recommendations are and kind of just your story on how you found all these, these products and things that you do.

Kelsey 2:46

Yeah, absolutely. So we'll start by saying the future of skincare and health in general is absolutely like natural, healthy, safe, regenerative. So I feel like the aesthetics industry in general is getting away from like the exaggerated, um kind of cartoonish aesthetic and we're all into the clean girl aesthetic now. That's all over my, all over my TikTok, where I'm rotting my brain.

Kelsey 3:11

But um yeah so I've struggled with acne forever, you've struggled with acne forever. Now I'm pursuing an advanced degree, so I'm taking, you know, pharmacology classes and patho classes, and I think it's all complex, yet much simpler than it seems. I think anybody can make a product and put it out there, and no one knows any better.

Sarah 3:35

Right and it's almost easy to give in to, like the marketing that is all around.

Kelsey 3:42

Oh, absolutely yes.

Sarah 3:44

So kind of taking it back a little bit, what got you interested in this? I know you're a registered nurse, so obviously you went to school because you had an interest in that.

Kelsey 3:52

Yeah,

Sarah 3:52

was there something you learned while you were in your nursing time in school that kind of brought you more interested into the aesthetics or kind of explain how that process went?

Kelsey 4:03

Yeah, that's great.

Kelsey 4:05

So I started my nursing career during the pandemic 2020, great year. We all had a great time. Started working the ER level and trauma center Saw a lot of sick people oh

Sarah 4:16

definitely appreciate you

Kelsey 4:17

thanks, thanks.

Kelsey 4:18

That was fun times. Um, yes,

Sarah 4:19

absolutely

Kelsey 4:21

yeah, no, and it kind of I think it's odd. I feel like this has never really been talked about. But people our age, it's like you graduate high school, you think I'm gonna go to college, I'm gonna get a job, I'm gonna buy a house, like everything's gonna be perfect because that's how everyone else has done it and like what a can I? Can I curse on here?

Rachael 4:40

you

Kelsey 4:40

What a fucking joke - I don't know if that's allowed.

Kelsey 4:42

Okay but I basically found myself um, I've always loved nursing. I like the clinical aspect of it, I like the skills, which is why I've always loved ER like I want to get my hands dirty, I want to do all the things, um, but I kind of realized that I went to school, I got the degree, I got the job, and then I was like this is it, you know, this like kind of wasn't really enough for me. Um, the work I was doing was impactful, but it just like was kind of it wasn't enough. You know? Um, so I was like I'm kind of bored not that my job was like boring, but was like I need something to do that's like more fun. I'd always kind of been into aesthetics, been into skincare, because I've always had acne prone skin, and I've always really been into science. So I'm like I want to know what works and I want to know why it works.

Kelsey 5:31

So, I took the jump and got certified in aesthetic medicine to be what they call like a nurse injector.

Sarah 5:40

Okay,

Medical-Grade vs. Drugstore Products

Kelsey 5:42

started my own business, dove into like the science behind fillers and neurotoxin and microneedling and all these regenerative things. Terrified, just kind of jumped in head first. And as my career has evolved and I've gone back to school for my nurse practitioner, things just kind of have gotten better and better and I've gained greater understanding. And now I just want to tell everyone who will listen that some products throw them in the trash, other ones like keep no matter what.

Sarah 6:10

Yes, which is so funny too, because I feel like all the products that I've used in the past that were like quote-unquote popular, like name brands that were just all out there, did absolutely nothing.

Kelsey 6:23

Yes,

Sarah 6:23

like we're the ones that didn't do anything, for me at least.

Kelsey 6:26

Yeah and marketing is a powerful thing. Yes, as soon as the celebrities face on it.

Kelsey 6:31

We want it um

Sarah 6:32

and for us non-science girlies like you, put a fancy word there that's like your skin needs

Brandi 6:37

too many syllables

Sarah 6:40

I mean it sounds smart and right to me what do I know so like? I'm easily tricked by the marketing.

Kelsey 6:45

Yeah easily influenced. Yeah,

Rachael 6:47

and I think it's also like a fear, like when I think like Botox and fillers, I'm like oh yeah, like that sounds bad. So I guess I would also be curious, like is Botox bad? Or you know what's the good, the bad, like, where do you draw the

Rachael 7:03

line?

Brandi 7:04

Good, bad, the ugly,

Rachael 7:05

yeah, where do you draw the

Rachael 7:06

line of like hey, I'm just going to like cleanse, moisturize, call it good, versus take that next step.

Kelsey 7:12

Yeah, absolutely. So I'll say I've been victim to this 12 step skincare routine. Okay, it does not have to be that serious. Um, I think a good routine starts with figuring out what kind of skin you have, what's your problem If you even have any active problems that you want to treat and then focusing on really just protecting your skin, um from like a pharmacologic perspective. Um, our face, it's out in the sun all the day. All the time Our cells are constantly getting hit with radiation. This is causing mutations, it's causing aging, that kind of stuff. So, really just focusing on cleansing, treating as something whether it's acne or dryness moisturizing and protecting yourself from the sun. Like if you did just that for 20 years, you are going to thank yourself, so it really doesn't have to be complicated. Um, when it comes to, um, like drugstore versus medical grade skincare, I think that's where a lot of people are confused, as, like, what does this mean? Why do I care? Why does one have, um three numbers and one has two numbers? What's you?

Kelsey 8:15

know what I mean,

Sarah 8:15

like why is one a hundred dollars and one's twenty dollars?

Kelsey 8:18

yeah, totally um, and there's a lot of stuff that's that's definitely not worth it. But the biggest difference is stuff we get from the drugstore. Um, forms of an ingredient matter like vitamin c absolutely amazing. I think everyone needs it in their skincare routine. Um reduces the harmful molecules that our skin produces in response to the sun. So that's why vitamin C everyone's crazy about, like wear it every day, wear it in the sun, that's why.

Kelsey 8:45

But stuff you get from the drugstore depending on the brand, molecules that are really big and forms of the ingredient like vitamin C that aren't actually active or stable, those are not really going to produce results. So when we say medical grade skincare, we're basically saying nice and concentrated, strong and small enough to penetrate the cell to create change. So really that's why those are more expensive. So there's like some worth splurging and some worth tossing.

Rachael 9:12

So how would you know if they fall into those categories?

Kelsey 9:15

Great question, honestly, you have to know what you're looking for first, so knowing which ingredients are actually going to penetrate and actually stay stable and work um and which ones are not. Um. So as far as I did like a little research just for fun before this podcast.

Kelsey 9:32

But like vitamin C, for example, um L-asorbic acid. Go ahead and skip that one. It's unstable molecularly. If you mix it with other products it essentially becomes like neutralized, so it's unaffected and it's generally pretty harsh on the skin. Whereas there's another form of vitamin C, thd Asorbate really long word, I know, but if you just Google it and find products with that in it, it's known to be lipid soluble, which means it slides right into the cell to make change. It's small enough and it's stable. You can leave it on your shelf for two years. It's still going to work. You can mix it with your moisturizer still going to work.

Kelsey 10:06

So those are the products that are like your, robust, tried and true, can throw them in your back pocket and, like, no matter what you do to it, it's still going to work. You know what I mean. Apply it at 75 degrees and 30 humidity with the wind blowing seven degrees southeast for it to like work

Sarah 10:21

so okay, because you say vitamin c.

Sarah 10:24

So I recently have like kind of switched on my skincare routine because I've always had very combination skin

Kelsey 10:30

me too

Sarah 10:31

but like the oil is real as well,

Kelsey 10:34

yeah

Sarah 10:35

and,

Kelsey 10:35

yeah,

Sarah 10:35

like for those girls who have that combo skin,

Kelsey 10:37

yeah,

Sarah 10:37

that is so annoying.

Kelsey 10:38

Yes,

Sarah 10:38

so I've always stayed away from oils because I just saw why put more oil onto my already oily skin

Kelsey 10:45

right

Sarah 10:45

but, holy shit, the vitamin c oil that I do use.

Kelsey 10:48

yeah,

Sarah 10:48

um game changer,

Kelsey 10:50

yeah?

Skincare Basics: Cleanse, Treat, Moisturize

Sarah 10:50

just, and I do exactly what you said I mix it with my spf moisturizer.

Kelsey 10:54

Yeah,

Sarah 10:55

so I didn't see the word that you said, but this one says erulic acid. Is that a thing I don't know Because, again, these words are a different language to me. Right?

Kelsey 11:05

I would have to look up ingredients individually. I just know, like when you're looking at the actives, it's going to be like the first couple main ingredients and you'll want to know like what form of vitamin C.

Sarah 11:15

What was that word? That you?

Kelsey 11:16

just said, the THD ascorbate.

Sarah 11:19

Ah, gotcha, okay, See, I just like I literally took pictures of some of the skincare products that I use to like look at the ingredients, because my husband's also in pharmaceuticals,

Kelsey 11:29

yes.

Sarah 11:29

So since this whole kind of like clean trending thing too, I just try to put a little bit more focus as to like the ingredients that are really in there, like you said, because it does make a difference, and it's crazy that you notice some ingredients that are hey, this is something that's also in my food and I'm putting it on my face or like something that really shouldn't be ingested?

Kelsey 11:49

Yeah, absolutely. Do you guys ever use the app Yuka?

Rachael 11:52

Yeah, I love it.

Kelsey 11:53

Okay, yes.

Kelsey 11:59

You yes, you can scan food products. You can scan cosmetics.

Rachael 12:00

I didn't know you could scan cosmetics.

Sarah 12:01

I didn't know that either.

Rachael 12:02

That's exciting. I scan all the food, like at the grocery store.

Rachael 12:03

I'm like that's bad, that's bad, that's bad

Kelsey 12:05

and the best part is you can like use your judgment to decide, like, if you care, if it's like the quote, bad reading it, um, but primarily it's looking at um additives that carry a high risk. So there's low risk additives, and there's higher-risk additives. Your higher risk are going to be concerning they're going to be carcinogenic, they're going to promote cancer growth, they're going to affect like breast tissue and stuff. There's like Cheerios. My husband yells at me when I buy Cheerios because sometimes I just need them but there's chemicals in them that are like linked to breast cancer and stuff, and so love him that he cares. Sometimes you just gotta let a girl have her cheerios.

Brandi 12:45

But everything in moderation, though.

Kelsey 12:46

yeah, yeah, but if you can avoid, avoid those additives, then of course you're better for it

Sarah 12:48

and it's the overindulging

Kelsey 12:49

100, 100,

Sarah 12:50

absolutely yeah,

Rachael 12:51

so you were saying that you know, as long as you cleanse, moisturize, you know, protect the skin, all that kind of stuff, is there a best recommendation of? Like, should you do it once a day? Should you do it twice a day? Like, is there a thing as over-cleansing and like overdoing it?

Kelsey 13:07

Yeah, yeah,

Rachael 13:08

what's the balance?

Kelsey 13:08

Totally so. Any time we're using, we'll start with the treatment. So we all wash our face every day, right? Most of us twice a day, unless you happen to be very dry. The biggest thing with using actives whether it's tretinoin for your acne or a salicylic acid or even vitamin C the frequency that you use it is gonna matter. So it's always really important to kind of start slow, ease your way in and work up the frequency that you're using it and if you experience irritation you just kind of scale it back. So it's very patient dependent and it's based on how your skin feels our skin. We shed a bunch of skin cells and stuff at night, so I personally will always be a wash my face in the morning kind of gal I'm an oil ball.

Kelsey 13:52

I like to use a heavy moisturizer at night because I do have like combo skin so I get a little dry. So I will always cleanse in the morning. But for people who wake up and they're like not really shiny and they're not really greasy or they feel like they're really dry from washing their face like morning and night, I'll just tell those people like in the morning just splash with some water or like spritz a toner. Um, yeah, love a good toner, just to kick, like the bacteria kind of balances the skin pH as well. So yeah, for those people cleansing isn't necessary. You know what I mean. So it's not like a rigid one-size-fits-all, it's really about like what works for you. And again, like the $300 products, like you don't need a cabinet full of those.

Kelsey 14:31

No one can use 12 products all at the same time. Like it's overload.

Sarah 14:40

it is, and I feel like it gets kind of overwhelming too, like you said, with what products can be used together. What products are you supposed to use in certain?

Sarah 14:44

orders.

Kelsey 14:45

Yeah, yeah, yeah,

Sarah 14:45

because I've had some times where I put one product on top of product and you do kind of get the burning sensation

Kelsey 14:50

yeah yeah,

Sarah 14:51

I never knew, like at what point in time you're supposed to use.

Sarah 14:54

Like

Kelsey 14:54

Totally, order does matter.

Kelsey 14:55

Yeah for sure. So you're always going to want to go like lightest to heaviest. So you cleanse and you rinse. You're basically fresh. If you have a toner, we know that's like a liquid, right, we could consider that kind of like water. You could spritz that and then you're going to go light to heavy. So moisturizers always last because it locks everything in. I am an acne gal, unfortunately. I use tretinoin, which is a strong derivative of vitamin A, same thing as like retinol. I just use the prescription version, but I get real dry. So I always put hyaluronic acid on, first hydrating and then put the tret over and it kind of gives like a barrier so it's not as irritating. So order does matter, because once you've got something lighter on top, it's like not going to really penetrate as well as if you have like a layer between yeah, exactly, exactly yeah,

Sarah 15:40

interesting

Kelsey 15:41

hyaluronic acid.

Kelsey 15:42

Love her, she needs to be in everyone's cabinet.

Brandi 15:44

Is there a certain percentage?

Kelsey 15:46

Great question. So it's usually what it's in combination with um, so low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, like basically the smallest little particles. Those are actually mostly what's in filler, what's placed like in the tissue, but the mixed weight, which is like the light and the heavy kind of mixed together, are what's in most yeah, sorry, what's in most like retail products. So that's gonna both hydrate inside the cell and on the surface of the skin and it carries like a thousand times its weight in water actually so.

Sarah 16:18

So there are products that you actually like or ingredients within products that you put on your skin. That are also ones you put in filler.

Kelsey 16:25

Yeah,

Sarah 16:26

Is that what you just said

Kelsey 16:26

yeah yeah, yeah,

Sarah 16:28

oh, interesting,

Kelsey 16:28

yes.

Kelsey 16:29

So hyaluronic acid is the big one, because we know she draws a hundred times her weight in water, which is why it's used for volume. So so itself it contains volume. Obviously it's like a gel, but it also pulls volume too as well. So, like a lot of my lip filler friends, I'm like you're going to be dry this whole next week. Your lips are going to feel like crusty and it's because the filler is drawing water, like out of the cells toward the product. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So half of every cell, the weight of the cell, is water. So when the cells get shriveled up and they get damaged, that's why we lose skin elasticity, we get a little saggy, we succumb to gravity, like that's what happens over time, which is also why products like vitamin c and hyaluronic acid and sunscreen are so important, because those changes. A lot of those are environmental.

Sarah 17:15

Absolutely SPF changes. Yeah,

Kelsey 17:18

Fun fact

Sarah 17:19

yeah.

Acne Struggles and Treatment Options

Kelsey 17:20

Getting like two sunburns a year drastically increases your risk for skin cancer, like later on in life. So even just one good burn a year, you're like really putting yourself at a disadvantage.

Sarah 17:30

And I'm so guilty of that because usually at the first of the year, when the sun comes out like I want that base, burn sun like burn, burn, burn, just to get the base.

Sarah 17:38

But I do find myself actually getting more tan and having healthier looking skin when I am repeatedly putting on sunscreen.

Kelsey 17:45

Yeah,

Sarah 17:45

my sister and my husband kind of make fun of me whenever we're on vacation too. But I'm like, for some reason, I just I'm not using like the tanning oil or like the lower SPFs. I'm using like a 15 or a 30, and just putting it on like maybe every two hours, and I feel like I get a better, healthier skin and tan than like all of the other stuff that help they're supposed to help you make more tan.

Kelsey 18:08

Yeah because it's literally dead. Now, yeah, you've got like age spots, age spots like sunspots.

Kelsey 18:12

We know what those are.

Kelsey 18:14

You know what I mean. So, and you guys do not want to get a chunk of your skin cut out because you have skin cancer. It's gnarly.

Kelsey 18:19

They take everything around it.

Kelsey 18:20

It's not pretty, it's not good it hurts. It's awful.

Rachael 18:25

So do you recommend getting like a SPF face moisturizer Like I think my like BB cream or whatever. It's like a moisturizer but also an SPF 50 for my face, or do you?

Rachael 18:41

recommend just using sunscreen.

Kelsey 18:42

No, I think that's totally fine. Um, a lot of the time it's going to be dependent on like what's fine for your skin. So I, because I'm a little bit more acne prone, certain products tend to make me break out. But I love a good mineral sunscreen. So that's gonna be like the zinc and titanium oxide. Um that what it does. Is it actually like scatters the light? Um, so the rays don't get soaked into the to the skin? But I think as long as it's in your moisturizer, that's totally fine. But if you're gonna be outside all day, you do need to think about reapplying or having something that's easy to reapply, whether it's like a spray, or they even make like powder SPF sunscreen. Now you can like hit when you're oily and it has like a little tint to it and it's like makeup.

Kelsey 19:23

It's great,

Sarah 19:23

oh, I'll have to look into that

Brandi 19:25

yeah,

Rachael 19:25

this might be totally out of your wheelhouse, but um, what about the spray sunscreen causing cancer? Like sprays versus? Like the regular lotions is there. Are there like facts in that or do you know anything about that?

Kelsey 19:38

There's. So there's chemical sunscreens. Which chemical sunscreens are a little bit different. They they are. They tend to be clear, okay, but they also take a significantly longer amount of time before you can expose yourself to the sun, right, so it has to soak in. Then what it does is it absorbs the light and scatters it into heat, which then comes off the skin Right Now. The FDA says that some of those ingredients are a little iffy. It's like Yuka, it's like either. It's a high risk, it might be a medium risk, it might be kind of unknown, but typically those are considered like inorganic sunscreens, whereas the mineral sunscreens are considered to be a little bit safer.

Kelsey 20:19

I would say the general consensus is

Brandi 20:22

I also find the spray ones like depending on the environment you're in, you're not going to get a good coverage because a lot of times it blows in the wind

Kelsey 20:30

yeah, 100%.

Kelsey 20:32

And those are also like bad for the environment and stuff like that. So it depends on like what you're doing, I admit sometimes just spraying the good old spf 30 and it's nice and clear and you don't have to think about it is great.

Sarah 20:42

but there's one in the golf bag.

Sarah 20:44

I'm guilty of it is nifty

Kelsey 20:46

and burn versus use a chemical once in a month I mean I would rather, you use the sunscreen, I for myself too, I would rather just use it, even though it's not ideal.

Kelsey 20:55

But typically um, I prefer the mineral

Sarah 20:59

so is there and maybe that's the question to the answer to this question is there a product that you think is like super trendy? Everyone's all about it but you're like, uh, no, no way,

Kelsey 21:09

I swear to god if you put beef tallow on? Your face, it's for cooking,

Sarah 21:15

I was so wondering because I've heard so many things about this.

Kelsey 21:19

So gross. Okay, look,

Brandi 21:20

I don't understand that either.

Kelsey 21:21

It's sick, Okay, oh my God, it's literally okay, it's for cooking, but it's essentially equivalent to I'm sorry but it's nasty.

Sarah 21:29

But, like actually do it.

Sarah 21:32

I'm curious because

Skincare Routines: The Hosts Share

Kelsey 21:34

it's not like an. It's literally like the fat from inside an animal right, so it's. But is equivalent to essentially like Vaseline, so it's. I would say it's like an emollient in texture, meaning that oil, like water's not going to seep through it. Nothing's going to seep out. So if you were like super dry and you really needed to just like soak it all in, you could just slather yourself in Vaseline. But I would not do beef tallow, I will not be putting beef tallow on my face.

Sarah 22:03

I'm just like that's like the marketing marketing girly in me too is like, oh, these kids found something. They have these companies who are going to make everything in the sun and just put it into a thing.

Kelsey 22:12

Yeah,

Sarah 22:13

call it beef tallow and then be on your way.

Brandi 22:17

They are going to put a Jenner or Kardashian on it

Kelsey 22:17

100% yeah, and it's going to work.

Kelsey 22:20

That's the thing. No, but a lot of the times what I've seen is a lot of people will get like milia. So it's like these little white, like white heads from it and it's because it's incredibly what's called comedogenic. So if you see a product a lot of drugstore products are non comedogenic that means does not clog your pores, that means it's not gonna get down into the port and get stuck. For people with like big nose pores like me, no matter what.

Kelsey 22:43

I do

Kelsey 22:44

I'm like, if I use something comedogenic I'm breaking out like two days later oh my it's awful yes, so anytime something says that, that's great. But I'm gonna say beef tallow is like mega comedogenic. If you want acne, slather yourself in beef tallow.

Sarah 22:58

Oh my god,

Brandi 22:59

that's it you're just lathering

Kelsey 23:01

you are.

Kelsey 23:01

Nothing's coming out, nothing's getting in.

Sarah 23:03

That would just make my skin so

Kelsey 23:05

yeah, but you also have to think about.

Kelsey 23:07

You're trapping like bacteria, right, you're slathering it in something it can't get out of and

Sarah 23:11

I mean I'm all for like the natural, natural, like products, that that's like this is the right one

Sarah 23:17

that's just like

Sarah 23:19

yeah, it's doing a little too much it also is coming from like the right place, so I know that it is natural and not, like you said, a bunch of chemicals or bacteria from.

Kelsey 23:27

Yeah yeah, like raw milk also, not that it has anything to do with skincare, but you won't catch me drinking unpasteurized milk.

Sarah 23:33

There you go, there you go.

Kelsey 23:34

It's gross

Sarah 23:35

the other one I wanted to know because it's something I've probably done forever, and if you tell me it's bad I might scream um pure aloe vera, like I will yeah,

Kelsey 23:44

like from the plant

Sarah 23:45

yeah, I will cut my plant off and just like face masks.

Sarah 23:48

I don't buy face masks because they just make me break out

Kelsey 23:51

yeah,

Sarah 23:52

and someone told me if they're in an individual package, like those individual face mask packages, like they're just not worth it. I don't know if that's true. That just could be something someone told me.

Rachael 24:00

That's my Sunday ritual. Okay, are face masks bad for you?

Sarah 24:03

I don't - I think it depends

Kelsey 24:04

Um, I think it depends, yes, and you like, literally don't have a single pimple on your face so whatever you're doing is obviously working, whereas if I just got like a a very balanced routine between, like hydrating my skin but also using like tritone and stuff

Sarah 24:25

so what's your skincare routine?

Kelsey 24:29

Great question. So I am cleansed twice a day. If I have sunscreen or makeup on, I'll always use like micellar water just to get the makeup off first before I wash my face that's something I think a lot of people don't know.

Kelsey 24:40

Like just you gotta like really get your skin clean, like if you rub a pad over it after and you're seeing like skin color and stuff come off.

Sarah 24:47

Let's get over makeup wipes.

Kelsey 24:47

Yeah,

Sarah 24:48

let's toss them.

Kelsey 24:49

You don't think they work for you?

Sarah 24:51

No, they just rub the makeup around and just I have noticed the biggest difference in my skin from not doing the wipes I still have like face towelettes that are clean and I'll use the I always say it wrong this micellar water

Kelsey 25:06

micellar water

Sarah 25:07

Yeah, again this big words, not a science girl. Um, using that and making like my own,

Kelsey 25:11

yeah,

Sarah 25:12

oh my god, like better the breakouts from like going to bed. I don't have like those morning breakouts.

Kelsey 25:18

Yeah,

Sarah 25:19

nearly as much. Just from that one change alone,

Kelsey 25:21

totally yeah,

Sarah 25:22

yeah.

Brandi 25:22

I would say let's just start with rule number one if you wear makeup every day, wash your face. Yes, if you go out for the night,

Rachael 25:29

wash your

Brandi 25:29

have a full case, I don't care how drunk you are. When you get home from the bar, wash your face

Kelsey 25:34

and then wash it again, because one time's not enough.

Kelsey 25:36

Yes, not not when you have a full face of makeup or sunscreen on,

Brandi 25:39

yeah,

Kelsey 25:40

but I'm like if it's just like a regular work morning, I'm a cleanse, I put some hyaluronic acid on all over my face, an oil-free moisturizer I use a water-based moisturizer because I am oilier, so it just tends to make me like a little bit less oily and then some good old tinted sunscreen. I don't like anything that's like super thick or heavy, so I've never really been like a foundation gal and honestly, sometimes I'm naughty and I don't put any. I don't put any sunscreen on. I should, but if it's 6 am and I know I'm gonna be at work till 7 pm, sometimes I don't which is not, not good.

Kelsey 26:13

But

Rachael 26:14

are these things all the same brand like? Are you dedicated to a brand?

Kelsey 26:17

great question most of the time. Yes, I've been on the brand AN Skin for four or five years now. Um, consistently. I like their products a lot. My favorite um hyaluronic acid is like in a gel form, it's by Elastin. A little bit pricey um, I get it for a good price through the business which is why I I'm not shy.

Kelsey 26:39

I like pump that shit all over um, but yeah, that's a for sure for me because at night I'll cleanse, hydrate and then tretinoin all over because it just helps um increase cell turnover, so decrease acne. I've got like some acne scars. Helps with that and just like kind of overall skin tone. Um, the biggest thing with that is if you're using like salicylic acid or tritonol and you are physiologically more prone to sunburn because your epithelial layer is thinner, because we're shedding cells more often, so you have to wear sunscreen with that.

Brandi 27:12

And you also for those too, like if you're getting like your face waxed or your eyebrows like you have to be careful of timing on that too.

Kelsey 27:20

Yeah, 100%

Brandi 27:20

because it'll pull, it'll like rip your skin off.

Brandi 27:24

Yeah, essentially yeah

Sarah 27:26

goodness

Brandi 27:27

yeah so you actually like. If you go somewhere, they usually have you sign a waiver saying I know 24 hours in advance, before I got my eyebrows waxed, I didn't use these products.

Kelsey 27:36

Yeah, has anyone ever done um accutane? Anyone here taken accutane?

Sarah 27:42

I was very close

Brandi 27:42

My step-sister

Kelsey 27:44

yeah,

Sarah 27:44

my mom was very much against it when we were at the dermatologist and we're going through I was on it

Kelsey 27:50

it's like last.

Kelsey 27:51

It's like last resort yeah Doxy is actually like second line treatment

Sarah 27:57

that's what I was on.

Sarah 27:58

Yes, doxycycline.

Kelsey 27:59

Yeah, you start with topicals, even like drugstore topicals, yes, and then you progress to like orals, whether it's

Sarah 28:05

all the traumatizing memories

Kelsey 28:06

of the doxy

Sarah 28:07

time to the dermatologist that discolored my teeth so badly, I had

Kelsey 28:12

was it liquid?

Sarah 28:13

No, it was a pill form and it just, and I always had that's a whole another issue too. But yeah, it really discolored my teeth for a long time and I don't think it ever truly did anything for my own acne.

Sarah 28:27

So we were looking into the Accutane, but I know that at that point in time it had so many different side effects. My mom was very nervous about that

Brandi 28:34

the things you have to do when you're on Accutane.

Kelsey 28:36

Yeah, monthly pregnancy tests.

Kelsey 28:39

You have to sign a waiver saying I'm on two forms of birth control.

Sarah 28:41

Yeah, and I was probably like 14, 15 at this time.

Kelsey 28:47

So like yeah, my mom was totally against it.

Brandi 28:48

My stepsister was in high school when

Sarah 28:49

I was so mad at that point in time, though, just because my acne was so bad, I was so desperate just to do something that works. But I'm really grateful that it my mom didn't let me, because I've heard just horror stories from people my age who were on it for years and then got off of it and either everything came back or they had just

Kelsey 29:05

every orifice is going to be dry.

Brandi 29:06

Yeah oh she was. Yeah,

Kelsey 29:09

dries you out,

Brandi 29:10

yeah, it just. It kind of reminds me of Spongebob when he's in Sandy's bowl and just like

Kelsey 29:15

water yeah literally.

Sarah 29:20

What about Rachael and Brandi? What kind of skin care or skin rotation products do you both use?

Kelsey 29:28

yeah, let's hear it, because you guys both have very clear skin actually

Brandi 29:31

thank you

Brandi 29:33

So I kind of dove into a little bit of it and I'm happy to say I feel like I've got what you said covered

Kelsey 29:40

got it down.

Brandi 29:41

Yeah, and I might have a little extra um so um, in the mornings I don't. I do tend to have drier skin, probably because I don't drink enough water, which also helps your skin um, and I'm working on um, so I don't cleanse in the morning.

Brandi 29:56

You have me reconsidering that if I maybe get like a more mild soap, um, but I use toner and then, um, I use oh my god, I've got a. Okay, I you know how. You can't say um, micellar water. Yes, I can't say hydro

Kelsey 30:18

hyaluronic acid.

Brandi 30:20

Yes, I can't say that.

Kelsey 30:21

You can just say h-a.

Kelsey 30:23

You can just say

Brandi 30:23

h-a yes, I don't know what it is about those combination of

Sarah 30:27

words are just hard

Brandi 30:29

I just go so I have an h-a um oil and then I have a vitamin c eye cream, because that was something I kind of want to ask you about too is are anti-aging products overrated? Like are they like a marketing thing.

Kelsey 30:48

Great question, I would say the word anti-aging is very vague.

Kelsey 30:52

Like the mechanism matters. You know what

Kelsey 30:54

I mean? So it's like are you saying you're plumping me up, are you shedding my skin? Like what are we doing here?

Kelsey 31:01

You know what I mean.

Brandi 31:02

That's a good question to ask

Kelsey 31:02

, that's yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kelsey 31:03

I think that's a great question. And it goes like by the product too, because if it's saying it'll like, say, it's got some vitamin c in it and it's got some hyaluronic acid and it's good, so it's going to make you hydrate and it's going to kind of fight those free radicals from the sun, and then it's got some moisturizers in it, well then, sure, I mean I guess you could call that beneficial for not aging, but is it reversing your aging? Like not sure

Brandi 31:27

are there products that do that?

Kelsey 31:29

reverse your aging? Great, question.

Kelsey 31:30

I would say retinol is as close as you're.

Brandi 31:32

Okay, yeah, I was like um, well, yeah, yeah, um, so I think it's called. I think they call it a brightening eye cream.

Kelsey 31:39

Yeah,

Brandi 31:39

um,

Kelsey 31:40

and do you feel like it works?

Brandi 31:44

I don't, I don't know um.

Kelsey 31:46

Vitamin c in general has brightening properties.

Brandi 31:49

Yeah, and I'm honestly I don't know if I've been using some of these products long enough to say like yeah, I've noticed

Kelsey 31:55

duration matters

Brandi 31:56

and I've. You know, I kind of want to try a couple things and see, you know, maybe if I switch it, if that impact.

Brandi 32:02

You know, it's kind of a trial and error all of this is um, which is the why I wish they came out with like sample sizes so you could test everything

Sarah 32:10

right

Brandi 32:10

before buying a full size product. Um, so then I do, let's see the eye cream, and then I do a moisturizer with a built-in SPF, because I'm all about convenience.

Kelsey 32:21

Love it

Brandi 32:22

so that's my day, like day morning routine, and then at night I shower in the evening, so that's when I wash my face and then I do. Usually it's like a couple hours before bed when I shower. So then I do toner again just to give myself a nice um surface to start with um, and then I do the ha oil again maybe I'm over doing that,

Kelsey 32:56

no

Brandi 32:56

and then a um retinol serum, and then I've got like a nighttime eye cream, which I don't know. I don't really like that one, but it was a small enough thing. I'm just going to use it until it's done. And then I use an oil-based moisturizer.

Kelsey 33:13

Yeah, to kind of like lock everything in.

Brandi 33:15

Yeah, that's my routine.

Kelsey 33:17

I definitely don't think you can overdo the hyaluronic acid, Unless you're like straight up greasy and you're putting it on top of your grease, which, as a greasy girl, as soon as I wash my face it's gone. So I put it on a couple times a day.

Sarah 33:29

But yes, okay,

Rachael 33:31

up until a year ago, I really didn't do anything.

Rachael 33:42

So thanks, Kelsey, for giving me your routine um, but I was definitely like a makeup wipe user back in the day.

Sarah 33:45

We all we.

Rachael 33:45

Yeah, I'm a recovering one, and even when I travel, sometimes I take that just because it's easier to do,

Sarah 33:48

it's still convenient.

Brandi 33:50

It's still better than leaving it on

Kelsey 33:51

100%

Rachael 33:52

yeah, um, but truly like, my self-care routine wasn't the greatest until a few years ago, so I've like really increased that a lot in all aspects. But so I have also converted to a and n beauty. Is it beauty? Technically, I think it's just a and n skin,

Kelsey 34:08

N Skin.

Rachael 34:09

Um, they're a local business to St Louis, which is nice, so I can just like order it and then go pick it up in O'Fallon it's actually really close to you, Brandi, um, so

Brandi 34:16

thanks for telling everyone where I live. I'm just kidding,

Rachael 34:21

um, and so I do.

Rachael 34:25

I need to do it twice a day, like when I first started I was doing it twice a day, like the whole routine twice a day. I've kind of fallen off that path. But morning I just splash some water honestly because, let's be honest, I roll out like 10 minutes before I start meetings, so splash some water on my face After I work out. At night I cleanse in the shower and then I come out and I do the toner. And you gave me like that green stuff what's that green stuff?

Kelsey 34:50

Chlorophyll serum, love that,

Rachael 34:52

yeah.

Kelsey 34:52

When you're irritated.

Rachael 34:53

Yeah, so like, and that's supposed to be for, like, redness and stuff, right?

Kelsey 34:56

Yeah, like redness and irritation. It's soothing kind of like aloe, but yeah so.

Rachael 35:00

I have like some rosacea, so like I do it for that Um and then so toner that then the um like boosting cream, the whatever it is,

Kelsey 35:16

the collagen cream.

Rachael 35:17

Collagen cream yeah, that's good. Yeah, see, that's why I need Kelsey in my life. The collagen cream and then the moisturizer, and then if I am like, if I'm getting ready in the day and I need makeup, then I also have the SPF moisturizer version, and the last time I was in the store the girl said that I could just maybe she was telling me wrong, I don't know. So this is a question. So there is Clinique Take the Day Off yeah, like so, yeah, so, like. I was using that to like take my makeup off and then I would cleanse like a cream.

Kelsey 35:46

Yeah, it's like, it's like a balm to oil, like okay, it's like yeah, yeah.

Rachael 35:50

So instead of using like a makeup remover, I was using that and like wiping that and then washing it and then I would cleanse, but the girl at the store last time said I could just cleanse twice with my cleanser,

Kelsey 36:01

yep,

Rachael 36:01

and so like I haven't been leaning into the Clinique as much, I've just been double cleansing.

Rachael 36:06

I don't know if you like have preferences there.

Kelsey 36:08

I would say I liked the Clinique balm as well. If I had like, if I felt like I had a lot on my skin, yeah, you know what I mean and like to get mascara off and stuff.

Kelsey 36:17

I still think the oils work better, whether it's's a straight-up oil cleanser like an oil-based cleanser, or if it's like the Balm. I still think it slides off a lot easier that way. But yes, you totally can double cleanse. I just maybe I'm not thorough enough, but I like want it to come off faster, and so the oil I just kind of like put it it on and I just rub, real good, and it comes off enough. Yeah, that's nice. You don't have to look cute while you're doing it. You gotta really get in there. Your brows are gonna be sticking up different directions. My actually one of my final steps I moisturize and at the end I take my fingers and I rub them over my eyebrows. Otherwise my eyebrows are like sticking up and then, and then it kind of gives them like a shape because it's got the moisturizer in them, and so it's like now, now my eyebrows are gone,

Brandi 36:57

because if you don't do that, they're going to dry.

Kelsey 37:00

No, yeah, they're going to look crazy.

Kelsey 37:02

But now they look sleek. Now it looks like I tinted them and laminated them.

Sarah 37:05

That's been another product that I think changed my skincare routine too. I use one called Albalene,

Kelsey 37:10

okay, what is it?

Sarah 37:11

It's like that balm that you were talking about, it's like I don't know, and I kind of gave up on like big foundation.

Kelsey 37:19

Yeah, it's like oil-based.

Sarah 37:20

Yes but if I do have like a full face of makeup, I just use like a quarter size of that and just rub it all and it does feel really greasy and oily but I feel like it actually gets. I have big pores, so like it gets into it and really clears it, versus just cleaning like the top of my skin.

Kelsey 37:42

Yeah,

Sarah 37:42

um, absolutely love that, but I also think that, just like, not using thick foundation is also just help with that too. Yeah,

Rachael 37:44

I don't think any of us own foundation?

Sarah 37:45

I mean, I have it like, just in case because, like, like weddings or fancy events or something, yeah, I don't nearly use as much as I did like

Brandi 37:53

at the wedding last weekend, I had foundation and concealer.

Rachael 37:56

What's your preference on, like a foundation versus a BB?

Rachael 37:59

cream?

Kelsey 38:00

Great question. I think that's 100% preference. I think the BB creams are more blendable, whereas the foundation tends to be more full coverage. I'm like a medium to sheer coverage kind of girl, like I want some color, but I'm also like putting it on with my hands. Yeah, you can't really put foundation on with your hands and make it like look good. At least I can't. I have not mastered that. So I think that the BB cream is like a little more forgiving. Same thing with, like the tinted sunscreen, I think. I think it's just more forgiving, yeah and so

Brandi 38:28

it's definitely lighter,

Kelsey 38:29

which makes it like more like low maintenance.

Kelsey 38:32

For me personally, like if I'm putting foundation on, it's like maybe twice a year, and I like got the beauty blender out and I'm smacking the shit out of myself and I'm like how wet is too wet and then I'm like does the concealer go on before or after? You know, I've never been, I'm not a makeup mogul

Brandi 38:47

you're not a get ready with me kind of girl

Kelsey 38:49

dr wm, except it's cleanser.

Kelsey 38:52

And then you see me going crazy on my face and smoothing my eyebrows at the end, and that's it

Sarah 38:57

honestly, I feel like I just give up on all that too, because even those like two or three nights a year that I do pull the put the full face makeup on always a breakout afterwards

Kelsey 39:05

it's like, is it even worth?

Balancing Business, School, and Self-Care

Sarah 39:07

it at least it's not worth it it's like I'd rather just like feel good and have, like you know, my normal like skincare and makeup routine that just makes me look and feel good.

Rachael 39:18

Yeah,

Sarah 39:18

versus taking everything on and then like not having to wear makeup for the next two days because I'm just breaking out,

Kelsey 39:24

okay, do you guys?

Kelsey 39:24

brush your eyebrows every day.

Sarah 39:27

I, I thought, like year I've been using, I didn't, my brow. I don't, yeah, you

Kelsey 39:32

don't think color, but I brush them,

Sarah 39:34

yes, and I like it. It just shapes them.

Brandi 39:37

It's just I just have a great shape like this is normal. I just have a great shaped eyebrow.

Kelsey 39:44

Sorry guys, so my brows just look good all the time right.

Brandi 39:46

Well, no, every waxer I go to they're like oh wow, you've got. They're like are we just cleaning these up Because you shouldn't take any off? And I was like yeah, okay,

Sarah 39:57

I wish

Brandi 39:58

I have growing up biggest freaking unibrow. I'll have to bring out some school pictures. You can see it through like fourth grade I

Rachael 40:08

used to over pluck and like over wax.

Rachael 40:12

But then my like somebody that I'm related to, she's like okay go to the end of your eye and like go straight up and your eyebrows should like match where the end of your eyeball is.

Rachael 40:22

And so.

Rachael 40:22

I've just kind of taken that approach.

Brandi 40:24

So luckily my dad was very hands-on with this kind of stuff. He

Kelsey 40:30

Nice guy.

Brandi 40:32

He would sit there and pluck my eyebrows for me. I would just sit with my head in his lap and he would just sit there and just pluck up, but he was damn sure he was not going to over pluck them there for a while it was like no eyebrow was in and he's like nope so like I got made fun of because I had, bushier eyebrows.

Brandi 40:52

But now I'm like thank you, jesus but yeah, he, I mean we tried, I mean, I started waxing, uh, my eyebrows. Well, he, he plucked them for a while because we had an at-home wax incident that didn't go and we all got scared, um but like I was starting to wax my eyebrows in high school and everything, just because I get a little wooly caterpillar here.

Kelsey 41:19

I have severe trust issues. I like to do things myself and that's not always great, but I'm afraid of getting. I'm afraid I'll go and they won't understand what I want.

Sarah 41:28

Yeah,

Kelsey 41:28

yeah,

Sarah 41:30

I've had my eyebrows put too thin once before,

Sarah 41:32

so I just kind of

Kelsey 41:32

it's also why I do my own Botox and like touch up my own lips and stuff, because I just I fear that someone is going to.

Kelsey 41:40

They don't see what you see you know, and like I'm very detail-oriented, so like the little fine details matter to me and I don't want like too much, which is why I do things myself.

Brandi 41:49

Oh, if I had the skill set to do this stuff by myself, I'd be the same way.

Kelsey 41:53

But it's like yeah you have to like hype yourself up to do it, because of course it like kind of hurts.

Sarah 41:57

But yeah, so kind of going into that, how did we switch from like being interested well, going through our nursing degree, being interested in self-care, to then your business and and starting more of that? What was the word? You called it? Aesthetic medication, yeah yeah.

Kelsey 42:14

So I basically knew that I like wanted to do something else. I wanted to use my nursing like skills, like fine motor skills and stuff like that to do something more fun. I did my training through GLO, St Louis. The nurse who owns GLO started in her house with her four clients after she like quit a job at a place she didn't believe in. Her and I worked together many years ago and I got my very first hospital job like ten years ago. So I've known her for a long time. She's great.

Kelsey 42:44

I did her program and I kind of just made the decision that I was going to do it and I was going to like go all the way, like I wasn't just going like kind of do it, you know, yeah, so, yeah, exactly. So I remember two years ago at my studio it was currently being built, like the whole building was brand new I was Zach and I were standing. My husband and I were standing in this like empty hundred square foot room and I was like, are we gonna do this because it's like a lot of money, like it's like this is scary, like what if it doesn't work out? You know, and we just made the decision to like let's just do it and see how it goes, and if we fail, we fail. It was kind of like a we thing like I'll help you and see what we can do um and it kind of just like took off from there

Kelsey 43:26

yeah, yeah, yeah. So it was scary, um, but I just decided, hey, I have this set of skills. I think I'm like dedicated and talented enough to do this. Like there are some things where you're just like I think I'm better at this than I am. That and this was just like one of my things where I was like I think I can really do this.

Kelsey 43:43

Um, and I did, and I just started like building a client base and then friends tell their friends and now I have like yeah, now I have like 250 clients and yeah,

Brandi 43:53

now the PhD, the nurse practitioner, that's to kind of build your to go with the business and maybe prescribe

Kelsey 44:04

so kind of.

Kelsey 44:05

So great question. In the state of Missouri a nurse practitioner cannot practice independently, so you have to have a collaborating physician, no matter what that means that you technically work like under a doctor. So with the business, everything's my own. But I have a collaborating physician like through GLO, so I'm under a medical doctor.

Kelsey 44:25

Now, they don't own any part of my business, but the services I legally perform are covered under that physician. So that's yeah, yeah. So same thing like if you go to see an NP at your doctor's office, like she's legally in Missouri under a doctor he or she.

Kelsey 44:41

There are some states where you can practice independently, but Missouri is not one of them. But as far as advancing my degree, I still work full-time in the ER and I took on this like business, as both, like a fun endeavor and a business endeavor, with, of course, the end goal being to like, grow larger and expand and eventually be able to transition to just doing that full time.

Kelsey 45:05

Um, the world we live in is insane and currently, like I, cannot do that there are always going to be aspects of working for a larger company that you just can't do for yourself like 401k and insurance and all that stuff like those are big factors when it comes to thinking about like leaving your job and work for yourself, yeah um, but I'm pursuing my NP

Kelsey 45:23

um, I'm in a doctorate program, so, uh, I'll become a family nurse practitioner, which means I can see aside from the business, like just in general I'll treat like infant to old people, um, and then the doctorate portion is actually like a research portion, um, but the goal is to expand my own like personal knowledge and then use that further understanding and education to um, facilitate more like services with the business and stuff as well, um, and then also to leave bedside nursing and advance my career in that way as well. It's always been like a balancing act between my job and then my business. So I'm just going to continue to try to kind of balance that, see where I fit in in the NP world, because I do want to really get established somewhere, whether it's in ortho or primary care or whatever, build my competency there and then kind of continue to expand the business. So I have like a loose plan. I have concepts of a plan, that high plan.

Sarah 46:25

It's really. All you need is just the idea and take the first step.

Kelsey 46:29

Yeah, if you decide you want to do it, it never gets less scary, so like going to school scary. A lot of money first of all, a lot of money. First of all, a lot of time. I'm basically working like two full-time jobs when you think about like the business in school and then work.

Kelsey 46:42

You know what I mean. But time, time goes by, no matter what. I feel like that's. The biggest thing I've learned is like the time is going to go by. So three years for an NP program is it going to suck? Yeah, but like the three years are going to go by and in three years you're either going to have a better paying job and a new license or you're going to be exactly where you are right now,

Sarah 46:56

exactly.

Kelsey 46:56

You know what I mean.

Kelsey 46:57

So, like you never really have it figured out, it never feels how you think it's going to feel, because we've been successful and you think it's going to feel a certain way and, of course, like the wins feel really good, but things are never quite what you think they're going to be

Sarah 47:13

so what.

Sarah 47:14

I know that you have a great family support system with the Around you Too. Yeah, what else kind of helped you start this? I mean because that takes a lot of balls to go off and start your own thing and have that dedication and that want to do something.

Kelsey 47:31

Yeah

Sarah 47:31

was there any like challenges or fears or fears or like anything specific that really just helped you like keep going towards it?

Kelsey 47:40

yeah, the fear was a very real um, I'm super lucky to have like a supportive husband who has been managing his family's business for like close to a decade. Um, so he really had my back as far as, like he was like, if this is what you want to do, like I'll help you. On the back end, I always like to say like I'm the talent, you know what?

Kelsey 47:57

I mean, I don't want to do?

Kelsey 47:59

I don't want to do the other shit.

Kelsey 48:02

You know what?

Kelsey 48:02

I mean, I'm the star of the show. Baby, give me a syringe and I don't want to do anything else but.

Kelsey 48:08

I do.

Kelsey 48:08

I do the other things okay, but you should have heard him like you already teach me about accounting and shit.

Brandi 48:13

The hardest part about a business is the

Kelsey 48:15

hire an accountant.

Kelsey 48:18

Dude, I did it and I had our shit so backwards at first and Zach tried to tell me and I was like you're wrong, he was right, he was totally right. But he was my biggest support as far as like he's like I'll help you with like the LLC and I'll help you with this and I'll help you with this and I'll help you with that. And, um, he custom built my entire website. He helps me ship out orders because I sell. I sell products online as well. Um, and it's actually funny, like I sell to like people like all over the country, like there's people who like weekly, like place orders and I'm like love you guys never met you but like here's a little discount code for being you know so great, but he helps me with a lot of that stuff.

Kelsey 48:52

So that means the world. Our like schedules were really lucky that they work really well. Like I work weekends in the ER, he works from home. So like thankfully we still see each other and get to like spend time together, because I think if not we'd both be like kind of miserable if we never got to like spend time together.

Sarah 49:10

Right, because with all this work, I mean you got to make sure you have time together.

Kelsey 49:13

Yeah, yeah, so thankfully he's home most of the time because he runs the business from home and he helps me with stuff from home, so that's like a huge, that makes a huge difference, Because if I was working all the time and struggling and then not seeing my husband, I would be like this fucking sucks.

Kelsey 49:27

And I would something would have to give, but thankfully that like it's definitely hard, and there are always going to be times where I'm like, oh shit, I forgot to order this, or I forgot to call my accountant back, or I forgot to do that you know,

Brandi 49:38

but that's even in like big businesses.

Brandi 49:40

Oh yeah, like I do a lot of corporations all the time.

Brandi 49:43

So like

Kelsey 49:43

yeah, as long as there's money in the account and bills are getting paid, it's like everything's going to be fine where I have to balance everything and by on a weekly basis I have to decide which part of my life is going to get what percent of my energy. Like, if I'm like Friday I have stuff to do, I cannot see clients, I can't do business stuff, I have to do school, my husband will drive by me in the office hi, say hello on a drive-by, bring me some coffee or something, but like I'm locked in so that has to get 100% of my energy. Or, honestly, my ER job, like my nursing job, is kind of like autopilot, like it's not that hard. Yeah, so that's, it's just second nature and so that really like.

Kelsey 50:29

Thankfully doesn't take up as much of my mental energy okay, yeah, if. I was still where I was before in like the trauma center and stuff. I could not be doing all this, but I have like a lower stress. You just found a little rinky dink little ER job yeah, it's, it's really fine so a lot of times that doesn't get as much of my attention, but it doesn't require it, so I'm still still showing up and doing all the things.

Kelsey 50:52

But I have to decide like

Brandi 50:53

you're getting all the benefits of that without it taking a toll on

Kelsey 50:56

exactly, exactly and making a choice of like this person's yelling at me because I didn't get their meds.

Kelsey 51:00

I'm off at seven. I don't give a shit you know what I mean.

Kelsey 51:03

Like what do I care that you're mad?

Kelsey 51:04

at me,

Sarah 51:05

for so was there

Kelsey 51:06

deciding what's worth

Sarah 51:07

because I feel like it's that's something that that I kind of like struggle with, too is really finding that that balance

Kelsey 51:13

yeah,

Sarah 51:13

was there like I don't know, like I just want to say, like, how did you do that?

Setting Boundaries and Managing Priorities

Sarah 51:18

like, was there, like, was there a certain point in time where, like, you needed to find this balance because you knew something was off balance? Or like I don't know, like I feel like I'm just someone who struggles with that.

Kelsey 51:32

Yeah,

Sarah 51:33

balancing all the things that I want to do, that I'm interested in doing, like I don't know who struggles with that

Sarah 51:41

with that?

Kelsey 51:41

I would definitely say, like prioritize how you feel, Right, Like last week we were going to do this episode and I was like Rachael, I'm sorry, I can't. I bit off more than I to do this, this and this. Like I just have to make a choice, Like this just didn't make the cut, I just need to postpone.

Sarah 51:55

And the world kept spinning.

Kelsey 51:56

Yes, it did.

Rachael 51:57

It did keep spinning.

Kelsey 51:58

You guys didn't hate me, we're here, you know what. I mean,

Sarah 52:00

life happens,

Kelsey 52:01

yeah, I think Sorry, be honest, I blacked out. Right now.

Rachael 52:15

You're like like too much, too much pressure,

Kelsey 52:16

no, no, no, I think just like being honest with yourself about how you feel I'm very ambitious. There are days where like yeah, I'm gonna work out at 6 am and then I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna be like the next day. I'm like that was fucking dumb.

Kelsey 52:23

I don't really know why I thought that, um, but yeah, just deciding like what works for you and like listening to yourself. Like sometimes I canceled on a friend that I hadn't seen in a while but I'm like I just mentally can't do it, like because I'm going to do it and then I'm going to feel stressed out the whole time. I am a planner, like I will plan out my whole day, like I'm off at 1, I've got to be here by 1.30. By 2.30, I'll get in the shower, like that kind of thing. So that plays a big role in and like what listening to myself and like what I have energy for that day, because some days you like want to do it all but you just can't.

Brandi 52:56

I feel like that's like everyday life, like you should take that advice for everyday life,

Kelsey 53:00

yeah, 100%.

Sarah 53:01

Absolutely.

Rachael 53:02

Do you ever struggle with like following through, like knowing I need to do those things but I just can't do it, like I'm stuck?

Rachael 53:18

And how do you get unstuck?

Kelsey 53:19

That's a great question. I'm a bad procrastinator. The procrastination both paralyzes yet motivates me. I work better under pressure. I think that's why I like the ER if I'm bored, unless you're gonna die in the next five minutes unless I do something then I get excited you know what I mean.

Kelsey 53:28

Make it a race.

Kelsey 53:28

Turn the mario kart music on like get it hype, you know what I mean, like make it stressful, um, I think, like the thought of the thing is normally worse than just doing it, so like if I don't want to work out, put my fucking shoes on the second. I'm there, I'm fine it's getting there that's hard.

Kelsey 53:47

So like just forcing myself, saying, hey, you have the energy, you're not sick, you're not injured, you're just being lazy and you said you were going to work out today, so you need to go do it. I have great intentions and sometimes I'm bad at following through, and that's something that I've like worked on, even like as a partner. I want I if you want me to do something with you, I want to say yes, I want to do it. And then push comes to shove and I'm like I'm sorry, I can't do this thing that I said I I want to do and I do want to do it, because this other thing's like weighing me down. You know what I mean and I don't want to like half-ass, something like I want to actually be able to be in it, not just like stressed about other stuff. You know what I mean. So, when it comes to like setting boundaries, I think that's important, but, yeah, just literally bullying myself like I, I love myself, I love myself.

Kelsey 54:36

But I have to be like. You know you're procrastinating. I know the anxiety is worse and just like making yourself do it. It's like when I poke people and they're like crying and I'm like I haven't even touched you and then I do it and they're like, oh, that wasn't bad. And I'm like see how the thought of it was way worse. Yeah, yeah, way worse, oh my gosh, and I saw this video the other day of kiki palmer and she was like I'm the queen of a reframe I love a reframe, I love it.

Sarah 54:59

Oh, I love her and I love that.

Kelsey 55:01

Yes, and that's kind of like my thing with um, like people yelling at me. What do I care? I'm literally off at seven. What do I give a shit. You know what I mean. Like I have a whole life outside of this.

Kelsey 55:11

This is not my life,

Sarah 55:13

oh you don't think in anything with customer service and I can't even imagine. Yeah, the health care field. Yes, I mean.

Kelsey 55:19

So that's one of my biggest things.

Kelsey 55:20

I just I went through a lot of therapy. Used to be like a miserable human being. Shout out to my counselor um therapy here.

Brandi 55:27

Yeah, we do love therapy.

Kelsey 55:29

But just um, like. You can decide how you feel about something. You know what I mean. Or you can catch yourself mid-negative thought and say I'm going to choose not to think about it that way, even though my instinct is to feel a certain way because, like again, what do I care?

Sarah 55:43

or not taking on other people's emotions

Kelsey 55:45

yeah, that's something I've struggled with in the past.

Kelsey 55:48

So, yeah, someone around me frustrated. Well, it's not my fault to fix it. I want to fix it because it'll make it go away, because that emotion is causing me anxiety, but I'm not gonna take on whatever your frustration is because it's not my problem no, yeah,

Sarah 56:00

my goodness, I love that.

Brandi 56:02

You sure you don't want to go into therapy now?

Kelsey 56:07

right next.

Sarah 56:07

Okay, that's what's gonna make a good make a good nurse practitioner too is. I know you said you want to like eventually get away from the bedside manner, but my experience with have I will only go to nurses or doctors who have had experience like being a nurse practitioner because their bedside manner is so much better and they are more personal with people yeah, so I love that you at least like have that experience and that's totally all about.

Kelsey 56:28

I think that's what makes them good providers is that they've they spend so much more time at the bedside previous, before their provider role, like when you're a nurse. You spend hours and hours and hours and hours with these people and you have to learn how to empathize with people and like understand what they're going through. And doctors like they just write the order, see you for five minutes, and they peace out, which is good for them, but there's always going to be a personal aspect that they just don't get.

Kelsey 56:52

that doesn't click for them you know what I mean.

Sarah 56:54

So if you're looking for the personal aspect and you are interested in some aesthetic medication or some skincare advice or anything, we will link your social media and your website down in our description too, so everybody can take a look and hopefully get some advice from you and come for some services.

Kelsey 57:14

Cool, love it.

Rachael 57:15

And in our episode recap.

Episode Wrap-up and Resource Information

Rachael 57:16

We'll have some more like in-depth interview questions with Kelsey. So if you want to learn more about starting the business or, you know, if you want to see in writing what recommendation she has, then we'll definitely post those in the episode. But overall, I mean I think that, uh, learn how to set some boundaries, learn how the good vitamin C is, find your stuff. I mean between like the boundaries, bullying yourself in the best way possible and finding those good supplements. I think you'll be in a good spot and no beef tallow.

Kelsey 57:51

Wear the sunscreen and don't put beef tallow on your face.

Rachael 57:53

Yes, Well, Kelsey, we love you. Thank you so much for being here, appreciate it.

Kelsey 57:58

Thank you for having me.

Rachael 57:59

Yeah, so we appreciate it. We will post everything in the blog, with follow-ups and information on how you can find Kelsey and all these great products that we talked about today. So until next time,

Sarah 58:08

stay bold

Brandi 58:09

stay empowered.

Sarah 58:10

Girl Gang out.