Good Neighbor Podcast: Fort Collins

E62: Natural Aesthetics: How Critical Care Nurses Created a Sanctuary for Self-Care

• Nick George • Season 1 • Episode 62

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What happens when critical care nurses bring their medical expertise to aesthetic medicine? The Good Neighbor Podcast sits down with Kristen Miller and Ali Sutton of Boho Studios Med Spa to explore how they're changing the conversation around beauty treatments in Fort Collins.

Founded seven years ago by Kristen after fourteen years as an injection specialist, Boho Studios has grown from a single treatment room into a comprehensive med spa offering everything from Botox and fillers to Morpheus 8 radio frequency treatments and vaginal rejuvenation. Both women bring their backgrounds as ICU nurses to their practice, applying critical thinking skills to create individualized treatment plans that prioritize natural results.

"Most of my clients are walking around out there and nobody knows that they've had anything done," Kristen explains, addressing the common misconception that aesthetic treatments lead to an overdone appearance. The pair differentiate their approach by focusing on "re-volumizing areas versus augmenting," resulting in subtle enhancements rather than dramatic changes. Meanwhile, Ali works to destigmatize treatments like vaginal rejuvenation by emphasizing its functional benefits for women dealing with post-pregnancy changes or aging concerns.

What truly distinguishes Boho Studios is the welcoming atmosphere they've created. As single mothers who built their business while juggling personal challenges, Kristen and Ali bring authenticity and compassion to their practice. The result is a space so inviting that clients regularly offer to "sweep the floors just to hang out." Beyond beautifying faces, they're building a community where clients feel genuinely cared for.

Curious about natural-looking aesthetic treatments? Visit bohostudiosmedspa.com, text 970-412-8820, or follow @BohostudiosFoCo on Instagram to discover how these medical professionals might help you look like yourself, only better.

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Nick George.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a med spa that has some serious talent and experience? Well, one might be a lot closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbors Kristen Miller and Allie Sutton with Boho Studios Med Spa. Allie, kristen, how's it going?

Speaker 3:

It's good, thank you.

Speaker 2:

We're excited to learn all about your business. Tell us about it.

Speaker 3:

Well, boho Studios was started about seven years ago. I've been an injection specialist here in Fort Collins for about 14 years and started my own company seven years ago here in the heart of downtown Fort Collins. It's right off the Jefferson Street. Initially it was just me and one room. As an injection specialist I did Botox, dermal filler and PDO lifting threads and worked on my own for several years until I brought Allie on she's a critical care nurse and trained her, and then we started expanding. I brought on the InMode product line, so we do Morpheus 8, which is radio frequency microneedling. We brought IPL laser hair removal. Evoke and evolve body sculpting and face sculpting vices. What am I missing? Oh and power. Vaginal rejuvenation, oh and power vaginal rejuvenation. And all of our equipment is from the InMode product line.

Speaker 2:

So really, really great product, Allie. What is a critical care nurse?

Speaker 4:

I work in the ICU.

Speaker 2:

That's my second job. Yeah, that's what it sounded like. That's what my mother used to do growing up at Vanderbilt, so I'm very familiar. I just thought that that was like way overkill for what you guys do. It's nice that you have somebody around like that.

Speaker 4:

I was a critical care nurse as well at PBH for many years being applied to aesthetic medicine. I think especially in Northern Colorado, where it's not one size fits all, people want to look very natural and so being able to kind of critically think through people's you know all of their options and deciding an appropriate treatment plan for them so they look like themselves, with the best version of themselves, I think the background in medical care does help with that Absolutely.

Speaker 2:

Kristen, what originally brought you into this line of work?

Speaker 3:

Wow, let's see, I worked as a nurse for many years and then I stayed home with my kiddos when they were little and when I was ready to get back to work I just started looking at all my different options and it was either going to this field or back to the hospital. And in the interim, while I did stay home with my kids, I got all my holistic nursing certifications. Energy work, meditation kind of went into that field. So I thought I could bring that into the medical spa business which we kind of have a little bit. So it just seemed to be a better fit. I decided to leave the ICU nursing.

Speaker 2:

What are some myths or misconceptions in your industry? I'm sure there's a bunch.

Speaker 3:

Oh, there's so many, so many, my goodness. Most people that walk through my door absolutely say, okay, I want to keep it natural, I don't want to look overfilled, I don't want to look like everybody else. And you know, when I started this business that was, you know, 15 years ago it was like I don't want to look like Hollywood. You know, 15 years ago it was like I don't want to look like Hollywood. Unfortunately, now you see that everywhere walking around and so that truly became my mission as an artist how I could create the most natural look possible. And you can do that with a little bit of filler, you can do that with lifting threads. So, um, the misconception that you're going to look plastic or fake. If you get Botox, you can actually look like you, just a little softer, a little younger Um, it's not one size fits all. So most, most of my clients are walking around out there and nobody knows that they've had anything done. Um, so I think that's the biggest misconception out there.

Speaker 3:

A lot of things going on in social media right now is oh my gosh, dermal filler is so horrible, you're going to look awful, it's going to stay forever and, honestly, dermal filler still has a beautiful place if done correctly. And unfortunately there's a lot of injectors out there that wow, the more syringes they sell, the more money they're going to make, and unfortunately that's going to create a look that not necessarily everybody wants. So I don't inject that way. I tell all my clients that I'm trying to re-volumize areas that are really important versus augment, and so there's a very big difference there and that leaves my clients very, very happy when you inject them that way.

Speaker 3:

I also make use of PDO lifting threads that actually just lift tissue really super softly and naturally. That's really the best way to look like yourself. So that's a big misconception to look like yourself. So that's a big misconception. Also, some of the products that we use, like the Morpheus 8, there's a lot of misconceptions out there that it's going to break down my fat and it's going to look horrible and and honestly it's most important that you check out the provider who's doing that treatment. There's so many providers out there not doing it correctly and so then the Morpheus gets a bad name, whereas we're getting fantastic results with the Morpheus treatment. So I think so many things products, devices get demonized, like dermal filler and Morpheus. But I think if you come to people that are highly skilled, highly educated, you're going to get a really great treatment, no matter what you do.

Speaker 2:

Allie, do you want to add to that at all?

Speaker 4:

Allie, do you want to add to that at all?

Speaker 4:

Yeah, I think just to kind of reiterate the misconceptions about Morpheus that is kind of what keeps me busiest here, probably at Boho.

Speaker 4:

And then the Empower and vaginal rejuvenation is the same technology applied and I think for that one it's been difficult for me to kind of get over the misconception that vaginal rejuvenation is just for aesthetic purposes and I think a lot of women may roll their eyes like well, what's wrong with it? Why do you need to, you know, rejuvenate it? But really it's much more of a functional medicine treatment to help with, you know, the things that women have to deal with after having babies or as we age. So a lot of what boho does is we're treating on a cellular level to get tissue healthy, so that every treatment we do is going, we can use less product. That will go further and have a really pretty result with really good healthy tissue. So I think also just to you know, I think aesthetic medicine can be wrapped up in something kind of with vanity or vein, but there's a lot of functional treatments too that are very important.

Speaker 2:

That's going to lead me into my next question and I want to agree with you about the Morpheus. It scared me to death because of all the information that was out there and potentially misinformation, and I had to do a lot of excessive homework that I didn't think I was going to have to do before I went forward with it, and me and my wife did, and we're glad that we did, and we picked, we picked a good provider and we had good results. But I hear you, it was scary. We know that a lot of people think they know who the average client is for your business, but there may be a whole segment that you're targeting that don't even know that they would benefit. For all the reasons that you just mentioned. Who are your target customers and how do you attract them? Now?

Speaker 3:

Oh gosh, I have any, anywhere from 20 year olds to 75 year olds, men, women, men, women yeah, everyone is a potential client, even a young person that genetically just has lack of volume under their eyes. It's just who they are. You can do just a small amount of platelet-rich fibrin under their eyes and rejuvenate that area and make it look so much softer. You know, some young people have very, very strong muscles that create lines in their forehead when they're very young and I can sprinkle just a little bit about and make such a big difference. You know, all the way up to my older folk who have a lot of volume loss and a lot of tissue that is lax and just that normal aging process.

Speaker 3:

So we and everyone who walks through the door, we take them as they are. We treat them very, very individually. It's not a one size fits all business, especially here, and my hope is that anyone and everyone who sees something that is bothering them can come and feel super confident and super comfortable that they can spend just a little bit of money and really take care of their needs and for me it's taking care of the whole person if you can fix something, that they look in the mirror and and are very upset about on a daily basis. And soften that a little bit, boy, does it do a lot for their heart and soul?

Speaker 2:

Have you thought about doing a podcast where you're the host and you're interviewing success stories for the public?

Speaker 4:

No, we have thought about doing like a red table discussion or something just to kind of connect with clients in between their appointments and educate the public on everything we offer and kind of debunk some of the misconceptions as well.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, we have thought about it and we talk about it all the time. It would be fantastic.

Speaker 2:

Your business category is unique in that education is very impactful and, whether or not it's successful, that and other human services that are at that level. What do you guys do for fun outside of work?

Speaker 4:

Ellie. Well, I'm currently in the middle of a big kitchen renovation that I'm doing on my own. In the middle of a big kitchen renovation that I'm doing on my own. I don't know if I'd say it's super fun, but it's been good. Tonight I'm going camping. I like to camp and raft and paddleboard and all the Colorado girl things.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and Kristen.

Speaker 3:

What do I do for fun? I take care of my kiddos Same. I love long walks and yoga Anything to relax. When you run a business, you need relaxation.

Speaker 2:

Let's switch gears and either one of you or both can answer this Is there a hardship or a life challenge that you overcame, and tell us how it made you stronger? What comes to mind?

Speaker 3:

Well, we were talking about that just right before and, honestly, both of us are single moms and that in itself is very, very difficult, and we were single moms and started businesses and in Allie's case, she works two jobs and in my case, I injected full-time and started a business and I think that's made us really, really strong. I think we're um. What that does for us is make us real and human to everybody who walks through the door, and so they instantly feel connected and and like they're taken care of by a real person.

Speaker 3:

I think yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, in wrapping things up, kristen and or Allie, please tell our listeners one thing that they should absolutely remember about Boho Studios Med Spa.

Speaker 4:

It's just such a special place. I mean, everybody who walks into this building just immediately is, oh wow, this is so beautiful, it's such an amazing space. Kristen has really created an incredible energy in this place that everybody feels very special and taken care of. She also just attracts incredible people. So we've got a phenomenal girl gang team here that we all just love each other and have a lot of fun, and we have a lot of fun with our clients. I can't tell you how many times I hear regularly our clients say do you guys need help around here? I'll sweep the floors, I'll mop the floors, I'll do anything. I just want to hang out here.

Speaker 4:

And that's exactly how I felt, because I was Chris's client. She was my gift to myself when I graduated nursing school and just fell in love with her, fell in love with the place and I think it really speaks for itself. With you, tom.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, Kristen. How can our listeners learn more about Boho Studios, both in line and the old-fashioned way with the telephone number?

Speaker 3:

Online. It's bohostudiosmedspacom, and our website is full of information. They can get anything about all of us that work here, as well as all of the services that we do, and phone number 970 4, 1, 2, 88, 20. We respond quicker to a text than a long voicemail and we also have our our friend.

Speaker 4:

That's all. Maggie, she does our social media and so we're on Instagram as well. She does a great job with that, and if we ever do run specials or need to put out some education, it's usually on the Instagram.

Speaker 2:

On Instagram.

Speaker 3:

And it's Boho Studios Foco. Boho Studios Foco F-O-C-O is our Instagram handle.

Speaker 2:

Awesome. Well, kristen Allie, we really appreciate you guys being on the show and we definitely wish you and your practice the very best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

Thank you, thank you, we really appreciate you guys being on the show and we definitely wish you and your practice the very best moving forward. Thank you, thank you Really appreciate meeting you.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfortcollinscom. That's gnpfortcollinscom, or call 970-438-0825.