We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gloria Kirk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gloria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Over the course of your career, have you seen or experienced your field completely flip-flop or change course on something?

This is a great question. I have absolutely experienced a major U-Turn in my career. Primarily, in the way I approach acne. Especially when it comes to understanding the gut-skin connection.

Early in my career, the standard approach was all about topicals. I’d reach for strong exfoliants, and other surface level solutions, assuming that acne was purely a skin issue. At the time, there was little to no conversation around how internal health, especially gut health could be playing a major role.

As I continued to work with clients and diving deeper into their skin journeys, I started to notice patterns. The ones struggling the most often had gut imbalances, food sensitivities, or digestive issues. Once I started incorporating education around gut health, guiding clients toward better internal habits alongside their topical routines, the results became more consistent and lasting.

Now, I can’t imagine treating acne without considering what’s happening internally. It’s a complete shift from how I was trained and how I used to treat clients, and it’s made me a far more effective and empathetic practitioner.

So yes, the industry and my approach has done a full 180. I’m grateful for it because it allowed me to get to the root of the problem instead of just treating the surface.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a licensed esthetician with over 10 years of experience, and I specialize in acne. Particularly stubborn, recurring acne that often gets overlooked or mistreated. I’m based in Downey, California, where I run my business, Beloved Clinical, a results driven skincare studio with a warm, personalized approach.

I got into this industry because I always loved helping people and I had a natural ability and understanding of science and chemistry. I suppose I always had a love for skin. As early as I could remember I was doing extractions of black heads around my grandfather’s eyes and I loved it! So it is only fitting that one day I would do this for a living. Mark Twain said it best… “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. There were two things I really loved…science and beauty so esthetics school just made sense. I enrolled in school and never looked back. In the beginning, I focused mostly on external treatments, but over time, I started to notice that many of my clients were doing “everything right” on the surface and still breaking out. That pushed me to dig deeper and start taking a more holistic approach.

Now, I specialize in treating acne by addressing both internal and external factors. I educate clients on the connection between gut health and skin, help them clean up their product routines, and create custom treatment plans that actually work. I offer corrective facials, advanced acne treatments, chemical peels, and product consultations, all designed to support skin healing and long-term clarity.

What sets me apart is that I don’t take a one size fits all approach. I really listen. I take time to understand what’s going on beneath the surface whether that’s inflammation, poor barrier function, or lifestyle triggers and I guide clients with care and intention.

I’m most proud of the trust I’ve built with my clients. Many of them travel long distances to see me and have stayed with me for years because their skin has completely transformed under my care. That means everything to me.

If there’s one thing, I want people to know about my brand and my work, it’s this: clear skin is possible, and you don’t have to suffer in silence. My goal is to help you feel confident in your skin again with education, compassion, and real results.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

If I could go back, I would absolutely choose the same profession. I genuinely love what I do. Helping people heal their skin and feel confident again is incredibly fulfilling.

I know without a doubt that this is the purpose God has for me. The Lord is at the center of all that I do, and I truly believe He led me to this work so I could serve others in a deeper way. That foundation gives everything I do more meaning, and I’m so grateful for it.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What helped me build my reputation within my market is honesty and integrity. From the beginning I’ve always been transparent with my clients. Whether it’s about what to expect during their skin journey, how long it may take to see results, or which products and treatments are truly right for them.

I also take my education seriously. I’ve invested in advanced trainings and continued education because I believe the more I know, the better I can serve my clients. I never want to just “wing it”, I want to be confident in the information I’m sharing and the protocols I’m recommending. That commitment to knowledge, paired with a genuine heart to help, is what I believe has helped me earn trust and build a solid reputation over the years.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @belovedclinical
• Facebook: Beloved Clinical
• Yelp: Beloved Clinical
• Other: Beloved Clinical
  9047 Florence Ave, Unit G
  Downey, Ca 90240562-755-1230

Image Credits

Lance Brandauer of birdzzphotography