We were lucky to catch up with Shailer Kern Carruth recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shailer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?
In the field of Esthetics we see the same products and regimens being given over and over when it comes to acne. Salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, vitamin A, chemical peels, etc. And while these ingredients and procedures can and do create results for many, many people, they also tend to fall short in a lot of ways. A lot of people have to keep up with these routines and products forever or their acne will come back. And for many people, they will try *everything* their dermatologists and estheticians recommend and still won’t be able to clear their skin. Obviously, this is super frustrating both for the esthetician and the client- and it’s really expensive too. But still, derms and estheticians are reluctant (if not thoroughly opposed) to incorporating plant based products into their protocols because they’re not seen as legitimate or scientific enough.
When I started making CBD products I had no idea I would be able to create breakthrough results for people who’s skin had been resistant to conventional treatments. I knew CBD was good for acne in theory, but I had no tangible proof of my own- yet.
I still remember the first set of photos I got from a customer after I had sold my first few rounds of Glow Serum, my signature CBD facial serum for acne, aging, and sensitive skin. She had been using my product for about 9 months and she sent me the classic side profile and dead pan front on selfies of her skin before she started using Glow Serum and then that day, 9 months later. The difference was night and day. Before, she was struggling with acne, scarring, and a dull complexion. After, not a single blemish, healed and healthy skin, and a natural glow and luster- and not to mention an enormous smile to go with it. I think I cried. I couldn’t believe something I created in my kitchen had created such a big difference in someone’s life.
Something shifted in me that day. Not only did I have social proof that the CBD products I was creating could clear acne, but I also felt myself dig my heels deeper into plant medicine as an innovative and essential modality in the skincare industry.
So many people in the professional skincare and esthetics industry completely scoff at a handmade beauty products and I think it does a big disservice to both themselves and their clients. I get it-it’s very fringe for most people. But I believe Ive tapped into something truly special. This first woman who ever sent me her before & after photos is living halfway across the world now and hasn’t bought my product for months and her acne still hasn’t come back. Since then I’ve checked in with other customers over the years too, and they have hold me the same thing. A year or more later, they’re still acne free.
In Esthetics we’re taught that acne can’t be cured, only controlled. And for many people that is probably true. Acne has so many varied causes and we are still learning more and more everyday about the nature of this skin condition. But as more scientific research is done on the skin’s microbiome, CBD, and plant pharmacology in general, I think we could make some really big discoveries about the true potential of plant medicine in skin science and acne management.
I believe that quality products made from plants deserve a seat in the professional skincare industry. It’s time to stop looking at plants as crude and unsophisticated precursors in skin science and get serious about their true complexity and application in the treatment room.
Shailer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Shailer and I’m a licensed esthetician, herbalist, and the organic product formulator behind Magick Shay: a CBD skincare line for acne, aging, and sensitive skin.
In the summer of 2020 I left my job as a full time nanny to live out of a van on an organic hemp farm in Vermont. The farm offered me a refuge from the chaos of the pandemic. But after a rough and rowdy season processing hemp I was ready to get out of the grit and work with CBD on my own terms- in a way that felt sparkly and femme.
In the quiet months that followed I began to dream a new dream: a skincare line that reflected my experiences living on the farm and my prior training as an herbalist.
Everyone around me told me that CBD was dead and that there was no point in trying. But I had this voice in my head that kept telling me to make skincare. I had a pink milk crate that served as my apothecary when I lived in the van and I had some herbs I had collected, Reishi mushrooms we had harvested and dried, and a small stash of CBD. I listened to that voice and started putting things together- just whatever I had in the crate that I knew would be beneficial for the skin- and Glow Serum was born. Honestly, it felt like the whole idea and the recipe had dropped out of the sky and into my lap out of nowhere and it had a life of it’s own. I started with just 24 bottles I made at my best friends house, and I’ve grown from there.
About six months into my business I began to realize that my products were not like the rest. People were sending me photos of their skin clearing up after years of struggling with acne and finding relief from eczema, psoriasis, and chronic skin conditions when nothing else had worked. I got so inspired by the changes I was seeing in people’s skin I decided to go back to school and get my esthetics license. I’m now dual licensed in New Hampshire and Vermont as an esthetician and I get to professionally treat skin everyday from my own private studio in Brattleboro, VT!
In my first 2.5 years of business I’ve sold over 1500 bottles of my signature product, Glow Serum, and helped hundreds of people achieve clear, healthy, glowing skin. This number may not seem big when you think about brands you might find at a big box store, but from my perspective as a handmade business that started with 0 followers, no money, and a little pink milk crate, it makes me extremely proud. But the number of bottles sold will never compare to the results my customers achieve with their skin and the shift this creates in their confidence and self esteem. This is truly the legacy that I’m most proud of.
Today, in addition to running my own brick and mortar beauty business, shipping my products nationally, and offering virtual skin consultations, I also have a community of likeminded estheticians who have joined my community as professional partners and carry Magick Shay in their spas. I never would’ve dreamed any of this would be possible three years ago.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Like so many entrepreneurs in this era I was a pandemic business born out of an economy with no jobs and a lot of free time. My job on the hemp farm was seasonal, and while I had some work lined up afterwards it fell through when my partner got covid and we both had to quarantine for a month. I was able to qualify for unemployment and we were still living in the van because no one was moving out of their apartments either. So I rented a small studio in my town to work and I was able to save some of my money. After I had sold a few rounds of products successfully I decided to invest all my savings in a designer. I remember my partner thought I was crazy – but it paid off. She crystalized my vision when she created the brand design and packaging for my products. Having a cohesive visual brand immediately propelled my business and continues to help me stand out, shine in my uniqueness, and call in my dream customers.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I can’t stress this enough – social proof that your product/service/offering does what you’re saying it will do. Results are so important. Your honesty, integrity, and authenticity are integral to building trust with your audience. I didn’t feel confident claiming that my products could create big results until I had lots of before and after photos in my portfolio. I listened to what people were saying about my products and I created my marketing strategies around their real experiences and the results they were telling me. Also, at a certain point I knew I wanted to go back to school and get my esthetics license not only so I could help people with their skin professionally, but also to give myself legitimacy and credibility when I talk about my products. I wanted be really sure I was educated and could convey my message accurately to both customers and my fellow skin professionals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.magick-shay.com
- Instagram: @magickshay
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/magickshay/
- Other: You can find my local esthetics practice where I offer organic facials and beauty services in Brattleboro, VT at www.brattleborobeauty.com and on instagram @magickshay.skinbar
Image Credits
Shailer Kern Carruth