5 Questions with Karen Asquith of G.M. Collin

PPCO Twist SystemEpubXpress – Text PDFWhat is it like to work at G.M. Collin?

It’s all about teamwork there. We all work toward the same goal and are very passionate about what we do, which is to help estheticians achieve their career goals. There’s a lot of excitement when we help an individual grow their business and can see the positive impact we’ve made through product innovation and account support.

How do you stay up to-date on the latest skincare innovations and products?

I read trade and medical magazines to learn about new discoveries in dermatology. I subscribe to quite a few medical research publications and do a lot of my own online research. I also regularly take part in webinars, since they’re so accessible now.

What does your own skincare regimen consist of?

Everything! I talk the talk and walk the walk. I have two estheticians that I see every week, interchangeably. My waxing and professional facials are done every two weeks and I also have a diligent home care routine that consists of cleansing, deep cleansing, creams, lip treatment, exfoliation, masks and, of course, SPF. I won’t even take out the trash without putting on sunblock first. I’m a total product junkie!

How do you spend your time away from the office?

I like to try things that make me a little nervous. I recently tried zip-lining and hang gliding (see above)! Since I spend a lot of time sitting at a desk and researching skin care, I need to balance that out by challenging myself with physical activity. I love outdoor sports like tennis and golf.

What are your top three priorities in life?

The first is to be a good person. I always try to be the best I can be. My family and friends tie into this because I believe being a good person involves putting them first. My second priority is being a student. I want to spend my life learning and trying new things. I never want to plateau or become stagnant in my personal or professional growth. My third priority is giving back and helping others. I’ve been so blessed over the years and to be able to repay that somehow is important to me.

 

Karen Asquith’s love affair with skin care began when she was a young girl growing up in Canada. Even at the age of five, “I was fascinated by the neighborhood Avon lady,” she recalls. “She would stop by and show my mother products and makeup. I was always right there, watching. I was so intrigued by all the different creams and face masks she carried with her, and sometimes she would give me samples to try.”

As the years progressed, Asquith’s interest in the beauty world grew, and she eventually set her sights on being an esthetician. Her dream was a risky one, as back in the 1970s, esthetics wasn’t a well-known profession. For this reason, Asquith’s parents and school guidance counselors strongly dissuaded her from pursuing it as a career, and instead encouraged her to choose a more stable profession. To appease the grownups, Asquith went to college and studied engineering technology. However, always the rebellious one, she also managed to sneak in a cosmetology course or two in the evenings to “feed her appetite” for skin care!

Not surprisingly, Asquith’s career as an engineer never came to fruition; instead she started to follow a career in esthetics as soon as she graduated college. “Although I find engineering interesting, it’s also very dry,” she explains. “It was everyone’s dream for me but my own.” With her goals and aspirations as driving forces, Asquith dived into esthetics training and, after completing the program at Susanna Chowles College of Aesthetics in Oakville, Ontario (which has since closed), she promptly attained a spa treatment space within a local hair salon in nearby Hamilton. Then, after gaining some experience managing her own operation, Asquith took a full-time gig as an instructor at the LubaMera School of Aesthetics & Cosmetology in Hamilton. It was there that she first came across French skincare brand G.M. Collin.

“I started to become familiar with the company while attending trade shows and teaching for the college,” she recalls. “I was immediately drawn to its professionalism.” So drawn, in fact, that Asquith joined the G.M. Collin team as a sales representative in 1993 and eventually rose to her current position as national technical training manager. Asquith credits her loyal service over the years to the company’s innovative business model and high-tech product lines.

“The brand aims to elevate the esthetician to a higher level of education and business acumen through trainings and seminars,” she says. “It works so hard to ensure professionals succeed and remain on the cusp of skincare trends, and I love being a part of that!”

—by Angela Melero

 

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