MEET KAREN ASQUITH: NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, G.M. COLLIN SKIN CARE
Founded in France in 1957 by a dermatologist and aesthetician, the professionally distributed G.M. Collin Skin Care is now based in Montreal. As the national director of education for the brand, Karen Asquith provides skincare training programs and guidance for an international staff of 140. She is a sought after speaker at skin care industry forums because G.M. Collin has a long history of being on the cutting edge of new ingredients beginning with collagen over 50 years ago to the latest in plant stem cell technology. You can also find her as a guest contributor to Web M.D.
Karen puts her technical knowledge to practice too. Since 200, she has been the lead aesthetician at the pre-Oscar suite, giving G.M. Collin skin care treatments to celebrities. In 2011, she added the Golden Globes to her itinerary.
Please tell us a bit about your background. How did you find your way to the field of aesthetics?
I always had an interest in aesthetics; however. my journey into this field began in part time college courses in cosmetology as I was enrolled in a full-time program in engineering technology. Upon completion of my engineering program, I realized that my interest in skin care was my true passion and at that point I enrolled in an aesthetic program realizing that this was the career path I truly wanted to follow.
What professional treatments really turn back the hands of time?
There are many professional treatments that will assist in both preventative and corrective actions on the skin. Presently the most popular that have proven scientific data to back them up are treatments that include peptides, growth factors, stem cells, retinol, and chemical peels.
What is your recommendation for treating acne?
Acne can be addressed with multiple ingredients. Probiotics, anti-microbial peptides, and salicylic acid are all ingredients that work well to minimize acne. Oxygen complex has proven to minimize the p. acnes bacteria, as this bacteria is anerobic, therefore, is unable to sustain itself in the presence of oxygen.
Do you believe in using active ingredients like retinol or glycolic acid?
Both of these ingredients have scientific data to prove their effectiveness for anti-aging treatments. Although they should not be used simultaneously, as this could cause over-stimulation to the skin, they should be incorporated in an anti-aging skin care regimen.
Are there any new anti-aging technologies that you find really exciting?
Growth factors are relatively new in skin care and when they are used in combination with other anti-aging actives they provide exceptional results in minimizing lines and wrinkles on the skin. Adipofillin™ is an active ingredient that won a gold award in 2012. It mimics lipo-filling results without injections to provide a more youthful looking skin. Tetrapeptide 26 boosts the expression of “clock genes,†which help to synchronize the cellular processes to protect the skin in the day and repair the skin at night.
If you could create any skin care product what would it be? Let your imagination soar.
This is a very complex question and truthfully there is really not one product that I could imagine that would be effective for everyone. As there are various skin types and even more skin conditions they all require different treatments to be properly addressed. I truly believe that within our G.M.Collin skin care collection we have products to assist with all skin types and conditions that provide the desired results. Also the skin undergoes changes at different ages, therefore what is require at age 30 is different than age 50. The key is to find a product line that has formulations to address the physiological changes for all ages which G.M.Collin has.
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