Between Kindred Studio’s sleek shelves of little jars and dropper bottles sits a vintage, golden scale. It’s simple, elegant and balanced, just like Kindred’s approach to skin care.
The new studio at Larkin on Memorial in Grant Park is owned and operated by estheticians Kelly Painter and Amy Tecosky, who know a thing or two about equilibrium – for both skin and business.
“Everything for us is about balance,” Tecosky said, “We saw that scale when we were in an antique store and it was an impulse purchase, but it symbolizes everything. There was like a golden halo around it.”
Painter and Tecosky first bonded as estheticians at Aviary Beauty Collective. When they discovered they had the same vision of opening their own studio, and that their opposing earth and water signs made for a strong team, they took the plunge became esthetician entrepreneurs.
“We always laugh because we are opposites in so many ways, but when we put our minds together, the compromises we come up with and what we create is the most perfect combination,” Painter said.
In just one week last summer, they flipped two small studio spaces into a warm reception area that leads into a cozy facial room. In the first months of business, the beauty entrepreneurs have seen many people come in for their first facial ever. Kindred’s personal approach to an initial consultation addresses skin care concerns and needs before the customer slides into a fluffy blankets (atop a heated table!) for a facial customized to their skin type.
“Living in Georgia, we can see what our true skin type is in the fall and winter,” Painter said. “You can see what kind of skin you truly have when it’s not irritated and puffy due to and humidity and you can pinpoint what’s going on with the skin because you don’t have prickly heat and allergies.”
For girls reaching for serums and toners, Kindred has created the “Teenybopper” as an introductory facial that paves the way for a healthy and empowered skincare routine. “If I could go back in time and give myself a ‘Teenybopper,’ the amount of stress and pain through my teens and twenties would be so significantly different.” Painter said.
Every service on Kindred’s menu is accommodated to the client’s skin type, age and skin needs.
The signature service “The Kin” (90 minutes, $170) is recommended for first time clients. Clients can bring in current products, discuss skin concerns and create a home plan with product recommendations. “The ‘Ol Faithful” (60 minutes, $110) is a customizable facial with extractions, masque, and ultrasonic cleansing. Those interested in professional microdermabrasion can try “The Game Changer” (60 minutes, $160) to increase collage production. “Oxygen Treatment” (30 minutes, $150) uses therapeutic oxygen under pressure to infuse a unique serum of hyaluronic acid, essential vitamins and antioxidants into the skin for a facial that looks fresh for nearly a week.
“It’s not just performing frivolous services, it’s about educating people and letting them take information home with them, not holding on to any secrets,” Painter said. “Going into the science behind what we are doing lets people feel they are getting the most bang for their buck,” Tecosky echoed.
For more information, visit kindredstudioatl.com.