Lesley Thornton / Design by Tiana Crispino
When Lesley Thornton became an esthetician 12 years ago, creating a skincare line was not a part of her initial vision. However, as she continued to tend to her clients, she realized the skincare industry was missing something. So, in January 2019, she launched Klur. The brand has become known for its eco-inclusive, holistic approach to skincare, earning awards for products like Gentle Matter.
"Klur is built around purposefulness," Thornton says. "It's not just about sustainability. It also has to come back to our name, our reputation, and what we want our legacy to be. I built a brand I wanted to immerse myself in for the rest of my life, which meant it had to be very intentional."
Having been a skincare expert for over a decade, it's no surprise that Thornton has tons of insightful thoughts on products, routines, and ingredients. So, of course, we had to ask her about how she cares for her skin. Ahead, she opens up about her philosophy on skincare, the difference between her morning and nighttime routine, and why gentle cleansers are a game-changer.
About Her Skin
I am maturing. I'm 40, so I see those early fine lines. My main target is to keep my skin as healthy, resilient, and firm as possible. My main issues are dehydration and moisturization. I do tend to keep my skin as balanced as possible.
How She Got Into Skincare
I got into skincare because I was an esthetician who wanted to create a line for her clients. I wanted to make a minimal, sustainable, and effective botanical brand. Many professional lines are very clinical and unavailable to the public or are so clinical that they're difficult to understand. I wanted the science of professional products to be available to consumers. I also wanted my education as an esthetician to be something my clients could absorb.
Klur
Her Morning Routine vs. Night Routine
I wake up in the morning, and if I feel it's necessary, I wash my face with water. I don't use any cleansers at all in the morning. That's one of the big tips I will share with people. If you do your skincare very well at night, for the most part, you shouldn't have to have a complicated morning routine. Then I will go in with Klur's Symmetry Fluid ($70), a hydration and protection serum, and SPF moisturizer.
My primary skincare routine is a nighttime routine. Your skin is dictated by a lot of your hormones, so my night routine focuses on bringing down my cortisol and getting into a deep sleep so that my skin can rejuvenate itself as well. I use magnesium and glycine, which are amino acids, retinol, and facial oils—all the good stuff.
The Skincare Step She Never Skips
Every night I put oil over any treatment to seal everything. We have an oil called Unseasonal Kind ($90). It contains the one ingredient I use every night: Coenzyme Q10.
How Her Skincare Routine Changed Overtime
I made many mistakes before I had the knowledge I have now. I jumped into prescription retinol before using vitamin A long-term. I should have used something over the counter for three to six months and then gone into prescription retinol. I burned my skin badly in the early 2010s with retinol, which left a bad mark on my face.
The Product That's Made the Biggest Difference
Cleanser. Simplifying my cleanser didn't just change my skin; it changed my clients' skin [too]. This encouraged me to start building a brand because I realized many people got it wrong. A lot of people are still getting it wrong. Gentle cleansing fundamentally changed every single person's skin that I've ever worked on.
Klur
The Best Skincare Advice She Ever Received
[A nutritionist told me] to practice an anti-inflammatory diet. Our skin is an organ, so it's going to reflect what's really going on inside.
Her Skincare Pet Peeve
That everyone is starting a skincare line.
Her Most Used Product
Eucerin's Body Wash. I use it every single day.
The Product That Has Been in Her Routine the Longest
Because I'm a founder, I change it up quite a bit because I'm constantly introducing new things for testing purposes. But the longest would be KLUR's Gentle Matter ($40). That's my oldest product.
The Skincare Product She's Loving Right Now
Merit's Great Skin Instant Glow Serum ($38). I love how it made my skin shine. It's like a hybrid makeup skincare product, and I love stuff like that.
