Meet Robina McWilliams: Medical aesthetician performing/teaching a combination of medical and holistic skin care

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robina McWilliams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robina, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Outsiders might not realize that Aestheticians are in the perfect position to do more for our skin issues than any other health care professional ever can! We’re about so much more than outer beauty. Sure we do facials and Botox but the real work is psycho-aesthetics, which means we treat the whole person; we get to know the person, their lifestyle plus their joys and sorrows in life. Most people come to see us because they want to look and feel better about themselves, not really knowing that their inner thoughts and feelings might have a huge impact on how they look and show up in this world. After initial evaluation we often work together to bring out the inner beauty, with help from Botox, lasers. and most importantly, releasing of thoughts, traumas and feelings that no longer serve them. We do that by using different modalities like emotion code, energy work, sage and rituals, sound therapy, along with facial and laser therapy. We’re striving to achieve total beauty, inside and out! Since we see our clients on a regular basis, we’re able to combine these modalities to meet their mental and physical needs. This also helps our clients get a huge self confidence boost from their inner self! 

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets you apart from others, I will have to say our holistic approach to all of our treatments. Not only do we treat our client/patience but we also developed a 90% organic based skin care line of products so you can keep up the results at home This is an important factor when choosing us. For example, even when doing a simple Botox procedure, we recommend electrical facials in combo, not only to be able to use less/moderate amount of Botox, but also to have the effect of Botox lasting longer. We offer calming techniques during our acne treatments because we know stress plays a role in how our skin performs. Stress can affect your hormones, and an imbalance in your hormones can affect your breakouts. Did you know your skin can be negatively affected by just going through life changing situations like divorce or loss of a loved one, which can age you by 5-10 years? These are some of the things we are highly sensitive to and have a great deal of knowledge about. By combining medical and holistic therapies we look for long lasting results that benefit your body, mind and soul. We should never compromise our inner health for outer beauty and I Believe we can have both. Our motto is the more you communicate the better we connect and the better we connect the better the results. What you are most proud of or excited about. I am mostly excited for the acceptance of these types of modalities in the spa industry. I am so glad I never gave up on sharing my true self with my clients and kept introducing “weird” and unknown self-care practices. Now 30 plus years in and I still get excited about the healing and transformation that happens inside and out for many of my clients. I am proud of my commitment to bringing holistic based clinical therapies to the beauty industry and offering classes and weekend seminars to spa professionals to future their careers. How did you get to where you are today business-wise? It definitely wasn’t straight forward, but I got better and better at my craft, a year at a time and an opportunity at a time. I never backed down and I never stopped learning. I kept Introducing different therapies and concepts for natural beauty from all around the world, and even though it took some time for my clients to warm up, once my clients experienced the results it was a win-win. It’s amazing that when people understand that there are alternative ways to health and beauty, they are more invested and open minded. Education is the key! Was it easy? No, nothing meaningful is ever easy, but definitely worth it! We are all spiritual beings having this human experience, and it’s our mission to help each other connect on a deeper level. If not, how did you overcome the challenges? I like surrounding myself with like-minded people that also feel they have a greater mission outside of their chosen profession. It keeps me motivated and grounded. What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way? Follow your gut and/or your higher self. It will never lead you astray. Getting to know myself has been the biggest and best part of my beauty industry journey and lessons I have learned. Sure, it’s scary and it’s a lifelong project but it’s also a masterpiece that no one else can create but you. Accepting that obstacle are lessons and lesson are building blocks for success. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story? That I believe real beauty is inside all of us! So a definite inside job! Waiting for us to acknowledge the inner self by loving on it. I strive everyday to be of service and share my knowledge and passion with others that are searching for a better version of themselves. My commitment to helping my industry move into more self-healing and self-loving and educating my fellow skin and body care therapists to embrace the natural and holistic therapies, while combining clinical modalities, is a way of the future for our industry. My knowledge in product development has given me an edge so I can provide a complete treatment plan and give my clients a one stop experience for home care and in-office treatments. Developing my Ekte Skin Care line has been an exciting part of my business. Knowing what goes on my clients’ skin when they leave my office is just as important as what I apply on their face when performing in office treatments.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ahh so much to do so little time. I would definitely book a Tee time and hit the links. We have some of the best golf courses in the Northern Colorado area; Highland Meadow, Pelican Lakes and Ptarmigan. Also having lunch or dinner at any of these golf courses, which have amazing views, would make you feel like you are on vacation. Beautiful sunsets overlooking lakes and pools. The Promenade shops at Centerra are fantastic, the best outlets for bargains and fun indoor and outdoor shopping! Christmas shopping and eating at some of the outdoor restaurants would be a treat. Since Windsor is conveniently located in the middle of Loveland and Fort Collins, I would not miss a hike up in the Horsetooth Reservoir area, since I am a outdoor enthusiast.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My 3 daughter have had a huge influence on the shape and needs for my business. Sarah, my oldest, was unfortunately plagued with acne at a young age, so finding relief for her acne that worked fairly quickly and didn’t require medicine was a great deal of motivation for me. That led to the creation of a line of Ekte acne products. My middle daughter, Helen, was venturing into makeup wearing age, but didn’t need heavy and harsh makeup ingredients to mess with her delicate skin. We bonded over creating a safe and light Ekte mineral based makeup line for young teens. Lastly, my youngest daughter Monica has always followed along in all the phases of my business, and when I realized she loved luxury and pampering and also was plagued with dry hands, We developed the Ekte body care line with ingredients such as pomegranate, green tea and coconut.

Website: www.ekteskincare.com
Instagram: ekte holistic med spa
Facebook: Ekte Holistic Med Spa
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3yCoPi1WwM

Image Credits
Ivy Moya