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Issue link: https://dayspamagazine.epubxp.com/i/99723
5 QUESTIONS WITH... Christine Heathman, founder and CEO of GlyMed Plus "I never planned to have a large company," says Christine Heathman. "My mission was—and still is—to develop the best skin care for the best estheticians and make people feel good about themselves." Over the past 20 years, however, Heathman's modest skincare venture, GlyMed Plus, has grown to become quite the heavy hitter in the Heathman with one of her five cherished French bulldogs, Pugsley. industry, largely due to her voracity for new formulations and unstoppable excitement to share them with the world. Heathman's love affair with skin care has personal underpinnings. "I had horrible acne as a young woman," she explains. "I wasn't able to secure satisfactory results through doctors, dermatologists or over-the-counter remedies, so I researched everything there was to know about acne and, in understanding its causes, I was able to manage it myself through my own solutions and diet." This experience led Heathman to seek ways she could help others with similar or worse skin conditions. From working as an apprentice for experienced medical professionals in her mid-20s, she gained the vital knowledge, skills and support needed to eventually launch her own company. "I was always interested in ingredients, particularly alpha hydroxy acids," Heathman says. "So, in 1991, I just decided to go to the next level, and launched GlyMed Plus." To date, Heathman has some 10 skincare lines under her belt and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, last year, the company reformulated and rebranded its Physicians Elite product line as Master Aesthetics Elite, expanding its distribution to include all skincare professionals (previously it was only available to physicians). And, to accommodate growing operations, GlyMed Plus relocated from its previous base in Spanish Fork, Utah, to a larger facility in nearby Provo, last October. Despite the company's success and growth, Heathman says her unorthodox business approach has never wavered. "To this day, I hate doing paperwork," she admits. "I'd rather be behind the chair treating someone's skin. No amount of money could ever change that."—Angela Melero 42 DAYSPA | JANUARY 2013 To what do you attribute GlyMed Plus' success? Results-oriented products. The truth is, it's easy to have pretty skin—all you need to do is apply some Crisco and you'll have a glowing complexion. However, when you have skin that is severely distressed by acne, photo damage, hyperpigmentation or burns, effective solutions are necessary. With us, there's no fluff or gimmicks involved—we're just about serious skin care that delivers results. 1 Tell us about new product research and development. First I'll read about new ingredients and developments, and determine what is needed from a skincare delivery standpoint. Then I'll reach out to a biochemist to figure out how to go about developing a formulation. That's always the trick—I'll have all of these ideas in my head, but will be clueless about how to put them together. I may understand ingredients, but I am no scientist! After a few billion prototypes are created, and a winning formula has been selected, we test the product and prepare it for market. 2 What do you do when you're not running a skincare company? I love to spend time with my horses on my ranch in Spanish Fork—there's such an honest quality about horses. I'm actually a huge animal lover and have 15 3 horses, some chickens and goats, and seven dogs, five of which are French bulldogs. I'm so attached to those five that I bring them to work with me every day. They have their own room, adjacent to my office. Glass doors separate us, which allows them to watch me work! I also have seven grandchildren, whom I love to visit as often as possible. Is GlyMed Plus a family affair? Yes, I work with my two sons— my youngest is the vice president and my oldest is the director of operations. It has been wonderful working with them, largely because we are careful not to bring family issues or personal circumstances to work. We all realize this is a business, and there is work to be done. I respect both of them for the respective talents and skills they bring to the table. I believe they feel the same about me. 4 If you had not been bitten by the skincare bug, what would you be doing now? As a little girl I wanted to be a veterinarian because of my deep love for animals, but as an adult I became passionate about forensic sciences. I love problem-solving and mysteries. About 10 years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. For a week, I took part in a program in which I participated in various investigative exercises and visited a forensics lab. That was a lot of fun! 5