Karen McIntosh: LUBU

(Aesthetician, Make-Up Artist and Curator of Her Own Make-Up Brand)

It’s challenging to find anyone more positive and upbeat than Karen. Her heart-based approach to life is as much a part of her brand as her love of pink or her soft spoken voice. Karen came to us last year, to begin developing a brand for her new makeup line: LUBU. It was a venture of love, as she had carefully selected her own products for quality, colour, and ingredients. They were products that she would want to use in a professional capacity, and be able to recommend to her clients.

Karen’s brand celebrates everything girly. Reveling in soft colours, orchids, and glitter. Her photoshoot was one of our first product shots in our new office, and we were thrilled with the beautiful flat lays and her headshots in the park amongst a volume of pink balloons.

Karen’s journey as an entrepreneur has not always been pretty pink roses. Her gentle persistence has seen her through being a single parent, the illness of her mom, and, in the heat of launching her new make-up line, her products were held at the border, causing delays that lasted for months. “It’s challenging to not get burnt out during a time like that” Karen says. She was grateful for her home-based business and loyal clientele, that kept her income going. But she realized that the growth of her business was paused as she rode out the additional storms of life.

Amaranthine is a beautiful spa location on King St. in Oshawa.

In the spring of 2017 however, things began to turn around. We got a lovely email from Karen announcing that she was renting a new space out of Amaranthine spa in Oshawa. Eager to celebrate this next step, we stopped by for a visit (and a volcanic ash facial!). Over a rejuvenating masque and a head massage, Karen explained her secret to success: “You have to stay positive, rest when you need it, and keep moving forward”. She has nearly completed the overwhelming paperwork that is involved when importing her makeup products and is ready to begin a redesign of her labels.

“It’s a lot of paperwork. I had to call all the manufacturers and research ingredients and how much was in each product… I’m proud of myself for completing it, because it’s one of those things that pop up, and prevent some people from moving forward, but I’m just going to keep going.”

Karen’s new space reflects her gentle but ambitious nature. It’s beautiful and filled with natural light. “I rent here because while some people feel comfortable coming to a home salon, some clients prefer a professional and relaxing space. Amaranthine is filled with a lot of great ladies who are lovely to work with. It’s nice to be around other people, and trade clients back and forth when we can. It feels like a real community.” Her treatment space has its own bathroom and is a refuge for anyone who needs to check out for some self-care. “I know how important it was for me to take care of myself when I was doing too much, and so I love being able to offer that time and experience to others.”

Karen’s facials are truly comprehensive, including hot towels on the feet, hand and head massage. The volcanic ash facial product is a favorite of Karen’s, “It pulls toxins out of the skin, and its so silky smooth on your skin before it tightens up. You can really feel it working.”

Karen is a great example of an entrepreneur who keeps her mind on her business, and her business on her mind. She’s an inspiration to all the other practitioners out there who are thinking of going out on their own, and her experience with her new makeup line will only add to her wealth of knowledge. But Karen’s greatest business skill by far, it is her mindset. By taking care of herself, knowing when to rest, and always moving forward, she provides an example of how to grow your business sustainably.