Lesley Thornton — ”My self-care is preparation for community care.”

Industry luminaries like Lesley Thornton prove that with a little extra care, beauty can offer something much greater than aesthetics—it can leave an imprint on someone's heart.

Lesley's work in the cosmetics industry is far-reaching, and her past roles have ranged from [retired] esthetician to makeup for The Estée Lauder Companies to on-air beauty and skincare expert for Discovery Networks. But most recently, Lesley has channeled her passion and expertise into building Klur—an eco-inclusive botanicals brand made in California.

Industry insights aside, Lesley's journey in building Klur has been a slow and ever-evolving process. Despite the brand's ups and downs, Lesley's careful balance of science-led formulations and refined storytelling has created a business foundation for Klur to endure—and thrive.

For Lesley, inclusivity, sustainability, and community all transcend Klur's mission statement, and her own story is living proof of the holistic impact that comes when we prioritize people over products. In this interview, she shared more about the life experiences that have shaped her approach to building Klur, the importance of visual storytelling—both online and offline—and what she's learned about the inextricable link between self-care and community care. This episode also opens with a story contributed by Stephanie Tam.