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

Hi Carin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I first got out of college, I believed it was the norm for everyone to work in the corporate world so for 7 years I strived to move up the corporate ladder. However, I always felt unhappy and unfullfilled. I realized that I needed to do something I love and thats when I decided to become my own boss. I knew I wanted to be involved in skincare which led me to selling Korean skincare products online. After noticing that many CEO’s of skincare websites were estheticians, I too wanted to get my esthetician’s license so I would be more knowledgable in the products I sold. Once I started school, I soon realized I had a great passion for beautifying skin and facials and knew I wanted to pursue being an esthetician which then led me to start Skin by Carin.

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?
Skin by Carin offers facials, body sculpt, and lash lifts. I create my own facials and am very proud of the unique menu of services. I’m consistently studying new products and massage techniques to better my craft so my facials are always evolving.

My body sculpt consists of applying a synthetic version of lipase with a fat cavitation device to deeply penetrate into your fat cells to break down and release the fat naturally through your body’s system. Lipase breaks down fat in targeted areas and is great for stubborn fat that is not responsive to diet & exercise.

Getting to where I am now did not come easily. Leaving a comfortable job was diffcult but I’ve learned to believe in myself with the help of my family and come to know that it’s possible to start over and find purpose in your life. It’s been a tough 2 years as I launched my business at the start Covid. With several lock downs, it was challenging as a new business owner. I really had to push through to keep a positive outlook and a “never give up” attitude. I never stopped hustling and tried to find different ways to get my name out there. I’ve since had several collaborations with well known brands, influencers and musical artists.

I strive to share the knowledge about Korean facials. Korean facials always include a double cleanse, exfoliation, extractions, massage, mask, modalities, and dermal layering. All these steps are essential to achieving beautiful skin. I specialize in anti-aging and scar treatments, using a mixture of products and machines to help clients with those skin concerns.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I am located in Koreatown, Los Angeles so the first place I would introduce is Chapman Plaza. Located in the heart of Koreatown, this historic plaza hosts several restaurants and bars and is the most popular hangout spot. I will definitely take them to try Korean BBQ as we have tons of great restaurants with Ahgassi, Baek Jeong, Hanu, and Quarters being my favorite.

Next we’ll take a less than 10 minute drive to Downtown LA where we can walk around, go shopping and visit my favorite museum, The Broad. There’s also alot of new trendy rooftop restaurants and bars to explore.

I’ll have to introduce them some of the best luxury shopping at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and sit at a sidewalk cafe for a nice lunch or dinner.

If they’re up for the beach, we can head over to Malibu where there’s amazing seafood and beautiful views. Finally, a visit to LA wouldn’t be complete without a scenic hike up to the Griffith Observatory or the Hollywood sign.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family. From the moment I expressed my desire to pursue a new career path they have been nothing but 100% supportive. It was a very hard transition to start all over, give up benefits and a steady paycheck. They really gave me the push to start my own business and leave the corporate life. Their belief in me and neverending support really helped launch my business to where it is today.

Website: www.skinbycarin.biz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skin.by.carin/?hl=en

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/skin-by-carin-los-angeles?osq=skin+by+carin

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.