Long before she gained renown for her company’s revolutionary antiaging treatments, Lana Kerr was cutting her entrepreneurial teeth on a variation of an old proverb. Don’t cry over spoiled milk—not when you can turn it into a business.
Kerr’s father owned a dairy farm and processing plant in Jamaica, from which he sold milk and juice to supermarkets and resorts in the island nation where his daughter was raised. When Kerr saw her father disposing of old milk, she recalled the words he repeated throughout her youth: “To have your own business,” he would say, “you need to find a need and fill it.”
“I thought there must be something we can do with the milk,” she says “So, at 19, I opened a pig farm—and raised pigs who love spoiled milk. Jerk pork stands were always looking for more pigs, so I raised and sold them to the jerk stands.”
Decades later, after an early career in accounting and finance, Kerr embarked on a professional wellness journey thanks in large part to her younger brother, who had been hospitalized with a blood disorder. The nutrition and natural food supplements that propelled his recovery inspired in Kerr a passion to help others reach their health goals.
After 10 years of specializing in weight loss and life coaching as CEO of TKL Wellness, Kerr debuted Lumisque Skincare in February 2016. The company’s flagship product from Japan, CO2Lift, has been a game-changer in the anti-aging sphere for reasons Kerr shares in this interview with Lifestyle.
After a decade of helping clients lose weight and deal with eating dependencies, you launched Lumisque Skincare. What prompted the transition to anti-aging treatments?
When people achieved their ideal weight, it made them start to look at other areas of their body that they may want to improve on. I saw this as a natural fit for our business and opened a spa. Looking for something new that would set my spa apart from others, I did extensive research on more innovative skin care than what was available. That’s when I discovered carboxytherapy. Soon after, CO2Lift Carboxy Gel was born.
For people who don’t know about carboxytherapy, what makes it such a compelling offering in the rejuvenation sphere?
Carboxytherapy is the therapeutic use of carbon dioxide to regenerate tissue. Having the gel delivery system is compelling because it’s a pain-free application and versatile in its indications. It quickly rejuvenates the face, neck and body.
We also have an application for intimate skin. The CO2LiftV is a hormone-free, at-home vulva/vaginal treatment that quickly brings back lubrication, increases sensitivity and keeps pH balance. People today are looking for noninvasive options that are fast acting, effective and safe. The CO2Lift carboxy line fits that profile perfectly.
Japan seems to have had an influence on you. What wisdom and education have you gleaned from your travels there that have had an impact?
I love the country and the people. But the technology that they’ve developed in skin care is truly amazing. It was there that I found the scientists that patented a gel delivery system for carboxytherapy. We have the exclusive rights to that technology.
Samurai warriors would [recover quickly from] their wounds by bathing in the carbonic hot springs. So, the history of using carbon dioxide to regenerate skin is a very old practice. It was natural that Japan would be the first to develop a gel delivery system of the gas.
The anti-aging market is inundated with products. What are some red flags for consumers when it comes to the claims made by various products?
The cosmeceutical market is unregulated, so many products can have claims that are not backed by science. For us, it was important that we invested in clinical studies to back our claims. Also, with skin being our largest organ, it’s important to make sure that the ingredients are safe. Consumers need to do their due diligence before using any skin-care product.
Can you talk about the connection between the work you’ve done over the past two decades and the empowering impact it’s had for women?
Following my own journey through health and wellness, I have been privileged to work with thousands of women to help them—whether it be improving their self-image or providing a career for dozens of women so that they can be and feel in control of their lives.
Presently, my passion is helping women understand that we’re not a victim of aging. To age is a blessing because it means we are getting wiser. We just don’t need to look or feel older. The CO2Lift line is able to quickly revive and maintain our youth and youthful function.
Particularly in our sexual lives, I want women to understand that skin care is for more than just our face. It also includes our intimate skin, which, when restored, impacts our quality of life. Throughout my career, I’ve strived to be a voice to help women see that the changes that take place as we move through life are normal. Yet, there are options that make this process graceful.
