KAREN BALLOU

This founder/CEO realizes that the skincare market can be full of empty promises. Today, consumers are intelligent and want to know that the ingredients they’ll use on their skin are naturally derived. They care about their health and well-being and wish to avoid the synthetically derived overload of chemicals encountered every day. Not a day goes by that Karen does not receive questions from those who want to understand what it is they’re putting on their face and body and how it all works. For that reason, Immunocologie products are formulated based on the skin as a living organ. It needs nutrients to thrive.

Beauty brands often find their roots in their founders’ backstories, from how they discovered skincare to relieve the skin woes that plagued them over the years. Immunocologie is no different. In 2008, Karen was diagnosed with cancer. During treatment, she found it a necessity to care for her skin due to adverse reactions to drug therapies. Her background as an esthetician and developing skincare products for 30 years at top companies eventually led to her current career as the head of Immunocologie—with an emphasis on natural.

And so Immunocologie was launched in 2014.

New York Lifestyles Magazine met with Karen Ballou recently to learn more about this fascinating woman and what she sees for the future.

Tell us a bit more about yourself and your background.
From a young age, I knew I wanted to help people. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a doctor or nurse, but I envisioned being a doer. Skin became a real passion from spending time with my grandmother during her skincare routines which led to being interested in the cosmetic industry and having a natural knack for chemistry. From mixing my first perfume kit or concocting my grandmother’s oils, I loved formulating and working with my hands. 

So, instead of becoming a doctor, I became a pioneer in the cosmetic and aesthetic industry, where I started my career in beauty with Elizabeth Arden and then onto Redken. Following this, I trained as a master esthetician. I opened a school in Atlanta, Georgia, and my first spa in Chicago, Illinois, and began consulting for major skincare brands and bringing innovation to the market. As life continued, I had four children and continued developing products, which I call soil-to-seed and seed-to-market. 

Fourteen years ago, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and much to my surprise, it was the beginning of my intense work of looking at the ingredients I was putting on and, in my body. Something a lot of us don’t think about. But because I was working on a new project with French green clay, it was recommended that it would be a great source to use during my chemo treatment. It wasn’t until I was in remission and was feeling better that my immune system was in a healthy state. I was ready for my next journey. This was when Immunocologie was born, which means studying the skin’s immunity. The products we use support natural immunity, giving the best skin results. 

Were there other changes you made after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
After my diagnosis, I began with a naturopathic doctor; it changed my life and way of looking at how I lived. Finally, I could fine-tune my habits to support my health and not take what I was doing for granted. I always ask, “is it good for me?” Eating better, sleeping, and exercising are now life-long habits that I partake in every day to keep me at my best.

What is the importance of French green clay used in all Immunocologie products?
When I was diagnosed, I was already working with an ethnobotanist on a project containing French green clay. We were using clay water within the clay products and found that its properties are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antimicrobial. It was most effective on the largest organ in our body, the skin. The discovery gave me the knowledge and understanding of how we can treat the skin’s microbiome naturally and have a delivery system.

Immunocologie uses this mineral-based delivery system founded from French green clay, creating an ionic exchange that brings energy to our skin cells and has a multitude of uses, including purifying, detoxing, and hydrating while supporting healthy skin naturally. The most important thing about French green clay is that it’s the best of all Earth clays and has 12 essential minerals that are imperative for the health and detox of the skin.  

Tell us how clay is used and whether there are other vital ingredients.
Most people believe all clays are alike. However, there is a distinction between different clays and their minerals. For example, the French green clay, also known as Montmorillonite, combines lava, and bentonite. Immunocologie means the study of the skin’s immunity, but also that skin health is health. We use this clay to support our brand purpose of the best ingredients for beauty from the outside, combined with our other plant-based ingredients that support the skin.