The Beauty Journey of Laura Kinnaman-Spears: Turning a Passion for Skincare into a Mission to Empower Women
- LAURA KINNAMAN-SPEARS
- 4 hours ago
- 11 min read
What is your name and what do you want the world to call you?
My name is Laura Kinnaman-Spears. If you ask me today, I'd jokingly say I'd love to be known as the Mary Kay lady who took over the world. But in truth, I hope people know me as someone who helped women rediscover their confidence, one face, one friendship, and one conversation at a time.
Where are you from and where do you call home now?
I'm a proud Oregonian, born and raised. While I'd love the adventure of living somewhere new for a season, Oregon will always be home. Its forests, changing seasons, and slower pace continually remind me to slow down, look around, and find beauty in the everyday.
If someone met you for the first time at a dinner party, how would you want them to describe you after the conversation ended?
I hope they'd describe me as warm, enthusiastic, and genuinely interested in people. More than anything, I hope they'd say they felt seen. If they left our conversation feeling encouraged, smiling a little more than when we first met, then I'd consider that a pretty wonderful introduction.
Take me back. What were you like as a little girl? What did you dream about becoming before the world told you what was realistic?
As a little girl, I was the one who would go out of my way to say hello to people. I loved making connections, even then. My dreams changed often, but they all had one thing in common—I wanted to help people in some way. At different times, I dreamed of becoming a police officer, a firefighter, and later, a performer. I imagined myself as a tap-dancing prima ballerina or singing and dancing on a Broadway stage. Truthfully, a part of me still dreams about all of those things. I don't think we ever completely outgrow the dreams that first make us feel alive.
Was there a moment, a person, or an experience early in your life that shaped how you see yourself today?
I don't think there was one defining moment or one defining person. Instead, it was a collection of experiences. As the oldest of three siblings, with a six- and nine-year age gap, I naturally stepped into a caring role early in life. Watching loved ones navigate health challenges and later becoming a caregiver myself taught me compassion, resilience, and the importance of showing up for people. Along the way, incredible women came into my life who helped me see that life could be bigger than I imagined. They reminded me that we don't have to stay where our stories begin—we have the ability to create something different, both for ourselves and for those around us.
What is something about your upbringing that explains who you are now, even if it does not seem obvious on the surface?
Growing up taught me that every family has parts of its story that are beautiful and parts that are complicated. From an early age, I learned to pay close attention to how people were feeling and to look for ways to bring kindness, encouragement, and stability into the lives of those around me. Looking back, I think that's where my heart for serving others began.
Today, I'm intentional about creating the kind of environment I always longed for—one filled with encouragement, genuine connection, and the belief that people deserve to feel seen, valued, and confident. Those experiences didn't define my future, but they certainly helped shape the woman I've become.
What was happening in your life right before you decided to build what you are building now?
Ironically, this opportunity first found me when I was just 15 years old. A friend invited my mom and me to a mother-daughter skincare party. I remember listening to this incredible woman talk about skincare, but what truly caught my attention wasn't the products—it was her. She was confident, successful, and carried herself with a quiet certainty that captivated me. I vividly remember her driving a red Pontiac Grand Am, and I turned to my mom and said, "You need to sign up."
At the time, I didn't see the opportunity for myself. I saw it for my mom. I wanted her to have something that was hers, something that could help her rediscover herself.
Years later, after becoming a mom myself, I looked at the opportunity through completely different eyes. Around 2017, after becoming a mom myself, I realized it had never really been about skincare. It was about building confidence, creating community, and designing a life where I could be present for my family while helping other women discover the same confidence I had admired all those years before.
.... I realized it had never really been about skincare. It was about building confidence, creating community, and designing a life where I could be present for my family while helping other women discover the same confidence I had admired all those years before.
Was there a breaking point? A moment you knew something had to change?
There wasn't one dramatic moment, it was a series of quiet ones. The weight of financial pressure, raising a family, choosing a private school that aligned with our values, and constantly wondering how we were going to make everything work began to feel overwhelming.
Eventually, I realized I didn't just want to work harder, I wanted to build a life that felt intentional instead of constantly feeling like we were just trying to keep up. That realization became the turning point.
What did you have to walk away from to become who you are today?
More than anything, I've had to walk away from the belief that I wasn't enough.
For a long time, I measured myself against what I thought my life was supposed to look like: college first, then a career, then marriage, then children. My story didn't unfold according to the timeline I thought it should.
I've also had to let go of the fear of hearing "no," the fear of not knowing enough, and the fear of not being smart enough. Motherhood has a funny way of putting things into perspective. It has taught me courage, resilience, and that perfection isn't what qualifies us to make an impact.
Today, I know that my path may have looked different than I imagined, but I wouldn't trade it. Every twist has helped shape the woman I am becoming.
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing in that moment, what would it be?
I would tell her to breathe.
Everything has a way of working itself out, even when it doesn't feel like it in the moment. The seasons where you feel like you're failing are often the seasons where you're growing the most. You don't have to earn your worth by constantly doing more.
Life isn't a race, and there isn't one "right" timeline. Keep showing up, keep believing, and trust that the life you're building is unfolding in ways you can't yet see. One day you'll look back and realize that even the detours were leading you exactly where you needed to be.
How did you land in this specific field? Was it intentional or did it find you?
Honestly, I think it found me long before I was ready for it.
When I was 15, I attended a mother-daughter skincare party and watched a woman who radiated confidence. At the time, I didn't see the opportunity for myself, I saw it for my mom. I wanted her to have something that was hers, something that could help her rediscover herself.
Years later, I signed up simply to receive the consultant discount on my skincare products. I fought the idea of building a business for a long time. But somewhere along the way, I realized this was never just about skincare. It became about confidence, connection, and helping women believe in themselves. Looking back now, I don't think I found this path I think it had been patiently waiting for me all along.
What is the real reason you do this work? Not the polished answer. The true one.
The real reason is simple.
I love watching women see themselves again.
Not just when they look in the mirror after trying a new skincare routine, but when they begin believing they're capable of something they hadn't imagined before. Whether that's starting a business, trying something new, or simply making themselves a priority for the first time in years, those moments are incredibly powerful.
There is something beautiful about watching a woman remember who she is.
What is the transformation you are actually trying to create in the people you serve?
More than beautiful skin, I want to create a place where women feel safe enough to be themselves.
More than beautiful skin, I want to create a place where women feel safe enough to be themselves.
So many women spend years carrying expectations, comparison, self-doubt, or the feeling that they have to keep everyone else happy before taking care of themselves. I want to help peel back those layers until they begin to see the woman who has been there all along strong, capable, resilient, fearless, and worthy.
If someone leaves an experience with me believing in herself just a little more than when she arrived, then I've done what I came to do.
If your business disappeared tomorrow, what is the one thing you would want people to remember it stood for?
I hope people would remember that it stood for confidence, encouragement, and permission to be unapologetically yourself.
Life isn't about having it all figured out before you begin. It's about saying yes to growth, embracing the messy middle, and believing you're worthy of taking up space exactly as you are. If my business helped even one woman feel seen, valued, and brave enough to take a chance on herself, then I would consider it a success. '
When you are not working, who are you? What lights you up that has nothing to do with your business?
When I'm not working, I'm first and foremost a wife and mama to two incredible kids. My favorite moments are often the simplest ones painting with my children, taking spontaneous drives to discover somewhere new, traveling whenever we can, or simply soaking up the beauty of being outdoors.
I've also recently discovered that I'm a bit of a covert gardener. Give me flowers, sunshine, and something growing, and I'm a pretty happy person.
More than anything, I love finding beauty in ordinary moments. I think life is made up of tiny, everyday memories, and those are the ones I want to hold onto.
What does a perfect ordinary Tuesday look like for you right now?
Right now, in the middle of summer, a perfect Tuesday sounds wonderfully simple.
The kids are outside laughing and playing while I steal a few quiet moments with my coffee. I get some meaningful work done, maybe spend time connecting with women or creating something that inspires me, and then the evening slows down. Before bed, I take a few minutes for my skincare routine, a small act of self-care that reminds me to pause.
Nothing extravagant. Just peace, presence, and a home filled with love.
What is something most people do not know about you that you wish they did?
Most people see the business, the social media posts, or the events. What they may not realize is that every part of what I do has been shaped by my own life experiences.
I've learned that people rarely need someone to have all the answers. More often, they simply need someone willing to listen without judgment.
Whether we're sitting across from each other in a coffee shop or connecting through a screen, I hope people leave feeling heard, encouraged, and reminded that they matter. If that's how someone remembers me, then I know I've done something meaningful.
What are you most afraid of, and how has that fear shaped the way you move through the world?
For a long time, I think my greatest fear was being too much for some people and not enough for others.
That fear made me overprepare. I became someone who always had a Plan A, Plan B, and probably a Plan Z, just in case. I wanted to make sure I never let anyone down.
As I've grown, I've realized that authenticity is far more valuable than perfection. The people who are meant to be in my life and in my community don't need me to have all the answers—they simply need me to show up as myself.
I'm still learning that lesson, but each year I become a little more comfortable taking up space exactly as I am.
If you let yourself dream without limits, what does your life look like in five years?
Five years from now, I see a life built with intention.
My business is one of the top in Oregon—not simply because of sales, but because of the women who have grown alongside me. They've built businesses of their own, discovered confidence they didn't know they had, and moved closer to the dreams that once felt out of reach.
Our family has traveled to Greece and Italy, and we're already dreaming about our next adventure. My husband has grown his own business to the point where he has the freedom to choose it full-time, and together we've created a life where we're truly present for our children while doing work we love.
Financially, we've become self-made millionaires—but you might not know it at first glance. We value what I like to call quiet luxury: freedom over flash, experiences over excess, and the peace that comes from knowing we've built a life aligned with our values.
What is the legacy you want to leave behind, separate from money or titles?
I hope my life reminds someone else that if one ordinary woman can build something meaningful, maybe she can too.
Mary Kay Ash often encouraged women to dream bigger than they believed possible, and that philosophy has stayed with me. I want to be remembered as someone who opened doors, shared what she knew, and encouraged women to believe in themselves long before they believed it on their own.
If I helped women feel seen, heard, capable, and courageous enough to chase the life they dreamed about, then that's the legacy I'd be proud to leave behind.
What is one thing you are still working to become, even now?
I'm still learning that I don't have to earn my worth.
I'm learning that it's okay to take up space, to use my voice, and to believe that I am enough exactly as I am. Rest isn't something I have to earn after proving myself, and success doesn't have to come at the expense of peace.
Every season teaches me something new, and I don't think I'll ever stop becoming. I'm simply committed to growing into the next, truest version of myself—with a little more confidence, a little more grace, and a lot more trust in who I'm becoming.
If a woman reading this is standing exactly where you stood before everything changed, what do you want her to know?
I want her to know that she's not behind, she's not too late, and she doesn't have to have everything figured out before she begins.
You are stronger than you think, and you don't have to build your life alone. There is a community waiting to welcome you, encourage you, and remind you of who you are when you've forgotten.
Take the next step, even if it's a small one. Confidence isn't something you're born with—it's something you build, one brave choice at a time. And one day, you'll look back and realize those small choices changed everything.
What is the one sentence you want people to remember about you?
The most beautiful transformation isn't what you see in the mirror, it's what you begin to believe about yourself.
Meet the expert:
Laura Kinnaman-Spears is a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant with nearly two decades of experience helping women rediscover their confidence through skincare, beauty, and meaningful connection. What began as a personal journey of growth and transformation evolved into a passion for empowering women to see themselves differently, embrace self-care, and recognize their own beauty at every stage of life. Through her Sunshine and Lipstick community, Laura continues to inspire women to simplify their routines, celebrate who they are, and create moments of confidence in their everyday lives.
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