Surviving Breast Cancer, Thriving In the Business World

At just 31, Blaire Kessler, CEO of Pristine Recovery, Inc., was diagnosed with breast cancer. Read how this cancer survivor used her unbelievable journey to create a business that helps others just like her.

November 4, 2008

Atlanta Woman:   You are so young. Did you ever think you'd be diagnosed with breast cancer this early in your life? How did your family react to the news?
Blaire Kessler, CEO of Pristine Recovery Inc.: Being diagnosed at 31 was quite shocking, especially when there is no history of breast cancer in my family. Further, I had just had a baby five months before my diagnosis, and I was really happy being a new mother. I have always led a healthy lifestyle. I do not drink or smoke. I exercise, and I am the only person in my family that loves broccoli, which is another reason why my family was completely shocked and freaked out when I was diagnosed. The reality sunk in that issues like this can come up for anyone at anytime.

AW:  What in your personal experience made you realize there was a need for an all-natural cosmetics line, particularly for cancer survivors?
Kessler: When you are diagnosed at a young age with a frightening disease like cancer, and you feel like you are one of the ones that follow the rules of living healthy in order to prevent disease, you begin to look at every aspect of your life through a magnifying glass wondering, “Why, why me?”

After I was diagnosed and began treatment, I started to have issues with my hair looking frizzy and becoming very weak and breaking off. In addition, I had numerous surgeries and had scars that were rather unattractive and red all the time. I was given some products for recovery, and I decided to look and see what was in these products that were going to make me have long luxurious locks and get rid of those doggone scars. THAT is when I had an epiphany ... CHEMICALS! I couldn't pronounce half the words on the ingredient list, which I knew was bad. And I thought, “These things were meant for the cancer survivor?”  I wasn't about to put them on my hair, much less the area where the cancer lied.

I have always been a girly girl. I slathered on all kinds of pretty things. I realized I was using lotions and creams that had parabens, pthalates, mineral oils and so many other creepy things that are turning out to be toxic and cause cancer. I immediately threw all my coveted creams and makeup out that were not natural and set out to find alternatives. I found makeup without a problem, but I had a very difficult time finding 100 percent natural products that would address the issues I was having due to treatment. So, I went to the library and researched ancient remedies for scarring and hair issues. I began putting things together in my kitchen, and after much trial and error, came up with a hair and scalp revival serum and a scar and skin renewal treatment cream. It was never my intention to create a line for the public. I simply wanted my pretty hair and skin back. The products ended up working so well, I knew I had to get them made professionally so I could share them with the rest of the world.

AW:   Did you have any experience running a business before you started Pristine Recovery? Where did you come up with the name for the business?
Kessler: No, I didn't have any prior experience running a business. I have a great team of people in my inner circle that have helped me immensely with this undertaking. My father is a successful entrepreneur who provides great insight, and my husband helps a lot with business development ideas. I would say the biggest challenge has been just getting in front of the big names such as Sephora, QVC, HSN and high-end boutiques. I know our products are fantastic, but many of these organizations have an online submission process that is pretty rigid. For a new venture like Pristine Recovery, I need to get in front of the decision makers to tell my story and have them truly see the story and passion behind the creation of these products. I feel like they would be a great fit for some of these organizations, I just need a door to open, and I know they would love what Pristine Recovery has to offer.
 
The name Pristine Recovery came quite easy to me because I needed pure and natural personal care products and the word pristine means pure and my products are meant for recovery and beyond, so I felt it was a great fit for what I was going for.

AW :  Do you think that this experience was the only event in your life that would've pushed you to start this specific business?
Kessler: I am not sure. I was coasting along mighty nicely using my luscious creams and makeup that promised me the world while tossing in a few toxins here and there. I suppose my diagnosis was a blessing in disguise because now I am aware of not only what I put in my body, but also what I put on my body as well. No one knows but God alone as to what contributed to getting cancer so early in life, but if it was the chemicals in my pretty things, then it is my job to help enlighten others and perhaps prevent someone else from an unpleasant and life-altering experience.

AW: Can others use the product besides cancer survivors?
Kessler: Oh yes! I think this is a message I want desperately to get out. I created these products for my Brillo-pad hair, my scars and wanting an aluminum-free deodorant. If there is anyone out there that wishes their hair wasn't so frizzy and fragile, then the No More Scary Hairy is for you. This product is a superstar because I have received raves about it working wonders not only on the hair, but also the effect on nails and cuticles. I have also been using it on my face as an antiaging serum because of the high concentration of squalane, rosehips seed oil and jojoba.

The Brallywood Butta was created for my scars and fragile skin. My scars that were once always red are now faded and minimized. This cream is very light, and a little goes a long way. It is used by many of my customers and myself as an antiaging moisturizer as well as an overall body lotion.

The deodorant, Take A Whiff!, is fabulous and is truly chemical free. Many natural deodorants claim to be aluminum free, which is wonderful, but they contain propylene glycol, which is in antifreeze. That is not something I feel comfortable putting underneath my arm, especially when that is where tons of lymph nodes are.

My products are 100 percent natural, vegan, paraben free, propylene glycol free, pthalates free and mineral oil free. They are pristine in every way and will be healthy additions to anyone’s personal care regimen. There are no throwaway ingredients in any of my products. Every ingredient is deliberate and is meant to solve a problem.

AW:  What's unique about your survival and business story?
Kessler: I think the entire story is pretty unique. My daughter is my angel who saved my life by making me aware of my cancer. I found out I had a lump after she accidentally kicked me in the chest while I was feeding her in the rocking chair one night. Once I was going through the tough time with my hair and skin and couldn't find any pure alternatives, I managed to research what I needed and created them myself. It took a lot of time to accomplish this for a mother with a toddler [and] who was still going through cancer treatment. Most businesses are created with the only goal being maximizing revenues. I got into this venture by thinking of the consumers first. This is my gift to the world. I have such a strong belief in them that I feel I needed to share them with others; it was my obligation. Everything just kind of came together so well with the products in the past year, like it was destined to happened. While the monetary success would be nice, just to know I am sharing this with others and donating to great charities at the same time, makes it all worthwhile.

AW: Explain your connection to your revenues and charities.
Kessler: I have a personal connection with both of my charities. I chose the Young Survival Coalition because I am a young survivor and at no time is a cancer diagnosis welcome, but when you are young and feeling invincible, you're blindsided. Many young women have no health benefits, or inadequate coverage for cancer treatment. The truly unfortunate part is that they will likely never be covered by health or life insurance. Further, one of the main goals of Pristine Recovery is to make people more aware of potential carcinogens in cosmetics and produce products we believe are a safer choice. Therefore, we have chosen to donate to the Cancer Prevention Coalition founded by Dr. Samuel S. Epstein that promotes awareness of safer personal care products. Fifteen percent of Pristine Recovery proceeds will be dispersed to these organizations each year.

AW:  Through your products, do you think you've changed people lives?
Kessler: I am not so sure of my impact yet because we have only been on the market for four months and not many people know about us yet. But I believe that there are people out there that, like me, were and are looking for a pure, natural alternative to chemical-laden products and will be pleased to learn that there is a company out there whose owner has been through many of the same things and has worked with brilliant chemists in order to create products that address problems instead of adding to them.

AW: What's next for your business? What's your revenues?
Kessler: We have been on the market for four months, so our revenues are not too substantial right now. We have been getting a steady stream of sales through www.pristine recovery.com,  and we will be in some boutiques in the Raleigh, N.C., area within the next month.

My next step for Pristine Recovery is to bring to market a couple of other great products I currently have in the works: an all-natural tanning lotion, shampoo/conditioner, and a sugar scrub, among a few others.

AW:   How old are you? How old is your child?
Kessler: I am 35 now, and my little girl, Dylan, who was 5 months old at my diagnosis, is now 4.