In the Bathroom with Kathryn Murray Dickinson of Aillea

For our series Closet Confidential, we interview interesting and uber cool people in their homes wearing outfits from their closet. But…for this story, we are featuring the bathroom closet of Kathryn Murray Dickinson, owner of Aillea at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Esther Lee Leach hung out with Kathryn in her bathroom, taking a look at her extensive product collection, at her home in Cherry Creek.

Esther Lee Leach: Why did you create Aillea?

Kathryn Murray Dickinson: After struggling through years of research and more money than I care to admit trying to find clean beauty products that met my standards, I realized there was a need for a clean beauty destination. I wanted to create a place where women could shop knowing all products are safe from the major toxins but still delivered all of the performance I had come to expect.

ELL: What was your background/career before starting Aillea? 

KMD: I was the VP of Marketing and Sales for a cosmetics company in New York city for many years.

ELL: Describe your morning skincare routine and list the products that you use.

KMD: Routine is a hard word for me as I am always testing new products for the store. I shower in the morning so will usually exfoliate or use my One Love Organics Cleansing Sponge (made from konjac plant fiber) with the Josh Rosebrook Complete Moisture Cleanser. I am currently using the OSEA Hyaluronic Sea Serum and the Indie Lee Squalane Oil in the morning as part of my mourning routine, as well.

ELL: Describe your nighttime skincare routine and list the products that you use.

KMD: I remove my makeup with the OSEA Cleansing Milk first and foremost. I love the Kypris Moonlight Catalyst at night, as a serum, and then slather on a heavy moisturizer like Josh Rosebrook’s Vital Balm Cream or May Lindstrom’s Blue Coccon.

“Why is ‘clean beauty’ so important?

Our skin absorbs 60% of what we put on it directly in to the blood stream. I think that changing out the products you use on your body are as important as the food you put in your body.”

ELL: What are your top three skincare or makeup products? 

KMD: This is like asking me my favorite child! My makeup routine on a day-to-day basis is really simple. I love the new ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation. I am blonde, as are my lashes, so you will always find me with Lily Lolo Mascara and the RMS Buriti Bronzer, which adds a really nice flush of color, and I top it all off with a Kjaer Weis Lip Gloss. I love all of their nude shades.  When I am going out at night, I will add some Maya Chia Highlight of the Day highlighter, Vapour Mesmerize Eye Liner and some eye shadow, usually an RMS Eye Polish.

ELL: What advice can you give to someone interested in switching to a clean beauty routine? Where should they start? 

KMD: 1. I always start with the largest surface area items like body washes and moisturizers, foundations, etc. 2. I focus on sensitive area items such as deodorant and lip products, of which we also ingest  and 3. I focus on items that are frequently repurchased that are easy to swap out, such as shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, etc.