Louth mum is skincare champion for the neurodivergent after transforming her life

She’d had no education of any value thanks to “misinformed adults who had misunderstood her” and was jumping from one job to the next in the hospitality industry, working also as a cleaner.

She was going nowhere and considered herself “a negative person” who was “a prisoner trapped in my own thoughts”.

But then everything changed. Kelsey shrugged off the symptoms of her autism, her dyslexia and her ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) that had so blighted her school life. And now, at the age of 42, she is a successful businesswoman.

She runs not only a medical spa and clinic, Figura Aesthetics, in Louth but also a new skincare business, Diverse Skincare Formulations, both aimed at helping neurodivergent people like herself.

"It all started when I read a passage in a book that transformed my life,” recalls Kelsey. “It said: every action starts with a thought, so make your thoughts positive. In that moment, I realised I was a negative person.”

The switch to positivity led to her belatedly achieving her GCSEs and A-levels at college, and even a degree in adult nursing at university.

"I worked in the NHS for three years, but decided to further my education in advanced aesthetics,” she says.

"After taking the huge leap of opening my own clinic, the Covid lockdowns happened. But with a restless mind, I took an interest in skincare brands.

"Not satisfied with what was out there, I set about making my own products. Within a year, I had my first skincare range and, since then, things have gone from strength to strength.”

Diverse Skincare, which is based alongside the clinic at the Fairfield Industrial Estate on Warwick Road, offers products that are uniquely formulated for neurodivergent people. They are effective, gentle and easy to use.

For the uninitiated, neurodivergence is a condition that affects the way the brain works and processes information. It is estimated that nearly 20 per cent of the UK population is neurodivergent and of those, most have autism and ADHD.

Many struggle with daily routine tasks, such as looking after their skin. So Kelsey’s mission was to create innovative products specifically designed for them and to plug “a significant gap in the skincare market”.

“I set out on developing a skincare line that would complement the successful aesthetics clinic,” she says.

"I was inspired through extensive research, customer feedback and my own personal experience."

Kelsey also gained valuable insight from her own three teenage children, all of whom are neurodivergent, most notably daughter Lenix.

"I tested ingredients and formulations on myself and Lenix,” Kelsey went on. “We judged each product on smell, feel, sensation, label-reading and instructions of routine.”

Eventually, with the backing of friends and partner Luke Chapman, a local builder, she felt confident enough to launch Diverse. She employed Charlotte Linn as her personal assistant and, today, the business is “gathering real momentum”.

"It is such a new brand that we will have to build our own unique audience,” said Kelsey.

"But our vision for the future is to position our skincare brand as the leading advocate for the neurodivergent community. Our mission is to be the go-to brand.”