Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey McCrink.
Hi kelsey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Chesties really started from a problem I had been trying to solve for myself for years. I’m a lifelong side sleeper, and as I got older, I started noticing the deep lines and creases on my chest every morning. I was frustrated that we spend so much time and money taking care of the skin on our faces, yet the chest—one of the areas that can show sun damage and signs of aging so quickly—is often completely overlooked.
I tried other silicone patches on the market, but I wanted something softer, more comfortable, reusable, and honestly, something I would actually be excited to wear. I also wanted to take a product that traditionally felt very clinical and turn it into something fun, feminine and expressive. That idea eventually became Chesties™, reusable medical-grade silicone chest and face patches designed to help smooth and protect the skin from the effects of side sleeping while deeply hydrating through occlusion.
I launched Chesties in December 2025, and the crazy part is that I’ve been building the company while still running my salon on Kaua‘i full-time. I’ve been a hairstylist for about 20 years, so entering the skincare and e-commerce world has been an entirely new adventure. At the same time, I started a nonprofit focused on helping youth, my family has opened our home to foster children, and we often have multiple teenagers in the house. Life is very, very full! Most days I’m juggling my salon, my family, teenagers, the nonprofit, Chesties, social media, customer service, product development and packing orders—sometimes all in the same day.
Somehow, in the middle of all that beautiful chaos, Chesties has already had some incredible early success. We’re only about nine months in, so of course the business isn’t yet where I ultimately want it to be in terms of sales and scale, but I have to remind myself how much has happened in such a short amount of time. Our content has reached millions of people, we’re shipping to customers across the U.S. and internationally, and the feedback and repeat customers have been incredibly encouraging.
One of the most surreal parts has been seeing Chesties organically reach people I never imagined would even know my little company existed. Paris Hilton purchased Chesties, as did actress and model Brandy Ledford, and the brand has found its way to several other well-known names who I’ll respectfully keep private. Every time something like that happens, I still have a moment of, “Wait…how did this happen?” It’s incredibly exciting, especially knowing that less than a year ago this was simply an idea I believed in.
I’m definitely still in the roller-coaster phase of entrepreneurship. There are days when something amazing happens and I feel like we’re taking off, followed by days when I’m wondering how I’m possibly going to get everything done. But the response to the product has given me so much confidence in what I’m building. Women constantly tell me they didn’t realize other women were dealing with the same chest lines and wrinkles they were seeing every morning.
I know we are still at the very beginning. My vision for Chesties is much bigger than where we are today, and I truly believe it has the potential to become an entirely new category of wearable skincare. For now, I’m continuing to build it one customer, one order, one video and one very busy day at a time—and trying to enjoy the roller coaster while I’m on it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road! One of my biggest challenges has actually been figuring out who to trust while building a company largely on my own.
When you’re a new entrepreneur and your business starts gaining traction, suddenly there are people everywhere offering to help you scale—agencies, coaches, influencer programs, retail consultants, advertising experts, courses, and people promising they can get your product in front of the “right” people. I’ve invested a significant amount of money into programs and an agency because I genuinely believed they would teach me how to climb the e-commerce mountain, and unfortunately, not every investment has delivered what I hoped it would. Those experiences have been expensive lessons, but they’ve also taught me to trust my own instincts much more.
Social media has been another huge learning curve. Organic content has been one of the biggest drivers of awareness for Chesties, but it can also be incredibly unpredictable. I can spend hours creating a video I think is amazing and barely anyone sees it, and then another video takes off and reaches millions. I’m getting much better at understanding content and marketing, but learning it while simultaneously running a salon full-time, raising and caring for teenagers, building a nonprofit, fulfilling orders and running Chesties can definitely feel overwhelming.
There are also the challenges you never see coming. I thought I had handled my trademark, only to run into complications that eventually required hiring a trademark attorney. At the same time, I started receiving constant solicitations and messages warning me that my trademark would be abandoned unless I paid someone immediately. Experiences like that can make entrepreneurship feel like you’re constantly trying to distinguish legitimate help from someone simply trying to capitalize on the fact that you’re a new business owner.
Now I’m preparing for another major transition: moving fulfillment from my home in Hawai‘i to a friend’s facility in Texas so that Chesties can continue to grow and orders can be shipped more efficiently. I’m essentially trying to build the infrastructure for the company I believe Chesties can become while still operating the company it is today.
I think the biggest challenge has ultimately been learning not to let the enormity of everything overwhelm me. There are so many decisions, and when it’s your own money, your own idea and your own dream, making the wrong choice can feel scary. I’m learning that I don’t have to know every step of the roadmap before taking the next one.
Nine months into this journey, I certainly don’t have everything figured out—but I know a lot more than I did nine months ago. Every mistake, unexpected obstacle and expensive lesson has made me a stronger and more resourceful business owner. And through all of it, the one thing I’ve never really questioned is the product itself. The response from customers keeps reminding me why I started, and that’s what keeps me moving forward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Chesties™ is wearable skincare created specifically for an area I felt the beauty industry had largely overlooked—the chest.
After nearly 20 years working in the beauty industry, I had seen almost every skincare concern imaginable. But when I started noticing deep vertical lines on my own chest from side sleeping, I realized how little we talk about this area. I began asking my clients about it and quickly discovered I was far from alone. Women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond were noticing the same thing.
Chesties began with reusable medical-grade silicone chest patches designed to create an occlusive environment that helps deeply hydrate the skin and temporarily smooth the appearance of lines and creases caused by things like side sleeping and dehydration. Since then, we’ve expanded into reusable face and neck patches as well.
What really sets Chesties apart for me is that I never wanted skincare to feel clinical or boring. I come from a creative background, and I wanted to combine beauty, function, fashion and personality. Our chest patches come in clear options as well as prints, florals, lace-inspired designs, animal prints and other styles that make them something women actually have fun wearing. Each chest pack includes two reusable patches that can typically be worn 15–20 times each with proper care.
I also designed them with comfort in mind. I wanted a softer silicone patch that I could comfortably sleep in, but that could also fit into real life. Some customers wear Chesties overnight, while others put them on while getting ready, doing their makeup, working around the house or relaxing. I love the idea of skincare multitasking with you.
One thing I’m especially proud of is the conversation Chesties has created. When our content began reaching millions of people, the comments were filled with women saying things like, “I thought I was the only one who had those lines.” That was such a defining moment for me because it confirmed that this wasn’t simply my problem—it was a very common concern that wasn’t being talked about enough.
And we’re still incredibly young. Chesties launched only about nine months ago, so I feel like we’re just scratching the surface of what the brand can become. We’ve already shipped internationally, received support from customers across the country, and had some pretty surreal moments seeing celebrities discover and purchase the product.
Ultimately, I don’t want Chesties to be known as simply another silicone patch company. I want Chesties to help create and lead the category of wearable skincare for the chest. The beauty industry has taught women to have a routine for their face, hair, eyes and lips, but somehow the chest has been left out of the conversation—even though it’s one of the most visible areas of our skin.
I’m incredibly proud that something I originally created because I needed it myself is now helping other women. The customer feedback has been the most rewarding part of all of this, and I truly feel like we’re only at the beginning.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something that usually surprises people is that I’ve been skateboarding since I was three years old. I grew up in Santa Barbara as a total tomboy, and skateboarding has always been one of my greatest loves. I can drop in on a 20-foot half-pipe, skate bowls and parks, and to this day, there are very few things that make me happier than being on a skateboard.
It’s pretty funny considering where my life eventually took me—into the beauty industry, owning salons and now creating a skincare brand! I don’t think anyone who knew me as that rough-and-tumble little skateboarder would have predicted this path for me.
But looking back, I actually think skateboarding shaped a lot of who I am as an entrepreneur. You fall, you get back up, you try again, and eventually you land it. There’s a certain fearlessness you develop from doing that your entire life, and I’ve definitely needed it while building Chesties.
Underneath all the skincare, beauty and business, I’m still that skateboard kid at heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ChestiesCo.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/chestiesofficial/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/share/1kn9zwbum6/?mibextid=wwxifr
