Meet Brooke Gallagher | Entrepreneur | Esthetician | Economist | Humanitarian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Gallagher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I’ve been an entrepreneur since childhood — from selling friendship bracelets at my brother’s baseball games in elementary school to flipping Beanie Babies in middle school. I always loved creating something others appreciated. It was never just about the money — it was the feeling of someone valuing what I made. That sense of genuine connection was my earliest motivation.

My first real company was Mobile Chef Solutions, a food truck construction business in Chula Vista. That experience was transformative — I poured everything into it: time, energy, even my health at times. The industry was cutthroat, and for the first time, I realized that the joy and validation that once fueled me weren’t enough to sustain me through constant challenges. That’s when I learned one of the most important lessons in business: motivation comes and goes, but diligence endures.

After that chapter, I took time to reset and really ask myself: What kind of work would make diligence feel natural — even on the hard days?
That search led me to skincare. Delivering facials feels like coming home to my purpose. I’ve literally found myself mid-treatment, thinking, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. When you love the process itself, diligence doesn’t feel forced — it becomes devotion.

So to me, knowing when to give up or keep going comes down to this:
If diligence feels draining, you may be on the wrong path.
If diligence feels meaningful — like an act of love — you’ve found your calling.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Garden Skin began in an actual garden — hands in the soil, sun on the skin, surrounded by people learning how to create beauty from nature rather than hide from it. My first workshops were all about helping people understand botanicals, ingredients, and the way skin thrives when it’s supported, not restricted.

As Garden Skin grew, one truth became impossible to ignore: the modern beauty industry teaches people to fear the very elements that make life worth living.
Avoid the sun. Avoid the ocean. Avoid the wind. Stay inside if you want “good skin.”

But I’ve always believed the opposite. Living full-heartedly makes a person the most beautiful.
I don’t think you should have to choose between living fully and having glowing, resilient skin — you just need the right support.

Today, Garden Skin is a holistic skincare studio and product line built around that philosophy. My facials blend clinical treatments with deep nervous-system regulation, so your skin and body can finally work with each other rather than against each other. When skin is calm, it heals. When a person is calm, they glow.

And our products are made for real life —
for surfers, runners, hikers, travelers, outdoor lovers, and everyday humans who want to be out in the world, not avoiding it.
Eco-conscious processes, nourishing botanicals, science-backed actives, and formulations that repair and replenish after adventure… not punish you for having one.

That’s why products like Balm Voyage and the entire Garden Skin collection exist:
to make it possible to live wildly, joyfully, unapologetically — and still have incredible skin.
The real beauty standard shouldn’t be “hide from life.”
It should be: go live it, and let your skincare have your back.

Over the years, I’ve come to understand that the skin is a navigation system — a reflection of stress, nutrition, hormones, joy, rest, and everything in between. Garden Skin supports all of it: your skin, your nervous system, your confidence, and your connection to yourself.

It’s not about covering up or fixing who you are.
It’s about caring for your skin as an act of devotion to the life you want to live and reverence for the body you inhabit.

Was it easy to get here?

Not at all. The journey was anything but linear. Before Garden Skin, I went through one of the hardest chapters of my life — a period of burnout, loss, and deep questioning. My spark was gone. I had always been the person with ideas, enthusiasm, and ambition… and suddenly I wasn’t. It was one of the most humbling and disorienting experiences I’ve ever had.

But everything changed because of one unexpected moment.

I was sitting at a table with a group of friends who were also trying to find their footing. The room was quiet — the kind of quiet that comes from people carrying heavy things internally. Then one of my friends mentioned she had a tiny crush and might put on makeup that day.

Something inside me lit up. I offered to do it for her — I had worked for Clinique in college, so it felt familiar. As I started applying the makeup, the whole table leaned in. People who had been silent became curious, engaged, hopeful.

And when I handed her the mirror… everything shifted.
Her confidence rose instantly. Her posture changed. The energy in the room transformed — laughter, conversation, connection.

In that moment, I saw what beauty can do.
Not in a superficial way — in a human way.
Beauty can restore hope. It can remind someone of their worth. It can help bring people back to themselves.

That moment reignited me. It was like someone turned the lights back on inside, and I understood exactly where I was meant to go next.

From there, I focused on rebuilding my health — traveling to Bali, immersing myself in yoga and holistic living, and reconnecting to joy. Those experiences became the foundation of Garden Skin, which started as DIY botanical workshops and has now grown into a holistic skincare studio and product line in Encinitas.

What truly makes Garden Skin different is that we don’t chase perfection or sell fear. So much of the beauty industry tells people to hide or fix themselves, but I’ve found that joy is what makes someone truly beautiful. When people are out living their lives — laughing, surfing, hiking, feeling alive — that light radiates through their skin.

My mission isn’t to keep people indoors protecting their faces from life.
It’s to help them maintain healthy, resilient skin while they’re out enjoying it.
For me, it’s never been just about beauty — it’s about living fully, feeling good, and letting that joy shine through.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Love this question!

As a San Diego native, I have a lot of favorite spots to share — though a few are top secret, so I’ll keep those to myself!

Here’s my usual itinerary when I’m hosting out-of-town guests:

We start with a coffee catch-up in Balboa Park, followed by lunch at The Prado. Dinner is at Starlite in Mission Hills — such a classic. Then it’s Jet Skis to Coronado Island and a walkabout through town — it’s one of the cutest, most boutique-y spots in the city.

Next up: snorkeling with tiger sharks in La Jolla, and then a stop in Little Italy for the weekly farmers market, fresh flowers, and an amazing Italian meal.

To show off the more raw and real side of San Diego, I always take guests up to Escondido, where I grew up, to experience the Wild Animal Park. Then it’s back toward the coast to catch a show at Humphreys by the Bay, followed by a sail around Point Loma.

For something fresh and local, we head to Fox Point Farms in Encinitas for a yoga class and an iced tea afterward while wandering the farm. Then it’s time for a surf sesh at… (not telling you!). Afterward, we grab a surprisingly amazing bite from Agave, the hidden gem next to the Leucadia gas station. Make sure to wave hello to Larry, the resident wizard who’s usually posted up directing traffic. I would later take them to Run Dance- the epic local Leucadia Dance Party (typically on Thursday nights in the Beacon’s parking lot), run by the Gen1 collective. And YES, we literally run and dance at the same time, with music in tow.

And to wrap it all up — my newest love — Herb & Sea for the final dinner. So good.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to thank anyone I’ve ever truly loved — whether family, friends, or romantically. Love has been the greatest teacher in my life. I’ve found it to be the only force strong enough to challenge my worldview and open my mind and heart in ways that truly catalyze change. Loving people who see the world differently has pushed me to question my own beliefs, to grow, and to evolve. Every person I’ve loved has shaped who I am today — albeit sometimes through great challenge. But I’ve learned that growth comes through challenge, and love is the only thing powerful enough to help me meet that challenge with understanding.

Website: https://Gardenskinco.com

Instagram: Gardenskinco

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gallagherbrookemcs