Great skin rarely happens by accident.

Despite what social media might have you believe, it usually doesn’t come from discovering one miracle serum either, or trying the latest viral or celebrity-endorsed treatment, or completely overhauling your bathroom counter with a 12-step K-Beauty skincare routine.

The truth is, healthy skin is built over time.

It takes consistency. The right products. The right treatments. An understanding of what your skin actually needs. And perhaps most importantly, a knowledgeable professional who can help you put all those pieces together.

At Refinery Skin Clinic, that guidance comes from our team of Advanced Practice Estheticians: Kylie Hewett, APE, CLT, Niki McCarthy, APE, and Denise Bona, APE, CLT.

Each of these amazing providers brings a different background, personality, perspective, and area of expertise to Refinery Skin Clinic. One may geek out over lasers and achieving fast, visible results, while another loves watching collagen remodeling gradually transform their client’s skin with micrconeedling. However, in the end, all three share one fundamental belief:

Your skin deserves more than a quick fix. It deserves a safe, effective, and healthy plan.

So, who are the women behind some of Refinery’s healthiest, brightest, smoothest, most confidence-boosting skin transformations? We’re glad you asked!

First, What Exactly Is an Advanced Practice Esthetician?

There’s an important distinction between an esthetician and an Advanced Practice Esthetician, particularly when you’re considering corrective treatments and advanced aesthetic technologies.

Advanced Practice Estheticians in Minnesota complete additional education and training beyond traditional esthetics. Their advanced education encompasses areas such as skin anatomy and physiology, cosmetic chemistry, advanced consultation and skin analysis, chemical exfoliation, dermaplaning, microneedling, pre- and post-procedure care, and the use of advanced aesthetic technologies.

At Refinery Skin Clinic, that foundation is just the beginning with our esthetics team.

Kylie, Niki, and Denise continually pursue additional education, product knowledge, device training, and certifications because aesthetic medicine and skincare never stand still. Neither should the people caring for your skin!

It means that when you sit down for a consultation at Refinery Skin Clinic, you’re not simply asking, “Which facial should I get?”

You’re beginning a conversation about your skin’s history, current health, concerns, goals, lifestyle, home care, and what combination of treatments may actually create meaningful change and healthier skin over time.

While all three of our Advanced Practice Estheticians share that philosophy, each brings something wonderfully different to the treatment room.

Meet Kylie: The Results-Driven Straight Shooter

First up is Kylie Hewett, APE, CLT, Refinery’s longest-tenured Advanced Practice Esthetician and a familiar face to many longtime clients.

Kylie has been part of Refinery Skin Clinic since the beginning, but her career in medical aesthetics stretches back much further. With nearly 20 years of experience, she’s watched the industry evolve dramatically, from the technologies available to the way we understand skin health, aging, collagen, pigmentation, and corrective skincare.

All of that experience has made Kylie very good at separating what actually works from what’s simply having a moment on social media or in the news.

A Licensed Advanced Practice Esthetician and Certified Laser Technician, Kylie is also Oncology Skincare Certified and a graduate of the National Laser Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona. She spent eight years living and working in Arizona after completing her laser training, gaining extensive experience with advanced technologies and, perhaps unsurprisingly given the Arizona sunshine, plenty of sun-damaged skin.

Through nearly two decades in medical aesthetics, one thing has remained constant:

Kylie wants results.

“I’m 100% driven by results. If I’m recommending something, I want you to understand exactly why we’re doing it and how it moves us closer to your goal.” — Kylie

Kylie’s Superpower: Knowing What Will Actually Move the Needle

Experience gives you perspective.

After nearly 20 years of treating skin, Kylie knows that the newest treatment isn’t automatically the best treatment, more isn’t necessarily better, and lasting skin transformation rarely comes from jumping from one trend to the next.

She’s interested in strategy.

Kylie’s approach starts with understanding your skin, identifying the treatments and products most likely to create meaningful improvement, setting realistic expectations, and then building a plan that gets you there. And the best part? She’ll be honest with you all along the way.

If Kylie doesn’t think something is worth your time or money, expect her to say so. If another treatment makes more sense, she’ll tell you. If the concern you walked through the door wanting to address isn’t actually where she believes you should start, she’ll explain why.

That candor, combined with decades of experience, has become one of the things her clients appreciate most.

“Great skin is built, not rushed. I would rather create a smart plan that gives you meaningful improvement over time than throw treatments at your skin simply because they’re popular.” — Kylie

Give Kylie a Laser and Watch Her Light Up

It probably won’t surprise anyone who knows Kylie that some of her favorite treatments involve advanced technology.

Lumenis M22™ IPL Photorejuvenation is high on her list because of its ability to address several complexion concerns, including sun damage, pigmentation, redness, vascular lesions, and uneven tone.

In Kylie’s world, a treatment that can multitask is a no brainer!

She also loves ResurFX™ Laser Resurfacing for improving texture, fine lines, and overall skin quality by stimulating collagen without the downtime associated with more aggressive resurfacing.

SkinPen® Microneedling with Ariessence® PDGF+ is another favorite for clients looking to improve texture, firmness, and overall rejuvenation while supporting regenerative healing.

And then there’s CoolSculpting®.

Kylie, a Certified CoolSculpting Master with hundreds of performed treatments under her belt, understands the frustration of doing all the “right” things and still having that one area that refuses to cooperate. For the right candidate, she loves being able to strategically address stubborn pockets of fat and help clients feel more confident in areas they may have spent years trying to change.

Her favorite products include SkinMedica® TNS® Advanced+ Serum, SkinMedica® Lumivive® System, and Sivora™, particularly for supporting hydration and skin changes associated with perimenopause and menopause.

And here’s one of our favorite Kylie facts:

She performs almost all of her own aesthetic treatments on herself, with the exception of injectables.

For Kylie, experiencing a treatment firsthand isn’t just curiosity. It helps her understand what clients will experience before, during, and after a procedure, making her an even better resource when it’s your turn in the treatment chair.

Apparently nearly 20 years in medical aesthetics hasn’t made her any less willing to be the guinea pig!

Meet Niki: The Listener, Nurturer, and Skincare Partner

Next up is Niki McCarthy, APE, whose warm, compassionate approach makes it very easy to understand why clients feel comfortable opening up to her about concerns that may have affected their confidence for years.

Niki graduated from the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis in 2013 and has spent more than a decade immersed in the skincare industry. Early in her career, she worked in and managed several well-known salons and spas throughout the Twin Cities, developing a strong foundation in both skincare and client care.

However, as medical aesthetics evolved, Niki became fascinated by the ability to create more significant, lasting changes in skin health through advanced treatments. So, she went back to school.

In 2022, she earned her Advanced Practice Esthetician license and joined Refinery Skin Clinic, where she could combine the part of esthetics she had always loved, the relationships, with the advanced corrective treatments she had become so passionate about. That combination suits her perfectly.

“Beautiful, healthy skin matters, but so does how you feel throughout the process. I want my clients to feel heard, supported, and excited about what we’re working toward together.” — Niki

Niki’s Superpower: Making Skincare Feel Less Overwhelming

Skin concerns can be incredibly emotional.

Acne. Scarring. Texture. Pigmentation. Premature aging. Hormonal changes. Or simply looking in the mirror one day and realizing your skin doesn’t seem to behave the way it used to.

Niki understands that when someone tells her what bothers them about their skin, they may be sharing something that has affected their self-confidence for a very long time. She takes that trust seriously.

Rather than immediately jumping to a treatment recommendation, Niki wants to understand what’s happening. What’s frustrating you? What have you already tried? What are your goals? How aggressive do you want to be? How much downtime are you comfortable with? And what realistically fits into your lifestyle?

Her approach is compassionate, educational, and highly personalized. She’s also passionate about reminding clients that progress doesn’t need to happen overnight to be meaningful.

Consistency often wins.“I don’t want skincare to feel intimidating or like another thing you’re somehow doing wrong. My job is to help you understand your skin and create a plan that actually feels doable.” — Niki

What’s Niki Loving?

Ask Niki about favorite treatments, and SkinPen Microneedling quickly enters the conversation. She loves that it works with the skin’s own regenerative processes to stimulate collagen and improve concerns such as acne scarring, fine lines, uneven texture, and overall skin quality.

She’s also a big fan of DiamondGlow® because it manages to be both relaxing and results-driven, exfoliating, extracting, and infusing customized serums into the skin during one treatment.

For clients looking for non-invasive tightening and collagen stimulation? Sofwave™ is another Niki favorite.

Her product shelf reflects that same “healthy foundation first” philosophy. Medical-grade skincare favorites include SkinMedica HA5® Hydra Collagen Rejuvenating Hydrator for barrier-supporting hydration, SkinMedica Even & Correct Brightening Treatment Pads for gentle exfoliation and brighter tone, and SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum for clients serious about improving overall skin quality.

Niki Beyond Refinery Skin Clinic

That nurturing personality doesn’t disappear when Niki leaves work. She’s a self-described homebody who loves spending time with her husband and their golden retriever, Moose. When possible, they escape to their Wisconsin cabin for lake life and a slower pace.

Meet Denise: The Educator, Adventurer, and Skin-Health Strategist

Rounding out Refinery’s Advanced Practice Esthetics team is Denise Bona, APE, CLT, who joined Refinery in 2025 and brings a combination of advanced technical training, curiosity, and a genuine love of client education.

Interestingly, Denise’s relationship with professional skincare began long before she became an esthetician. She started as a skincare client herself!

Denise became fascinated by what could happen when science, professional treatments, quality skincare, and consistency came together to create visible changes in the skin. That curiosity eventually became a career.

While attending the Aveda Institute part-time, Denise worked as a front desk coordinator at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery. After completing her training, she was hired as an esthetician, and her career eventually took her from Minneapolis to Scottsdale and Chicago.

Along the way, Denise pursued extensive advanced training, including hands-on laser education through the National Laser Institute in Dallas and Scottsdale. Today, she’s an Advanced Practice Esthetician and Certified Laser Technician with additional advanced education in SkinPen, DiamondGlow, Sofwave, Sciton laser technologies, and corrective skincare.

But one of the things clients appreciate most about Denise isn’t a device or certification.

It’s the conversation.

“I never want someone to leave a consultation wondering what we’re doing or why. When you understand your skin, you become an active participant in changing it.” — Denise

Denise’s Superpower: Turning Confusion Into a Plan

Denise loves education. She’s known for taking time during consultations to explain what’s happening with the skin, what may be contributing to a concern, what realistic improvement looks like, and how professional treatments and home care can work together.

That approach is increasingly important because there is a lot of noise in skincare.

Do you need retinol? Vitamin C? Growth factors? A chemical peel? Microneedling? IPL? A laser?

Do you somehow need all of it?! Probably not.

Denise helps clients sort through the options and create a strategy that makes sense. Her philosophy centers on listening carefully, asking the right questions, establishing realistic goals, and never overwhelming someone with unnecessary treatments.

“You don’t need to do everything. You need to do the right things for your skin, consistently and strategically.” — Denise

Denise’s Treatment Room Favorites

SkinPen Microneedling tops Denise’s list because it checks so many boxes: it’s versatile, approachable, relatively low-downtime, and capable of improving fine lines, texture, acne scarring, collagen production, and overall skin resilience.

She’s also an IPL enthusiast. Watching pigmentation, redness, sun damage, and uneven tone gradually give way to a clearer, brighter complexion is exactly the kind of visible transformation she loves.

Sofwave earns another spot among her favorites for its ability to stimulate collagen and improve skin laxity without surgery or significant downtime.

Her medical-grade skincare favorites include SkinMedica Lumivive System for daytime defense and overnight recovery, SkinMedica HA5 Hydra Collagen Replenish + Restore Hydrator for lightweight but serious hydration, and, you may be noticing a team-wide obsession here, SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum.

Apparently, there are some things all three estheticians simply agree on!

Denise Beyond the Treatment Room

Denise brings that same curiosity and energy she known for as an AP Esthetician to her life outside Refinery Skin Clinic.

She loves hiking, biking, traveling, concerts, comedy shows, and exploring local events. Family is incredibly important to her, including spending time with her niece, nephew, extended family, and her identical twin sister. Yes, identical!

So if you ever think you spotted Denise somewhere she insists she wasn’t, there may actually be a perfectly reasonable explanation.

Three Estheticians. Three Perspectives. One Exceptional Team.

Kylie, Niki, and Denise have taken different paths to Refinery. They have different personalities. Different areas of expertise. Different favorite technologies.

They probably some very strong opinions about which products deserve space on your bathroom counter. That’s a good thing!

Because clients aren’t one-size-fits-all either.

What unites these three women is far more important than what makes them different.

They believe in education over pressure.

They believe in customization over trends.

They believe in skin health over quick fixes.

They believe professional treatments and medical-grade home care work best when they’re part of a thoughtful, long-term strategy. And, they believe that the person attached to the skin they’re treating matters just as much as the skin itself.

It’s also why collaboration is such an important part of Refinery Skin Clinic’s culture.

Your skincare journey doesn’t have to exist in a vacuum. Refinery’s Advanced Practice Estheticians work alongside the clinic’s Injection Specialists and broader aesthetic and wellness team, allowing treatment plans to evolve as your goals and needs change.

Because sometimes the answer is a facial. Sometimes it’s a series of IPL treatments. Sometimes it’s microneedling combined with regenerative topicals. Sometimes it’s Sofwave, professional skincare, injectables, or a strategic combination of several modalities performed over time.

And sometimes the smartest recommendation is to simplify.

The goal isn’t to do more. It’s to do what makes sense.

Your Best Skin Doesn’t Need to Look Like Anyone Else’s

There is no universal definition of “perfect skin.” Your skin has lived YOUR life.

It’s seen sunny vacations, stressful seasons, hormonal changes, pregnancies, birthdays, Minnesota winters, perhaps a few questionable teenage tanning decisions, and maybe more than one night when washing your face before bed simply wasn’t happening.

That’s okay!

Your skincare plan doesn’t begin with judgment. It begins with where your skin is today and where you’d like it to go next.

Maybe you’re struggling with acne or acne scars that have affected your confidence for years.

Maybe pigmentation seems to appear every time you look in the mirror.

Maybe your skin suddenly feels drier, thinner, or simply different as your hormones change.

Maybe fine lines and laxity are becoming more noticeable.

Or maybe nothing is necessarily “wrong.” You simply want your skin to look healthier, brighter, stronger, and more vibrant as you age.

Bring us your skin. Your questions. Your frustrations. Your goals.

Kylie, Niki, and Denise will help you sort through the rest.

They’ll listen. They’ll educate. They’ll help you understand what your skin needs and what it doesn’t. And, they’ll create a customized plan designed not around what’s trending, but around you.

At Refinery Skin Clinic, healthy skin transformation isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about giving your skin the knowledgeable care, consistency, and support it needs to become healthier and stronger over time.

It’s about looking in the mirror and feeling good about the person looking back. And, it’s about having a skincare expert beside you who is just as invested in that transformation as you are.

Built together.

Your skin. Your confidence. Your plan.

Ready to get started? Book a complimentary consultation with Kylie, Niki, or Denise today!

CALL (952) 479-0915  |  TEXT (952) 479-0603  | BOOK ONLINE!