Women in Aesthetics: Carrie Caulkins of Galderma

Carrie Caulkins is truly a Renaissance woman whose diverse experience has centered primarily on aspects of medical aesthetics. She joined Galderma 6.5 years ago and spent the past 5 years in Europe, where she oversaw the global fillers franchise and drove overall business strategy, the pipeline, and lifecycle management of the Restylane and Sculptra brands. She recently moved back to the United States to lead Galderma’s aesthetics marketing team.

The past 12 years of her career have focused on medical aesthetics, including 6 years at Allergan, where she held several roles within medical affairs for facial aesthetics and neurology. Earlier in her career, Carrie also took a newly patented cosmeceutical product to market at an aesthetics start-up.

Carrie shared some personal insights for women who are finding their way in the exciting field of aesthetics.

How did you get your start in the aesthetics field?

With an undergraduate degree and PhD in biomedical engineering, my career aspirations were always rooted in health care. I was introduced to medical aesthetics early on and had the opportunity to manage and launch an antiaging cosmeceutical line. In many of my early roles, my responsibilities were a mix of science and customer-driven insights within the medical affairs function, managing clinical trials and strategy, which I then maximized while getting my MBA to transfer into global strategic marketing. I was able to synthesize the data to help inform strategic business goals and develop comprehensive marketing plans for a variety of cosmetic and therapeutic injectable products.

I joined Galderma in 2016 and continue to oversee the launch, lifecycle management, positioning, and branding of our aesthetics portfolio in addition to identifying and preparing new products for market. What keeps me here are the fabulous people I work with, our amazing products, and a customer-centric culture focused on innovation. We aim to deliver innovative and effective aesthetic solutions for all skin types with consumer-centric marketing strategies that are dynamic but, more importantly, relatable.

Who have been some of your mentors throughout your career, and how did they influence your management style today?

After more than 2 decades in the industry, I have experience working with and under leadership of all kinds. My biggest takeaway from mentors and supervisors alike is the importance of establishing trust and keeping an open mind. We all bring different skills to the table, and having the patience to listen and engage with one another ensures a successful team.

How do you think your colleagues and team would describe you as a leader?

My team would say that I value trust, transparency, and a constant push to think about what’s next. It mirrors Galderma’s innovation and drive to uncover new solutions for our stakeholders.

What advice can you offer women who are rising stars in medical aesthetics?

Women wear a lot of hats, and my first piece of advice is to remember that our careers are only one piece of the pie. Our role as a friend, partner, or parent is just as if not more important. As a working mom, I’m constantly trying to strike the right balance, and I’m thankful to work for an organization that fosters a culture of collaboration. We build strong teams at Galderma, always remembering that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Creating a reliable team allows me to wear all those extra hats. On a more granular level, for those looking to work and excel in the aesthetics space, be sure your work is grounded in insights. This is one of the most consumer-driven sectors in health care, which makes data your best friend.

What are your personal causes?

One thing I love about Galderma is our commitment to philanthropy. For the last several years, we have dedicated the month of October to partnering with National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) Inc to support breast cancer patients and survivors. The partnership has yielded more than $400,000 in donations, and in 2022 we treated several women to a complimentary aesthetic consultation and treatment of their choice.

Another program I truly love to support is our annual Wonder Run, benefitting Children’s Skin Disease Foundation. On a more personal note, a cause I’m passionate about is being a present mom to my son. It’s important to me to always support his school/development as a PTA member and volunteer for various school events and classroom activities.

What quote best describes your philosophy?

A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be. —Rosalynn Carter