Jane Wurwand has built her vast professional skin care empire and its philanthropic arm on the tenet of education. For the Dermalogica co-founder, it’s not about a marketing tool or buzzword, it’s personal.

“I was raised by a mother who was widowed at 38 and, as a nurse, raised a family of four girls,” explained Jane, who grew up in England and went to beauty school there. “She role-modeled this idea of vocational skill set training.”

In 1983, Jane and her then-boyfriend Raymond, opened their first International Dermal Institute (IDI), a school in Marina del Rey, CA, offering postgraduate training for licensed skin therapists. Three years later, Jane developed Dermalogica after she couldn’t find suitable products for her treatments. Today, the company reportedly generates more than $250 million a year and, according to Kline & Company, was the leader in America’s salon and spa channel last year. The IDI, meanwhile, has 38 centers around the world, including 18 in the U.S, and trains more than 100,000 licensed skin therapists a year.

Training remains the bedrock of the brand and certain IDIs are taking on a new look. Jane is evaluating each secondary market IDI, then moving select ones to shopping destinations in the same cities and converting them into “hybrid learning centers.”

Training facilities, spa services and concepts (including Face Mapping, Skin Bar and MicroZone treatments) and retail sales are housed in the gleaming, modern spaces. “Our pilot hybrid was in Scottsdale, AZ, two years ago. It’s been phenomenally successful,” said Jane, who loves the Apple store concept of product, classroom and theater.

On the product front, Dermalogica’s healthy skin message remains the same. “I believe the consumer wants what we’ve always offered,” she said. “They want their skin in the optimum condition. I don’t believe it’s about pampering, luxury or indulgence.”

Jane is “highly focused on our AgeSmart category and specifically lensing in on SPF and new ways to use them and apply them.” This fall, the company will relaunch its brightening line.

What it won’t introduce is a color collection. “For me, makeup is a fashion statement and it’s not intrinsically tied to skin care. I’m not particularly interested in it and I’m not particularly good at color,” said Jane.

On the professional side, Professional expert Strength, which is a hybrid of medical grade and salon grade, is a priority. Dermalogica debuted the four-step BioActive Peel, its first chemical peel, in this line. It’s for use only by skin therapists.

Dermalogica is sold in 86 countries worldwide and Jane is eyeing China and Brazil for expansion. “We actually are not in China because of the stand that the Chinese government has on animal testing. We don’t test on animals and it’s required there. If you are willing to manufacture there then there are ways to get around it. We manufacture here in southern California and that’s part of our branding.” Dermalogica will not enter China until its policy changes, but it does operate in Hong Kong.

“Brazil is an enormous market and very sophisticated,” she said, noting that the country has a high regulatory bar, a difficult registration process and high taxes.

Jane is passionate about Dermalogica’s FITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship) program, which has helped fund more than 40,000 loans for women to start or expand a business. Empowering women by teaching them skills is a recurring theme for her.

As the sole owners of Dermalogica, the Wurwands have the freedom to do as they please. They have ruled out taking on investors as they don’t want to answer to anyone. “We have two daughters, both of whom show no inclination of wanting to go into the industry. We made a decision many years ago that we would not want them to go into the business. I happen to feel that a legacy business can be a huge burden on children. At this point, are we in conversation? No. At some point, watch this space.”