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Skincare prescription
Providing a skin analysis and prescription service can significantly boost a spa’s retail sales. We investigate some of the key offerings
Most skincare companies perform a client skin analysis but how they do it ranges greatly. Some focus on fostering a great therapist/client relationship, some have a handwritten consultation, while others offer a high-tech analysis machine or service that reveals truths that even the most experienced therapist might miss.
The common aim is to offer a prescribed treatment targeting the client’s specific skin needs and to sell the goods to carry on the work at home. In this product focus, we’ll look at highly customised skincare lines; companies which prescribe skincare from existing ranges following an analysis; and the manufacturers of skin analysis machines.
PRESCRIBED SKINCARE
Dove Spa
Spa facility and skincare brand, Dove Spa uses the Multi Dermascope machine, by Germany’s Courage + Khazaka Electronic, to diagnose the health of its guests’ skin as a free service. Every facial client is offered a skin diagnostic before treatment, while other customers can try it on a complimentary basis. Sue Shephard, managing director for Dove Spa in the UK and Canada, says: “Use of our skin diagnostics is key to driving retail sales and our sites which do the most skin diagnostics have the highest retail percentage.” She adds that the accuracy of the technology is a USP for Dove Spa and “reinforces the credentials of therapists as skincare experts.”
This system measures elasticity, sebum levels, pigmentation and hydration, as well as taking into account lifestyle factors, before suggesting treatments and products. The machines are customised, with software which uses the same language as Dove therapists to describe skin problems. It also references Dove products.
Dove chose this system as it believes that a visual check is insufficient to understand all guests’ skincare issues.
Spa-kit.net keywords: Dove Spa
SKINCARE ANALYSIS MACHINE
Callegari Soft Plus
Italian-based Callegari, part of the Catellani Group, manufactures skincare analysis machines to give operators a competitive edge and help them generate more revenue, repeat orders and client loyalty. Valeria Zanelli, sales manager for Europe, says: “After three months of using the Soft Plus in its branches, one of our clients experienced an increase of 600 per cent in the sale of skincare products.”
The company supplies over 7,000 spas and clinics across Europe. Most offer the Soft Plus as part of a pre-treatment assessment, but it can also be used to show results from treatments – which are invisible to the eye – to encourage clients to complete treatment courses.
The Soft Plus offers full skin, body and hair health assessment and its appearance and software can be customised.
The machine has a micro-camera and six probes which use light reading technology, infrared sensors and capacity measurements to read the skin’s level of hydration, pH, sebum, elasticity, melanin and temperature. It can take single readings on one element, such as elasticity, but can also produce a detailed analysis using all of the probes and micro-camera. There’s a choice of up to 10 pre-set programmes, including two anti-ageing screenings, sensitive skin assessment, cellulite screening, pigmentation screening and 3D assessment of wrinkles. The results are shown on touch screen display and can be saved and printed for the client to view.
Soft Plus offers four cheaper Mini machines which measure just one element of the skin such as hydration, melanin or sebum levels.
Spa-kit.net keyword: Catellani
PRESCRIBED SKINCARE
Dermalogica
Dermalogica created its Face Mapping diagram (see picture) in 2002 to analyse the skin by dividing the face and neck areas into 14 different zones. It’s since found that there is a 60 per cent conversion rate from receiving a Face Mapping analysis to purchasing products. Clients have a Face Mapping analysis – a therapist-led consultation – before a skin treatment to ensure they receive the right facial for their skin type and condition. During the free analysis, the therapist examines the skin through touch and sight with a magnified light headset, while asking the client about their skin habits, routine and health. It concludes with a completed face map chart, homecare advice and a prescription of suitable Dermalogica products.
Face Mapping is used to build trust and a rapport between the therapist and client and give the professional a chance to speak freely to the customer about their skin without any pressure to buy. The goal is that the relationship becomes a long-standing one where the client revisits for treatments and product purchases and refers the skin therapist to friends and family. Annet King, director of global education for Dermalogica says: “If the client isn’t educated about her own skin, the relationship between the professional skin therapist and the client cannot be created.”
Spa-kit.net keyword: Dermalogica
CUSTOMISED SKINCARE
My Blend by Clarins
To complement its customisable skincare range, My Blend has developed the My Skin Diag skin analysis procedure. The two-step 20-minute analysis is part of a treatment, which costs £260 (US$391, ¤303) and lasts 95 minutes. It starts with questions on lifestyle then a Callegari Soft Plus machine (see p94) takes photographs of the skin and analyses it with probes. The aim is to add credibility and show scientifically what the needs of the client’s skin are. The diagnosis determines which My Blend facial is suitable and, with therapist input, My Blend products can also be customised accordingly.
My Blend was developed by Dr Olivier Courtin, son of Clarins founder Jacques Courtin. The range features eight anti-ageing Essential Formula day and night creams; seven Boosters, active ingredient concentrates; and seven cleansers and eye creams. In total, there are over 350 possible combinations.
Customers can’t buy My Blend products without having a diagnosis beforehand, either through a questionnaire on My-Blend.com or a My Skin Diag diagnosis. The analysis and Spa My Blend by Clarins treatments are currently available at Royal Monceau-Raffles, Paris; Ritz-Carlton, Toronto and Majestic Barrière, Cannes.
Spa-kit.net keywords: My Blend
PRESCRIBED SKINCARE
Simone Mahler
Simone Mahler, the French skincare and spa facility brand, uses the Actiview 3 diagnostic device – manufactured by Advance Beauty – as a free skin analysis tool. New clients receive a diagnosis and are recommended to have between two and four skin tests each year. Since its introduction in 2011, Simone Mahler salons have seen a 30 per cent increase in product sales revenue.
During the 15-minute Actiview 3 test, a photo is taken of the client to determine the actual age of the skin and areas of concern such as forehead and eyebrow area lines, crow’s feet, sagging facial contours and pigmentation. The system then uses an enlarged picture of specific problem areas to study them more closely and recommend suitable products and treatments from the range. The machine has been adapted to recommend a Simone Mahler skincare prescription and is designed to be simple to operate and understand for the benefit of the aesthetician and client.
Spa-kit.net keywords: SimonE Mahler