Back to Basics Home Care

Today’s clients want shorter regimens of reasonably priced products. Back to basics includes a cleanser and moisturizer that also includes an SPF and is infused with antioxidants and other important ingredients for the morning; and cleanser, moisturizer and treatment product for the evening. Each product is infused with ingredients that work together to get the results that formerly required five to seven products.

Professional products are also becoming simplified with treatments that have multiple uses and cover many bases. For example, designer resurfacers can now treat aging and acne with combinations of ingredients that produce better results faster. A peel with a balanced blend of glycolic and salicylic acids will treat acne by opening the surface of the epidermis to allow increased exfoliation of cells and prevent clogging of the follicles, while penetrating into the follicles to enhance the exfoliation of epidermal cells and break up clogs. This same product can also address aging by increasing cell turnover to expose younger cells and reduce hyperpigmentation of the epidermis.

The products that clients are willing to spend their time and hard-earned money on now can be described as the following.

Simple. How many products are in a typical home-care regimen? Clients are no longer willing to spend piles of money if the results can be attained by a simpler regimen. Skin care professionals also need to simplify in the treatment room. Ask yourself: How many products do you really need for a targeted facial?

Safe. How safe are the products you’re using? Are clients experiencing unwanted reactions to them? Are the product techniques sensitive? Skin care professionals need to know that the products they retail and use during treatments, when used properly, will do no harm.

Synergistic. Even with fewer products, home-care products should be synergistic, meaning they fit together to treat the skin according to its targeted needs. Synergy is important to attain results, and this is met through ingredients and the product’s purpose.

Systematic. Products must combine in a treatment synergy to produce the desired results. Overuse must be avoided, while sufficient and correct ingredients meet the client’s goals. The line must also be complete, meaning it has a system of products for all skin conditions and each is treated in a synergy of care. If the line is not complete, you will be ordering from several sources, which is a hassle and detracts from product synergy.

Samples. Consider working with a synergistic line that has organized sample kits of regimens for clients to take home. This is a very important aspect in gaining and maintaining a client. The kit must be reasonable enough in cost to give to new clients and substantial enough to result in an obvious skin change for the client (usually four to five days). This is a huge plus because clients who try the entire regimen on their skin are many times more likely to have a positive experience, make another appointment and repurchase.

Cover many bases

Skin care professionals and clients don’t want overburdened shelves of many different products. Products are now being developed that have synergistic ingredients that eliminate the need for multiple products. This adds to sales and to the number of clients who become repeat home-care purchasers.

Megan DiMartino, founder/CEO of the Novitá Clinicals product line and Novitá Spa on the Square, Georgetown, Texas, is a product developer, licensed esthetician, spa owner, and nationally known educator and speaker. Her passion is to share her knowledge of the science of products, as well as esthetic and spa development, with other skin care professionals.

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