With clients getting increasingly disheartened with the impersonality of the internet, professionals are looking for ways to give their clients one-on-one advice without the need to front up to their bricks and mortar clinic. We talk to James Vivian, dermal clinician and founder of James Dermal Therapies, about The Cosmeceutical Curator, an online clinic that offers travel and time-challenged clients access to professional advice before they flex the plastic on product.
What made you decide to create The Cosmeceutical Curator?
“The Cosmeceutical Curator was created as a response to customers throughout Australia, Asia and beyond who, despite having access to clinics nearby, were still wanting to chat to us about their skin and the cosmeceuticals we advocate,” says dermal clinician James Vivian. “In addition, within our clinic, James Vivian Dermal Therapies, we were consulting with an increasing number of new clients who had been dissatisfied and disheartened with their online skincare purchases due to self-prescription or after reading reviews. Such situations can lead to a lack of results or, worse even, reactions, especially when these products contain high concentrations of active ingredients as seen in cosmeceutical skincare.”
So The Cosmeceutical Curator is an online equivalent to actually being in your clinic…?
“The Cosmeceutical Curator brings both a human and a personal element to the world of online skincare shopping,” says Vivian. “It bridges the gap between the online and in-clinic experience for those unable to attend a clinic for whatever reason.”
Is there a gap in the market in terms of online face-to-face consultations?
“There are already a small offering of websites that offer online face-to-face consultations and I am sure that there are many more to come,” says Vivian. “A lot of clinics, such as ours, are seeing it as an extension of their in-clinic service. We use our online consultations to chat to our Sydney clients between our 6-weekly visits and it also allows for ease of reordering when clients cannot make it into the clinic to replenish.”
What types of people are booking in for a consultation? How media savvy are your clients?
“One doesn’t need to be overly ‘media savvy’ to utilise The Cosmeceutical Curator’s services. A simply background in Skype, FaceTime etc., in addition to being able to navigate a basic online store, and we do the rest,” says Vivian. “The Cosmeceutical Curator’s clients consist of time-poor, woman with children, geographically-challenged or referred men and woman who are seeking a professional’s advice before investing in skincare, or who are wanting to know more about their skin specifically or generally.”
Is it possible that online skin consultations could one day take the place of a salon/clinic services?
“I do not believe so,” says Vivian. “The application of in-clinic treatments, such as laser, RF etc. could never be achieved at-home or online, and such treatments are essential for correcting common concerns that at-home skincare cannot remedy alone. Moreover, we are all part of an industry that relies on human interaction and our clients will always need to come to us for face-to-face care and attention, which again cannot be achieve through online consultations. I do believe, however, that online skin consultations will become more popular to cater for the increase in fast, convenient services.”
How accurate is a diagnosis through Skype?
“From a visual perspective, online diagnosis is not ideal and this is always conveyed to the client at the time of consultation,” says Vivian. “What online diagnosis does allow, however, is the opportunity to ask the relevant questions to discover the skin’s history and current status. You can gauge an incredible amount regarding them skin through conversation alone, you just need to know what questions to ask.”
What types of skin issues are you seeing?
“The types of skin issues we consult on are not dissimilar to those we see in-clinic, such as age management; pigmentation, dryness, sensitivity, blemishes and open pores,” says Vivian. “Clients of The Cosmeceutical Curator are primarily concerned with looking after their skin’s at-home rather than visiting a client, so we educate on the specific ingredients that they should include to remedy their concerns and recommend accordingly.”
Do you ever refer a client who has real skin issues?
“Absolutely!” says Vivian. “Within both The Cosmeceutical Curator and James Vivian Dermal Therapies we rely heavily on our network of Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, Naturopaths and other complimentary practitioners. As an industry, it is imperative that we are aware of where our abilities begin and end, and to know when to refer when necessary.”
Do you still make real-life skin consultations?
“Our clinic, James Vivian Dermal Therapies, welcomes clients 6-days a week for ‘real-life’ skin consultations,” says Vivian. “We place an enormous emphasis on skin consultation and analysis and offer this process complimentary to all new and established clients.”
What products do you have to offer clients?
“The offering of The Cosmeceutical Curator’s products mimics the offering that we offer within the James Vivian Dermal Therapies clinic,” says Vivian. “Within both businesses, we believe in a multi-brand approach when it comes to creating the perfect homecare program for our clients. We have over 10 different cosmeceutical brands as we believe that it’s impossible for one brand to be everything, to everyone. In addition, some clients require a gentle, yet effective approach, whilst other clients have skin’s which can tolerate a stronger dose of cosmeceutical skincare. Our brands include CosMedix, Aspect Dr, SkinMedica, Osmosis MD, in addition to complimentary brands such as Dermaroller, OrthoPlex and Slip Silk Pillowcases.”
Have your say: What do you think of online consultations? Is it something you would consider for your clinic or salon?