Jessica Frost COVID-19 closures saw the beauty industry get creative with spas and clinics turning to take home kits that gave their clients professional results from the comfort of their couches.
We saw a lot of changes to the beauty and aesthetics industries in the year that shall not be named, many of which we’re happy to now see the back of (think mask wearing, reduced capacities, and circuit-breaker closures). However, one innovation that’s still doing the rounds is at-home facial kits.
A response to closures across the country, dermal therapists and clinic owners began packaging up their professional products in single dose quantities so their clients could continue their skin health regime while they couldn’t get into the clinic.
So, as we return to our normal routines, we’re wondering if these kits are still a viable business move?
We spoke to three business owners across Australia who weighed in with their opinion.
Dr Kate Jameson, Medical Director and owner of Youth Lab that has two locations in Perth, saw a lot of success when she began offering her clients at-home kits.
“During our closure in 2020, we curated several take-home facial kits for our clients while they were unable to receive their regular treatments in the clinic,” says Dr Kate. “The kits were received very well, with our at-home mesotherapy kit containing a derma roller and ampules being a sell out soon after it was released.”
Ensuring safety at-home was a priority for Dr Kate, “We only sold our at-home facials to our regular clients who were already committed to their treatments in the clinic, knowing that their commitment to their skin would continue at home in a safe manner.”
“In conjunction with the release of each at home treatment pack, we created informative how-to videos which we posted on our Instagram feed, as well as a corresponding blog post on our website with a strict adherence guide.”
Alongside client safety, Dr Kate and her team were also able to bring touches of their signature style into their clients’ experience.
“Each treatment was demonstrated by a different team member on our social media, so our clients felt like they still had that personal connection. We also offered facetime consultations for clients, so we were able to prescribe the correct skincare and at-home treatment pack for their concerns. It was amazing to see just how passionate our clients are about their skin health despite the unprecedented times we were all experiencing.”
Despite the success of their kits, Dr Kate decided to stop selling the at home packs instead favouring the results clients see from treatments performed in clinic.
“I think that we are very fortunate to be in Australia where we have the luxury of offering our clients a full list of treatments with no restrictions, so the take home kits are not a necessary part of our service anymore.”
On the other hand, Shanyn Capodiferro, Dermal Therapist and Owner of Flawless Skin Science in Melbourne, says her take home kits are still popular with her clients.
“I created customised home facial kits for clients to address their skin concerns and help support the treatments they would have been having in clinic,” says Shanyn. “Two of the skin care brands I work with also created their own home facial kits which are off-the-shelf items clients could invest in and also made fabulous gifts.”
“They are definitely still relevant and continue to sell well. I think completing home treatments during lockdown really highlighted to clients how much could be achieved at home.”
Shanyn has also been sure to take measures to emulate the in-clinic experience for her clients and uses how-to videos on social media alongside her customised kits to ensure safety and compliance.
“Including tools such as cleansing cloths, mask brushes, home rollers and massage tools helps to emulate the in-clinic experience and gives the standard home facial a boost. It also encourages clients to spend longer on pampering their skin which I think helps to make the experience a little more luxurious,” shares Shanyn.
“Some of the kits encouraged clients to make a detoxifying herbal tea, just like is served in clinic, to support skin health whilst waiting for the masks to work their magic and provide a more holistic and rejuvenating experience.”
Temple Skincare & Spa, located in Sydney, are another example of the success of at-home kits during the pandemic.
“We created more than 10 DIY kits which were tremendously popular with our clients! Adding this service not only provided our clients with the expertise and support they needed to maintain their skincare goals, it also looked after us as a business,” says Owner and Director, Rene Herald. “Our suppliers like Professional Beauty Solutions and Germaine de Capuccini were wonderful and right there to support us from the word go.”
As for recreating the signature sanctuary vibes clients experience in the spa, it was business as usual. “Much of our social media communication is centred around client wellbeing at home, featuring lifestyle tips and trends and we made a special effort during COVID to put out reassuring messages for self-care. Our goal was to continue to offer our clients access to expertise, great products, and the quality self-care service that they are accustomed to.”
Although their kits are still available and remain a hit, Rene admits they can’t quite match the experience created in the spa.
“Let me tell you in the words of our clients, nothing comes close to the actual experience of being on that bed, having the healing touch and expertise of therapists who know and love what they do. We are so happy to be back in full swing.”
Instead, it’s their popular video consultations that have stood the tests of the pandemic and continue to be a worthy add-on to their service.
“Lockdown was not all bad, it gave rise to our online video skin consultations, which are still in popular demand and it’s so convenient to have a live chat with an experienced skin expert who can have your skincare routine and treatment plan all ready to go, within 30 minutes,” says Rene.
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that being flexible and ready to adapt in a moment’s notice is key, but that a focus on client experience and care is at the root of success. The convenience of at-home kits make a great addition to in-clinic protocols while human connection and professional services will always reign supreme.
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