If you've visited The Skin Alcove, you'll notice that we don't carry just one skincare line. The brands we've partnered with include Viktoria Deann, Hale and Hush, Neogenesis, Dermodality, TiZO, and Michele Corley. There may even be more to come.
Another thing you may notice is that we don't carry every product from these skincare lines. This is because there were criteria The Skin Alcove set up before bringing on these products to pair with your professional skin treatments: price, safety, and efficacy.
Price
To be clear, the professional skincare products aren't going to be drugstore prices. There is technology, ingredient sourcing, and case studies behind the scenes that goes into the formulation and price of a professional skincare product. What I can say about the offerings at The Skin Alcove is that they are comparable to Sephora and Ulta pricing on skincare with the added benefit of providing results and improving skin health.
One of the lines I currently carry has a serum that has fantastic case studies showing its efficacy on managing eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and even rosacea. It's always tempting to bring it on for our clients but the price of that serum makes it inaccessible.
I know that there is a professional skincare product out there that can do what the above product can while being under $100. I just have to find it. Part of my responsibility is continued research to treat all aesthetic skincare concerns at accessible prices.
Safety
Professional lines are formulated with advanced skin treatments in mind. This means that skin health, integrity, and strength are necessary to receive in office treatments. These lines will have barrier supportive products and active/corrective products.
Many barrier supportive products are oftentimes not acne safe. If you're acne prone, that means more blemishes and potentially more hyperpigmentation.
On the other hand, active products can be quite strong and require skin to become acclimated to avoid unwanted skin irritation. Many lines will have one treatment product to address a skin concern and I've seen it be either too mild for continued treatment progress or too strong to start with.
What we mean by safety is twofold, acne safe and maintaining the skin barrier. Everything at The Skin Alcove is acne safe, even our barrier supportive offerings. Our treatment products will also have 2 to 3 levels of strength to build up skin's tolerance and find the right level of activity for your skin. To meet this need, it requires multiple lines to be offered. You may find I start you off with a serum from one line but then move you to a different serum in another line. That's part of this "step up" approach to treating skin conditions.
Efficacy
Being a results driven esthetician and providing bio active skin treatments means what we offer must show it works on the skin. This is why skincare clinics and med spas will rely on professional skincare lines. We know that what's available over the counter aren't strong enough to support your skin while going through treatments. Our portfolio is the results we deliver for our clients and that includes use of the prescribed homecare.
I've spent the last 3 years trialing over 20 different skincare lines with people of varying skin types, concerns, and tones. There are products from lines I currently carry that weren't effective enough so they didn't make the cut. Part of client satisfaction is seeing the results as we progress through treatment. The brands may say one thing, but if in practice it doesn't deliver, they don't meet our criteria.
The Skin Alcove continues to trial new products and innovations. More trials are currently in the works. You can rest assured that nothing will be offered until it's met all of our core tenants: cost, safety, and efficacy.
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