What is the best part about getting a facial? Let us be honest; having an expert assess your skin, its problems and putting together a tailormade routine for you is the best part, isn’t it? You get good skincare results only if you practice regular diligent home care. All the best skin therapists have recently taken to the web, giving you guidance from behind that computer screen. Want to know which products to use for your pigmentation? Get that glow? The best anti-ageing regimen? A Skin Therapist can help with all of that, and they’re waiting for you at The Skin Network! We find out more from the Founder, Emily Victoria Ripley…
How did The Skin Network happen?
We launched like every good business, during the midst of a crisis or to be more specific the global pandemic. In April 2020 when the world went into lockdown I had to look for an immediate solution to care for my patients who were undergoing active skincare treatments. What people often don’t understand is that skincare isn’t purely cosmetic, it’s medical too. Patients knew the detrimental impact missing their facial appointments and running out of their homecare prescriptions would have on their skin condition. I had to find a way to keep in touch with them and support them through the process whilst also keeping them stocked up with supplies by delivering their products direct to their doorstep. I had some previous experience on this from when I was working in London. Often patients with busy lifestyles wouldn’t be able to make it to the clinic especially if they were working away on business so we would structure a skincare regime they could do by themselves and keep in contact through video calls so I could manage their progress. After the lockdown ended It had became so popular and I realised there was a huge gap in the market for this kind of service that we just continued once the clinics had reopened. I found that many of my patients still chose to opt for the home service and online aftercare despite been able to come for a physical appointment. With the ongoing situation worldwide, lifestyle changes and a time conscious society that we live in, it seems to be the perfect solution; A skin therapist at your fingertips 24/7 any time, any place.
What is the USP of Skin Network?
We are the Middle Easts’ first digital skincare consultancy. We provide 24/7 access to your own personal skin therapist to help diagnose your skin type and condition. Your therapist will then personalise a skincare regime just for you based on your budget, time, any medical conditions, sensitivities and brand preferences. To ensure our patients get the best possible results we also provide 3 months of aftercare, which is the average prescription length. This means you have as much support as you need, whenever you need it. The additional services and private memberships are all free of charge because we believe everybody has the right to access good skincare.
How to you choose products for your online shop?
Our brands are carefully selected by our dedicated team of skin practitioners. They are tried and tested and range from medical grade skincare, normally only available in clinics to well-known cosmetic skincare lines. We search worldwide for our products outsourcing from Germany, U.K, Australia, New Zealand and America.
Can you tell us about a few latest skincare innovations that help tackle skin issues?
2022 will see the importance of the minimalistic approach to skin and its long overdue. I spend most of my time telling my patients to pull back on their skincare regime and use less. There are still many people reveling off the 2021 trend of the 12 step Korean beauty regimes which for most people and most skins is so overwhelming. Skincare can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. But the truth is there are only a few key ingredients needed to maintain a healthy facial glow. In fact one of the biggest problems I see is an overly stripped skin barrier that is the result of too much product or too many treatments! Many of our skin problems can be fixed by slimming down and filtering out your skincare closet.
Something else we can definitely expect to see more of is Holistic skincare regimes. We are slowly starting to understand the impact our lifestyle choices have on our skin. Lack of sleep, stress, environment and social habits can make or break your skins happy place. The introduction of beauty tools like gua sha and body rollers to practice facial reflexology, massage and lymphatic drainage can and should be incorporated into any skincare regime. And for those who want to take it a step further; breathing therapy, facial icing and anti stress techniques are skin friendly habits to take your wellness up a level.
I really believe in 360 degree approach to skincare and it’s the only way to find a long term solution to chronic skin conditions. Skin responds best when its targeted internally and externally, this requires a patient to work alongside you and make the effort to adapt to lifestyle changes.
Do you think there is a major shift in the industry with wellness being pf prime focus nowadays?
I love that people have become so obsessed with wellness, fitness and health. Self-care is never a bad thing and we all deserve a little bit of me time. This is certainly changed the way patients look at their skin and the importance of their skincare. We know that maintaining a healthy skin isn’t just about beauty. Attending the dermatologists office is just as important as going to the dentist and should be taken seriously. You can’t care about your body and not care about your skin, it comes as a whole package. I feel people are much more open to using skincare at home and don’t feel shame or guilt when taking caring of themselves anymore. Previously I used to see mostly women, aged between 20-40. It was very rare I saw anybody outside of this criteria looking for advice. Now this has expanded to men, teenagers, elderly patients and even children. Especially in the cases of skin conditions been present.
Is Biotech Beauty a thing?
The question is not so much whether it is a thing, there are certainly many companies claiming to be doing this. It’s more a question of what benefit does it have? For those who don’t know Biotech Beauty is the name given to the process of artificially constructing plant made ingredients to preserve nature. Whilst it’s still in the early stages of development not every company has bought into it yet. Sustainability is an important part of our future and something that has to be considered in every industry, skincare and beauty isn’t an exception to that. I think as more innovations are made it will become clearer what it’s place is in the skincare world. The beauty of this industry is that we are constantly making new discoveries to improve the skin of patients whilst protecting and preserving the environment, after all we want to make sure our favourite ingredients are here to stay in years to come.
What about smart skincare, personalization and AI?
The answer behind good skincare has and always will be in the science, medical research and technology used to develop it. This has been an important part of the clinical cosmetology field but it’s now advancing into the cosmetic skincare world and rightly so. We need to understand that for the skin to treated effectively, products sometimes have to delve below the surface. Using a blanket of moisturiser overnight won’t fix your skin woes. Using unique combinations of antioxidants, actives, acids and ceramides enables your skincare to almost read and re correct your skin upon application. Over long term use this can change the skins structure and ability to reproduce itself. Think of ingredients as instruction manuals directly talking to your skin to manage what we know as “the complex skin factory”. We know that ingredients alone are not enough and they are surely not all made equal. In fact the composition, percentage and stabilisation process is equally as important as the ingredient itself. This takes years of research, testing and trialing to develop the perfect equation for the skin. Our knowledge on skin conditions is also developing at a significant pace. We know a lot more about the internal triggers and underlying factors behind some of the most common complaints like acne, eczema and pigmentation. The better we understand the problem, the easier it is to look for a solution.
AR (augmented reality) and AI (artificial intelligence) have been played with in the beauty and make up industry most commonly to help consumers shade match and test out products on their photographs before purchasing. However when it comes to the skincare world, we aren’t quite there yet. Whilst innovative technology certainly plays a strong role, there is some things that AI can’t replace. The connection between a therapist and a patient is so important and half of the consultation is the conversation. We discover a great amount of information that can help us indicate undiagnosed skin conditions by asking the right questions. I also spend a lot of time counselling patients that have low self confidence, anxiety and even depression as a result of their skin. This is something that can only be achieved through human empathy, understanding and analysis.
How important is Ingredient transparency and Clean beauty?
Now everybody with internet access can get their hands on the INCI listing. A database of cosmetic ingredients, where they come from and what they do. This is beneficial for people who really want to know what’s inside their favourite face cream or foundation. However it still takes a basic understanding of skincare to analyse this. All cosmetic and medical products are required to list their ingredients and percentages, however it might seem like nonsense to most people. Skincare professionals are trained in ingredients, their benefits and their disadvantages. This is why it’s so important to have expert advice, that doesn’t mean from the latest vlogger or viral Tiktok. Advice should be backed with certification. Everyone will claim to be an expert on skin but that just isn’t the case and many mistakes can be made by taking unsolicited advice.
Clean beauty on the other hand is a marketing term developed by some brands to help them sell their products. The term refers to products that contain natural ingredients sourced from plants as opposed to chemical ingredients synthetically made. This marketing is based on creating a fear around using chemical ingredients. Something important to remember is chemical are not bad for the skin, parabens are fine and natural ingredients cause more reactions than ones that are made in the laboratory.
If you could give one holy grail piece of skincare advice to everyone reading this, what would it be?
I often get asked why there is so much conflicting advice from specialists about skincare. The truth is everyone has an opinion based on their own clinical experiences, education and knowledge. This can be confusing for people when they want to learn about their skin. However there is one thing that dermatologists, therapists, make-up artists and nutritionists all agree upon. The importance of protecting your skin from the sun. We know of the risks around skin cancer when exposed to lengthy times in UV but there are so many cosmetic complications that can come from over exposure to sun and artificial UV. Pigmentation and discoloration are very common especially in the middle east, but perhaps less commonly talked about is the dramatic acceleration that the sun has on the skins ageing process. UV rays cause a breakdown in the collagen structure of the skin, making wrinkles and lines progress much faster. Wearing an SPF is a must for everyone with skin. It doesn’t matter on your age or skin colour. SPF also protects against damage from indoor lights, phone and computer screens which we now know also have an impact on the skin, this means even when you are not going outside, it should be part of your skins morning regime.
Emily Victoria Ripley – Founder of The Skin Network
Emily is the founder of The Skin Network. Founded in 2021, The Skin Network is a virtual skin consultation service based in Dubai, aimed at providing women access to professional skincare expertise without the need to visit clinics. The brand focuses on treating common concerns such as adult acne, PCOS, chronic skin conditions and hyperpigmentation, as well as skin cancer prevention and detection. Featuring an all-female team, The Skin Network creates a safe space for women to seek advice for all their skincare needs.
The company was born during the COVID-19 lockdown, when Emily found herself providing ‘Emergency skincare’ deliveries to her existing clients during the clinic closures. After moving from the UK to UAE, she continued to consult with her patients overseas, utilising her Harley Street cosmetology expertise and building a successful network of trusting clients. The niche of providing online clinical skincare consultations during the pandemic was prevalent, and Emily founded the brand to cater to the gap in the market. The company provides a convenient, professional and reliable service that offers transparency for clients and accessibility to skin specialists from the comfort of their own homes.
With 10 years of experience in skincare and aesthetics, Emily started and built the business entirely herself, being heavily involved in every aspect of its foundation. With an already pre-existing client base in both the UK and UAE, she aims to expand the business creating a name for The Skin Network in the UAE and beyond.
Originally from England, UK, Emily moved to Dubai after living and studying in several countries across the globe, including Amsterdam and Spain. She has 10 years of experience working as a full time cosmetologist and aesthetician.
Visit https://theskinnetwork.me/ to know more.