find your dream career! ascpskincare.com/career-toolkits 67
The questions being asked in the online consultations
are in-depth, thoughtfully put together, user-friendly, and . . .
well, they're good! Most of the consultations take anywhere
from 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and the questions walk
you through those we're all familiar with: What are your skin
care goals and concerns? How would you best describe your
skin type? Are you taking any prescribed medications? What
products are you using on a daily basis? Any retinol products?
What may surprise you, though, are the in-depth lifestyle
questions that are asked, such as: How many hours per day do
you spend in front of a screen or digital device? What is your daily
commute like? How would you describe your level of everyday
makeup coverage? How many hours of sleep do you get per night?
We are well aware that physical and mental health, nutrition,
exercise, air quality, and other various lifestyle-related habits can
all significantly impact skin. And yet, these types of questions are
much less commonly found on standard consultation forms you
would complete in a spa or salon prior to a facial treatment.
THE PERFECT TIME TO REFLECT
Even though there are more eyes than ever on the skin care
industry, and it feels like everyone is fighting for the same slice
of the pie, now is still the perfect time
to reflect on ways you can improve
your practice. You are the skin care
professional, and your clients will
always look to you for a consult over
the consumer giants—as long as they
feel you are looking out for their best
interests. Asking the right questions,
taking a more personal approach to your
clients' skin care needs, and offering
them the same level of service you would
expect will be the keys to your continued
success in this competitive field.
Notes
1. The NPD Group, "U.S. Prestige Beauty
Industry Sales Grow 6 Percent in 2018,
Reports the NPD Group," January 29,
2019, accessed February 2020, www.
npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/
press-releases/2019/u-s--prestige-
beauty-industry-sales-grow-6-percent-
in-2018--reports-the-npd-group.
2. Celia Shatzman, "The Best Customizable
Beauty Brands," Forbes.com, July 27, 2018,
accessed February 2020, www.forbes.com/
sites/celiashatzman/2018/07/27/the-best-
customizable-beauty-brands/#4b0f4af855.
While paper forms are
fine and expected,
your client may feel
overwhelmed by the
number of questions
they have to answer or
may feel pressured to
rush through the form.
Consider alternative
options, like the
opportunity to complete
questionnaires online
or at home prior to an
appointment.