Just weeks back, tele-consultation was a novel idea. But now that a circuit breaker has kicked in, meeting over a phone or video call may just be the future. With non-essential services shut until at least 4 May, more brands are finding different ways to stay engaged with their customers, and tend to their needs for regular appointments. This means you can now speak to a brand expert from an international brand for free. In Singapore, this approach is fairly new but is not uncommon overseas.
In the realm of aesthetic medicine and dermatology, IDS Aesthetics has joined the ranks of many other clinics offering tele-consultations. The session is similar to what you experience during a face-to-face meeting, except the onus is on you to ensure that the lighting on your face is sufficient to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Therapists will then assist you with recommended product usage once the consultation is over.
Besides aesthetic clinics, skincare and makeup brands are also offering tele-consultation.
Clarins Singapore, for instance, is taking its hand-on approach to beauty rituals online. Typically synonymous with product education, the brand has introduced Clarins & Me, an initiative that lets you consult its experts on the phone. Twenty minutes is all it takes with each of its five spa rituals. Pick one and the brand consultant will coach, and walk you through their insider secrets. The “beauty menu” options centre around aromatherapy, a how-to for glowing skin, and even a special maternity regime.
Although you are not getting that professional treatment, the guidance from a therapist, along with a skin analysis, lets you recreate that experience at home with the recommended products and application
Internationally, the options run wider. Dr Barbara Sturm, who’s famous for her celebrity clientele and inventing the vampire facial, has made herself, along with her team, available for complimentary consultations on Facetime, over the phone and Whatsapp, for people across the world.
Cult American beauty and makeup brand Glossier also has a similar service. In fact, its video chat programmes are fully booked at the moment. This live chat lets you chat with an exert about your routine, recommended products, or simply talk about makeup for 15 minutes.
