Nadine Dilong There is a new skincare brand on the market that takes customisation – and therefore, results – to the next level. Introducing, Universkin.
Do you offer your clients a customised skincare regime? Most of you would probably say they do, meaning that they do a proper skin analysis and then recommend suitable products depending on the client’s skin concerns. Co-Founder of Universkin, Dr Harry Arampatzis (PHD, PHARM. D ), argues that every skin needs a freshly mixed, bespoke skincare regime and that there is no such thing as an off-the-shelf product that actually works.
“If you’re buying a juice, you want it to be fresh,” says Arampatzis, “and it should be the same with skincare.” And so in 2006, Arampatzis, who used to work for L’Oreal, created a therapeutical-grade skincare line with the help and expertise of two Plastic Surgeons, Universkin, which is now available in over 30 countries worldwide.
The concept is a simple as it is genius – the stockists receive 19 active ingredients of the highest quality, among them Ferulic Acid, Madecassoside, Zin Sulfate, Rutin and more, and a Vortex Mixer to be able to create a bespoke serum in front of the patient’s eyes. As the doses of each ingredient will be tailored to the patient’s needs, the combination possibilities are endless – making each serum unique.
“Universkin is about skin health rather than skincare,” says Arampatzis, who believes that many people’s skin problems stem from the fact that they are “over-creamed but undertreated” meaning most people use too many products and are too inconsistent with their skin regimes. By getting a doctor involved in your skincare, he argues, you get exactly the kind of products you need, with active, therapeutical ingredients to make a change.
“Consumers are lost, and they need a skin coach, their doctor, to explain to them what to use.” Universkin is based on the concept of anti-inflammatory ingredients, as that’s what ageing comes down to: inflammation. As skin “has a memory”, says Arampatzis, we need to train our skin cells to do their job right, and we can only do this by being consistent and tailor products to every person’s unique skin concerns.
Freshness is absolutely crucial to a product’s efficacy, and with most retail products out there sitting on shelves for a long time, they require preservatives and other chemicals to keep them stable. However, as Universkin products are mixed fresh on the day the patient buys them, the need for preservatives is diminished. “We’re bringing the factory to the customer,” the skin expert says, “so there is no need for preservatives or chemicals.” As the actives are freshly integrated in the emulsion base, they deliver their best efficacy.
In order to determine the right ‘concoctions’ for a client, patients can fill out a detailed questionnaire online as a starting point for a practitioner, including questions about the person’s age, lifestyle, skin condition, and even location as air pollution is taken into consideration, too. Once the questionnaire is completed, the client’s skin is analysed in rooms and a bespoke product is created. The so-called ‘Serum P’ can integrate up to three pure active ingredients, covering eight main skin functions:
- Oxidative Stress
- Skin Appearance
- Skin Redness
- Skin Dryness & Dehydration
- Skin Texture
- Skin Oiliness
- Skin Pigmentation
- Pimples
Over time, the formula can be fine-tuned to match lifestyle, age, skin condition, seasonal and environmental aggressions.
In a time where increasingly more people aim to treat their lines with botulinum toxin and their volume loss with fillers, Dr Arampatzis stresses the importance of good skin quality, as things like bad texture, redness, or impurities can make a person seem older than they are.
“We can’t just treat the topography of skin,” he explains, “We also have to restore skin health.”
Already hugely popular overseas, Universkin has just launched into the Australian market and is looking forward to adding more skin clinics to their list of partners and stockists. Among the first Australian clinics to stock the French brand are Dr Steven Liew’s Shape Clinic and Dr Joseph Hkeik’s All Saints.
More Customisable Brands
German skincare brand dermaviduals doesn’t believe in a blanket approach to skincare. The product range allows skin treatment therapists and aestheticians to individually adapt creams, serums, masks, and cleansers with active agent concentrates to treat specific skin conditions using only a select number of products. There is a selection of over 40 pure and active serums to use to create custom blends
“Flexibility and adaptability are what we love most about the dermaviduals range and the ability to customise,” says Operations Manager at Derma Aesthetics, Brittany Vescio.
“A busy client may only have time for a cleanser and moisturiser, both of these products can be customised with actives, so the client still receives an effective, results-driven skincare solution. Contrastingly, another client may love the process of their skincare routine and welcome a prescription of multiple products.”
“Unlike other customisable ranges, dermaviduals is quick, simple and easy to prescribe and tailor as part of your existing skin consultation and prescription timeframes. All active concentrates can be mixed in any combination according to the requirements of the client’s skin.”
