Us versus them Every beauty professional has heard these responses (and more) to home care recommendations: “I buy all my cosmetics from my neighbor,” “I’ve used (Product X) for years and like it,” or “What is the difference between this stuff and what I get at the discount store? They’re cheaper there.” Professionals need to know how to answer these questions. To do so, several aspects of the available products can be brought to the attention of the clients to provide reasons Promotion No one can turn on the TV, go online, or open a magazine without viewing expensive and elaborate advertisements for beauty care products. These products are called OTC , or over-the-counter, products because they are sold at retail outlets such as discount stores, department stores, grocery stores, online, and through multilevel marketing (MLM) sales/direct sales, all without recommendations by professionals. Many of these lines spend millions of dollars a year on all forms of promotion to persuade the public to purchase their products. Most also spend a great deal of money on their packaging to visually confirm the worth of their product and the claims in their ads. Quality and percentage of active ingredients When any product line is spending a great deal of money on marketing and promotion, one or more of the following can occur: High cost, low-quality ingredients, or lower percentages of active ingredients. Active ingredients may be used as “label dressing,” meaning that although high-quality ingredients are present in the products, the actual amount of the active ingredient is so low that it does not function as thoroughly as that ingredient in professional products. The quality of ingredients can vary dramatically in different products. There are three levels of ingredients: Pharmaceutical (the highest quality), commercial, and cosmetic. As the quality and grade increases, the cost increases. For that reason, when pharmaceutical-grade ingredients are used in products, they are more expensive. Commercial-grade ingredients are not used for humans. Cosmetic-grade ingredients are not as effective nor as Professional recommendations Possibly the most powerful reason for purchasing from a professional is the availability of professional recommendations. OTC product lines do not have skincare- trained professionals at their counters, nor do the multilevel marketing companies at their parties, so their skincare salespeople have limitations. A stock question they ask is “What is your skin type?” The client must tell them what they believe their skin type to be because these salespeople may not be trained to define this important aspect of product recommendation. Without professional training, the salesperson can make mistakes in their recommendations that may be potentially harmful. The products may be hydrating, feel great, and even smell good, but they cannot make great changes in the skin like those with high percentages of quality active ingredients.
for using professional products, not the products from retail stores. The comparisons must be easily understood and become “Ah-ha! moments” for clients. Offer basic and understandable answers. First, compare the discount product line’s amount of money spent on promotion to that spent by professional lines. Second, point out the quality and percentage of active ingredients they can use at the prices they charge. Third, highlight the availability of professional recommendations. The ultimate questions for beauty professionals are how effective are these products and how can professional products compete with them? Look at the product and consider these questions: How much money can and will these lines spend on high-level ingredients if they are spending millions of dollars on promotion? Will the percentages and quality of their active ingredients be as high due to the dollars spent in promotion? Explaining these considerations to clients can be a great competitive tool when recommending skincare. Beauty professionals must know how to compare their products with others in order to educate their clients. Which product has better ingredients and produces better results? results-oriented as pharmaceutical grade ingredients. Pharmaceutical grade is pure and safe, and it performs as it should, with good formulation. Over-the-counter (OTC) products usually use cosmetic- grade ingredients because of the higher expense of pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. The quality of ingredients is usually reflected in the cost, although that doesn’t always present the real picture. There are some very expensive OTC products that are just fluff and aroma, but because they are expensive and have heavy promotion, they have many loyal customers. For that reason, recommendations from a knowledgeable product professional involved with a professional product line is the best guarantee of quality. It is vital for the professional to have a strong knowledge of the products and their ingredients. The informed skincare professional can assess the client’s skin and recommend the correct products as well as train the client in their use, ensuring the best results from their home care products. Professional recommendations can also target the goal the client wishes to achieve, partnering professional services with home care products. This partnership can facilitate change and improve the client’s skin, enabling them to reach their goal efficiently and progressively.
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Book Code: ENC0825
EliteLearning.com/Cosmetology
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