Answers to the Questions Estheticians Hate Most

Sometimes your customers hit you with a tough question, the kind that can get you a little flustered, or even a little steamed. Anticipating questions and having answers at the ready can help you turn what could be a deal-breaker into an opportunity to strengthen your customer relationship. Here are some suggestions to help you counter the most contentious customer questions with grace and confidence.

“Why should I buy from you and not Amazon?”

How can you compete with fast, free shipping? By offering something Amazon can’t: expertise. Make sure your clients understand that when they purchase products from you, they are buying not just the product, but the knowledge that goes along with it. You will be there to answer their questions when they begin using the product.

Does Amazon have a skin care expert on hand to provide advice? We think not. Make sure your customer knows it, by gently informing them that if they buy from Amazon, they will need to direct their questions there as well.

You can also let them know that unless they are buying directly from the manufacturer, the authenticity of the products on Amazon can’t be guaranteed. Unscrupulous third-party sellers often sell counterfeit, watered-down, or expired products. If the products are being offered cheaper, they are coming from a third party seller.

“Why are the products so expensive?”

High-quality ingredients and the research that goes into developing products are costly. Vivant uses all top-quality raw materials that meet USP (United States Pharmacopeia) standards and manufactures our products by hand in small batches in our Miami production facility.

A cheap price tag means the product is mass-produced and lacks high-quality ingredients, or it may have them, but in amounts too small to make a difference. The emphasis is on cost-saving, not results.

Additionally, bargain product use fillers to add heft and texture to their product without adding cost. Cheaper products tend to have more of these ingredients, which have little benefit and can often be pore-clogging offenders.

“What if I only want to use all-natural, organic products?”

“Natural” and “organic” are marketing terms, not standards in skin care. The FDA does not regulate the term “natural,” and the term organic is regulated in regard to food. Most plant-derived ingredients and essential oils used in skin care products fall outside the regulation because they are not food products.

Most products labeled natural and organic contain synthetic (laboratory-produced) ingredients that are there to stabilize, thicken, preserve, and add color or fragrance. That’s because many ingredients in their natural state can be difficult to preserve and lose their beneficial elements.

Ingredients that come straight from nature can have impurities. Growing or environmental conditions can create inconsistency. The beneficial elements often are not bioavailable, or they may occur in too small an amount to have an impact. Additionally, some natural substances can be irritating or cause allergic reactions.

Synthetic versions of plant oils, extracts, and minerals created in a lab eliminate impurities and inconsistencies, concentrate active elements, reduce irritants, and provide sustainability.

Scientific products are formulated to create real change in the skin and are clinically tested for efficacy and safety. Educate clients to understand the difference between marketing hype and evidence-based products.

Now, that you’re ready to answer all their questions, make sure you’ve mastered these seven ways to ensure the client rebook.