Though no industry has emerged entirely unscathed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the beauty industry was particularly hard-hit. Salon and spa owners were left reeling as states across the country imposed stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders that forced the closure of businesses deemed non-essential. As the majority of beauty services require close contact, compliance with CDC guidelines meant that most industry professionals needed to cease their practices immediately, at the risk of losing their licenses or even facing legal action.
In the state of California, Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the closure of salons and spas on March 19. At the outset of governor’s order, Robyn Newmark, founder of Los Angeles-based Newmark Beauty, quickly realized that she needed to adapt her business model. A twenty-year beauty industry professional and educator, Newmark turned her focus to the ways in which she could resume her professional training services and address the cosmetic needs of her clients remotely.
Pre-pandemic, skincare’s latest craze was micro-channeling: a procedure in which tiny perforations are created in the facial skin that promote rejuvenation by generating a natural healing response as well as helping deliver stem-cell serums deeper into the skin. It was one of Newmark Beauty’s most popular services. Since in-office micro-channeling treatments were no longer an option, Newmark began instructing clients via Zoom on how to give themselves at home treatments with the use of the Celage Home Skin Rejuvenation System.
NEW YOU had the opportunity to participate in a Zoom tutorial of the Celage Home Skin Rejuvenation System with Newmark and to interview her about the product’s efficacy, the ways in which she has innovated her own practice during the pandemic, her take on Zooming with clients and the advice she has for struggling industry professionals amid the coronavirus crisis.
Q&A with Robyn Newmark
NEW YOU: Tell me how the coronavirus pandemic has affected your business and how you have adapted and innovated during the crisis?
Robyn Newmark: My business was completely shut down as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The impact has been devastating, to say the least. The core of my business has been to service my clientele and provide training to professionals in a classroom setting. From one day to the next, I was no longer able to do either. In fact, the owner of one of my locations may even close down so the impact has been great.
What has kept me going but also what has been the most challenging is creating new streams of income and services for our clients while still social distancing. We are also a resource for so many people. Before Covid-19 happened, I was already committed as an entrepreneur and educator to create solutions and find new and innovative ways of doing business. So, this crisis has been the perfect challenge for me.
Newmark Beauty has invested a lot of time refining our online platform and developing online courses. It has truly been a learning experience pivoting to an online platform. In the grand scheme of things, we can actually reach out to more people so it will all be worth it. There are many changes we can embrace from this difficult time and I choose to focus on them. I also want to encourage all my fellow professionals to think out-of-the-box, stay positive and don’t try to do this alone. Reach out to your network or me!
NEW YOU: What are the immediate and long-term results of the Celage Home Skin Rejuvenation System? How do results compare to in-office treatments?
Robyn Newmark: The short answer is there is no comparison. An analogy I like to compare this to is visits to the dentist office. You go to the dentist for professional teeth cleaning and to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy. But you still need to go home and brush your teeth daily right? So, an at-home skin care product is similar. An in-office professional micro channeling treatment does not compare to the Celage System but it is a vital part of maintaining healthy and youthful skin. The Celage home kit will have both immediate and long-term results in reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and improving your skin tone. Doing a combination of professional and at-home treatments will produce amazing results.
NEW YOU: Why do you prefer the Celage system over other systems?
Robyn Newmark: I have not come across other skin care systems quite like the Celage system. They use a stamping tool which I highly preferred over a micro roller.
NEW YOU: Why do you prefer the stamp over the micro roller?
Robyn Newmark: A micro roller can damage your skin. As you roll the needles in, you also roll them out. As the needles roll across your face, they are pivoting while in the skin, causing it to tear and creating more damage in the long run. The stamping method is much safer because it creates clean vertical channels into the skin without any tearing. Those channels absorb product very quickly, as well as heal within ninety minutes. It is a much safer way to produce collagen. I like that the Celage kit is essentially a manual method of what we use professionally in our treatment rooms.
NEW YOU: Can you give us a quick overview of the application process, step by step?
Robyn Newmark: The Treatment is a simple 3 step process of 1. Cleansing and exfoliating your skin. 2. Stamping the skin to create vertical channels that induce collagen 3. Applying the growth factor treatment serum to duplicate collagen production. Your skin will appear slightly pink immediately after and fully healed in ninety minutes
NEW YOU: What do your clients say about the Celage system and the results that they have seen after using it?
Robyn Newmark: I get calls all the time from clients using the kit. They love it. It’s a simple but effective treatment. For a home treatment, there is some real muscle behind this. The results are immediate even more so the following day. After several weeks of treatments, the skin is noticeably tighter and brighter!!
NEW YOU: How have they responded to Zoom sessions and what do you think of connecting with clients during this time via Zoom?
Robyn Newmark: Well, there is no way to Zoom a spa treatment, so in that aspect, there is no replacement. However, I have been able to do one on one skincare consultations and have products delivered to my clients’ homes. Zoom has been amazing for meetings, small classes and webinars. I have actually had a really good time on Zoom and I think I can say the same for my business associates, students and reps. I’ve been able to connect with people all over the country. I am able to connect with people a lot more quickly and efficiently. It’s amazing how much I can accomplish over video without ever missing a beat. Not to mention all the friends and family I am connecting with that I would not usually connect with or wait to connect with in person. These resources have been available to us for a while and we have hardly used them to their capacity. It’s an exciting change. I welcome the new Zoom era! Plus, it’s interesting seeing everyone in their pajamas and their dogs barking and their kids interrupt and what not. I’ve really gotten a sense of people’s lives.
NEW YOU: Where can readers go for more information or to order the Celage system?
Robyn Newmark: The Celage Skin Rejuvenation kit can be found at newmarkbeauty.com in our beauty shop or directly on our homepage under featured products. If you are a beauty professional and want to provide Celage Kits to your clientele, please reach out to me or register in our online pro shop to receive wholesale prices with drop shipping available!
