ASK THE Experts

Our beauty experts answer your questions about every aspect of running a salon or spa business

What are the potential allergens in tinting products and how can I manage these with clients?

Adverse reactions can sometimes happen due to ingredients including ammonia, paraphenylenediamine (PPD), resorcinol or peroxide.

PPD is a chemical substance found within most brow and hair tints, and while the majority of clients will be absolutely fine with the ingredient, it can sometimes be an irritant and allergen.

PPD requires oxygen to become active, which is why you always have to mix your tints with a developer to oxidise it. A higher level of PPD is mostly found in tints that are black and dark brown in colour, so you should always be more cautious of these. While tints containing PPD are perfectly safe to use, it is always best to leave this to the professionals.

"A PATCH TEST is a SAFETY PRECAUTION that should always be taken seriously TO PROTECT YOURSELF, your business and YOUR CLIENT "

If a client is allergic to PPD and has a reaction, symptoms can range from mild to being serious very fast. A mild reaction would present as a stinging or burning sensation, itching and swelling, or a red rash that is often raised which should typically disappear after a few days.

If a more severe reaction were to happen, this could cause a local blister which could last for several weeks - you would then advise your clients to apply a gentle emollient to this area.

A patch test is a safety precaution that should always be taken seriously to protect yourself, your business and your client. This allows you to check for adverse reactions before trying something new. Testing the products will allow you to determine how harmful or safe something can be towards your client. This precaution should always be done 48 hours prior to the procedure.

The result of the patch test would determine if your client has an allergy to PPD or not. If they have a positive reaction, it’s a no-go. However, you can then recommend A PPD-free range, such as Apraise’s new PPD-free professional eyelash and eyebrow tints. You would still need to patch test the client even with a PPD-free range because PPD may not be the only allergen for some clients.

Kaitlyn Callaghan is a brow artist and educator based in Glasgow, and a brand ambassador for Professional Beauty Systems brand Apraise.

Do I need to include skin analysis in my consultations?

During the lockdowns, virtual consultations became an effective way to operate. They provided clients with a space to discuss their skin concerns, and businesses with an opportunity to function in some capacity.

Although a constructive solution to the unprecedented situation, virtual consultations miss out a fundamental step in the consultation process: the skin analysis.

The consultation is often the first point of contact between you and the client. It’s where they will decide whether to continue with you on their skincare journey or go elsewhere. Therefore, it is important the client leaves feeling comfortable and informed, which will take time. If it’s too quick, the consultation will feel like a sales pitch rather than a bespoke skincare recommendation.

The best way to achieve a balance is by including a skin analysis within the consultation process because an analysis not only supports any prior discussions about the client’s skin, it also acts like a treatment in itself; an introduction to the kind of service, knowledge and level of expertise they can expect if they continue down this path with you.

It may also reveal further or underlying skin issues that need to be resolved because, as we all discover at some point, what a client believes to be wrong with their skin is often not quite the case. Just having a conversation with them is unlikely to yield anything other than what they tell you and could result in a product or treatment being recommended incorrectly and ineffectively.

For example, though a client says they are spot-prone and oily, analysis may reveal that their skin is also dehydrated and sensitised from using harsh, oil-regulating products. Something like this would perhaps not be identifiable from a glance across the consultation table, yet would need to be rectified before tackling the breakouts, which is why analysis is so important.

Similarly, when a client presents themselves to you with a thick veil of make-up on, there are certain things you cannot diagnose over a blurry image on camera. You need to be able to touch the skin, feel the texture and see how it responds to stimulus, none of which can be done virtually. This very act of cleansing, looking at the skin up close and discussing your findings will open up a new dialogue between you and the customer, allowing you to delve deeper into answers they have already provided.

For example, you may already know they work in an office but the analysis reveals sun damage, prompting the client to tell you they actually cycle to and from work without SPF. All of this will not only contribute to your recommendations but it also forms the basis of what is to become a long and rewarding relationship between you and the client, which is why the skin analysis is key to the entire consultation process.

Dr Mansoor Ahmed is the founder of DermaMedica Clinics, which has sites in London and Buckinghamshire offering aesthetic treatments for face, skin and body, using equipment from supplier Opatra to perform skin analysis.