They have decoded the mantra on all things skin. They combine age old beauty secrets with the latest in skin trends to leave you stress free. We dig into their beautypedia to let you in on everything you ever wanted to know.
BY NAMITA GUPTA
On the hunt for that flawless, glowing, picture-perfect, unblemished, impeccable skin that not only gives you a positive and confident self-image but also reflects your soul. Then look no further. Pioneer in the beauty industry with many firsts to her credit and India’s most sought after Cosmetic Physician, Dr Jamuna Pai who has made millions of people look and stay beautiful and groomed winners of the Miss India pageant for the last 24 years, shares her insight on her journey and the story of SkinLab. Dr Jamuna Pai, Rajathi Kalimuthan, the franchise owner of the Bengaluru and Chennai branches and actor Shraddha Shrinath launched SkinLab’s first clinic in Chennai recently. RITZ Magazine meets the skintillitating duo…
DR JAMUNA PAI, A NAME TO RECKON WITH IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY SHARES SOME BEAUTY SECRETS TO ETERNAL YOUTH
When did you decide to get into the beauty sector?
It has always been a childhood passion of mine to look good and aesthetics have always interested me. I used to always be the best dressed and groomed student in school. Since my early days I knew I wanted to be associated with the beauty industry.
Where did you study and what were your dreams in your growing up days?
I completed my MBBS from Nair College in Mumbai. After which I worked for a few years at a government hospital before heading to England to do a course in beauty and aesthetics. It was always a dream of mine to start a business of my own and I knew I wanted to combine beauty and medicine and offer these services in India which at that time no one was offering.
What were the challenges initially? Any struggles you had to face and how did you overcome them?
There are always challenges when you are setting up anything new. For me they were both personal and financial. Luckily I was fortunate to have the support of my family to help me pursue my passion. Also, a doctor doing facials and beauty was a new concept at the time but luckily everyone took to the treatments well and was happy with the results.
How did you become a name to reckon with in the beauty industry?
Since I started, my primary aim was to offer skincare services to my clients in an ethical manner placing their needs always before mine. I was able to generate a lot of loyalty due to this and slowly the demand grew and we were therefore able to expand from one to three clinics in Mumbai within the space of a few years. Now 24 years later I have 9 SkinLab clinics spread across 7 cities all thanks to that childhood dream and the dedication and support of my hardworking team.
What have been the highpoints in your journey so far?
There have been a lot of highlights in the past 24 years. Being associated with the Miss India Organisation as the skin expert for more than two decades surely ranks highly. Getting to treat the who’s-who of the country and the exposure that came with it was definitely another highlight. Publishing my book, ‘No One Has To Know’ in 2015 and expanding my clinics and services across the country have all contributed to my success and that of the brand.
Who are some of the top-notch clients you have? What do they like about you?
Ever since I started my first clinic in 1994 I have been fortunate to garner the patronage of some very important and influential clientele. It has been a USP of ours not to mention names and to keep our client’s information confidential. This is a big reason why they still are loyal to me and our clinics.
What are some of your signature treatments?
I was the first to introduce Botox, the world’s leading cosmetic procedure to India in 2000. Since then our clinics have become the leading injectors of dermal injectables in the country. Our clinics also introduced US-FDA approved Laser Hair Reduction 16 years ago which is trusted by all our clients. Our medifacials which I created 25 years ago and which we continue to develop and enhance each year is a hit with all who try them. More recently, we introduced CoolSculpting which freezes and permanently eliminates fat.
What are some of the products you have under the brand SkinLab?
Currently we only have a few homecare products like a face wash, moisturizer, protective day cream and sunscreen that we sell primarily through our clinics. However, we have plans to expand this range soon.
How do you have the edge over many others in this industry? How has the beauty industry changed over the years?
The beauty industry in the past two decades has become more technology dependent with cutting-edge lasers and medical devices now becoming the mainstay of the business. Adapting to this rapidly evolving and changing sector by introducing new treatments and protocols each year to serve our clients has given us a competitive advantage.
What is your normal day like? Please share some of your beauty secrets? You make everyone look beautiful…how do you stay beautiful with a hectic lifestyle like yours?
I see about 25-30 clients each day on an average day. Each consult of mine takes about 30-45 minutes as I explain not only about skin but about a complete lifestyle change that is required to look and feel good. I then try to fit in a session at the gym or yoga after which it is time to snuggle and go to bed with my pet cocker-spaniel Cuddles. I have always believed that your skin is a reflection of your inner health. Eating healthy, drinking lots of water and daily exercise along with a suitable skincare regime has helped me delay the ageing process.
How did you meet Rajathi? Tell us something about the collaboration?
Rajathi who is our Franchise Associate Partner for Bengaluru and Chennai has been an old client of mine. A couple of years back she approached us to start a SkinLab clinic in Bengaluru. Her hardwork, passion and dedication to the business has made the Bengaluru clinic a success. Therefore, it was an easy decision for us to start a clinic together in Chennai and we have no doubts that this too will be a resounding success.
What are your future plans?
We have a lot of developments in the pipeline. We plan to open more clinics with our Franchise Associate Partners across the country to serve the growing demand of cosmetic treatments. I also plan to launch a line of high-end products which will be available across the country and throughout all our SkinLab clinics.
