Skincare can be tricky to get right, with so many products out there to choose from and routines to follow. But when you get it right, it can make such a difference for your skin, making it healthier, brighter and clearer. What if you could speak to a skincare expert to get advice? Well, you can!
The top skincare consultation services are:
#1 Get Harley
#2 Pai
#3 Renude
#4 Liz Earle
#5 Olay
#6 Aesop
#8 Beauty Pie
#9 Dermatica
#10 Harley Street Dermatology Clinic
Before we dive into more information about each one, why should you consider a video consultation in the first place? With a video consultation service, you can speak with a professional about your exact skincare concerns and get tailored advice on which products to use and what routine to follow to tackle them. Plus, they’re online, so you can get advice from the comfort of your home.
Ready to get advice from the pros? To help you get started, we’ve rounded up the top skincare consultation services out there. We’ll cover what they include, how much they cost and the pros and cons of each, so you can easily decide which one is best for you.
Here at Face Dr, our skin experts have decades of experience in the skincare world helping clients get clear skin they can be confident about. We know exactly how it feels to be overwhelmed by the choice out there and know what you’re looking for when it comes to expert opinions. If you would like to skip this and get straight to booking your free online skincare consultation with a Skin Expert now, click to book:
Here’s our round-up of the best skincare consultations. Read on to find out more about each one.
The best online skincare consultations
#1 Get Harley
What it includes: With Get Harley, you’ll answer a few questions via text before your consultation and then you’ll be matched with an expert who specialises in your concern, like acne, ageing or pigmentation. Experts include professionals like dermatologists and aesthetic doctors and they’ll talk through your specific concerns and recommend the ideal routine and products to use to tackle it. The company offers unbiased product recommendations, which you can get delivered to you or, alternatively, you can book any recommended in-clinic treatments from your phone.
Price: £30
Length: 30 minutes
Times: 9am to 6pm
Pros:
- You’ll speak to an expert who specialises in your exact concern
- Experts give you unbiased product and treatment recommendations
Cons:
- It’s one of the more expensive options for video consultations
#2 Pai
What it includes: A consultation with a skin expert from Pai, which you can do via phone or video. The expert will ask about everything that could be affecting your skin, like stress, sleep, diet as well as which products you’re currently using. They’ll talk you through the best skincare routine and products for your exact concerns. There’s no obligation to buy from Pai and you’ll get a follow-up email with everything you discussed, so you can decide if you want to purchase anything.
Price: Free
Length: Choose between 10 minutes or 30 minutes
Times: 10:30am to 6:30pm for 10-minute slots. 9am to 7pm for 30-minute slots
Pros:
- You can do it via phone if you’d rather avoid video
- There are designated 10-minute slots for those short on time
- It’s free
Cons:
- You’ll only be recommended Pai products
- You may not get the best advice via phone as it’s difficult to analyse your skin this way
#3 Renude
What it includes: With Renude, you can either speak to a skincare expert with a video consultation or answer a questionnaire and send through photos of your skin, which experts will analyse. Either way, you’ll be recommended a tailor-made routine with products for your exact skin type and concerns. The company works with chemists and aestheticians to make the recommendations and they take into account your budget, medical history, preferences—like which textures you like in products—and if you’ve already got any favourite products you don’t want to replace. Products can then be shipped directly to you from third party retailers, so experts are unbiased.
Price: Free for questionnaire and photo consultations. Paid for 1:1 video consultations. £20 for a 20-minute call. £50 for three 20-minute calls. £90 for six 20-minute calls.
Length: 20 minutes
Times: You need to buy a consultation before you’re sent a link with time slots to choose from
Pros:
- You can book multiple consultations and talk through your skin concerns as it reacts to products, getting advice on adjusting your routine if needed
- If you’re not a fan of video, you can send through photos instead
- Experts aren’t biased towards certain brands or products
Cons:
- You’ll have to buy a consultation before finding out what times are available
- You may not get the best advice from sending in photos of your skin and you may have to wait a while before an expert looks at your photos
#4 Liz Earle
What it includes: A video consultation with one of Liz Earle’s skin experts. There are three consultation options to choose from. One where a skincare professional will walk you through Liz Earle’s cleanse, tone, moisturise routine and demonstrate their products. A second where you can submit concerns—like breakouts or ageing—and an expert will give you tailored recommendations to target these problems. The third consultation focuses on finding the perfect gift for others. There’s no obligation to buy from the brand, but you’ll get a follow-up email with all your recommendations if you wish to do so.
Price: Free
Length: 25 minutes
Times: 9am - 5pm
Pros:
- It’s free
- If you’re happy with your products, but just need demonstrations on how to use them, there are dedicated consultations for that
Cons:
- You’ll only be recommended Liz Earle products
#5 Olay
What it includes: A video consultation with an Olay beauty consultant to talk through your concerns, skin goals and any problem areas. You’ll get product recommendations and tips and tricks for your routine to help tackle any problem areas.
Price: Free
Length: 15 minutes
Times: 9:30am to 5pm
Pros:
- The consultations are available on Saturdays as well as during the week
- It’s free
Cons:
- You’ll only get Olay product recommendations
- It’s only 15 minutes so you don’t have too much time if you want to deep dive into a problem
#6 Aesop
What it includes: A video consultation with a trained Aesop consultant. You can talk through your concerns, get product recommendations to help, a routine to follow and demonstrations and application techniques for anything you’re not clear on. You can also get advice on products for your home, body and gifts.
Price: Free
Length: 30 minutes
Times: 9:30am to 4pm
Pros:
- If you’ve had an Aesop consultation before, you can pick which practitioner you’d like to speak with to have another call with the same person
- There are consultations available on Saturdays and during the week
Cons:
- You’ll only get Aesop product recommendations
#7 Sarah Chapman
What it includes: A video consultation with a qualified skincare therapist from the Sarah Chapman team in the Skinesis Clinic. A professional will ask about your concerns and recommend products, ingredients and specific routines to help tackle it. At the end of the call, you’ll be emailed a code with £50 off Skinesis products, effectively making the consultation free if you buy the recommended products.
Price: £50 (but £50 off the products)
Length: 30 minutes
Times: You need to buy a consultation before you’re sent a link with time slots to choose from
Pros:
- The consultation is free if you’re planning on buying the recommended products
Cons:
- You’ll only get recommendations for Sarah Chapman Skinesis products
- It’s pricey (£50) if you don’t buy the recommended products
#8 Beauty Pie
What it includes: There are two consultations with Beauty Pie to choose from, one where you’ll get advice on the best products and routine for you, and another which demonstrates the brand’s skincare and makeup products. You’ll fill out a quick questionnaire before the call all about your concerns and you can upload a picture here, too, so the consultant will be armed with all the information they need before jumping on the call.
Price: Free
Length: 20 mins
Times: 10:30am to 7:30pm
Pros:
- There are some after-work timeslots
- The experts can also recommend the right make-up for you (like the best foundation shade)
Cons:
- Only Beauty Pie products will be recommended
#9 Dermatica
What it includes: Dermatica works with experts like dermatologists, pharmacists, GPs, researchers and scientists to provide their customers with tailored skincare products. The company’s consultations consist of filling out an online questionnaire and sending through photos for their experts to analyse. They’ll take into account concerns like acne, ageing or hyperpigmentation and formulate the best products for you with their lab-based team. The products will then be sent to you each month as part of a subscription service with advice on how to apply them.
Price: The consultation is free, however, it comes as part of the subscription service which is £19.99 a month
Length: The form will take you five to 10 minutes to fill out
Times: Not applicable. You can send through your information online anytime.
Pros:
- It’s great for those who want someone else to take care of their skincare routine, as tailored products are sent to your door each month
- It’s a quick option for those short on time
Cons:
- You don’t get to speak one-on-one with an expert so you can’t ask any questions as part of the consultation
- You’ll get skincare products from the company, rather than recommendations of the best of what’s out there
- The product recommendations are made from a questionnaire and photos, rather than video, so may not be the best advice possible
#10 Harley Street Dermatology Clinic
What it includes: Harley Street Dermatology Clinic usually offer in-person skin consultations, but due to the pandemic, they’ve started offering video consultations you can do from home. You’ll share photos of your skin before the consultation and then speak with a dermatologist about your concern via video. The clinic usually deals with more severe skincare concerns like acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes or moles. Experts can give you advice on the latest treatments, prescribe products and explain how to take care of your skin and anything else that may be affecting it like diet and lifestyle.
Price: £275 (this is covered by some insurance providers)
Length: Information not available online
Times: You’ll need to call or fill out a contact form then you’ll be contacted by someone from the company to book a time slot
Pros:
- Experts are specialists in more serious skincare concerns like acne, eczema and psoriasis
Cons:
- It’s definitely one of the more expensive skincare consultations out there
- The service deals with treatments and prescriptions for more serious skincare concerns, rather than offering advice on a skincare routine or products
Time for a consultation?
We hope you’re more clued up about what types of video skincare consultations are out there now. Looking for video consultations that are both free and unbiased? Here at Face Dr, we offer free online consultations where you can speak to one of our skin experts. They’ll analyse your skin, talk through your exact concerns and skincare questions, and recommend products to help. They can also help you design a routine to work towards getting healthy, clear and glowing skin.
Our consultations last 30 minutes and you can book one to speak with one of our experts whenever you need skincare advice. These consultations are especially useful if you have a specific concern you’re trying to tackle, like hyperpigmentation, acne or signs of ageing, and we do them via video, so we can properly assess your skin to be able to give you the best advice for your concern.
We only ever recommend products and brands that we know deliver real results, so you can be confident with anything you start putting on your skin. We also give recommendations from several different brands, choosing whichever products are right for the job and will work best for your skin.
With so much to think about when it comes to skincare, it can be useful to get a professional opinion. This can help you save time and money by finding and using the best products for you straight away. Our experts have decades of experience in the skincare world and have helped thousands of clients get the glowing skin we’re all striving for. With a free video consultation, you can access their expert knowledge, too.