My WHY Behind The Art of the Consult

For over 17 years, I worked in a dermatology office in a patient-facing role. Over and over again, I heard the same thing from skincare reps and vendors:
“We wish we could duplicate you, Carly.”
From other clinics I’d meet at summits and seminars:
“We wish we had a Carly.”
They were looking for a way to consistently replicate my ability to confidently and effectively recommend skincare. Every time I heard it, I’d think...
Why couldn’t they have a Carly? What was I doing that felt so different, and more importantly, could it be taught?
What made me different?
I didn’t just love skincare. I understood it. I was obsessed with the science behind medical-grade formulations. I knew what the ingredients were doing, how they worked, and more importantly, when and why to use them.
Over the course of tens of thousands of consultations, I developed a deep belief in the power of medical-grade skincare. My belief was based on more than the impressive science now. It was because I watched it transform skin in front of me. I saw results. My clients saw results. They referred friends and family.
I became known in my community as the @product_guru. The person who could look at someone’s skin and know what to recommend to help them reach their goals. The results were visible.
I have been told more times than I can count, “Carly, you changed my life.”
On top of consistently seeing high repurchase rates, clients sent thank you cards, dropped off flowers, and brought gifts. Not because they had to, but because of the impact the skincare had on their confidence. It changed the way they saw themselves and the way they presented to the world. They appreciated the transformation and our work together.
Here’s what truly set me apart:
I asked.
I didn’t recommend products from “my own bathroom counter.” I didn’t recommend products I was most comfortable talking about because I had just learned the science.
Just like walking into a treatment room, you wouldn’t assume every client needs the same facial balancing plan or esthetician services we’d choose for ourselves.
I asked what their skin concerns were, and I matched them with products based on their needs, not mine. I asked what their priorities were.
Skin health is a marathon. I asked their commitment level. Did they want to walk, jog, or run the marathon?
I listened.

Skincare shouldn’t be a guessing game or a sales pitch. It should be intentional recommendations with the client’s skin concerns as the decision factor.
When someone trusts you with their skin, you owe it to them to give more than just a recommendation. You owe them a recommendation to achieve results for their concerns.
For example, an esthetician might assume that because I’m in my fifties, I’d prioritize regenerative serums in my facial treatments.
However, I suffer from Rosacea. You wouldn’t know it just by looking at me. Years of consistent products and ongoing treatments keep it under control.
That is exactly my point. I always choose to address my redness when having treatments in clinic and handle my regenerative skincare at home.
This is why we must “ALI” with every client. No assumptions.
Carly’s ALI METHOD: Ask. Listen. Intentionally Recommend

I believed
I could save patients from the endless trial and error loop, the bathroom graveyard of half used bottles, and the disappointment of results that never came from “bless the tank” products.
“Blessing the tank” products are SKUs formulated with minimal amounts of active ingredients, often included solely for marketing purposes or label appeal. These products are designed to sell, not deliver.
I could use medical-grade skincare to make a real difference in the client’s results, their confidence, and their life.
I became
This was my CAPE MOMENT! I became the client’s Skincare Hero. I showed up with intention, made tailored regimen recommendations, and helped clients achieve optimal outcomes.

Could my mode of operation be duplicated?
I started asking providers questions. Over a couple of years, I interviewed providers across different clinics to figure out what was really getting in the way.
Three main objections kept coming up:
Confidence gaps — Even if they knew the products, they didn’t always feel confident building a complete regimen, especially when it came to knowing how products from different lines work together and the order of application.
Time constraints — They didn’t feel like they had enough time during an appointment to walk a patient through a full regimen.
Fear of sounding salesy — They didn’t want to feel like a salesperson. And they definitely didn’t want their patients to feel sold to.
What’s interesting about that last one is this: they were already selling things. They sell neuromodulators. They sell filler. They sell facials.
The difference? In those cases, they’re not the ones doing the selling. The company is. The clinic markets the treatment, the patient books it, and the provider delivers it.
With skincare, if it’s not talked about ahead of time, it flips the script. Suddenly it feels like they have to be the one initiating the conversation and “pushing” the product. That’s where the discomfort creeps in.
So I started asking myself: How do we solve these three concerns for medical providers and estheticians?
THE ART OF THE CONSULT was born.
Creating the Skin Concerns Intake Forms and the Skincare Regimen Recommendation Funnel put my personal mode of operation, the one I had been so successful with, onto paper.
When a patient fills out a Skin Concerns Intake Form ahead of time, your clinic is the one opening the door to the conversation, not the provider. That simple shift changes everything. Now the provider isn’t initiating the conversation, they’re continuing a conversation the client already invited. Just like facials or filler, the provider isn’t selling, they’re delivering.
The “altruistic retail” why.
I use the word altruistic to describe a retail approach that prioritizes the client’s best skin outcomes above all else. This builds trust and delivers results. You recommend only what will truly serve the patient as your motive. Consultations are rooted in client care. Focused on outcomes not sales. My ALI method and The Art of the Consult shifts the focus from pushing products to recommending HERO Product(s) delivering results for the client’s priorities. It teaches recommending with confidence, compassion, and purpose. It sets the foundation for a lifelong client trust and optimal results.
Here’s the truth: patients are already spending the money.
In the U.S. alone, over $30 billion was spent on beauty products last year. The medical channel? Just $3 billion of that. That percentage has stayed steady for the last two decades, even as the total spending keeps going up.
So no, providers aren’t “selling” — they're redirecting. They are helping patients to stop wasting money on mismatched products and start investing in skincare that actually supports their results. This is not pushy. This is not being salesy. This is being a Skincare Hero.
It is reported that 75% of patients are waiting for a recommendation from their provider during their appointment. If they leave without buying a product? 80% will spend money within 24 hours either at a beauty retailer or on the first ad that pops up in their feed. This is the providers Cape Moment, to step up and save the client.
That cape moment matters. When they purchase elsewhere, we don’t know if those products are right for their skin concerns. We don’t know if they support the treatment they just had or if they could actually work against it.
Here’s the kicker: 90% of people report being unhappy with their skincare results. Which actually adds up when you realize only 10% of beauty retail is coming from the medical channel.
When an intentional recommendation for a client’s skin concern is made post-facial, it is reported that up to 90% of clients will purchase a product their esthetician recommends.
When providers step up and give clients an intentional, aligned recommendation, they’re saving them from disappointment, wasting money, and from products that may actually delay their progress.
They become a Skincare Hero.
Could this be taught?
I’ve seen it. I’ve trained hundreds of providers in this technique and watched them become more confident. It goes beyond recommending skincare, and assists providers in guiding clients toward additional treatments that truly support their goals.
Providers stop operating on autopilot with neuromodulators and begin leaning into their role as trusted experts: more strategic, more effective, and more deeply connected to the client’s full journey.
I believe with everything in me that this work can create an industry shift. It’s time to claim more than 10% of that retail share. Let’s make this the moment we shift the landscape of our industry for our clients, our teams, and the generations of skin that follow.
When outcomes improve, everything does. With every aligned recommendation, every confident provider, and every result-driven plan, we raise the bar for what client care can be.
Let’s lead with intention.
Let’s serve with heart.
Let’s develop Skincare Heroes.