June Educator Spotlight: Celeste Hilling

The health and wellness marketing category is a soaring trend, with Skin Authority smack dab in the middle of this craze. Get on board with us as we chat with Celeste Hilling, Founder and CEO of Skin Authority and Salon Services’ June Educator of the Month.

What inspired you to start Skin Authority?

Ten years ago, I saw how rapidly technology was changing consumer’s expectations for delivery of product and services as well as the level of engagement that would be needed to attain and retain customers. While everyone else was looking at how technology could be used to replace humans, I believed it could be used to scale human touch and professional guidance. I realized there was an opportunity to build a new generation of skin care company which functioned more like a business growth partner to help salons be proactive to play in this new field versus just being another vendor pushing product on a shelf.

I have a technology and research background and had seen salon operations at a nationwide level as President of the Day Spa Group for Steiner Leisure. Throughout my career, I never found that perfect vendor that really paired with our salons to deliver the level of education, support, and technology needed to compete in today’s omnichannel environment. One day I asked myself: Why are you waiting for someone else to deliver on this? You have a vision for it..why don’t you do it?”

I wanted to make sure the professional didn’t get lost in the noise and that they stayed in the center of the skin care conversation, which is why I introduced a technology component to educate and empower spas, salons, and stylists.

Celebrities, fashion icons, beauty editors, and news outlets like NBC, ABC, The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily, Forbes, and BusinessWeek are all fans of the brand. Where did your predictions and forecasting about the popularity of skincare go right?

I knew skincare was one of the highest growth segments in the beauty industry—and it was more than just the cosmetic aspect. Well-being and living longer was always on my mind. You need to have healthy skin to be healthy overall. Being based in San Diego at the heart of the bio tech community, I saw firsthand the technology that could produce amazing cosmetic results and improve the skin’s ability to stay healthier longer. This is why we called ourselves the Healthy Skin Lifestyle Company as we new it was about product performance and education to help people make great choices daily to look and feel great.

This is why Skin Care Coaching is at the heart of our brand, our partnerships and our consumer support. We started the process 10 years ago with email, phone and mobile apps. Now we have developed the technology for live interactive retail displays where a real human professional via video chat helps you select your products off the shelf in our partner salons.

Your brand is in high demand. What’s next?

You have to keep up with vendors and customers. Consumers are changing so rapidly. You have to try things and be yourself because not everything works at the same time. The things that resonate come from pure authenticity. Something amazing happens when you stay true to yourself and share your heart with customers.

Favorite Skin Authority product you can’t live without?

The Youthful Skin Kit has a complete spread. You will see amazing results in 10 days, which is great for me because I have to see quick results. I love that it’s simple, travel-size, and perfect for and somebody that has yet to put a routine together.