Coslab is a familiar name to many who are clued in on the local beauty and wellness scene. Since opening its doors in 1981, this popular face and body spa has been at the forefront of effective and innovative treatments for various skincare and body concerns. The brand prides itself on its commitment to developing products and techniques that target a myriad of needs, staying ahead of beauty trends as well as catering to evolving customer needs. 

As part of its ethos of staying ahead of customer needs, Coslab has most recently launched a purifying Anti-Acne Maskne Facial, a 15-step treatment that deeply cleanses the pores, boosts the body’s natural ability to remove toxins, while providing an all-rounded treatment for both skin and wellbeing. This treatment was designed by Coslab to root out a prevalent skin concern which has surfaced since the pandemic – the dreaded “maskne”, which is caused by wearing face masks over prolonged periods of time. 

To uncover what drives Coslab’s success through the decades, and how they have innovated to meet new customer needs and challenges over the past year, we caught up with Sharon Low, Director of Coslab. 

As a face and body therapy spa organisation with over 39 years of experience in the industry, how have your beauty services evolved through the decades? How are they guided by your core values?

At Coslab, our beauty services have evolved in two ways – in terms of training our team on hygiene standards and product knowledge, and using equipment with highly advanced technologies and effective treatment products to serve our customers’ needs. 

We have adapted our beauty treatments over the years – by devising new methods to better address new concerns, increasing the variety of treatments to cater to a diverse range of skincare needs, and enhancing our treatments with better technologies. We have also introduced more aesthetic treatments like Transfer Double Nanosphere (TDN) technology and micro-needling, to empower our customers’ confidence through healthier, firmer and more radiant skin. 

In our treatments and services, we are guided by our four core values – Integrity, Commitment, Professionalism and Sincerity. These values underpin our no hard-selling policy, as we strive to gain a loyal pool of customers through our sincerity and honesty.

Did you notice any change in skincare needs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, sensitive and dehydrated skin were two common concerns we saw from our customers. Since the pandemic began, we have noticed more customers coming in with rashes, skin sensitivity and acne breakouts due to the wearing of face masks. 

Working adults are now prone to breakouts and oil production due to prolonged wearing of face masks, which has had an adverse impact on their skin and caused more clogged pores and pimples. 

What are some new beauty treatments or products that you have designed to cater to these needs?

We have designed a purifying 15-step Anti-Acne Maskne Facial, which is designed to treat acne breakouts, clogged pores, oily skin and acne marks. The treatment caters to our customers who are facing such skin concerns. 

At Coslab, our beauticians are able to provide professional treatment and guidance to help customers use these products for their aftercare treatment and maintenance. Some individuals might be unfamiliar with handling such skin conditions, and could inevitably aggravate their existing acne breakouts. Hence, our beauticians are here to teach and help customers find out what products they should use, and how to use them to target their specific skincare concerns. 

Every customer’s skin condition will be different, so it is important that our beauticians identify these individual needs and help our customers achieve targeted skincare. For instance, a mask breakout is different from a normal breakout or a puberty breakout. If it’s a mask breakout, or what we commonly know now as “maskne”, the flare-ups would appear where the mask usually covers the face. On the other hand, puberty breakouts could happen anywhere on the face, while occasional breakouts can be easily resolved with spot treatment. 

What was the R&D process like in creating these treatments and products?

We worked with our R&D team to come up with a customised “maskne” series that is targeted at customers of all ages. This includes both the facial treatment and aftercare products. In coming up with this series, we worked closely with a team of dermatologists to study the concerns that customers are currently facing, and find the best ingredients, and develop effective techniques, and treatments to cater to these concerns. 

What can customers expect from the anti-acne maskne facial? 

Our new anti-acne maskne facial is a comprehensive 15-step facial treatment that is uniquely customised to every individual’s skin concerns. Through an in-depth consultation and analysis, we identify and understand each customer’s specific skin conditions and trouble areas before proceeding with a bespoke facial treatment. 

Our team of beauticians and masseuses will treat the customers with utmost care and professionalism to help them unwind and relax. Customers can look forward to a complimentary welcome massage at the start of the treatment, and an optional eyebrow shaping service after the treatment to match their glowing, radiant skin. 

From deep cleansing and exfoliating procedures, to anti-inflammatory treatments and serums, we target every customer’s skin concerns both inside and out, to ensure that their skin feels healthier and smoother after the facial. 

Following the treatment, our team will also teach customers how to take care of their skin at home, with after-care practices and techniques. Anytime after the treatment, customers can also approach our Customer Care team for assistance or visit our resources on our website.  

Besides the Anti-Acne Maskne Facial, what else can customers look forward to at Coslab?

Customers can look forward to new treatments, improved technologies and services in the pipeline. We are also looking into designing more treatments that offer greater comfort and improve overall health, as well as vegan or plant-based products and treatments to provide cleaner and more natural beauty.   

How have Coslab’s operations changed to protect the health and safety of your staff and customers during this pandemic?

We have stepped up safety and hygiene measures to ensure everyone has a pleasant, safe and clean experience when visiting our outlets. Upon entry and exit, all visitors will have to Check In and Out with SafeEntry. Hand sanitisers and sanitising sprays will also be provided for use. In addition, temperature taking is conducted for all our visitors. Our staff members have their temperatures taken twice a day. 

To reduce cross contamination, a single beautician or masseuse will take care of one customer throughout the whole appointment. We perform deep cleaning and disinfection across all areas – the rooms are sanitised after every use, and high-contact touch points like countertops and tables are cleaned frequently.  

Mask-wearing is also compulsory, and all beauticians are required to put on their face masks when conducting facial sessions. And of course, the 1-metre safe distancing rule is adhered to at all times. 

To limit the number of customers in our outlets, an online appointment system will be used. You can visit our website for more information. 

Have there been any changes in the way your treatments are done now that additional safety measures need to be put in place?

There are not many changes as we have a firm stand on delivering treatments and services with a high level of consistency, quality and hygiene. We have firm hygiene directives in place and have been wearing face masks and disinfecting the room after every customer, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The only differences now and before the pandemic is the need for temperature taking, and that we encourage pre-appointments instead of walk-ins to limit the number of people in each outlet.

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To try out Coslab’s innovative treatments, visit their outlets at The Centrepoint (#02-28A/B), YewTee Point (#B1-25), Waterway Point (#01-43) or Northpoint City (North Wing, #02-02).