More and more, the clients coming through your door are more and more educated and asking for more technical skin treatments. So you scrimped and saved and finally were able to get the microdermabrasion machine of your dreams. You unwrap the package and start setting up. Uh-oh, there seems to be a problem. The wand appears to be missing and the tube connection is nowhere to be found. Two of the most valuable pieces are either defective or missing. So you call up the company you bought the machine from. The gentleman profusely apologizes for the errors and says that he will send out the replacement parts immediately. You get off the phone calmed, but the enthusiasm is completely drained from the moment. You wait. One week goes by. Two weeks go by. No parts come in the mail. You call back and get his voicemail and leave a message that you’re concerned. Two more days and still no call back. You call back and get a woman on the line who states that the pieces were mailed to you and you need to check with your local post office. You check but the post office says that they have delivered all of your mail and that they don’t have any packages. You call the equipment company back; weirdly enough, the phone number seems to be disconnected. You call the phone company and sure enough, the number has been disconnected and there is no forwarding number.
What just happened, it appears that you got scammed by one of the many fly-by-night companies that pop up, make as much money as possible, and then disappear. Your only recourse is Civil Court but the likelihood of ever getting reimbursed is slim to none. You didn’t do your homework! You took the cheapest price and didn’t look into the background of the company. This is just one example of why it is so important to research companies. Find out who they are. Find out how long they have been in business. What is their customer service like? The sometimes little bit of extra cost will go a long way with great customer service and loyalty. As the age old saying goes, “Knowledge is power.” The more you know about companies, their beliefs, what they offer, and how they market their products, the better it is for your bottom line. 
This is one of the many reasons the Products and Education Guide was created. It is here to assist you with research, comparing, and really getting a better understanding of the companies that are in the skin care industry. With the Guide’s listings, it’s not just anyone on the Internet but an actual targeted list of professional companies. And new 2008 will be features of products and step-by-step treatments. These will assist you with targeting exactly what products you need for your treatment room and retail station, and even the new treatments that you could be doing. 
OK, so here’s how it works: every company that either sells a product or offers education receives an opportunity to list their information on this site. These companies have to be servicing only to the professional skin care industry. These listings are categorized by specific topics that are relative to you, the professional (i.e. acne, equipment, body treatments, cellulite, etc.). 
When you search by these topics, three information sources become available: company listings, product features, and treatments. You can then compare the multiple companies and begin the process of research to see which fit with your preferences. Whether your preferences are performance, brand, line variety, image, company philosophy etc., you will be able to view all of this information with photos and company descriptions. Better yet, the listings will be searchable and sortable by specific topics to allow for easier comparison shopping. 
To one side of these company listings will be featured products. These will showcase products and their descriptions. These allow you to get a better idea of the ingredients that are in the products and how they will be beneficial to you. They are also searchable by topic. So instead of looking in the back issues of all the magazines in our industry when you are researching a specific kind of product (such as make-up, aromatherapy, waxes, etc.), you can type in the topic and find a multitude of products that are relative and which companies are offering those products. 
The opposing side of these listings will spotlight Signature Treatments. These treatments will feature step-by-step procedures with photos. This allows you to see what is being done in the industry in regards to treatments, and what new and exciting things are being offered. It also gives you another insight to the companies and if they are a good fit with you as a professional.
And when you have decided that some certain companies fit with what you are looking for in the capacity of a manufacturer or distributor, you can connect with them and send your information, questions, or comments to them directly. You will have a direct connect to an individual inside the company that wants to answer your questions and provide you with the best customer support possible. This is all possible with the buyer request forms located inside the company profiles. 
Now that you get an idea of what this directory is all about, we’ll take you a bit further. Do you need education? How does being able to research schools and companies offering classes and seminars in advanced aesthetic education sound? These are also viewable online and accessible through the same system of specific topics. However these topics are only about education. You can search by topics such as hair removal, medical aesthetics, microdermabrasion, etc. and find the classes that are offered. See what is being offered in your area and if your product line or favorite company is having seminars and where. This allows you researching tools for your education and the development of your career.
So are you ready to get online? Just go to either www.dermascope.com and click on the 2008 Guide or www.productsandeducationguide.com for a direct source. Click on the button marked ‘Professional’ and search from there. The navigation is simple and user friendly. Begin your search here for all your product, equipment, and educational needs.

Angela Mahan is the Sales Director for DERMASCOPE Magazine, she can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amanda Strunk is the Assistant Editor for DERMASCOPE Magazine she can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..