What even is a skincare coach?

With a bazillion products on the market, figuring out what your skin needs can feel overwhelming. Skincare marketing, ingredient listings, product claims, social media, skinfluencers – these things can make it challenging for many consumers to build a skincare routine confidently.

A skincare coach can help you understand your skin and connect you with products that suit your specific skin and build a routine that works with your life.  

What’s a skincare coach?

A certified skincare coach is a person qualified to design skincare programs, which are tailored skincare routines.

As a skincare coach, I simplify your skincare by designing a personalised skincare program based on your unique skin type, needs, budget and lifestyle. My job is to learn about your skin, suggest products based on what you and your skin need, and help you stick to a routine that feels good, fits your life, and gets results.

I don’t diagnose skin conditions (that’s a derm’s domain) and I don’t offer treatments like lasers or injections (that’s medical aesthetics). But I will help you make smarter, safer, simpler skincare choices.

Wanna hear more about skincare coaching? Book a free 15-minute skin chat.

What does a skincare coach do?

I’m so glad you asked! Working with me usually involves:

1. A 45-minute consultation

During your session (face-to-face in Adelaide or online), we’ll:

• talk about your skin history and current routine
• assess your skin type and discuss your key concerns
• define your skin goals
• identify things that might be affecting your skin, like sun exposure, medications, etc.
• get clear on your ongoing product budget and how much time you can reasonably spend on skincare every day, and
• talk through limitations or challenges that might make it hard for you to stick to your program.

Start your personalised skincare program now. 

2. Skin analysis

I don’t diagnose medical conditions, but I do assess your cosmetic skin type (dry, oily, combo, etc.) and analyse concerns like congestion, dehydration, hyperpigmentation and sensitivity.

This helps me get a clear picture of how your skin behaves (or misbehaves) and what it actually needs.

3. Recommend products tailored to you

As an independent skincare coach, I don’t receive commission from any skincare developers.

I endorse products through a strict product selection protocol through which I research the product developer, ingredients, clinical study results and market perceptions. I’ve also personally tested (and love!) every product I recommend and have wonderful testers who volunteer their faces to test products through the protocol.

I think every product should earn its place on your skin (and my shelves) and this protocol ensures I can confidently recommend products knowing what’s in them, how they feel and perform on the skin, and how they’ll best fit into your life and routine.

4. Plan your routine

Skincare routines don’t need to be complicated. They need to be achievable (which looks different for everyone) and consistent. I’ll show you how to apply your products properly and how to be gentle with your gorgeous skin.

You’ll get a clear, personalised skincare routine and instructions on how to use each product safely.

5. Ship your personalised skincare pack directly to you (and keep you in stock)

Once we’ve created your program, I’ll package up your recommended products and your instructions  then post them straight to your door so you can get started.

I do all the work so you don’t have to!

6. Ongoing support

I’m not just a one-and-done gal. Once we’ve created your personalised skincare program, I’ll help you stay on track, tweak your routine as your skin changes and answer any questions along the way.

What makes me qualified?

Skincare coaching isn’t just a hobby I turned into a business. I’m certified and have studied:

• The skincare consultation process: Understanding your lifestyle, medications, and limitations, and defining your skin goals.
• Skin analysis: Identifying your skin type and concerns (without overstepping into diagnosis).
• Skin anatomy and the skin barrier: Understanding skin function to support your skin health.
• Ingredients and formulations: Knowing what works, what doesn’t, and what your skin will love.
• Product selection: Recommending products based on research, results, and your skin’s unique needs. Not trends. No, siree Bob.
• Routine design: Guiding you through step-by-step skincare designed to help you achieve your skin goals in a way that’s safe, smart, and sustainable.

I’ve also done all the work health and safety bits, because your safety (and mine) is my priority.

Why did I become a skincare coach?

I’ve been a person who’s totally overwhelmed by the skincare industry.

I’ve wasted thousands of dollars on products that didn’t suit my skin. I’ve torched my skin barrier with products that worked wonders for my friends but totally wrecked my face. I’ve paid ridiculous amounts of money for cosmeceuticals, ‘medical-grade’ and bespoke skincare products, only to be disappointed.

About ten years ago, I wanted to make better, safer choices for my skin so I started learning about it and researching skincare. I learned how skin works, how ingredients usually interact with the skin, and which products and practices support good skin health. I started applying that knowledge to my own skin, and it had a huge impact on how it looked and felt.

People noticed how healthy my skin was and asked for skincare advice - friends, family, colleagues, strangers, even a nurse mid-mammogram - and I loved helping. I loved seeing the relief (and surprise) on people’s faces when they realised great skin is achievable and affordable.

With encouragement from some brilliant women in my life, I studied, got certified and launched It’s Tenille, a personalised skincare service for people who want healthy, comfy skin but don’t know where to start.

Honestly? It’s the best f***ing job in the world.

Is skincare coaching right for you?

You’re in the right place if:

·         You want a simple, personalised routine you can easily stick to.

·         Your skin has changed and the products you've always loved aren't working anymore.

·         You've tried heaps of products, spent loads of money, and you're still not seeing the results you want.

·         You don't have the time to research ingredients, compare products and figure it all out yourself.

·         You're not sure where to start with skincare, and you just want someone to tell you exactly what your skin needs.

Still not sure? Book a free 15-minute skin chat and we can figure out the right next step for your skin together.

Let’s make skincare simpler, smarter and way more fun.

The Great Skin Guide is a founder-led blog for honest, simple and fun skincare content. I hope you love reading it as much as I love writing it.

Tenille Hellier is the founder of It’s Tenille, an online personalised skincare service based in Adelaide. A certified skincare coach, Tenille built her practice on the idea that skincare should be as simple as possible for consumers. Her personalised skincare programs and product recommendations are based on her rigorous product selection protocol because Tenille believes every product should earn its place in your routine. Book a free 15-minute skin chat with Tenille to figure out the right next step for your skin.

You can find Tenille on Instagram, Facebook and Substack. She’s not cool enough for TikTok.