Encomium
The charming mother of three children and owner of Crystal Shine Skin Clinic, Dr Oluwakemi Ajiboye has just moved from Ikorodu town to her new clinic at Ikeja, Lagos.
ENCOMIUM Weekly, on Friday, August 26, 2016, had an interview with her where she spoke about the challenges she has been facing and more.
Can you tell us how it all started?
I have always believed that everyone can enjoy a blemish free skin without adding any hazardous ingredient in the skin care product. When I came to Nigeria after my study abroad, I discovered most people are not enlightened about how to take care of their skin in a very healthy way and I took it upon myself to make sure healthy skin care services are available in Nigeria.
Can you tell us some of the challenges you have been facing?
Sometimes Nigerians are not patient enough to get result. They want to use harsh chemicals that will give instant result. But with a lot of awareness, counseling and effort, they are getting to know that all those chemicals that give instant result are not good for their skin. I know with time they will get to understand better because the process of making the skin glow has a cycle and it must not be compromised.
When did you start Crystal Shine Skin Clinic?
I started nine years ago.
Why did you decide to move to Ikeja?
I decided to move closer to the people because about 80 percent of my clients come from outside Ikorodu. They come from the Mainland and the Island, so, I had to come closer for accessibility.
The materials for your beauty products, are they locally or international sourced?
They are both locally and internationally sourced but for now, I have resolved to source like 80 percent here because of the fluctuation in forex.
What makes your product outstanding?
What gives it that unique edge over every other product is its uniqueness. It is personalized for individuals. We do not make a general product, we make our product to suit individual skin condition but if we are thinking of making a general product at all, we make sure the standard is not compromised. For instance, we make the soap for each person.
Can you mention some of the beauty products?
We have Crystal Flawless, that is the brand name. There is a face cream, there is a pleasant toner, scrub, shampoo, soap, anti allergy cream, etc. Some are made and some are just tailored to suit individual skin condition.
Do you manufacture these products?
Yes, we do.
Where is the factory located?
It is in Ikorodu.
Can we also find your products in any other shop aside your outlet?
I am working on my NAFDAC certification at the moment. Once it is NAFDAC certified, then it will be in the market.
Can you tell us how affordable these products are?
They are very affordable because we put into consideration the average Nigerian. Secondary school students come in for our services and they get result from whatever condition they bring into our clinic.
When we went around the clinic, we saw some machines. Can you tell us what these machines are used for?
We have eye frequency machine, it is for rejuvenation, it stimulates new skin care production. We have the dermaindian cauterization machine, it is used for the removal of any form of growth on the skin, it can also be used for genital wax removal which is one of the major things that I am trying to preach to people, to let them know that there is cure for genital wax but people do not know where to get help when it comes to their genital.
I have come in contact with people over the years that have genital problems and they don’t know where to get solution, so we are trying to preach that. We are trying to project that so they can get such condition treated here at the same medically proven standard that they are going to get outside Nigeria. I trained in America, I trained in London and I trained in India, so, whatever standard it is out there, they can also get it here.
Since you have not gotten your NAFDAC certification, how effective are these products?
Like I said, I do not compromise standards, I make sure whatever ingredients used have been tested and certified okay. There is a body that regulates all these skin care products and I do not go contrary to what the regulation is, just like NAFDAC. There is an American body that regulates skin care products.
Since we have a lot of beauty shops around Ikeja, how do you intend to make yours different from their?
Crystal Shine Skin Clinic is not a beauty shop, it is a clinic for getting healthy skin. Most of the people around are not certified. I went to Institute of Laser and Aesthetic Medicine, I studied aesthetic medicine. So, what I do is majorly core skin treatment and not bleaching. What they do out there is retail of skin care products, bleaching, not minding if the standard is compromised or not but what we stand for here is healthy skin care services.
So, are you saying bleaching is different from toning?
Definitely, yes.
Can you tell us the difference?
Bleaching is a destructive peeling off of the layers of the skin but toning is a rejuvenation process that eventually reveals healthy skin. At the long run, bleaching does not reveal healthy skin, it reveals damaged skin because whatever is used for bleaching is hazardous to the skin.
Are you saying you are into a full time skin clinic and not a beauty clinic or shop?
Yes, this is a clinic for both medical and aesthetic skin care practices. It is not all about beauty, it is a place where you get solution to medical and aesthetics skin conditions.
-GLORY OSIGWE
