Two decades ago, Cammie Cannella joined Kiehl's as a customer representative, working at the original _ and at that time the only _ store in New York City's East Village neighbourhood.
Cammie Cannella.
The brand has since opened more than 200 stores globally, and today as vice-president of education and customer relations, Cannella emphasises that after visiting any of these stores, customers should leave with a full Kiehl's experience.
"No matter where in the world, when somebody comes to a Kiehl's store they should have the same experience as if they were at the original store in New York," she stressed.
In November 2007, the first Bangkok flagship store opened at Siam Paragon.
Thereafter, the American brand branched out to leading department stores, not as counters, but as full shops where Kiehl's customer representatives (KCR) don white coats to recommend skincare products.
Skin Rescuer Stress- Minimizing Daily Hydrator with botanical extracts from chamomile and French rose petals.
"The white lab coat is a sign of our heritage and expertise in giving personalised recommendations to our customers, and this personalised service has always been our secret to success," said Cannella. The white lab coat echoes Kiehl's beginning as an 1851 old-world apothecary, which became Kiehl Pharmacy when John Kiehl bought the business in 1894. After he retired, the Morse family took over from 1921, and their full-service pharmacy offered customers homeopathic and herbal remedies, essential oils and over the-counter drugs.
These pharmaceutical roots have led to Kiehl's approach in prescribing "serious" skincare.
"The prescriptive approach means that we don't do system selling or introduce an entire collection. We would rather recommend skincare based on the consultation and a healthy skin check," Cannella explained. "It's important for KCRs to spend time with customers and help them identify what their skin needs, which can change from time-to-time due to climate or lifestyle, and this further requires an adjustment of the skincare regimen."
Product development focuses on effective formulae with no-frills packaging, whereas marketing promotion largely depends on word of mouth because of the company's no-advertising strategy.
Launches in the latter half of this year have included Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator, Facial Fuel Heavy Lifting Moisturizer for Men and Super Multi-Corrective Cream.
For almost 50 years, Kiehl's has been making skincare for men and the new anti-ageing treatment contains a complex of natural ingredients to address men's thicker and coarser skin.
"We create our formulae for men first and foremost to work, and ultimately to be both simple to use as well as easy to incorporate into a regimen," she said. "With displays featuring sports and outdoor activities as well as a Harley Davidsons, the Kiehl's store also appeals to men."
Targeting eight signs of ageing, the Super Multi-Corrective Cream features jasmonic acid, beech tree extract and fragmented hyaluronic acid as the Tri-Active technology. In nature, jasmonic acid is released when plants are damaged or under stress. This triggers a self-repair response and resistance to wounding.
"Natural ingredients have been an important part of our formulae since the very beginning, and it has been combined with pharmaceutical technology to bring out their true benefit," she said. "We formulate serious skincare without making aesthetic compromises to make it look or smell good."
Following the prescriptive approach, the anti-ageing super cream can be coordinated with various serums to address specific concerns of each individual.
"Depending on how a person takes care of their skin, and their genes, a 30-year-old can have the skin of a 20- or 40-year-old," she said.
"Hence our KCRs don't recommend products based on age, but by skin concerns. And they recommend the right combination of skincare products that will promote younger and healthier-looking skin."
Kiehl’s latest serious skincare product, Super Multi-Corrective Cream.
Facial Fuel Heavy Lifting anti-ageing treatment for men’s thicker and coarser skin.
