Think of all those trips to your favorite spas.
All those incredible “backbar” skincare products that were used on you during your face and body treatments, all those pricey stops in the spa shop when you happily plunked down your credit card for umpteen crèmes and serums to “keep the glow going” after you got back home.
Clearly there’s no shortage of beauty elixirs in the spa realm. So it takes a massive amount of innovation, attention to detail, and stellar ingredients to cut through the clutter and be declared the #1 spa professional skincare brand in the world.
“IMAGE has gained a reputation for steady excellence in a notoriously competitive sector . . .”
For three years running—2021, 2022, and 2023—the research powerhouse Kline + Company has bestowed that title on IMAGE Skincare. Headquartered in Palm Beach since its inception in 2003, and armed with an early-mover stance on both clean ingredients and clinically backed formulations, IMAGE has gained a reputation for steady excellence in a notoriously competitive sector that likes nothing better than throwing a spotlight on the trendy skincare darling du jour.
Basically Inventing the Vitamin C Category
Although no one from IMAGE Skincare is marching around declaring that the brand is responsible for launching vitamin C into the stratosphere, it certainly was a catalyst. In fact, IMAGE, which is now available in 66 countries and 10,000 spas, and is used by 50,000 estheticians worldwide, literally started with a vitamin C product.
After brand founder Janna Ronert developed and perfected a hydrating vitamin C serum in her own kitchen, she decided to go for it and launch a brand. Having become an esthetician herself after struggling with her own problematic skin, Ronert saw a white space in spa around clean, clinically sound formulations, and decided to fill it.
Today, IMAGE’s wildly popular Vital C Collection encompasses some 14 products, including the flagship Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum, Hydrating Anti-Oxidant A C E Serum, and Hydrating Repair Crème alongside vitamin C-spiked masques, face oil, eye gel, sunscreen . . . the list goes on.
Thirteen Collections & Counting
After hitting a home run right out of the gate with Vital C, Ronert and the IMAGE team opted not to rest on any laurels, and instead pushed forward in multiple product development directions. Currently, there’s an impressive roster of 13 individual collections in the IMAGE portfolio. These include options for preventing the signs of aging (Ageless, The Max); shielding skin from the sun (Prevention+); reducing acne (Clear Cell Exfoliating Solutions, Clear Cell Acne Treatments); reducing hyperpigmentation (Iluma) and sculpting and firming from head to toe (Body Spa).
And then there are the even more targeted, specialist product ranges, such as Ormedic, a pH-balanced collection crafted from organic ingredients: Biome+, which protect the skin’s barrier; I Mask facial masks and I Beauty makeup.
Wondering how Team IMAGE is so prolific on the product development front? It starts with two highly seasoned chemists.
“We have an extremely knowledgeable in-house team with two chemists on staff with years of experience in product development,” says Michele Snyder, the brand’s Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer. “They collaborate with labs all over the world to improve and innovate our formulas with the most cutting-edge technology and research.”
Once the R&D team lands on a promising direction, the real work starts.
“We prioritize clinical testing,” says Snyder, “which means that ingredients and formulas need to go through rigorous testing before we bring them to market. This includes scientific research, market analysis, customer feedback, and more.”
Staying True to Its Research-Backed North Star
With spa partners that range from the mammoth Hand & Stone to the multi-unit Spavia and Heyday—and that’s just in the United States—IMAGE has a massive presence. And with so much success under its belt, it would be easy for the brand to just coast and latch onto the trends of the moment rather than staying on its chosen path, which is to assess and address genuine needs.
To do the latter, it relies heavily on feedback from estheticians from around the globe.
“We focus on efficacy over what’s trending and collaborate with dermatologists and physicians to ensure our products deliver tangible benefits to consumers,” says Snyder. “Our lengthy approach to product development means we prioritize thoroughly researched formulations over fast-moving, trendy ingredients or packaging.”
In other words, chasing relevancy is not what IMAGE is about.
“With innovation at the forefront of everything we do, for us, it’s not just about riding the wave of trends, but about steering the ship towards innovation to stay ahead of the curve,” says Snyder. “Our robust network and community of skincare professionals also gives us a sounding board of true demand versus trending or viral moments.”
Dana Wood
Dana Wood is the Contributing Beauty Editor at InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. She has been writing about beauty and wellness for decades, and no matter how many times she taps the words “hyaluronic acid” or “healing modalities” into her keyboard, it never gets old. Dana spent a total of 20 years at Condé Nast, serving as Beauty Director for W, Cookie, and Brides. A transplanted New Yorker, Dana now lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her peak spa experience? Dana says it’s impossible to decide between the Coco-Mango Body Buff at the Driftwood Spa at Jakes in Treasure Beach, Jamaica, The Land of Beautiful Waters Anti-Aging Facial at Four Seasons Nevis, and the 80-minute 5 Senses massage at the Spa by JW in Marco Island, Florida.