In Conversation with Dina Sidani, Founder of Dubai's Revolutionary Skincare Brand, ilik

Where did it all start? Can you share the story of ilik, from the first idea to where we are now?

• It all started very suddenly for me when, at the age of 30, I developed hormonal acne – something I’d never had before. So, I went to the dermatologist, and he prescribed tretinoin – the prescription-grade version of retinol – and told me to use it for my acne and to continue using it because it was the best ingredient for anti-ageing, too. And wow – it worked wonders. But the process – getting an appointment, finding time in my day to go see him, traffic, and parking (looking at you here, Beach Road), well, it was all such a hassle.
• Fast forward 10 years later, and I was still using prescription ingredients but couldn’t help but think, hang on – there must be a more convenient way to do this. Why can’t getting prescription ingredients be easier? At the time, I was the Chief Innovation Officer for a very large, luxury brands’ group – right in middle of the beauty industry and knew exactly how that worked. It made sense to me to take the best of both worlds: the slick, quick consumer experience of the beauty industry, and the efficacy and results of prescription dermatology. And that’s when I created ilik.

It’s remarkable how personal experiences can catalyse transformative ideas. Once you realised there was a real need for ilik, how do you then go about setting up a company to tackle that?

• The first thing I did was find one of the best dermatologists out there. I pitched the idea of ilik to her between patients, and she was sold in the first 15 minutes. Most dermatologists realise the impact that ilik can have in a world driven by TikTok trends and want to do something about that.

What were the challenges along the way?

• Building a company means finding creative solutions to challenges. We are a telehealth company, so there are a lot of regulations we had to navigate to be able to launch something that is the first of its kind in the GCC and even in the wider Middle East.

In an industry often overshadowed by marketing hype, how is ilik different from other skincare brands out there, in terms of its approach?

• ilik is not just a pretty face, like many other skincare brands. One of the things I realised fast working in the beauty industry was that so many brands use the same factories and then just work on pretty packaging and celebrity endorsements. I wanted to steer as far away from that as possible and create something that was clinically and scientifically proven, with no BS.

Personalised skincare lies at the heart of ilik’s ethos. Can you discuss the importance of that and how ilik addresses individual needs?

• In a world filled with so much marketing noise, false claims, and new ingredients popping up daily – personalised skincare removes all the confusion and frustration to create something that is specifically made for your skin’s needs. At ilik, the dermatologist – an expert who studied skin science for many years – chooses the ingredients that will specifically target each person’s specific skin concerns and then selects the concentrations that are right for that person’s skin type.

In what ways does ilik prioritise science over marketing hype in its product development and communication?

• ilik is an evidence-based company. Firstly, we only use ingredients that have been clinically proven to work – what we term the gold standard ingredients of dermatology. We don’t use ingredients that are hyped but haven’t been proven to do anything – and there are a lot of those out there – what’s the point? Our focus is on educating our customers to help them sift through all that noise, and nothing goes out on our channels that hasn’t been verified by a dermatologist.

What role does dermatology expertise play in ilik's products?

• Dermatology is at the centre of everything we do. Who better than someone who studied skin science for many, many years to tell you what works best. Some people fear the word prescription, but all that means is that those ingredients are more powerful and effective than what you get over the counter, and that they require the guidance of a trained dermatologist to use them properly.

Could you walk us through the process of creating a personalised prescription treatment with ilik?

• It’s so easy. Just answer a few questions through our online consultation, upload your photos, and the dermatologist does the rest. Our dermatologist reviews your answers and photos and selects the best ingredients for your skin. We then send that formula to the lab to be created before it’s sent directly to your door. So much easier than getting stuck in traffic, wasting time in a waiting room, spending time with the derm, then having to go to the pharmacy to get a laundry list of products. It’s Dubai, 2024, who has time for all that?

How does ilik ensure consistency in delivering results to its customers?

• One of the key things we do very differently than the healthcare industry is our post-prescription care. Our medical and skin experts are there every step of the way to guide, support, and track our customers’ progress. This makes sure that they have the right skincare routine for them, ensuring the right results for their skin.

What about price? How does ilik make personalised prescription treatments more accessible – and affordable – to a wider audience?

• With our technology, we’re able to let our dermatologists focus solely on creating the best treatment plan for our customers. What that means, is that we also remove a lot of the admin work and make dermatologists’ jobs significantly more efficient. That means we can pass on those efficiencies to our customers, making access to dermatologists more affordable and more convenient while maintain quality care.

What core values guide ilik's approach to beauty and wellness?

• Science. Power. Access. Science – because we are 100 per cent evidence-based skincare. Power – because we use the most powerful ingredients, and we also empower women to love the skin they’re in. You will never see us shaming women or pressuring them about ageing or acne to sell more products. And access – because not only do we make dermatology more accessible, but we’re also educating our customers to navigate through thesheer noise of marketing.

The hundreds of satisfied customers speak volumes about ilik’s transformative impact. Could you share an inspiring success story?

• We have so many success stories. One of my favourites is a 25-year-oldmake-up artist and creator who had been struggling with major acne for as long as she could remember – she had been told that her only option would be to go on Roaccutane, which she really didn’t want to do. And then came to ilik – almost as a last resort before starting to take Roaccutane – and within 10 days she started to see results. 10 days! Three months later her improvement is even better than I could have imagined. Can you imagine the confidence this gave her? Honestly, stories like that make the challenges of starting a business so worth it.

What impact do you hope ilik will have on the beauty and wellness industry in the long term?

• I want ilik to be seen as the source of truth. Where people know that the information they’re receiving is the best out there and that the products they get are better than anything they can get over the counter or from the influencer they follow.

Looking ahead, what aspirations do you have for ilik?

• I think ilik’s technology, business model – and, more importantly, the trust we build with our customers thanks to their results and experience with ilik – will translate so well to their wellness journey at different parts of their life. That’s where we want to go, and that’s where we’re going.

Lastly, what message would you like to convey to individuals who are considering trying ilik's products for the first time?

• Don’t fall for marketing, fall for results. We are a science-backed company, with proven ingredients, and amazing dermatologists at your fingertips. Don’t settle for less.