Pro Spotlight: Katie Sobelman, The Organic Esthetician
At Omnilux, we’re proud to be the LED brand most trusted and used by skincare professionals worldwide. Our devices can be found in over 5,000 dermatology and aesthetic clinics across the globe, and we recently had the pleasure of chatting with one of our longtime Omnilux providers and esthetician, Katie Sobelman, about her results-driven treatments and how she uses Omnilux LED devices in her practice.
Katie is the go-to expert on all things organic beauty. Her successful YouTube channel is a constant source of reliable information about skincare and aesthetics, and visiting her studio in Napa or at the Freija Collective in Los Angeles is guaranteed to leave her clients feeling like their best, glowiest selves.
Q. Hi Katie! Tell us a little about your background and your current practice.
Katie: I've been a licensed esthetician in California for over a decade. Education has become a big part of what I do, whether it be helping clients and consumers increase the health of their skin or teaching other estheticians how to integrate products and modalities into their treatments.
In my own practice, I pair clean luxury skincare products with result-driven modalities like LED, microcurrent, and ultrasound to create a relaxing service that leaves the skin transformed.
Q. Why Omnilux for your clinic?
Katie: I love that Omnilux was created using medical light therapy technology and that the company, first and foremost, made professional medical-grade devices before their retail options. The results speak for themselves, and the Omnilux Contour masks are so comfortable and easy to use, and I feel really confident suggesting them to clients.
Q. How do you integrate Omnilux into your clients’ routines?
Katie: In a dream world, all my clients use the Omnilux Contour as part of their home skincare routine, and most do! I pair the mask with an antioxidant-rich green Rooibos serum and have them use it a few times a week, after a more intensive period of use, to enhance skin health, build collagen, firm the skin, and reduce inflammation. It is the greatest compliment to any skincare routine and really addresses almost all skin concerns.
Q. What is one piece of advice you’d give a client who is just starting out with LED light therapy?
Katie: Be consistent! While you'll see a change in your skin with a single use, consistency and patience create truly amazing results. And to that end, make it work for you! Leave it next to your bed so you can wake up and use it first thing. Pop it on while you're doing laundry or watching TV. The Contour's wearability and short 10-minute treatment make it so easy to integrate into your daily routine.
Q. How is the skin on our neck and chest different from our face? Why is it important to treat these areas?
Katie: The skin on our neck and chest is different than on the face as it has less fatty tissue underneath it. It is thinnest, similar to the skin on the face, but gets more direct sunlight than other body parts while often receiving less attention and product application. It also receives way more wear and tear, especially from side sleepers. The weight of the shoulders stresses the skin creating deep lines in this delicate tissue.
All of this is to say that your chest will likely show age sooner than the rest of your skin. It goes without saying what you apply to your face you should also apply to your neck and chest, but adding specific chest treatments, like the Omnilux Contour Neck & Decollate mask, is a great way to increase the health of this delicate skin.
Q. There are a lot of misconceptions and myths about red light therapy, one of them being that it is like sitting in a tanning bed. How is red light therapy different, and how can it actually help reverse the signs of damage from harmful UV rays?
Katie: While both are light-based treatments, the two could not be more different. UVA and UVB exposure cause damage to the DNA in skin cells which can lead to skin cancer and premature aging. Actually, UV exposure is the leading cause of extrinsic aging in the skin. Conversely, red light therapy improves cell health by stimulating cellular energy, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, and enhancing collagen production.
Q. How do you see the esthetics space changing — are you noticing any trends?
Katie: Results-driven therapies are coming to be expected in the treatment room. Things like LED light therapy, microcurrent, or even therapeutic massage techniques. While clients want relaxation, they also want results. I've built my business by creating a unique blend of the two.
I also see a trend toward anti-aging that goes deeper, beyond the face and skin, moving towards full body enhancement. The more knowledgeable clients become about the aging process, the more they want to apply anti-aging therapies to the whole body. Wellness and Optimization studios are popping up everywhere, and it's only a matter of time before these wellness therapies make their way into the more traditional spa setting.
You can say hi to Katie on social @the_organic_esthetician or visit her YouTube channel for more content.
