For those of you who don't know, Dr Simon Ourian MD is the man that the Kardashians have on speed dial and they are regularly spotted at his exclusive clinic, Epione in Beverly Hills. But it's not just Kris, Kim and co!
Lady Gaga, Eva Mendes, Taylor Hill, Miley Cyrus and Sofia Vergara are all big fans - let's put it this way, his clinic is the hottest destination in Hollywood, and his Coolaser treatment is a huge hit - but at £5,000 a go, it's not cheap. If you don't have access to Beverly Hills or a celebrity's bank balance, you're in luck because Dr Simon Ourian has spent millions on AI technology with his business partner. That's right, you can now get your skin analysed (we've tried it, and yes it's fantastic) and get prescribed targeted products from the Simon Ourian M.D. skincare line. You can't beat having access to the world-leading cosmetic dermatology doctor through an individual virtual consultation powered by the latest AI, it’s just like meeting him in his Beverly Hills practice, but for free!
Hi Dr Simon Ourian, it's SO exciting to talk to you today! You're a skincare god when it comes to the celebrity looks in Hollywood… What's been your pinch-me moment with any of your celebrity clients?
"I got very lucky early on. What I was doing resonated with a lot of celebrities but back then it was very hush-hush. No one was talking about treatments! They were secretly coming in through the back door in the evening so no one would see them. But the pinch me moment was when Lisa Vanderpump started working on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, she really talked about what she was doing and was very open about getting botox and procedures like that.
"After that, Lady Gaga was instrumental, talking to her friends and bringing her friends over and being open about what I was doing.
"But around the same time, and probably the best thing that happened, was when Kim Kardashian walked in and brought all the media attention with her. People saw her before and after treatments in real time. Her sisters of course; Kylie, Khloe, Kourtney and all of them have been in my office, and Kris of course, they've all become dear friends and through their generosity and support they have created longstanding pinch me moments."
Ah yes, you have famously worked with the Kardashians… is there anything you think people don't know about their skin? They all look so perfect and pristine on the show and on social media.
"It doesn't happen overnight. A lot of effort and time and energy goes into this. They're always under the microscope and have all the media attention so they have to look their absolute best. They make a living partly through their looks and how they appear. They have ups and downs just like everyone else; they have blemishes and Kim has been very open about the fact that she has psoriasis, it's not as glamorous as you might think. They're very hard working - 24/7."
What advice do you tend to give them when they're working a lot or travelling?
"I think being healthy and getting off the plane healthy is the most important thing - wearing flight stockings and walking around the plane for journeys that are more than two hours. Besides that, for your skin, it's important to keep your skin hydrated and moisturised. The cabin is very dry - keep moisturising your skin with a good moisturiser that your skin is not going to be irritated by, especially around your eyes and your neck. Drink plenty of water which is very very important and add electrolytes with it. No alcohol or little alcohol is key, too."
"Drink plenty of water which is very very important and add electrolytes with it."
Kim recently raved about the non-surgical laser skin resurfacing facial she had with you? What are the benefits of a treatment like that and who would it work best on?
"She's talking about Coolaser which is a state-of-the-art advanced laser that we offer and can work for anyone over 30, or if you have skin discoloration, if you have ageing, if you need your skin to become tighter especially around the eye or the mouth. The recovery time is pretty quick, just a day or two. The day Kim had this she was being photographed two days later with full-on makeup. It has really similar results to a real laser but with minimal downtime."
Is that the next 'must have' skincare treatment for 2024?
"Coolaser, for me, will be the number one treatment because it's so quick and the results are so fast. You can get it done and go back to the office or go home. I'm also very biased and think my new skincare line has some of the ingredients people are going to be looking for, such as STABLE Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid in their skincare products. The AI technology, which we have been very excited about in a very nerdy way, which we have introduced to our skincare is exciting. The advantage of that is that you can take a picture of your face and it does an analysis of your skin in a real way, not in a hocus pocus way, but a real analysis of your skin and it can tell you with very high accuracy - better accuracy than most doctors, including myself, can do by relying on our experience and our vision. It can tell what the problems are with your skin and tell you what to do. I think that's the biggest advancement we'll see in 2024."
"Coolaser, for me, will be the number one treatment because it's so quick and the results are so fast."
On the subject of your skincare line, what's the one product that everyone should try?
"Wow, it's like choosing between your kids, but I think the one that most will love will be our boosters in general. Depending on what your skin concern is - and at any given time, each of them will help in a certain way. But for everyone, I recommend to start a routine which is basically cleanse, tone and moisturise and sun block. If you have that routine down, you'll be doing 95% better than everyone else on the planet. You can then add a Booster to make your skin better."
Skin boosters seem to be so popular right now, why is that?
"Boosters are very concern orientated so they go exactly after the problem you have. They tend to be able to address your issues in a more laser focused way."
Kris Jenner referred to you as the secret behind her flawless, youthful complexion - what advice have you been giving to Kris because we're all going to be following suit?
"Even if you look at her close up she's even more beautiful - I wish I could take all the credit, she has great genes and she does take care of herself. We do a little bit of Coolaser once or twice a year, we do Stem Cell once or twice a year to really build up the collagen. Of course, she has her daughter's skincare line, but I always help and advise her when she's after more pharmaceutical-grade stuff. We often mix and match. Number one that I think she would swear by would be the Coolaser and the Stem Cell treatment."
Let's talk about your skincare line, you believe everyone should have great skin! How do people know what to target when it comes to their skin?
"This is why we decided to invest in a lot of resources. We spent millions of dollars, ahead of every major skincare company that's out there who have a lot more money than we do. One of my co-founders Dan is even more geeky than I am and he wanted to have something that was very advanced and pushed us to put a lot of money into AI that can take a photo of your skin and with a very high certainty it can tell you the issues of your skin, and it's up to you if you want to address all of them at once or which bothers you the most. We've had nothing but glowing feedback. It works with you, if you take another picture a month later it can tell you the improvements you've made and what to work on. It's like having your own personal physician in your pocket."
As skin ages, it can feel lack lustre and less bouncy, how do we counteract that if we can't afford expensive products and treatments?
"So, I am a big believer in facial exercises - moving your face a lot while talking and moving the muscles. Short of coming to my office and building up your bones and your muscles, which I love doing and do every day, maintaining a routine and really understanding your skin every day. Just the same way as you tend to your teeth every day, or you brush your hair, this is work you have to educate yourself."
If someone is preparing for a big event (whether it's a wedding day or a big birthday party, or the Oscars) what would your advice be when it comes to your skin in the lead up to the big day? Should you be adding something into your regime or taking something out?
"I would say start a few months ahead of the game if you really want flawless, fantastic skin. Use a product with stable Vitamin C for an instant glowing effect, and a serum with hyaluronic acid to plump skin. Getting closer to the time of the event you should have more facials or deeper lasers such as Coolaser. Clay masks help a lot right before the event - perhaps the night before use a clay mask because it'll tighten your skin. I recommend that you don't add a product to your skin that you haven't tried before. That could be a mistake. Don't do anything the day of - just stick to a simple routine and your makeup."
There's a trend on social media right now - things that are out, and things that are in. Is there a particular skincare trend that you think needs to go? And one that needs to stay?
"I am not a big fan of tanning layering or contouring. I don't like tanning in general, especially when you layer it, that scares me so I think that should go away. A lot of fillers that people use too much of. I see the cheeks getting too big or the face getting too large. I'm not a big fan of threads, they don't last long and they have a lot more side effects.
"Things I'd like to see more of, the right type of products for your skin, and learning. AI has given us so much more information and I think advances are going to be a lot more significant."
"I don't like tanning in general, especially when you layer it, that scares me so I think that should go away."
How best to alleviate sun damage if you have been on tanning beds or in the sunshine. A lot of your celebrity clients live in sunny climates, what do you tell them?
"I tell them not to do it. You really have to avoid the sun. Sun block is the least you can do, I don't care if you have only been to check the mail, you have to wear sun block, especially in places like LA or Australia, anywhere the sun is very strong. Even when it's cloudy you might not realise how much sun exposure we are under, so wear the sun block. If you're going to be outside a lot, wear a hat and clothing that covers you. If you care about your face, if you care about your beauty, if you care about keeping healthy and as youthful looking as possible, you really have to minimise how much sun exposure you have. It's not a secret."
What's your thoughts on LED Face Masks? Lots of celebrities love them and we'd love to know your opinion.
"I love them, they're anti-inflammatory and each light has its own unique target. You can use different lights to treat acne or acne scars, you can treat fine lines and you can boost collagen production. They all do work but they take a little bit of time as you have to sit under the light and most of us are in a rush to go to work but if you have five or ten minutes, they're worth a try. What I will say, is that it's very important to wear the goggles - the lights are bright and you need to cover the lines, you don't want to impact your vision."
It's award season right now, what's the number one treatment or product celebrities are all trying to get their hands on before the Oscars?
"Aside from treatments, a hydrating booster really works very well. My other favourite is the Line Eraser which gets rid of fine lines you have and that works really well for around the eyes and on the neckline to tighten the elasticity of the skin."
"I'm a big believer that what you eat has a big reflection on your skin."
The gut microbiome is a big talking point here in the UK, how do you think your diet affects your skin?
"I'm a big believer that what you eat has a big reflection on your skin. You can't eat sugar and fatty foods all day long and hope to have great skin unless you have supernatural genes. Sugar and heavy fatty foods, especially seed oils, are very inflammatory. Your gut health is compromised when you eat foods that are not good for you or not holistic or organic. I am a big believer in it, I eat healthy foods as often as I can, I drink celery juice every day to keep my gut healthy. I hope I don't make too many enemies here, but I don't think dairy is too good for you, especially after the age of 18 or 19, I don't see a real cause for people consuming it past that age. I will make more enemies here but you can add as many nutritious things as you want but a couple of drinks a week destroys it all."