In March 2020, as India went into lockdown, taking care of our skin became a personal responsibility. With no access to salons or dermatologists, we turned to DIY facials and at-home routines. During that time, Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, Medical Director, ISAAC Luxe (a luxury skin & wellness aesthetics clinic), emerged as our saviour. Her no-nonsense, backed-by-science skincare tips amassed her a large following online. Young, social media-savvy and always smiling–Dr Geetika is loved by young Indians who want to look good and feel good. And her 68k followers on Instagram are a testament to that fact!
So how did she become India’s most renowned cosmetic dermatologist? When Dr Geetika used to practice as a consultant, she noticed a huge gap in quality cosmetic services that are safe and effective. So she started working towards bridging that gap. She gained experience by working at various clinics and upgraded herself with knowledge about what’s trending around the world. Soon after, ISAAC Luxe was born.
With over a decade of experience in the field, Dr Geetika is an undisputed pioneer in the beauty and skincare industry. With three clinics in Delhi, one in Gurgaon and one in Mumbai, she provides holistic solutions for skin, hair, weight loss and wellness. But what sets her apart is her use of cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions for her clients’ needs. The ISAAC Luxe website offers visitors a Face Diagnosis–an interactive platform where all you need to do is upload a selfie, and you get an auto-generated customised skin diagnosis report. She was the first in India to introduce international treatments like Cool Tech, a non-invasive method of fat removal which involves freezing of fat cells, and Insta Sculpt, a needle-free Korean anti-ageing treatment. Dr Geetika also owns the sole franchisee of REVIV ME, a brand offering IV (intravenous) beauty and wellness therapies. Last year, she launched her own skincare brand called Dr G, which offers innovative solutions, including tools and topical products, for Indian skin woes.
Today, Dr Geetika juggles her day job of running clinics in Delhi and Mumbai, with creating informative and engaging content on social media. She takes both very seriously. “I firmly believe when you become a prominent face people profoundly follow your suggestions, hacks and every piece of content you put forward on your social media–you must use your influential skills to guide the followers in the right direction,” she says. Her infectious energy, tenacious attitude and drive to give her clients the very best makes her the perfect trailblazer for our Women Who Win series. In a conversation with POPxo, Dr Geetika opened up about her personal skincare routine, her biggest professional achievements and how she relaxes after a long day. Lightly-edited excerpts below:
How do you begin your day? What does an average day look like for you?
I believe the key to a happy life is a sound mind and healthy body! I begin my day at 5:00 am, indulge in yoga, meditation and reading. Well, my average day starts with some sort of workout and meditation and then post spending time with family. I head to the clinic or do work from home on some days. Entire day goes into balancing and juggling between family and work, evening I try to shut my work and go for a walk or play with kids in the garden. I generally like to cook dinner for the family. I wind down by reading to my kids and also reading some books myself.
What is your personal skincare routine?
I always keep my skincare routine minimal yet effective and also keep it abreast with change in weather or how my skin behaves. Generally, my skincare routine comprises cleanser, toner, serum, rye cream, moisturizer and sunscreen. Apart from that, I also exfoliate my skin once or twice a week to get rid of dead skin cells and use retinol once or twice a week to combat early signs of aging. To pamper my skin a little extra I apply a mask (I love masking!), which not only rejuvenates my skin but also adds radiance & nourishment.
As a skin expert, I not only advocate for others to stay consistent with application of sunscreen but also follow it myself because all the early signs of aging, photodamage I see on my patients is due to exposure to sun and UV rays. Hence, I religiously apply SPF every 2-3 hours.
You have nearly 68k followers on Instagram. What is your approach to being a social media influencer?
I firmly believe when you become a prominent face people profoundly follow your suggestions, hacks & every piece of content you put forward on your social media. I want to use my influential skills to guide my followers in the right direction & hence, my prime approach is to only advocate or suggest things that have real implications or can give realistic benefits to an individual.
Secondly, I always prefer putting content for my audience in the simplest language because if they fail to understand it, my whole efforts shall be in vain.
In a nutshell, my approach is to stay realistic & present content in the simplest form, which is why we are a 67.4k strong family.
You juggle between attending to your clients and producing content for your Instagram. What are the methods or tools you use to stay organised?
Well, this year one of my resolutions is to be an early riser. When I say early riser, I intend to join the 5:00 am club which not only allows me to indulge in yoga or reading but also gives me plenty of time to plan & schedule my things in a day. I firmly believe that it is very important to plan your day & to do a list in a systematic way which helps you balance time between work, family as well as producing content for my social media community without any hassle.
What is a mantra that you swear by in your professional/personal life?
Choosing your “one big thing” that is most important to you is the key. Rather than firefighting, ask this to yourself now and then to choose and act on the one thing that is important to you. By doing this, other things become easy or simple. Be it personally or professionally, being present in the ‘now’ is important. Reminding and refocusing the attention to now can help achieve maximum benefits. Also in business asking yourself ‘why’ you are doing what you are doing keeps your focus strong.
Key skills or qualities that have really helped you succeed?
I have a keen sense of focus and have always been open to new ideas. I believe positive criticism always helps because there is always scope for enhancement in an idea or task. Everyone can give a greasy perspective and thus I feel being foolish and hungry always helps. Rather than making a random to-do list, I think a ‘success list’ is better because only when you know where you wish to reach can you define the route to reach it! Thinking big has always helped me push boundaries. I believe in teamwork and I strongly believe that to lead a great team you need to be Genuine And progressive at all times.
What has been your biggest professional accomplishment so far?
Well, there are various milestones like Vogue Beauty Award and Zee Leadership Award that I have achieved in my career, but the biggest one among all of them was establishing a centre in Mumbai & launching my own skincare range under the name of Dr G.
Tell us a little about ISAAC Luxe. How did you start working towards building it?
I conceptualised ISAAC Luxe when I was expecting my first child. So in a way it’s my baby too. I always felt in my early years of career while I was practicing as a consultant that there was a huge gap in quality aesthetic services which are safe and effective. I slowly started working towards it by gaining experience by working at various clinics and also upgrading myself with the knowledge about what’s latest and trending around the world.
Any advice for those who are looking to break into the industry?
Well, it’s important to gain the right education first. And then some experience with practical patients to know how the real world works, as there’s nothing that can take away real, practical knowledge.
And lastly, how do you relax?
I like reading, going for a walk or just dancing with my kids to relax.
Featured Image: POPxo
