GetHarley Review: Intelligent Skincare at your fingertips

Are you confused about your current skincare regime? We're not surprised. You only have to take a look at the Culture Whisper beauty desk to realise how many products launch every single week, not to mention the plethora of lotions and potions already taking up shelf space out there. From the buzzy new ingredients trending to the viral TikTok videos touting the latest acne cure, there's a sea of newness out there.

Plus, there are the excessive-step systems, shelfie appeal (marketing-led) pots and then pop-up AD products that often out-promise themselves and cost the earth (literally) – and whether they will actually work is very debatable .

You can, of course, avoid all this disappointment by enlisting the help of a professional: GetHarley is like a matchmaking system for your skin and skincare. A qualified doctor, dermatologist, nurse or skin expert will talk you through your existing regime and work out an exact plan according to your specific goals.

You answer a few questions online, pay £30 for 30 minutes and they hook you up with the perfect professional to formulate a plan. You can get appointments with the vetted likes of Nichola Joss, Meghan Markle's facialist, or the best of London's aesthetic doctors, who usually have a waiting list of months, such as black skincare specialist and founder of the Black Aesthetics Advisory Board, Dr Amiee Vyas, the well-regarded Dr Sophie Shotter, or Dr Terry Loong – author of The Hormonal Acne Solution.

We talked to the award-winning Dr Fiona McCarthy, who has clocked up over two decades of medical experience and is known for her super-subtle approach to tweakments. She devises a no-nonsense regime with straightforward advice for morning and evening to tackle past UV sins and fine lines. In just a few days it’s already making a difference, my skin is looking more radiant than before, plus, all the products have been a joy to use.

Over a Zoom-like call, you can ask for advice on anything – from spots and sun damage to specialised skin conditions – and, in turn, the pro will provide medical-grade products and skincare solutions that will arrive on your doorstep in one single package. It’s an end-to-end service with practitioners taking responsibility for the results and a concierge to assist with any other queries – usually over WhatsApp – so it's instant and intrinsically simple.

The real USP is there’s no hard sell. GetHarley is not biased or linked to one specific brand. They recommend a treatment plan that offers instant and long-lasting results – all with products scientifically proven to work. There are dozens of brands on board, from Medik8, PCASkin, Dr. Levy, Allies of Skin, and formulations that are only available in clinics like Obagi and Cyspera.

Founder and CEO Charmaine Chow says:

'This pandemic has made several behaviours the norm during quarantine: food and grocery delivery, at-home workouts, Zoom parties. We believe that medical-grade skin health should be the same. Once people experience the convenience and effectiveness of it, there's no going back. Few patients will want to leave their house to pick up specialty skincare products after experiencing the convenience of our to-you-door delivery. Similarly, once people realise they can easily and inexpensively access a trusted professional's advice on what's best for their skin, it is difficult to imagine they would go back to trial and error or simply guesswork.'

So, is it time to gain control of your own regime? Targeted products are not only a space-saving exercise but with less wastage and mistakes – they also work out a more eco-friendly and an economical buy. Clever, eh?

And as you start to run out, GetHarley will message you to see if you need any tweaks or would like more products. Now that's what I call a thoroughly modern and luxury skincare service.