Katherine Amato and Natasa Billeci are the Founders of the Katan Klinic, an integrative skin revision, and anti-aging sanctuary, where all treatment programs are uniquely tailored to each patient’s needs. Together, they have over 20 years of combined experience in the field of Aesthetic Medicine. Their experiences led them to recognize that aging well was more about developing completely customized regimens for each client and not relying on beauty trends and cookie-cutter treatments. Katan Klinic’s mission is to rebuild beauty from the inside out using a sustainable long-term regimen that keeps the skin evolving and aging gracefully.
Vincent Ferguson :
Before we discuss the Katan Klinic, let’s talk a little about the both of you. Where were you born and raised and where did your interest in health come from?
Katherine Amato:
I’m born and raised in Long Island, New York and I have been here ever since. My interest in skincare really started from a young age, definitely with my mom, just her always being into taking care of herself, skin, going to get facials. It really just stemmed from following her, going with her to her little facial appointments. It really just ended up being something that I really felt deeply about.
Natasa Billeci:
I too am a native New Yorker, born and raised. I’m actually first-generation American born. I am a child of immigrant parents that came here in the early 70s. And very early on in life, I was exposed to the beauty and wellness space through my mom, much like with Katherine, but my mom had her own hair salon. And so I grew up around beauty and wellness. Later on in life, I had some of my own health issues that created a much deeper interest in how do we take a more integrative and whole-person approach without having to dip into pharmaceuticals, but doing things a bit more naturally. So that’s really where my passion for health started was really through my personal journey with my own issues.
Vincent Ferguson :
How did the two of you meet?
Katherine Amato:
We both worked for a short time together in a skincare clinic and we forged a relationship and that’s really how it happened. And then we went our own ways for a little bit, and we reconnected about a year or two later. And that’s how we both were like, let’s do this together. Let’s open up a place and start something new.
Vincent Ferguson :
How long has your company been around?
Natasa Billeci:
We’ve been in business together as Katan Klinic for about two and a half years now.
Vincent Ferguson :
Two and a half years. But you have combined again, 20 years of experience though.
Natasa Billeci:
Yes, we do. Both Katherine and I have a very deeply rooted background in aesthetic medicine as well as dermatology. I am a nurse and my specialty is dermatology. Katherine is an aesthetician. We really brought together our skills, talents, and experiences to be able to give our clients and patients a very integrative and whole person approach to reviving their skin.
Vincent Ferguson :
In your bio, I read off how you are an integrative skin revision and anti-aging sanctuary. What does that mean? And what type of treatments do you provide at the Katan Klinic?
Natasa Billeci:
That’s a great question Vince. Our approach and our philosophy to skin revision and general skin health are a bit different than what’s customary in the industry. You’re coming into our clinic and we’re not looking at you as someone who just needs to get rid of their acne or someone who has pigmentation issues, but we’re looking at you as a whole person. And the reason that we’ve taken this approach to reviving skin is because skin is influenced by everything else that’s going on around us, so whether we’re talking about your lifestyle choices, that means your nutrition. It means how much you move on a daily basis, what you eat and whether or not that’s appropriate for your individual physiological needs.
Natasa Billeci:
We’re looking at the skincare ingredients that you need and the dose of these skincare ingredients. It’s a little more than just looking at your skin and saying, “hey, we’re going to do a couple of fabulous treatments on you and your skin is going to be glowy and dewy for a couple of days.” Our approach is really based on creating an individualized treatment program, as well as one that’s going to carry you through your lifetime and allow you to age a lot better.
Vincent Ferguson :
You deal with each individual client separately based on their particular needs.
Natasa Billeci:
That’s exactly right. The consultation is a really important portion of our visits. When you enter our clinic, we don’t allow people to just book a facial or book a Botox treatment. You come into our practice and we spend about an hour or two, really getting to know who you are. And in that process, you’re going to be sharing a lot about your medical history, your family history, your lifestyle, your sleeping patterns, and your eating patterns. And we bring all of this information together so that we can really build that customized plan for you.
Katherine Amato:
I think that what separates us so much from other places is when someone comes in, they sit down with both Natasa and I for the most part most of the time, and they’re getting two different backgrounds of knowledge. Natasa is so rooted in the medical field and the health and wellness portion. I’m so much in the skincare with skincare ingredients and treatment that tandemly, when we’re working together with a client they’re leaving with so much education and knowledge before they even get a treatment. And I feel that that’s so priceless and it’s so important. And I think that’s what really sets us apart from other clinics and kind of run it in mill med spas that just let you book your own treatment, go through a menu card and say, “Oh, I want this vitamin C facial or this filler today.” We don’t really allow you to tell us what you want, we tell you what you need.
Vincent Ferguson :
Now, who are your ideal clients?
Natasa Billeci:
Our ideal clients are those that understand the importance of really integrating skin health into their lifestyle. If we take a look at, especially, many women that are interested in caring for their skin, if they went into their skincare spend budget and looked at how much money is spent on different creams and serums and different tools and equipment, what they would end up seeing is that they’re spending a lot of money on products that end up sort of sitting on their shelf. And they don’t really cause an effect, right? We see a lot of skincare products that are promoted by celebrities or influencers, and they claim that it changed their skin forever. But the reality is, is that we’re all unique individuals.
Natasa Billeci:
If you’re able to honor the fact that you may not respond in the same way to a certain treatment or a skincare product or routine, that is where a clinic like ours will come into the mix. Our client is someone who’s looking for a little bit more of a sophisticated and personalized experience. Someone who really understands that it’s not just about creams, but it’s about lifestyle as well. And they’re willing to create a budget on an annual basis just to make sure that they’re aging well and that they are achieving these individualized skin health goals.
Vincent Ferguson :
How important is nutrition to slowing down the aging process?
Natasa Billeci:
That’s a great question, and it’s probably a little bit beyond the scope of our conversation here, but it’s sort of tapping into the general concept. When we think about nutrition, nutrition is going to drive our skin health in a lot of different ways. the skin is connected to the gut and that’s one of the important connections that we see a lot of research on today. There’s also a lot of research with regards to biomarkers, things like blood testing, saliva testing, looking at our cortisol levels, the changes in our hormone levels. And those are two of the really important factors that we know influence our skin health and the aging process. And a lot of those things can be mitigated through really good nutrition and personalized nutrition.
Vincent Ferguson :
And do you discuss nutrition with your clients?
Natasa Billeci:
Yes, we do. Both Katherine and I are certified health coaches as well. When we’re going through the entire consultation process, we’re talking a lot with the patient about their health habits and their nutrition as well. And we make recommendations that are going to be supporting their skin revision journey.
Vincent Ferguson :
Nice. But how do you determine what facial procedures are best for someone’s skin?
Katherine Amato:
We have to discuss their budget. I think that’s something that’s really important when we’re creating this program for a client, also, what their commitment is going to be. If someone is willing to come in two to three times a month for a micro current treatment or let’s say, a cleaning every two to three weeks, that’s also plays a big role in what treatment they’re going to get. Also, what conditions they have. Also, if they’re pregnant or if they’re breastfeeding, so many different factors play into what treatment they’re going to get. Someone that is not ready to stop being in the sun. Sun is such a big environmental factor for so many things such as sun damage, inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I really have to get a sense of their lifestyle before determining what the best treatment is for their skin.
Vincent Ferguson :
What type of equipment do you use in your practice?
Natasa Billeci:
We have a couple of different types of equipment that we rely on. Firstly, we very rarely rely on just eyeballing someone’s skin. The first part of the process is using technology to allow us to really see the structure and function of the skin. We use a skin analysis device where the patient actually puts their head in this little unit and the unit changes different lights and what it does is it allows us to see things like pigmentation that hasn’t come up to the surface just yet. It allows us to see areas of the skin that are maybe hyperactive with the sebaceous glands. It allows us to see a lot of the stuff that’s going to come to the surface down the line. And so with that in mind, we take that information, all of the information that we gather from the health questionnaire, the skin questionnaire, and we bring that together to help guide that treatment routine and that regime. Again, it’s going back to that very personalized approach to the person’s program.
Vincent Ferguson :
Because I know, I’ve mentioned that you don’t use just a cookie-cutter approach. You’re giving individualized support, attention, consultation to your clients. Do you have clients who stick with you for the long haul?
Natasa Billeci:
Yeah. And that’s one of the big underlying variables in our practice. We are building a lifetime relationship and program for each of our clients. So we’re going to age with you. We’re going to take you through all of the processes of your life, whether it’s menopause, whether it’s a terrible divorce, whether it’s the stress that was caused by something like COVID 19, we’re always there for you, helping you modify and adjust so that you age in the best way that you possibly can. And when we look at what equipment we’re going to use or what interventions we’re going to use, they’re also going to be based on your preferences. As a nurse and an injector, I have clients that come in that are maybe not interested in doing hyaluronic acids or fillers, so that’s a client that I would take down a vampire facial route or someone that I would do something called platelet-rich plasma on. Each of these programs is going to be completely individualized to the client, allowing them to age in the best possible way that they can in a way that’s appropriate to them.
Vincent Ferguson :
Well, aging is a very important issue as you know. We all get older, but we don’t want to necessarily look old.
Natasa Billeci:
That’s right.
Katherine Amato:
And I also think a lot of our equipment that we carry and the treatments we do, we really try to focus on increasing cellular health and just strengthening the structural integrity of the skin. I think that’s what it comes down to. I think a lot of people forget about working on their actual skin and they focus so much on like, I hate to go off on a tangent, but like Instagram, like everyone’s focusing on getting high cheekbones and bigger lips and the different shape of their face. I think it’s really focusing on building, optimizing your skin health. And that’s what we try to focus on the most first, at least primarily. And then from there, we kind of tweak whatever they want to enhance or make better.
Natasa Billeci:
And to your point, Vince, none of us like the fact that we’re aging, but what we can do is have that target that when we’re 40, we should look like we’re 30 and when we’re 50, we should look like we’re 40. And that’s a reasonable goal to have in terms of the aging process itself. And that’s something that we help our clients achieve every day.
Vincent Ferguson :
Awesome. Because the skin is our largest organ, right? The largest organ in our body.
Katherine Amato:
Yes.
Natasa Billeci:
That’s right. And it’s very much impacted by all of the other organ systems in the body as well. A lot of times people look at the skin as, it’s kind of hanging out on an island by itself, but it’s really not. It’s deeply influenced by everything that’s going on within as well. There’s a lot of communication there.
Vincent Ferguson :
Most definitely. And earlier you mentioned COVID-19 and I can’t let this conversation go without asking you, has this pandemic affected their skin? The stress, the worry that’s going on right now?
Natasa Billeci:
Absolutely. It goes back down to the fact that skin is not an island. And so now that we’ve officially reopened here in New York, it’s been a huge challenge. We have a lot of our clients that due to the stress, their inflammatory factors were elevated so much in their skin that we’re seeing them developing other conditions that they didn’t have previously. Their skin is a lot more reactive. They’re getting acne when they never had it before. There’s a lot going on in terms of compromised skin health right now that has been a huge challenge. It’s definitely impacted our clients significantly. And it’s impacted us as a small business in the middle of one of the most highly populated cities in the world that was hit really hard by this pandemic.
Vincent Ferguson :
And that was my next question about how were you being impacted. And you just answered that. Amazing. I know you’re located in New York, but actually where exactly in New York are you located?
Katherine Amato:
We’re right in midtown on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, right in the heart.
Vincent Ferguson :
That’s the heart, but the heart has been affected.
Natasa Billeci:
It has indeed.
Katherine Amato:
It has.
Natasa Billeci:
It’s been a very, very challenging time period. We’ve also seen a change in a lot of our clients’ lifestyle. We have a lot of moms that are clients that are now at home and homeschooling their children, which has been impacting their ability to care for their skin. Coming in for regular treatments has become an issue. We have really shifted our approach and we are providing a lot of support to our clients through virtual conversations and consultations, just helping people stay centered and balanced, keeping them on their skincare routines, modifying their skincare routines, giving them a lot of nutritional recommendations as well. We’re being a bit more agile and we’re kind of shifting and pivoting a little bit as a business and as a brand. And we’ve definitely been focusing a lot more on the self-care and wellness element of things since COVID-19 started.
Katherine Amato:
Also, with clients during COVID, we’ve seen some common beauty mistakes that I feel we’ve seen very, very much has been them trying to overcompensate for not coming in and not coming in for their treatment. And they’re kind of tending to their own skin and their own way and being their own aesthetician. And that’s been a big issue because, like how Natasa said before, they’re coming in and they’re extending their issues and creating a cascade of just problems in their skin now. They’re coming in now after months and months of missing their treatments.
Katherine Amato:
And some it’s like, “Oh, my God, I saw you six months ago and your skin was amazing. We did so much work on it,” and six months go by and it’s like, we’re back to square one. It’s hard too. We’re trying to just be their support and guide them the right way with everything. And at home, I feel like at-home tools has been a really big upcoming thing now, buying these self-care device and rollers and all these different devices that they can use at home. Trying to just really optimize as much as possible if they can’t come in for their treatments.
Natasa Billeci:
And just providing education too to that point, because some of this equipment like, for example, we’re big supporters of medical needling or dermal rolling, which helps to increase skin products penetration. And we’ve been finding that a lot of people because of this need for self-care buying inferior devices, they’re not being trained on how to use the device and they’re actually creating a lot more harm than good for their skin. We’ve been finding ourselves really emphasizing the educational element and talking about things that we don’t even sell in the practice, but that we know are out there on the market and that people have been purchasing during this time period. Just teaching them actually how to use these devices safely and effectively.
Vincent Ferguson :
Would you say there’s a lot of harmful products out there that if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can harm your skin?
Katherine Amato:
Oh, yeah.
Natasa Billeci:
Absolutely. Oh, Yeah.
Katherine Amato:
Very much so. I have clients all the time telling me, “Oh, I’m…” They go into Sephora, they go into these beauty stores and they kind of self-prescribe themselves and they rely on maybe the retail people to sell them stuff that may not be right for their skin. And it’s getting to a point where it’s like, I have clients come in, I just had a few clients last week, she’s like, “I don’t even know what skin type I have. What skin do I have?” And it’s so important because educating is so crucial before you go and start prescribing yourself stuff. You have to know what you have, what you’re trying to achieve, what you’re trying to correct. And I think self-prescribing is a huge downfall when it comes to going out there and just stocking off your own skin pantry and buying all of these different products.
Katherine Amato:
Clients tend to also, they purchase a lot of stuff that just exfoliates their skin. They have a cleanser that has acid in it. They have a night cream that has acid. They have a scrub that has these little mini, micro beads in it. You’re just exfoliating, exfoliating and when they come in, we have to work on kind of bringing their moisture and acid mantle back into play and their skin is so compromised over time. It’s definitely a big beauty mistake.
Vincent Ferguson :
When you consult with your clients virtually, is there a difference in costs from them having to see you in the clinic?
Natasa Billeci:
Typically, it really depends on what they’re looking to discuss. If we’re doing a full consultation, normally it’ll be at about a 75% price difference. It’ll be 75% of the normal cost of in-office. If we’re doing something that’s just focused on skin and nutrition. If we’re doing a more comprehensive consultation that will require them sending in photos, and they’re looking to do more advanced medical treatments, such as injectables or platelet-rich plasma or vampire facials, then that’s going to be typically around the same cost as in-person. And if they are coming in for treatments, there will be a subsequent consultation when they come into the office where we take photos and we really do a full on hands-on assessment.
Vincent Ferguson :
Very nice. But what recommendations would you have for anyone who’s listening to this podcast and just want to know how to take care of their skin. What recommendations would you give them?
Katherine Amato:
I would definitely say simple, impactful routine. Something that is going to cause some sort of instant, not really an instant gratification, but something that’s impactful such as we have our core four products at Katan and it’s definitely consists of a vitamin A serum, sunscreen, a skin supplement like a facial oil or an essential fatty acid supplement and then a great cleanser. And I think those four are really going to cause an impactful routine in the skin.
Natasa Billeci:
And also from another nutritional aspect of some of the new research coming out on the hydrolyzed collagen supplements is really positive. For anyone that’s really looking to help heal their skin from within, especially now, I think that a really good hydrolyzed collagen supplement would be excellent to add into their routines. And most people are really deficient in B vitamins and vitamin D, so those would be the two supplements that I would definitely bring into the mix. Of course, especially with vitamin B and any fat-soluble vitamins, you do want to make sure that you’re working with a health care provider to make sure that you’re taking the appropriate dosage, but these are things that you can absolutely do at home. And those two things will allow you to support your skin health from within.
Natasa Billeci:
Additionally, sleep is one of the biggest issues when it comes to skin health in particular, so getting those seven to nine hours of sleep every night, and if you can’t do that, make sure to give yourself some a lot of time for catch up sleep, whether that’s on the weekends, whether it’s sleeping in a little bit during the week. A lot of current research on sleep deprivation shows us that it accelerates the aging process. We want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can on our own to help us age very gracefully and helpfully.
Vincent Ferguson :
Hmm. Very good. Excellent advice. Now, how can my listeners find out more about the Katan Klinic?
Natasa Billeci:
They can visit us on our website at http://www.katanklinic.com or they can email us directly at concierge@katanklinic.com. And Katherine and I are very much engaged in getting clients set up with the consultation process, even if you want to have a quick introductory call, just to get an idea of whether or not we’re the right fit for you. We’re happy to do an intro call complimentary for 15 to 20 minutes with anyone that calls and references your podcast.
Vincent Ferguson :
Nice. Can we follow you on social media?
Katherine Amato:
Absolutely. @Katan Klinic.
Vincent Ferguson :
That’s on Instagram and Twitter?
Natasa Billeci:
Instagram, and Facebook right now. Twitter will be down the pike and we’re working on Pinterest as well. But right now we’re on Instagram and Facebook.
Vincent Ferguson :
Nice. Excellent. I really appreciate this interview. Do you have any final words for my listeners. You said a lot.
Katherine Amato:
Always wash your face at night and change your pillowcase every week for anyone that’s suffering from maybe some acne. Drink lots of water every day. I know it’s a very kind of a cliché tip, but hydrate, hydrate, hydrate so important.
Natasa Billeci:
And eat your greens, get your sleep and make sure that you incorporate some form of movement into your everyday routine. Whether that’s getting up and taking a walk for 10 minutes, doing jumping jacks in place, whatever your fancy is, just make sure that you move your body.
Be the first to comment