Homegrown cosmetic center pours P3 million for upgrade

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano-owned MediSpa operator, Ruiz Derma and Cosmetic Center Inc., has invested at least P3 million to upgrade its facilities to keep up with world at par standard.

Dr. John M. Ruiz, president of the 26-year-old beauty specialist clinic in Cebu, said that the entry of bigger names in the vanity and beauty services in Cebu may have affected the old-time players here, but the expanding market for wellness, beauty and vanity makes the industry more fertile.

Founded by the late Dr. Fe M. Ruiz, the clinic is one of the pioneering vanity centers in Cebu, even before the entry of more popular names, including the influx of Korean-managed beauty centers here.

In an interview with Ruiz, he said that the company has to constantly invest on adapting the latest technology in the vanity service to level up with the competition.

The market is big, he said but technology is fast changing and very dynamic, the reason why the two centers owned by the company located in SM City Cebu and Ayala Center Cebu have to be equipped with what is new in the market.

World-at-par equipment such as new version IPL-NV (Intense pulsed Light), machine for whitening, wrinkle, warts removal, dermal roller treatment, radio frequency treatment, CO2 laser, are just few of the new and updated machines purchased by the company to offer the most effective service in skin and body care.

Although, Ruiz Derma is known for its expertise in skin care, treatment, and over-all beauty pampering, the clinic has evolved into a full-blown MediSpa facility, which also offers other self-indulgence services, like manicure and pedicure, body massage, among others.

Aside from Ruiz, the centers are also managed by physician Leilani Ruiz Aquino, and Dermatologist Cora Lou Kintanar.

According to Ruiz, aside from the foreigners especially Koreans who avail of their over-all treatments (from hair to toe), a lot of Cebuanos across ages are now making beauty and vanity services as part of their important regimens.

This is why, despite the entry of more players in this particular sector, the market still offers fertile ground for growth.

Ruiz Derma, which is one of the pioneering companies in Cebu to offer professionalized derma treatments, and introduced the one-stop-shop center for wellness or MediSpa, is now stressing its niche as one of the few wellness centers that is operated by physicians. (FREEMAN)