Determining what to wear to work is never easy, but it can be even more of a challenge when your occupation isn’t the typical desk job. In a bid to shake up our own work wardrobes, we sought out the advice of some of the best dressed working women. Next up is Charmaine Chow, the founder and C.E.O of skincare platform GetHarley. As Charmaine balances the two juggernauts that are the tech and beauty industry,, we asked her what workwear means to her and which key pieces she relies on for each of the (very) different roles her job demands.
You initially started out in investment banking. How did you find the transition from starting out to launching the GetHarley platform, and what was the catalyst for change?
I grew up in Malaysia and got a scholarship to study Economics at the London School of Economics so I moved to the UK at 17. I thought that starting out my career in finance and investment banking would teach me valuable skills about business and that I would be surrounded by excellent people learn from. I was right, and it landed me my first job at Morgan Stanley on the Leveraged Finance desk.
As one of the few females in the industry at the time, a lot of consumer and healthcare-type deals would often land on my desk. That got me involved in a private equity transaction involving acquisitions of independent clinic businesses, and I understood the industry as an analyst, tracking market trends and studying profit and loss statements of clinics looking to be acquired. This is when my interest in the aesthetic dermatology industry was first piqued, and I really understood the potential of this market. However, the idea of GetHarley really only came to me when I experienced difficulty as a consumer myself. I was looking for the right skincare solutions for my own skin and kept experiencing obstacles in my search.
In my late twenties, I struggled with my skin—I had many issues like acne, scarring, eczema—and I was growing tired of all the confusion and what I felt was misinformation in the skincare industry. I craved a trusted voice to guide me through the thousands of options for my skin. I visited a lot of different practitioners, but always found it difficult to stay consistent with one treatment plan because the experience was so incredibly cumbersome; it was all waiting in clinic receptions, phone calls, emails, and trouble scheduling.That was when the idea of GetHarley came to me: an end-to-end platform that helps consumers discover just the right skincare solution for their skin, powered by knowledgeable practitioners they can tap into at the click of a few buttons. Want a consultation? Text in, jump online. Want products? Click a few buttons, they come to your door. GetHarley really came to me from the perspective of a disgruntled consumer.
How does what you wear to the office differ from your off-duty and weekend wardrobe?
My work and off-duty wardrobes do not differ much. At GetHarley, we believe the foundation of joyful work starts when you are able to bring your whole self to work, and to me that ranges from getting to live your personal values at work, to wearing what makes you feel most comfortable. Our ethos is "come as you are", as long as it is in line with the role you have within the company..
Most days, I prioritise comfort and practicality. I like things that don't require endless cycles of steaming or ironing. Matching co-ords are great, because they make your outfits look just a bit more coordinated and elevated while taking no mindspace at all. Sometimes my work involves evening dinners and events, this is when I make time to get a bit more creative and dress up, choosing heels over my trusted runners.
GetHarley now has some of the most influential and respected clinicians in the industry on the network. How do you discover new clients and what gets you most excited about connecting them with consumers?
Since launching in 2019, we now power and have a growing network of over 1,500 practitioners across the UK and Ireland. Our tagline is “powered by knowledge not hype” because we aim to always bring the expert back into every skin health conversation. This means that we are only ever as good as our practitioner community, so we take building this community very seriously.
Our practitioners are those who share the same passion and ethos that we do about skin health and patient care. We meet practitioners through a thorough onboarding process where together we assess whether there is a mutual fit between them and GetHarley. We explore elements like years of experience, qualification type, skincare training and their reasons for wanting to partner with GetHarley.
As for the consumer, there has never been more choice and confusion in the skincare industry. Three new skincare products are launched every hour and the result is a fragmented marketplace where the consumer is often overwhelmed by choice, without a professional voice to guide them. We are in a unique position to cut through the noise in this crowded market and connect consumers directly with skincare professionals who have dedicated their careers to understanding and treating skin. By widening access to world-leading skincare expertise and products, and bringing them into the homes of thousands of people (many who otherwise would not or could not travel to the practitioner rooms), we get to encourage better skin health for so many people. I suppose because I have experienced firsthand the emotional and physical pains of having tricky skin, this part of my work really brings me meaning.
What was your first pinch-me moment—the moment you realised that something you’d worked on and pushed for had had an impact?
Our mission has always been to empower people to look, feel and be their best selves at every age. I am proud that after five years of our business, we continue to provide a service that serves and delights the patients. Seeing our 4.8/5 Trustpilot score where patients regularly recount how GetHarley, alongside their practitioner, have enhanced their skin health journeys and in some cases, changed their lives, was and continues to be, a pinch-me moment. This means the most to me that we can play a part in helping patients feel more confident in their own skin.
I'm also always grateful for the opportunity to be a champion of quality for our practitioner partners. In the early days when the pandemic was still at large, many practitioners told us that GetHarley had become a lifeline for them as they were not able to operate as usual during those uncertain times. The fact that we were able to help keep businesses afloat, especially as a start up, was a very surreal moment for sure!
Who are your style icons, and how have they influenced the way you dress?
A lot of different people inspire my style, for different reasons but I am definitely all about simple and understated looks and making sure I prioritise comfort. It’s so important I feel like me in anything I wear. A big influence on the way I dress goes back to my early teenage years when my mum had a business of selling women’s clothes. One day after school, I remember following my mum to my aunt’s office where my aunt would gather all her friends to congregate in the ladies' washroom to try on the clothes my mum was selling. I distinctly remember this backdrop of a humble, gritty, ugly bathroom setting, contrasted with a group of women putting on clothes and coming out of the stalls, looking completely transformed.
That memory has stuck with me since and goes to show that what you wear and how you look really goes beyond the superficial. It impacts the way you feel and how ready you are to take on the world. That’s where my style comes from, wearing whatever makes me feel best at any given time. Whenever I want an instant feel good factor, I turn to Chanel jackets I’ve collected over the years. Beauty wise, the best look to me is one that makes you look like you’ve had a great night’s sleep or a holiday. Clear, dewy skin with minimal blush. Again, it’s about looking like a better version of myself.
How has your style evolved from when you first started out in banking to now?
Back in the day banking did have a prescriptive dress code. Men had to wear shirts, and pink was for Fridays only! Women mostly had to wear shirts, below the knee skirts, dresses, hosiery, closed toe shoes, and so I wore mostly the same uniform. I can’t say I miss it!
What does a typical day look like for you?
I normally try to maximize my sleep and get up 30 minutes before I have to leave the house. Usually that’s around 8am, for an 8.30 start. No day is the same though, and I like to have thinking time in the first half of the day, and evenings are generally for business meetings, community events and connecting with friends. Meetings usually take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Fridays are creative days where I review assets, copy, do ideation meetings, and Mondays and Thursdays I try to position for thinking and planning time.
What's your favourite go-to outfit, and how does it make you feel?
My favourite go-to outfit is a co-ord sweatshirt and sweatpants from American Vintage. I love co-ords because they help me to instantly look like I have made a tonne of effort, but they just take five minutes to put on. Convenient and comfortable! Another one of my go-tos is a GetHarley sweatshirt (we release one edition every year for our team of GoGetters) and leggings. To be productive and creative, I really think you need to be in maximum comfort!
I also love a good Nap Dress from Hill House Home. They are well cut, can be dressed up with heels or down with a pair of sneakers, and bring a touch of femininity to any outfit. Some other brands I've been wearing a lot lately are Vuori, Lululemon, The Row, Loro Piana, Rag & Bone, and oversized cashmere sweaters stolen from my husband’s closet, and vintage sweatshirts stolen from my sister’s closet. I like wearing things of people I love, it’s like a virtual hug.
What advice would you give to women thinking of setting up and starting their own business?
Be clear about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. When I started in 2019, it was definitely the flavour du jour to be an entrepreneur but there needs to be a true “why” to make it work in the long run. You need a reason that can sustain you through the most painful parts of the journey. For me, I always remind myself about why I went down this path—to reimagine and improve the experience in the aesthetic dermatology and wellness industry. If practitioners are finding it hard to do something, how can we make it better? How can we elevate a consumer’s experience? And remember; the market is a very efficient place! If your idea or solution could work in reality, it would already exist. You need real insight into the industry and pinpoint what other people haven’t seen, understood, or done before.
I think it’s important to think through your family planning and finances and how that fits with an all consuming entrepreneurial lifestyle. My belief is that you can’t have everything all at once, but if you time things well and are thoughtful, you can build the life you want to live over time.
What's on your vision board for the next year?
Ooh big question! Given that it’s late into 2024, I am thinking more about 2025. I'm manifesting taking GetHarley global, new art in my apartment, new features on the GetHarley platform that will make life for practitioners and patients even more fuss free, and an extended family trip to Tokyo where lots of food is involved. Thankfully, most of this is already in the making.
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