Michael Q. Pugliese is the owner of Circadia by Dr. Pugliese, Inc., a leader in professional skin care products and education. His lectures blend scientific principles, new research into aging mechanisms, and advanced product knowledge. Founded by his grandfather, Peter T. Pugliese, M.D.,
Circadia is dedicated to enhancing the competence of skin care professionals worldwide. Pugliese publishes frequently on the use of performance raw materials and shares innovations in new treatments and home care.
I am the owner of Circadia by Dr. Pugliese, Inc. and a licensed aesthetician in the state of Pennsylvania. When I took over the operation of Circadia, I was responsible for managing sales, customer service, vendor relationships, and educating myself about the practice of aesthetics and the responsibilities of a supplier of professional skin care products. I came in with the name recognition of Dr. Pugliese as a top educator, so I had an intensive learning curve to achieve competence in understanding skin science. Once I grasped the structure and function of skin and the effects a topical product could have, it became clear what my company could contribute to the industry and the client in a much bigger way. Over the years, I have learned so much from my grandfather and his peers, like Dr. Kligman and Dr. Fulton. I have an inherent desire for information and I worked to understand the industry and how the skin works. Doing things right matters to me. Knowing how ingredients work and how a formulation is developed fascinates me. Aestheticians go wrong when they do not fully understand and offer treatments and products without a good grasp of product function. 
If you put something on living tissue, you need to know what you are doing. In a spa, a well-educated staff is key. This means they are able to evaluate the client and understand the products well enough to speak about them. Not only the aestheticians, but also the receptionist and other staff need to know what the spa offers and the products used. I would advise someone planning to start a career in this field to learn as much as they can before spending a dime on a product. I give the same advice to clients: Never stop learning. I learn something new every day. Our industry is evolving faster than anyone can actually predict. Understand as much as you can as momentums shift. I constantly look for the lesson in the experience, good or bad.
