LNE & Spa - November 2014

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Page 4 • lneonline.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • November 2014

ORGANIC & WELLNESSAronia Berry Skin Care Cuisine 100All Encompassing Beauty from the Inside Out 102Hold Your Water 106Organic & Wellness News 113

Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa, American Edition, (USPS 003-687) (ISSN 1043-9641) is published monthly, 12 times per year and is sold exclusively by subscription. Publisher’s Name: Jean Jacques Legrand, M.D., 3929 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL, 33134. Periodical postage paid at Miami, Florida, with additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa, American Edition, 3929 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, Florida 33134, United States Subscription: Annual Rate $45.00 Canada Subscription: $55.00 (American) 1st Class Postage Overseas Subscription: Two years for $140.00 (U.S.) Air Mail Postage

IMAGEBijou 114Blast That Fuzz 120Image News 125

Bijoupage 114

Cover Courtesy of Franck Provost, 2014

EXTRASFrom the Editor 6Recap: The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, Long Beach, Calif. 18Photo Feature: Happy Spa-liday! 96Calendar of Events 126 Advertiser Index 130

BUSINESSLNE & Spa Chat with Bella Schneider 68Performance Rewards 70Keep Them Coming Back 76Business News 80

SPANaptime: The New Coffee Break? 40Spa of the Month, YeloSpa 44When Sên Reigns 52

Get Results Without the Mess 58Spa News 64

SKINWinter Skin Care 10 Ancient Eastern Beauty Secret 22Epigenetics 30Skin News 37

Spa of the Month, YeloSpaNew York, N.Y. page 44

Hold Your Waterpage 106

CONTENTSNOVEMBER 2014 VOluME 29 NuMBER 11

YEAR-END REVIEW GUIDEYear-End Retail Performance Evaluation 84Inventory Management Tips 87Employee Performance Evaluation 90Inside Job 92

Year-End Review Guide page 83

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from the EditOR

As you are getting ready for the

“busy-ness” of the holiday season, the latest issue of Les

Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa is packed with great business

advice to help you finish your year with success.

The November edition encompasses all the issues you

need to consider as 2014 comes to a close. Some of our

industry’s most successful leaders share their insight on em-

ployee evaluation, retail assessment, managing inventory and

tips you need to know to ace your year-end business review

in our Year-End Review Guide on page 83.

Making a grand debut this month is the LNE & Spa Chat!

Each month, luminary spa owners/directors share their work-

ing techniques, tips on business strategies, hiring methods

and other advice that spa owners/directors can apply to reach

their full potential. This month, learn from Bella Schneider,

CEO and founder of LaBelle Day Spas & Salons on page 68.

Make sure you have the best gift items on your shelves

to boost your retail opportunities this holiday season with

the help of our photo feature on page 96, Happy Spa-liday!

Enjoy these features and a plethora of all new trending

topics in our industry in this latest edition of Les Nouvelles

Esthétiques & Spa!

Finally, the time has come to reveal the nominees for the

2015 LNE & Spa BEST Awards! Starting on November 7 and

running through December 8, go to LNEONLINE.com and

vote for your favorite innovations in products and equipment

in our industry.

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving and joyful start to

the holiday season! n

—Amanda Clinton Winter, [email protected]

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800.471.0229 (USA)

305.443.2322 Worldwide fax 305.443.1664 lneonline.com

e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

Publisher Dr. Jean Jacques Legrand

Chief exeCutive OffiCer Rodolphe Legrand [email protected]

Managing editOr Amanda Clinton Winter [email protected]

art direCtOr Andres Gutierrez [email protected]

graPhiC designer Charlie Jackman [email protected]

assOCiate editOr Nathalie Gouillou [email protected]

direCtOr Of sales Aché Fougere [email protected]

Marketing direCtOr Christèle de La Haye [email protected]

COnferenCe COOrdinatOr Laura G. Bazo [email protected]

exhibitOr OPeratiOns Manager Mayli Tenorio [email protected]

internatiOnal editOr Michele de Lattre-Pierantoni 7 Avenue Stephane-Mallarme, 75017

Paris, France - 43 80 06 47

ADvISORY BOARD Lydia Sarfati • Ben Johnson, M.D. • Lake Louise • Nina Curtis

Diane Buccola • Camille Hoheb • Joseph Mandato

Contributors

Printed with 100% soy-based ink. This magazine is recyclable.

Please recycle where facilities exist.

Lindsay Anvik

Cecily Braden

Caroline Canetti

Corine Crysler

Elina Fedotova

Rebecca Gadberry

Michelle Goldsmith

Nathalie Gouillou

M’lisa Jackson

Janel Luu

Paul Schmidt

Alice Soares

Dori Soukup

Pamela Taylor

Amanda Clinton Winter

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November 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa lneonline.com • Page 11

Changing weather calls for a shift to differ-ent ingredients and treatments in order to help our clients maintain their healthy skin and continue to reach their skin care goals. Regardless of the weath-er, the delicate balance of the skin must stay intact. Understanding how typical winter weather affects the skin helps clinicians educate clients on how to keep their skin healthy and beautiful throughout the year.

WINTERSKIN CARE

For Every Skin Type and Condition

By Michelle Goldsmith


The PhysiologyThe epidermis and dermis are dependent on one another to sustain overall healthy skin func-tion. Among other components, the epidermis is composed of about 50 percent ceramides, 25 percent cholesterol and 10 percent free fatty acids. Should this balance be disturbed, the epidermis becoming dry or dehydrated, an abnormal increase in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) can result. This disruption can lead to a cascade of events that could increase inflam-mation. If the epidermis is overexposed to Uv rays, an increase in the production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes could arise. That could lead to a breakdown of the extracel-lular matrix (ECM) within the dermis, creating wrinkling, laxity and increased signs of visible aging of the epidermis.

Even though the temperatures are cooler and there isn’t as much sunshine in the winter, daily use of a broad spectrum sun protection product is necessary as many Uv rays remain constant throughout the year, and the reflec-tion off of the snow and through clouds poses a threat to skin.

Winter Sun Protection A common misconception is that more protec-tion from Uv exposure is needed in the sum-mer than in the winter. Although the strength of UvB rays is slightly less in the winter months, UvA rays stay constant throughout the year. Professionals should be proficient in explaining the importance of daily use of a broad spec-trum sunscreen product to clients, as well as the key features to look for in protective products.

A common misconception is in regard to a product’s SPF value. It’s important that clients understand that no sunscreen technology can provide 100 percent protection. Higher SPF typically only provides an incrementally higher percentage of protection. In fact, an SPF of 15 provides about 93 percent protection while an SPF of 30 provides 97 percent protection.

Additional protection can be provided by sunscreen formulations that contain antioxi-dants or with the use of an antioxidant product prior to sunscreen application. Antioxidants that are exceptional at quenching Uv-induced free radicals include L-ascorbic acid, tocopherol, caffeine and milk thistle-derived silybin. Advise your clients to look for sunscreens with the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of recommendation.

HumectantsHumectants are hydrophilic, meaning they at-tract moisture, and are used topically to draw water from either the dermis to the epidermis, or in some humid climates, from the atmosphere to the epidermis. Regardless, they play an im-portant role in epidermal moisture retention. We can think of humectants as magnets that are attracting or pulling water toward the epi-dermis from the dermal layers. This is impor-tant, as very little water is able to pass through the surface of the epidermis from the outside. Some of the more commonly used humectant ingredients also offer other benefits in addition to their humectant qualities:

• Hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate, the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid, can hold 1,000 times its weight in water, in addition to retaining water in the skin and providing ex-ceptional lubricating qualities.

• Sodium PCA is present in human skin, and can attract and hold 250 times its weight in water, making it an important ingredient for healthy skin function.

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• Urea and glycerin are not only humec-tants, but they also provide hydration to both the surface of the skin and directly to the skin cells. Both of these ingredients are able to pass through the aquaporins (water channels) within the skin cells.

• Lactic acid is a multi-functional ingredient that possesses many benefits for all skin types and is present in a variety of product formula-tions, such as hydrators, cleansers and even chemical peels. In addition to being an alpha hydroxy acid and a hydrophilic ingredient that breaks down the desmosomes to allow for easier exfoliation, it is also a humectant. Lactic acid is anti-bacterial, inhibits tyrosinase (an enzyme that is triggered during the melanogenesis process and is responsible for producing pigment), and is biocompatible with the skin and the body.

OcclusivesOcclusive ingredients can be a little trickier, as some are less expensive and used in a lot of products, such as petrolatum, mineral oil and lanolin. While these are indeed occlusive, they don’t do much for the skin other than sit on the surface. In addition, they are not cosmeti-cally elegant, and many are known sensitizing ingredients. Oftentimes, people think that oc-clusives will make their skin break out, especially oily and acneic clients. Again, it’s up to the skin care professional to discuss the best types of occlusive ingredients for each client to use, based on their skin type or condition.

Think of occlusives as locks, whose job it is to prevent the moisture attracted to the skin by the humectants from evaporating away. In other words, they “lock” in that attained mois-ture and keep it in the skin. There are great occlusive ingredients that offer other ancillary benefits in addition to their occlusive proper-ties, just like humectants:

• Niacinamide is a particularly versatile oc-clusive, especially for the breakout-prone pa-tient. When this ingredient is applied topically, it has been shown to reduce both acne break-outs as well as rosacea-like symptoms. It also increases the crucial fatty acid and ceramide levels within the skin to help maintain hydra-tion and reduce TEWL. Additional studies have shown that niacinamide also maintains even better hydration levels than the commonly used petrolatum.

• Shea butter helps keep the skin soft and maintain moisture without a greasy feeling. In addition, it is high in triglycerides, vitamins E and A, as well as the omega-6 essential fatty acid (EFA) gamma linolenic acid (GLA).

• Zinc oxide is a perfect type of occlusive, commonly used in sunscreen products. By us-ing this ingredient you are not only providing the skin with occlusive benefits, you are also providing broad spectrum Uv protection, and inflammation and melanogenesis inhibition.

Look for serums that are formulated with both humectant and occlusive ingredients. These are great additions to any skin care reg-

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Michelle Goldsmith, a licensed esthetician, joined PCA SKIN® in 2003. She has excelled as a physician’s consultant, editorial liaison and educator, conducting chemical peel trainings for students

and licensed professionals. Goldsmith speaks at medical and esthetic meetings throughout the country. She mentors and trains physicians, skin care clinicians and students around the world.

Professional Treatment Options

Most people don’t put the words “chemical peel” and “hydration” in the same sentence, but with the advancement of chemical peel for-mulations over the last several decades, these treatments can add an increased level of hy-dration to the skin. Peels are also important as they remove the impacted stratum corneum that can inhibit the penetration of topically applied hydrating ingredients.

Chemical peel blends that include exfoliating and hydrating ingredients, such as lactic acid, are ideal when an increase in hydration is nec-essary. Also, many peels include other hydrat-ing components in their blended formulations. Chasteberry extract, a phytohormone, is a plant extract that has characteristics that imitate the hormone progesterone. When topically applied, this ingredient provides much needed hydra-tion and helps plump the skin. Soy isoflavones are phytohormones that make a great source of the antioxidant genistein, which helps to boost collagen and improve the appearance and con-

imen for any skin type, because you can rec-ommend using them in conjunction with a cli-ent’s current nighttime hydrator or daytime SPF product to increase hydration during drier months. For the acne patient, these types of serums are ideal, as clients are more likely to apply a hydrating serum to their skin rather than a cream-based product.

dition of aging skin. Some manufacturers pro-vide professional treatments that combine soy isoflavones, chasteberry extract and retinol in one formulation to increase moisture content in the dry or mature patient, while also providing a unique combination of collagen-stimulating, antioxidant, MMP properties, which are espe-cially necessary in the winter.

Masks are also an excellent way to provide much needed moisture to the skin. They are also quite versatile, as they can be applied be-fore most chemical peel treatments (be sure to check with the manufacturer of your specific professional treatment line for recommended protocols) or they may be used alone. Masks formulated with oat milk, for example, are a great option, as it’s not only humectant, but also provides antioxidant protection and is high in EFAs. Some oat milk masks are formulated with additional hydrating ingredients such as panthenol, glycerin and sodium hyaluronate. These masks are excellent for all skin condi-tions, including dry or dehydrated acne, rosa-cea and aging skin.

Maintaining BalanceMaintaining healthy skin year-round will always require updating and customizing both daily care and professional treatments for all of our clients, regardless of skin type, condition or Fitzpatrick. We must also learn which ingredi-ents and products should be added or removed depending on the season. Once we understand the mechanism of action of ingredients best suited to maintain a perfect balance within the skin, as well as the additional benefits many of them offer, we will be able to help our clients maintain healthy, hydrated and glowing skin—even when the seasons change. n

Chemical peel blends that include exfoliating and hydrating ingredients, such as lactic acid, are

ideal when an increase in hydration is necessary.




EVENT!

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA | 2 0 1 4

HE CRADLED HER HEAD SILENTLY, simply holding it in the palm of his hands like one would a delicate and precious object. Breaking the silence, research massage therapist Samuel Wong instructed his model—lying on the massage table—to slowly breathe in and out. He held up the palm of one of his hands and before placing it back under her head, he uttered, “this is my yin, the head is yang.”

Not a peep was heard in the packed, mesmerized room as Wong demonstrated his Eastern inspired massage techniques—yet only mo-ments earlier the crowd was shaking to the rhythm of a Latin tune, then applauding in standing ovation to the years a giant of the es-thetics world dedicated to the industry.

And so it is, with power, concentration, laughter and commit-ment, that The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa held in Long Beach, Calif., kicked off and brought forth the leaders in the world of skin care and spa.

“Image Skincare had a record breaking show at the 2014 International Congress of Esthetics and Spa Long Beach tradeshow,” said Lesli Goodman, director of event services at Image Skincare. “We are pleased with the attendee turnout and look forward to 2015!” General Manager of Éminence Organic Skin Care Attila Koronczay agreed. “An amazing high powered show!” he said. “Once again [Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa]’s professional staff delivered results in Long Beach this year.”

With an attendance of thousands and more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest in skin care, the most cutting-edge technologies, laboratories, equipment and treatments, The Long Beach International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, hosted by Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa and Dermascope magazines, brought together a powerhouse

by Nathalie Gouillou

Nina Curtis, congress host

EuGene Gant, general session

Rockin’


of educational talks, demonstrations, seminars and workshops.

“I love the show,” said Alexis Udo-Udoma, an esthetician for five years who’s made a habit of coming to the Long Beach congress. “I look for new products, see something different from what I use and I like to attend the workshops.”

The event brought back its Spa Director Symposium, a private by invitation only lounge, where heads of salons and spas not only got pam-pered courtesy of HydraFacial, Osmosis Pür Medical Skincare, PCA Skin and Image Skincare, but also had a chance to network, learn and get personal Kabbalistic readings. The symposium gives heads of spas and salons a chance to make that exclu-sive connection with sponsors, allowing them to experience treatments and products privately—and get hooked.

“I had a wonderful time connecting with other professionals,” said Jae Bourque of Ciel Spa at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, Calif., about the symposium. “It was an educational experience, and great to be pampered.” Jean-Christophe Cointre, owner of Epilation Beauté, a chain of spas in Guadaloupe, concurred. “I’ve been coming to the show for six years and I always find something,” he said before adding about the spa symposium, “that’s really a great idea, there’s a true personalized approach, a true contact [with the symposium’s sponsors].”

Many great names in the industry came to-gether to offer their knowledge and expertise to the crowd of attendees.

Nina Curtis opened the General Session—sponsored by Éminence Organic Skin Care and PCA Skin—with welcoming words. Yogi EuGene Gant energized attendees on both days with his infectious demonstration of Shakti Naam Yoga, while Lake Louise, head of Skin, Mind, Body Essentials, showed how to approach and take care of gents during treatments. Wong followed with a demonstration of his Yin Yang Touch practice

AN AMAZING HIGH POWERED SHOW!

WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE ATTENDEE TURNOUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO 2015!

IT WAS AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND GREAT TO BE PAMPERED

PCA Skin booth

Éminence Organic Skin Care booth

Christina USA booth


???|??????

before leaving the stage to makeup artist Pamela Hackeman and her step-by-step demonstration to achieve a natural look. Dr. Ben Johnson of Osmosis Pür Medical Skincare enlightened the crowd with his lecture on winning the battle against sun damage, while Kristin Groop, a.k.a. “the Laser Chick®” (a certified laser technician and instructor) provided an overview of microneedling. SpaBizBoard.com owner and licensed esthetician Diane Buccola briefed attendees on the value of mini treatments, while Shannon O’Brien, better known as the Sugar Mama, closed the General Session by sharing her passion and art of body sugaring.

Following her enlightening talk on cells, their lack of oxygen supply and aging, GlyMed Plus’ CEO Christine Heathman was presented the Crystal Award (sponsored by Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa) for her achievements and efforts toward the profession. “I couldn’t have done what I did without you guys,” said Heathman, strapped in black leather pants and boots, looking ageless and humble. “[A]nd the next generation makes us proud, you are going to be a Crystal Award recipient at some point.”

The rock stars of this industry and attendees alike once again have vouched for The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa Long Beach, its unique attributes and success.

“We launched our new collection Château de Beauté (pure vino luxury) at the Long Beach show this year and the clients loved it!” said Dawn Watts, CEO of Christina USA. “We experienced a large increase in our show sales over last year and we are looking forward to Long Beach 2015.”

Don’t miss out on a chance to dis-cover the gems this industry’s leaders will bring forth next year, including the ex-clusive opportunity to mingle, learn and share, and join us on September 20 and 21, 2015 at The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa Long Beach, Calif.! n

Crowded exhibitors’ hall

HydroPeptide boothilike organic skin care booth

The DermaQuest team Bella Schneider demonstrating protocol

Aesthetic Ambassadors booth

Red carpet

THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ESTHETICS & SPA | LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA 2014 | RECAP

veronique Munro w/Miss CA USA and Miss Santa Monica USA at Infinity Sun Booth

Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa and Dermascope magazines cosponsor four International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, educational conferences/trade shows annually.


Lira Clinical booth

Osmosis Pür Medical Skin Care booth

Eve Taylor North America booth

Revitalash booth

TiZo by Fallene booth

Oliveda booth Grandelash-MD booth

Clarisonic booth

Image Skincare booth

M’lis booth

South Seas Spray Tan booth Misencil Eyelash Extensions booth

GlyMed Plus’ CEO Christine Heathman was presented the Crystal Awardby Christèle de La Haye

FOLLOW THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ESTHETICS AND SPA ON

THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ESTHETICS & SPA | LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA 2014 | RECAP

Dates for 2015 Conferences: Miami Beach, Fla., March 1-2 Arlington, Texas, April 26-27 | Long Beach, Calif., September 20-21 | Philadelphia, Pa., October 25-26.


Ancient Eastern

BEAUTYSECRET

Gua Sha Facial and Protocolby Janel Luu

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As clients become increasingly inter-ested in different and effective ways to improve health and wellness, estheticians that incor-porate the Gua Sha meridian technique into their existing facial services can create one-of-a-kind experiences for their clients who seek facial re-contouring and re-sculpting. The Gua Sha meridian technique is an exotic escape as well as a traditional Chinese therapeutic and healing treatment that enhances blood circula-tion, improves skin tone, sculpts facial and neck muscles and revives aging skin while promoting the body’s overall well-being.

Gua Sha first appeared in a Chinese medi-cal text dating from the third century B.C. Gua Sha and acupuncture are derived from meridian theory, which focuses on the invisible pathways referred to as Qi (Chi), the body’s life force, or vital energy. Qi runs along the meridians of en-ergy that start or end in the fingers, feet and face. According to meridian theory, the invisible pathways of Qi flow through meridians, which are pathways of positive or negative energies that communicate between different parts of the body, including vital organs and tissues.


There are more than 500 meridian points in the human body, which have been mapped and measured electronically, radioactively and thermally, yet an experienced and mindful es-thetician can actually feel them. Gua Sha focuses on improving these invisible pathways of the body’s natural flow of energy. In restoring the healthy flow of Qi, Gua Sha not only opens the pathway to beauty but to an increased quality of health as well.

Balance is key for Gua Sha. When pathways for the body’s natural flow of energy are obstruct-ed, the body enters into a state of imbalance. Gua Sha meridian treatments focus on restor-ing the proper, healthy Qi balance through the detoxification of the lymphatic system.

The facial skin exhibits signs of Qi balance or blockage. Since the face has direct merid-ian connections to the major meridians of the body, the condition of the facial skin reflects the condition of the body’s internal organs and the strength of the Qi flow.

As the body ages or becomes stressed, facial skin loses its radiance, and lines, wrinkles and dark circles become more prominent. Gua Sha treatments help visibly diminish these physical signs of imbalance.

Gua Sha involves utilizing smooth jade tools and volcanic cups to massage 10 primary merid-ian points of the face, relieving blockages and increasing the flow of vital energy, leading to healthy, radiant skin. Using “tribo-effleurage” or “friction-stroking,” Gua Sha facilitates the proper flow of blood because the skin is stroked in the direction of blood flow, promoting circu-lation, removing toxins and waste from within the body, naturally strengthening the immune system, promoting overall health and enhanc-ing a sense of well-being.

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Commonly referred to as a healing crystal, jade tools are used in the practice of Gua Sha. Jade facilitates a discharge of toxins from the body, and contains many beneficial minerals and trace elements such as zinc, iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, selenium, chromium, tita-nium, lithium, calcium and sodium, which en-hance the complexion.

Dull, tired skin immediately appears younger, brighter and exceptionally luminous. Special shaped jade tools (“wind” and “crown”) and volcanic cups help maintain healthy blood cir-culation and provide unmatched improvement of health and well-being. This unique process guides the flow of blood and energy, instantly lifting, firming and tightening the skin while minimizing pores and puffiness.

Opening the meridian channels detoxifies and nourishes the skin and body, revealing smooth, soft and healthy-looking skin.

As consumers become increasingly con-nected across the globe, their expectations and concerns become more sophisticated. Gua Sha meridian treatments appeal to various ethnici-ties as well as clients of all ages and skin types, without resorting to surgical or invasive mea-sures. Gua Sha meridian facials offer a wide range of benefits that target the conditions of younger clients, which include reducing acne conditions, diminishing dark undereye circles, and providing a healthier glow.

Gua Sha facials also target the concerns of older clients, including minimizing fine lines, lifting drooping skin, increasing the quality and quantity of collagen, and enhancing the ab-sorption of essential nutrients. Estheticians who broaden their range of services by integrating Gua Sha techniques into facials will set a new standard in professional beauty treatments and send their clients on an exciting, exotic journey of health and wellness.


When pathways for the body’s natural flow of energy are

obstructed, the body enters into a state of imbalance. Gua Sha meridian treatments focus on

restoring the proper, healthy Qi balance through the detoxification

of the lymphatic system.

November 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa lneonline.com • Page 27Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #335 on reader service card


Gua Sha Meridian Facial Protocol

Cleanse: Begin by cleansing facial area. Pat dry. Exfoliate: Protect eye areas with moistened cotton pads. Use a light micro-peel on the face, neck and décolleté. Do not rinse. Massage: Using 2-3 pumps massage cream, massage lightly over neck and décolleté for 7-10 minutes. Meridian Massage: Gently press the primary 10 meridian points on the face to release en-ergy blockage. Gua Sha Treatment: Apply massage cream onto face for smoother glide, and use either a “crown” or “wind” jade tool and volcanic cups to perform slight strokes from the primary 10 meridian points. Extend strokes in an outward motion several times for 7-10 minutes. Slight redness may occur. Cover face, neck, and décol-leté with a moistened sponge or warm towel. Mask: Apply molding mask or sheet mask evenly onto client’s face. You may perform the Gua Sha treatment on top of sheet mask. Remove after 15-20 minutes. Do not rinse. Toner: Mist toner 2-3 times into your palm and apply onto client’s face.

Serum: Apply 2-3 drops of anti-aging serum onto face, neck, and décolleté in an upward and outward motion. Hydration: Apply moisturizer. Eyes and lips: Gently pat eye treatment around eyes, followed by lip treatment. Sun care: Complete procedure with sun pro-tection. n

Janel Luu has more than 30 years of experience as an international educator, skin care researcher and developer, international beauty columnist and influential consulting developer for major cosmetic

companies. In 1999, she founded Bielle Cosmetics, a research and development company, and in 2004 she launched Le Mieux Cosmetics, an anti-aging professional skin care brand. Luu has taught more than 20,000 professionals and physicians in the skin care industry.


Gua Sha Facials In The U.S.

“Xu Holistic Facial with Gua Sha and Acupressure Massage”

60 Minutes, $150Xu: The New York Center for Natural Facial RejuvenationNew York, N.Y.

“Volcanic Cupping and Gua Sha Facial”

60 Minutes, $125Saving Faces Skin CareMarina Del Rey, Calif.

“Gua Sha”

10 Minutes, $10Pura vida Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wis.

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WHERE GENES ANDTHE ENVIRONMENT MEET

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EPIGENETICSWHERE GENES AND

by Rebecca Gadberry

AS ANY ESTHETICIAN KNOWS, lifestyle choices and environmen-tal conditions have an immense impact on skin. Now, with new technologies that allow us to identify the effects of molecular marks left on or lifted from DNA, geneticists are learning how the environment, food, our own thoughts and even skin care ingredients change the behavior of our cells.

Often the effect is fleeting, but sometimes it can leave lasting impressions on generations of cells and offspring, as happens with smoking, stress and cer-tain pesticides. We call the study of these molecular marks “epigenetics.” And what we’re finding is rapidly changing the way we approach everything from medicine to agriculture, nutrition to toxicology, and psychology to skin care.

THE ENVIRONMENT MEET

The future of skin care will see many new trends—discover the science behind

epigenetics, a field worth keeping an eye on.

technology to watch


GENES, TAKE A MEMOEvery stressful second, every moment in the sun (even with sunscreen), every wisp of tobacco smoke, sip of alcohol, or nibble of French fries leaves behind or removes molecular marks on DNA that act like memos within the cell, as do more positive practices like clearing the mind through meditation, munch-ing on blueberries, sharing a friendly hug or even getting (or giving) a facial. Until recently, we didn’t know how these memos were written, how to read them or even where to find them.

With epigenetics, scientists are learning to not only read these chemical Post-Its®, they’re also devising ways to write new messages and alter existing ones when it’s beneficial to do so. For instance, imagine being able to rewrite the chemical memo for melanoma or psoriasis, acne or aging, or prevent them from occurring at all even though the genes for these disorders and dis-eases are present.

This is where epigenetics is going. Drugs designed to pluck-off molecu-lar memos that set up the genetic en-vironment for melanoma have been highly successful in recent studies. Epigenetically-active drugs for acne and psoriasis are not far behind. As for aging, every skin care ingredient showing genetic activity is doing so via epigenetic processes, but few man-ufacturers have done the testing to determine epigenetics is behind the effect. Instead, protein production is calibrated—a sure sign that epigenetic memos are at work.

Why leave memos at all? Although there are several answers, two are the most important here:

REASON #1: GENES NEED TO B E TO L D TO M AK E — O R NOT MAKE—PROTEINS

Genes—the segments of DNA on chromosomes that hold the code to make proteins in mammals, plants and other organisms—are dumb. Not stu-pid, silent. They sit around waiting to get the memo to make a protein, which includes the type, how much of and

skin | epigenetics

Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • November 2014

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Page 34 • lneonline.com

where the protein should be delivered. Or, if a gene is already setting into mo-tion the making of a protein, it waits to be told to stop. Either way, a molecular memo is involved. Proteins—while we estheticians often throw away the word as if it represented something trivial and generic, something that needs to be said on our way to explaining something promising, like results—are fundamental to life. They make up 20 percent of the body’s mass, second only to water in the human body. Without proteins to channel and hold it, water levels couldn’t be maintained.

The only reason genes exist is to provide the blueprint to make proteins. Nothing gets done in the body—includ-ing the skin—without proteins. Each cell in the body contains the same set of 23,000 genes ready to make an es-timated 250,000 to two-and-a half-million proteins. Without epigenetic memos to operate each gene at the right time, cells would be exploding in a chaotic mess of proteins, all expressed at once. Life as we know it would not exist. Without the Post-Its, life would never have come to be.

Proteins are found in every nook in every cell and tissue, be it in a plant, an insect or a human. Proteins, like col-lagen and elastin, give structure to the body.

Defensin proteins protect skin from microbial attacks, and heat shock pro-teins permit a cell to survive under hostile conditions. Regulating growth factors (like EGF, FGF and TGF) and hormones like anxiety-relieving oxy-tocin and inflammatory NF-K are pro-teins that allow a cell to communicate with other cells, while receptor proteins set into cell membranes receive these messages.

Each one of thousands of aquaporin proteins inserted into a cell’s membrane channels water into the cell at a rate of 3 billion ions per second, ensuring metabolism can take place with ease. Cellular antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase are ramped up when oxygen radicals threaten the

skin | epigenetics

stability of the cell, and then their pro-duction is turned down when the threat is over. Transport proteins like kinesin move energy molecules and lipids to locations within the cell. Actin protein forms the cytoskeleton to give a cell its shape and allow movement through tis-sue. Enzymatic proteins trigger or stop the building up or tearing down of oth-er proteins. In the epidermis, melanin, filaggrin and keratin proteins protect from the environment.

Sometimes proteins provide such continuing benefit to a cell’s overall health that the gene for that protein is permanently left in the “on” po-sition. Genes for tumor suppressor proteins are good examples. Active in healthy tissue, they act like gate-keepers to identify unrepaired DNA mutations that could lead to cancer if passed on to future cell genera-tions. If the mutation can’t be repaired by the time the cell replicates, these proteins set into motion the process leading to “apoptosis,” also known as “cell suicide.”

But molecular memos left by Uv, chemicals in tobacco smoke, smog, certain pesticides and other environ-mental toxins can turn off tumor sup-pressor genes, allowing cancerous cells to breed unchecked.

An abundance of memos on tumor suppressor genes are the one thing every cancer, regardless of type, has in common. These memos are tar-geted for removal by new epigenetic therapies to treat cancer. Removing them before the cancer can take hold is the next step in cancer prevention. Sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) is a plant chemical found in such crucifer-

Proteins are found in every nook in every

cell and tissue, be it in a plant, an insect or a human. Proteins, like

collagen and elastin, give structure to the body.

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November 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa lneonline.com • Page 35November 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa lneonline.com • Page 35November 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa lneonline.com • Page 35


ous vegetables as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, arugula, mustard, radishes, horserad-ish, wasabi and watercress. It’s been shown to pluck epigenetic memos from tumor suppressor genes, freeing them to again make tumor suppressor pro-teins and hopefully halting the spread of cancer.

Although they’re not yet proven to prevent cancer, researchers are delv-ing into this possibility. Several SGS-containing plant extracts, including one from simple garden cress sprouts, are already being used in skin care as antioxidants.

REASON #2: CELLS NEED TO SURVIVE

A cell thrives and survives longer when its DNA remembers where it’s been and how it behaved at the time.

And if it can pass these memories of success or failure onto the next gen-eration of cells, depending on how traumatic or important the experience was, the better the survival rate of the entire organism.

Of course, as with all well-inten-tioned plans, things don’t always go as intended. And so the same tactics that leave chemical memories for survival can be thwarted in susceptible genes to generate cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, asthma, au-tism, arthritis, allergies, post-traumatic stress, inflammation, chronic dry skin, hair loss, hypo- or hyperpigmentation and just about any other seemingly ge-netic problem—including wrinkles, loss of firmness and other signs of aging.

It’s all in how the memo reads. And it’s all taking place under your hands as you work on the skin. n

The environment and our experiences leave “molecular memos” on DNA.

Segments of DNA known as “genes” hold the code to make proteins. Together, DNA and genes are called the “genome.” Study of the genome is known as “genetics.”

Proteins, the sole product of genes, are essential for life. They form tissues, perform metabolic functions, protect from bacteria and other microbes, neutralize oxidants, produce and use energy, perform tasks of intracellular and cell-to-cell communication, and are involved in many other interac-tions. Biologically, nothing gets done without proteins.

The study of genetic memos left by the environment and our experiences is known as “epigenetics”—literally, examining the effects of trillions of molecules “above” the genes and other sections of DNA.

Scientists describe the process used to leave epigenetic memos as “meth-ylation.” Methylation is among sev-eral other epigenetic factors now be-ing studied by geneticists. However, methylation is believed to be the most common and is, at this time, the most studied.

The test for epigenetic activity is two-fold: 1) genetic activity is altered but the DNA sequence making up the gene is not; 2) protein production is turned on or increased, or turned off or decreased.

The most reliable proof of epigenetic activity is an increase or decrease in protein levels.

No change in protein production can happen without an epigenetic process occurring. This is true for skin care ingredients that show increases and decreases in skin proteins, even if the manufacturer is not sharing this infor-mation with the esthetician.

skin | epigenetics

BASICS OF EPIGENETICS

Rebecca Gadberry is the senior instructor and course coordinator for UCLA Extension’s high-ly acclaimed cosmetic sciences program. An award-winning journal-ist, educator and prod-

uct developer, she is currently working on a new project that will soon be announced to the cosmetic industry. Her chapter, “Epigenetic Gene Regulation: A Path to Maintaining the “Processes of Youth?” will be published in the upcoming Harry’s Cosmeticology, 9th Edition.

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FAST ACTING ANTI-AGINGControl Corrective Skincare Systems’ Anti-Wrinkle Face & Neck Cream is an advanced blend of anti-aging actives that improve skin tone, texture, elasticity and firmness in a month’s time, says the company. Packed with peptides, antioxi-dants and skin brighteners, the cream helps stim-ulate collagen to improve wrinkles.

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MELT yEARS AWAyRhonda Allison introduces its most avant garde pro-youth regimen, the new Minus 10 Kit. The kit combines six potent pro-youth formulas into one skin care system, says the company. It includes the new AGE Less, ChronoPeptide A, Peptide 38, Drop of Essence Hydration Drops, and the Eye & Lip Renew Serum.

yOUTHFUL SKIN MEG 21’s MEG 21 Advanced Formula is an anti-aging cream that contains the highest concentration of the company’s patented Supplamine, which addresses glycation and inflammatory aging in skin, says the company. The rich and luxurious texture in liposomal delivery ensures absorption and is recommended for all skin types.

JUST FOR GENTSCharme d’Orient launches its men’s line with five skin care products made just for men. The line includes a shaving cream (pictured at right), an after-shave, a moisturizer, a masque and a scrub. The collection features aloe vera, argan oil and ginseng, among others.

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HOME TREAT Éminence’s Arctic Berry Illuminating Collection is an innovative three step peel and peptide system, which awakens the skin’s natural inner beauty us-ing an exquisite blend of arctic berries, lingonberry seed oil and hibiscus seed extract, says the com-pany. Keep your clients’ skin radiant in between spa treatments!

INSPIRED By THE GODSKypris Beauty is a new line of holistic high performance skin care boasting organic, wild-crafted and sustainable ingredients for gorgeous results, says the company. Kypris features three serums for all skin types that include: Antioxidant Dew with roses, algae and oats; Clearing Serum with zinc, apple and willow bark; and moonlight catalyst with pumpkin enzymes and peach. The brand also offers three elixirs, 1,000 Roses (pictured right); Healing Bouquet and Prismatic Array.

REJUVENATING SIGHTIdeal Complex Revitalizing Eye Gel from PCA SKIN is a revolutionary hypoallergenic anti-aging eye gel with a light, silky texture that will strengthen, firm and lift the skin around the entire eye area, including the eyelid, says the company. This unique formulation contains the latest science, combining proven ingredients in a single formulation to achieve results in as little as one week.

NOW AND LATER PHyRIS’ latest Time Release line delivers six successful cosmetic agents instantly and in time release form. The concentrated formula provides immediate benefits to the skin, then the timed release portion of the serum maintains the instant skin improvement. The line includes: Hyaluronic Acid Super Moist, vitamin Flash, Peptide Relax Lift, Retinol Anti-Age, Collagen Filler and Ceramide Repair.


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by Amanda Clinton Winter

Naptime: The New Coffee Break?spa

These enlightened employers offer high-tech, light-blocking sleep pods featuring nap timers, calming noise and an ergonomic design.

While these companies are progres-sive in their thinking, the vast majority of working professionals are not for-tunate enough to have napping facili-ties in their workplace. Sleeping under one’s desk and hoping the boss doesn’t find them (a.k.a. George Costanza in “Seinfeld”) is not a wise or comfortable option. Therefore spas have a unique

It can happen midday, late afternoon or even early evening. No matter when it happens, an energy slump is a daily nuisance that most peo-ple find impossible to escape. Whether one is a busy professional, new par-ent, student enduring final exams or jet-lagged traveler, virtually everyone can empathize with the feeling of sleep deprivation.

While midday napping has histori-cally been associated with children, the elderly and even just plain laziness, the effects of just 20 minutes of shut-eye on productivity, mood and wellness are so well documented that some smart organizations are now encouraging drowsy employees to sleep on the job!

The Huffington Post, Proctor & Gamble and Google have incorpo-rated napping facilities into their of-fices to relieve lethargic employees of their daytime slumps and boost their performance.

opportunity to offer busy professionals something that will make a huge dif-ference in their productivity and mood for the day—a rejuvenating power nap.

Perhaps the most famous pioneer of the spa power nap in the United States is Nicolas Ronco, founder and CEO of YeloSpa in New York City, N.Y.

Ronco realized the value of the power nap early in his professional life. He explains that he was “way more ef-ficient and healthier when I was able to nap” during the day. He now of-fers guests 20-40 minute power nap-ping sessions ($1 per minute) at his spa. Ronco explains that 20 minutes is the perfect amount of nap time for the “professional nappers,” individuals who are able to fall asleep right away.

Those who take 10-15 minutes to wind down need a 40-minute session. YeloSpa also offers a nap membership for $29 a month, which entitles guests to one 40-minute nap each month.

The effects of just 20 minutes of shut-eye on productivity, mood and wellness are so

well documented that some smart organizations are

now encouraging drowsy employees to sleep on the job!



An all-encompassing experience

At YeloSpa, nap clients take their sies-ta in a 74-square-foot patented treat-ment cabin designed to exude serenity and wellness. They are put into a zero gravity position, and the cabin is pitch black. Nappers are awoken with a five-minute simulated sunrise. The setting is customized through aromatherapy and sounds to suit each guest’s needs.

At the Power Nap station at Spa Eastman in Montreal, nappers rest in a NeuroSpa bed, equipped with thera-peutic acoustic technology that trans-mits multi-frequency acoustic vibra-tions. Intra-corporal music transmits commands to the nervous system, com-municating to the muscles and mind to release unwanted tension. A 30-minute nap in the NeuroSpa costs $45.

Add-on opportunityA power nap session can be easily mar-keted as an add-on option to spa treat-ments. Ronco explains that many guests at YeloSpa book a nap service following a massage or reflexology treatment. This can be applied to any spa service that induces feelings of relaxation and calm, as clients are likely to appreciate the opportunity to relax and recharge after their treatment rather than im-mediately get up and go.

At Tuscan Sun Spa in Fairmont, Wis., massage clients have the option to en-joy the Power Nap…Prolong the Bliss enhancement offering. The client may stay for a nap following their treatment, and a therapist gently awakens them after the reserved amount of time. This option is available for 15/30/45/60 min-utes, at a cost of $1 a minute.

Return on investmentPower napping can be a cost effective service to offer at the spa. Since staff do not “perform” the nap service, the cost of labor is eliminated. The largest ex-pense is likely to be the napping facili-ties; the patented beds at YeloSpa cost $7,000, and each of the eight treatment cabins costs $35,000. As the cabins are consistently occupied, there is clearly a solid return on investment.

A spa with a smaller budget may utilize existing treatment rooms, and invest in additional amenities such as eyeshades, blankets, sound technol-ogy, aromatherapy enhancement, etc.

Stand out with shut-eye services

When asked what the initial reaction of the public was when his Midtown oasis first offered power naps, Ronco points out that it “created a lot of buzz,” earning extensive attention from major media outlets including The New York Times, CNN, FOX and more. Due to its continued scarcity, the nap services at YeloSpa continue to generate plenty of coverage.

Take a lesson from the innovation of the nap services at these progressive spas and be the pioneer of this essential offering in your own community. Make your spa the go-to place to power up with a power nap! n

spa | naptime: the new coffee break?

An energy slump is a daily nuisance that most people find impossible to escape.

Amanda Clinton Winter is the manag-ing editor of Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa. She has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Psychology from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., and a master’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Miami. Contact her at [email protected].




SPAof the

MONTHHappy Comfy Haven

YeloSpaNew York, N.Y.

by Amanda Clinton Winter

IMAGINE stepping into bright monochromatic rooms that invite you in, embracing you with vibrant hues. Walls, ceilings, floors and furniture fin-ished with single shades of fuchsia, orange, yellow, blue and purple. The colors seemingly lull yet energize you while bringing an overall feeling of well-being… That’s the vibe emanating from Midtown New York’s YeloSpa. With its in your face yet soothing minimalistic and modern décor, YeloSpa welcomes its guests into a world of happy, vivacious yet appeasing colors, living up to its simple motto: Alive. Beautiful.

The brainchild of entrepreneur Nicolas Ronco, YeloSpa—which has fran-chises in Brazil and Puerto Rico—opened its doors in 2007 with a distinct concept: simplifying spa goers’ lives.

It started with getting rid of the typical “complex” spa menu and offer-ing instead clear-cut categories, massage, skin care (facials), naps, signature body treatments and waxing. So when a massage seeking client gets ahold of the menu, they don’t get a full list of different types to pick from—instead they get to book just that, a massage.


spa | spa of the month

Among his ideas, Ronco says, was to go after those people who are “spa-prejudiced,” people who find spas too pricey, who doubt the efficacy of treatments or believe they are just a woman’s thing. If the décor addresses the gen-der issue—Ronco says he came up with it in a dream where he envisioned a space that embod-ied the freedom and peace of childhood—the straightforward price per minute implemented for massages ($2.40 per minute), facials ($2.50 per minute) and naps ($1 per minute) answers the remaining matters.

It also brought a rather interesting feature for a day spa: napping. Ronco, an expert “napper,” grew up in Tunisia in the 70s, where the practice of a midday snooze was not only condoned

and encouraged, but a near necessity. “We didn’t have air conditioning and because it was impossible to focus during the hottest part of the day, people would take a nap during lunch and we would do the same coming back from school,” says Ronco. “It was something that was integrated in our lifestyles.” Ronco, who spent more than 10 years as an executive in the music industry, brought the habit with him. And as he began to conceptualize YeloSpa, he wanted to offer his clients a chance to have a power nap in the middle of a workday in a safe environment.

His naps and other treatments are avail-able in increments of 10 minutes, starting at 20 minutes for massages and 30 minutes for cus-tomized facials—topping out at 90 minutes for both. Naps start off at 20 minutes and go up in increments of 5 minutes, with a 40-minute max. “Spas can be quite inflexible—people might book a Balinese ritual a week in advance but when it gets to the day they realize they actu-ally need a deep tissue massage because they have been running and have muscle ache, but it’s too late to change,” says Ronco.

When a massage seeking client gets ahold of the menu, they don’t get a full list

of different types to pick from—instead they get to book just that, a massage.





“At YeloSpa all massage therapists are trained in all disciplines.” As such, Ronco ex-plains, when a client gets in for their scheduled massage, they get a chance to discuss the is-sues they wish to address with the therapist, who will then recommend the best massage (top choices are Swedish, reflexology, deep tissue, sports and prenatal).

Once their choice of treatment(s) and time is set, clients can pick from a selection of add-ons to enrich their experience. Skin care add-ons include hand, neck, scalp or shoulder massage (15 minutes, $37.50); additional extractions (10 minutes, $25); or LED Light Therapy (20 min-utes, $40), among others. Massage add-ons feature the Garshana Dry Body Brushing to exfo-liate the outer layers of skin (15 minutes, $36); the Limoncello Foot Scrub, an uplifting scrub with a happy lemon scent (15 minutes, $36);

the Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Foot Scrub, a soothing antioxidant treat (15 minutes, $36); or the Tech Buster Hand & Forearm Massage to release the tension accumulated in overworked fingers (15 minutes, $36).

Clients looking for body treatments can choose from a variety of scrubs, such as the Body Scrub that incorporates exfoliating bam-boo, fruit enzymes, multi-fruit acids and body buffing techniques to refine texture and brighten skin (60/80 minutes, $150/$200); and wraps to detoxify, revitalize and nourish the body (each wrap treatment is scheduled for 90 minutes at $200).

In addition to his clear-cut menu, Ronco opted to implement memberships. Launched in April, the three membership options (nap, facial/massage or wax) offer clients a monthly service as well as discounts on retail and mas-sages. Members sign up month to month with no minimum contract and can leave whenever they please. “We decided to install a system a bit different,” says Ronco, “[…] you can leave for any reason, whenever you like. You can roll-over whatever you want, and for example if you go on vacation for a month you can lend your treatments to a friend or family members.” In order to prevent clients from abusing the easy-going membership policy, once a cancellation is made, clients can only renew after six months.

With its in your face yet soothing minimalistic and modern décor, YeloSpa welcomes its guests into a world of happy, vivacious yet appeasing colors, living up to its simple motto: Alive. Beautiful.



So far the spa counts more than 100 members each month, and Ronco estimates there will be about 500 by year’s end.

Training and evaluations are taken care of by the leads of each of the three categories of employees, hosts, massage therapists and es-theticians. Staff is assessed monthly based on client retention, retail sales and clients’ feed-back. With the monthly evaluation, Ronco by-passes the trouble of doing year-end employee performance reviews. When Ronco goes into hiring mode, he doesn’t just stop at interviews, he’ll get “down and dirty.” In order to get just the right massage therapists, he’ll have them demonstrate their skills. “I’ll have a half hour massage,” he says. “If I can relax in my own spa, then it’s a good sign.”

His marketing technique rests on several elements. In order to get current clients inter-ested in the memberships, Ronco blasts emails, relies on in-store signage and is signed up with Travelzoo—a website that publishes deals on travel, entertainment, local businesses, restau-rants and spas. The most powerful marketing


FACTSLaunched: 2007Owned by Nicolas Ronco

FACILITY AND STAFF:• Eight Spa Treatment Rooms• Three Hosts• Four Estheticians• Eight Massage Therapists

PRODUCT LINE USED AND RETAILED:Kerstin Florian, Éminence Organic Skin Care, Juara, Paromi Tea, Kahina, Naturopathica, Essence of Vali, Sombra

REVENUE COMPOSITION:• 50 Percent Massage• 30 Percent Skin Care• 12 Percent Retail• 8 Percent Nap

YeloSpa5 East 57th StreetNew York, NY 10022212.245.8235yelospa.com

Amanda Clinton Winter is the managing editor of Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa. She has a bach-elor’s degree in English Literature and Psychology from Wheaton College in Norton, MA, and a mas-ter’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Miami. Contact her at [email protected].

tool, he says, is “recommendations from thera-pists themselves.” New clients also find their way to YeloSpa thanks to media spotlights. Then Ronco will host special events—which he dubs “mini-seminars” on power naps, sleep and health foods—for his loyal clients, where he’ll address ways for them to have a better lifestyle outside of YeloSpa.

It’s all about slowing down and enjoying some customized pampering at this Big Apple spot that keeps clients Alive and Beautiful. n





by Cecily Braden

THAI HERBAL POULTICE MASSAGE

WHENSÊN REIGNS


THE HERBAL POULTICE or “Luk Pra Kob” (literally translated to mean “pressing herbal sphere”) in Thai is best described as a deep heat medicinal muscle treatment that dates back to 14th century Thailand, when a hot pack was administered to soldiers re-turning from battle. To rejuvenate warriors, a bundle of therapeutic herbs was steamed and applied to the body to soothe aches and pains. Today, the tradition remains an integral part of Thai medicine, and is of-fered as a healing therapy in spas through-out the world to rejuvenate everyone from the travails of travel and corporate life to weary weekend warriors. It’s a remarkable, mindful and meditative therapy that clients love receiving and therapists love giving.

For those who have had the opportunity to be on the giving or receiving end, to de-scribe its fullness is complex and requires delving into all aspects of Thai massage, as it is the sum of the parts that make it a true healing art.

Traditional Thai massage combines acu-pressure, stretching and work along ener-gy meridians. The branches of Traditional Thai medicine are mind, body and energy, and are the foundations in which all Thai massages are performed. The emphasis is

on “energy,” since it’s believed that if flowing uninhibited, it has the power to heal the mind and body and bring it into balance.

The mindfulness and meditative nature of Thai Massage keeps the prac-titioner focused on imparting that heal-ing touch with the intent to release and direct the flow of energy through the body to where it’s needed.

Visually, it’s difficult to understand the concept of Thai massage as a “ther-apy of energies,” and not specifically bodywork due to its physical appear-ance and incredible therapeutic ben-efits for the body. But as a practitio-ner, it’s essential. The intention on the flow of energy with each technique and modality is as important as the move-ment itself, and as with yoga, the more you study and give Thai massage, the deeper your practice becomes.

In keeping with the healing tradi-tions of Thailand, the herbal poultice is incorporated as a tool to reinforce, connect and enhance all three essenc-es of Thai massage. The multitude of benefits makes it the massage for all seasons and reasons.

WHENSÊN REIGNS

The Branches of TraditionalThai Medicine are Mind,

Body and Energy.


spa | when sên reigns

THAI ACUPRESSURE & SÊN PRESSURE POINTS

Working the Thai Sên points is similar to acupres-sure or marma point therapy, in which pressure is applied to specific points to release blocked energy and direct healing to or away from areas of discomfort, pain or illness. In con-trast to Chinese acupressure, the intention is on the release of blocked energy and not the point as it relates to a specific organ or function in the body. The belief is that when released, the natural flow of energy has a healthy and positive effect on the body as a whole. Pressure is applied using the pads of the thumb over clothing or a sheet, but shown here directly on the body to illustrate the points that follow along the Sên or energy meridians in the body. It’s believed that there are 72,000 Sên points, which is not an exact number, but more to demonstrate that the body is an infinite web of energy.

THE FOUNDATIONS OF THAI MASSAGE


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HERBAL POULTICE “LUK PRA KOB”

As with all elements of Thai massage, using the herbal poultice is an art form, and with practice, it becomes an extension of your hand. The com-press, filled with dried organic herbs and es-sential oils, is wrapped in muslin, steamed and applied directly to the body with a variety of techniques and pressure. The heat combined with the herbs is absorbed and helps ease muscle aches and pain, alleviates stiff joints, stimulates circulation, detoxifies and releases stagnant energy in the body.

Ginger, lemongrass, camphor and turmeric are the most common herbs, but other blends are available, or can be made using kaffir lime, eucalyp-tus, cinnamon, sesame seeds, pikul (Thai Jasmine) and indigo (as shown in the photo). Rose tips, lavender tips or chrysanthemum tips may be added to enhance the aroma-therapy quality of the compress. Due to the multitude of benefits and blends, the herbal poultice is not limited to just the use with other massage modalities, but can also be an effective way to increase the benefits of a scrub, body mask, facial or hydrotherapy service. Proper training is recommended.



THAI STRETCHING

Simple stretches are combined with the herbal poultice with the complexity based on the therapist’s level of training. The heat warms the muscles and allows for increased flexibility and range of motion. Traditionally, this form of bodywork is performed on the floor with the client wearing comfortable clothes that allow for movement (proper draping is substituted for clothing).


AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE& SÊN MERIDIANS

Traditionally, oil is not used in Thai massage. However, here we have combined the herbal poultice with hands-on movements that support the release and flow of energy in the body following the Thai Sên meridians. Each movement is carefully choreographed to reinforce the healing intention of Thai massage and work in synergy with all three massage modalities to create the whole.

The use of aromatherapy oil with traditional Thai essential oils such as lemongrass and ginger help soothe nervous tension, relax cramped muscles, reduce fluid retention, improve lymphatic drainage, nourish the skin and direct the flow of energy through the body. When using oil, do it after application of the herbal poultice to avoid blocking the absorption of the herbs. n

The Herbal Poultice Massage is an effective and affordable therapy that’s offered by individual massage therapists, day spas and resort spas throughout the world. The treatment price ranges from $125 to $350.

Euphoria SpaNew York City, N.Y.Hot Herbal Poultice90 Minutes, $215

Mandala MedspaSarasota, Fla.Samunprai (Means “herb” In Thai)90 Minutes, $150

Greenwich HotelNew York City, N.Y. Samunprai Thai Poultice90 Minutes, $325

Ritz CarltonNaples, Fla.Sea Holistic Poultice Massage80 Minutes, $240

Ritz CarltonDallas, TexasThai Herbal Poultice Massage80 Minutes, $225

Ritz CarltonHalf Moon Bay, Colo.75 Minutes, $245 (Weekday) or $260 (Weekend)

VisionsNovi, Minn.Indigo Poultice Thai Massage80 Minutes, $135

Maroma ResortRiviera Maya, MexicoHot, Healing Poultice Massage105 Minutes, $283.50

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Allergies to any of the herbs utilizedLack of skin sensitivitySkin sensitivity to heat or chemicalsBurns Cuts Sensitive scarsVaricose veinsDiabetes High blood pressure

Cecily J. Braden is the founder of Beauty Secrets Global Spa Imports. She has spent the past 19 years educating spa professionals in the United States,

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In addition to providing a luxurious pampering ex-perience, body wraps target specific body conditions: cellulite reduction, dry or aging skin, toxic overload and inch loss. In tra-ditional body wraps, the skin is cleansed and prepped prior to the treatment because the client showers first. Many require an additional shower afterwards to clear the skin from perspiration and heavy creams. A showerless body wrap can be more appeal-ing in certain aspects for both clients and providers.

From a practical standpoint, there are many businesses that do not have a water source in treatment rooms, available service time or physical space for showers. Providing a secure location for clients’ clothing, towel service and a dressing room is also a deter-rent. Yet the same luxurious and refreshing benefits that traditional wraps offer can be obtained from their showerless counterparts.

Behold The Solution Of Showerless Body Wraps!by M’lisa Jackson


A showerless body wrap can be more appealing in certain aspects

for both clients and providers.


In addition to easier logistics, a pampering element is introduced when a client can come and be a passive participant in their service. Cleansing and prepping the skin through dry skin brushing is still crucial to provide even results and proper cream absorp-tion (see Nina Curtis’ article, “When Friction is Welcome” in our October 2014 edition). Products that don’t need to be washed off provide exfoliation and cleansing in a showerless wrap. These products enable the client to feel refreshed, and the environment is kept sanitary.

Showerless Body Wrap MethodsMummy StyleIn a typical mummy style wrap, cotton cloth strips are soaked in natural ingredients, heated and applied to the entire body, including neck, hands and

spa | get results without the mess

feet. The wrap is not applied tightly. The client typically lounges in the wrap for approximately 45 minutes. GT Massage & Skin Care in Wheaton, Ill., follows a mummy style protocol for their Slimming Body Wrap.

A botanical formula is applied to the body, which is then wrapped up with cotton bands before being covered with an electric blanket (60 minutes, $95). Clients are treated to a scalp massage during the treatment.

There are many businesses that do not

have a water source in treatment rooms,

available service time or physical

space for showers.

Clients can lose four to 15 inches with each wrap. It benefits hydration, relaxation, skin toning, detoxification and/or heat therapy for fibromyalgia or joint discomfort. Gloria Bach, licensed esthetician and massage therapist, explains that the warming treatment is “very popular” during cooler months. She says that the mummy wrap is promoted post-holiday season through their social media outlets, as well as within the spa for weight loss, as many clients are trying to slim down at this time.

Cocoon Wrap StyleIn the cocoon wrap, the hands and feet are left exposed. A solution gel is applied to the body, which has been warmed up (through an electric blanket or infrared therapy).

GT Massage & Skin Care offers two cocoon style body wrap services: the Aromatherapy Body Wrap (60 minutes, $70) and the Green Coffee Body Wrap


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(50 minutes, $85). Bach explains that each cocoon wrap service begins with a full dry body brushing, followed by a sea salt exfoliation, before a mask is applied.

A plastic sheet is wrapped over the mask, covering everything except for the hands and feet, and clients are then covered with an electrical blanket to rest under infrared lights. The feedback from clients about both of these wraps is that they feel “rejuvenated, like they really flush things out,” Bach explains.

Body Wrap with Hot LinensFor this protocol, a botanical solution is applied to the client’s body and wrapped with hot linens that have been

spa | get results without the mess

soaked in hot water (squeezed to avoid dripping) or stored in a steamer or hot cabbie. Brandi Evans, owner, operator and massage therapist at Healing Touch Massage in West Plains, Mo., practices this protocol for her Body

Wrap treatment. Everything is wrapped from the neck down except for the hands. The client remains wrapped for 45 minutes. The full treatment is one hour and 15 minutes ($40 per session, $60 for two sessions).

Evans explains that clients love this body wrap because “you feel like you can conquer the world” when it’s over. She notes that many exhausted new mothers have raved that they “have the deepest sleep” following this treat-ment. The Body Wrap is most popu-lar during the holidays and swimsuit season, when many people are trying to slim down or undo damage from overindulging. Evans explains that it’s promoted mainly through word of mouth and social media.

Products that don’t need to be washed off provide exfoliation and cleansing

in a showerless wrap. These products enable the

client to feel refreshed, and the environment

is kept sanitary.


Plastic WrapUnlike the mummy wrap, the body isn’t completely covered in a plastic wrap. Individual body parts are wrapped, such as the legs, torso and arms. Hands and feet are left exposed.

The Body Massage Wellness Spa in Denver, Colo., offers a plastic wrap service for inch loss and detoxification called the Detoxifying Body Wrap (60 to 75 minutes, $89). To begin, the body is exfoliated and the contouring cream is applied. The client lies in the wrap for 45 to 60 minutes. CEO Peggy Irvin describes this service as “very relax-ing,” and it includes a complimentary upgrade of either a foot reflexology or head acupressure. Irvin says that cli-ents’ response to the wrap is extremely positive, as “the inch loss is an immedi-ate gratification.” This loss ranges any-where from four to 12 inches. Clients also tend to report that “they feel very relaxed… cleaner and lighter, like they did a cleanse,” says Irvin. Another posi-tive is that removal of the wrap takes no more than five minutes.

Irvin cross promotes the Detoxifying Wrap by integrating it into wellness/detox spa packages. The service can be purchased à la carte or in a series of four ($320) or eight ($608).

This treatment is most frequently requested in the spring and summer months, as well as the start of the year when clients are trying to slim down for bathing suit season or New Years reso-lutions—times when her clients tend to be “very body conscious,” says Irvin.

Infrared Body WrapAnother emerging option in the world of showerless body wraps is the infrared body wrap, which utilizes the benefits of far infrared rays. At the Laser Medi-Spa in Bethel Park, Penn., specific parts of the body—arms, abdomen, legs and arms—are wrapped with a silicon treatment before being covered with the wrap. The standard cost for a full hour session is $69.

Owner Mark Fleis explains that the main objective is to “sweat out the

toxins, increase metabolism and ad-dress pain in specific areas.” He says his clients often receive body contour-ing treatments afterward, as the infra-red body wrap enhances the results. He points out that the infrared body wrap is a “springboard to get you there faster.”

As for the popularity of the treat-ment, Fleis says that the infrared treat-ments are “at their peak” right now. He mainly promotes them to his body contouring service clients, and he and another local weight loss company work together to promote each other’s servic-es. Because it’s a very warm body treat-ment, Fleis says that it’s most popular in colder months.

ContraindicationsAdvise clients to consult their doctor

before using any form of body wrap if they are diabetic, suffer from high blood pressure or have any medical condition.

Pregnant clients should not receive body wrap services.

Clients who suffer from claustropho-bia may not enjoy body wrap services.

Post-Wrap Recommendations for Clients

Drink plenty of water in the day fol-lowing the wrap service.

Do not shower for 8 hours follow-ing the wrap to allow the ingredients to work on the skin. n

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Page 64 • lneonline.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • November 2014Page 68 • lneonline.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • November 2014

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November 2014 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa lneonline.com • Page 65Page 68 • lneonline.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • November 2014

THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSOF ESTHETICS AND SPA

MIAMI BEACH, FLMiami Beach Convention CenterMARCH 1 & 2, 2015

THE TRENDSETTER OF WELLNESS & SPA

PRESENTED BY

Contact us today for your free show program: 1.800.471.0229 • LNEONLINE.COM

3929 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33134 • USA: 305.443.2322 • FAX: 305.443.1664

Learn, Network, Grow• General Session Lectures and Demos• Wellness: Mind and Body Seminar• Spa Business Seminar• Spa Director Symposium• Image Seminar

• Cutting Edge Salon/Spa Business Seminar• Salon/Spa Business Management Seminar• AIA-Aesthetics International Association• All Manufacturers’ Workshops• Exhibit Hall flooded with hundreds of exhibitors

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MULTI-TASkSBeautyPro’s new Multi Product Steam System warms towels, massage stones and herbal compresses within minutes, giving spas and salons an all-in-one system for a series of individual services from facials to massages, say the company. The Steam System features a 15 towel capacity, automatic safety shut off and more.

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LNE & SPA ChAt with

Bella Schneider

How can you define the concept of your spas?When I started, I wanted to meet

all of women’s beauty needs in my

spas; a modern beauty center where

women could get all their needs met

in one location.

Did you stick with that concept?More than ever, I feel that this con-

cept is what distinguishes me, my

spas, and my products.

What would you like women to feel when they come to your spas?That my spas are a place where they

can receive true professional advice,

high-end thinking, and wonderful

products.

What are the spas’ best sellers?Lumipele Brightening Facial ($175) and

Caviar & Carat Complete Anti-Aging

Facial ($185).

How do LaBelle spas earn their clients’ loyalty?The staff’s very personalized approach. Employees are trained to cater to their clients, know their names, the services they like, and even their drink preferences, as well as their customized treatments. All of our service providers are trained to emphasize on the need to follow up with at-home care to build a repeat clientele. Loyalty programs, such as point accumulation, birthday rewards and VIP status are incentives for clients to return.

How do you select the people that are going to be working with you?We evaluate personality traits, work ethic and technical skill with phone, in-person and technical interviews as well as requesting that potential hires shadow for a given amount of time.

How is staff trained?Upon hire, service providers are trained from their level of expertise up to our expectations. Management, the individual department heads and

My favorite quote isAlbert Einstein’s

“Creativity is contagious pass it on”

If I could travel anywhere in the world I would go back to

Australia for an extensive journey, exploring all areas and islands

Who is the personyou admire the most?My grandmother, my icon

An Israeli immigrant who kicked off her skin care apprenticeship at the age of 14 to contribute to her schooling expenses, Bella Schneider, founder and CEO of LaBelle Day Spas & Salons and formulator of LaBELLE and Bella Schneider Beauty skin care lines, is a pioneer and a champion in the world of skin care and spa.

Founder and CEO of LaBelle Day spas & salons

pho

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Bel

la S

chne

ider


StanfordShopping Center Palo Alto, Calif.15,000 square feet13 treatment rooms15 mani/pedi16 hair stations

Town & CountryPalo Alto, Calif.8,000 square feetEight treatment rooms11 mani/pediEight hair stations

San Francisco, Calif.6,000 square feet10 treatment roomsThree nail stationsThree hair stations

LaBelle Day Spas & Salons:

myself train staff. Training includes learning protocols and our products. After the set training period, staff is tested for readiness. We only allow staff onto the floor after they have met our service and product knowl-edge standards. Staff is periodically trained during quarterly or monthly meetings on customer service, the newest technologies and product of-ferings. Client feedback whether on-line or in person is also incorporated into every training.

How is staff motivated to retail?It’s a condition of employment. Staff is well rewarded with commission, new clients and loyal repeat clients.

How are retailed products sold?There is a continuity between the professional products we use in our services and our extensive retail line. Service providers advise clients on the benefits of the products used in service and follow up in our boutique by advising clients with a prescription

form. Our boutiques are very well stocked with an extensive array of selections, which the service provider customizes to the client in relevance to the treatment. Service providers take their time to help the client achieve their final goal by thoroughly explaining their options to them. They are able to do this because we program an extra 15 minutes into our service times dedicated to retail and closing the service.

What are your retail goals?The profit of a spa is in its retail. Each department has a different goal. For every esthetic and hair service dol-lar sold, I strive for 50 cents in retail sales. For nails and massage services, I strive for 20 cents in retail sales.

What are your spas’ retail surface areas?I dedicate between 15 and 20 per-cent of the entire surface area to retail.

What would be an ideal surface area for retail?If I had 2,000 square feet I’d make at least 800 square feet retail.

What is your retail advice?Learning how to retail is as impor-tant if not more than learning how to provide services. Department store experience is a big plus because you learn how to sell and the competing products in the marketplace.

What can you tell us about your marketing techniques?Well I believe in hiring the best peo-ple possible for every individual need I have. For instance, I have always hired very savvy public relations com-panies or people to represent me. Today. I also put a lot of emphasis on acquiring positive press in the social media and responding immediately to negative press both internally and externally. It’s important to use social media to constantly improve your operations.

What is your marketing advice?Strive for excellent public relations, positive presence in all the social media and being active in your com-munity by forming close relationships with your clients and your community as well as contributing to the causes that are important through your clients. n

LaBelle Day spa & salon Stanford

Rewards Performance

Keep your staff motivated during the holidaysby Lindsay Anvik

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by Lindsay AnvikEveryone is caught up shopping, wrapping, traveling, planning, stressing, baking, tinseling and primping for two months straight! While no one is completely immune to this holiday haze, it’s without a doubt a crucial time of year for spa owners. November and December are golden months, with high sales of gift cards and holiday packages. While it’s easy to keep your head in the game as an owner, how can you keep your staff on task to help your business achieve its full potential during this crucial time of year?

Involve Staff in Planning a Rewards System

The idea behind creating an employee rewards program is to acknowledge the work your team members do and motivate them to keep it up and excel. Identify what you would like to re-ward—job performance, sales targets, customer service or team work. Involve the team from the get go, let staff know if the budget is tight and allow them to come up with suggestions. Staff members have great opinions and ideas.

My grandmother used to say that after Thanksgiving, it’s New Year’s. It’s true that the holiday season can be somewhat of a blur for most people.


business | performance rewards

Yes, you’re the boss, but the truth is this: You gain power when you give it away. Making your staff feel involved and important actually allows you to work less. Ask your staff what type of re-wards they would most like to receive. Maybe it’s a big dinner out, cash on the spot or additional paid days off. Share some of the ideas that you have, but encourage staff to come up with their own suggestions for rewards they would like to receive, as long as they fall within a budget that’s comfortable for you. When people work together to achieve something they want, they develop a sense of community.

Set Simple, Clear GoalsMake sure that what you come up with is not only good for your employees but that it also makes sense for your company and helps you achieve your business goals. Set one or two clear, specific goals for your staff, and post them in the break room. For example, a specific goal may be to sell a $25 gift card to every client. This goal is easy to remember and monitor; the staff understands that clients can’t leave the spa—or get off the phone—until they have been pitched about a gift card. For the rest of the holiday season, they can focus on this one goal that is easy to execute.

Remind staff of these goals every day. Make sure that every single staff member knows what the goal is, and ensure that action is being tak-en to reach that objective. When you see a

staff member taking initiative in reaching the goal, compliment them on their efforts. On the flip side, when you see a staff member shying away from selling, encourage them to try a new approach.

Monitor Barracudas and Bashful typesAny competitive environment in a group setting inevitably creates a divide between two types of staff: barracudas and bashful types. Barracudas are the aggressive, extroverted types that have no inhibitions about trying to sell to a client. Bashful types tend to be more timid with their approach, and often shy away from selling. It’s important to keep your eye on both the barra-cudas and the bashful types.

Barracudas need to be watched to ensure they aren’t pushing too hard. Nothing is worse for the client than feeling like a spa technician is holding them hostage, pressuring them to buy something. Watch how the barracuda talks to the clients, and more importantly, how the client re-acts, both verbally and physically. If you see that a staff member is being too aggressive, praise them for being so enthusiastic about the program, but gently tell them that you notice that their clients seem to be a little overwhelmed. Share your own selling technique, and tell them you think they’d be great at using a similar approach. Bashful types are a different breed. While barra-cudas sometimes need to be reigned in, bashful

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types need to be drawn out. Bashful types are often great with client interaction because they really connect with the clients.

Make sure that you encourage them to use the bond they have with the client to help sell them something the client will surely enjoy or need.

Flash Rewards Flash rewards are fun, spontaneous gifts that you give your staff throughout the holiday season. Meet with staff in the beginning of each day, and let them know what the reward will be for accom-plishing the goal that day. For example, you can give an extra (paid) day off to whoever sells $300 in massage packages one day. On another day, maybe you’ll give $50 in cash to whoever sells the most holiday packages priced at $100 or more.

Make It MemorableWhile money and time off are rewards that anyone will appreciate, surveys have found that monetary rewards aren’t necessarily staff’s favorite. People like recognition and being thanked for their work. There are many ways to reward your staff and show your appreciation for them.

Here are just a few ideas:• Give people positive feedback in front of staff and clients.• Offer them an opportunity, such as the chance to attend an industry conference or trade.• Provide them with an experience, perhaps trusting an employee with a new challenge.

Another option could be something as simple as a dinner out in a good restaurant—on you—for team members who achieve the established ob-jective. This can be a great opportunity for staff to connect outside of a work setting, which may improve their working relationship within the of-fice as well, strengthening their work as a team.

You can also make the reward humorous. For example, promising to dress up in a goofy costume for the staff’s amusement if they reach their goal can be another good incentive, and showing your softer side in this way may also help them see you in a more positive light—which can make them more happy at work. It also helps you connect with your employees.

Monitor ProgressMake sure you monitor staff’s progress in achiev-ing the goals you set for them. Set pre-deter-mined milestones with a calendar date deadline to achieve them, whether it’s a certain number of transactions or a dollar amount. Staff members should have concrete guidelines on what these milestones are, and they should be rewarded when they achieve the specific objective.

Your staff works hard for you, and the best way to keep them motivated—during the holi-days or any other time of year—is to show your appreciation.

This is going to be your best holiday season yet. Set your goals, empower your staff and cre-ate goodwill among your team! n


Lindsay Anvik is a fourth genera-tion entrepreneur and the CEO of See Endless—a business devel-opment and marketing company with luxury real estate, retail, event fashion, beauty and high-end film production clients. Anvik travels all

over the world consulting and giving seminars on how companies can increase their sales and exposure.

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Dermapen ProtocolThis month:



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KeepThemComing BackLoyalty Programs and Client Retention

In the early 1980s, American Airlines’ goal was to increase re-

tention and provide their clients with something extra special. The airline cre-

ated the first frequent flyer program that allowed travelers to accrue miles and

gain benefits as long as they were flying with American.

American Airlines was one of the first companies to offer a customer loyalty

program in the country. It set the standards for the entire industry. Since then,

loyalty programs have gained significant popularity. According to a recent study,

companies spend more than $2 billion on loyalty programs per year. Statistics

show that the average American household belongs to about 14 different re-

wards programs.

by Dori Soukup


business | keep them coming back

If you want to increase your guest retention rate, it’s your turn to offer your clients a loyalty program that’ll keep them coming back.

What type of loyalty program should you offer? There are several types of programs to offer consumers and no matter which one you choose, it’s important to keep it simple. Below are two of the most effective loyalty programs:

CHARGE A FEE TO JOIN THE LOYALTY PROGRAM.

For example, Barnes and Noble charges its clients $25 to join their loy-alty program. Then, its members can save 10 percent on their purchases for the entire year. For a person who fre-quents Barnes and Noble weekly, this type of program provides great ben-efits. The savings at the end of the year are significant. The program sustains customer loyalty, and the $25 it costs to join is well worth it for the custom-er. You can follow the same model as Barnes and Noble, but I recommend

a

you charge more. For example, you can charge $150 to join, but give a significant value, indicating that they are almost joining for free. Example:

You are giving the client the $150 enrollment back in value. This allows you to raise cash flow and encourage the new member to visit the spa on a regular basis. As part of the loyalty program, the client benefits by receiv-ing a small discount with each spa visit. This is very simple; there is no need for tracking or much program manage-ment. (See our October article “Call of Duty—Creating Membership Programs for Loyal Customers”)

bTwo $25 Gift Cards to be

Utilized One at a Time

A Complimentary Consultation Valued at $50

A Complimentary Makeover Valued at $50

A Loyalty Welcome Kit

Five to 10 Percent Off Every Spa Visit and/or Retail Purchase

GET CLIENTS TO JOIN FOR FREE AND EARN POINTS FOR EVERY VISIT.

You can reward them by allowing them to earn one point for every dollar they spend. Once they reach a certain amount of points, they can redeem their points toward gifts, services or products.

You will need to determine the amount of rewards you are willing to offer. For example, if someone spends $500, they will earn 500 points. If you wish to offer them a 10 percent reward, you will need to select a $50 prize they can have once they reach 500 points. If you are offering this type of loyalty program, I recommend you offer mer-chandise as a reward because your cost will be only $25, but the client will re-ceive a value of $50. This practice al-lows you to decrease your loyalty cost to five percent in rewards, but it ap-pears to be a 10 percent value. Select gift items that you can brand with your logo such as robes, T-shirts, hats and water bottles.

THIS METHOD HAS MANY BENEFITS:

Provides Your Loyal Clientswith Desirable, Quality Gifts

Promotes Your BusinessThrough Branded Gifts

Shows a Higher PerceivedRetail Value While Reducing

Your Loyalty Cost

Saves Money and Increases Retention


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The point system can also be used as a marketing tool. If you have some slow slots within your schedule, you can re-ward your clients with double points on slow days or hours. Instead of offering discounts, offer double points for promo-tions. You can ask your clients to write reviews to earn points. Or “Like” your Facebook page to earn points, and so on.

One very important factor to keep in mind is how well you manage the program. If you launch a loyalty pro-gram but don’t keep your clients en-gaged and excited about it, they will lose interest and won’t see the value in it. Therefore, they make take their loyalty to another place.

Brittany Nuzzi, spa director at White Orchid Spa in Vero Beach, Fla., had this to say about her loyalty program: “We are located in a beautiful resort, but we also love to cater and capture the lo-cal market. Having a loyalty program has helped us offer benefits for local clients to [...] take advantage of higher-end spa experiences and products at a slightly discounted rate while building up rewards points with each purchase.”

Nuzzi also offers a “new client spe-cial” where a referred person can save on their first visit, encouraging them to try multiple treatments, while the existing client receives a $25 credit in loyalty points on their account. By implementing this program, clients

know how much their business and continued support is appreciated. It also builds trust and adds value to the White Orchid Spa offering.

Points accumulate throughout the year and can be redeemed at any

time up until March 31 of the follow-ing year. Points may be redeemed as

they are accumulated, so clients can use them when they choose! No waiting to reach tiers—just

simply using them as they see fit.

At White Orchid Spa, clients can receive points for services, retail, re-ferring a friend or pre-booking their next appointment. “We love the loyalty program; it has helped us increase the retention rate by rewarding our clients,” Nuzzi said.

Many spas do not offer loyalty pro-grams. Instead, they are stuck on offer-ing discounts and doing Living Social and Groupon. Those types of market-ing strategies are far more expensive and attract non-loyal clientele, whereas if they would offer a loyalty program, they would be attracting the right per-son who would be loyal.

Kim Knapp from Skin Apeel in Boca Raton, Fla., offers a loyalty program that also helps her with retention and allows her to reward her clients. “Our

experience since our loyalty program inception has been most positive. We reward our clients with points ongoing for continued patronage and new refer-rals,” Knapp said. “The choice to ‘snail mail’ beautiful reward cards adds the element of surprise, which works in our favor to prompt immediate spa visits.”

TOOLS NEEDED FOR YOUR LOYALTY PROGRAM

Make your loyalty program super special from the beginning. Once a new person joins your loyalty pro-gram, they should receive a welcome gift containing:

A VIP cardA VIP T-Shirt with your logoYour spa menuMost Frequently Asked QuestionsA referral card to pass on to othersProduct samples from your brandsYour brochure or flyer with gifts they can claim with their points

Offering a loyalty program gives you a great opportunity to promote your business and recognize your VIP clients with special value while motivat-ing your clients to keep doing business with you.

Implement a loyalty program and increase your guest retention! n

HOW IT WORKS

business | keep them coming back

If you want to increase your guest retention rate, it’s your turn to offer your clients a loyalty program that’ll keep them coming back.

Dori Soukup is an ex-ecutive coach, author, professional speaker and the founder of InSPAra-tion Management. She speaks at conventions all over the world and hosts

public and private seminars. Her Spa Biz- Tools and strategies have helped thousands of spa professionals experience exponential growth and profits. She can be reached at [email protected].



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949.387.0649fenixcosmetics.com

877.384.8300elinaorganics.com

928.204.1280bodybliss.com

800.558.5571universalcompanies.com

NEW SiTEBody Bliss launched a new website. Austin-based web design and development firm ScriptiLabs created a user friendly platform with custom functionality, says the company. “The launch of the new website represents the last piece in the unveiling of the new Body Bliss branding,” said founder Nick James.

LATEST LOCATiONElina Organics Day Spa announces its relo-cation to new, larger quarters on East Walton Street in Chicago, Ill. The new day spa fea-tures a unique skin care bar with edible, organic ingredients to create personalized skin care formulations, says the company.

CELEBRATiON!Fenix Cosmetics is celebrating 15 years in business as a leading skin care provider for people with severely sensitive skin, says the company. Founded in 1999, Fenix manufac-tures products aimed at the sensitive skin care demographics, and is Cruelty Free certified.

ADDED HiREUniversal Companies announced that Jaime Huffman has joined its team as Senior Vice President of Spa Development. In her new position with Universal Companies, Huffman leads the product development, education and equipment teams. “We are very glad to welcome Jaime to the team,” said Brenda Elliot, CEO of Universal Companies. “She has an impressive resume with more than 25 years of leadership experience in spa, hospitality, education and health care.”





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RECENT CREATiONThe Gharieni Group, a multi award-winning manufacturer of exclusive beds, elegant furniture and equipment for luxury spa, wellness and beauty facilities, now offers a new spa division. Customers can be supported in their planning or for existing projects where the long lasting international experience of Gharieni will shine.

LATEST ADDiTiONBiON Research hired two educators to help advance its visibility through education. Krista McKowen brings more than 34 years of industry experience to her new position as National Media Educator for BiON Research. Cheryl Matthews has more than 30 years of experience as a licensed esthetician, certified master reflexologist and certified makeup artist, which she will bring forth as new director of education for BiON.

SUCCESS TRiALOsmosis Pür Medical Skin Care’s Harmonized Water UV Neutralizer, also known as the world’s first drinkable sunscreen, underwent its first clinical trial. More than 20 patients with varying ethnic backgrounds and skin types were exposed to one hour of sun between noon and 1 p.m. after ingesting 3 ml of Harmonized Water UV Neutralizer. The study concluded that 16 of the 24 patients did not experience any burning.

FRESH VENTUREMiraMar Advanced Beauty and Business Education is a new educational company that brings vendor-neutral beauty training to licensed professionals. Owners Miranda Bowey and Mary Turner travel and teach extensively to bring interactive hands on classes to various locations. Bowey and Turner are licensed estheticians with more than 35 years of combined experience.

[email protected]

gharieni.com

877.715.2466bionresearch.com

877.777.2305osmosisskincare.com


YEAR-ENDREVIEW

GUIDEAll the tips you needto ACE your year-endperformance

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Year-End

EvaluationRetail Performance

And how to improve it!

by Dori Soukup

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Spa owners always express their dissatisfaction with a lack of retail sales. It’s a fact that the spa industry doesn’t maximize the opportunities available from retail. Most focus on delivering treatments without making retail and home care a part of the whole expe-rience. This leads to the loss of thou-sands of dollars in potential revenue to both the spa owner and the team!

Let’s start by evaluating your retail sales, followed by solid strategies to make the upcoming New Year your best yet for retail sales.

Assess your current performance. Run reports or calculate the following:

1. Retail volume per guest—Knowing your retail volume per guest is the best way to measure your performance. It identifies how much you’re averaging in retail sales for every person who walks into your facility.

Formula: Total Retail Revenue ÷ Overall Number of Guests = Retail Volume Per Guest (VPG)

2. Profit per square foot—It’s essen-tial to know how much revenue your boutique is generating per square foot.

Formula: Overall Retail Revenue ÷ Square Feet of Selling Space = Revenue Per Square Foot

3. Sales by each therapist—Measuring sales by therapist is very important. It helps you manage your team’s performance.

Formula: Overall Therapist Sales ÷ Number of Guests = Therapist VPG

4. Sales by department—Identifying top retail sales by department will help you focus on how to make all depart-ments more profitable.

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Formula: Retail Sales Generated by the Department ÷ Number of Guests = Department VPG

5. Sales by brands—This is impor-tant to determine negotiation strate-gies with certain vendors, and helps determine whether you should keep a brand or not.

Formula: Sales by Brands ÷ Overall Sales = Percentage of Sales by Brand

6. Most popular products—Identifying your best sellers will help you manage your inventory and give you the opportunity to position them in the right place within your boutique.

Run a report by products sold and sort it by most revenue generating.

7. Least popular products—This is a must so you can replace poor selling products with a better option that will sell and generate revenue. Identify low-est revenue by product.

8. Percentage of retail of your overall revenue—This is a number you need to know. Your retail should represent at least 40 percent of your overall rev-enue. Knowing where you are will help you set new goals and take action to achieve them.

Formula: Overall Retail Sales ÷ Overall Sales = Retail Ratio of Overall Revenue

Once you discover your current re-tail performance, you can set new goals and targets to strive for.

Fact: Although many spa leaders want to increase their sales, in most cases they don’t make it happen. Why? Because of the lack of retail systems, performance expectations and conse-quences. If you want to succeed in re-tail, you must take the following steps.

lneonline.com • Page 85


1. Retail System and Team TrainingFor any business to succeed, it

needs systems. Systems ensure con-sistency, accuracy and growth. Without a proven effective system, your retail success is uncertain. The system should include belief and purpose in the pro-fession. When I ask spa therapists why they chose a career in the spa indus-try, the number one reply is “to help people.” That’s a great answer, how-ever we are not helping them if they leave empty handed. Here’s how you can really help your guests!

First, identify the guest’s needs or concerns and then make appropriate recommendations. It’s the profession-al obligation of the team to educate and recommend solutions to guests in order to truly help them. Solutions should include treatments and home care products.

As a leader, implementing a recom-mending system and training the team on how to make recommendations is your recipe for success!

Training is an essential component of your success. It should be conducted often, and must include role playing. Just like in sports, the team listens to the coach, they have a game plan, then

they go out on the floor to practice what they learned. That’s role play… but in the spa industry, therapists fre-quently say “I hate to role play.” Many spa leaders accept that reply and don’t enforce the process. Can you imagine a basketball or a soccer player telling his coach they don’t want to role play? How long will that player be on a win-ning team? You get my point… role playing is a must. The more they do it, the more comfort and confidence they will have with the entire recommend-ing process. If you’re serious about increasing your retail sales and profits, implementing a system and training your team is a must!

2. Performance ExpectationsAs a leader, you receive what you

expect and what you measure. To im-prove performance, setting perfor-mance expectations is necessary. What are the team’s professional obligations? You will need to outline them in detail. Set targets for both treatment volume and retail volume per guest. Then mea-sure often. Don’t wait until the end of the month to realize they didn’t hit the target, because by then it’s too late to save the month. Just like in sports,

the goal is to reach the playoffs and then win the championship. In order to do that, the coach tracks statistics from every single game. You need to do the same. Track performance daily and watch your profit line grow!

Once you set your expectations as a leader, it’s essential to tie compensation to performance. A team member who isn’t recommending doesn’t deserve to earn the same amount of money as the ones who do recommend. Tying service commission to retail commission is a sure way to make the team recommend more. Compensation plays a big role, and it must be addressed if you want to improve performance.

3. Rewards and Consequences As a leader you should have a re-

wards program to recognize good per-formers. At the same time, you should have established consequences for those who do not step up and perform.

The lack of consequences is the big-gest mistake I see spa owners make. If the team doesn’t recommend, they have no consequences. Every day, guests come and go and they leave empty handed. This habit is costing spa owners major revenue. This is the only industry I know of where the team can perform only half of their responsibili-ties (treatment without retail) and still keep their job. If you want to gener-ate revenue from retail, you will need to set performance standards, and set consequences if they don’t reach their retail targets month after month. What are you willing to do? You can train and coach them, but if they still don’t sell retail, what will you do? How much are you willing to lose monthly because your team doesn’t view retail as part of the responsibility of their position?

It’s essential for owners and spa leaders to adapt a new philosophy con-cerning retail sales. Begin by viewing it as a major part of the spa’s offering, your business growth and your sustain-ability. Focus on retail sales and you will experience exponential growth! n

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MANAGEMENTTIPS

INVENTORY

Take Stock Of Your Stock

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by Dori Soukup


At the end of each year, business owners must close out their books. Part of the clos-ing process is the accounting of year-end in-ventory. Inventory management can be more complicated if you don’t have a Point of Sale system to track sales and inventory during the year. A spa has several product mixes to track inventory on, such as: retail products, profes-sional products, treatment tools and accesso-ries. This article includes general tips to help manage your inventory and calculate year-end inventory. This will establish the total valuation of your boutique inventory for the end of your accounting period.

StEP ONE:

Post all retail transactions for the year Make sure you enter every retail item pur-

chased and sold in your system before you close out the year. This will help establish your on-hand inventory and provide you with the total amount of products sold. The process will not only help you manage your inventory, but

it will also help assess your retail success with some brands versus others. It will assist you with making smart decisions as to which brands you should keep and which you should discontinue.

Run annual reports for the following:• Beginning of the year inventory• Total products sold—total revenue• Total units sold • Total orders

StEP twO:

Reconcile inventoryPrint current inventory reports, then count

on-hand inventory. If you find differences, this is known as shrink-

age. Inventory shrinkage usually is caused by theft, damage and returns. Record your adjust-ments to balance the inventory account with the physical count. An entry must be made in the general journal at the end of the account-ing period to account for shrinkage.

Shrinkage is calculated as such: Physical inventory - On hand or book in-

ventory = shrinkageCalculate the cost of ending inventory us-

ing the Retail Inventory Method.The first step is to calculate the retail value

of ending inventory by subtracting net sales from the retail value of goods available for sale.

Cost Retail

BeginningInventory $ 49,000 $80,000

Purchases $209,000 $350,000

GoodsAvailable for Sale $258,000 $430,000

Net Sales $400,000

Ending Inventory(Retail) $30,000

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StEP thrEE:

inventory concepts: Results you must know!A. CALCULATE TURNOVERKnowing your turnover rate will help you real-

ize how successful you are with your retail efforts.Calculating turnoverAnnual Retail Sales ÷ Average Inventory

(at the beginning of each month of the previ-ous year) = Turnover

Good turnover = 3Better = 4Best = 6Let’s say your inventory is $10,000 each

month x 12 = average inventory of $120,000 for the year. If sales were $600,000, what would the turnover be?

$600,000 divided by $120,000 = 5. Very good!

B. STOCK TO SALE RATiOAnother important concept relevant to your

success is the Stock to Sales ratio.Calculated by taking: Monthly sales ÷ beginning of monthly in-

ventory = stock to sales ratio Example: If sales are $10,000 and the inven-

tory is $30,000, the stock to sales ratio is 3 to 1.Stock to sale ratio must have 3:1—three

month supply of inventory. Any less, you risk “stock-out.”

The ideal ratio is 3 to 1 or 4 to 1.

Understanding how your investment in inventory corresponds to your monthly sales amounts will reveal recent spikes in invento-ry. Divide your inventory balance by sales for the month to find your inventory-to-sales ratio. Perform this ratio every month to see if the ratio is increasing or decreasing.

C. OPEN TO BUYRetail and professional “open to buy” bud-

get retail concept:This replenishment strategy determines the

inventory you need or can buy for the follow-ing month.

Formula: Sales - beginning of the month inventory and product order = open to buy

Know your minimums and maximums. Never buy more than a three month supply.

D. RETAiL SALES RATiOIf you have a boutique, you want to make

sure that you’re generating revenue. As a leader, you must know what percentage

of your overall revenue accounts for retail sales. Formula: Net Retail Revenue ÷ Total Spa

Revenue = Retail Sales Percentage

To ensure inventory success, a spa leader must assign one person to be in charge of in-ventory management and monitoring perfor-mance. Make sure to establish minimum and maximum levels by creating a flagging process in your software system. Use purchase orders for ordering, have a receiving policy to properly inventory merchandise, price all products and create a beautiful boutique for your guests to enjoy, enticing them to purchase and repurchase your products. n

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Dori Soukup is an executive coach, author, professional speaker and the founder of InSPAration Man-agement. She speaks at conven-tions all over the world and hosts public and private seminars. Her Spa BizTools and strategies have

helped thousands of spa professionals experience ex-ponential growth and profits. She can be reached at [email protected].


As they say, “good service is good busi-ness,” and that couldn’t be truer for the day spa industry. Your company’s bottom line depends heavily on de-livering top-notch service to your cli-ents consistently. That’s why employee reviews are a key tool to ensure that your greatest assets are working at their highest potential.

There are several key factors to con-sider when evaluating your employees, including their ability to retain clients and build a loyal following; their sales skills for selling upgrades, add-ons and retail products; their enthusiasm for continuing education; and of course, their attitude and ability to thrive at your spa.

A t G re a t F a c e & B o d y i n Albuquerque, N.M., owner Keith West-Harrison’s employee evaluation form breaks down with a one to five rating for most categories:

• Service sales (client retention, new referrals and requests) • Retail sales (retail to service sales rate, overall retail sales) • Attendance and punctuality• Job productivity and skills• Professionalism (customer service, teamwork and cooperation, personal presentation)• Employee strength vs. areas requiring improvement• Goals and objectives for the next evaluation period

“It’s important to share your expec-tations at the beginning,” says West-Harrison. “We normally give a 90-day review at the beginning and then we want to check in with them monthly to see if they’re meeting their goals and then we do the one big yearly evaluation.”

In terms of the retention piece of the puzzle, Harrison-West notes that about 30 percent is average for the spa industry, but since his spa averages a retention rate of 74 percent, he sets a retention rate goal of 50 percent for his staff.

“Retention is the hardest one to measure and implement. Life gets busy and clients don’t always come back when they should, but they might be

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E EMPLOYEEPERFORMANCEEVALUATIONyear-end review and goals | by Caroline Canetti

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loyal to the therapist and that counts for something too. Our high percent-age comes down to spending time with people and answering questions and telling them what to do,” he says.

Meanwhile, Rianna Riego, principal at Global Spa Vantage and corporate director of brand and communication at Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs, Calif., suggests expecting at least a 20 percent retention rate from your em-ployees. She also places a high value on continuing education. “You want to also evaluate them on how much are they bettering themselves? Have they improved over the last year in terms of techniques and how they take care of the guests and how skilled they are?” she says.

Employees’ attitudes play a big part in retaining clients. “The most impor-tant thing we look at when evaluating an employee is simply be nice to [wife and co-owner] Eva and I. And, num-ber two, be nice to the clients,” says Scott Kerschbaumer, owner of ESSpa Kotzmetica SkinCare, Spa 101, and

Delray Day Spa in Pennsylvania. “If we get customer complaints, or bad Yelp reviews about an employee, it doesn’t matter how many upgrades you sell, which is third on your list, or how much retail you sell, which is fourth.”

Likewise, Bruce Schoenberg, presi-dent of Oasis Day Spas in New York City and Westchester, N.Y., looks at the following factors first: “Are they following the protocols of Oasis? Are they getting repeat clients? Are they team players? Are they individuals that embody what Oasis is about? Do they get complaints? Our philosophy is not about a hard core sell, so while we look at the retail and if they are selling add-ons or upgrades, we evaluate them on so much more.”

Kerschbaumer’s retail expectations for his staff are simple. “We evaluate our staff’s retail performance daily not annually and keep it simple. Just sell one more dollar today than yester-day,” he says. Adds Riego, “you can evaluate them based on purchases to sales, but the newer trend is on how many items they are selling. You can say, just sell two items per treatment,

it doesn’t matter if it’s $10 or $100. It really depends on how you measure it, but for estheticians that should be at least 30 percent of their evaluation in my opinion.”

As for the issue of giving incentives for better performance, most of our ex-perts agree with West-Harrison when he says, “yeah, the first incentive is that if you don’t meet the bare minimums, you don’t have a job!”

EVALUATION DOS AND DON’TS

• Do prepare ahead of time and think of the message you want to convey.

• Get different perspectives from others in management, including employees, for a better idea of someone’s performance.

• Be clear about your expectations and objectives.

• Be frank but not critical, and be kind when congratulations are in order.

• Make it a dialogue, and allow the employee to give you feedback on the company and ideas on how to improve their job and goals. n

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by Caroline Canetti

INSIDEJOB

A look at spa owners’ year-end numbersp

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With 2014 nearing the end, now is the time to do what many spa owners often try to avoid—face financial facts! If you haven’t kept up on the budget daily, minded your money mat-ters weekly, or even crunched those numbers monthly, then your year-end financial revenue is your last chance to get a grasp on how you’ve done this year.

We’ve gathered a panel of successful spa experts willing to give us an exclusive look into their finances, explain the importance of taking a closer look at their numbers to allow them to adjust their spa offerings and business’ m.o. and make the next year even better.

Our panel of experts includes Keith West-Harrison, owner of Great Face & Body in Albuquerque, N.M.; Rianna Riego, Principal at Global SpaVantage and Corporate Director of Brand and Communication at Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs, Calif.; Scott Kerschbaumer, owner of ESSpa Kozmetika SkinCare, Spa 101 and Delray Day Spa, Pa.; and Bruce Schoenberg, President of Oasis Day Spas in New York City and Westchester, N.Y.

How important is conducting an in-depth annual review of revenue, profits and costs?

Keith West-Harrison: It’s simply essen-tial to running a successful business. People often spend months creating a business plan to launch their spa, but very seldom is it ever reviewed. The same items should be looked at every year. A successful spa is more than foun-tains, candles and soft sheets. It’s good to see the facts around expenses and income, and not the assumptions that can be made day-to-day.

Scott Kerschbaumer: The best thing I can say about year-end evaluations is to just do them. But, you really need to look at the numbers daily, weekly and monthly.

Rianna Riego: You have to look at what [you] did [...] against last year—did you show an increase? Where is that increase coming from? Which treatments are they coming from? If you find that your body treatments are increasing a lot and you only have two body treatment rooms, it might make sense for you to ask to retro fit a third room. So, you have to analyze where your revenue is coming from, what is the average treatment price of those revenues, what is the average cost and that is also how you determine which ones get a price increase.

Bruce Schoenberg: I’ll start working on 2015’s budget in the middle of November and December because by that time we’ve spent all the money and I need to see what we’re going to spend for that calendar year. So, I’ll know what my expenses were in 2014.

Where were your marketing or advertising dollars best spent?

Kerschbaumer: We spend the most on probably Google Ad Words. Our average Google spend is probably about $1,500-$2,000 a month. Now, I can drill down much more spe-cific on Yelp and I know that’s doing well for us. We don’t just have our Yelp listing that we man-age; we also do sponsored ads. We probably spend about $800 on Yelp alone. I would say that’s money better spent than the Google ad-vertising. We also do a lot of direct mail pieces, very targeted demographic type stuff such as women between the ages of 30 and 70 within five miles of our business that have an average income of $110,000 or more and we send them big 6 x 12-inch shiny birthday cards and direct mail pieces like that. We’ve gotten a good re-sponse on that too. Inherently, the best bang for the buck is our in-house text messaging and email marketing.

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Schoenberg: Well, for us, one of my pri-mary focuses has always been—and this is where I think it sets us apart from a lot of our com-petitors—with guerilla marketing. We hand out these little coupons at events and we are in ev-erybody’s face so that when they do see some-thing in print, they go oh, I remember them. We know that it’s going to help us eventually in the long. I send staff there and I donate a gift cer-tificate or I do something that will give me the opportunity to get in front of people. So, that’s a big part of my advertising and marketing. I still do print. I still do a lot on buying—doing SEO. We see the biggest spikes after we send out our email blasts and we put our promotions on Facebook.

West-Harrison: Our best investment always is in com-munity events. We sponsor the bags for the speakers; we work with the domestic violence shelter; and we work with the YWCA that gets us in front of the right people for very little costs compared to advertis-ing. We get TEDxABQ (Ted X Albuquerque) event here that was the most money. It was a mingle event for sponsors and people who were interested in volunteering, and we did an event that night where half of any appointments that were booked or gift certifi-cates that were bought would be given to the tenant committee for the upcoming event and we did $4,500.

What about specials or seasonal promotions?

Schoenberg: It would be around the holi-days, but one of the best things that we do is our Lost Customer Program. If we haven’t seen somebody in 90 days, we automatically send them an email saying, ‘Hey we miss you. You haven’t been in for three months, come on back in, 10 percent off if you come Monday or Thursday.’ We also run a program called Two for Tuesday. They get their second service half price.

Kerschbaumer: Our Black Friday event is our biggest and most successful promotion. If you buy one $100 gift card, you get a second $100 gift card for free. But what helped this year

is I tightened up the restrictions. This past year we did something like $96,000 in two hours. Valentine’s Day is the next after that. Well the package is primarily gift cards, but we did do a Red Hot and Healthy package, which had a facial, a massage and your choice of a mani-cure or pedicure.

West-Harrison: We added a new Piña Colada wrap and it did far better than I ever expected because body treatments are funny. Scrubs and wraps aren’t for everybody, so you kind of introduce them and go, we’ll see. But everybody loved that one and I think for us it’s because they are hitting winter when your skin

is dry and they get this wrap and it’s like, ‘oh that’s heaven!’ So a lot of it comes down to planning the seasonal things too—What are you doing in summer? What are you doing in winter?

How was your overall revenue in 2014 compared to 2013? And what do you attribute the in-crease or decrease to?

Kerschbaumer: Overall, revenues are a little bit ahead of 2013. I attribute that to hiring new

people that are busier. So, that has increased our revenues to where they used to be, and also the fact that we’re much more stringent on our promotions.

Schoenberg: We had a very difficult win-ter here in the Northeast, which hurt revenue tremendously because there were fewer days that people would go out. We actually had days that we were closed because of the weather.

West-Harrison: [The key] is not being afraid to look at the numbers weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly.

How were your overall costs in 2014 com-pared to 2013? And what do you attribute the increase or decrease to?

West-Harrison: This is a really good year for us. Normally the costs would run pretty even, but we’ve had about a 14 percent decrease in cost so far. How? Tracking with our inventory systems, looking back at the last year and think-

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ing how much did we buy from a specific ven-dor or how many new things or sheets did we buy and then planning for that because a lot of what happened that ends up costing a spa money is what I call the, ‘Oh s--- order. Oh my God, we’re out of that.’ So, we have to pay for extra shipping or buy one of something because it’s an emergency. But if we bought three we would have got a better deal and the shipping would have been the same [...].

Riego: It’s important to keep track of your expenses weekly so you can adjust your ex-penses based on how much revenue you are making. One exercise I do with the staff is that at the end of the day they need to send up a report saying what did we make today, and what is our goal for the rest of the month. It also makes the staff conscious of how far along they are for the month.

Other than looking at revenue, profits, costs, retail sales, and employee evaluations [See “Employee Performance Evaluation,” page 90], what else should go into a year-end review?

Riego: One of the best exercises I have been trained to do is to review not only your spa’s rev-enues and expenses, but also research who your spa’s competitors are. What have they done bet-ter? What do you have against them? What are your strengths, your weaknesses and your op-portunities and strength in the last year because that’s the only way you are going to understand what your opportunities are.

What was your most popular treatment or department?

West-Harrison: [F]acials are always a number two behind retail, which is number one.

Kerschbaumer: Our 60-minute Swedish mas-sage [...]. After that, we are particularly known for our facials—our traditional Hungarian facial. It starts at $125. It’s not short. You’re on the table for 70 minutes.

Schoenberg: The most popular treatment is our facial. Skin care in general is our more impact-ful department because of the retail component.n

What about retail trends?[See “Year-End Reta i l Performance Evaluation,” page 84]

Schoenberg: People are spending a tad more. It’s not dramatic, but I’d say our retail is up about five percent on the year.

West-Harrison: The thing I have found is retail sales is the one driver you focus on and everything else falls into place. If you look at the retail sales to service ratio—if it gets bet-ter—your retention gets better.

Kerschbaumer: We’re trying to build up our retail business because that’s where the profits are going to come from. But, how do you get staff to sell more retail? I ask them to look at their numbers and just do one more dollar today than you did yesterday.

If we haven’t seen somebody in 90 days, we automatically send them an email saying,

‘Hey we miss you.’

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15. PCA SKINGift Set• C&E Strength Max• Ideal Complex Restorative Eye Creampcaskin.com

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by Elina Fedotova

Aronia Berry Skin Care Cuisineorganic & wellness

The purple aronia berry deserves to be a royal member of the skin care ingredient family. This hardy fruit mer-its our close attention because it’s sim-ply bursting with antioxidants. It has an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC)* score of 15,280 umol TE/100 grams. This means that it has a high-er concentration of antioxidants than blueberries, grapes, acai, elderberries and many other fruits.

This antioxidant powerhouse is truly a multitasker when it comes to health and beauty. Aronia has tradi-tionally been used in Russia and other Eastern European countries to reju-venate and heal the skin. Each berry offers an organic cocktail of vitamins, minerals and other skin nourishing nutrients. The berries can be used to make tinctures, and consumed in ev-erything from tea to desserts. They are, however, quite tart. To reduce the tartness, try squeezing them into juice, or adding aronia powder to the smoothies you offer your clients.

I consider aronia berry extract to be an extremely effective ingredient for anti-aging skin care formulations because of its unique blend of phy-tonutrients. It is also particularly high in vitamin C (ascorbic acid), a scien-tifically proven collagen-builder and skin brightener.

Because of their antibacterial prop-erties, aronia extracts are a good rem-edy for acne-prone skin. Due to their high polyphenolic content, aronia ber-ries are thought to be so good for the eyes that they are actually recom-mended for pilots and drivers.

Aronia berries are also very high in anthocyanins, flavonoids responsi-ble for the deep red, purple and blue colors of many fruits and vegetables.

Studies suggest that these flavonoids have a protective effect on the endo-thelial cells that line blood vessels. Compresses and tinctures with aro-nia have long been used in Eastern Europe to improve microcirculation and blood vessel elasticity in cases of rosacea and varicose veins. Tinctures of aronia have even been used to re-duce high blood pressure.

Thanks to its high procyanidin con-tent, along with other antioxidants, drinking aronia berry juice before go-

ing to the beach may increase skin’s resistance to ultraviolet rays, similar to red wine or tomatoes with olive oil. Thus, aronia berry may slightly extend one’s safe time in the sun, but empha-size to your clients that drinking aronia berry juice does not eliminate the need for a good topical sunscreen.

Another reason to love aronia ber-ries is that they come from bushes that absorb very little, if any, heavy metals and pesticides from the soil or water. So even if you can’t find a certified

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organic & wellness | aronia berry skin care cuisine

organic source of aronia berries, you can have more peace of mind about us-ing them topically, or as food, because they are naturally organic.

Formulators will enjoy using the extract of aronia berries because their antibacterial properties make it easier

to naturally preserve organic skin prod-ucts. If you are ready to start introduc-ing aronia berries into your skin care practice, try the very simple recipe in the sidebar below. Your clients will ap-preciate its pleasant aroma and won-derful results!

The fact that aronia bushes are easy to grow without pesticides, herbicides and artificial fertilizers proves that high quality, natural skin care ingredients don’t have to be rare or expensive. Organic formulators have been accused of depleting the earth of endangered botanicals. My answer to these critics is that some of the most effective and powerful beauty ingredients like sea buckthorn, red clover, burdock, dan-delion and of course aronia aren’t rare at all. In fact, they can be found in our own backyards! n

*The ORAC test is currently the

standardized method used by the USDA for measuring the antioxidant content of different foods and supplements.

Skin Restoring Aronia Berry Mask • 1/3 teaspoon aronia berry powder• 3 teaspoons of white kaolin clay (for normal to oily skin) or organic oat flour (for normal to dry skin) • 1 teaspoon of raw, organic honey • Several drops of pure, warm water Mix these ingredients into a smooth consistency. Be sure to avoid using too much aronia powder. Because of its intense purple color it can stain the skin! Both white kaolin clay and oat flour are well known for their healing properties. Raw honey has wonderful antibacterial and moisturizing effects, and will nourish the skin.

Elina Fedotova is an award winning estheti-cian, cosmetic chem-ist and the CEO of Elina Organics. She uses the intelligence of nature to heal and

beautify the skin. Her edible products and skin care expertise have been fea-tured on “GMA Live!,” as well as numer-ous local Chicago stations. For more in-formation visit elinaorganics.com or call 877.384.8300.

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WHAT ARE NUTRICOSMETICS? Simply put, they are a fusion of nutrition and cosmetic care that support the struc-

ture and function of the skin. Taken orally, they are designed to improve skin health and appearance. While nutricosmetics have been popular in Europe and Asia for years, they are now transforming the North American beauty industry, as people are increasingly embracing more natural products to enhance their appearance.

ALL ENCOMPASSING

BEAUTYFROM THE INSIDE OUTBy Corine Crysler

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ALL ENCOMPASSING

BEAUTYTARGETED BENEFITS TO THE SKINWhat makes nutricosmetics entirely different

from other cosmetic products—and what people are often surprised to learn—is that they are taken orally. People sometimes describe nutricosmetics as “supplements,” but unlike true supplements, they aren’t intended to supplement deficiencies in the body; rather, they are designed to have highly targeted benefits to the skin, improving its health and appearance.

There are nutricosmetic products to help treat acne and even out skin tone, and others to help hy-drate the skin, targeting fine lines and wrinkles; they can also be formulated to complement esthetic treat-ments. Nutricosmetics are typically found in capsule and powder form, which allow them to begin work-ing from within the body. This is also why they work so well when paired with topical esthetic products and medical esthetic treatments. Nutricosmetics provide a way for spas to help their clients achieve a comprehensive skin care program—one that be-gins internally.

GETTING TO KNOW NUTRICOSMETICSFor esthetic professionals who are still new to

nutricosmetics and their benefits, Kathryn Sawers, medical esthetician and principal at Collective Skin Care, Vancouver, Canada, suggests that “the best way to go about integrating nutricosmetics as a component of spa treatments is to discuss it during an in-depth consultation, whereby the client opts in for a course of treatment based on their goals and the skin concerns which have been identified—the pricing and quote for their customized treatments includes their nutricosmetics…therefore, both the intrinsic and extrinsic components of aging are be-ing addressed.”

EDUCATING THE CLIENTSThe key to successfully educating your clients

on the value of a nutricosmetic product is incorpo-rating the philosophy that the synergistic effect of treating both the internal (controlling free radicals, oxidative stress, inflammation and providing specific nutrients to feed the body’s processes) and external (sun protection, cleansing and exfoliation, as well as hydration) factors of aging will significantly improve the outcome of their treatments and the general maintenance of their skin health.

FROM THE INSIDE OUT


Take, for example, Cindy Merrill O’Brien, owner and esthetician at Cindy O’Brien Aesthetics in Napa Valley, Calif., who has been offering a nutricosmetic line to her clients for more than five years.

According to O’Brien, the key to successfully incorporating this concept is by starting with basic lifestyle components.

“I start with a good intake form asking my new clients what they want to achieve and how they are going about it currently. In doing so, we discuss skin care, lifestyle and supplements,” O’Brien says. “I honestly believe 70 percent of our skin’s health and appearance is based on home care and lifestyle. All my treatments are aimed at wound healing, and healing starts at the cellular level.”

O’Brien’s nutricosmetic protocol begins with cleansing the body. “Skin is the largest detox organ in the body,” she says. “Start your clients on the detox first, which will give them a jumpstart to full body health and wellness… My clients find they have residual benefits to gorgeous skin, and a healthy, energized body! Who wouldn’t want that?”

Dr. Cory S. Goldberg, a Canadian plastic and craniofacial surgeon, and medical director for Sanctuary Day Spas with varying locations in Toronto, Canada, implements a nutricosmetic regime into his patients’ cosmetic programs.

“By offering my patients nutraceuticals with their procedure or beauty program, I believe that I am providing them with the necessary tools for the best possible outcome—whether that be a reduction in downtime by decreasing bruising and swelling, or by improving general skin health. Targeting free radicals and minimizing oxidative stress is the key to assisting the aging process, therefore, there are many benefits to introducing a nutricosmetic line to a clinical practice.”

INTRODUCING IT INTO YOUR SPASome of the simplest ways to introduce

and incorporate a nutricosmetic line into your spa treatment programs are to ensure that you’ve selected a line that has been specifically formulated for targeted skin benefits, which complements your services; and one that offers educational support to your staff by providing them with the best possible training, as well as the tools they need to effectively sell the line.

Once you’ve found the right line for your practice, it’s beneficial to build it into your treatment protocols, and also make it a key component in your clients’ home-care beauty routine, along with their topical products.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FORWhen searching for a nutricosmetic line, look

for products that contain lycopene, coenzyme Q10, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) for pho-toprotection and photodamage. This type of nutricosmetic pairs well with facials and topical products to brighten the complexion and treat hyperpigmentation. Products containing omega oils such as krill oil or sea buckthorn berry oil are highly effective at providing moisture and hydration to the skin, and promoting a glowing complexion. They can be paired with any anti-aging facials, or to help treat dry, dehydrated skin, or skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea and inflamed skin.Nutricosmetic formulations developed for detoxification and cleansing can be incorporated into acne programs, lymphatic treatments and body contouring services. It is key to look for products that do not contain laxa-tives, and that support healthy diet protocols.

As a final note, it’s often best to keep pro-tocols simple and easy to follow in order to en-sure compliance. It’s also important to explain to your clients that a full skin cycle averages 28 days, and with a nutricosmetic product it may take anywhere from one to three months to achieve noticeable results, as it treats the skin both inside and out.

Internal wellness is essential for healthy skin and aging. It’s the first step to combat acceler-ated aging. By incorporating a nutricosmetic product line into your practice, you’re offering your clients a way to connect internal and exter-nal treatments—specifically, to address all com-ponents of skin health and the aging process. n

organic & wellness | all encompassing beauty

Corina Crysler is one of North America’s leading natural health products experts. As a project manager with a Canadian regu-latory consulting firm, Crysler led the Natural Health Products division to new heights by implementing strategies to ex-

pedite Health Canada’s approval process. As the active co-founder, executive director and key for-mulator at GliSODin Skin Nutrients, Crysler knows that consumers are receiving top-of-the-line ingre-dients with proven results.

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HWATER

OLDYOUR

Preserving Nature’s Most PreciousResource In The SpaBy Paul Schmidt

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Preserving Nature’s Most PreciousResource In The Spa

WATER AND WELLNESS go hand in hand, as do wellness and spas. A spa couldn’t exist without water. In fact, the word spa is actually an ac-ronym translated to mean “health by water” (salus per agua) in Latin.

Naturally, a spa’s focus on wellness makes water a crucial component to the spa experience and func-tionality. Without water for treatments, drinking, tubs, pools, showers, laundry, cleaning and landscaping, a spa wouldn’t be able to function. However, in an era of water shortages, spas can be leaders in sustainability and strive to be eco-friendly in every way possible, and the importance of conserving water cannot be denied. The EPA states that the demand for water has tripled in the last 50 years in the United States, and that 36 states are currently facing water shortages.

Fortunately, there are many approaches to sus-tainable water management that spas can practice, including tactics for efficient use as well as wastewa-ter considerations. Many spas have now found simple ways to conserve, recycle and re-use water every day. So how does a business that is so grounded in the healing powers of this elemental resource balance the growing need to conserve it?


WATER FOR AMBIANCEMany spas have beautiful fountains and waterfall features that do won-ders for ambiance and noise abate-ment, creating a peaceful inward fo-cused environment that works toward erasing stress and enhances the guest experience immediately. Very few in-stallations are built with flow through systems anymore, as this is the most wasteful approach. Hence, recirculat-ing systems are common.

Spa Verde, under construction in Jackson Hole, Wyo., is going one step further with plans to direct flowing spring water off the nearby mountain right through the spa’s water features before being eventually used for irri-gation. While this is certainly not pos-sible for many locations, the thinking involved in simply borrowing an al-ready flowing stream and running it through a spa is the kind of creativity that many successful sustainability programs are built on.

WATER FORTREATMENTSSpa body treatments range in water consumption needs, with tub and Vichy shower experiences requiring the most water.

While it isn’t possible in all cases, some spas in highly sensitive water

conservation areas have eliminated these treatments.

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone, Calif., even offers a “bath” treatment that requires no water at all. For the Cedar Enzyme Bath, wooden tubs are filled with a blend of finely ground cedar, rice bran and plant enzymes imported from Japan. These ingredients naturally ferment, creating biologically generated warmth that mimics the body’s natural metabolic process.

WATER FOR LAUNDRYSpas generate huge volumes of soiled linens, and for many properties the laundry process is the largest single consumer of water. It has been estimated that up to 30 percent of a spa’s total water con-sumption is dedicated to cleaning and sanitizing laundry. Since washing dirty linens requires the most water of any spa operation, reviewing protocols can reveal opportunities to reduce

organic & wellness | hold your water

the number of face, hand and body towels required for a treatment, and can end up saving as much as three gallons per pound of laundry.

The Willow Stream Spa at the fresh water challenged Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda, recently revised their body treatment proto-cols, so now they require only nine separate hand and face towels during a single signature scrub/bath experi-ence, whereas they were once using up to 17.

Invest in High Technology EquipmentDuke Kaluck at Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe, N.M., invested in a wash-ing machine from Aquarecycle, which automatically filters wash water, recy-cling it for use with the next load of laundry. This technology has reduced the laundry water needs at the lux-ury mountain hot tub spa resort by 75 percent, or more than nine mil-

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www.rapidlash.com 877.760.6677

Put the “WOW” back in your brow!

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lion gallons in less than four years! Kaluck’s investment paid for itself in short order, and the savings are now contributing real dollar value to the bottom line.

There are other emerging tech-nologies that effectively clean laundry with as little as one tenth or less of the water as conventional systems. One of the most promising is the Xeros washer, developed in the UK, which utilizes the absorptive properties of nylon polymer beads. These systems are proven, and when the technology becomes affordable and is effectively adapted to high volume commercial applications, it’s hard to imagine why we would ever consider using water to clean fabrics again. Even if you aren’t able to invest in these high tech solutions, there are simple practices that increase laundry water efficiency.

Water for Pools and Hot TubsLuxurious sun decks with facilities to swim and immerse oneself in water of various temperatures are central features at many resort spas. Much of this water ends up being lost to evaporation, especially with outdoor installations. Many facilities, like the spa at Cavallo Point in water-starved North California and the Cliff Spa at Snowbird’s arid high altitude moun-tain resort outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, pull covers over their outdoor water features when they’re not in use. These thin, insulated covers float directly on the water surface and dra-matically reduce this loss. This has the added bonus of also reducing the amount of energy required to heat, filter and sanitize these facilities.

Water WastedIn addition to water being overused in a spa, there is the problem of ex-cessive water being lost down the drain. Since much of this “grey water” is still relatively clean, it makes sense to save at least some of it from being wasted and divert it to other uses not dependent on potable water.

At the Hawaii Island Retreat in Kapaau, Hawaii, laundry water is al-lowed to flow onto taro and pumpkin fields. Further enhancing the positive effect is the Hawaii Island Retreat’s proprietor Jean Sunderland’s use of an organic melaleuca oil-based laun-dry soap that’s healthy for the plants irrigated by the grey water.

These efforts, along with salt pu-rification, solar water heating, lush gardens and other strategies con-tributed to this Big Island Spa being honored with the Hawaii State Green Business Award.

Some hotels and resorts in fresh water scarce environments, like the Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda, find it cost effective to separate the pipes that provide water for toilets from the shower and sink systems and use captured grey water for flushing.

Water ServedFinally, another staple of any spa

experience is drinking water, an integral part of health and purification that all spas offer to their guests and staff. It’s imperative to offer water that’s fresh, clean and pure without breaking the economic or environmental bank. The convenience of bottled water is an at-tractive solution for many spas, but while hygiene is ensured in the sealed


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The EPA states that the demand for water has tripled in the last 50 years in the United States, and that 36 states are

currently facing water shortages.


bottles, the impact generated by wasting so much plastic makes this one of the least green solutions possible. The Osmosis Day Spa in Sebastapool, Calif., filters water onsite and serves it in washable reusable glasses or ceramic cups, which reduces waste and satisfies the needs of both staff and guests for a refreshing drink.

Spas can be a great catalyst for personal well-being, and with care and planning, they can also contribute to environ-mental well-being in a way that’s good for both customers and the bottom line.


Spa Solutions for Water Conservation

Check fixtures for leaks.

If your system operates at a high pressure, install low flow shower and faucet fixtures to reduce the amount of water used for basic needs.

Don’t use water for the sake of ambiance in the areas of the spa that are dark or experienced with closed eyes. Instead, incorporate high quality audio systems to reproduce the sound of trickling water, transforming a treatment room into a rainforest or ocean shore.

Serve filtered drinking water in reusable cups.

Employ the following laundry practices:

Fill up your washer to capacity Reduce your overall laundry load Make sustainable linen purchasing choices Encourage guests to be conservative in their use of towels Train your staff to be conscious of their use of linens

Capture “grey water” in tanks or otherwise divert it for use in irrigation.

Communicate clearly and openly with guests and staff about your goals and the impact of your conservation strategy; they will probably make efforts on their part, and they will likely applaud your efforts!

Consider investing in some of the following water sav-ing appliances or fixtures:

Dual flush toilets can bring down the water usage to 0.8 gallons of water per flush Faucets with timed flow for your back office areas n

Paul Schmidt is executive director for the Green Spa Network. Schmidt has been an innovator in the business of health and wellness for more than 25 years. He began his career as a body worker, and moved on to be an educator, spa director, owner, wellness center developer and consultant. Schmidt has volunteered on boards for Healing

Mountain Massage School, Eagle Gate College, the International Spa Association and the Jackson Hole Destination Wellness Committee.

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FrUITY TrEATJuice Beauty introduces its Green Apple Peel Nightly Brightening Pads. The nightly pads were developed to brighten, smooth and tone while reducing the appearance of dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles, says the company. The eco-friendly bamboo pads are saturated with antioxidant-rich organic fruit acids, extracts of dulse algae, vitamin B3 an hyaluronic acids.

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WHIPPING ArOMAFarmHouse Fresh’s Sweet Tea is a sugary scrub that tempts the senses with essences of ginger, peach and white tea, while exfoliating rough spots and hydrating skin with vitamin-enriched shea butter, says the company.

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This LookSkin is enhanced by deep silver. Here, a shea butter body crème is blended with the metal shimmer to create a bright silver body sheen to heighten the effect. The inner third of the eyes are lined in silver, and lips are painted in a pure cinnamon glaze. A silver sparkle enhances the inner lip area. Nails: Manicurist Isadora RiosDior Incognito, Essie Aruba Blue, Marc Jacobs Gatsby and Mac Jade DragoFoundation: Probase

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blastthatFUZZ! Spa Treatments For Vellus Hair Removal

by Alice Soares

Downy, peach fuzz, duvet… these terms are often used to refer to the tiny hairs growing on undesirable areas of a woman’s face, including the cheeks, chin and around the lips. Why aren’t we hearing these terms every day in the spa industry? It could very well be that wom-en are so embarrassed by this hair that very few of them are actually seeking our help!

The short, fine hair that develops on most of the body beginning in childhood is called vellus hair. While it grows from a shallow depth, facial vellus hair can be very long and thick, while at the same time light in color. In addition to being unattractive on its own, vellus hair also absorbs dirt, oil, environmental toxins and excess product, making its removal even more worthwhile for the sake of a clean, glowing complexion.

Offering a solution to this fuzzy problem can make your spa a go-to haven for the many women among your clientele who are hesitant to seek help. Spas and medical spas can offer the following services to eliminate vellus hair.

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• WAXINGOne of the oldest and most effective hair removal

procedures, waxing pulls hair out at the root. This weak-ens the hair so it grows back finer, lighter and less bushy.

Apply hard, hot wax for this hypersensitive area. Look for wax that envelops the hair and doesn’t stick to the skin, as it is unpleasant for clients if you have to pick at the skin. A wax with vasodilating properties can deliver pain free sessions. Apply a non-oily post-depilatory product to the waxed area immediately after to relieve the irritation.

Contraindications:• Thin, fragile skin • Product allergies • Steroid medication

Average Pricing:• Chin or lip wax: $10-$12• Cheek: $12-$15

• SUGARINGSugaring is practiced in much the same way as tradi-

tional waxing for removing unwanted hair; however the natural makeup of sugaring paste (sugar, lemon juice, water and salt) provides a lower likelihood of allergic re-actions or sensitivities.

Sugaring can remove hair as short as an eighth of an inch. The hair is removed in the direction of growth in sugaring, eliminating breakage and ingrown hairs. Over time, regularly sugared areas experience a significant re-duction in the amount of hair growth. Since sugaring paste doesn’t contain any irritation causing chemical preserva-tives, it’s a good option for clients with skin sensitivities.

Contraindications:• Cold sores • Herpes • Moles• Topical retinol products • Sunburns• Recent facial peels or microdermabrasion treatments

Average pricing: • Skin above upper lip: $10-$25• Sides of face (sideburns): $10-$18• Chin: $10-$25

• INTENSE PULSED LIGHT (IPL) THERAPY

The newest generation of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) sys-tems produce a precise beam of light energy, which trans-mits through the skin to selectively target pigment in the hair follicles. When this light is absorbed by the pigment in the follicle, it coverts to heat, which in turn causes thermal damage to the follicle and permanently destroys the hair.

The heat also disables the cells responsible for new hair growth. Treatment of a small area may only last a few min-utes. Typically, a 20 percent reduction will be noticed in the initial treatment, and a reduction as high as 95 percent can occur after four to six treatments. The reduction following the treatment series is permanent.

Contraindications:• Pregnancy • Hormone Replacement Therapy • Chemotherapy • Photo-sensitive drugs• Suntanned skin

Typical pricing per single treatment (six are recommended):• Full face: $100-$150• Sides of face: $50-$60• Chin: $40-$60• Upper lip: $30-$50

image | blast that fuzz!


• LASER THERAPYLike IPL treatments, the end result of laser hair removal

is permanent hair growth reduction. It involves beaming highly concentrated light into hair follicles, targeting the hair’s roots. The pigment in the follicles absorbs the light, which destroys the hair.

Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute. Ninety percent of patients have permanent hair loss after an aver-age of three to five laser sessions. Single treatments are not likely to be effective; a series of approximately five treat-ments are generally necessary.

Contraindications:• Recent waxing or electrolysis treatment• Naturally darker complexions (Fiztpatrick scale 4, 5 or 6, must be assessed on a case by case basis)

Typical pricing per single session (about five sessions are recommended): • Lip and chin area, single treatment: $200-$400 • Lip and chin, series of five treatments: $1,000-$2,000 (depending on the amount of hair)

• DERMAPLANINGDermaplaning is a simple procedure for removing vellus

hair as well as providing a deep exfoliation for skin, bright-ening and smoothing the complexion. The provider uses a scalpel and a delicate touch to simply abrade the skin’s surface using light, feathering strokes. This procedure takes about 30 minutes.

There is no downtime for the client, and it can be done as often as every two weeks. Since dermaplaning doesn’t remove hair by the root, it may reappear as early as three days after treatment.

The vellus hair grows back at the same rate and texture as it did before the dermaplaning treatment. This treatment is a good option for individuals who are pregnant or nurs-ing and are not allowed to use peeling agents on their skin.

Many non-medical spas don’t offer dermaplaning, as it is beyond the scope of estheticians’ practice in many states. It is more often provided in medical spas and doctors’ offices.

Contraindications:• Allergy to nickels • Autoimmune diseases• Blood thinners • Diabetes• Open lesions • Hemophilia• Thin or delicate skin • Recent antibiotic use• Inflamed acneic or acne prone skin• Chemotherapy or radiation• Sun, wind or chemically burned skin


Standard Pricing: $75-$150

• THREADING Threading hair is an ancient method commonly practiced

in Eastern countries, like Egypt and India, but is becoming very popular here in the West. It can be a good option for those who are taking medications that contraindicate wax-ing or sugaring. Threading removes the entire hair follicle. A cotton thread is pulled along unwanted hair in a twisting motion to trap hair and lift it right out of the follicle. Only one sixteenth of an inch of hair is necessary to perform thread-ing. It only takes several minutes, and the results last up to six weeks. Over time, frequent threading can cause the hair follicle to become damaged, which stops hair growth.

Contraindications:• None

Average Pricing:• Upper or lower lip, $6-$20• Chin, $6-$15• Sideburns, $10-$30• Full face, $35-$60

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• ELECTROLYSISThe FDA and American Medical Association recognize

electrolysis as a permanent method of hair removal. It is per-formed by technicians with Certified Professional Electrologist (CPE) credentials.

In an electrolysis treatment, the electrologist inserts a small needle into the hair follicle, allowing a shot of electricity to reach the root of the hair, preventing the follicle from any more hair growth. Each hair must be targeted individually in an electrolysis treatment. One treatment lasts between 15 min-utes and one hour, and the process can take anywhere from 15 to 30 sessions to complete. The total time before perma-nent hair removal is achieved depends on the hair thickness.

Contraindications:• Pacemakers • Bacterial skin infections• Herpes

Standard Pricing:• Between $35 and $52 for a half-hour treatment

By offering vellus hair removal services, you can establish mutually beneficial relationships with many new clients—as well as current ones who may have been too embarrassed to request services for their facial fuzz up until now.

No matter what type of services you offer to take care of this self-esteem busting condition, do your clients a favor by creating approachable, subtle names that they won’t feel ashamed to ask for. Be THE spa your clients can count on to experience the difference of sensational, smooth, fuzz free skin that glows! n


Alice Soares, a licensed esthetician since 1980, has more than 25 years of experience in cosmet-ics and retail. She has extensive expertise in es-thetic training, and is now a trainer in advanced depilatory solutions at Épillyss. You may contact her at 800.363.1929 or via email at [email protected].

COMING NEXT MONTH LNE & SPA

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*Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa/American Edition has all publishing rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission by the publisher is prohibited. *Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa/American Edition is protected through Trademark registration in the United States and in foreign countries where Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa/American Edition circulates. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. Articles appearing in this journal may not previously have been published elsewhere either inside or out-side the United States of America. Exceptions to this rule will be made only by agreement in writing between the author and the editors. The editors reserve the right to edit letters and other submitted materials or omit letters that are considered outside the laws of libel, slander and good taste. Claims and other statements by written and/or advertisement do not neces-sarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher/Editor of Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa. Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa’s Publisher/Editor assume no responsibility for any and all claims. Publisher is not responsible for any mailing delays beyond our control. *Direct all advertising rate inquiries to: Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa/American Edition, Advertising Department, 3929 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, Florida 33134.

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41 .............. Revitalash .....................................................................revitalash.com ............................................................... 346

17 .............. Shira Esthetics ........................................................ shiraesthetics.com ......................................................... 249

33 .............. Sothys USA............................................................. sothys-usa.com .............................................................. 306

5 ................ UltraLuxe ................................................................ ultraluxeskincare.com .................................................... 116

Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #242

Fractional Rejuvenation for a Fraction of the Cost

Your clients and potential customers are asking for Dermapen Treatments more

than all other brands put together... make sure you have what they want.

Toll free:(844)4-Dermapen I (844)433 7627

[email protected]

without the pain, heat,

cost and downtime

of fractional lasers.


Documents

LNE & Spa - November 2014