LNE & Spa—the magazine for skin care and spa professionals
December 2013
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THE ORIGINAL SIN SI NCE 1958 Toll-Free 1-888-747-6342 | info@eminenceorganics.com www.eminenceorganics.com ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE PROVIDER OF PREMIUM SKIN C ARE
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CONTENTS DECEMBER 2 0 1 3
skin
VOLUME 28
N U M BE R 1 2
Building a Legacy 24 Understanding Best Practices 26 How to Achieve Success 30 Trend Forecast 34 The Allure of Multi-Networking 38 Skin News 42
How to Achieve Success
Hiring Practices are you discriminating? page 65
Greater Employee Engagement = Greater Purpose 64 Hiring Practices 65 Loyalty and Client Retention Go Local or Go Home End of Year Tax Tips Guest Usage Calculations Visual Merchandising Magic Breathing Youth Employee or Entrepreneur? New Year, New Goals and More Spa Profits Exit Strategies Biz News
The Scent of Success Introducing Natural and Organic Services Success in Your Massage Career 103 Organic & Wellness News 105 68 72 75 78 81 84 87 90 94 97
Ikat Manicure Method 108 Nailing Your Business 110 Fall/Winter 2013/14 113 Survivor Skills for Nail Technicians 118 Image News 121
makeup trends page 113
spa
organic & wellness
business
Fall/Winter 2013/14
page 48
International Wellness Expert 46 Is Your Spa Outdated? 48 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis 52 Pop Quiz for Spa Owners 55 How to Save a “Dream Team” 58 Spa News 61
in an esthetics practice page 30
image
Is Your Spa Outdated?
100 101
Introducing Natural and Organic Services page 101
extras
From the Editor 6 Spa e, Miami Beach, FL 12 Recap: The International Congress of Esthetics, Philadelphia, PA 22 Calendar of Events 124 Advertisers’ Index 130
Cover
courtesy of Dessange Paris
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
Page 4 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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from the
EDITOR
T
HE END OF ANOTHER YEAR IS HAS ARRIVED, AND IT IS time to turn our focus to 2014! Take the opportunity to examine your business and do an internal audit. Did you achieve
the goals that you set forth for yourself and your spa this year? You must review the past to determine the necessary course of action for a successful future. The December edition of LNE & Spa highlights business solutions, tips and advice on how to keep pace in an increasingly competitive market. Your spa needs to run as efficiently as possible. Now is the time to restructure, streamline operations, evaluate customer service and implement strategies for a successful 2014. The term “wantrepreneurs” describes those who want to build a business, but don’t take the necessary steps to do so. If you ask any iconic leader or successful business owner about their road to success, they will describe sacrifices they made to get there, and how they continued to pursue their dream and—little by little—ultimately became a successful entrepreneur! As you ring in the New Year, consider adding the following to your list of professional resolutions: • Learn the art of a healthy work-life balance by delegating more. “No” is a perfectly acceptable word to have in your vocabulary! • Be the leader and captain of your business. Don’t allow employees, stress and other influences to derail you! • Have confidence that your gifts, talents and experience can help you achieve great things this year. Dream big! Thank you for allowing LNE & Spa to partner with you in your professional journey. I am proud to be a part of such a great and resilient industry. I hope that you continue to grow, prosper and enjoy good health! n Have a happy New Year! —Denise R. Fuller, denise@lneonline.com
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Page 6 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
Introducing the Next Age-Defying Stem Cell Cream
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• DNA Protector • Increases Collagen Synthesis • Increases Skin Elasticity
skin than traditional ascorbic acid based Vitamin C. It’s a proven skin lightener, a powerful Anti-Oxidant, echinacea DNA protector, and increases collagen synthesis more effectively than ascorbic acid.
• Skin Lightener • Paraben & Fragrance Free
Orange Stem Cells work to increase elasticity and skin resistance to the dermis, which increase firmness and diminish wrinkles, while also working synergistically with peptides to further increase skin elasticity and collagen support.
Lucrece P hys i c ia ns’ A e sthe tic Re se a rch, I nc. www.lucrece.com Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #263 on reader service card
3929 PONCE DE LEON BLVD. CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA 33134 800.471.0229 (USA) 305.443.2322 Worldwide fax 305.443.1664 lneonline.com e-mail: tradeshows@lneonline.com subscriptions@lneonline.com
what’s your accent...
Publisher Dr. Jean Jacques Legrand Chief Executive Officer Rodolphe Legrand rodolphe@lneonline.com Editor in Chief Denise R. Fuller denise@lneonline.com Art Director Sacha Smith sacha@lneonline.com Assistant Editor Amanda Clinton Winter amanda@lneonline.com Director of Sales Aché Fougere ache@lneonline.com Marketing Director Christèle de La Haye christele@lneonline.com Conference Coordinator Laura G. Bazo laura@lneonline.com Exhibitor Operations Manager Mayli Tenorio mayli@lneonline.com 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
Forward Thinking Always.
Call Today to Find Your accent.
Rhonda Allison Krista Bourne Felicia Brown Judith Culp Lynn Curry Teal Druda Susan Etter Diane Graham Karen Hodges Jenny Hogan Donna Holm
Alison Howland Anne Jensen Rachel Lynne Johnson Brenda Le Grange Joseph Mandato Janet McCormick Tammy Pahel Mark Pinsley Douglas Preston Cristina Proano-Carrion Lydia Sarfati
Susanne Schmaling Jay A. Shorr Mara Shorr Dori Soukup David Suzuki Regina M. Tucker Ruth Werner Anne C. Willis Trevor Wilson Amanda Clinton Winter
Printed with 100% soy-based ink. This magazine is recyclable. Please recycle where facilities exist. REV100313
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Page 8 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
You outh t Shield Yo Protect against the early signs of aging
See incredible results naturally with our Youth Shield Antioxidant Complex: 10% increase in skin elasticity 11% increase in skin vitality 36% increase in skin hydration Results in just 28 days.
Take preventative steps to maintain your skin’s youthful
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minimize inflammation, repair sun damage, and
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moisturize while keeping breakouts at bay. To purchase
to balance and protect the skin while it fights free
this collection, visit www.eminenceorganics.com
radicals—the leading cause of fine lines and wrinkles.
to locate a spa near you.
THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1958 Toll-Free 1-888-747-6342 | info@eminenceorganics.com www.eminenceorganics.com ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE PROVIDER OF PREMIUM SKIN C ARE
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OF THE MONTH
SOBE SOCIAL SCENE SPA E MIAMI BEACH, FL by Lydia Sarfati and Brenda Le Grange
Almost 11 years after opening, the open forum concept is still going strong.
EVOLUTION AND EXPERIENCE DESCRIBE a revolution in the skin care and spa industry—Spa e. Located on the ultra-hip Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, FL (also often referred to as “South Beach“ or “SoBe”), this skin care center has reinvented the meaning of the word “spa.” There are no walls or dim lighting, and no stuffy spa atmosphere. The clients love this! Miami Beach loves it so much, in fact, that Spa e was awarded the title of “Best of
Miami Beach 2012” for the “Day Spa” category by the Chamber of Commerce. Spa e was established with the understanding that the typical spa formula was not going to fit the bill in Miami Beach, a location that is all about socializing and fun. Whether locals or spring breakers, the people of Miami Beach want to see and be seen. They don’t have time continues
Page 12 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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Visit our website: www.ladyburd.com
Email: sales@ladyburd.com
Clients in South Florida need more than just “fluff” to help reverse the damage they do to their skin with the hours they spend at the beach. to spend an hour inside getting a facial in a dark, quiet room behind closed doors. They want to party, be at the beach, or both! Something new and exciting had to be established to take on the Miami Beach market. The idea was to make a day at the spa a social event. Services are administered out in the open around a soothing fountain so that clients can interact with each other. Almost 11 years after opening, the open forum concept is still going strong. Perfect for parties, girls’ night out, or just as a place to stop in and see who is hanging out, Spa e has become more than just a spa. It is a lifestyle. Today, the 2,000 square foot spa is frequented by Miami Heat basketball players, the cast of BRAVO’s Real Housewives of Miami and former American Idol judges. The interior matches the feel and vibe of Spa e’s laid back
concept. Cool blue tones and sand dollar displays make Spa e an easy place for clients to transition from the beach to the spa. Oxygen is actually pumped into the spa to rejuvenate guests as they receive their treatments! The open forum gets the clients in the door, but repeat clients at Spa e can be attributed to the results-oriented treatments on the service menu. Clients in South Florida need more than just “fluff” to help reverse the damage they do to their skin with the hours they spend at the beach. With even just one professional treatment at Spa e, they can see the difference and they want more. With a majority of Spa e’s services being done out in the open, the treatments and products need to be ready to use as well as effective. Uni-dose packaging has been helpful, not only in assuring Spa e clients that their treatments are sanitary and consistent (no double dipping), but also in helping to control inventory. From a business perspective, uni-dose packaging is truly genius for a bustling spa. You never have to guess. You always know exactly how many treatments you have booked, how many you have in stock, and how many you will need to order. The service menu was created with the knowledge that the treatment names must reflect something a little more characteristic of Miami Beach. It had to be exciting, and perhaps even a little risqué. The name of each and every treatment was carefully calculated. One menu option that is a favorite with the locals is called “Afternoon Delight,” in which clients enjoy a relaxing hot stone therapy massage and a treatment mask. It is sexy and fun, and provides everything clients need to transform their afternoon from boring to blissful. When you hear about menu options with names like that, don’t you want to come see what it is all about? The treatment allows clients to enjoy a relaxing hot stone therapy massage and a treatment mask—perfect for helping stressed out clients unwind after a busy day at the office. Even the spa add-ons have catchy titles, such as “oxygen shots.” Clients can get a little “air” while they are enjoying their spa treatments—perfect to help relieve that Ocean Drive hangover. The treatment names resonate with Spa e’s target audience. They are enticing, and more original than your run-of-the-mill spa treatments. Spa e’s services go beyond superior skin care. The Spa e team is carefully selected and continues
Page 14 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
Revitalize with Revita-Cyte Complex Your natural circadian rhythms can be affected by seasonal changes, fatigue, stress and lack of sleep. This can lead to tired, prematurely aging skin. Our new anti-aging Revita-Cyte Complex, contains CHRONOCYCLIN®, an amazing new chronopeptide, that enhances these natural cycles to awaken skin; as well as MATRIXYL®synthe’6™ and Edelweiss Stem Cell Culture Extract which reduces the look of wrinkles, refines skin irregularities, and improves radiance. The Revita-Cyte Complex is perfect for use with Circadia’s SWiCH Dermal Rejuvenation System, or whenever Vitamin A is contraindicated.
Wake up your skin with Revita-Cyte Complex!
Upcoming Events Hawaii Spa Marketplace Jan 5-6, 2014 Honolulu, HI
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Jan 26, 2014 Delray Beach, FL
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spa of the month|spa e
One menu option that is a favorite with the locals is called “Afternoon Delight,” in which clients enjoy a relaxing hot stone therapy massage and a treatment mask.
trained to ensure the very best experience for each person that walks through the doors. The team is made up of more than just your typical estheticians or makeup artists, and more than just perfect treatments are expected. The team members are a part of the spa. From their nail polish to their clothing, the staff keeps up with the beachy theme. If they are not up to code, they go home. Guests can expect to receive five star quality customer service. It is so important to determine your market, get your concept together, and then stick to that concept. Everything that is done at Spa e is beach-based, and the team members are no exception. There is a no nonsense approach when it comes to Spa e’s team members. Everyone is an equal, and they are all expected to perform and behave as if they were the owner. This ex-
pectation of the staff has not only empowered each of them to diligently and effectively take care of the clientele, but forces them to take responsibility for their own actions. They are all entrusted with the success of the spa, so there is no single person who is responsible for its success. The management style truly reflects the “it takes a village” philosophy. Team members bend over backward to make sure that each client’s needs are met, no matter how strange or inconvenient they might be. That is the true definition of customer service! Spa e thrives from word-of-mouth recommendations, not only from customers but also local hotels and businesses. The spa also gets involved with local happenings to maintain a grassroots approach to marketing. This past spring, when the Miami Heat made it to the NBA continues
Page 16 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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spa of the month|spa e
Spa e also teams up with other community businesses to help cross promote. The business community in the area truly bans together to support one another’s success.
finals, Spa e jumped onto the basketball frenzy, as Miami Beach was flooded with crazed Heat fans. Special offers were created, and invitations were sent out to members of the famous basketball team to come in for treatments. Staff wore special Spa e Heat T-shirts—the airbrush tanning service was actually named “LeBrons” in honor of Miami Heat MVP LeBron James. This grassroots approach
to marketing is one of the key reasons Spa e has become a staple in Miami Beach. Spa e also teams up with other community businesses to help cross promote. For example, guests getting a facial at Spa e receive a coupon for a haircut at a nearby business, and guests receiving a haircut get a coupon for a facial. The business community in the area truly bans together to support one another’s success. In addition to supporting local events, Spa e also hosts parties, making it a cool, happening place to hang out. Last fall, Spa e celebrated their 10th anniversary party, studded with local celebrities and even custom-made Spa e champagne glasses. Parties and events have always been important to help feed the social spa concept that Spa e has established, and there is always an impressive turnout. Spa e knows how to throw a party! continues
Page 18 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
REDEFINES YOUR CURVES REDEFINES YOUR CURVES SLIM, FIRM AND TONE An Absolute Revolution in Body Wraps! IN SPA BIOSLIMMING WRAP Helps to reduce 1-4cm (1-2.5 inches) per measured area in only 60 mins*! Dramatically decreases the appearance of fat deposits and cellulite by 47% and helps decrease the appearance of stretch marks. 98% of women saw improvement of “orange peel” skin with a reduction of cellulite in just two weeks. 98% of women observed a decrease of 1 to 2.5 inches per measured area after one treatment. 100% found the treatment pleasant to have. 97% felt a draining sensation. 93% found that their skin was smoother* (*Clinical Study France, Lyon 2012)
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spa of the month|spa e
Spa e courtyard
Lydia Sarfati is the president and founder of Repêchage. She is an internationally recognized skin care expert with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. She is the recipient of numerous prestigious industry awards, including LNE & Spa’s Crystal Award.
Brenda Le Grange and Lydia Sarfati
Brenda Le Grange is an entrepreneur and seasoned spa owner. She is the owner and operator of Spa e, located in Miami Beach, FL.
Page 20 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photos courtesy of Spa e
Parties and events have always been important to help feed the social spa concept that Spa e has established, and there is always an impressive turnout. Spa e knows how to throw a party!
“South Beach” is the very clear and defined mantra of Spa e. From the staff’s clothes to the décor and names of the treatments, Spa e connotes relaxation and fun. n
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PCA SKIN PCA SKIN PCA SKIN
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A FINE
finish!
ON OCTOBER 27-28, THE INTERNA tional Congress of Esthetics and Spa wrapped up an amazing 2013 congress season at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. Dedicated spa industry professionals came together in the historic City of Brotherly Love to learn, connect and experience the latest innovations on the market. The carefully planned educational curriculum was a huge hit, as attendees took full advantage of the many learning opportunities available. The General Session was well attended, and all seminars were completely full.
Will Strunk, host
Christine Heathman, Will Strunk, Denise R. Fuller
Pinnacle Cosmetics booth
Cosmétiques France Laure booth
Lumavera booth demo
Longmi Lashes by Daniel
BY AMANDA CLINTON WINTER
Attendees also enjoyed the demonstration stages conveniently located on the exhibitors’ floor. As always, the intimate atmosphere of the conference facilitated quality networking. Key connections were made between attendees and vendors.
“I love attending the Philadelphia International Congress of Esthetics and Spa conference because it’s just the right size,” says esthetician Karen Wyatt of Northern Virginia. “I can talk with vendors and network
with my peers. I receive a professional ‘boost’ from the educational lineup, and am inspired with new ideas for my business.”
RevitaLash booth
“The Philadelphia International Con gress of Esthetics and Spa has an incredibly well-qualified group of professionals who are ready to expand their business. They show up with questions, plans and a de sire to learn,” says Eva Kerschbaumer, a North American master educator for Biopeptix Cosmeceuticals. “An extraor
dinary number of our best accounts are the direct result of being at the Philadelphia congress every year.” “Christina USA had a very successful showing at the 2013 Philadelphia show,” says Dawn Watts, general manager and president of Christina USA. “Our sales
General Session stage
Susanne Warfield, Crystal Award recipient
Germaine de Capuccini products
A Natural Difference booth
Vitelle booth
Éminence booth demo
Page 22 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
have been steadily increasing at each show and we look forward to the 2014 shows.” “It was great to see the turnout at the Philly show,” says Michael Ibbott, international educator for Derme.ca. “It was a very positive experience for us, and we look forward to exhibiting again next year!” “The Philly show was terrific,” raved Pei Eichel of TEI Spa. “We gained many new clients and had great success.” We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our vendors and attendees who were a part of the 2013 International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, Philadelphia. We invite you to respond to the feedback survey you have received from us. We are dedicated to consistently improving our congress each year to make it an even better experience for you. We look forward to
M’lis booth
busy floor
Bella Schneider Beauty booth demo
seeing you next year in Philadelphia on October 19th and 20th, 2014! n
Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa and Dermascope magazines cosponsor four International Congress of Esthetics and Spa educational conferences/trade shows annually in Miami Beach, FL, Dallas, TX, Long Beach, CA and Philadelphia, PA. Dates for 2014 conferences: Miami Beach, FL, April 6-7; Dallas, TX, May 4-5; Long Beach, CA, September 7-8; Philadelphia, PA, October 19-20.
Amanda Clinton Winter is the assistant editor at Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa. Email her at amanda@LNEONLINE.com.
busy aisle
PCA Skin booth
Bio-France Lab booth
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
FOLLOW THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF ESTHETICS AND SPA ON:
Osmosis Skincare booth
busy workshop class
HydroPeptide booth
TM
HydraFacial booth
Osmosis Skincare demonstration stage
Sesha Skin Therapy booth
LNEONLINE.com • Page 23
skin
building a legacy
by Regina M. Tucker
I HAVE MET MANY ESTHETIC professionals who have had big dreams and ambitions. These are individuals who want to make lasting contributions to our field, and to be viewed as beauty innovators and achievers by the generations that follow them. Leaving a mark on the beauty industry is not easy, but it is not impossible. It may take years of dedication and working alongside other industry professionals to make it happen. While there is no magic recipe to creating your legacy, there are some things you can do to increase the likelihood of having a positive influence on our industry. Here are a few keys ideas to consider.
Key 1: Commit to being GREAT No one ever left behind a powerful legacy by being ordinary. Successful beauty innovators built a legacy by being GREAT! Being great requires a commitment to discipline, perfecting and improving upon things until you get it right. We have all heard the saying “jack of all trades, master of none.” No one wants to be remembered as that individual! Define your niche. Ask yourself: What aspect of beauty do I aspire to become the standout face for? Are you an advocacy and legislative leader or a business and branding expert? The key is in finding your strengths, aligning them with your interests and building a personal portfolio that is consistent with your niche. After you have defined your niche, it is time to figure out how you are going to exist within it. A SMaC recipe might be useful here. In their book Great by Choice, Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen revealed that some of the greatest companies found success by being
Specific, Methodical and Consistent. This SMaC recipe is a set of durable operating practices that creates a replicable and consistent success formula; it is clear and concrete, enabling the entire enterprise to unify and organize its efforts, giving clear guidance regarding what to do and what not to do.
Being a great leader also involves connecting with both consumer and professional audiences.
Do you have a SMaC formula for greatness? A vision and standard of how you operate individually that is consistent, clear and concrete? The first step to achieving greatness is to understand your purpose and your vision for achieving that purpose; you cannot achieve greatness if you have not defined it for yourself. Develop an individual SMaC recipe to help build your legacy.
Key 2: Commit to being a great leader Make a decision each day to elevate your leadership. Don’t sit back and wait for opportunities to come to you. Jump in the middle and get active in our field. For example, within the professional organizations you belong to, do you simply pay your dues and call it a day? If so, consider taking a leadership role or chairperson position within your organization. Not only will this bolster your experience and knowledge, it will also catapult you into a role of leadership. Being a great leader also involves connecting with both consumer and professional audiences. Start
by considering and identifying platforms that engage the consumer. You might try writing for a consumer publication, or hosting a client appreciation day for your spa or cosmetic label. In regard to working with other industry professionals, you may choose to collaborate on a special interest project or participate in a charity event with other industry pros. Partnering with other leaders can also be very beneficial if there ever comes a time when you aren’t able to advance your team’s progress. Working with other leaders opens the doors for long term partnership opportunities. Staying committed to being a great leader is an ongoing effort. There will likely be detours and other conditions that impact your leadership along the way. Great leaders have the keen ability to be adaptive, strategic and decisive. This ability is a key factor in leaving a lasting legacy.
Key 3: Establish a winning record Leaving a legacy involves building a winning record. Each of your achievements is directly aligned to your legacy, and while concrete milestones can be monumental for a person’s legacy, oftentimes it will be more than a spreadsheet, highlighting strong financial numbers that set you apart. A winning record embodies a complete capsule of everything you envision your legacy to be. It sets an example for future generations to come. Your character, values and the example you set will all help your legacy to live on. The formula you create for achieving a consistent winning record will likely influence the lives of others for many years. n
Regina M. Tucker is an NCEA certified licensed esthetician, professional beauty writer and business owner. She holds a master’s degree in human resources development and enjoys researching, speaking and providing professional commentaries on pertinent topics impacting today’s skin care professionals. Learn more at BeautifullyYoursMetro.com or email beautifullyyoursmetro@gmail.com.
Page 24 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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photo: Carol Anne/Shutterstock.com
Page 26 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
skin
Understanding BEST PRACTICES IS IT REALLY IMPORTANT?
THE SKIN CARE PROFESSION HAS GONE THROUGH many changes since the late 1990s. For those of us who have been in this profession for many years, these changes and the speed at which they have occurred can be both exciting and scary. As technology has evolved, so has the variety of people performing esthetic services. Many have come into esthetics from different professions, bringing with them different backgrounds, education and viewpoints on how to perform services. At the same time, new equipment, products and protocols are constantly coming onto the market. State boards just cannot keep up. The primary purpose of skin care licensing and regulation is to protect the public. From the esthetician’s perspective, it also protects and increases the economic benefits of an esthetics career. The right way to serve both of those purposes can sometimes be a matter of dispute. This is where understanding best practices can help strengthen and elevate esthetics, reminding everybody involved that our profession is worth preserving. When a body of professionals defines their own best practices, it in turn helps influence the regulatory boards, insurance companies and manufacturers. To understand exactly what we mean by “best practices,” let’s look at some of the definitions of “practice.” 1. A repeated or customary action (intended results). 2. The usual way of doing something (protocols). 3. Actual performance or application (tools and techniques). 4. The continuous exercise of a profession (ethics and business standards).
Based on these general definitions, we can start to see a blueprint for determining our professional best practices. After the general concept is outlined, then the next step is gathering the current consensus within the profession about each of these things.
Intended results Understanding the intended/expected results of a treatment is the first place to start. Every service we perform as estheticians should be chosen based on its intended results, combined with an in-depth knowledge of skin treatments and the individual client, including skin type and condition, lifestyle and medical history. For example, we would not perform a TCA peel that is intended to remove the stratum corneum on a client who had a laser resurfacing treatment two weeks earlier.
Protocols It is common to want to skip the previous step and start here, but with all of the options available today, it is almost impossible to wade through every protocol that exists, so we must start by narrowing it down to just the ones that we know will achieve the desired result. The next step is determining a best practice for protocol. This method will simplify the process with general guidelines. As an example, let’s look at chemical exfoliation (peels). There are many different types of peels, with subcategories under each type. How can we as a profession standardize this to a set of best practices? Here are the steps needed to do that: continues
BY SUSANNE SCHMALING
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 27
TOOLS: • Gloves • Eye pads • Neutralizer
Ethics and business standards
Tools and techniques After the best practices for each protocol are in place, having professional standards for the actual performance of a service is important. This can involve identifying specific tools and techniques used. Here’s what that might look like for our AHA chemical exfoliation example: TECHNIQUES TO PRACTICE: • Wear gloves during application. • Provide correct eye protection. • Follow the correct pattern of application on face. • Avoid certain areas on the face (eyes, sides of nose).
Susanne Schmaling is the director of education for Associated Skin Care Professionals. The licensed esthetician, makeup artist, nail technician and instructor authored the critically acclaimed Milady’s Aesthetician Series: The Comprehensive Guide to Esthetic Equipment and Milady’s Aesthetician Series: Aging Skin. Schmaling is the founder and former director for the Pacific Institute of Esthetics, and has previously owned an award winning day spa.
Page 28 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: PutilichD/Shutterstock.com
Having professional standards for the actual performance of a service is important. This can involve identifying specific tools and techniques used.
1. Understand the intended result of the peel (depth, purpose). 2. Look at the skin physiology and chemical formulation of different categories of peels: • AHAs below 30 percent free acid (with a pH range of 1.5 to 3.0) are considered superficial exfoliation (reaching only the stratum corneum). • Jessner’s solutions of up to four layers are considered light/superficial exfoliation (not reaching below the basal layer of the epidermis). 3. Form general guidelines for each category of peel, with the provision that manufacturer education on the particular product used is also needed for a full understanding. For example, AHAs are considered hydrophilic and do not self-neutralize, so part of the standardized best practice protocol should include a skin prep and neutralization process.
Every profession needs a code of ethics that everyone in the profession can agree on and follow. This helps the consumer identify what standards will be in place, so they know they can trust us with their business. Licensure does not enforce ethics, but a code of ethics that is provided by a professional association can have this effect in a non-legislative way. A good example is the American Bar Association. A lawyer who does not behave ethically can be censured by the association and disbarred if complaints are filed and proven, a death sentence to their future career in that field. As an industry, we must adhere to a best practice standard. Business standards are harder to define. They may be as simple as requiring licensure to practice, or they may involve more complex issues, such as defining independent contractor status. It is very exciting to see the skin care profession changing and growing in so many different ways in the modern world. It is also a wakeup call for all of us who are licensed and practicing. If we do not find a way to agree on how our profession should be represented, and determine our own best practices, they will certainly end up being determined by those outside the profession. With the current movement in many states to implement a master level of esthetician licensing, this is a great time for us to come together and create our own future. Organizations such as the National Coalition of Estheticians, Manufacturers/ Distributors & Associations, Associated Skin Care Professionals, Aestheticians International Association, National Aesthetic Spa Network and others can help shape the discussion. Let’s strengthen our careers and the future of professional skin care! n
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success
HOW TO ACHIEVE
IN AN ESTHETICS PRACTICE
IF THERE IS ONE WORD THAT HAS BEEN MORE overused and misunderstood in career coaching and training over the last 20 years, “success” would be it. We have heard it used in motivational lectures, read about it in business testimonials and seen the idea applied to every positive story on career or personal achievement. “He is really successful.” “She is wildly successful!” “They are a very successful company.” This vague word sounds as flat and ordinary as when someone answers the question “How are you doing?” with the standard response of “Fine,” “Good” or even “Great!” What exactly does fine, good or great actually mean? When we say fine, do we simply mean something other than awful? Does good suggest that things are okay for now, but they
could or should be a lot better? Can “great” mean we don’t want to tell someone how we are really feeling? Of course it can—or not. The point is that a single word used to describe a particular status can be loaded with or emptied of what is actually happening—the true details of the situation. For professional estheticians (or any type of working professionals for that matter), the hoped for outcome of career success is a virtual given. Of course we want to be successful! Yes, we plan to achieve success! Sure, I know my business will succeed! These are all wonderful thoughts, and exciting feelings go with them. But what is success to the individual, and how does one know when it’s been achieved? In other words, what precisely are we aiming for when the idea of success is
Page 30 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Dean Bertoncelj/Shutterstock.com
BY DOUGLAS PRESTON
skin
the target? It is important to have a clear picture of what we are trying to accomplish in an esthetics career if any realistic plan for getting there can be conceived. In my experience of more than 20 years coaching estheticians and spa owners in business growth, I have seen that one overriding feature most closely determines whether or not one is successful in a career. It is the way individuals feel about what they have done and/or are still doing. Here are a few examples to help illustrate what I mean: 1. A spa magazine showcases a day spa chain that’s been in business for 15 years and has 10 locations and five more planned. Is this a successful business? 2. In a press release, you read that a skin care professional has just been appointed to be director of sales for a major treatment product line. Is this a clear example of business success? 3. You attend a spa tradeshow class presented by an industry expert speaking to a packed room. Is he or she a successful career person? Now, the answer to these scenarios may seem obvious in conventional terms. How could one have achieved what they have and not consider themselves a success? Well, look at it this way: Example 1: How much debt is this company in? What are the responsibilities of managing all of those locations and people? What are the risks for ownership if the economy turns sour again? Are they making any profit or just spending all of the income on expansion? Example 2: Will this esthetician perform as well as a sales director as she did when she was simply selling products in her own practice? Is she capable of motivating and managing a team of sales professionals? If the job requires frequent travel, does her family situation comfortably allow for the time away? Does she really want to spend so much time in airports and business hotels? Example 3: Does the fact that someone has managed to gain enough expertise to train others mean that they are making a great living from their work? And does a great speech automatically produce more business for the speaker? The only way to know whether or not the details in these examples have led to success is by personally interviewing the people involved and asking how each one of them personally feels about them. The great steel tycoon of the last century, Andrew Carnegie, often laid awake at night in his Scottish castle worrying about whether or not he was successful. You wonder how a man who had achieved so much could possibly doubt his success. One reason for that doubt is that Carnegie, for all his money, fame and power, could not precisely define the true meaning of success; therefore, he could not feel it. Achievement and success are not necessarily the same thing. Achievement brings certain results; success is measured in terms of how those achievements are valued by those that accomplished them. Clearly, only the individual can determine whether or not they have arrived at career success; they cannot be told that they have and then expected to believe it. December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
The same might be said for the idea of failure. If things haven’t gone quite as well as planned in a business or career, does that mean that one has failed at it? There are countless stories about great business achievers that at times did not achieve the goals they hoped for. Yet, to the positive-minded professional, setbacks are nothing more than opportunities to learn and improve in the next attempt to succeed. Only those that give up may qualify for the title of failure, and even then, abandoning one plan for a better one is a form of success in itself. It is only the way one interprets their circumstances that determines whether success or failure has been the outcome of their efforts.
With a clear understanding of the details of your own success story, you can properly plan and execute the correct actions that will make your dream a reality.
Assuming that you entered the skin care profession with the hope of achieving your own success in it, how will you know if and when you have arrived there? I use the following method with every career-mentoring client I work with, one that you might find extremely beneficial when creating your own professional growth planning. Under the categories below, list as many details as possible that are important to you in your career progress: 1. My esthetics work. Which services do I want to perform as a career esthetician? And which tasks do I NOT want to do in my work? How will I feel if I have achieved my goal? (Try to avoid using words like “good” or “great.” Instead, use words that more closely reflect the emotions and feelings you desire, such as positive, happy, enthusiastic, proud, etc.) 2. My business. This is what I want my role within my business to be like (i.e., independent esthetician, spa or skin care clinic owner, product retailer, educator, speaker or writer). How will I feel if I have achieved my goal? 3. This is what I do NOT want my role to entail (i.e., managing employees, heavy management responsibilities, preoccupation with finances and numbers, duties that prevent me from performing client services). How will I feel if I have achieved my goal? 4. Personal income: How much money do I want to earn, and by when? What income is NOT acceptable to me? How will I feel if I have achieved my goal? 5. My life. What personal rewards and satisfaction will a career in professional esthetics provide for me? (i.e., a sense of pride and accomplishment, a positive example for my chilcontinues LNEONLINE.com • Page 31
skin|how to achieve success
Your success will always be solely defined in the terms that matter to you. Pleasing someone else may, in fact, be your goal, but it will never offer you the real satisfaction of following your own heart’s desires.
dren, an independent lifestyle, financial security, peace of mind) What would NOT be a desirable outcome? How will achieving my goals make me feel? With a clear understanding of the details of your own success story, you can properly plan and execute the correct actions that will make your dream a reality. Nothing will prove more valuable in shaping your career. Without this understanding, one faces a future derived from random decisions and reactions that have no real direc-
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tion. In other words, you are not likely to be thrilled with where you end up. Vision and planning is vital, whether you are designing a home, creating a holiday dinner party or looking ahead to a great career. The rest is simply a dedication to your goals and the hard work they will require of you. You will learn as you go along, and though many of your original ideas may (and probably will) change, the new ones will benefit from the time and focus you put into the originals. Always remember this: Never allow anyone else to attempt to define the idea of success for you—not your parents, your spouse, your fellow professionals or even the examples you read and hear about. Your success will always be solely defined in the terms that matter to you. Pleasing someone else may, in fact, be your goal, but it will never offer you the real satisfaction of following your own heart’s desires. Of course, you still need the technical methods and skills to make your esthetics practice a quality product for your customers and clients, but those tools won’t lead to a great career when the details for your direction have been neglected. Plan for your success first, and then experience the success from your planning! n
Douglas Preston has a career in professional esthetics, technical education and career mentoring that spans 32 years. He was previously president of the Aesthetics International Association, and is a former committee chairman for the Day Spa Association, which named him “Spa Person of the Year” in January 2006. Preston’s recently published book, An Estheti cian’s Guide to Growing a Successful Skincare Career, is a top-seller among esthetics professionals. Contact Preston at preston@prestonskincare.com.
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Page 32 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
Spice up your fall with a range of refreshing HydroPeptide® peels and masks to leave skin bright, nourished, smooth, and looking years younger. Blueberries, apples, citrus fruits, and pumpkin create a range of exfoliating intensities to customize the perfect peel experience with no “downtime.” Skin will be left glowing and more even. HydroPeptide also offers a series of masks to clarify, rejuvenate, and balance skin, each delivering refreshing, rejuvenating peptides and vitamins to minimize fine lines and wrinkles. With combinations to nourish, hydrate, and brighten, HydroPeptide’s award-winning and scientifically advanced skin care elements can address a wide range of complexion concerns in just a few steps. Give your clients visible results while increasing your bottom line with HydroPeptide.
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Page 34 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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TREND FORECAST
skin
HOW AND WHAT TO MARKET IN YOUR SPA THE NEW YEAR IS THE PERFECT TIME TO REFRESH and refocus your marketing plan, a time to reflect upon past successes and challenges as well as upcoming trends. Being keyed in to industry forecasts, trends and shifts in consumer demand will help you identify opportunities. According to a recent report, revenue for cosmetic chemicals is expected to reach $21.9 billion globally and $9.4 billion in the U.S. by 2016, translating into an annual growth rate of nearly 4.9 percent. Demand for bio-ingredients, botanical extracts and skin care cosmeceuticals is expected to be the key driver fueling this growth. Natural and biotechnology ingredients, as well as heightened demand for anti-aging, male grooming and sun care products will also continue to grow. While skin care needs for 2014 may not change tremendously, consumer demand will. Consumers want more out of their skin care regimens and are looking for intelligent ingredients that will produce real results. Knowing which ingredients will deliver these results and what is trending for 2014 will help you develop an effective marketing plan and appealing spa menu.
However, no studies have yet been conducted to determine if there is glycation within the dermis. While there remains too many unknowns at this point to make product anti-glycation claims, ingredients that promote skin health and prevent degradation and inflammation may also support the skin against any potential glycation damage. There are many cutting-edge ingredients that lend topical support to skin that is weakened and aging from certain diseases. By nature, these same ingredients would also protect against glycation, and therefore could theoretically be called “anti-glycation.” These ingredients work to inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and now glycation (AGE). Consumers will continue to demand products and treatments that help correct their specific skin challenges such as acne, dehydration, uneven texture, discoloration and pigmentation issues, to name a few. The difference is that they will look for corrective ingredients that are also healthful without compromising on results.
What consumers want in 2014
The men’s grooming market will continue to grow in all areas as men look for products to help them correct specific skin issues such as acne, or stave off the signs of aging. One area that is experiencing a renaissance, and which will continue into the new year, is the lost tradition of the wet shave.
We won’t see a tremendous change in skin care needs, but consumers will look for more specialized solutions and intelligent ingredients. For instance, pro-youth and corrective ingredients will remain strong in 2014, but clients will also be looking for that next exciting ingredient to deliver results and support skin health. Demand will also grow in the men’s grooming market, as well as whole body skin care support.
Demands for pro-youth and correctives Pro-youth products, treatments and home care systems have long been a hot topic for consumers. Today however, they are more dialed in to the roles that science and nature play in proyouth programs, and they are looking for skin care options that will help them avoid or delay going under the knife. Consumers also want ingredients that serve a dual purpose, such as promoting health while fighting aging. This has become evident with the increased interest in glycation and anti-glycation products. Glycation is the result of a sugar molecule (fructose or glucose) bonding to a protein or lipid molecule, a haphazard process that impairs the function of biomolecules. While research thus far only shows this as an internal degradation, there are questions surrounding glycation’s impact on the skin. The theory is that if sugar bonds to bodily proteins, then it could potentially bond to skin proteins, namely collagen.
Men’s grooming demands
PRO-YOUTH AND CORRECTIVE INGREDIENTS TO WATCH • Centella asiatica • Helioguard 365 (porphyra umbilicalis) • Glycine soya • Turmeric • L-ascorbic acid • Resveratrol • Epidermal growth factor • Butcher’s broom • Chrono peptide and encapsulated retinal • Flowers – flower acids such as lotus and hibiscus flower, as well as bellis perennis (daisy flower), a natural lightener and brightener • EGCG (green tea) • Guarana extract
continues
BY RHONDA ALLISON
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 35
skin|trend forecast Treatment room and whole body skin demands Clients love options—not so many that they are overwhelmed, but enough that it allows them some flexibility. Be sure you have options targeted to various generations, the timestarved clients and men. Increasingly, they are also looking for treatments and products to help with body contouring. This is not a new trend, but now we are seeing consumers turn their attention to the types of ingredients they are putting on the body. The body will command the same attention as the face, and clients will be interested in biotechnology and effective natural ingredients that will help them achieve skin health on the whole body. Ingredients that help them achieve a supple, smooth and toned appearance, essentially giving the body a workout, will prove popular in the years ahead. Clients also want solutions tailored to their needs, including treatments and home care systems. Remember, as ingredient savvy as they may be, they want professional guidance on product combinations. Bundling certain products and systems together will grab their attention.
INTELLIGENT INGREDIENTS TO WATCH • Fruit-and plant-based stem cells • Hexapeptides and tripeptides • Glycolic acid • Monk’s pepper
Men are picking up this once popular, tried-and-true method to achieve cleaner shaves and reduce discomforts. They are looking for products—double-edge razors, badger brushes, shave oils and gels—not only to improve the process but also to deliver dual-purpose results. For instance, they want a shave gel that goes beyond just providing a comfortable shave; it should also improve the skin in some way by infusing nutrients into the skin. Men have a lot of questions regarding best shaving practices, and which products and tools are best to use. Be the solution they are looking for, and you will build customer loyalty through credibility and trust. Intelligent ingredients to watch: Exotic oils such as grape seed oil, orange oil, hemlock oil, clove leaf oil and cinnamon oil. These deliver potent antioxidant power, as well as antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory benefits.
A few spa menu ideas might include the Skin Fitness Rx (a body treatment), the Parlour Room (a wet shave and nutrient application for men), the Mommy-To-Be Facial, Teen Express Facial and other seasonal treatments focusing on specific ingredients. For example, pumpkin for the holidays, cherries and chocolate for Valentine’s Day, flowers for spring and exotic oils, cinnamon and clove for winter. The key for 2014 is to understand that consumers will have a deeper knowledge of ingredients, and will demand products that are not only healthful, but also deliver results. Throughout the year, be sure you are checking in with your clients and making changes as necessary to meet their needs. n
Rhonda Allison is the founder and CEO of Rhonda Allison® and RAW Skin Care for Men. She is an author and internationally known speaker with more than 30 years of experience in esthetics. Allison is a pioneer in the skin care industry. Learn more at RhondaAllison.com and RAWmethod.com.
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photo: AXL/Shutterstock.com
THE BODY WILL COMMAND THE SAME ATTENTION AS THE FACE, AND CLIENTS WILL BE INTERESTED IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND EFFECTIVE NATURAL INGREDIENTS THAT WILL HELP THEM ACHIEVE SKIN HEALTH ON THE WHOLE BODY.
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THE ALLURE OF
skin
dispelling the myths
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
succumb to the promises of unlimited income, money-back guarantees, compelling before and after photos and “studies” made to look like legitimate science. Some will end up falling for the clever spiel behind the products to become “brand partners” themselves. The key term to remember, after the multilevel part, is marketing. It begins with a story. Somewhere, a research and development scientist in a lab has discovered, whether accidentally or on purpose, a particular ingredient that affects skin cells. The findings are presented to a marketing team, who then spins the story about the incred-
The more you know, the better able you will be to talk about claims that do not make scientific sense. Your clients will come to you because they trust you to educate them.
ible ingredient discovery. Consumer focus groups may be used to gauge interest while a cosmetic chemistry team works to incorporate the ingredient into a breakthrough formulation. Once market research has been done and a marketing team has created an enticing product story, a new cosmetic is born. From this new cosmetic comes the decision on where to target the marketing for this cosmetic. Is the formula active enough for only medical offices or licensed professionals, or will it be sold over the counter at drug or department stores, via home shopping infomercial, or through independent distribution/MLM? For the rest of the non-believing, yet often targeted skin care professionals, what can we do about the constant lure of “new scientific breakthrough” stories, products and persuasive sales tactics that go along with MLM companies? Before you allow a persistent consultant to sway your feelings, and to help you answer questions from curious clients who come to you seeking advice, try the following steps. continues
BY KRISTA BOURNE
ANY LICENSED ESTHETICIAN ON A PROfessional skin care forum will tell you that nothing ruffles feathers faster in this industry than a question about a new multi-level marketing company with exciting new “technology.” A single thread on the subject merits numerous passionate responses, lasting for days—even weeks, on end. Call it what you will—multi-level marketing, network marketing, home-based business franchising, interactive distribution … they are all different terms used to describe the same idea. Multi-level marketing (MLM) refers to direct sales utilizing independent distributors, who are compensated not only for their own sales of goods and products, but also on sales made by people recruited by each distributor. As more people sign up to distribute product, income potential grows. Why are these MLM companies and distributors so darn vexing to licensed estheticians? Because experienced estheticians have worked hard to achieve licensing status as skin professionals, and yet any random person from around the neighborhood with enough money can purchase a starter kit and call themselves a skin care consultant. Since the first days of Avon and Mary Kay, and now with the growing influx of companies, professionals in the skin care arena have had to find creative ways to overcome enthusiastic independent skin care product distributors. Not only do they target esthetic clients, they also try to recruit estheticians and even medical practitioners to join in. Under the skin care consultant guise, MLM representatives communicate with potential clientele via social media outlets while touting their breakthrough products and business opportunities. They find multiple ways to participate in professional skin care discussion forums. By offering “facials” and showing up at professional trade shows, many of us believe that MLM consultants impede our professional integrity as licensed practitioners. Especially troubling to licensed skin care professionals is the fact that other licensed professionals, including physicians, sometimes
LNEONLINE.com • Page 39
Don’t fret, Marr advises. “You’re the professional, you need to let them know that although they have found a skin care line that works for them, they still need your expertise when it comes to deep cleaning and any modality you might offer,” she says. 1. Research, research, research. The more you know, the better able you will be to talk about claims that do not make scientific sense. Your clients will come to you because they trust you to educate them. The following reliable resources are great for both ingredient information and specific product lines (i.e., barefacedtruth.com, chemistscorner.com and personalcaretruth.com). 2. Marketing claims that mention biological changes in the skin are a red flag. For example, the product cannot “cure” anything (acne, rosacea or visible aging).
3. Ask questions to help you better understand the facts: What is the mechanism of action of the active ingredient in this product? How does it reach the targeted skin cells? 4. Learn how to study “before and after” photos. Closely examine the images. If something sounds or looks too good to be true, it probably is. Check the positioning, lighting/ shadows and facial expression. A blurry image taken with a cell phone is probably not a legitimate representation of results that can be repeated. 5. Ask about clinical studies and request to see the evidence. Although cosmetics are not required to be clinically tested before becoming available on the market, an unbiased blind, independent study (on the finished formulation, not just one or two specific ingredients) is the best way to prove efficacy and safety claims. Was the study against baseline, placebo or another prescription product? Look for p-value, which tells you if there was statistical significance (meaning the results can be repeated). You want to see at least p<0.05 or less, meaning the results of the study are duplicable in 95 out of 100 people. Then, ask if the information has been published or peer reviewed, which shows that the study has been assessed for accuracy and validity by impartial reviewers. 6. Avoid trade shows that welcome these companies as exhibitors. Any trade show that allows companies of this kind is not looking out for the integrity behind our education, licensing and dedication to our profession. 7. Even when you say no, it’s okay to be respectful. Trecy Marr, licensed esthetician and spa director at Nakoma Golf Resort & Spa in Clio, CA, says no with grace. “Regarding any multi-level marketing skin care company, as a state licensed skin care professional and a director for National Aesthetic Spa Network, I don’t and will not sell multi-level marketing skin care lines,” she declares. Marr goes on to explain that the products she can use and sell are professional strength and cannot be bought from anyone who is not a licensed professional. She does not believe that any product that is allowed to be sold by untrained/unlicensed persons is beneficial to the skin over the long term. The company has to
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skin|the allure of multi-networking
skin|the allure of multi-networking
include too many other inactive ingredients to decrease the potency of the product. This allows non-professionals to sell the product without causing damage to the consumer’s skin. Marr also believes that anyone wanting to correct, control or maintain the skin’s appearance must have a professional consultation with someone who is qualified to do so. “I personally am not okay with selling a line, as a state board licensed professional with years of continuing education—that my neighbor can sell door to door,” she says. “I do not have anything against persons who sell MLM brands. There is a market out there for people who want those brands. It just doesn’t fit with my business, professional and personal profile.” At least we estheticians can take some comfort knowing that as annoying as these MLMers can be, they are not really stealing business from us. And often, as fast as these companies start up, they fizzle, unable to sustain the momentum. Those who choose to participate in this type of business model rarely make a profit. The majority of product sales come from new distributors purchasing starter kits rather than actual consumers with repeat purchases. In fact, only 0.3 percent of independent MLM consultants actually see any type of profit, with 99.7 percent of the others losing money. So what happens when one of your favorite clients takes a bite into the MLM apple? Don’t fret, Marr advises. “You’re the professional, you need to let them know that although they have found a skin care line that works for them, they still need your expertise when it comes to deep cleaning and any modality you might offer,” she says. “It’s like going to the dentist ... good toothpaste is one thing, but you don’t clean your own teeth at home with the tools a dentist uses.” Stay strong and passionate in your abilities, my fellow estheticians. While MLMs will never go away, MLM consultants will never be able to replicate what we can do within the safe haven of our treatment rooms. Because we are able to nurture that trusted relationship with our clients, we also have the power to educate and protect them with the facts behind the marketing stories. Inevitably, one year’s fad discovery will fade and another will start, as sure as the sun rises and sets every day. When the next fad begins, arm yourself with the tools I have shared with you, and prevail with confidence. n Krista Bourne is a licensed esthetician. She serves as the director of esthetics education at Episciences, Inc., the manufacturer of Epionce cosmeceutical products. She and Carl Thornfeldt, M.D. co-authored The New Ideal in Skin Health, published in 2010.
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SKINNEWS
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Enspri introduces the latest addition to their Advanced Essentials collection with the launch of Hydra Balance. This firming moisturizer absorbs and retains moisture at the cellular level for complete, age-defying hydration. Such deep moisture retention means fewer lines and wrinkles, along with smoother, youthful looking skin, says the company. Specially formulated for both immediate and longlasting benefits, Hydra Balance also helps strengthen and restore skin’s texture. enspriskincare.com 877.367.7744
NEW PRODUCT LINE Bodyography Professional Cosmetics has announced the launch of the brand new skin care line, Bodyography™ SKIN. This new line of seven products is an extension of the brand philosophy of the makeup line, formulated without parabens or sulfates, and is PETA approved as cruelty-free. BodyographySKIN is designed for all skin types and promises to deliver anti-aging results and top of the line formulations to visibly improve the skin’s elasticity and overall look, says the company. bodyography.com
PREMIUM PEPTIDES The Perfecting Neck & Décolleté from PCA SKIN® is a targeted treatment product specifically formulated for the delicate skin on the neck and chest, says the company. Palmitoyl tripeptide-38, the next generation of messenger peptides, instigates the synthesis of matrix proteins to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while firming and strengthening the skin in as little as one to five weeks. pcaskin.com 877.PCA.SKIN
MUSHROOM MAGIC Amarté® introduces the powerful anti-aging Wonder Cream®, filled with a unique mushroom emollient that enhances immunity and shields skin from inflammatory triggers, irritation, environmental toxins and UV damage. Mushrooms are naturally anti-inflammatory, calming and soothing for irritating skin conditions like acne, rosacea and eczema, says the company. AmarteSkinCare.com 415.800.4453
Page 42 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
DAMAGE CORRECTOR
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ANTIOXIDANT POWER Daily Defense SPF 23, the newest product from Alchimie Forever, offers broadspectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, while also providing moisture and antioxidant protection for long days on the ski slopes this winter. It is lightweight and non-greasy, ideal for all skin types. Key ingredients include vitamins C and E, edelweiss and blueberry, Alchimie’s signature ingredient, to maintain the highest level of protection against skin aging. Blueberry further enhances the formula by helping to quell redness amplified by the heat of UV rays, says the company. alchimie-forever.com 877.920.SKIN
ATTACK ON AGING The Optimized Matrix Regenerative Cream from M3K Beauty is scientifically formulated to deal with all the issues of aging. It hydrates skin, retrieves that youthful glow, and helps reduce pores and fine lines, says the company. Key ingredients in the formula include Matrixyl 3000, DMAE, hyaluronic acid, l- carnosine, alpha lipoic acid and vitamins A, C and E. This product is great for dry, oily or sensitive skin. m3kbeauty.com 424.278.8324
SKINNEWS
DAZZLING DIAMONDS
The DNA Growth Factor Serum from DNA EGF Renewal™ is a lightweight formula that provides the delivery of a bio-advanced Barley Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), the only plant-based EGF, says the company. The serum is designed to self correct the negative effects of skin aging and reprogram it to act young again, improving advanced signs of photo damage to diminish the appearance of age spots, pronounced wrinkling and uneven coloration. It triggers skin cell restoration, renewal and growth, reverses negative effects of daily skin assaults to self-correct aging and photo damage, and improves the appearance of thinning, bruised and aged skin. Skin glows, texture is refined and pores look visibly smaller and younger. dnaegfrenewal.com 877.411.5476
MORE NEWS December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 43
RADIANT RENEWAL
SKINNEWS
Reinvigorate dull skin with the Reviving With a Biological Scrub from Nature by Valmont. This non-abrasive exfoliant gently and effectively helps remove dead surface skin to reveal a healthy and luminous complexion. The radiance enhancing gel melts into a delicate oil before turning into a milky texture when mixed with water. The enzyme-rich formula effectively eliminates impurities that dull the complexion, revealing clearer skin, says the company. A phyto-alpine complex enriched with white lupine extract stimulates microcirculation and gently revives skin’s natural, healthy looking radiance. boutiquevalmont.com/us
SKIN CARE PRODUCTS AND TREATMENTS
GIFT OF YOUTH A smooth, vibrant and more youthful looking complexion is a gift anyone can appreciate! Karin Herzog’s Oxygen Hyaluronic Lift harnesses the power of hyaluronic acid and oxygen to create the ultimate ally for aging skin. Clinically proven to visibly reduce signs of aging, this luxurious formula helps to replenish moisture, firm and smooth skin, says the company. karinherzog.com 800.261.7261
INFLAMMATION INHIBITOR Does dry, ultra-sensitive winter skin have your clients seeing red? Help them put the freeze on a fiery-feeling face this winter with the Redness Relief Serum from Control Corrective Skincare Systems, a comforting concentrate that delivers hydrating, sedating relief to skin that’s red from rosacea or other sources of inflammation. Chock-full of botanical extracts and skin-balancing vitamins, it reduces trans-epidermal water loss to strengthen skin, reduce redness and inhibit future flare-ups, says the company. controlcorrective.com 866.290.4290
VITAMIN VITALITY The Multivitamin Essence from Domina Skin Care is packed with powerful active substances. Argan oil and vitamins hydrate and nourish the skin to delay aging, increase elasticity and protect it from environmental damage. It provides skin with revitalizing antioxidant action, and is recommended for oily and imperfect skin. Multivitamin Essence actively helps skin appear more elastic, vital and young, says the company. dominaskincare.com 888.998.0722
Page 44 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #140
spa international wellness expert by Rachel Lynne Johnson
Caroline Klebl
INTERNATIONAL WELLNESS expert Caroline Klebl conducts training programs for yoga instructors and leads retreats in the Los Angeles area and beautiful tropical destinations around the world. With her intuitive approach, she introduces the postures and techniques of the practice to reveal the liberating quality of Ashtanga Yoga. Klebl characterizes the spa world as encompassing wellness, relaxation, beauty and balance. When interviewing Klebl about whether or not a spa should offer yoga, she responded with a resounding ”YES!” Many spas do offer yoga classes, as they help clients to experience deep relaxation, mentally and physically. In lieu of a massage, a spa goer may find that they enjoy yoga as much as a massage. Yoga is a 5,000-year-old tradition, which improves health and eliminates disease. Any spa experience can be enhanced by a yoga class, and many yoga centers offer massage and other spa treatments.
Ayurveda, translated as the “science of life,” is the Indian system of medicine, which is considered to be a science that complements yoga. In India, Ayurvedic spas and treatment centers have always offered yoga classes. Ayurvedic spas, which have existed in India for over 5,000 years, offer countless massage and beauty treatments, targeted to increasing longevity and eliminating disease. A spa can easily partner with a wellknown yoga instructor and offer a yoga/ wellness retreat throughout the year. A spa that offers a yoga bootcamp can target their clients seasonally. This is a spe-
POINTS TO CONSIDER: • Space allocation • Sanitation • Additional necessary supplies • Instructor hiring practices • Liability
cial event not to be missed. Book these groups during an off season, which allows you to reduce rates and supplements the spa’s income. It is all about partnering up with a hotel or resort group that is in line with your brand or practice model. Most of the time, companies in the wellness industry want to help support smaller businesses, and in return you bring new business to their location. As for growing your practice, there are many ways to get your name out there. Partnerships between brands can work fabulously. If you are a studio and have one location, think outside of the box and offer VIP mobile services, spa/ yoga party events, mommy-and-me yoga ... the possibilities are endless. Building any business is about networking and getting your name out to the right group of people. The majority of yoga fans are women, so do some investigating to find out who your target audience is, and tailor your services to their needs and wants. Create a cohesive wellness environment, where therapies and therapists synergistically work together! n
Rachel Lynne Johnson is the president of Rachel Lynne Johnson Public Relations in Hollywood, CA. She has worked with luxury brands, non-profits, wellness experts, beauty brands, interior designers, upscale clothing boutiques and restaurants. Johnson’s extensive list of clientele includes Wink Boutique, Artists & Athletes Alliance, iS CLINICAL, Skin Owl, Entertainment Fusion Group, Lashfully, Koya Webb Fitness Expert, Lucy B’s Apothecary and many more.
Page 46 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Nina Wessel
KEY BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR THE BODY AND MIND INCLUDE: • Improved blood circulation • Stretching and strengthening of muscles • Increased awareness and concentration • Reduced tension • Fewer headaches • Detoxification of the body • Assistance with weight loss
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Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #224 on reader service card
SAFE • EASY • EFFECTIVE • AFFORDABLE
IS YOUR SPA
ASKING A SPA OWNER IF THEIR SPA IS OUTdated is a question that can send them over the edge. The idea of change, let alone tackling a spa renovation—even a minimal one—can send shivers down even the most seasoned spa owner’s spine. But change is inevitable, especially in the spa industry, where innovation and evolution is integral to business sustainability. Spas need to maintain their brick and mortar and design integrity, as well as evolve and enhance their business as new products, treatments and equipment influence guest preferences. Wear and tear on a spa facility, both visible and invisible, has an effect on your guests, your staff and yourself. What do you do when you feel it’s time to update the outdated? Start to plan! Implementing the 80/20 rule of spending 80 percent of your time planning and 20 percent in the
execution will alleviate unnecessary stress and create a clear roadmap to the change that is so critical to your spa’s business growth. Create that strategic plan for what you want to change. Start by determining how long it will take and how much it will cost to make those changes. This will help make the journey less of a chore.
To change or not to change, that is the question The question is more than simply whether or not your spa is outdated, but what can you do to improve your spa so that it can be more profitable, relevant and competitive in a constantly evolving industry? Once you ask yourself that question, you are ready to begin the process to determine what needs updating.
Page 48 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Banana Stock
BY ALISON HOWLAND
OUTDATED?
spa BY ALISON HOWLAND
exercise isn’t a “make wrong,” it is about establishing an objective view of what needs improvement.
Make an appointment Call to set up an appointment at your spa. How quickly is the phone answered? Are you placed on hold? What is said on the phone? Are you asked questions that can lead to a multiple booking? How would you rate your receptionist’s phone etiquette?
UPDATES IN WET AREAS WILL BE ON A VARIETY OF LEVELS, FROM NEW TILE AND GROUT TO FIXTURE REPLACEMENT.
Entrance Start at the beginning. Pull up to the building, park your car and enter your spa just as a guest would. Is your signage and logo aligned with your branding? Is your entrance welcoming? What do you see when you look in the window of your spa? Does it look like a professionally run organization that is going to deliver an outstanding spa experience? If your logo and signage is outdated, your doors need improvement and the view inside your spa reveals a less than appealing experience to come, this is an area to update.
Front desk
Mirror mirror on the wall, who has the fairest spa of all? To begin the process, it is necessary to determine what actually needs updating in your spa. These items are both obvious and not so obvious; in other words, visible to both you and the guest, and invisible in terms of being intangible, but experienced or felt. Industry history has demonstrated that it’s a good rule of thumb to refresh your spa every three to five years, depending on how busy it is. From the brick and mortar to the behind the scenes operations, updating your outdated spa will be expensive, in terms of both time and money. In the beginning, this spa was your dream. Keep your dream alive by nurturing it with a much needed update. Begin the process by experiencing your spa through the eyes of your guests. This December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
Is your front desk/reception area configured to be “client friendly” and efficient for check in/check out? Or is it a bottleneck of guests waiting, phones ringing and staff conversations overheard? Many hospitality locations are eliminating the concept of the “barrier desk” and creating interactive areas utilizing iPads to welcome guests in a more personalized and confidential manner.
Retail Does your retail display look like a yard sale? Or is it more like an ad in Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa? Dusty shelves, old products and antiquated display units do not invite healthy retail sales. Work with your vendors to update displays, products and signage to modernize your retail area to reflect the updated direction of your spa. Your vendors will help ensure that your team is well trained with product knowledge, recommendations and sales techniques to support improved revenue. continues LNEONLINE.com • Page 49
spa|is your spa outdated?
Treatment rooms, locker rooms and rest areas, oh my!
Staff are people too! Your staff team is made up of the professionals who spend most of their waking hours at your spa. These are the people who interact with your guests every moment of every day that your spa is open. Your staff is integral to the success of your spa. Your staff needs attention through education and support. This means training them to expand their skills, and implementing systems to support a seamless guest experience. It is a fact that acknowledging employees for a job well done is one of the most valuable actions employers can take in any industry. Rewarding staff for going above and beyond a guest’s expectations, outstanding sales and service achievements are well deserved acknowledgments. Celebrate your team, and your team will respond in kind.
ARE YOUR TOWELS LUSH AND ABSORBENT? OR ARE THEY A LITTLE STAINED AND THREADBARE?
What’s on the menu? When planning to update your spa, a revamp of your spa menu should be in order. Price changes, new treatment offerings and policies can all be part of your menu update. And what is a better time to schedule trainings than while construction is going on? This is when your partnership with your key vendors comes into play. Schedule training to ensure that your team is well prepared for the new offerings on your spa menu.
High tech and high touch Technology is part of the spa industry, and there are many software programs available to suit every spa’s needs. Is your spa software performing up to your expectations? Think about exploring newer software with improved sales/inventory/productivity/ tracking reports. Look for software that integrates your website to your reservation system to allow for the convenience of online booking. Don’t ignore the power of social media, but be aware of using it to leverage your business, and do not overextend it. Now would also be a great time to update and upgrade your website. New visuals, new info and a new spa menu are all part of your spa update.
Hear ye, hear ye! Now that you have updated your spa, it is time to inform both your current clients and potential guests. Celebrate this milestone in your spa business. Now is the perfect time to use your new website and social media systems to shout to the world: “OUR SPA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!” n Alison Howland is president of Spa Success Consultants, Inc. She develops spas and their businesses, helping them with marketing and branding strategies, management, education and sales. Howland has successfully opened spas in nine countries, writes articles for a variety of industry publications and frequently speaks at trade events.
Page 50 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Blend Images/Shutterstock.com
Walk through all the areas of your spa that your guests experience. It will be apparent to you which areas (such as showers, vichy rooms, steam rooms, saunas, restrooms and locker rooms) need some attention. Updates in wet areas will be on a variety of levels, from new tile and grout to fixture replacement. Spa equipment needs regular maintenance. Evaluation of the equipment to ensure optimum operation is a must, and decisions need to be made to repair or replace items—everything from treatment tables to hot towel cabis to facial equipment. Linens are one of the most intimate objects used in a spa. Guests wrap themselves in them, use them to dry off and are blanketed by them in treatments. Take a serious look at your linen inventory. Are your robes still thick and fluffy? Or are they missing loops and looking a little worn? Are your towels lush and absorbent? Or are they a little stained and threadbare? When you lay down on the treatment table in one of your treatment rooms, what do you see when you look at your ceiling? Are there any cracks or water damage? Turn over and look at the floor through the headrest. Is the tile/grout clean and shiny, or is it in need of repair or replacement? Don’t ignore the lounge or rest areas. Sit in your spa rest area, look around the room and allow yourself to experience what your guests experience. Is the furniture clean and comfortable, or is it difficult to get in and out of? Is the refreshment station appealing and easily accessible? Do you need to change your offerings? Is the lighting gentle on the eyes? What sounds are you hearing? It may be time to change that crackling speaker and put in softer, more energy efficient lighting. Are your amenities in top condition? Or are they in dire need of replacement? By experiencing what your guests experience, you will be able to make clear decisions on what you want to improve. Painting, flooring, lighting and furnishings ... it is relatively easy to see what needs updating and refreshing in all of these things. But what about the intangible items that need updating? The so-called invisible items that are integral to the operation of your business and its success?
what’s your accent...
Forward Thinking Always. Call Today to Find Your accent.
Bio-Therapeutic World Wide USA | 800.971.6259 | bio-therapeutic.com Para información en Español llame al 800.971.6474 Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #139
REV100313
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS
photo: Mopic/Shutterstock.com
BY RUTH WERNER
spa
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS) is a progressive disease of the nervous system. It affects upper motor neurons (those completely encased within the central nervous system) and lower motor neurons (those that extend into the peripheral nervous system) with catastrophic results. ALS is not a common disease. It affects about 30,000 people in the United States, with about 5,000 new diagnoses each year, but some of those affected have been high profile people. In the United States it has been traditionally known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after a famous baseball player who was diagnosed when he suddenly began stumbling over his feet and dropping easy grounders. In his 1939 farewell speech, Gehrig famously proclaimed: “Today I am the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” In 2010, the field of massage therapy lost a shining light with the death of Nina Macintosh, author of The Educated Heart. The story of her experience with ALS has been commemorated in a book called The Days Still Left by her close friend and fellow massage therapist, Laura Allen. Perhaps the most famous ALS patient has defied every trend with this disease. Stephen Hawking is a British physicist who has survived with what has been called a “motor neurone disease” in the United Kingdom for several decades.
ALS is a bit unusual, in that while we know what happens with this disease process, we don’t know why. In other words, we understand the process, but not the cause. This is a disease involving a drastic CNS imbalance, with a flood of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. When excess glutamate is not neutralized or reabsorbed, it eventually damages and even kills the motor neurons it is meant to stimulate. Large motor neurons are replaced by fibrous astrocytes, which make the spinal cord hard and scar-like. The loss of motor neuron stimuli leads to the death of voluntary muscle cells that would otherwise be supplied. The term “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis” refers to muscle atrophy, related to scarring (sclerosis) found at the lateral aspects of the spinal cord. Possible contributing factors to ALS include oxidative injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, premature cell death and genetic predisposition. Some forms of this disease show a specific genetic profile, and ALS “clusters” have been reported in several countries around the globe. But 90 to 95 percent of all cases in the United States appear to be sporadic, unrelated to any identified genetic or other triggering issue. When motor neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems die, surviving neurons continues
LNEONLINE.com • Page 53
spa|amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Perhaps the population most ignored among those affected by ALS are the caretakers. For a person whose life is dedicated to the care and comfort of their loved one, the experience of receiving a massage purely for their own benefit can infuse their life with the most important kind of renewal, refreshment and re-creation.
work hard to make up for the loss. They may grow new branches to supply the deprived muscle cells, but ultimately they too will fail. When about one third of the motor neurons that supply any given muscle have been destroyed, muscle atrophy and weakness become noticeable. For most ALS patients, this happens in the extremities first, especially the hands and feet. As the disease progresses, fatigue, cramping, stiffness and weakness move proximally up the limbs and finally to the trunk and head. Fasciculations, or uncontrolled twitching,
ALS patients who are frail do better with short, frequent therapy sessions, and value the stretching that massage can provide.
is common. The progression happens bilaterally, but one side is usually more pronounced than the other. In the final stages of ALS, talking, swallowing and breathing become weak. Ultimately, most patients succumb to pneumonia or organ failure due to extreme weight loss. The average life expectancy between diagnosis and death is two to five years. When it comes to understanding the role of massage for someone affected by ALS, it is especially important to remember that this disease affects motor neurons only; sensory neurons are left functioning and intact. This means that ALS patients have full sensation. The disease can be extremely painful, with uncontrolled muscle cramping and atrophy that leads to the gradual collapse of the body, but because sensation is present, these patients can give accurate feedback about pressure and pain. For many ALS patients, receiving a massage may be one of the few times they can enjoy non-task oriented touch. In other words, much of their
usual care involves being handled—for feeding tubes, catheters, and other maintenance—but to receive touch for the sake of feeling good is a rare and precious treat. ALS patients who are frail do better with short, frequent therapy sessions, and value the stretching that massage can provide. Because these patients have full sensation, they don’t have the risk of accidental over-treatment that we see with clients who have no sensation (such as spinal cord injury survivors). As long as the client can communicate, massage can be designed to minimize muscle spasms and pain, and maximize comfort and ease of breathing. Perhaps the population most ignored among those affected by ALS are the caretakers. For a person whose life is dedicated to the care and comfort of their loved one, the experience of receiving a massage purely for their own benefit can infuse their life with the most important kind of renewal, refreshment and re-creation. If you have the opportunity to work with a client or family dealing with ALS, you will be challenged by having to face your own mortality, inspired by spending time with people who must live under this shadow each day. You will have the opportunity to bring something incredibly precious into those stressed lives: the gift of non-frightened, non-judgmental, non-painful touch. That is a gift indeed. n
Ruth Werner is a writer and National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork approved provider of continuing education for massage therapists. She wrote A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, now in its fifth edition. Werner currently serves as president of the Massage Therapy Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing the knowledge and practice of massage therapy by supporting scientific research, education and community service. Contact her at werner87@peak.net.
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spa
BY SUSAN ETTER
POP QUIZ FOR SPA OWNERS
Q1. Where is your business owners policy? Wait, don’t tell me! Let me guess. It’s in a file folder in a slightly dusty cabinet at the back of your office in the original envelope it came in.
Q2. Do you have any idea what is covered?
images: Shutterstock.com
If you’re like most people, you aren’t really sure what is included. You simply answered some questions for your insurance agent and then bought the policy you were offered. continues
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
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spa|pop quiz
receipts, so the policy figures should match your current sales to maximize your benefits in the event of a claim.
3. Tenant improvements and betterments
1. Business personal property Let’s start with business personal property. The simplest way to define this is anything you can pick up and carry out of the spa. Most policies use replacement costs as the basis to insure your contents. This means that if you are going to total up everything—from your furniture, equipment/machines, treatment tables and décor, all the way down to the brochures sitting on the countertop, you want to think about the cost to purchase items of like kind and quality new from the store. This is treated a bit differently for your retail stock on hand and your products used for services. These types of items are classified based on your wholesale cost to purchase them. While you are doing your inventory, be sure to itemize everything and then add it all up—it is going to come to more than you think!
2. Loss of business income Business income is an often overlooked coverage. In the event of a covered loss such as fire, theft and vandalism, you will receive money to cover your ongoing expenses like rent, utilities and payroll during the time you are shut down. This also covers your lost profit based on your actual historical results. Be sure you are keeping accurate, up to date records of your profit/loss information on hand. If you have grown over the last year, make sure you update your policy with that information. This coverage is based on gross
4. Inland marine In this entrepreneurial society, many spas are opening more than one location or offering their services on a mobile basis for easier access to clientele. Most standard property policies cover your property at one scheduled location, with only very minimal limits for any property off premises. If you have equipment/machines that are going back and forth from the West side of town to the East side, ask your agent for “Inland Marine” coverage. Think of this as an on land mobile equipment policy. The coverage is typically a bit more expensive than property at a fixed location, but will cover the property wherever it goes. Depending upon your circumstances, your agent may also be able to offer this under “Property-in-Transit.” That covers the biggest items in your spa, but now what about the little things you don’t think about until a crisis strikes?
5. Employee dishonesty The sad truth is that spas are frequently affected by this issue. If you discover that items are missing or that cash totals do not add up to the sales receipts, it is possible that theft from the
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photo: Shutterstock.com
While you are doing your inventory, be sure to itemize everything and then add it all up—it is going to come to more than you think!
If either of the answers to the above questions were “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure,” keep reading! As you get ready to start the year off fresh, taking inventory to restock and upgrading equipment to venture forward, consider taking another 30 minutes to do your own property insurance checkup.
Many times, to get your spa set up, you will have made improvements to the space you are renting. This could include putting up walls around your treatment rooms, installment cabinets in the stock room, or replacing harsh fluorescent light fixtures with something more suitable to promote a calming atmosphere. Generally these are not items you would take with you if you move. Most times the landlord does not take responsibility for covering these items, especially if they didn’t pay to have the work done. Your lease will typically spell out who is responsible for insuring these items. Think back to how much the build-out cost before you opened, and make sure you include that under “Tenant Improvements” and “Betterments” coverage.
inside has taken place. Most policies provide limited coverage for this type of occurrence, so long as it is not performed by any owners of the company.
6. Property of others It can be difficult to determine if you need additional coverage for this. If you have independent contractors working at your premises, read your policy carefully. Some policies will include coverage for the personal property of any of your employees—as if it was your own. Sometimes this is excluded and your independent contractor may have to provide their own insurance. Finally, this line item will cover limited property of your clients while they are at your facility. Even if you post that you are not responsible for lost or stolen items, it can be hard to get out of that when push comes to shove.
7. Electronic data and computer media In the modern world, this is a very important coverage—so be sure it is included! If there is a fire and you lose everything, your business computer itself will likely be replaced under the business’ personal property coverage item. However, the information on the computer and the programs
If you have equipment/machines that are going back and forth from the West side of town to the East side, ask your agent for “Inland Marine” coverage.
used for your business are not included in this. That is a separate limited coverage that will help pay for the replacement or restoration of the electronic data that has been lost due to a covered property loss. This could include your client database, pulling in your financial records or inventory program. As every business strives to save more information in a digital format and use less paper, this becomes more critical. It is imperative that you have good procedures in place to be able to back up the information you have and keep it in a secure place off premises to mitigate any loss for this. Congratulations! You have now completed your property insurance check-up. Be sure to discuss any discrepancies between your current policy to the information provided here with your insurance agent. It is recommended that you review this a minimum of one time per year. Being properly covered may cost a bit more than what you are currently paying, but in the event of a claim—you will definitely be thankful! n
photo: Shutterstock.com
Susan Etter joined the underwriting team at Professional Program Insurance in 2010. With 16 years of experience in insurance, she has a strong knowledge of the issues that face medispa, beauty and body art businesses. Etter is becoming a well-known speaker and writer, providing advice on how to develop a successful business and implement procedures for loss prevention. Previously, Etter managed a number of independent retail insurance agencies, focusing on personal and commercial lines. December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 57
HOW TO SAVE A
TEAM”
photo: wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com
“DREAM
Page 58 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
spa
THAT HAS BECOME A NIGHTMARE
AS A PIONEER “DIVA,” MARY WILSON continues to perform across the globe, dazzling fans who never grow tired of her soulful voice and magnetic charm. At 69, this energetic founding member of the Supremes shows no signs of slowing down. She is an unstoppable inspiration, both eager and enthusiastic to take on great causes and grand audiences. Like others who are ambitious in a competitive marketplace, Mary is relentlessly determined to secure her legacy. Yet despite her many accomplishments, she is also known as the “other” Supreme who has struggled to keep up with her better known colleague—the iconic Diana Ross. While the Supremes enjoyed a long tenure, the ever changing cast of characters quarreled, compared and competed with each other for the champion’s crown. Their talent and special gifts often played second fiddle to the infighting that consistently made headlines. The public became aware of how difficult it was for these celebrities to work well together, but they still loved the group’s music, despite the well publicized turmoil. In retrospect, the unfulfilled expectations, jealousy and resentment could have been properly dealt with early on, and if they had, those better choices would have vitally impacted and enriched the lives of each contributing member of the Supremes for the better. As a spa manager, it is worth noting how internal conflict erodes your organization. Though you may not be a talent agent for The Dream Girls, you are the producer of your spa, and creating a “dream team” for your business is your responsibility! When tensions emerge between employees, the dream quickly becomes a nightmare. Negativity begins to snowball into operation-
al disruption, and a clear and present danger emerges that requires managers to intervene.
Understanding their perspective: 5 things to consider Before solving the puzzle, visualize the big picture. Identify the underlying beliefs of your teammates and how their perspective weighs into the conflict. Consider the following: 1. Historically, the beauty industry workforce has been notorious for poor longevity within a single workplace. Many are consumed with the perpetual “I’m looking for something better” mentality and “every man for himself” philosophy. 2. Therapists, stylists and estheticians do not receive team building training. As a result, “teamwork” is simply a term used during an interview, as your employees have no idea how to put this into practice. 3. Team members do not fully grasp the large overhead, expense and responsibility of operating a clinic or spa. They do not understand what is required of them to help keep the organization alive. 4. Many within the industry consider themselves artists, nurturers and healers. Despite their amazing contributions, most have never learned to become effective communicators. 5. Just as our workforce continues to reflect a more diverse cultural configuration, every team member contributes cultural uniqueness with their value systems, expectations and style of communication. As a result, how we approach the world, form our opinions, create goals and construct our expectations of others may differ from how other continues
Each party must agree to stay calm, avoid becoming defensive and allow the other to simply vent without interruption.
BY JOSEPH MANDATO
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
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your objective ultimately requires team members to be accountable for solving problems by collaborating solutions with their peers. The three steps to resolving conflict are:
Conflict = fear of loss + unfulfilled expectations Success begins with “knowing thyself.” As a spa leader, helping your team understand their own desires more clearly will pay big dividends by reducing the incidence of conflict in the future. Questions to ponder in a group setting include: • What brings you happiness? Is time taken to proactively give of yourself to other coworkers or spa guests? • What do you fear losing, and what causes you to feel threatened? • What do you expect of yourself and others? Do you display empathy by validating your teammate’s expectations? • What do you value—and how do you perceive someone else devaluing what is important to you? • What are your key strengths? How can they help someone else and vice versa? An honest assessment helps everyone understand what is important to their teammates, as this enlightenment will foster respect and support, and reduce the incidence of erroneous assumptions being made about a coworker or even the management team! As the process of communication and collaboration takes time to mature, spa managers must simultaneously help their teammates learn how to calmly solve conflict on the spot to avoid disruption during spa hours. After communicating the process,
Joseph Mandato is president of Fortress Strategic Management Group, including companies such as the award winning La Bella Spa and Eternia Luxe Science Skin Care. Mandato holds a master’s degree in disease prevention, and is currently engaged in doctoral work for business and organizational management. He is a published writer and speaker, and an advisory board member for Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa.
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photo: wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com
Each person must vow to either search for the known solution to a specific problem or collaborate to create a joint agreement to resolve an issue that has no clear solution.
people see things. Once you grasp this reality on a professional level, take extra care to articulate your organization’s expectations and why they are relevant to the company’s success.
1. SET GROUND RULES. Each party must agree to stay calm, avoid becoming defensive and allow the other to simply vent without interruption. Both must agree to actively listen and choose to “hear” the other’s perspective before moving on. 2. ARTICULATE THE OBJECTIVES. The takeaway is that both parties are required to speak to each other with respect, understanding which values, expectations and habits have created the conflict from the other’s perspective. These discussions should take place privately. 3. DISCOVER OR COLLABORATE. Each person must vow to either search for the known solution to a specific problem or collaborate to create a joint agreement to resolve an issue that has no clear solution. Once derived, each is accountable for doing their part in execution. Occasional roadblocks to conflict resolution are generally related to an unwilling party, simply because they have yet to feel validated or heard. In this case, managers must further convey their commitment to assist with positive change to help the reluctant employee move forward. It is possible, however, that some individuals resist authority and do not support the organization’s mission. Your company’s mandate always requires a cohesive team, as parting ways is sometimes the best approach. Be encouraged! Effective spa management begins with caring about your team’s personal and collective success and showing them how to solve problems. Your efforts to help them achieve greatness with others vs. against others will earn you credibility as a fair boss and supportive leader. Ultimately, a more cohesive dream team of “all stars” based on equality, a clear mandate and mutual respect will always reign “supreme!” n
ANTIOXIDANT POWER PUNCH
TRAVEL PACK RETAIL The VitaMan Travel Essentials packs are designed for the discerning male traveler who wants the best grooming products when traveling for business or leisure. Made from certified organic ingredients and a base of organic white tea, all VitaMan products are free of parabens, sulphates, glycols, artificial colors and fragrances for the skin’s well-being, says the company. The range includes five customized packs. vitaman.com.au
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
EARTHY AROMA Add a touch of class and pleasant aroma to your spa restroom with the Loo~Pourri from Poo~Pourri®, a fresh, earthy blend of grapefruit and vetiver. Loo~Pourri is a preemptive bathroom scent with a touch of elegance, says the company. poopourri.com 972.818.8200
CREATIVE ELEGANCE The MLW Soft wellness couch from Gharieni is made with extra soft, skin friendly hygenic upholstery. The couch experience ensures an unforgettable treatment. The modern, elegant design makes the couch a highlight for any spa. You can customize it to suit your spa’s style—the side wall design is left up to your creativity. Become your own designer and choose from 50 elegant wooden and colored patterns. The designer couch’s functional and exclusive technical equipment fullfills all your needs for professional treatments, says the company. gharieni.de
SPANEWS
Spa Revolutions®, the innovator for sanitary and self-heating paraffin treatments, officially announced the launch of PerfectSense® Paraffin Nourishment+ With Swiss Apple Stem Cells, an exclusive antioxidant blend that protects the skin against free radicals while promoting cellular renewal, helping to reduce the signs of natural aging. The addition of swiss apple stem cell protects human skin stem cells and combats chronological aging, producing vibrant and fresh skin, says the company. sparevolutions.com 888.827.4683
BODY, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY PRODUCTS MORE NEWS
LNEONLINE.com • Page 61
TOP TECHNOLOGY
SPANEWS
Offer clients a non-surgical approach to reduce fines lines and wrinkles, stimulate collagen and elastin production, tighten pores, lift facial muscles and improve overall skin tone. NeurotriS Microcurrent Systems offers four times the facial rejuvenation results, four times faster! The NeurotriS 3800 Facial Rejuvenation Microcurrent System features second generation “Platinum Nano” microcurrent technology. Multiple channels deliver energy more efficiently for maximum performance and affect all layers of skin, making the SX system a true sculpting machine, says the company. It provides immediate results along with cumulative long term benefits. NeurotriS.com 877.929.9920
JUST FOR FEET The Dry Foot Treatment by BIONOVA is formulated to restore the skin function on the foot, as the skin metabolism and functionality on the foot is different from other body parts, says the company. Nano-quantities of biologically active substances called nanocomplexes™ precisely imitate the physiological processes occurring in a living organism, restoring broken links and bringing products’ efficacy to a new level. Dry Foot Treatment restores skin’s natural barrier resistance and reduces itchiness, dryness, dermatitis and skin irritation. bionovalab.com 718.433.4181
TANTALIZING AROMAS Offer your clients the enticing aromas and sensations of rich dark chocolate, refreshing peppermint and invigorating coffee in the Mocha Mint Cappuccino Sugar Scrub from Make Scents Natural Spa Line. Made with organic ingredients including sugar cane, cocoa bean nibs, cocoa powder, coffee beans, peppermint essential oil and vanilla bean husks, this scrub nourishes and hydrates the skin while fighting off free radicals with natural vitamin E, says the company. Mocha Mint Cappuccino Sugar Scrub gently exfoliates the skin and flushes away impurities, leaving skin glowing. makesscentsspaline.com 717.824.3094
SOFT ALL OVER The Body Nourishing Cream from Remédios Skin Care® is a luxuriously rich and silky body moisturizer. The softening, nourishing treatment leaves skin velvety soft. With regular use, it helps to regenerate the elasticity of the skin and improve its firmness, says the company. The cream contains beneficial fine oils, butters and vitamins A, D3 and E to protect the skin from drying out. RemediosSkinCare.com 818.879.0686
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The Body Oil by Très Pure is a pure blend of deeply nurturing oils to regenerate and smooth the body’s skin. Rosehip leaves skin beautifully soft and supple, lavender gently soothes, lemongrass cleans the skin and rose geranium improves skin tone and clarity, says the company. This deeply nourishing mix of oils treats both the spirit and body. Your clients will appreciate that it absorbs easily to allow for easy dressing after use. trespure.com 646.580.7873
The 4 Step Rejuvenation Kit from Eight Skincare is formulated with eight natural ingredients. This daily routine gently restores skin to luxurious health with four simple steps. It is available in three scents— Ginger Lime, Lavender and Tangerine. The Eight Skincare 4 Step Rejuvenation Kit includes a Crème Body Wash, Sugar Body Scrub, Body Moisture and dry skin brush. eightskincare.com 855.275.3444
SPANEWS
NURTURE AND SOOTHE
COMPLETE PACKAGE
SWEET AS HONEY
RADIANT RENEWAL AnthroSpa Logic’s Pure Resplendence Body Rub™ is a powerful cell renewing body treatment that cleanses, nourishes, hydrates and exfoliates. The soap-free, water-activated formula cleanses with a special antibacterial herb used medicinally by Native Americans and in Europe during the Middle Ages as a natural alternative to soap, says the company. It is formulated with luxurious, antioxidant packed ingredients, including rice-bran, milk and a therapeutic mineral rich blend of both Dead Sea salt and Pink Himalayan salt! anthrospa.com 800.519.5293
The new Honey Body Washes from Savannah Bee are designed to gently exfoliate and clean skin for a soft glow without over-drying or stripping. These washes use whole propolis and raw royal jelly, as well as a healthy dose of pure Savannah Bee honey. Provitamin B5 further enhances the product’s moisturizing properties, helping to prevent a drying effect, says the company. It comes in the sweet and earthy bouquets of lemongrass-spearmint, tupelo honey and wild blackberry. savannahbee.com 800.955.5080
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business
greater employee engagement = greater purpose
by Trevor Wilson
Tips for fostering a culture in which employees are actively engaged HOW MANY EMPLOYEES IN ANY given organization roll their eyes during meetings to discuss new initiatives? How often do they scramble to complete a task not because they love it, but because they’re afraid of what the consequence will be if they don’t? How many utter the words “not in my job description” when asked to assume a new responsibility? For these people, work is providing them with nothing more than a paycheck. And although that is ostensibly why we go to work, it is not what gets us excited and enthusiastic about what we do. The solution starts with business leaders and managers. If their work is not fulfilling any higher purpose for them than making money, they’re lacking one of the
• Use performance evaluations to learn more about your employees’ strengths, interests and goals. Each employee has strengths and talents that often go unrecognized—and untapped—in the workplace. Helping them to identify these strengths and use them at work gives them a feeling that their work has purpose, and results in more engaged, productive employees. People want to bring all their talents to what they’re doing— we’re happiest when we’re doing what we’re good at. In order to know what those skills, talents and even personality traits are, managers must get to know their individual employees. • Do not treat all employees equally. All employees are not equal, and
treating them as if they are leaves engaged, enthusiastic employees feeling shortchanged—and disengaged employees feeling entitled. Acknowledge and reward employees who are going the extra mile and point out the ways they are contributing that may not be quantifiable or part of their “job description.” The successful salesman who routinely coaches less successful colleagues is displaying a strength that won’t show up on his sales sheet, but is nonetheless a valuable contribution to the company. • Recognize and reward employees’ demonstration of strong values. Values are part of the human equity that all of us bring to work in varying degrees. Honesty, integrity, compassion and work ethic are strong, positive values that our best employees usually have. Business leaders may unconsciously recognize them, for instance, by giving a very honest employee their trust, but they should make a point of acknowledging them publicly as well. Our values are the foundation of our purpose and an expression of our true selves. Employees who are able to demonstrate their values at work and are rewarded for doing so have a greater sense of purpose. n
Trevor Wilson is the CEO of TWI Inc. and creator of the human equity management model. He is a global diversity, inclusion and human equity strategist who regularly speaks at corporate functions. TWI’s clients include some of the most progressive global employers in the world, including Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, BNP Paribas and Home Depot.
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photo: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com
essential qualities necessary for helping their employees become engaged— and for keeping engaged employees enthusiastic. You need to step back and assess your own situation. Are you driven more by your fears—of not being able to pay your bills, of losing your job, of failing? Or are you driven by the knowledge that you, like every one of us, have the capacity to do amazing things? Business leaders who are striving to create something that will leave the world a better place are not only more engaged themselves, they’re more likely to do the things that help their employees engage. Our search for happiness is our search for our purpose, and we achieve both by bringing all of our skills and talents—our human equity—to the job.
photo: Blend Images/Shutterstock.com
BY ANNE JENSEN
HIRING PRACTICES ARE YOU DISCRIMINATING? December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LET’S FACE IT—HIRING AND RETAINING TOP talent in the spa industry is no easy task. Finding candidates who have great personalities and excellent customer service, retail and sales skills is the first step. Next, they need to be dependable and able to work flexible schedules, get called in at the last minute and always look the part. Then, there’s licensing requirements, product preferences and personality conflicts. Once all those hurdles are overcome, what about their level of experience? continues
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business
Confirm that you have an appropriate dress code policy in your employee handbook. Then simply inform the candidate of your dress code, and ask, “Are you able to meet the expectations of our dress code on a daily basis?”
Next, you hire the best candidate, but when your new favorite employee meets that “one client” who always makes the position challenging, you are already worried they’ll head for the door. On top of all that, there are many less than pleasant internal staff relations that make it even harder to keep that new employee. One common issue is arguments over who gets commissions or clients. Unfortunately, as a business owner, your legal challenges begin in the interview process. There are a handful of reasons why a business chooses one candidate over another; be sure that those reasons cannot be characterized as discrimination. If you don’t phrase a question well during the interview or make an inappropriate inquiry, you could find yourself in a lot of trouble. Here are a few common questions to be aware of during the interview process.
Be very careful about how you use information related to a candidate’s age, such as their year of graduation. This could be considered age discrimination if it is perceived that you used it in your hiring decision. If the job requires a high school diploma, simply ask whether the candidate has a high school diploma. If the job requires the candidate to be 21 years or older, do not ask the candidate to disclose their age. Instead, tell the candidate that the job requires someone at or over the age of 21, and ask “Can you meet this requirement?”
Appearance Taking note of how a candidate presents themself in an interview is common practice. However, if a candidate dresses the part for the interview, how do you know Page 66 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Blend Images/Shutterstock.com
Age
if they’ll continue this trend after they get the job? First, confirm that you have an appropriate dress code policy in your employee handbook. Then simply inform the candidate of your dress code, and ask, “Are you able to meet the expectations of our dress code on a daily basis?” This will set the precedent for the candidate’s presentation of themselves, once hired.
On the job accidents Injuries happen, and in the spa industry, this could be a continual issue. However, you cannot ask a candidate if they have ever been injured on the job before. Business owners may want to ask this question because they are concerned about workplace safety or their own workers compensation premiums, but asking about previous injuries is illegal. What you can do is stress the importance of workplace safety during the interview. You can also outline the physical requirements of the job, and then ask the candidate if they are able meet those requirements on a daily basis.
Marital and family status An employer cannot use information about marital status, family status, pregnancy or intent to have children as a hiring decision. Therefore, it is not a good idea to discuss any of these issues during an interview. If you are concerned about a candidate’s ability to make it to work on time due to their busy personal lives, simply state the work location, start and end times of the job and ask the candidate to confirm whether they can meet the job schedule requirements. Remember, it is the candidate’s responsibility to get themselves to work—on time, as scheduled, every day.
photo: Blend Images/Shutterstock.com
Here are the facts It is unlawful for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or genetic history. Keep in mind that this list is growing, depending on which state you live in. This means that you need to be aware of your state’s laws when conducting your interviews. Finding and hiring the right candidate is no easy task, and it can be expensive. In your interview, be sure to establish the expectations of the work environment, tell the candidate about December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
Outline the physical requirements of the job, and then ask the candidate if they are able to meet those requirements on a daily basis.
real life situations that happen on the job, and ask how they would handle them. Inform the candidate of your policies and procedures to confirm that they are interested in following them. Once you have made a hire, set aside some one-on-one time to follow up with them a few days or a few weeks into the job. The smallest of issues, which may be easy to settle early on, may help ease your candidate’s transition into their new role at your business. n Anne Jensen is the recruitment manager for Avitus Group. She has assisted in hiring hundreds of members from every industry imaginable. Through the use of top of the line technology, a vast array of advertising resources and up to the minute recruiting trends, Jensen helps attract top candidates to job advertisements. LNEONLINE.com • Page 67
photo: Blend Images/Shutterstock.com
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business
Loyalty
AND CLIENT RETENTION
implementing a program that works IN THE EARLY 1980S, AMERICAN AIRLINES’ goal was to increase retention and provide their clients with something extra special. The airline created the first frequent flyer program that allowed travelers to accrue miles and gain benefits when they flew with American. American Airlines was one of the first companies in the country to offer a customer loyalty program. 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 every year. Statistics show that the average American household belongs to about 14 different rewards programs. If you want to increase your retention rate, it is a great idea to offer your clients a loyalty program that will 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 is important to keep it simple. Below are two of the most effective loyalty programs: A. Charge a fee to join the loyalty program. For example, Barnes & Noble charges its clients
$25 to join their loyalty program. Then, its members can save 10 percent on their purchases for an entire year. For a person who frequents Barnes & Noble weekly, this type of program provides great benefits. The end-of-year savings are significant. This program keeps me loyal to Barnes & Noble, and the $25 fee to join is well worth it. You can do the same, but I recommend you charge more. For example, you can charge a fee of $150 to join and offer them the following: • Two $25 gift cards—to be utilized one at a time • A complimentary consultation valued at $50 • A complimentary makeover valued at $50 • A loyalty program welcome kit • A discount of five to ten percent on every spa visit or retail purchase You are giving them the $150 enrollment back in value. This allows you to raise cash flow, and encourages the new member to visit the spa on a regular basis. As part of the loyalty program, the client will benefit by receiving a small discount with each spa visit. continues
BY DORI SOUKUP
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business|loyalty and client retention
B. The second plan offers clients a chance to join for free and earn points with every visit. You can reward them by letting them earn one point for every dollar they spend. Once they reach a certain number of points, they can use them 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 that they can have once they reach 500 points. This represents a 10 percent reward. If you are offering this type of loyalty program, I recommend you offer merchandise as a reward because your cost will be $25, but the client will receive a value of $50. This practice allows you to decrease your loyalty cost to a five percent reward instead of 10 percent.
Select gift items that you can brand with your logo. This includes robes, T-shirts, hats and water bottles, all displaying your logo. This method has many benefits: 1. Provides your loyal clients with desirable, quality gifts 2. Gifts are a great way to promote your business 3. Shows a higher perceived retail value while reducing your loyalty cost 4. Saves money and increases retention The point system can also be used as a marketing tool. If you have some slow slots within your schedule, you can reward your clients with double points on slow days or hours. Instead of offering discounts, offer double points for promotions. You can ask your clients to write reviews to earn points. Or, let them earn points when they “like” your page on Facebook, and so on. Keep in mind that no matter which program you offer, you have to market it, track it and deliver a great guest experience. Offering a loyalty program is a great opportunity to promote your business and recognize your VIP clients with special value while motivating your clients to keep doing business with you. Implement a loyalty program and increase your retention! n
Dori Soukup is an executive coach, author, professional speaker and the founder of InSPAration Management. She speaks at conventions all over the world and hosts public and private seminars. Her Spa BizTools and strategies have helped thousands of spa professionals experience exponential growth and profits. She can be reached at info@insparationmanagement.com. Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #183 on reader service card
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Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #294 on reader service card
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photo: Gemenacom /Shutterstock.com
GO LOCAL OR GO HOME
business
STAKE YOUR CLAIM WITH GEOMARKETING FOR SPAS AND NEIGHBORHOOD SALONS, LOCAL marketing is king. All your marketing efforts should be focused on increasing regional visibility. You must use all of the tools in your marketing arsenal in order to be found by the people closest to you. Once found, you want to present the desired brand image. Here are a few tips to ace the art of geomarketing.
Know thy customer Spa owners must truly understand who is coming to their spa— and why. “Geomarketing” is the use of geographic information in the planning and implementation of marketing activities. Studies show that day spa guests typically drive from a destination within a 10-minute radius of the spa. This means that you want to focus your marketing efforts within that radius. To do this, you should know the demographics of your guests—average age, income, marriage status and educational background. You should find out where they shop, where they exercise and what they do for fun. This information will allow you to segment your customer base more effectively and provide the right message at the right place and time.
Claim your business listing
photo: Picsfive/Shutterstock.com
To gain regional visibility online, there are a number of website directories where your business must be listed. Yelp is a leading review site for local businesses, with more than 100 million unique visitors every month. Besides Yelp, there
are several dozen other online sites where you should be claiming your business name. Claiming your business listing means that you are verifying your business’ contact information at a particular site (Yelp, Bing, Google, Foursquare, Yellow Pages, etc.). Get Listed is a great tool that helps you understand the best places to claim your listing. Enter your business name and zip code to search. This search will provide you with a list of places where your name did not show up, and you have the option to add your business listing to those sites.
Website = curbside appeal Keeping your online presence fresh and up-to-date is important in establishing yourself as a provider who constantly makes improvements to meet customers’ needs. In the same way that people drive by homes and make a quick assessment as to whether or not they would want to live there, your website is often a customer’s first introduction to your business. Make sure that the site properly represents you. If you find that the site isn’t accomplishing what you need, seek professional help with it. It should not look like a DIY job. Your website is one of the first introductions potential customers have to your company. In real estate lingo, it creates “curbside appeal.” Your homepage is the first page someone sees when they visit your site. You should be able to convey—very quickly— who you are and what you do. The user should not be concontinues
BY MARK PINSLEY
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
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business|go local or go home
fused. If you have been using advertising or direct mail campaigns to drive users to your website, make sure that your brand is consistent with what you have been sending out. Also make sure that the logo you are using on your advertising is clearly shown on your website. This is not the place to be wordy. Keep it short, concise and try to have some offer on the site that will entice them to come to you. Don’t forget mobile opportunities! Consumers are accessing information through an ever increasing variety of smartphone and tablet devices. This shift has fundamentally changed the way people access information.
Partner for profit
Mark Pinsley is the president of DermaMed Solutions. Developing marketing solutions for DermaMed Solutions’ spa and medical partners is his passion. Throughout his career, Pinsley has won acclaim for using innovation to jumpstart businesses. Bringing a diverse skill set as a marketing/technology-oriented entrepreneur, he is a hands-on operating executive with a focus on creating innovative business ideas. Pinsley has an MBA from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University. Page 74 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Gemenacom/Shutterstock.com
DON’T FORGET MOBILE OPPORTUNITIES! CONSUMERS ARE ACCESSING INFORMATION THROUGH AN EVER INCREASING VARIETY OF SMARTPHONE AND TABLET DEVICES.
The best marketing strategies involve win-win situations. Community-based contests allow you to cross-market with other small businesses and receive press attention. Collaborate with local businesses such as restaurants, florists and cleaners to run a contest for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. Involve the local media in your events, contests and promotions—especially if they are for charity. Everyone likes to rally around a good cause. Spas have to look no further than their own vendors for marketing support. “Our vendor’s marketing team helped us identify where our customers are in their lives, and how to create ‘out of the box’ services for our clientele,” says Cindi Sutera, spa manager at Cambio Salon & Spa in Media, PA. Your geomarketing efforts must focus on three main areas: before the customer arrives, during their stay and after they leave. By developing a plan for each stage of the guest experience, you are sure to see an increase in your customer base. Above all, consistently deliver superior guest experiences. As the old adage goes, “the proof is in the pudding.” n
business
END OF YEAR tax tips
photo: Andrey Burmakin/Shutterstock.com
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
AS THE YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE, your thoughts may not yet be on tax preparation. Government shutdowns can cause delays and uncertainty, but death and taxes are assured, and all tax deadlines remain in place. Preparing for April 15th should begin now so that the process can go as quickly and smoothly as possible. In addition to gathering forms and paperwork, you still have time to consider a few ways to earn additional deductions for things like contributions to retirement plans.
The following are some tips from the IRS on tax record keeping: • You should keep copies of your filed tax returns as part of your tax records. They can help you prepare future tax returns. You will also need them if you have to file an amended return. • You must keep records to support items reported on your tax return. You should keep basic records that relate to your federal tax return for at least three years. Basic records continues
BY DONNA HOLM December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
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If you own a home or investment property, you should keep records of your purchases and anything else related to those items. You should typically keep these records, including home improvements, for at least three years. are documents that prove your income and expenses. This includes income information such as W-2 and 1099 forms, as well as information that supports tax credits or deductions you claimed. This might include sales slips, credit card receipts and other proof of payment forms, invoices, canceled checks, bank statements and mileage logs. Recent cases have been decided in favor of the IRS, requiring more stringent substantiation requirements that apply to meals and entertainment, auto expenses, contributions and other employee business expenses. • If you own a home or investment property, you should keep records of your purchases and anything else related to those items. You should typically keep these records, including home improvements, for at least three years after you have sold or disposed of the property. The deduction for rental losses is phased out once adjusted gross income exceeds $150,000, though it can be carried forward until the property is sold. There are over 100 changes affecting tax preparation for 2013. Of course, the vast majority of these changes do not affect most taxpayers. The new health care law provided two new taxes in 2013 for joint filers with incomes over $250,000 and single filers with incomes over $200,000:
In addition, high earners will face limitations on itemized deductions and personal exemptions. The old “Pease amendments” have been brought back to phase out itemized deductions claimed on 2013 returns of individuals with incomes of $250,000 or more ($300,000 for married couples filing jointly). The personal exemption is subject to a phase out that begins with adjusted gross incomes of $250,000 ($300,000 for married couples filing jointly). It phases out completely at $372,500 ($422,500 for married couples filing jointly). There were a number of provisions set to expire in 2012 that were extended to 2013 and beyond. For example, the child credit of $1,000 per child was to be reduced to $500 in 2013. It has been permanently set to $1,000; income limitations still apply. Education incentives have also been made permanent. Some of the new 2013 changes affecting all taxpayers are as follows: • Deductibility of medical expenses: The threshold for the itemized deduction for unreimbursed medical expenses increases from 7.5 percent of AGI to 10 percent of AGI. If you are over 65, this change will not go into effect until 2016. • Flexible spending arrangement under a cafeteria plan: The maximum amount available for reimbursement of incurred medical expenses of an employee, the employee’s dependents, and any other eligible beneficiaries with respect to the employee under the Health FSA plan for a year must not exceed $2,500. Note that the dependent care flexible spending arrangement remains at $5,000. • Mileage: The cents-per-mile rate for 2013 is $0.565. Medical and moving mileage rates increase to 24 cents a mile for 2013. • Wage base: In 2013, the taxable wage base rose to $113,700.
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photo: Cris Kelly/Shutterstock.com
• Additional Medicare tax on earned income: A tax equal to 0.9 percent of wages that are received with respect to employment, and is in excess of $250,000 (joint return), $125,000 (married taxpayer filing a separate return) or $200,000 (all other cases). • Additional Medicare tax on unearned income: A 3.8 percent tax will be assessed on interest, dividends, capital gains, rent and royalty income, along with annuities from non-qualified plans. Investment income from retirement accounts is not subject to the tax.
business|end of year tax tips Before the holidays hit, get moving on your tax preparation for 2013. In this ever-changing environment, future tax planning should be handled throughout the year, so contact your tax accountant at the beginning of the year to begin developing your 2014 strategy.
photo: Anton Prado/Shutterstock.com
Some important tax dates for 2014 FOR SMALL BUSINESSES • Jan 6: Begin depositing payroll tax and continue to do so on a semiweekly basis. Or deposit once per month, depending on the specific requirements of your business. • Jan 31: Furnish Forms 1098, 1099 and W-2G to recipients for certain payments during 2013. Furnish Form W-2 to employees who worked for you during 2013. • Feb 14: File a new Form W-4 if you claimed exemption from income tax withholding in 2013. • Mar 17: Corporations: Deposit the first installment of your 2014 estimated tax. State estimates follow. • Mar 17: Electing large partnerships: Furnish Sch. K-1 (Form 1065-B) to each partner. • Mar 17: S Corporations: File Form 1120S for the 2013 calendar year and pay any tax due. Furnish a copy of Sch. K-1 to each shareholder. File Form 2553 to elect S Corporation status, beginning with calendar year 2014. • Apr 15: Partnerships: File 2013 Form 1065 and furnish a copy of Sch. K-1 to each partner. • Apr 30: File Form 941 for the first quarter of 2014 and FL Form UCT-6 for Unemployment Tax on the first $8,000 of wages. • Jun 16: Corporations: Deposit the second installment of your 2014 estimated tax. State estimates follow. • July 31: File Form 941 for the second quarter of 2014 and FL Form UCT-6 for Unemploy ment Tax.
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
• Aug 1: File 2012 Form 5500 or 5500-EZ. • Sep 15: Corporations: Deposit the third installment of your estimated tax for 2014. State estimates follow. • Sep 15 and Oct 15: Many extensions expire. If an extension was granted, be sure to file necessary forms. • Dec 15: Corporations: Deposit the fourth installment of your estimated tax for 2014. State estimates follow. FOR INDIVIDUALS • Jan 15: Individuals: Pay the final installment of your 2013 estimated tax. Use Form 1040-ES. • Jan 31: File your tax return if you did not pay your last installment of estimated tax by January 15. • Feb 14: File a new Form W-4 if you claimed exemption from income tax withholding in 2013. • Apr 15: Individuals: File 2013 Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. For an automatic sixmonth extension, file Form 4868 and deposit estimated tax. Pay the first installment of 2014 estimated tax. • Jun 16: Individuals outside the U.S.: File 2013 Form 1040. • Jun 16: Individuals: Pay the second installment of estimated tax for 2014. • Aug 1: File 2013 Form 5500 or 5500-EZ. • Sep 16: Individuals: Pay the third installment of your estimated tax for 2014. • Oct 15: Individuals: File 2013 Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ if you made a timely request for a six-month extension. n
Before the holidays hit, get moving on your tax preparation for 2013. In this ever-changing environment, future tax planning should be handled throughout the year.
Donna Holm, CPA, MST is an associate with Harless and Associates. She has 30 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Holm once owned a CPA practice for over 10 years, and has been an educator on taxation of individuals, corporations, partnerships, estates and trusts. In addition, she has served as chief financial officer for physician practices, and received an award for Best Practices from the Medical Group Management Association. Holm is also a certified senior advisor. LNEONLINE.com • Page 77
GUEST USAGE
GUEST USAGE CALCULATIONS ARE A NECESSARY component to projecting profitability and operational success in a spa facility. They provide spa owners and operators with the basic tools to determine spa size, treatment room count, relaxation area seat count and occupancies for treatment rooms and stations—each of which contributes to spa revenues when combined correctly. Whether you operate a day spa or a spa within a hotel or resort, guest calculations will help you operate efficiently and achieve a positive return on investment. If you know what to expect, you will be prepared with not only an appropriate facility for the guests you welcome, but also the correct service offerings for your specific market. Make sure you consider the intangible numbers when calculating guest use numbers! Study your competition, pay attention to activities that could impact spa capture and promote outdoor relaxation components and unique offerings. To determine the correct size for a spa and its components, look at the anticipated guest projections (for hotels), identify the competition, study the residential demographics and understand the spa’s potential client mix (hotel groups, hotel transients, local day users for packages and maintenance services and social groups). Too many treatment rooms are a waste of space, and too few can hinder revenue production. There are only so many treatment stations and hours in the day—not to mention limited space in your facility, so finding the ideal balance is easier when you study the destination and/or hotel where your spa is located. This then determines which areas can be used for treatment provision without compromising the imperative nonrevenue-producing spaces like relaxation areas, locker rooms, outdoor areas and genuine circulation. During peak times, get creative with treatment stations. Can you do manual pedicures outdoors? Is there a garden where massages can be offered? There is no precise formula for calculating guest use. It takes some persistence, a little bit of tenuous and tedious information collection, plus common sense and good judgment. There is no magic ratio of hotel rooms to treatment rooms, or higher income residents to square feet. Nor is there any exact ratio of square feet per treatment room in the spa. There are, however, some specific numbers that can be sought out as you embark on your data collection. The following numbers are helpful in determining guest use:
HOTEL/RESORT SPA GUEST CALCULATION FACTORS Multiply the following: • Number of guest rooms x occupancies year round (including peaks and valleys), x double occupancy factor. Then subtract children. It is generally calculated at 2.0, or 1.5 for urban hotels. SPA CAPTURE RATE The spa capture rate can vary depending on the type of guests in house. Transient or groups (or mixed) • Leisure/transient guests are likely to use the spa • Group guests may not use the spa at all • Other groups may be a sell out for your spa, if their spa activity has been included in the group room contract Depending on these factors • Urban hotels could be between 5 and 15 percent • Resorts with a “spa that draws” could be between 15 and 30 percent • For example, true destination spas would be at 100 percent Treatments per guest • Resorts can generally calculate 1.5 per guest • Local spa guests can be calculated at 2.0, if that is the minimum requirement for non-guests • Urban day spas often calculate one treatment per guest DAY SPA GUEST CALCULATION FACTORS Figure out how many residents have: • Household incomes over $100K • A median age between 35 and 60 • Are within easy driving distance to your spa Determine the level of interest/attraction to the area where your spa is located • Is there a shopping center or shopping experience? Are you a good stopping off location for shoppers seeking a manicure? • Does your spa have enough amenities to attract guests on its own (regardless of other area attractions)? continues
BY LYNN CURRY
Page 78 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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CALCULATIONS
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December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 79
Would guests of surrounding hotels, vacation rentals and resorts without spas consider coming to your spa? • Hotel group business could be key to this answer, depending on your location Socializing behavior among local groups • Mothers’ groups, school PTOs, charity organizations, special interest clubs, etc. • Girlfriend getaways (now more popular than ever in all demographics) • Social events (bridal parties and showers) Many factors drive guests to your spa, but some considerations should be kept in mind: Competition • Components, size, group accommodation, unique features • Other hotel spas • Can you attract guests away from your competition? Future business • New types of clientele • Existing business to build upon (repeat business from both individuals and groups) Local culture • What activities take place in the region and the surrounding hotels that drive business to the spa? The answer may influence the busy/slow times at your spa. For example, a spa in a vacation locale for skiers or golfers may routinely be busy at 3 p.m. Factors that my detract business from your spa • A beach location (guests may want to stay out on the beach all day) • A family destination (adults may not want to leave their children alone) Staffing • Once you are successful in reaching your spa capture rate, your staff must manage the yield. • Make sure you have enough staff onsite for all clients, including walk-in business.
Lynn Curry is a certified management consultant at Curry Spa Consulting LLC, specializing in feasibility, development and profit improvement programming for luxury spas. She opened Spa Grande at Grand Hyatt Wailea in Maui, then served as spa director at Hyatt Regency Pier 66. Curry was the senior vice president at Natural Resources Spa Consulting for 14 years, and has been the project manager for over 40 spas throughout her consulting career. She can be contacted at lynn@curryspaconsulting.com.
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Skiers and golfers want the spa at 3 p.m.
• Make sure your staff is cross licensed for maximum yield. While guest calculations determine the appropriate number of treatment rooms—the bread and butter of spa revenues—other areas must still be carefully considered, since infrastructure must support the treatment areas. Infrastructure consists of the locker rooms, number of lockers, showers, public areas, relaxation areas, wet areas, back-of-house, laundry, food and beverage access, etc. This infrastructure must be capable of supporting the number of treatment rooms that are actually built. Once the appropriate number of treatment rooms has been determined, the spa operating pro forma is then based on the treatment room count and the occupancies projected, not the guest use count. This system is put into place as a check and balance, as there will be times of the year when your spa is too small, and other times when it is too empty. Once guest use has been determined, it is important to know your business levels and revenues. Many spas calculate revenue per available treatment hour, or RevPATH (multiply the average treatment expenditure per person by the treatment room occupancy). If your treatment room occupancy is at 60 percent, and an average per-guest per-treatment expenditure is $150, you have a RevPATH of $90. Spas run their numbers differently, depending on their goals. For example, higher-end facilities would rather have a higher per-guest expenditure to meet their numbers, while other spas may prefer volume. They are willing to lower prices for higher treatment room occupancies. This can be a very tricky game to play, as both scenarios result in a very different number of guests in your spa. Remember to get creative! Temporarily increase your operating hours to accommodate peak times, and determine where on your spa site you can accommodate overflow treatments during peak hours (outdoor massage, manual nail services in a garden, etc.). Then find that happy medium of a perfectly filled spa all year long. While it’s certainly not easy, and you are highly unlikely to have a 100 percent success rate, you definitely can try to get close! n
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Visual MAGIC MERCHANDISING GIVE YOUR RETAIL A BOOST
WHAT IS IT ABOUT SOME RETAIL STORES THAT successfully transports us to another world? They create a journey for us outside of the nondescript mall or busy street into their own wonderlands. Stores like Nordstrom, Pottery Barn or Anthropologie are experts at tapping into our psyches, embodying lifestyles, emotions or desires. The largest retail chains have spent years perfecting their visual merchandising skills. They successfully design their stores and displays to attract, engage and motivate customers to buy. Create your own merchandising magic with a focus on increasing your retail sales for a significant boost to your bottom line. To understand how vital retailing is to your business, review your profits from services versus your profits from retailing. Retail sales typically account for 18 percent of total revenue, yet they will often represent 22 to 26 percent of your overall profit. Many top salons and spas earn anywhere from $100,000 to $1,000,000 a year in retail sales, and the benefits go beyond even those initial numbers. A focus on retail will increase your client referrals and loyalty, build clientele and offer stability to your business, helping to set you apart from your competition.
Functional over funky
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Before you get carried away perusing antique stores for armoires, consider some retailing basics and layout designs. Use functional shelving and create an enclosed space. Cover your walls with shelves, and create a barrier between your retail area and the rest of your business. Your professional retail area should be about 20 percent of your total square footage. Turn your existing reception area into this devoted space, getting rid of extra seating. Position your front desk at the farthest possible spot away from the front door. This way your clients will need to walk through your retail area continues
BY JENNY HOGAN
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 81
business|visual merchandising magic
“Creating a lash and brow bar in your retail area will create a new buzz in your business that will instantly help to boost profits.” signage. Instead, put a plant or fountain there to transition clients inside, and have a retail display table within 10 feet of your front door. A table makes a great focal point, and creating different levels on it will add interest. A mirror is an effective prop to entice clients to linger in a certain spot, so include them throughout your displays. Your front desk is your highest retail volume area, with more value per square foot than the rest of your business. Clients are waiting there to check in or check out, so do not put plants or decorative items there. Instead, display higher priced items, impulse buys or special seasonal offerings. Some additional basics for good merchandising include flattering lighting, easy to read P.O.P. signage and proper product placement. Don’t have so few items on a shelf that it looks like a museum, or so many that it looks like a flea market! Shelves should be completely full, with the products touching, side by side, yet no deeper than seven to
eight inches. They should be clean and neat, with signage to explain the product usage, benefits and pricing. Change your displays seasonally, with the goal of turning over the inventory at least quarterly. Many large retailers like Wal-Mart actually turn over their retail offerings weekly and monthly. Finally, window displays are a great way to create curbside appeal and entice passerby to come in. Visit consumer stores like Sephora, Ulta and Bath & Bodyworks to get visual merchandising ideas for attractive product display and signage.
Create experiential shopping Instead of just having products on display, make your clients part of the experience by engaging their senses. People are more likely to purchase if they can hold, smell or use the product. Always display products outside of the package and offer testers. Creating an emotion around a product will transcend the retail display and make it real. If you have aromatherapy oils, include staff and clients’ favorite blends with handwritten notes explaining why. Perhaps your lavender-vanilla blend will evoke a treasured memory of a summer in Provence. Or your bergamot-citrus blend brings back memories of a cup of tea with your grandmother. Music has the same effect. Always include a listening station if you offer CDs to help transport your clients with sound. A soothing yogic chant or meditation can provide instant calm, and will have a transformational effect for stressed out clients entering your retail space! Allow clients to test your cosmetic offerings at beauty bars, your lotions and facial creams at skin care bars or nail polish colors at nail care bars. One of the most popular services that salons and spas are offering today is lash and brow tinting bars. “Creating a lash and brow bar in your retail area will create a new buzz in your business that will instantly help to boost profits,” shares Karen Short, senior vice president of marketing for Universal Companies. “Since it only takes 15 minutes for tinting, this is a fast and easy service that you can provide to clients right before or after their regular appointments. With the cost per treatment at only about 53 cents, you have the potential to earn up to $10,500. Lash and brow tinting is our number one best-selling add-on service.” You can also include other lash and brow products in your bar, such as lash serums, cosmetics and tweezers or services like lash extensions, brow shaping and threading. While you could hide your treatments in a back room, consider including add-on treatments right in your retail area if you have the space! Put a comfy lounge or massage chair in a corner, so you can offer hand and foot treatments before or after clients’ other appointments. “We offer an eco-friendly, petroleum-free alternative to paraffin hand and foot treatments that is very fast and easy to apply,” Short adds. “You insert pre-measured cubes into herb-enriched mitts and booties, and heat in a hot towel cabi for an entirely mess-free treatment. It is a natural, 100 percent disposable and biodegradable treatment that uses a rich
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to check in. Those few minutes that they would have spent perusing fashion magazines may now be spent perusing your retail products! You can still have some seating in the form of beauty bars with testers and interactive displays. The center of your retail space should be created from those bars, or display tables can be placed at waist height with your latest product specials. An antique armoire can be used for displays; this will definitely add to your ambiance. Just don’t get too distracted by the details at first. Focus on designing a functional retail space with good traffic flow. The area right by your front door is the “transition zone.” Clients will not linger in this space, and it is not a good place for product displays or
business market your services. For example, offer a Mediterranean wine and honey masque facial treatment on your spa menu, and also offer wine and honey skin care products in your retail area. Clients can become inspired to try a new service after using the retail product, or take the spa experience home with them after a service. Create a beautiful display using Chianti bottles, grape leaves and vines. Include a gift certificate offer for a combination of the facial treatment service with the accompanying retail products for a wonderful gift package. The sky is the limit for merchandising ideas to combine your services with retail products!
Elevate your business
By taking the steps to elevate your business with a merchandising plan, you can boost retail sales to 30 to 50 percent of your net profit. blend of palm, jojoba, organic coconut oils, shea butter and essential oils. At $2.49 per treatment, it is much more cost effective than traditional hand and foot treatments, and saves the environment from paraffin waste in landfills.”
photo: Name of Artist/Shutterstock.com
Select unique spa retail items Offer your clientele specialized retail items that they won’t be able to find anywhere else! Carefully research your retail program, selecting product lines that are unique, effective and look beautiful. Attend industry trade shows and see which booths are creating the most buzz. Go to gift retailing shows for the latest consumer trends. Consider your own salon or spa culture, and what reflects your current services and clientele. An older clientele will be well suited to high-end lines of skin, hair or body products. A younger demographic will want more economic items and fun, trendy or edgy products. For a natural theme, offer exotic or eco-friendly retail items, and use sustainable displays with recycled cardboard, metal, cork or bamboo. Offer indigenous retail items like kaffir lime body lotion, lemongrass shower cream and a jasmine jute fiber bath mitt. A hot or cold Thai herbal ginger foot compress can be used to detoxify, soothe muscles and stimulate acupressure points. Offer the ancient healing tradition of Indonesia with bath soaks, massage oils and body balms using Balinese spices that create a balance of warm and cool; this stimulates circulation and energy. Choose exotic retail items that have beautiful packaging for eye-popping retail displays, which contain ingredients that can be used in spa services. Some manufacturers offer retail items to accompany their professional product lines, and this is a great way to cross December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
For a high-end retailing niche that will provide larger revenue opportunities and draw even more consumer appeal, offer high tech skin and body care equipment. Provide home skin care equipment and handheld devices clients can use for maintenance care between spa visits. Home systems are available for microdermabrasion, microcurrent, LED laser treatments, phototherapy and hair removal. “Besides professional spa and esthetic services, we offer an easy to use home care system for microcurrent treatments on the face and body,” shares Tony Picciano of NeurotriS Microcurrent Systems. “Our home treatment device is FDA cleared, and it is the only personal system that uses patented sculpting gloves. The gloves are versatile and can be used anywhere on the body to deliver a specific preset microcurrent evenly over the skin’s surface. The benefits are seen immediately and include a reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, facial lifting and improved overall skin tone. Once your clients experience the initial results at home, they will want the professional treatment you can offer with medical grade equipment in the spa!” Home care devices can retail for $500 and more, so imagine the boost these high tech investments can give your bottom line. Why let the big skin care chains get all the shoppers? By taking the steps to elevate your business with a merchandising plan, you can boost retail sales to 30 to 50 percent of your net profit. Offering a unique and customized shopping experience to your clients is a lucrative business move that will refocus your image and help your salon or spa grow to a new level! n
Jenny Hogan is the media director at Marketing Solutions, Inc., a fullservice marketing, advertising and public relations agency specializing in the professional beauty industry. For more information, call 703.359.6000 or email MktgSols@MktgSols.com. For additional information on Quantum Health and Wellness, LLC, email info@ QuantumHealthandWellness.com. LNEONLINE.com • Page 83
BREATHING BY DAVID SUZUKI
youth CELLULAR AGING
currently available that can be used as a replacement. Worn out skin is worn out skin. With this in mind, we must be very proactive about our health, wellness and skin care, and understand that achieving and maintaining beautiful skin requires a complete lifestyle that champions cellular well being.
Cellular aging The cellular energy that allows life itself to be possible is adenosine tri phosphate, better known as ATP. Up to 90 percent of the total ATP that the body relies on to sustain life is manufactured in the mitochondria of each cell. The mitochondria can be thought of as small factories that manufacture ATP for the purpose of providing this energy for the cell. In turn, the cell is able to use this energy to function, and together in harmony with a conglomeration of cells creates what we define as life itself. This represents the most basic to complex functions of the human body, including the repair and regeneration of the skin. Studies indicate that by the time we reach the age of 60, our ability to manufacture ATP will have been depleted by nearly half, bringing merit to the feeling that as we age, we feel as if we have less energy and agility. Although there are many factors involved in the process of aging, our inability to produce an adequate level of our base energy in the form of ATP that allows us to repair and regenerate is at the epicenter of the aging process.
Page 84 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, PEOPLE HAVE tirelessly searched the world for the infamous fountain of youth. They have been searching for a secret ingredient, remedy, tincture or concoction that can freeze the hands of time— and perhaps even reverse it. Regardless of whether or not the fountain of youth exists, it is this optimistic and obsessive pursuit of immortality that continues to spur a perpetual evolution of health and wellness that has significantly enhanced our quality of life, and nearly doubled our average life expectancy over the last century. This shift is somewhat of a medical phenomenon, and absolutely intriguing from a sociological view. In the year 1900, the average life span for a man in the United States was 46.3 years, and 48.3 years for a woman. By the year 2010, these averages had reached the 80 year mark. What once was expected to be the end of the road is now barely halfway for many. This in itself requires an entirely different approach to life, and has played a strong role in shaping today’s culture. The way we eat, exercise, care for our skin and protect ourselves has changed and adapted to fit the reality that we will be living longer lives. In today’s modern world of medicine, we can replace mechanical parts of our body, such as a hip or knee, much like swapping out a set of tires on our car when they wear out. When it comes to the skin, however, there is nothing
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The mighty mitochondria Mitochondria requires a high level of three vital components to maximize the production of ATP. This includes essential fatty acids (EFAs) and an energy source such as microcurrent and oxygen, as mitochondria based ATP production is an aerobic process. In short, the more pure oxygen that your body can take in and make available to the mitochondria, the better and more effectively it can function. The result is more cellular energy that fuels every part of the human body. This is the very reason why consistent aerobic activity is the single best thing that you can do for your body. Although a physical workout can be trying, the result of a substantial increase of oxygen is the upreglulation of ATP, which in turns gives you a huge boost of energy, clearer thought patterns, a faster metabolism, a stronger body and an overall feeling of wellness.
Oxygen and ATP The skin is the single largest organ of the human body, and thus it requires the largest amount of ATP to thrive, repair and regenerate. Therefore, enhancing cellular respiration of the skin to allow more oxygen to be available to the mitochondria is key. There are select cutting-edge topical ingredients on the market today that do just that. One of these is Vitacell (LS8430 Yeast Extract—Sacchromyces Cerevisiae, INCI name), which has been shown to establish a 57 percent increase in cellular December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
respiration, which in turn produced a 65 percent increase in new ATP production as a direct response. This is currently the most profound new ingredient in the skin care marketplace, and one that every skin therapist should be using in their age management arsenal.
Air and oxygen When discussing cellular respiration, we first must consider what we have to work with in the ambient air. Most would assume that what we breathe in is oxygen. In reality, the ambient air around us is only 20 percent oxygen, and the bulk of the balance is nitrogen. This in itself has a profound impact on the level of purified oxygen available to the mitochondria, which in turn has a profound impact on the level of ATP cellular energy that we are able to manufacture. Remember, ATP is responsible for all functions of life, including repair, regeneration, collagen production, elastin production, blood circulation and glycosaminoglycan production. All of these processes are very relevant to healthy and younger looking skin.
Purified oxygen New technology that has entered the age management market, referred to as oxygen infusion, uses a new patented segregation filtration technology known as zeolite molecular continues LNEONLINE.com • Page 85
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sieves. Zeolite is a mineral that maintains a natural property to trap and filter nitrogen, leaving a purity level of oxygen that can be as high as 94 percent. This is nearly five times the purity level of the ambient air that we breathe. Because of this enormous upregulation of purified oxygen available to the mitochondria, the ATP production literally goes crazy. This initiates long term improvements of the skin via an increase in collagen and elastin synthesis, as well as the immediate visible improvement of the skin’s texture, color and pore refinement. These nearly instant changes in the skin are what have made oxygen infusion services a must in Hollywood before filming or photographs. It is also what has propelled this technology to the dream team of natural age management science, along with microcurrent, LED and wet/dry microdermabrasion.
Oxygen skin care services Oxygen infusion is usually applied to the skin in three different ways—wand, dome and jet. The wand is the most traditional method, and it is generally combined with a product. The wand itself is essentially a traditional airbrush with a reservoir that holds key products that can be micronized and applied to the skin for deeper penetration. The wand is pressurized, and utilizes 94 percent pure oxygen to quickly upregulate cellular respiration. It allows for product to be applied to skin without use of the hands. The sensation is very cool and soothing, making it a perfect application immediately following any service that may cause irritation, redness or inflammation. The jet application tool is a probe-like jet that uses pulsating purified oxygen pressurized at 3BAR. The intensity of this pulsation allows for temporary intracellular spaces to form, encouraging deeper penetration of key ingredients. Jet applications can be used on the entire face and neck, however they are more commonly used for focus work that
Layering oxygen Oxygen infusion is a complete stand-alone service, in that the results are efficacious and substantial. At the same time, oxygen services can be strategically layered with other technologies that share the same dedication to the mitochondria. Both microcurrent and LED have impressive efficacy studies regarding the ability for the mitochondria to use both outside sources of friendly energy to enhance its ability to greatly upregulate the production of cellular energy. This, coupled with a high level of purified oxygen, makes for the ultimate ATP cocktail! The use of wet/dry microdermabrasion is also a strategic technology to layer with oxygen. It’s forte is its ability to completely prepare the pallet for creative skin work by removing as much of the stratum corneum as possible, which in turn allows for stronger, more comprehensive product penetration and cellular respiration. As a culture and a species, we are terrified of the inevitable effects of aging. More often than not in life, we become deer in headlights, doing nothing to mitigate the aging process. One thing that is certain is that time only moves in one direction. With this in mind, embrace the aging process and proactively manage it. Work with products, technology and manufacturers who have done the research, and base what they bring to market on factual science and clinical evidence. Look for a winning team of ingredients and technology that champion the mitochondria, enhance cellular energy and allow every one of your clients to realize their true, youthful potential. n
David Suzuki, president of BioTherapeutic, Inc., has been an active licensed member of the esthetics industry for more than 18 years. He is an authority on technology and regulatory issues, including FDA submission and acquisition. Suzuki serves as an advisor to institutions and state boards, writes for numerous industry publications and journals and conducts educational seminars and classes. E-mail him at dsuzuki@bio-therapeutic.com or visit bio-therapeutic.com.
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photo courtesy of Bio-Therapeutic
The wand is pressurized, and utilizes 94 percent pure oxygen to quickly upregulate cellular respiration. It allows for product to be applied to skin without use of the hands.
entails specific products and objectives, such as expression aging, crow’s feet and nasal labial lines. During application, it is common to use a single jet in one hand and a specialty product in the other, maintaining complete control and staying focused on objectives. The dome application utilizes a clear transparent dome that essentially allows for a localized hyperbaric facial service. Typically, the skin therapist first applies key products combined with a pre-saturated focused mask, and the dome is set over the top for 10 to 12 minutes.
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EMPLOYEE OR ENTREPRENEUR? PICK YOUR ROLE
T photo: Blend Images/Shutterstock.com
RYING TO DECIDE WHETHER to be an employee or entrepreneur is not an easy task. There are certainly benefits to being an employee, but look at all the control you gain if you are an entrepreneur. You may have the experience of being both at certain points in your career. The trick is to determine which is better for you at this point in your life. 4
BY JUDITH CULP
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 87
Graduates quickly learn that their basic training is designed for entry level positions. For those licensed in hair and nails, entry level positions are readily available; even massage therapists find many opportunities, but multiple openings can be very rare in the skin care field. In most cases, there is only one esthetician needed in the spa and no one to mentor them. Salons need someone who is ready to go, trained to provide the services clients are requesting. Graduates have a choice of leaving the field when they cannot find work or going into a rental situation, something else their training did not prepare them for. Most experienced estheticians would council a new graduate to get more education before they try to find a job. There are some definite advantages to being an employee. Spas or practices with a strong financial base can support employees while they are learning and building skills. You have set hours and no after-hours work obligations. In the facilities that are part of a larger corporation, there are even more benefits available, which could include insurance and paid sick and vacation time. I know a young woman who got a position at a large spa, and she was so excited to tell me that within weeks, she was making far more money than she ever had in her life! She had a great place to work and full benefits. She could focus all of her attention on giving great treatments. This woman had done it right, and taken training well beyond what was required in her state, which also made her stand out to the spa manager. Most business owners have a vision for what their business is like, how it comes across to the client and the types of services to be rendered. They visualize what the staff looks like, what the music is like and the ambiance of the setting. Successful owners know which days and hours they need to be open to meet the needs Page 88 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Blend Images/Shutterstock.com
Therapists and technicians often think they will make more money working for themselves, and in a lot of cases this just isn’t true.
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of their client base. They have learned the demographics of their clients and know what the pricing structure needs to be. When hiring, they are concerned with the new employee fitting in with existing staff and client base, as well as both their technical and soft skills. If these businesses are well run, the staff is happy—both with their treatment success and their financial success. Turnover is very low.
photo: Oliver Hoffmann/Shutterstock.com
Have an understanding of IRS and Department of Labor terms so you know the difference in work classifications. Therapists and technicians often think they will make more money working for themselves, and in a lot of cases this just isn’t true. The selfemployed person must pay both the employer and the employee’s side of social security, as well as all other taxes. Even if they are away for vacation, they must pay the ongoing bills. These include rent, utilities, insurance, web hosting, telephone and Internet. The last person that gets a check after the bills are paid is the independent contractor. So if you do not have something that you can live on, getting started and surviving can be a real challenge. There is some truth to the saying that it takes a new business five years to start to beome profitable—it is doable, it just takes a lot of work. Your new business will need the care and attention of a new baby, and then it will continue to need the attention of a growing child. Be sure you have the time, energy and resources to devote to it. Those who have been in business for themselves know that while it requires a lot of work, it can be very rewarding. There are many extra responsibilities and risks for any benefit that may be gained. Are you ready to be an entrepreneur? Review the following checklist of skills and other characteristics that are essential for entrepreneurs: • Good technical skills • Good people management skills December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
• Accounting skills (you will be your own bookkeeper for at least the basic tasks) • An understanding of IRS and Department of Labor terms so you know the difference in work classifications. See irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4902.pdf. • Internet skills. Your web page and social media will both need your attention. • Marketing skills • Business management skills • Financial stability. You won’t be able to live off the business initially, and investors will not want to invest so you can take the money home. They will invest in the business, not your personal income. • Time. Building a business is going to take a lot of it. If you have small children at home, finding time may be especially difficult. You need all the “being ready” you can get to have a successful practice. Take your time and make sure your choice fits where you are in your career. Whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur, know that it is up to you to create your own definition of success! n Judith Culp is an NCEA certified CIDESCO Dip lomat. She is a contributing editor for Milady’s Standard Esthetics: Ad vanced. Culp is also a teacher and the president of the NW Institute of Esthetics, which offers basic and advanced skin care training. Contact her through nwinstitute.estheticsnw.com or via email at judy@estheticsnw.com. LNEONLINE.com • Page 89
NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS AND
MORE SPA PROFITS AS A SPA OWNER AND OPERATOR, I UNDERSTAND HOW busy it can get with day to day operations; and most of your days are just plain overwhelming. Add to that the daily spa operations, which come with a long to-do list, and guest and staff needs to meet, which consume your day and leave you very little time to plan for the future of the business. With this long to-do list, you find yourself struggling to find the time to create an annual plan to increase revenue, reduce expenses and decrease payroll, all of which will increase your spa’s profits. As an owner or spa operator, you need to review your past profit and loss statement, revenues, payroll and expenses, which will empower you with the knowledge to create higher profits for your spa in the future.
You may be asking yourself how you will find the time. You must make the time. I estimate that once you have gathered all the information needed to assemble your forecasted spa budget, it will take you six to eight hours to produce your overall budget for next year. It is worth your while to remove yourself from the spa and day-to-day operations to spend time reviewing last year’s profit and loss statement, as well as reports taken from your spa software. For those with a year or two of experience operating a spa, the process of creating a forecasted spa budget will be easier because you have past financial history to review. I
BY TAMMY PAHEL Page 90 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: bikeriderlondon/Shutterstock.com
UNDERSTANDING PROFITABILITY FOR YOUR SPA
business
have provided the example of the forecasted spa budget to help you get started. Please start with collecting information on your fixed expenses. Your accountant should be able to access most of your expenses from quick books, and you will find payroll information from your spa software reports. If this is your first year starting your spa and you don’t have prior information to refer to, you may consider hiring a local spa consultant. The spa consultant would have averages for you to work with from their past experience with spas in your area. Let’s start by getting acquainted with each component of the forecasted spa budget I have provided for you, seen on page 92-93. Using the forecasted budget, I created a virtual piece of paper against the actual lines. You can create your own column and write your spa information in by hand. Then review the list below with the explanations of what would be included in each category.
Forecasted budget Include projections of a variety of revenue lines, retail sales, cost of sales, payroll, variable expenses, fixed expenses and profits (before taxes). Revenues consist of various revenue lines, such as massage, facial, nail, salon, med spa services, waxing and memberships. These are different for every spa. There could be additional lines of revenue that are not listed. To find your spa revenue lines from the prior year, you may run reports from your spa software system, or ask your accountant for your last profit and loss statement.
Helpful tips Projecting revenue lines for the coming year can be done by reviewing last year’s revenue lines. Adding new revenue lines, such as new spa services or treatments each year should be considered. Another interesting thought to consider is gauging what percentage of your support comes from your community. Take the number of households in the community (purchase a demographic report) and divide that into the number of individuals visiting the spa. This is called a capture rate. Within hotels, you obtain the capture rate by taking the number of rooms occupied by the actual number of guests visiting the spa. Yearly increases to spa revenues by percentage are generally between three and five percentage points. Although these are standard percentages, consider reviewing your last two to three years of revenue to see what your increase has been, and use that percentage to predict your next year’s increase.
Retail Are any products sold in your spa and/or on your website? Review last year’s profit and loss statement to see what dollar amount you sold in retail. Do a monthly inventory on all retail. The general rule is to do retail inventory on the last day of each month. Cost of sales is the cost of the products that you actually purchased in retail, and what you are selling. December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
Create a purchase order system for all purchases. Every spa purchase should be labeled; the actual cost should be coded to the right account.
If your cost of sales is higher than 50 percent, there are only three things that increase the cost of goods. One is staff and/or guests pilfering your retail. You know your staff is pilfering your retail when you find empty boxes and the actual retail products are missing. When a guest is pilfering the retail product, they take the box and product. An empty box left on the shelf is a clear indication of an inside job. Another is two miscoded purchase orders, mixing back bar product and retail purchases given to your accountant and added into cost of goods sold instead of retail purchases. The third is placing any retail on sale. This will increase your cost of goods percentage. Create a purchase order system for all purchases. Every spa purchase should be labeled; the actual cost should be coded to the right account. For example, purchase orders for all retail purchases should be labeled as such. If you do not create a purchase order system, then every purchase made with the business credit card must have a written note on the receipt guiding your accountant to where the cost should be allocated. Your accountant will appreciate your help. Payroll includes any payroll for treatments rendered, as well as for supervisory and/or management positions. To get treatment payroll information, either run a report from your spa software system or quick books, or ask your accountant for the prior year’s detail payroll report for you to review. Payroll averages between 38 and 48 percent. Sometimes payroll can be higher, but the goal is to control payroll and keep it under 50 percent. If you do not have an organizational or staffing chart, create one. List all current staffing, as well as management positions. Next to each person’s name, place a pay range, whether it is hourly, salary based or a flat fee. Pay for each team member must have an accelerated plan to retain your staff. Industry standards for increased range are between three and five percent year over year. Participate in the local spa association and discuss standards of pay for therapists, fixed labor, supervisors and management in your area. Spa consultants can help you with these competitive wage analyses for all staff. Varied expenses are expenses that are based on spa business volume. A few examples include back bar products, utilities, food and beverage, locker room supplies, water services and electricity. See the actual list of varied expenses on the budget provided. continues LNEONLINE.com • Page 91
business|new year, new goals and more spa profits
YEAR 2014 Revenue
TOTAL
Spa services Massage
766,242
Body treatments
25,650
Body wraps
37,800
Facials
148,880
Wax
4,525
Manicure
15,540
Food
34,375
Hana hydrotherapy
70,000
Retail & other Spa product retail
104,615
Gross revenue
1,207,627
The general range in varied and fixed expenses is between 30 and 50 percent. Review prior years of expenses. Varied and fixed expenses must be controlled; the higher the percentage, the less profit you will make. Focus on back bar and product usage; this should be between three and five percent of your service revenue. Take expenses divided by your revenue to see what percentage you have been running year over year. Review every line expense and consider how you can reduce each. Business is more competitive than ever today, and your suppliers will work with you to retain your loyalty.
Fixed expenses
Cost of sales Spa product retail
52,311
Gross profit
1,155,316
Payroll expenses Salaries & wages
184,800
Service commissions
293,893
Spa product commissions
10,465
Subtotal
489,158
Taxes and related
50,023
Total payroll expenses
539,181
Operating expenses Variable Allowances
3,000
Guest supplies
7,200
Credit card fees
27,132
Laundry expenses
6,072
Office supplies
7,908
Professional supplies
46,248
Spa equipment
1,752
Fixed Accounting
7,032
Advertising
12,000
Automobile expenses - other
7,668
Business licenses & fees
1,032
Comps
12,000
Computer Expense - other
1,032
Decoration
300
Donation
9,996
A business has many fixed expenses. These can include mortgage, rent, a company car, website host, liability insurance, car insurance, property insurance, accounting fees, security systems, pest control, marketing, spa brochures, business licenses, travel expenses, donations, dues and subscriptions, health insurance, postage, office supplies, landscaping, cleaning services and garbage services. If you have a mortgage, rates have dropped over the last several years. I recommend that you go back to your bank and negotiate a better rate to reduce your payments. Review the forecasted spa budget provided to locate fixed expenses; this budget is your guide. The forecasted spa budget you create is your expected revenue, expenses and profits. A forecasted budget allows you to clearly see your monthly financials and get a glimpse of your expected financial future. Even if your business has a shortfall in revenue or an increase in expenses, you can track this information and see what happened and why at the end of every year. For most of my career, I have been responsible for day to day operations and the financial success of spas. A recent client of mine asked me to review their day to day operations, payroll and profit and loss statement. As I reviewed their profit and loss statement, a light bulb went off in my head. This financially successfully spa earned approximately $40,000 worth of profit a year. As I reviewed the details of the revenue, payroll and expenses, I realized that with a few changes, the profits of this spa would be three times the current amount.
Page 92 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Kenishirotie/Shutterstock.com
After explaining this to my client, the owner shared that they wanted to position the spa in a more positive financial light with the intention to sell it in five years. Sometimes, reorganizing the operation to reduce payroll, re-evaluating the variable and fixed expenses allows you to see where you can reduce spending. Today business is more competitive than ever. You may need to shop around to reduce your expenses on things like the phone company and car insurance for your business. Sometimes owners don’t want to reduce payroll becasue they get attached to staff. However, if you want to position yourself to be in a positive cash flow situation, you must make these hard decisions. Consider a spa consultant in your local area or a trusted CPA to help create your forecasted spa budget and pro forma. Call references provided by the professional, and make sure they are recent references that the professional has worked with themselves. If you seek out the help of a CPA, make sure they are familiar with the spa industry and day to day operations. Either a spa consultant or a CPA can help you get started on a forecasted spa budget, along with a pro forma. A pro forma is your spa’s financial prediction for the next three to five years. Once this spa plan is completed, you can use it for financial freedom. A spa budget should be created in a way that you understand and relate to. Use an Excel spreadsheet if you are doing all the work yourself. The forecasted spa budget is best created reflecting a monthly budget, and should be broken down into daily numbers for you and the staff, with a daily goal for revenue. n
Tammy Pahel, founder and president of Spa Management Solutions, Inc., has been a leader in the spa and fitness industry for 21 years. She used her visionary instincts to develop 12 world class spas. Pahel is devoted to her clients and has true love and passion for the spa industry. She earned a degree in business administration and marketing at Penn State University. December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
Either a spa consultant or a CPA can help you get started on a forecasted spa budget, along with a pro forma. A pro forma is your spa’s financial prediction for the next three to five years.
Dues & subscriptions
2,652
Gas & electric
32,688
Insurance auto
2,916
Insurance health
7,884
Janitorial/maintenance exp
28,800
Landscaping
2,604
Liability insurance
12,564
Linen services
5,088
Meals & entertainment
10,152
Pest control
768
Plumbing repairs
2,772
Postage & delivery
1,740
Printing & reproduction
9,864
Property taxes
12,156
Rent
158,412
Spa consultant
81,672
Storage rental
312
Telephone
9,360
Training
2,112
Travel
7,872
Uniforms
2,904
Waste removal
1,248
Water
19,272
Web services
1,800
Total operating expenses
567,984
Total expenses
1,107,165
Net income
48,151
LNEONLINE.com • Page 93
photos: Shutterstock.com
Page 94 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
business
EXITSTRATEGIES 6 STEPS TO TAKE WHEN SELLING YOUR SPA AS AN OWNER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF reasons you may choose to sell your esthetic business or practice. Perhaps a can’t-miss opportunity or merger presents itself while your business is booming. Maybe retirement is looking better and better. Or perhaps the unthinkable has happened, and in spite of your best efforts, an unforeseen circumstance leaves you with no other option. Whatever the reason, know the protocol when it comes to exit strategies. Have your business or practice professionally evaluated as soon as you realize there’s a chance you may sell it. If you wait until after an unexpected event or serious illness occurs, the value will have diminished, especially if no emergency plan had been put into place. Knowing this, never get too attached to whatever you perceive the value of your practice to be when you hire someone to properly perform an evaluation. You want to make educated decisions, not emotional decisions. Note that this includes your real estate, your equipment and your patient load, to name a few. Define your message to the public—before it goes public. Know how you will get the message to your staff, patients and the community. The way you get this message to each of these groups will differ greatly, depending on the reason you’re choosing to sell or merge. Know that regardless of the reason, unless you had discussed this option with your team while still in the decision-making process, their faces won’t hide their shock. Present the circumstances in the most positive manner possible, and let
them know their honest fate. Will they be laid off? If so, will you allow them time during the work day to interview for other jobs? If they are not going to be laid off, and there will be a merger (or simply a new owner), will the group or person taking over be present when you break the news to your team, allowing them to directly ask their new employer any questions they may have? What is your proposed timetable? Will you remain on as an employee or a partial owner? Have a plan in place for the possibility of having to explain the changes to the press, and know the laws in your state regarding how and when patients must be notified, including what happens to their records. Seek assistance in the sale. For a number of reasons, it makes sense to hire a third party to assist you in the sale, inclusive of an attorney and a consultant. A strong negotiator who knows your business is worth his or her weight in gold. Note that if you are looking to liquidate your business, this is even more important. Lowball deals for equipment will come faster than you can catch them, and it is important to have someone on your side who can control the playing field. If your business is a practice owned by a physician or requires a medical director, the potential outcome of which physician will see your patients could include a variety of options. Your options vary depending on the reason you’re choosing to sell the practice and the amount of time you have to make decisions. If you are continues
BY JAY A. SHORR AND MARA SHORR
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 95
business|exit strategies If your business is a medical practice, know how it is set up as a legal entity; this affects who is able to buy the business from you. For example, in the state of Florida, as well as many other states, if your practice is set up as a Medical/ Osteopathic Doctor in a Professional Association or Professional Corporation (MD/DO PA or MD/ DO PC), it can only be owned by a physician. In other words, a physician may no longer be capable of owning the practice if his or her spouse is not a doctor. They are unable to take over ownership, even as a previous practice administrator. Otherwise, in the case of death, the medical practice becomes part of the estate, under the guidance of a personal representative and attorney. Should this be a concern to you, make sure the practice is set up as a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), which can be owned by a non-physician. Be careful when it comes to personal guarantees on lines of credit. Don’t allow your spouse to be a cosigner on any line of credit to your corporation; you don’t want him or her responsible as a co-guarantor on the note. If you must have your spouse as a co-signor, or if the bank insists on it, have them place a lien on the practice and/or the financed piece of equipment in the amount of the note, as this makes him or her a secured creditor. n
in a position where you are physically unable to keep up your usual pace, plan to bring on a new associate who can immediately generate revenue (insured and non-insured) to at least cover expenses. Perhaps a colleague is able to work several days a week, and another one of your currently employed physicians and mid-level practitioner(s) can pick up the remaining slack. Consider a temporary physician (locum tenens) to fill a temporary gap or look at hiring another full-time physician. Prepare this plan as soon as possible to avoid a gap in service; clients will begin seeking other physicians to treat them when you are unavailable. Check your state guidelines when it comes to billing insurance.
Mara Shorr serves as the vice president of marketing and business development. She is a national speaker and a Level II and III Certified Aesthetic Consultant, utilizing knowledge and experience to help clients achieve their potential. The Shorrs can be contacted at info@thebestmbs.com.
Page 96 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: CandyBox Images/Shutterstock.com
IF YOUR BUSINESS IS A MEDICAL PRACTICE, KNOW HOW IT IS SET UP AS A LEGAL ENTITY; THIS AFFECTS WHO IS ABLE TO BUY THE BUSINESS FROM YOU.
Jay A. Shorr is the founder and managing partner of The Best Medical Business Solutions, assisting esthetic businesses and medical practices with their operational, financial and administrative health. He is also a professional motivational speaker, an advisor to the Certified Aesthetic Consultant program and a certified medical business manager.
PCA SKIN® is honored to be listed on the seventh annual Inc. Magazine Inc. 500|5000 for the second year in a row. This exclusive national ranking of the fastest growing private companies in America recognizes PCA SKIN’s ongoing dedication to improving people’s lives through their products and professional treatments to provide the best results possible. pcaskin.com 877.PCA.SKIN
SUPPORTING A CAUSE Empire Beauty Schools across the country are fighting domestic violence. In one day, students and faculty raised over $45,000 for more than 100 women’s shelters across the country with Empire’s annual National Day of Beauty event. Every Empire Beauty School in the country supports a local shelter and is committed to being a part of the solution. “I could not be prouder of the work our staff and students have done to make this event such a success,” says Franklin K. Schoeneman, CEO of Empire Education Group. Empire Beauty Schools also support the Cut It Out program, a curriculum designed to teach cosmetologists how to recognize the signs of domestic abuse. All Empire schools support their local shelters throughout the year with additional fundraisers and free salon services for shelter residents and their children, and Empire Education Group offers educational endowments to any shelter residents interested in attending beauty school. empire.edu empiregivesback.com December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
PARTNERING WITH THE BEST Panico Salon & Spa is taking their beauty business to the next level by bringing Repêchage® products and treatments to their salon to offer outstanding skin care services. Panico Salon & Spa has been dedicated to offering the best salon and spa services to their clients for nearly 50 years. Currently there are three locations in New Jersey and one in Miami Beach. President and CEO Jack Panico and his team are focused on offering quality and luxury to clients, making Repêchage a perfect fit. As to why he selected Repêchage, Jack states, “I chose Repêchage because of their superior skin care products. I’ve known Lydia Sarfati for years and we share a like-minded business philosophy with our advanced, ongoing education systems.” Sarfati and her team did a personal training for over 35 of the Panico staff members on location. repechage.com 800.248.7546 panico.com
BIZNEWS
NOTEWORTHY RECOGNITION
COMMERCE, TRADE, INDUSTRY AND PEOPLE MORE NEWS
LNEONLINE.com • Page 97
BIZNEWS
SUPPORTIVE NETWORK
COMMERCE, TRADE, INDUSTRY AND PEOPLE
GET A FRESH START Empowering Salon Professionals, a consulting and coaching firm focused on the beauty industry, has launched the new Save My Salon Sweepstakes. From now through March 31, 2014, struggling beauty professionals can enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win one year of private business coaching by the company’s founder and president, Chad Law. Law will conduct an initial assessment and create a customized annual business plan for the business (i.e., financial growth, marketing and team building) valued at $12,000— for free. Second and third place winners receive a one-day in-salon seminar with Law. Empowering Salon Professionals is a network of specialized salon professionals who coach, teach and train salons and spas nationwide on core business building solutions. empoweringsalonprofessionals.com helpsavemysalon.com
Women’s beauty company Chrislie Formulations has created a social media support network called Eye Am Empowered. The life-changing social media support network is for women who are currently experiencing challenging situations in life. Eye Am Empowered is designed to have a similar concept to Facebook, but with a special focus—its users form an international sisterhood, keeping an eye on improving the health and wellbeing of women throughout the world. Chrislie Formulations brands include Lashem™, Measureable DIfference™ and Nailuv™, among others. chrislieformulations.com 800.710.0915 EyeAmEmpowered.com
NEW MARKETING OPTION TRCo Marketing has found a way to partner with salons/spas to change the trend of “specials” and “group deals” that are damaging to the bottom line. This marketing technique is now available in the U.S., and it is making its debut in the beauty industry. TRCo Marketing offers free membership to an exclusive beauty partner network that provides exposure and marketing communication, access to new clients in your area, customer acquisition, trial use of excess inventory, bookings at slower and off-peak times, association with the world’s biggest brands and free PR and social media coverage. In exchange for being introduced to these clients, the spa simply offers one introductory treatment, allowing the opportunity for new business, sale of products and additional services. trcoworld.com
Page 98 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) is pleased to honor its Lifetime Members by offering educational scholarships through the new Lifetime Member Scholarship Program. These scholarships, sponsored by Goldwell New York and Kao USA Inc., celebrate the commitment of PBA’s Lifetime Members in supporting continued education and the advancement of the industry. Four recipients will be chosen to receive a $2,000 scholarship, dispersed in $1,000 installments per year in 2014 and 2015. All applications must be submitted by March 1, 2014. “This program not only honors our company’s co-founder and PBA Lifetime Member Hans Neumaier, but gives a head start to a future generation of beauty professionals,” said Steve Neumaier, president of Goldwell New York. Applications will be reviewed and scholarships awarded by a committee appointed by the Chair of PBA’s Beauty Professional/NCA Advisory Council. All scholarships are funded by Goldwell New York and Kao USA Inc. and administered by the PBA Foundation. probeauty.org/scholarships
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
Wellness Tourism Worldwide is pleased to announce a signed partner agreement with the World Food Travel Association, the world’s largest organization for the food tourism industry, with 18,000 members in 135 countries. Both organizations are joining together to develop, educate and promote food, culinary and agri-tourism as an important part of wellness travel experiences. Both food and wellness travel are hot trends that are changing the way leisure travelers experience vacations. More than one of the hottest trends, wellness tourism is a growing and lucrative niche. “Food is critical to being vibrant and healthy and it is also an important part of the travel experience,” remarked Wellness Tourism Worldwide founder Camille Hoheb. “Food travel provides a sense of place and cultivates a deeper connection to land and a sustainable world, which extends the mission of Wellness Tourism Worldwide to improve well-being and economic growth through travel.” wellnesstourismworldwide.com worldfoodtravel.org
BIZNEWS
KEY PARTNERSHIP
COMMERCE, TRADE, INDUSTRY AND PEOPLE
FAST GROWTH INC Magazine has ranked Innovative Spa Management (ISM) number 1,063 on its seventh annual 500/5000 list, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest growing private companies. ISM, based in North Carolina, provides ongoing spa management as well as conceptual and strategic planning, feasibility assessments, spa consulting and design services. The company has achieved 399 percent growth over five years. “We are honored and excited to have been named to INC.’s top 5,000, and in the company of so many successful American entrepreneurs,” said Ilana Craig Alberico, founding partner of ISM. “Our company continues to grow and innovate with an excellent portfolio of luxury properties.” ismspa.com
LNEONLINE.com • Page 99
organic & wellness the scent of success by Cristina Proano-Carrion
SEVERAL FACTORS DETERMINE success. The most important one is to constantly be “on the game.” While that is often easier said than done, the good news is that the secrets of success may all be contained in tiny vials of essential oils. It’s true! Infusing aromatherapy into your spa environment can not only make your day more productive and successful, it can also help your staff members stay focused and alert. Did you know that our sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 times more acute than our sense of sight or hearing? It is scientifically documented that certain olfactory stimuli trigger a biochemical reaction in the body, prompting the release of specific hormones and neurochemicals, affecting our physiology as well as our behavior. A study conducted by Dr. Joel Warm and Dr. William Dembar in 1995 established that individuals exposed to scents performed “sustained attention tasks” more accurately than those who were not exposed to any scents. Essential oils do much more than make the workplace smell pleasant and welcoming. They possess electromagnetic properties that alter the flow of energy in our minds and bodies, thus affecting their functioning. Be it work or academics, you can train your mind to stay alert and productive with a little help from aromatherapy.
When it comes to whether or not one succeeds, a lot depends on their state of mind. Certain oils, such as laurel, peppermint, cardamom and rosemary, are known to stimulate the mind, strengthen memory and enhance concentration. Rosemary essential oil: Renews enthusiasm and helps boost confidence in people who lack faith in their own potential. Opens the mind and makes it more receptive to new ideas. Peppermint essential oil: Fresh and powerful, it awakens the mental faculties, enhancing concentration and alertness. It can also ward off mental fatigue in an instant. Laurel essential oil: Very helpful for strengthening memory and restoring concentration. Motivates people who lack energy or confidence. Cardamom essential oil: Its cephalic properties make it a gentle tonic for the brain and nervous system. Aids concentration for the mentally sluggish and induces relaxation when tension and worry become overwhelming.
Avoid the rat race When you are busy working hard to achieve your goals, it is easy to lose track of other things. Fresh and cheerful citrus scents help maintain mental peace and balance while staving off stress, anxiety and nervousness. Bergamot essential oil: Has a deeply calming effect on the nervous system. Relieves nervous depression and anxiety. Grapefruit essential oil: Has a soothing nature that helps alleviate feelings of tension, frustration, irritability and moodiness. Helps people deal with difficult emotions in a healthy way. Lemon essential oil: Bright and uplifting by nature, it sharpens the mind
and brings clarity to the intellect. It also lightens up the mood and dispels worry and confusion.
Don’t let health problems hold you back Every time we fall prey to germs, our productivity takes a plunge and we lose precious time. Be it seasonal changes or stressful lifestyles, antibacterial and immunity-boosting essential oils can protect your body from the onslaught of infections. Eucalyptus radiata essential oil: A tonic for the immune system, it strengthens our defensive mechanism and prevents infections from recurring. Ravensara essential oil: Helpful in fighting colds, the flu and bronchitis. Also prevents recurrence of infections.
Essential oils in your spa The easiest way to incorporate aromatherapy into your spa environment is to use essential oils in an electric diffuser. Electric diffusers are both safe and convenient, and you can adjust the quantity of oil according to the size of your room (10 drops for small treatment rooms and 20 drops for larger spaces like a reception area). Alternatively, you may fill a spray bottle with one quart of distilled water and add 20 drops of your preferred essential oil in it. You can mix and match these essential oils to create your own recipe for success! n Cristina Proano-Carrion has 14 years of experience developing formulas for aromatherapy products for the health, spa and fitness industries. She is the owner and formulator of Aromandina. Proano-Carrion has been a featured speaker at workshops and seminars, and has shared her expertise on television and radio.
Page 100 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: Serena Carminati /Shutterstock.com
Programming the mind for success
organic & wellness
INTRODUCING
NATURAL AND ORGANIC
services BY ANNE C. WILLIS
MORE AND MORE HOSPITALS ARE BUILDING WELLNESS centers on their campuses and integrating holistic practices into patient care programs. These services are utilized for disease prevention, lifestyle enhancement and alternative medicine. The fact that hospitals are recognizing the need for integrative therapies speaks volumes about how the two medical viewpoints can work in a collaborative effort. This should be no different for the spa industry. Adopting the medical model allows a spa to keep existing services in place while adding supportive services with natural/organic products. Don’t feel that you have to omit something in order to offer organic/natural products. But it is important that you only add services that will enhance your current mission statement. The best place to begin would be with an evaluation of your current services and products, and clarify why you offer them. What is your facility mission statement? Is your facility focused on spa services? Do you take a more clinical approach? Do you provide med spa services? What does the public think of when they hear the name of your facility? Why would you add natural/organic products to your services? Whatever you do, don’t add holistic services and products simply because it is a trend. continues
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 101
organic & wellness|introducing natural and organic services
INSTEAD OF CALLING THE SERVICES “HOLISTIC” OR “NATURAL,” REFER TO THEM AS “THERAPEUTIC” SERVICES.
Adding a holistic approach should have a purpose. If you think it would be a good fit, start by personally experiencing wellness services before you incorporate them into your treatment rooms and boutique. You have to completely understand the value of these services before you offer them to the public. Otherwise, it can come off as misleading or disingenuous. Once you have decided to integrate a wellness approach along with your current spa services, you will need to ensure that the two services complement each other. You never want your services to oppose each other. The pairing should provide clarity on what results the client can expect. You certainly don’t want the client to be put in a position to pick a service or product based on what the esthetician personally favors or thinks the client wants. You also don’t want to
Anne C. Willis, a licensed esthetician and worldwide leader in holistic and medical skin therapies, is the founder of De la Terre Skincare. She is an accredited skin care instructor and the director of Oncology Skin Therapeutics™, bringing more than 30 years of experience and knowledge to the new generation of skin therapists. Willis is a contributor to The Esthetician’s Guide to Working With Physicians, and has been featured in numerous publications. For more information, contact her at info@delaterreskincare.com or visit delaterreskincare.com.
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photo: Subbotina Anna/Shutterstock.com
feel that you will discredit what you have been offering or selling in the past by adding natural/ organic services. A good way to achieve this is to change how you refer to services. Use terms that are more generic. For example, if you currently offer spa services, leave the actual spa services in place, but change the name of the services to “restorative services.” Make sure the products and treatments provide restorative results. After you have defined what this division of the facility represents, look at adding holistic services. Instead of calling the services “holistic” or “natural,” refer to them as “therapeutic” services. Each department can either address specific conditions or support each other. After you have clarified your mission statement for services, you will need to build a menu that reflects the benefits of the individual departments, as well as how they can complement each other. Staff training is imperative to ensure your team is on board with the way the existing services and products can be integrated with the new natural/organic systems. The ultimate goal is to provide results for the client—without confusing them or having your spa services and products seem as if they are opposing each other. All spa services should focus on prevention and lifestyle enhancement, as well as supportive care. A variety of treatments and products can effectively achieve this. Be creative, and always leave room for growth and the ability to incorporate new trends and services. n
organic & wellness
years, I learned everything I could about marketing myself, providing excellent customer service and creating a successful business. As a result, my practice grew so much that before I sold it, it had become a full-service day spa, with sales of close to $2 million a year, and a staff of nearly 50. Here are a couple of strategies for success that I still use, which may help you on your own path to success.
Have passion
SUCCESS IN YOUR
photo: Goran Bogicevic/Shutterstock.com
massage career WHEN I BECAME A MASSAGE therapist in 1994, I didn’t know what my career would be like over the long term. My original plan was to see clients out of my home so I would have little overhead and be able to keep all the money I made. I soon realized I really didn’t know much about getting clients and that working on my own—at least at first—was going to be difficult. So I sought outside employment so that I could focus on doing the work I loved while someone else handled all the business stuff.
In my first year, I worked in seven different locations all at once, including my apartment. Armed with a pager and cell phone, I worked on call for six of those locations. As appointment requests came in, I updated my schedule with everyone and did a back-and-forth dance from one venue to the next. As I got busier, I dropped the locations that were less than desirable. I also quickly saw that I was too hardheaded to work for anyone else long-term, and so within two years I started my own practice. Over the
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
For starters, focus on doing work you enjoy. Your day can be a real drag if you don’t like what you are doing. For example, although I own a massage chair and am perfectly capable of providing chair massage sessions, I don’t enjoy doing them at all. Thus, I don’t seek out chair massage clients. This also holds true for the education and training you invest in. Several years ago I was considering taking a reflexology class, as some of my clients had asked me about reflexology services. However I really don’t enjoy giving foot massages, so why would I add that modality to my menu of offerings? If you aren’t sure what you are passionate about, think about what type of work you most enjoy doing. What areas of interest, conditions or modalities you are driven to learn about? You may also want to do an assessment of the different services or techniques you offer to make sure they are all a good fit for your current practice. Then focus your marketing and scheduling efforts toward promoting those services. If you work for someone else, talk to your boss about how you can focus your time and schedule on what you enjoy doing most. continues
BY FELICIA BROWN LNEONLINE.com • Page 103
organic & wellness|success in your massage career
Set goals Once you know what you love to do, establish a clear picture of your specific goals in order to chart a path or plan for achieving them. This is so important for your success. When you know exactly what you want, doors will open, and the right people or circumstances will appear to help you achieve your goals. Creating short and long-term goals gives you a foundation and vision that can help you shape your plans for the year, day and moment. Whether you are striving to see a specific number of clients, make a certain amount of income, or even graduate from a specific school or program, goal setting is a critical piece of your foundation and success.
Take action Do something every day to move toward the goals you set. If you aren’t sure where to start, break the goals you set down into smaller steps or tasks, then start doing them one at a time. Example: You want to see 10 new clients each week. A list of steps to help you reach that goal might include: • Create a referral program, and ask existing clients to refer their friends • Determine a new client incentive or special
• Create and distribute a flyer explaining the new client special • Visit a networking group
Summary Becoming a success takes more than just an education and license. Determine what you want to accomplish in your career, and then take regular action to move forward. It will make a huge difference in the results you get. n Parts of this article are reprinted with permission from the book Free & Easy Ways to Promote Your Massage, Spa & Wellness Business by Felicia Brown. It is available at EveryTouchMarketing.com.
Felicia Brown, a licensed massage and bodywork therapist, is the author of Free & Easy Ways to Promote Your Massage, Spa & Wellness Business. She is also a business and marketing coach and owner of Spalutions. Brown provides business and marketing coaching to massage, spa and wellness professionals. For more information, visit Spalutions.com, SpalutionsMassage.com or SmartSpaMarketing.com.
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So Sound® Solutions, a leader in sound therapy and inventor of patented acoustic resonance technology™, is partnering with spas and resorts across the globe to help guests feel the power of music. Research shows that music can assist in lowering heart rate, blood pressure, muscular tension and pain while increasing circulation and entraining brainwaves for more restorative sleep, says the company. “So Sound Solutions addresses this need with a results-oriented and transcendent experience that will leave your guests in an optimal state of wellness,” says co-founder Suzannah Long. sosoundsolutions.com 303.926.5316
BERRY BALANCE The Red Currant Balancing Concentrate from Éminence Organic Skin Care is an age preventative concentrate for normal to combination skin types, says the company. The potent Youth Shield Antioxidant Complex is unleashed in this cooling, quick-absorbing concentrate, with sustained release tea tree oil to help prevent breakouts by controlling oil production. This lightweight facial concentrate can be worn on its own or under a moisturizer. eminenceorganics.com 888.747.6342
BOTANICAL BOOST MAN ON THE GO The Essential Face Wipe from URSA Major for Men contains URSA’s 4-in-1 Essential Face Tonic on a bamboo wipe. The tonic formula is best described as a refreshing liquid cure-all that contains aloe, witch hazel, willow bark extract, rosemary, apple, green tea, birch sap and bamboo. This product provides numerous benefits to skin—it cleanses, fights ingrown hairs and bumps, brightens, clarifies, soothes and refreshes skin, says the company. ursamajormen.com 802.861.2320 December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
The Facial Cleansing & Massage Oil from Clairvoyant Beauty is enriched with a generous combination of botanical oils. Grapeseed oil, the star ingredient of this nourishing cleanser, reveals more toned and radiant skin with its collagen-boosting and restorative properties, while the addition of jojoba, coconut and avocado oils work to unclog pores and provide hydration, says the company. This cleansing oil removes makeup and other impurities without leaving skin feeling stripped of its natural moisture. Jasmine and rose essential oils soothe the senses and leave behind a light and refreshing floral fragrance. clairvoyantbeauty. com 888.758.1270
ORGANIC & WELLNESSNEWS
SOUND THERAPY
ECOFRIENDLY SKIN AND SPA PRODUCTS AND THERAPIES MORE NEWS
LNEONLINE.com • Page 105
ORGANIC & WELLNESSNEWS
SENSATIONAL SPRITZ The Rested & Refreshed Aroma Mist from Botanical Me™ is a travel-sized herbal lavender blend spritz made with 100 percent pure essential oils, says the company. It is relaxing, refreshing and kills germs, making it a perfect item to keep next to your register at this time of year. All Botanical Me products are authentic aromatherapy, and contain only the finest oils and exotic plant ingredients sourced from Africa and beyond. botanicalme.com 619.574.9000
HAPPINESS ALL OVER! The MSM Happiness Gel from Livia Pure Skin Care provides relief and serenity all over the body, lessening muscle inflammation and pain, athletic soreness, back problems, bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, says the company. It is formulated with aloe vera gel, peppermint oil and green and white tea. liviaskincare.com 801.635.5939
HERBAL SELECTION
NATURAL REPAIR The Recovery Serum by Edimi actively promotes collagen and elastin production and helps the skin to repair itself, says the company. It is used for lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, loss of elastin and collagen, sagging skin, dry skin and aging skin. Key ingredients include extracts of grapeseed, chamomile and green tea, as well as hawthorn berry and aloe barbadensis gel. edimi.com 888.362.8425
Tumerica® is a paraben-free and vegan friendly line of face and body care products infused with 100 percent pure and natural turmeric extract. Turmeric is a special herb that increases the skin’s elasticity, contains many antioxidants, fights free radicals and is an excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agent, says the company. In addition to the outstanding properties of turmeric, all products also contain essential vitamins and natural extracts that are superb for healthy and glowing skin. SuperSkinGlow.com 561.310.7803
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Saadia Organics Argan Oil is produced in Essaouira, Morocco, using traditional hand pressed techniques. It helps protect and comfort skin that is exposed to the elements in the wintertime, hydrating dry, chapped skin on the face, hands and lips, alleviating dryness of the arms and legs and comforting frostbitten skin, says the company. saadiaorganics.com 877.456.6757
THE SECRET TO BEAUTY Spa4Hollywood presents Herbelia Day Beauty Secret, the answer to free radicals. It is an anti-aging day cream formulated with vitamins, sunscreens and active ingredients that stimulate the immune system, enabling the prevention of free radical formation and slowing down skin aging, says the company. Day Beauty Secret has a “yogurt texture,” giving the skin a pleasant feeling of softness and a face lift at the same time. spa4hollywood.com 760.408.3725
SOAKED IN VITAMINS The travel-sized bamboo facial cleansing cloths from Kaia Naturals are the perfect product to minimize your clients’ makeup bags! Biodegradable and cruelty-free, the cloths are individually wrapped. They easily take the place of cleansers, toners and makeup removers while leaving plenty of suitcase space. Each cloth is soaked in vitamins B12, C and E, organic honey and an aromatherapy blend of eight essential oils, says the company. Kaia Naturals’ travel-sized multi-pack contains 20 individually wrapped cloths. kaianaturals.com
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
FULL OF FLAVOR Buff Her House of Exfoliation is a new company committed to creating only the best exfoliating facial scrubs, made from organic, naturally grown fruits and vegetables. These gentle exfoliants restore skin’s radiance with nature’s help, says the company. Buff Her House of Exfoliation is a full line of exfoliants with formulas for every skin type. Chemical free and jam packed with great ingredients, these food facial scrubs uncover gorgeous glowing skin. buffher.com
ORGANIC & WELLNESSNEWS
MOROCCAN INDULGENCE
ECOFRIENDLY SKIN AND SPA PRODUCTS AND THERAPIES
LNEONLINE.com • Page 107
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ikat manicure method by Diane Graham
When the white segments have dried, paint the inside of each segment with your accent color. Once again, you may need to do two coats of the color. After this first color is completely dry, use your small brush to paint “V” shaped segments of white on the nails. Stagger the placement of them on each nail, as
A VERY POPULAR TREND IN manicures right now is the ikat (pronounced ee-kot) mani. Ikat is a method of dying fabric, and lately it has been showing up everywhere in the nail world. The best thing about the ikat design is that there really is no particular pattern. Just like in tie-dying, the irregularities are what make it unique and fun. Of course, these same irregularities will also make it very easy to do, and no special tools are needed to accomplish this look.
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the design is not meant to be too uniform. Remember, the shape does not need to be perfect, and the size of the white sections can be in different proportions. If the white does not cover fully in one coat, you may have to go back in with a second coat to make the color opaque. When the white segments have dried, paint the inside of each segment with your accent color. Once again, you may need to do two coats of the color. You do want the polish to be opaque, but you do not want the lines to be “too perfect.” Ikat is a random pattern in fabric, and so it should be a bit more freestyle on the nails as well. The thing that makes this manicure stand out is the addition of the black accents. That is where you truly turn this mani into a one-of-a-kind design. Using a small brush or a dotting tool, add little pieces of black on the inside of each “V.” Then use light strokes of black to surround the white. You do not want a solid black line, but rather a feathery-type of look around the edges. The length of these lines can vary as much as you like. Finish with a topcoat, and your client is ready to walk out the door. There are endless possibilities with the ikat. Explore them by changing the basic shape of your sections and playing with colors. What could be more fun? n
Diane Graham’s artistic skills have been featured both online and in print magazines. Her work can be found via her Facebook page and her blog, polishsickness.blogspot.com. Contact her at graham555@charter.net or 906.280.0707.
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photo: Nik Merkulov/Shutterstock.com
Here is what you need to create this look: 1. A base polish color 2. White polish 3. Black polish 4. A color that either contrasts or coordinates with your base color 5. A short bristled skinny brush or dotting tool Once the nails are prepped and ready to go, polish the nails with two coats of the base color.
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NAILING YOUR BUSINESS tips and strategies for success
Page 110 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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USING SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS HAS become de rigueur for the salon professional who wants to build and maintain a clientele. Here are some pointers from some of the best nail professionals in the industry. Rhonda Kibuk, owner and nail technician at The Purple Pinkie Nail Salon in Ford City, PA, uses Facebook as her only online connection with her clients. She has the following to say about her success: “We consider Facebook the marketing strategy for our salon.” Kibuk is the person responsible for the upkeep of the social media page. Her strategy is to engage daily by posting a relevant comment or “meme” (a picture or saying that carries cultural content throughout the Internet) or uploading a photo. She suggests taking pictures of each client’s nails upon completion, posting them on your page and then tagging that client in the photo. This will expose the photo to all of that client’s friends. Kibuk points out that her clients enjoy the attention as well. Finding a balance is important. “Don’t post too often on any given day or you’ll annoy your audience,” Kibuk warns. “I wish I would have set up a current album, and then after a certain time moved the photos into a category album entitled ‘Acrylic Nails,’ ‘Magic Manicure,’ ‘Glitter Toes,’ etc. It would be much easier for clients to browse for the type of service they are seeking.” As a contrast to this marketing approach, Maggie Franklin, nail technician and salon owner of The Art of Nailz in Visalia, CA, shares, “I’ve never considered my use of Facebook as a means of advertising in the traditional sense. I don’t run paid advertising there, so I know I’m unlikely to get my Facebook page in
front of new eyes in hopes of driving new clients to the business.” Franklin feels that the constantly changing search algorithms limit the number of people who will see your page unless your followers make changes in their own newsfeed settings. She says this is something they are unlikely to take the time and trouble to do. Franklin does regularly post to her Facebook page, but with a different goal in mind: bonding with her followers. “I try to keep it fresh so the people who have liked it will know that it’s not just a static page taking up space. The ones who do keep up with my posts stay involved with me and my business. They develop a sense of community and they start to feel like they know me, know my business and are a part of the fold—even though we haven’t met yet. Eventually, many of them make an appointment, and by that time, I’m more likely to keep them as clients because we’ve already bonded.” This thought process—a courtship, if you will —is a new way of connecting with potential clients. In our industry, the best clients are those that are looking for a long-term relationship, so this strategy is a good fit. “I know it works because I get to meet new clients all the time from this process,” Franklin shares.
Using Facebook to fill openings has been a very successful strategy. “Within minutes of posting any available slots, our phone is ringing and the appointments are filled.”
Cristy Hill, owner of Po lished Elegance Nail Sa lon in Del Rio, TX has a different story to tell. Hill is not a licensed service provider—she had a 10 year career as an elementary school teacher and was fed up with her experiences as a guest at local salons. She had a conversation with her husband in which she declared, “I could do a better job!” This led to a business plan, and six months later, she opened Polished Elegance. “Social media is a crucial aspect of marketing for our salon,” Hill says. “We implemented a referral program shortly after opening our doors. Through Facebook we were able to put it out into the continues
BY KAREN HODGES
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
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community within which to interact with their clientele. There are other social media outlets out there—Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn and the newer Google+. Millie Haynam, industry educator and founder of MDBeauty+Wellness in Solon, OH, recently wrote a very informative blog post about Google+. Haynam states: “The ‘bible’ of social media for me is The Zen of Social Media Marketing by Shama Hyder Kabani. I’ve written many of my social media classes based on her principles.” Haynam has an extensive resource listing and readily shares her expertise with salon professionals at probeautygirl.blogspot.com. If you are just warming up to the idea of social media, this would be a good starting place. n
Karen Hodges is a licensed esthetician and manicurist with more than 15 years of experience. She is a freelance writer, as well as an industry educator and public speaker around the globe. Hodges does consulting and training in salons, as well as on a one-on-one basis with individuals. Arrangements for classes, speaking engagements, web-based or personal training can be made by contacting her at keyzkaren@bellsouth.net.
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photo: Gonzalo Aragon/Shutterstock.com
Handling a negative or less than stellar review in a professional way can not only reduce the impact of such a review, it can lead to new clients.
community, and our clients did all the advertising for us. We also gained clients by using Facebook to advertise giveaways, where people had to like and share our page—it worked like a dream!” Hill posts pictures and shares “good thoughts” every day. Open only since March of 2013, her technicians are regularly busy throughout the day. However using Facebook to fill openings has been a very successful strategy. “Within minutes of posting any available slots, our phone is ringing and the appointments are filled.” Hill also regularly searches for references to her salon on other forums and keeps track of what is being said about her business. “We’ve come across a couple of hashtagged ‘shout out’ pictures on Instagram from clients who have been at Polished,” she says. Hill has also found that it is necessary to stay on top of reviews that people post about her business on sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor. Handling a negative or less than stellar review in a professional way can not only reduce the impact of such a review, it can lead to new clients. When a potential client sees a negative review that is followed up with a professional response, they may easiliy shrug it off as a “you just can’t please everyone” situation. They may then go ahead and book an appointment, confident that they’ll be taken care of. These three salon owners all have very different ideas about why they are using one social media outlet—Facebook. All three have had great success building and maintaining a vibrant
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FALL/WINTER 2013/14 MAKEUP TRENDS FROM THE RUNWAY BY TEAL DRUDA
FALL HAS ARRIVED, AND WITH IT COMES the promise of rich colors, textures and elegant evenings. The autumn and winter seasons can bring us on a nostalgic journey back to our magical childhoods, with the carefree tenacity that tempered out our summer days, slowing to a standstill. Our daylight time shortens, and as the holidays approach we begin the shift into our winter modes and routines. Cozy replaces carefree, and elegance replaces easy and casual. The colors of the landscape begin to transform.
In makeup trends, sultry eyes and lips replace sun kissed looks for something fresh and flirty. I’m all set with the rocking styles, keeping up with the latest happenings of the fashion weeks from around the world. I hope to get you inspired, excited and ready to heat things up as the weather starts cooling down. So, before our shadows and days become too long and the holidays are upon us, let’s get familiar with some essential looks, so you can be prepared and up to date with the latest and greatest. 4
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Thin black eyeliner and winged liner of the 1960s The runway shows for the fall/winter season of 2013/14 forecasted a nod to the 1960s. There is so much to love about that decade, and the makeup is fierce, fabulous and super fun! Designers such as Anna Sui and Rag & Bone went for a sweeping black cat eyeliner that had us dreaming about shag carpets and white go-go boots. There was also a trend toward the barely there, minimal liner that delicately brushed the roots along the lashes to achieve a subtle enhancement to the lash line … so many designers went for the thin eyeliner look. A few of them include Victoria Beckham, Alexander Wang, Collete Dinnigan and Proenza Schouler.
Dark and dramatic/grunge eyes The grunge look of the 1990s strongly defined a generation of teenage angst, and several fashion and style creatives got daring with the same strong esthetics with “punky” smudged, smoked and sexy eyes. The grunge look can be easily achieved by deliberately smearing out the edges of kohl lined eyes, adding a heavy handed, edgy finish. Don’t spend too much time fussing to get it just perfect—looking a little unfinished and messy is really what the trend aims for. Play it up and make it unique by adding extras. Try glitter, metallic purples or blues, or use a dark aubergine in place of the traditional black. Elie Saab, Lanvin, Chanel, Thakoon and Jason Wu all went for the dark and dramatic. Missoni, Saint Laurent, Rodarte and Versace all went for that disheveled beauty of the 1990s. Try one or the other for your clients when they are getting ready for an evening out on the town with their girlfriends! Page 114 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
1940s lips Everywhere I look these days, I’m seeing RED! Another trend that I’m noticing a lot lately is the bright, defined, crisp rouged lip. This classic lip made a strong statement, and as it is perhaps one of the easiest trends to emulate, the candy apple red lip will be all over the place this season. Lining the lips with a deep cherry pencil—or a pencil that is barely a shade darker than the lipstick—is key to getting that crisp edge and perfect shape. Also, if you fill in the entire lip with the pencil, the color will last a whole lot longer and wear all the better. Red lips are always great paired with either the clean lined eye or tons of mascara. Dolce & Gabbana, Costello Tagliapietra, Prada, Marni, Fendi and Nina Ricci are just a few who had this Hollywood “golden age” glam touch this season.
Plum and orange over and undertones are among the latest trends for simple and dramatic statement eyes.
Dark and semi stained “vamp” lips The winter fashion shows flourished with high impact shades of deep, dangerous hues of wine and plum. Think Bond girl or femme fatale, as this lip trend is a bold statement that dances in the more dangerous territories. These darker colors tend to be more difficult to control, and if they are not applied properly, can easily come continues
out as uneven and messy—not the look we are going for (let’s keep that for the “grunge eyes” look). This is also not a good look to pair with gloss, as it tends to easily show off any bleeding or feathering that might occur. Also, don’t forget to gently blot away the excess, particularly on the inner part of your lips—dark lipstick will likely transfer easily onto the teeth, which could get you some unwanted attention. Some designers who pulled it off like superheros were Philip Lim, Lanvin, Christian Dior, Vera Wang, Miu Miu, Zac Posen, Louis Vuitton and Rachel Zoe.
Plums and oranges on eyes Plum and orange over and undertones are among the latest trends for simple and dramatic statement eyes. Orange shadows from brassy to earth toned appeared on the runways this season, ranging from subtle to severe. Plums varying in shades that touched on grey to aubergine are also acquiring a vast appeal. By dusting the entire lid with a brassy color, the effect can be a warm and earthy vibe on the eyes. Dusting the eyes with shades of mauve or plum can give your client’s overall appearance a haunted and discriminative edge. This can be best achieved by using two shades, one a bit lighter on the lid, and a shade one touch darker in the crease. Now that you are all geared up for an amazing season of fabulous makeup trends that rock, your clients can relax and just let the looks you create for them speak for themselves! n “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” —Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Photography by Angela Marklew
Teal Druda is an industry veteran who has been a practicing makeup artist for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured in fashion magazines and music videos. Druda also shares her artistry with clients such as Marie Claire, ABC and Relativity Media. She resides in Los Angeles, CA. Page 116 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
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SURVIVOR SKILLS FOR YOU ARE DOING WELL AS A NAIL TECHNI cian. You have made it through the various financial challenges, and your bottom line is looking healthy. Now you can relax, right? Wrong. You must continue striving for success or it all will slip away, quietly but steadily. What do you do to keep yourself at the top of your industry in your area? Some of the industry’s top technicians provide hints on how to maintain success.
finances and any number of circumstances will take them off your client list.” This situation is called natural attrition. “You must perform ongoing marketing to replace them, plus more or your clientele will just slowly go away,” Haynam emphasizes, adding that seeking out education to stay on top of new trends and keeping an open mind is also important to maintaining success.
Linda Orsuto, the spa director and co-owner of Phoenix Salon and Spa in Mt. Laurel, NJ, is also a successful nail technician. She believes that her attendance at trade shows is a major contributing factor to the success of both herself and the salon’s nail department. “I go to shows to see the new trends and skills as they are demonstrated by the top people in our industry,” she explains. “I get great ideas and see products that I will not see locally. I video the demos and then bring them back to train our technicians so we can give the clients what they want.” The clients of Phoenix Salon & Spa are very fashion savvy, so it is essential for the nail department to be at the top of their game.
Amy Oung is a nail technician and owner of Nail Harmony Studio in War wick, RI. The educator for several national nail brands believes that her success is a result of her versatility and commitment to giving the clients what they want. “I go to as many trade shows and classes as possible so I can keep up with current trends in the nail world,” she explains. “Then I can offer my clients what’s new, and am also always able to deliver their requests.” Oung’s only marketing activity is word of mouth, and it works well. “I have a full book because my clients tell their friends who do their nails,” she says. Oung has no problem filling spaces created by natural attrition, and is so busy that she is not even accepting new clients right now!
Millie Haynam, a consultant in Twinsburg, OH, is an author of many industry marketing articles and books. The 34-year industry veteran explains that the first step is understanding that marketing is an ongoing chore. “It is estimated that as much as 10 percent of your clientele leaves every year through no fault of yours,” she says. “Moving,
Athena Elliot is a nail technician and owner of SPAthena in Houston, TX. The creator and owner of Nail Talk Radio believes that a salon and its technicians can build a lasting success by continually demonstrating a caring attitude for their clients. Elliot was the first certified medical nail continues
BY JANET MCCORMICK
nail technicians
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image|survivor skills for nail technicians
“YOUR SALON MUST BE THE RESOURCE FOR CLIENTS TO GET THE TRENDY SERVICES OR THEY WILL GO ELSEWHERE,” ELLIOT CONCLUDES.
technician (CMNT) in the nation. She focuses much of her salon marketing on the fact that employees are trained to work safely and aseptically; the salon tag line is “aesthetics for diabetics.” “Podiatrists and physicians refer their patients to my salon because they are assured infections will not be transferred here,” Elliot says. “These clients will never go elsewhere because they know the value of their safety.” Like the other technicians in this article, Elliot also stresses keeping up on trends through networking, shows and classes so the salon can offer what the clients want. “Your salon must be the resource for clients to get the trendy services or they will go elsewhere,” Elliot concludes. Denise Baich, a nail technician and former salon owner, is now director of spa and corporate development at CleanSpa in Chesterfield, MO, a professional podiatric foot care spa owned by Michael Horwitz, DPM. Baich believes that marketing is very important. But she also believes that the commitment of her team members to the CleanSpa concept, advanced education and working well together has greatly contributed to the success of both the spa and the individuals. “They represent the spa very positively to the clients by their obvious support of each other,” she says. “This translates to a pleasant environment for the clients and thus, they are returning clients.” Darcy Dolin, a nail technician and owner of Tips and Toes Nail Design Studio in Pulaski, NY, still has many of the clients she had when she began her nail career 13 years ago. “I think they have stayed with me because I have made it my mission to continue to educate myself on many levels, both in services and business. First, so I can provide them great services and educate them on issues they need to know about for their safety and health, and second, so I can continue to grow my business.” Word of mouth has been Dolin’s best method for building her clientele over the years. It’s working for her; she has
such a full schedule that she has not been able to take new clients for the last three years! Dolin does not think that being successful is by chance. “I attend classes and trade shows, and that keeps me excited about my career and gives me the opportunity to network with other techs, find new products and techniques and learn from others who are also passionate about this industry,” she says. “With a very full schedule, it is not easy to make these things happen, so planning is critical. I have to schedule everything; if it is not worked into my schedule early, it is not likely to happen.” Dolin attended an online certification course for advanced nail technicians. Because it was online, it was easier to fit into her schedule. Dolin learned from the course how to seek out a referral relationship with a podiatrist, which she did. “As a result of taking this class, I have had some interesting experiences,” she says. For example, on three occasions, Dolin saw suspicious areas on a foot and declined to perform the pedicure, instead sending the client to the podiatrist. “Each client had foreign objects deeply embedded in their foot, and even though infections had not been indicated on the skin, serious infections were found by the doctor around the objects. Left untreated or delayed, these infections could have caused intense suffering, and for some people, even amputations.” These clients were diabetics with neuropathy, so they could not feel the problems on their feet. Several similarities are evident in the statements of these nail technicians. They give the clients what they need, and then all of them seek out education and attend trade shows. They all have published educational material such as manuals, newsletters or books. It is evident that these technicians are high achievers and do what it takes to be successful. Baich explains it perfectly: “One cannot wait for success to come to her; she has to go get it.” Is your clientele similar to theirs? If so, you are successful. If it is not, you may need to look at their examples and strive to become more like them. n
Janet McCormick is an esthetician, nail technician, sought-after trainer and former spa director and salon owner. She has written more than 400 articles for nail and esthetic industry magazines, and has contributed to the texts for these specialties. McCormick is the co-owner of Medinail Learning Center, a provider of online and school courses for nail technicians. She is also the co-founder of the National Aesthetic Spa Network. McCormick can be reached at janet.mccormick.info@gmail.com or 863.273.9134.
Page 120 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
MANICURE MAKEOVER The new Flowery Professional Disposable Nail File System features a disinfectable core and full-size replaceable grit pads, providing a new filing surface for every client. The 7-inch easy-on, easy-off grit pads offer complete coverage of the core from end to end, and will not leave a sticky residue when removed from the core. The pads are cushioned to provide the feel of a traditional cushion board, and are available in 100 or 180 grits. The strong, flexible plastic core is disinfectable in solution, and features a Quick Notch™ on each end to make it easy to lift and remove the pad. floweryprofessional.com 800.347.7456
THIRST QUENCHER The LipDrink from jane iredale—THE SKIN CARE MAKEUP® is like a drink of water for the lips! This colorless, moisturizing protective lip balm uses a base of macadamia nut oil to improve and treat lips with each use. The active ingredient edible zinc oxide provides SPF 15 and broad spectrum sun protection, says the company. It also has a pleasant flavor from lemon and orange oils. janeiredale.com 800.762.1132
The Noir by Antonym® Ecocert certified black eye pencil provides excellent coverage with a soft and smooth application, says the company. The rich color achieves any desired look, from a precise line to a perfect smudge for smoky eyes. The long lasting, waterproof formula contains a high content of moisturizing ingredients and natural antioxidants that are excellent for sensitive skin, including marula oil, jojoba oil, candelilla and carnauba. antonymcosmetics.com
A PERFECT THREE Cuccio Naturalé has introduced a product to its Nail Solutions line that works to repair the damage inflicted on nails through various factors. The Trio 3-in-1 Treatment helps create healthy nails in an instant after application, says the company. In addition to strengthening nails, it can be used as a base coat and ridge filler, maximizing its effectiveness. The formulation sets the perfect foundation under sheer shades to create an opaque, solid application. It can also be worn under white polish for a non-streaky appearance. cuccio.com 800.762.6245
IMAGENEWS
EYE CONFIDENCE
NAILS, MAKEUP, TOOLS AND TRENDS MORE NEWS
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
LNEONLINE.com • Page 121
NAIL EXPERT
IMAGENEWS
Dermelect Cosmeceuticals announces the addition of Chris G. Adigun, M.D., a board certified dermatologist specializing in nail disorders to their Board of Advisors. She is aiding in product identification and development, serves as an on-air guest, and assists in brand outreach efforts. Dr. Adigun currently practices as a full-time faculty member of the department of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine, where she is dedicated to caring for patients with disorders of the nails. dermelect.com 888.693.3763
BETTER BROWS The Brow Scrub by Elke encourages brow growth by removing dead skin underneath brows, stimulating circulation and growth at the root of the hair, with noticeable results within two to three weeks of use. The gender neutral product absorbs easily without any greasiness, says the company. Key ingredients include coconut oil, vitamin E, rosemary and neem oil. elkevonfreudenberg.com 917.475.6845
POUT PERFECTOR
CALMING COVERAGE The Liquid Mineral Foundation from Advanced Mineral Makeup is 100 percent natural, never transferring or fading, providing lasting all-day coverage with natural sun protecton. It is formulated with titanium dioxide, a powerful all natural sunscreen, vitamins A and E, rosemary and aloe bardadensis juice to rejuvenate, calm and protect skin for flawless, perfect and complete coverage, says the company. It is available in seven natural shades. advancedmineralmakeup.com 800.439.9936
Lip Revival from Glotherapeutics™ is a remedy for dry, dehydrated and aging lips. The new anti-aging lip treatment repairs the lips, significantly boosts moisture, enhances volume and improves the definition of the lip area, says the company. Lip Revival’s creamy formulation combines aquaphyline®, sweet almond oil and shea butter to protect and condition lips while aiding in optimal hydration. Acting as a primer, dimethicone lays a silky foundation for a lipstick or gloss, and a dash of peppermint oil leaves lips refreshed. gloprofessional.com 800.232.0398
Page 122 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
Palladio Beauty Group introduces the Wand-erful World Mascara Collection, four new herbal-enriched mascaras, each with a unique wand designed to deliver specific results. The formulas contain bamboo and rice wax for protection and consistency, olive wax and carnauba wax for conditioning, and filmforming polymers for building lashes. The four selections in the collection include Curls Rule!, maXXLash Mascara, 4D Boost Mascara and Aqua Force Defining Mascara. palladiobeauty.com 954.922.4311
EYE OPENING KNOWLEDGE NovaLash®’s Seminar Skills Training Manual is an 80-page virtual book of eyelash guidance. It contains everything from technical information about the lash growth cycle and the anatomy of the eye to the nitty-gritty details about what it takes to build a successful lash empire. The manual contains a stepby-step rundown of the application procedure, as well as the steps that both professionals and clients need to take to keep lashes luscious, says the company. It is available as a supplement to NovaLash’s physician-developed training course. novalash.com 866.430.1261
GORGEOUS GLOW The Erzulie® Quench™ Hydrating Booster by Progress in Health is an all natural daily moisturizer and makeup primer. The light, velvety formula is formulated to absorb quickly without any greasy feel or residue, says the company. Lightly scented with lavender and rosewood essential oils, it provides a subtle light pink shimmer that evens out any skin tone and deposits a healthy glow! progressinhealth.com
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
IMAGENEWS
MUST HAVE MASCARAS
SPECIAL WEBSITE OPI announces the debut of LoveLiquidSand.com, a microsite dedicated to the brand’s award-winning Liquid Sand™ nail lacquer line. The site serves as the authority on OPI’s groundbreaking texture technology and highlights application and removal instructions, lacquer swatches, nail design ideas, video tutorials, user-generated content pertaining to Liquid Sand and answers to frequently asked questions. OPI Liquid Sand is currently available in 21 shades. loveliquidsand.com opi.com 800.341.9999
NAILS, MAKEUP, TOOLS AND TRENDS
LNEONLINE.com • Page 123
WEST | CENTRAL | EAST REGIONAL EDUCATION & ONLINE CLASSES
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
LEARN ON LOCATION
West DECEMBER (ONGOING) Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Encinitas, CA. 888.568.3150. Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Long Beach, CA. 888.568.3150.
Seasonal Peels and Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference. Encinitas, CA. 888.568.3150. Seasonal Peels and Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference. Long Beach, CA. 888.568.3150. Seasonal Peels and Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference. Seattle, WA. 888.568.3150.
Full-Spectrum Reiki for Beauty Professionals: Integrated Reiki Spa Treatments by Linda Bertaut at Bertaut Beauty.Pasadena and San Francisco, CA. 626.405.0424.
Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Scottsdale, AZ. 877.PCA.SKIN. Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Los Angeles, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN. Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Seattle, WA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
DECEMBER 15 DECEMBER 8
Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Seattle, WA. 888.568.3150.
DECEMBER 9
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Los Angeles, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Los Angeles, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Seattle, WA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. San Francsico, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Page 124 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
West Central East International
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Scottsdale, AZ. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 12
JANUARY 20
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Riverside, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Portland, OR. 877.PCA.SKIN.
DECEMBER 16 Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. San Francisco, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN. Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Scottsdale, AZ. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 26 JANUARY 12-13 2-Day “Skin-Tensive” Training by Skin Script Skin Care. Tempe, AZ. 480.543.1121.
JANUARY 13 JANUARY 5 Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Scottsdale, AZ. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Riverside, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 19 JANUARY 6 Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Scottsdale, AZ. 877.PCA.SKIN. December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Portland, OR. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Denver, CO. 877.PCA.SKIN. Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. San Francisco, CA. 877.PCA.SKIN. Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Scottsdale, AZ. 877.PCA.SKIN. continues LNEONLINE.com • Page 125
calendar|west|central|east
CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 27
DECEMBER 9
JANUARY 27
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Scottsdale, AZ. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Dallas, TX. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Dallas, TX. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Central DECEMBER (ONGOING) Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Dallas, TX. 888.568.3150.
DECEMBER 7 Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Dallas, TX. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Houston, TX. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 19 Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Chicago, IL. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 26
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. St. Louis, MO. 877.PCA.SKIN.
East DECEMBER (ONGOING) Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Atlanta, GA. 888.568.3150. Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Columbus, OH. 888.568.3150.
DECEMBER 8
Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Kansas City, MO. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Dallas, TX. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Dallas, TX. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Fort Lauderdale, FL. 888.568.3150.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Houston, TX. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. St. Louis, MO. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Philadelphia, PA. 888.568.3150.
Page 126 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
calendar|east|online
Advanced Chemical Peels with Skin Assessment by A Natural Difference. Wilmington, DE. 888.568.3150. Knowledge is Power Series by A Natural Difference. Cooper City, FL. 888.568.3150. Seasonal Peels & Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference. Atlanta, GA. 888.568.3150. Seasonal Peels & Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference. Columbus, OH. 888.568.3150. Seasonal Peels & Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference Skincare. Fort Lauderdale, FL. 888.568.3150. Seasonal Peels & Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference Skincare. Philadelphia, PA. 888.568.3150. Seasonal Peels & Unusual Actives by A Natural Difference. Wilmington, DE. 888.568.3150. December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
DECEMBER 8 Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Atlanta, GA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Tampa, FL. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 19 DECEMBER 9 Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Atlanta, GA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 12 Advanced Peeling Techniques for Complex Skin Conditions: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Atlanta, GA. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Charlotte, NC. 877.PCA.SKIN. Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. New York, NY. 877.PCA.SKIN.
JANUARY 20 Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Charlotte, NC. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Indianapolis, IN. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. New York, NY. 877.PCA.SKIN.
Skin Biology & Chemical Peel Seminar by PCA Skin. Tampa, FL. 877.PCA.SKIN.
ONLINE EDUCATION
JANUARY 13
DECEMBER 16
Peel Fundamentals: A Hands-on Course by PCA Skin. Indianapolis, IN. 877.PCA.SKIN.
The bt-accent™ Line by Bio-Therapeutic. Webinar held at 11 a.m., P.S.T. bio-therapeutic.com/events.html continues LNEONLINE.com • Page 127
calendar|online
CALENDAR OF EVENTS ONGOING A Deeper Look at Topical Ingredients by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Addressing Adolescent Acne by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Alternate Therapies by NCEA Commission on Accreditation. Online Continuing Education. 201.670.4100. nceacertified.tv/online-ce-activities An In-Depth Look at Melasma by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses
Diminishing Deep Wrinkling by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Evening Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Page 128 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
photo: photobank.ch/Shutterstock.com
Customizing Daily Care Regimens by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses
calendar|online
Exploring Intrinsic & Extrinsic Aging by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses HydroPeptide Product Training Webinar by HydroPeptide. Webinars held Mondays at 1 p.m. EST., 12 p.m. CST, 10 a.m. PST. hydropeptide.com/webinars Identifying & Treating Papulopustular Rosacea by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Investigating Impaired Barrier Function by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Laser and Light Therapy by NCEA Commission on Accreditation. Online Continuing Education. 201.670.4100. nceacertified.tv/online-ce-activities
Rosacea: Signs, Symptoms and Subtypes by NCEA Commission on Accreditation. Online Continuing Education. 201.670.4100. nceacertified.tv/online-ce-activities Scleroderma by NCEA Commission on Accreditation. Online Continuing Education. 201.670.4100. nceacertified.tv/online-ce-activities Shedding Light on UV-induced Hyperpigmentation by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Simple Steps to a Booming Business by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses Targeting Adult Acne by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses
Medical Esthetics by NCEA Commission on Accreditation. Online Continuing Education. 201.670.4100. nceacertified.tv/online-ce-activities
The Daily Care Product Overview by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses
Product Formulations as a Whole by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses
The Professional Product Overview by PCA Skin. Online Course. pcaskin.com/online-courses
December 2013 • Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
Treating Acne in Skin of Color by NCEA Commission on Accreditation. Online Continuing Education. 201.670.4100. nceacertified.tv/online-ce-activities Triggers and Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis by NCEA Commission on Accreditation. Online Continuing Education. 201.670.4100. nceacertified.tv/online-ce-activities
TRADE SHOWS Sponsored by Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa and Dermascope
The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, Miami Beach 2014 April 6-7 • Miami Beach, FL 1.800.471.0229 The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, Dallas 2014 May 4-5 • Arlington, TX 1.800.471.0229 The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, Long Beach 2014 September 7-8 • Long Beach, CA 1.800.471.0229 The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, Philadelphia 2014 October 19-20 • Philadelphia, PA 1.800.471.0229
LNEONLINE.com • Page 129
advertisers’ index Page Number
Reader Service No.
5................. A Natural Difference................................................. anaturaldifference.com.................................................. 232 70............... Beautiful Image....................................................... beautifulimagellc.com.................................................... 183 41............... Bella Schneider Beauty........................................... bellaschneiderbeauty.com............................................. 180 45............... Bio Jouvance........................................................... biojouvance.com............................................................ 140 8,51............ Bio-Therapeutic...................................................... bio-therapeutic.com....................................................... 139 19............... Bioslimming............................................................ bioslimming.com............................................................ 335 15............... Circadia by Dr. Pugliese.......................................... circadia.com................................................................... 101 132............. Darphin................................................................... darphin.com................................................................... .159 104............. Dr. Jeff..................................................................... dr-jeff.com...................................................................... .248 10-11......... Edge Systems........................................................... hydrafacial.com.............................................................. 201 2-3,9............Éminence Organic Skin Care.................................. eminenceorganics.com.................................................... 157 32................Enspri...................................................................... enspriskincare.com.......................................................... 318 131............. Equipro................................................................... equipro-bty.com.............................................................. 242 25............... Hairmax.................................................................... hairmaxsalons.com......................................................... 285 33............... Hydropeptide.......................................................... hydropeptide.com........................................................... 278 29............... Innovative Skincare................................................. innovativeskincare.com.................................................... 240 13............... Lady Burd......................................................................ladyburd.com................................................................. 119 71............... Le Mieux.......................................................................lemieuxcosmetics.com................................................... 294 7................. Lucrèce Physicians’ Aesthetic Research....................lucrece.com.................................................................... .263 37............... Meg 21/Dynamis..........................................................meg21.com.................................................................... 344 21............... PCA Skin.......................................................................pcaskin.com................................................................... 110 6................. Professional Program Insurance Brokerage..............medispa-ins.com............................................................ 208 47............... Rapidlash......................................................................rapidlash.com................................................................. 224 109............. Rejuvi Laboratory...........................................................rejuvilab.com.................................................................. 149 17............... Shira......................................................................... shiraesthetics.com.......................................................... 249
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Page 130 • LNEONLINE.com Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa • December 2013
Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #242
A few precious drops will change your skin. And your mind. Seems everyone who tries Darphin Essential Oil Elixirs calls it her new miracle skin product – and with good reason. Crafted with essential plant oils, they instantly melt into skin to quickly remedy your most pressing need – without any afterfeel. Choose your best formula to hydrate dry skin, calm sensitive skin, energize tired looking skin, renew aging skin’s youthful radiance or subdue oily shine (yes, even subdue oily shine). And the aromas are positively divine.
PURIFYING Niaouli Elixir for oily skin
ENERGIZING
Tangerine Elixir for tired skin
ANTI-AGING 8-Flower Elixir for aging skin
HYDRATING Rose Elixir for dry skin
Learn more and shop now on www.darphin.com Say you saw it in LNE & Spa and circle #159 on reader service card
CALMING
Chamomile Elixir for sensitive skin