Professional Beauty SA Jan/Feb 2022 by Professional Beauty SA

AT THE HEART OF THE PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY BUSINESS

Incorporating

NAIL FILE

SUSTAINABILITY NEWSDESK How COP26 affects the spa industry

Money Drawing up the perfect budget

February 2022 | probeauty.co.za

THE YEAR AHEAD

What’s trending in aesthetics and spa?

talk

CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE Regulars 7

Industry news

Local and international news

Crowning glory Focus on hair

In the market

Latest product launches

Wellness

Spa Focus

A new era in health and wellness

Global Wellness Summit report back

Stimulating the mind, body and soul The Spa at Delaire Graff

Active relaxation

The great re-set – trends 2022

Adding restorative yoga to your menu

Brave new world

Features Business 13

Ask the Experts

All your questions answered

In the money

Drawing up the perfect budget

Expert view

Dermatologist on dark skin

Treating the darker Fitzpatrick skin types

What products and treatments to use

Smooth as a baby

Is full-body hair removal really viable?

Aesthetic Medicine 38

Keeping ahead of the curve

Sustainability 18

Viewing COP26 through the beauty and spa industry lens How it affects you

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Aesthetic doctors on 2022 trends

Nails 45

NailFile Issue 48

WELCOME NAIL FILE

Shutterstock

Our lead news story reveals that one of the two biggest salon franchise groups in South Africa is undergoing a major transformation. Not only has it delisted from the JSE (as a requirement from the group’s bankers after receiving a Covid loan in October 2020), but it has also changed its name. The Imbalie Beauty Group Limited will now be known as the i-BLOOM Group. Esna Colyn, CEO of i-BLOOM Solutions, is bullish about the future of the group, which encompasses the Placecol, Dream Nails Beauty and Perfect 10 brands, and reveals that the first i-BLOOM beauty salon has already opened its doors. This is positive news indeed and we wish the group all the best for the future. With ever increasing (and alarming) reports on the dire effects on the planet of climate change (caused by pollution, deforestation, plastic waste, etc), sustainability guru, Charne le Roux of GreenSpa.Africa, has initiated the Sustainability Newsdesk series of articles that we are proud to run in Professional Beauty. In her inaugural article, Le Roux reports on how last year’s COP26 global climate summit affects the beauty and spa industry. In this issue of Professional Beauty & NailFile magazine, you will also find fascinating articles focusing on the 2022 trends in spa, aesthetics and nail art. In addition, we have included our annual special feature on treating the darker Fitzpatrick skin types. Joanna Sterkowicz Editor

Publisher Mark Moloney mark@probeauty.co.za Managing Director Yolanda Knott 011 781 5970 yolanda@probeauty.co.za Commercial Director Philip Woods 084 759 2024 phil@probeauty.co.za Editor Joanna Sterkowicz 083 411 8512 joanna@probeauty.co.za Marketing Manager Stacey Platt stacey@tetradeevents.com Sales Executive Marike O’Reilly 083 631 4907 marike@professionalbeauty.org.za Sales Consultant Charlene Dickson 079 116 3262 charlene@professionalbeauty.org.za Operations Executive Obey Dube obey@probeauty.co.za Design Saveer Sugreem

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Imbalie Beauty Group delists, changes name Colyn explains that the i-BLOOM name was initially birthed within the group with the launch of the i-BLOOM magazine in September 2020. Now in its fifth edition, the magazine was designed to offer customers the best in skincare, haircare and beauty solutions. This was followed, in October 2020, with the establishment of the i-BLOOM Beauty and Wellness Academy, an international online educational and training platform for empowering and developing professionals within the beauty The first i-Bloom salon with owner Mingie Bhebhe in black and wellness industry. Colyn continues: “As the name The Imbalie Beauty Group Limited successfully delisted its began to develop within the group, the exciting final step subsidiaries from the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) on was the launch of the first i-BLOOM salon, and the group the 17 January 2022 and will now be known as the i-BLOOM opened its first i-BLOOM by Placecol Skin, Hair & Beauty group. Salon at Chartwell Corner, Fourways, in January 2022. The Says CEO of i-BLOOM Solutions, Esna Colyn: “The delisting salon is owned by Mingie Bhebhe.” was a requirement from the group’s bankers, after receiving This new salon falls under the i-BLOOM group’s franchise a Covid loan in October 2020. This provided the perfect division, along with the other leading beauty franchises – opportunity for the group to continue with its vision of being Placecol, Dream Nails Beauty and Perfect 10. the leading and most desirable skincare, beauty and In addition, the group will continue to operate its products wellness solutions group, nationally and internationally, but division, which houses the award-winning professional salon under the new name.” grade skincare brands, Placecol, Innoxa and Skinderm.

First Professional Beauty live event for 2022 Professional Beauty will host The BIG Buzz Business Conference and Expo on 27 and 28 March at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. Industry professionals interested in boosting their businesses and learning about new products and trends are encouraged to attend the event. Up to 60 exhibitors from the skincare, nails, lashes and brows, aesthetic equipment, salon equipment and furniture, and waxing sectors will be showcasing their wares. Running alongside the expo will be a conference element, with top speakers imparting expert business knowledge and addressing some of the key topics in the industry. While entrance to the expo is free, the conference is priced at R150 per half-day. Says Phil Woods, commercial director of Professional Beauty: “Due to Covid lockdown restrictions, we have not

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been able to hold an exhibition at Gallagher Convention Centre since our flagship show in September 2019. So, we are delighted to be making a return to this venue with a good sized event of around 50-60 exhibitors and look forward to welcoming many beauty professionals over the two days. The event will align strictly with the Covid regulations in place at the time and as the restrictions are at the moment, this will allow 1,000 visitors at any one time. Hopefully by March, restrictions will have been relaxed and we can welcome all who wish to attend.” To register for Professional Beauty’s The BIG Buzz Business Conference and Expo click here https://www.probeauty.co.za/event-details/professionalbeauty-exhibition-27-28-march-2022-2

INDUSTRY NEWS Global wellness economy set to reach $7 trillion by 2025 Good news for spas is that the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) predicts the wellness market will grow 10% annually to $7 trillion by 2025, up from the current figure of $4.4 trillion. The GWI research notes that the wellness market grew to a record $4.9 trillion in 2019 and then fell to $4.4 trillion in the pandemic year of 2020. But with the pandemic ushering in a major shift in values for consumers, governments, and the medical world – where prevention and wellness take on far greater importance – the GWI believes that the future of the industry looks bright. According to the report, markets with the highest growth projections (spas, wellness tourism and thermal/mineral springs) are those that took the greatest hits in 2020. Sectors that showed positive pandemic growth, including wellness real estate and mental wellness, are forecast to see powerful, ongoing market expansion. States the report: “From 2017 to 2019, the spa industry was growing at a fast 8.7% annual rate and reached $111 billion in revenues across 165,714 spas – with a big jump in hotel/resort spas (from 48,248 to 60,873). The high-touch

Pandemic leads to changes in aesthetic procedures

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industry got hit hard in 2020: Revenues fell by -39% (to $69 billion) and spa establishments dropped to 160,100 (with a loss of over 4,000 day spas). But the industry is expected to recover fast, with the market growing 17% annually through 2025, and more than doubling revenues (to $150.5 billion). “In terms of wellness tourism, the impressive 21% annual growth rate projected for this sector through 2025 reflects new traveler values (a quest for nature, sustainability, mental wellness) as well as a period of rapid recovery from pent-up demand in 2021 and 2022.”

According to the annual global survey conducted by ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) released late last year, non-surgical procedures (primarily fillers and hair removal treatments) continued to increase in 2020. However, this increase was by lower proportions than seen in previous years (5.7% in 2020, compared to 7.6% in 2019). The top five non-surgical procedures in 2020 were: botulinum toxin (43.2% of all non-surgical procedures), hyaluronic acid (28.1%), hair removal (12.8%), non-surgical fat reduction (3.9%) and photo rejuvenation (3.6%). Around 85% of non-surgical procedures were performed on women. In terms of age groups, the 35-50-year-olds accounted for the majority of botulinum toxin procedures (50.2%). The ISAPS survey noted that some practitioners experienced an increased demand for treatments due to the so-called ‘zoom effect’ and the opportunity for a more private recovery, particularly for facial procedures. (Source: ISAPS)

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INDUSTRY NEWS WWW introduces 2021 World Wellness aWWWards

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Skincare market under-caters to darker skin requirements, finds survey A survey of 1,285 consumers in the UK and USA shows that 75% of respondents with dark skin struggle to find appropriate skincare products. The survey, conducted by wellbeing-product and health-food ingredient brand Lycored, found that 64% of people with dark brown or black skin believe that the beauty industry doesn’t do enough to cater for the needs of people of all skin tones, while only 24% of people with white skin felt the same way. White or fairskinned consumers are much less likely to purchase a product designed for their skin tone, with 33% of fair skin people buying skincare marketed to them, compared to 56% of those with light brown skin and 54% with brown skin, the report found. Another interesting finding is that what consumers want from their skincare varies widely depending on skin tone. Consumers with dark skin cite healthy glow and radiance as their main skincare goal, with 67% of people with dark brown skin saying this was their top priority, while just 51% of pale or fair-skinned people aimed for this. For white-skinned respondents, minimising redness was the key skincare goal, with 24% of those asked stating this was their top aim. The factors influencing skincare shopping habits also showed disparity among skin tone types too. For top influence on purchasing was the opinion of family and friends, though in the UK, 38% of brown-skinned respondents said they trusted social media and online influencers when it came to skincare shopping, compared to just six % of pale of fair-skinned consumers. (Source: Professional Beauty UK)

World Wellness Weekend (WWW) is honoring the professionals and corporations that went above and beyond in 2021 to grow awareness around the UN’s 3rd Sustainable Development Goal – ‘Good Health and Wellbeing for All’. In September 2021, WWW was celebrated in 133 countries by 2,300 venues thanks to the support of 100+ Ambassadors and Coordinators, volunteering their time and passion with local businesses, associations, under privileged communities and local officials. Thousands of in-person activities and workshops were organised in accordance with local health regulations, and 52 hours of wellness videos were produced to encourage those at home to also be active. Says WWW founder, Jean-Guy de Gabriac: “The World Wellness aWWWards honour people and businesses that truly make a difference, making wellness enthusiasm safely contagious for all stakeholders.” The recipients in the Outstanding WWW Destinations 2021 category of the World Wellness aWWWards are: Brasil – Most Active Country in the World (597 venues participating); Route Des Villes D’eaux (Auvergne – France) – Most Active Region in the World (12 thermal towns mobilised with 59 activities); Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) – Most Active City in the World (120 activities); Niederbronn-Les-Bains (Alsace, France) – Most Active City in Europe (43 activities); and Val Di Fiemme (Trentino, Italy) – Most Active Valley in the World (30 activities). Among the most outstanding WWW companies are Jiva Spas (India); Biologique Recherche (France); and Lemi (Italy).

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Saxon Spa adds LING to treatment offering The Saxon Spa in Sandton has become the first Johannesburg property to feature the renowned LING brand, offering guests a variety of LING treatments and retail products. LING is an American luxury professional skincare brand founded in 1976 by aesthetician Ling Chan, merging state-of-the-art ingredients with Asian beauty secrets for effective, holistic skincare. Says Saxon Spa manager, Tanya Lopes: “The LING ethos is preventative skincare – curated from the east to blend with the west. Their formulas are free of parabens, artificial

fragrances, lanolin as well as alcohol, which creates a great synergy with the Saxon Spa’s drive towards wellness and the use of products that are not only good for our skin, but also environmentally friendly. “This brand, which is found only in South Africa’s finest hotels, is favoured by many A-list celebrities.” Among the signature LING facials are the Energy Lift and the Wow Triple Peel Facial. In addition to the facial treatments, the spa will also feature the LING Deep Sleep Wellness Massage, which uses tourmaline crystal to infuse chi energy into the body to melt away stress and anxiety.

New national sales manager for The Spa Consultants Karen Altern has been appointed a national sales manager at The Spa Consultants, having joined the company last year to manage distribution in KwaZulu-Natal. Says The Spa Consultants MD, Marisa Dimitriadis: “We are so honoured and proud to have Karen on our team. She brings Karen Altern with her years of experience in the beauty industry, both locally and internationally. Her expertise ranges from the salon owner/manager perspective to supplier, trainer and brand business development manager. Karen is a huge asset to our

business and to all of our brand partners.” Altern has been in the beauty industry for over 20 years, working with and managing international brands for product houses. “Supporting businesses to grow and reach new heights is a huge passion of mine,” comments Altern. “I have also owned my own businesses and understand the pressures that this can bring at times, having to grapple with things like cash flow, managing staff, stocking the right brands to create ultimate experiences for your clients, etc. “The Spa Consultants is an amazing South African brand that has so much to offer, such as the SIX Skincare and Spalicious body care ranges, as well as the latest technology devices. They also offer spa management courses.”

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BUSINESS TIPS

Our beauty industry experts answer questions about every aspect of running a successful salon or spa business

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What skills should I look for when recruiting or promoting a manager? As a salon or spa owner, it is vital to have a right-hand employee who you can fully entrust your business to. This person ideally is an extension of yourself and should be able to oversee all aspects of operations, as if they were their own. When considering employing a manager, or promoting an existing employee to manager, there are many factors that should influence your decision. Whilst the individual requirements of your business may vary, the following attributes and skills are universal – regardless of industry – but more so applicable to spa & beauty. Looking at both hard skills (the must haves) and soft skills (the nice to haves): Qualification – More so than any other industry, having the relevant education relating to your type of business is important. When managing a team of professionals, it is imperative to maintain a level of standards in accordance with the business’ objective – thus knowing the how to’s and the what not to do’s. Experience – Depending on the size of the business, the level of experience required to oversee a business should be considered when either promoting or hiring a manager. A smaller business may require less experience, as the manager can grow together with the business – should they meet other managerial requirements. Accountability – Employers (and employees) need to have faith in their manager and should be able to entrust them with all aspects of business and employee wellness. Accountability, in terms of ethics and governance, is equated with answerability, blameworthiness, liability and the expectation of account-giving. A manager needs to be accountable for all aspects of business – the good, the bad and the ugly.

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Communication Skills – A key requirement of any business is a manager who can effectively communicate with their team, their superior/s and most importantly, their clients. From conflict resolution to employee wellness and motivation, a manager is tasked with having an open line of communication and being the voice of the business as a whole. Focused – The beauty industry has an enormous amount of competing priorities and there’s a lot to keep up with. For a business to succeed, the manager can’t lose sight of something because they’re too busy dealing with something else. Look for an employee who has demonstrated that they’re able to wear many hats at once. Great managers have a track record of successfully overseeing multiple projects through from conception to completion, including budgeting, marketing, recruitment, forecasting etc. There are many other skills and attributes you may consider when hiring or promoting an employee for your business such as whether they are a good fit for your team and your relationship with them, etc. In the words of American author and speaker, John C. Maxwell: “A leader is one who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way”.

Miranda Forrester is the executive recruiter and founder of MF Spa & Beauty Placements – offering niche recruitment and consultancy services to industry professionals. Email recruitment@mfsbp.co.za DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO PUT TO OUR EXPERTS? Send your questions about absolutely anything to do with running a beauty business to joanna@probeauty.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS

strong geometry and a noticeable lift. Think full and fluffy in the front with a defined clean arch and crisp, tapered tail. Creating this trending brow shape is easy with a professional brow lift treatment. Through brow lifting, the brow arches immediately appear denser and fuller. Eyebrows are defined and lifted by fixing the brow hairs semi-permanently into their desired shape. This treatment will last between 4 – 6 weeks and retails from R200 upwards, depending on the salon and area of the salon. For those not ready to commit to a Brow Lift treatment, making use of brow styling gels and brow pencils can achieve the same result. Styling gels are designed to fix the brow hairs into a desired shape and brow pencils will fill out the brows with colour to create a visually fuller eyebrow with the ideal sculptured and lifted shape.

What is the GeoLift trend and how do I achieve it? The growing trend in eyebrow grooming has seen a significant increase due to the wearing of face masks during the global pandemic. Whether Fluffy or Feather Brows, Soap or Boy Brows – perfectly styled, they give your face contour and draw attention to your eyes. This year we have seen the evolution of the Boy Brow into GeoLift brows – a new style that combines fullness with

Pieter Vermeer and his wife Sue own and manage AMSco PTY LTD, the sole agents for RefectoCil in Africa. They took over the 60-year-old family business in 2014 and have grown it substantially since then in the beauty industry, retail and online space. Email info@ refectocil.co.za

BUSINESS TIPS

What do I do in the event that one of my employees absconds? Desertion or abscondment implies that an employee has left the place of work and does not appear to have any intention of returning. Although the law does not state a specific period after which an employer can assume that the employee does not intend returning to work, in practice it is generally accepted that the period should not be less than five days. The employee has an obligation to inform the employer of any reason why he/she is unable to be at work (for example, being sick or having to attend to a family crisis), and when he/she intends returning to work. The employer would then have to agree with the employee about when he/she should return to work. However, where the employee does not contact the employer, the employer has an obligation to try to contact the employee. The purpose is to warn him/her of the possible consequences of staying away from work without permission, to determine whether there is a valid reason for the absence and why the employee could not contact the employer (for example, unconscious in hospital) and to satisfy the employer that the employee has no intention of returning to work.

Making contact

The employer should make contact with the employee using the employee’s last known contact details informing him/her that he/she needs to explain his/her absence from work, and in the absence of an acceptable reason, that unless he/she returns to work within a reasonable, specified period, he/she will be regarded as having deserted and his/her services may be terminated. Forms of contact could include: sending someone to the employee’s place of residence; sending the employee a registered letter, or an email, telegram or text message. The employer should keep written proof that such communication has been delivered. If the employer does not have an address for the employee, the employer should make a reasonable effort to get a message to the employee (via family, etc.) and keep a record of such attempts. Should the employee return to work by the specified date, the employer is entitled to enquire as to the reasons why the employee was absent from work and why he/she did not notify the employer earlier about the reasons and circumstances causing the absence. The employer can then, based on the explanation given, decide on whether or not to take further action against the employee (for example, disciplinary steps). If the employee makes contact with the employer within the period given, the employer can enquire as to the

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reasons why the employee was absent from work and why he/she did not notify the employer earlier about the reasons and circumstances causing the absence. The employer can also agree with the employee when he/she will return to work. Should the employee return to work after the date given, the employer would be obliged to give the employee an opportunity to explain him/herself. Where the reason is such that it was clearly not possible for the employee to make contact with the employer or to return earlier (for example, hospitalisation), and particularly where there is some proof or verification to support the employee’s claim, the employee should be re-employed. Even where the employee admits to desertion, he/she is still entitled to be paid for any period worked, and to be paid for any leave that has accumulated, together with their completed UI19 form, certificate of service and completed provident/pension fund forms, if applicable.

The above article was penned by the EOHCB (Employer’s Organisation for Hairdressing Cosmetology Beauty). To make contact with the EOHCB go to www.eohcb.co.za

BUSINESS

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In the money

Award-winning salon owner, Jared Hines, provides valuable tips on how to get to grips with that all-important business tool – the budget t’s no exaggeration when people say that ‘every cent counts’. If you’re not planning and tracking where your rands and cents end up each month, you’re missing valuable opportunities to cut costs and put money where it will have the biggest impact. Creating a budget is the only way to see if you’re spending money the way you think you are. Not sure where to start? Hopefully this will help.

What is a business budget?

A budget is a detailed plan that outlines where you’ll spend your money monthly or annually. You give every rand a ‘job’, based on what you think is the best use of your business funds, and then go back and compare your plan with reality to see how you did.

A budget will help you: • Forecast what money you expect to earn • Plan where to spend that revenue • See the difference between your plan and reality

What makes a good budget?

The best budgets are simple and flexible. If circumstances change (as they do), your budget should be able to change to give you a clear picture of where you stand at all times. Every good budget should include seven components.

SINCE CASH FLOW is the OXYGEN OF EVERY BUSINESS, make sure you MONITOR THIS weekly, or AT LEAST MONTHLY. You could be RAKING IT IN and still not have enough money on hand to PAY YOUR SUPPLIERS.

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BUSINESS

1. Your estimated revenue This is the amount you expect to make from the sale of goods or services. It’s all of the money you bring in the door, regardless of what you spent to get there. This is the first line on your budget. It can be based on last year’s numbers or, if you’re a startup, based on industry averages. 2. Your fixed costs These are all your regular, consistent costs that don’t change according to how much you make and these have to be your first priority. They include things like insurance, utilities, bank fees, accounting, legal services and probably the biggest cost, salaries and rent.

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3. Your variable costs These change according to production or sales volume and are closely related to ‘costs of goods sold’ (i.e. anything related to the production or purchase of the product or service your business sells). Variable costs might include professional and retail stock, production costs, packaging or shipping. Other variable costs can include staff commission and credit card fees. A clear budget plan outlines what you expect to spend on all these costs. The cost of salaries can fall under both fixed and variable costs. For example, your core in-house team is usually associated with fixed costs, while freelance therapists are treated as variable costs. Make sure you file your different salary costs in the correct area of your budget.

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4. Your one-off costs One-off costs fall outside the usual work your business does. These are start-up costs like moving, equipment, furniture, and software, as well as other costs related to launch and research. 5. Your cash flow Cash flow is all money coming into and out of a business. You have positive cash flow if there is more money coming into your business over a set period of time than going out. This is most easily calculated by subtracting the amount of money available at the beginning of a set period of time and at the end. Since cash flow is the oxygen of every business, make sure you monitor this weekly, or at least monthly. You could be raking it in and still not have enough money on hand to pay your suppliers. 6. Your profit Profit is what you take home after deducting your expenses from your revenue. Growing profits mean a growing business. Here you’ll plan out how much profit you plan to make based on your projected revenue, expenses, and cost of goods sold. If the difference between revenue and expenses (aka ‘profit margins’) aren’t where you’d like them to be, you need to rethink your cost of goods or services sold and consider raising prices. Or, if you think you can’t squeeze any more profit margin out of your business, consider boosting the Advertising and Promotions line in your budget to increase total sales. 7. A budget calculator A budget calculator can help you see exactly where you stand when it comes to your business budget planning. It might sound obvious, but getting all the numbers in your budget in one easy-to-read summary is really helpful. In a spreadsheet, create a summary page with a row for each of the budget categories above. This is the framework of your basic budget. Then, next to each category, list the total amount you’ve budgeted. Finally, create another column to the right—when the time period ends – and use it to record the actual amounts spent in each category. This gives you a snapshot of your budget that’s easy to find without diving into layers of crowded spreadsheets.

Jared Hines has more than a decade’s worth of international and domestic experience in the spa industry and is the founder and owner of Hines & Harley Men’s Grooming Lounge, the winner of four Professional Beauty Awards. Hines himself has won many awards for salon and spa management.

SUSTAINABILITY

WE KNOW ALREADY that a SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION in OUR EMISSION OF GREENHOUSE GAS IS NECESSARY to mitigate the effects of CLIMATE CHANGE. SCIENTISTS HAVE been calling on us to PUT EFFECTIVE reduction STRATEGIES IN PLACE since at least the 1970s.

Viewing COP26 through the beauty & spa industry lens

or the first time last year, I saw reference to a COP meeting appearing in spa and beauty articles, social media posts and our industry’s leading conferences. The imminent spectacle of the COP26 global climate summit no doubt played a catalytic role in the editorial briefs being passed down to journalists. But why now, after 25 meetings and close to 27 years have already passed?

Probably partly because we, as individuals, have become sensitised to the planet’s health and our own vulnerability in staying well. We’re being increasingly exposed to news reports of extreme climatic events, our dwindling natural resources and the Covid-19 pandemic. It would be accurate to say that sustainability is a top-of-mind subject and gaining prominence on many levels. And as a collective industry, these factors are having a similar effect on the way spa and beauty professionals and business owners interpret the signs. But let’s first recap some COP background.

Do you know that COP stands for Conference of the Parties?

In this context, ‘Parties’ refers to the 197 nations who adopted the UN Climate Change Convention of 1994. The COP itself is the framework for climate change negotiations and, ultimately, decisions that must give effect to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We know already that a significant reduction in our emission of these gasses is necessary to mitigate the effects of climate change. Scientists have been calling on us to put effective reduction strategies in place since at least the 1970s, giving details of what to expect should

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In this inaugural article in the all-important Sustainability Newsdesk series, GreenSpa. Africa’s Charne le Roux reflects on the recent global climate summit

SUSTAINABILITY

Warning bells from UN Chief Antonio Guterres that we are in ‘code red for humanity’ were ringing loudly. People, businesses and industries, including the wellness and beauty industry, started to take notice. Paying scant attention to climate change effects and sustainability measures thus far, the realisation that governments on their own weren’t going to implement measures to limit global heating by the end of the century became increasingly apparent. It would take all of our involvement and action. Our businesses were each going to have to play their part in phasing out coal dependency and transforming our micro economies to reach nett zero emissions.

IN THE END, regrettably, the WORLD’S LEADERS did NOT do enough at COP26 and Swedish teenage environmental ACTIVIST, GRETA THUNBERG, DENOUNCED the conference as ‘BLAH, BLAH, BLAH’. Carbon neutral

we fail. Sea levels would rise, protracted periods of droughts would occur and, according to the BBC’s recently published analysis of authoritative scientific research on our climate change risks, we can also expect: ‘heatwaves like the ones recently experienced in Greece and western North America, or floods like those in Germany and China’. So far, COP has been hosted on African soil four times, once each in Durban and Nairobi and twice in Marrakech. With the exception of COP3 and COP 21 (which resulted in the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement), neither the meetings in Africa nor any of the other COP meetings were encouraging, achieving little more than demonstrating the enormous disparity between what Science was urging us to do, and what was being delivered in the form of meaningful action.

COP26 was punted as ‘the crunch time COP’ This was where the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming by 2030 to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrialisation levels was to be reinforced and rolled out. It had been well understood for some time already, that achieving the heating ceiling of 1.5°C was under threat, and that without decisive action it would quickly become a pipe dream.

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Carbon neutrality is deemed as what it is going to take to make meaningful sustainability work. This means balancing the greenhouse gasses being produced, with those being absorbed. The largest gathering of world leaders ever to be hosted by the UK attended COP26 in November 2021, in Glasgow. These leaders represented all economic sectors, the spa and beauty sector included. For example, the British Beauty Council’s Sustainability Coalition hosted its Planet Positive webinar right there in Glasgow, and announced its sustainability initiatives, including the subsequently launched greenwashing guide. The tourism industry also threw in its hat with the World Travel and Tourism Council (which counts as its stakeholders hotels, cruise ships, airlines and tour operators) committing to an ambitious plan for the tourism industry to reach nett zero by 2050. Tourism and especially wellness tourism, has a huge stake in decarbonising. No one will want to undertake leisure or wellness travel in the face of natural disasters, forest fires, floods, rising sea levels, food insecurity, coastal erosion, and the loss of ecosystems such as coral reefs. In the end, regrettably, the world’s leaders did not do enough at COP26. And it didn’t come as a surprise. That Swedish teenage environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, was opportunistically able to denounce the conference as ‘blah, blah, blah’, is an indication of how ineffective the outcomes once again were. The negotiated outcomes were mostly around rules for a global carbon market framework and advancement of the deadline whereby carbon target initiatives by countries had to be tabled. Otherwise, there was ‘recognition’ of the need to reduce carbon emission by 45% over the next 18 years and ‘urging’ of developed countries to increase funding to developing countries for carbon adaptation. Is there even true value in re-recognising something that has been stated for years if no action is forthcoming from those who recognise it?

SUSTAINABILITY What spas, tourism and other companies are doing

Businesses and their collective industries must themselves now carry more of the burden, shift gear and start with the real work. And many have. 1. More and more businesses are committing to nett zero and putting in place systems to measure this. The Falls Hotel & Spa (Ireland), The Parkside Hotel & Spa (Canada), Colombo Court Hotel & Spa (Sri Lanka) and Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort and Spa (Caribbean) are some examples.

Global Sustainable Tourism Council and Sustainable Spa Association have created such systems, which engender trust and ultimately further investment and growth in green. 4. Digital technologies have been developed to track, allocate, report and transfer environmental claims between participants. Organisations such as SustainCERT and Persefoni provide sustainability and climate accounting services, in line with globally agreed reporting frameworks. Greenspa Calculator is a free app that scores and tracks sustainability performance by spas. 5. The true cost (environmental, financial etc) of production is becoming the new metric. Sportsware giant Puma developed a tool to measure the cost to nature of their manufacturing process, calculating the volume of potable water consumed, pollution caused and topsoil lost when a new product is created. Under a new mechanism developed by Danone, the theoretical cost of the company’s greenhouse gas emissions is deducted from its earnings. There are also projects underway to assess a business’ performance with a weighted accounting system based on their ability to create value for society.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

THERE IS NO DOUBT that the BEAUTY AND SPA INDUSTRY has been switched on. We are starting to ADAPT AWAY FROM harmful product ingredients, excessive packaging, IRRESPONSIBLE water and energy CONSUMPTION and poor waste MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. 2. Packaging in the spa and beauty industry is undergoing a shift, with plastic bans being adopted by large spa chains and resorts (take the lead from Six Senses, Taj Resorts Hotels and Palaces, The Red Carnation Hotels Collection and many others). Refilling options for beauty products are being developed by companies such as Comfort Zone, L’Occitane, Tata Harper and REN Skincare and compostable packaging is not far behind. 3. Independent verification and accreditation systems for sustainability related claims are in very high demand. In the tourism and spa industries, GreenGlobe, BCorp, Fair Trade,

6. Pressure on companies to reward their executives based on their performance in reaching sustainability targets is increasing. And what better way to demonstrate that these goals are core to a company’s strategy? Consumer goods companies including Mars, Ralph Lauren, Microsoft and Danone are already doing this.

Growing awareness

COP26 did not (and could never), in itself, bring about change for our industry. Its value lies in the substantial global awareness that was created in the lead-up to the conference, as well as the programmes subsequently launched on the back of that awareness. There is no doubt that the beauty and spa industry has been switched on. We are starting to adapt away from harmful product ingredients, excessive packaging, irresponsible water and energy consumption and poor waste management practices. As one of the oldest industries and indeed an integral one, we certainly have the capacity to own and build on these early steps toward nett zero, sustainability and to make green our new default position.

Charne le Roux is the founder of GreenSpa.Africa. She advises, creates and implements sustainability practices in the wellness industry, as well as connects green spas in Africa. Email charne@greenspa.africa

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WELLNESS

Ecosystem of wellbeing – this new term has emerged to reflect the much-needed unity between climate health and wellness. Senior living – disrupted senior living highlights the need for community-based living that requires multigenerational and regenerative aspects for the over 55-year age group. A purposeful and meaningful lifestyle needs to link into the longevity science suggesting that 90 could be the new 40, over the next 10 years. Great wellness habits combined with the right genes could very well afford one a longer life.

A new era in health & wellness Photo by Fabian Moller on Unsplash

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), held in Boston in December 2021, highlighted the latest developments in the health & wellness sector. International spa professional, Celeste Peters, details some key takeaways from the event ith wellness economies predicted by the Global Wellness Summit (GWS) to reach $7 trillion by 2025, a thriving future awaits. Those hit hardest by the Covid pandemic like spas, wellness tourism and thermal/ mineral springs, can expect strong growth. Wellness real estate and mental wellness received a glowing report for exponential expansion. Preventative wellness – according to the GWS, preventative wellness is on the increase as public health spending explodes due to the pandemic. The disparities between rich and poor countries remain a concern and innovations are much needed to address the differences. Mental health – investment in medical psilocybin by psychedelic companies for mental health has increased dramatically and many will need to change the way they see this new kind of medication.

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Women’s health solutions – these are prompting investment and innovation and will reduce stigmas around women health issues, like menopause and reproductive disorders, for example. Circadian science – the future looks at Circadian science with new research into health problems resulting from the manmade ‘clock time’. Circadian disruption solutions could shift our clocks back to true Circadian time. This could be a great potential boost for shift work or long-haul travel. Breathwork – this now takes on a true pillar of wellness. A Stanford University study reveals that breathwork protocols (of just five mins a day) prove to be more effective than meditation supporting anxiety reduction. Self-cure – healing for serious/ terminal diseases is looking for answers in one’s own healing relationship to food, stress response and the immune system. One’s beliefs are key to overall wellbeing and the phenomenon of self-cure. Plant-based diets, telemedicine, digital health and wellness platform access to services have become the norm in many countries, as home care takes a strong lead in healing. The arts – an interesting focus on the arts for ‘aesthetic wellness’ is developing, with music as therapy to escape digital device screens and to connect with others. Big Pharma – pandemic innovations showed us that faster regulatory approvals were possible and Big Pharma companies could act like startups. Travel – the GWS experts predict that travel will come back strongly and wellness travel is expected to do even better post-Covid. For more information about the GWS you can still access the Global Wellness Summit on demand. https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/product/ global-wellness-summit-2021-on-demand/

Celeste Peters is based in Amsterdam and is the customer relationship manager at The Tides Wellness. Peters is also the Global Wellness Day Ambassador for Netherlands. Email celeste.peters5@gmail.com.

WELLNESS

Active Relaxation An increasing number of spas - particularly resort and destination spas - are starting to add yoga classes to their offering. Here Joanna Sterkowicz looks at a lesser known form of yoga - restorative yoga - which promises amazing benefits hile all yoga forms are recognised to be beneficial to both body and spirit, restorative yoga taps into the rest and digest system, allowing deep release on physical, mental and emotional levels. So says Michelle Fraser, who offers restorative yoga classes at her studio in Southdowns Estate in Irene, Pretoria. She continues: “Although this form of yoga is not widely practiced in South Africa yet, it actually came into being during the 1970s. It is based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar, who developed a yoga style known as Iyengar Yoga, which focuses on proper body alignment in yoga postures using props, such as straps, blocks, blankets and bolsters. “As the practice evolved, one of Iyengar’s students, Judith Hanson Lasater, brought it to the West. She popularised a new style of yoga – restorative yoga – based on the original teachings of Iyengar and called it ‘active relaxation’.

Michelle Fraser

“I’m not sure exactly when this form of yoga arrived in South Africa, but I do know of a few yoga studios in Gauteng and the Cape Province that host classes and retreats. Although I am not aware of any spas in this country currently offering restorative yoga, I believe it could be a lovely modality that would greatly benefit their guests with stress relief and total relaxation.” Fraser makes the point that anyone practising Iyengar’s yoga or using props during their practice is, in effect, practising a form of restorative yoga.

THE FOCUS IS on actively RELAXING THE BODY in poses, with the use of props WITHOUT STRAIN OR PAIN, while the MIND STAYS ENGAGED and focused, usually ON THE BREATH. Through this, we can achieve PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL RELAXATION. online @ probeauty.co.za

WELLNESS Benefits Definition

If you Google restorative yoga, you will most likely find it described as being focused on winding down after a long day and relaxing your mind, with body relaxation at its core. Fraser concurs with that definition by saying: “The focus is on actively relaxing the body in poses, with the use of props without strain or pain, while the mind stays engaged and focused, usually on the breath. Through this, we can achieve physical, mental and emotional relaxation. “It is a practice of deep relaxation that emphasises the meditative aspect of yoga— the union of body and mind.”

She goes on to emphasise that restorative yoga has so many mind-body benefits, including improved flexibility. “In addition, it promotes a healthier lifestyle and can encourage you to transition to regular mediation if you struggle with being still for long periods. Furthermore, it promotes mindfulness and greater self-awareness. Restorative yoga calms your nervous system, reduces stress, boosts your immune system and helps to improve sleep. “Some studies have also shown that it can help prevent type 2 diabetes, help support women living with breast cancer, and help alleviate some symptoms of depression.”

Poses

Because each pose is held from anywhere between three to 20 minutes, there are fewer postures per hour long class than other forms of yoga. Fraser does between three to six or more postures, usually aiming to do a forward fold, backbend, side bend, inversion, twist and a final resting pose. Examples of restorative yoga poses include: restorative twist, Stonehenge pose (i.e. an inversion), Badha Konasana or supported bound angle pose and supported child’s pose, among many others. Fraser notes that restorative yoga is in its essence still the pure yoga form as created more than 10,000 years ago, according to Swami Satyananda Saraswati. She comments: “The main difference is that the poses are held for much longer and with the aid of props, making restorative yoga more yin in its nature than the yang or active nature of other forms of yoga. “Modern day yoga comprises of a few hundred poses and of those, less than a hundred are actively practised today. Most of the static poses can be transformed into restorative poses.”

Parasympathetic nervous system

Restorative yoga is known for its ability to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Fraser explains: “The parasympathetic nervous system is our rest and digest system. In restorative yoga, we move out of the sympathetic nervous system (our fight or flight state), which we cycle through when awake by engaging with everyday life, and into the parasympathetic nervous system. This is where we achieve a similar state to sleeping, but unlike sleeping, the mind is awake while the body is resting.”

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Props

Restorative yoga relies a lot on props to hold the body, which in turn allows the body to let go and fully relax. Fraser uses a variety of props in her classes ranging from chairs to pillows, bolsters, blankets, blocks, straps, eye pillows and on occasions, even warm water bottles.

Giving back

Fraser is working on a whole wellness concept that involves community support work. She says: “I am passionate about the positive effects restorative yoga has, especially on people suffering from trauma. Our frontline workers have endured a lot of stress and trauma during these last few years of the Covid-19 pandemic. I have reached out to a local hospital and hope to teach medical personnel there soon, helping them to better deal with the trials and tribulations they endure daily. “Ideally, I would like to see a programme like this at all medical and frontline institutions, where staff can come for an hour to let go and balance and harmonise their body, mind, and emotions, allowing them to better function in their work environment as well as in society.”

Personal journey

It was over 20 years ago that Fraser started practising yoga postures from borrowed books, before starting to practise Hatha yoga with ‘a wonderful teacher’ who inspired her to become a yoga teacher. Since then she has practised Kundalini yoga, but her current passions are yin and restorative yoga.

Stimulating

the mind, body & soul

In 2021, the Spa at Delaire Graff Estate, located in the picturesque Cape Winelands area of Stellenbosch, won a whole spate of international awards. Joanna Sterkowicz chats to manager Hildegard Carstens about what sets this spa apart in the market wned by Laurence Graff, the Spa at Delaire Graff Estate first opened in 2010 and is positioned as a holistic sanctuary. Spa manager Hildegard Carstens explains: “If you look at the definition of the word ‘holistic’, it is characterised by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole, while the word ‘sanctuary’ means a sacred space. Therefore, by definition, our spa is a sacred space where we take care of our guests as a whole – mind, body and spirit.”

Carstens always uses the gardens on the Delaire Graff estate, art and cuisine as inspiration for creating a bespoke experience for the spa’s guests. As to the spa’s point of difference in the market, Carstens considers herself very blessed to have a ‘beautiful spa team’ that are extremely passionate about taking care of guests. She continues: “It is vitally important that your therapists realise the power they have when they work with the intent of healing on each guest. It not only benefits the guest, but also themselves. There is an exchange of energy happening with every treatment, which should be acknowledged and respected.” The fact that the spa is located within a scenic and tranquil setting among carefully curated art pieces, sculptures and elements of Asia, with as much natural light and nature incorporated as possible, also helps to make the spa stand out.

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SPA FOCUS

As to how treatment business panned out in 2021 while the Covid pandemic raged in full force, Carstens says: “It is in our most challenging times that we must find opportunity and I am extremely grateful to say that we have had our best year so far with treatments and retail. The launch of our e-commerce site in May 2020 has proved to be very successful.”

Covid economy

WITHIN THE SPA, our aim is to EXCEED GUEST expectations by MANIFESTING A MEMORY that they MAY REVISIT whenever they feel the need to RELAX THEIR MINDS. WE STIMULATE ALL FIVE SENSES.

In order to deal with the fallout of the Covid pandemic, Carstens spent time instilling a new philosophy and mindset amongst her team. “We needed to let go of the ‘when are the tourists coming back?’ mentality and look at how we were going to adapt and attract our local market. “Using myself as an example, I asked: ‘What would I want when going on holiday?’ My answer: less options. Of anything! I don’t need a book of a menu, I need less options. Therefore, I simplified our spa menu and created packages with more inclusions. I also added the option of creating bespoke experiences for guests, which has been very popular.”

Winning streak

Last year was the first time that the spa had ever entered any awards competitions and Carstens is very proud that the spa won the Haute Grandeur Excellence Awards for: Best Hideaway Spa in Africa; Best Luxury Spa in Africa; Best Spa Manager in Africa (herself); and Best Hotel Spa in South Africa. In addition, the spa won Best Luxury Day Spa in Africa at the International Spa & Beauty Awards, as well as Luxury Hideaway Spa - South Africa at the World Luxury Spa Awards. Carstens believes that one of the aspects about the spa that appeals to judges is the Cape Winelands setting of the estate. She explains: “It is truly magnificent. You enter a different realm as you proceed up the estate driveway, your mind already filled with images of sculptures, an abundance of manicured gardens and breathtaking views. And all this even before you have climbed out of your car. “Within the spa, our aim is to exceed guests’ expectations by manifesting a memory that they may revisit whenever they feel the need to relax their minds. We stimulate all five senses. The sense of sight is met with opulence from the art, our graceful koi pond, the flower displays and the breathtaking views of Table Mountain. In terms of smell, the jasmine at our front entrance is followed up by our unique spa fragrance, Jardin de Delaire. “The sense of taste is satisfied by the delicious Thai soup that follows each treatment. Then there is our gentle spa music and of course, the intentful, healng touch of the therapist.” While the architecture of the Delaire Graff Lodges is based on an African game lodge, the cuisine offered is Asian inspired. These two influences are reflected in the spa treatment menu as Carstens utilises elements of Africa in the spa rituals by using organic essential oils and hand blended dried botanical scrubs. The Asian element is incorporated with the cuisine, as the spa journeys end with a taster from the estate’s Indochine Restaurant.

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SPA FOCUS

sauna, steam room and couples shower (a private area that guests can book individually or as a couple). The spa has four full-time therapists as well as a spa receptionist.

Signature treatment

While THE ARCHITECTURE of the DELAIRE GRAFF LODGES is based on an AFRICAN GAME LODGE, the cuisine offered is ASIAN INSPIRED. THESE TWO INFLUENCES are reflected in the SPA TREATMENT MENU.

Spa suites

In terms of treatment areas, the three spa suites, which are dressed in ivory tones with delicate African details, each have a beautiful bath, bathroom and private garden courtyard. There are an additional two treatment rooms that do not have outside courtyards or baths. Hydro facilities include a Jacuzzi and an infinity pool, situated on the spa deck with magnificent views of Table Mountain and the Idas Valley. In addition, the spa offers a

The spa’s signature experience is inspired by its ethos of ‘holistic sanctuary’ – a ritual that celebrates two parts together as a whole. Carstens elaborates: “We achieve this by deconstructing our Jardin de Delaire fragrance, which translates to ‘gardens of Delaire’. The ritual starts with a botanical, warm oil couples massage. Thereafter, our couple chooses which dried botanicals they wish to blend in their pestle and mortar with Himalayan salt and our estate olive oil. Then, the couple enjoy a private rasulinspired sauna and steam room session. They first sauna for 15 minutes, then they scrub themselves with the hand blended botanical scrub and enjoy a detox session in the steam room. The scrub is washed off by ice cold water from the shower in the steam room. “Thereafter follows a rooibos and aloe vera soufflé body mask and a Ling New York ‘Volclayno’ mask. The ritual ends with a beautiful bottle of Delaire Graff Sunrise Brut outside on our Spa pool deck.” All facials at the spa include a complimentary brow shape and tint as Carstens believes that if your skin looks amazing, so should your brows.

In-house brand

When Carstens first started her journey at Delaire Graff Spa, one of her first priorities was to develop a Spa fragrance, as she believes that smell is an intricate and vitally important element in a spa. She continues: “Your sense of smell is the sense that engrains a memory. As I have experience in aromachology (i.e. the study of the influence of odours on human behaviour and the relationship between feelings and emotions), I joined forces with a perfumer in Cape Town to develop a unisex fragrance inspired by the gardens of Delaire. “We now have quite an extensive Jardin de Delaire range, including all our hotel amenities. And I am very proud that our Jardin De Delaire has been ordered from all over the world, including Azerbaijan! I am passionate about new product development and we recently launched our Botanical scrub, which is one of my personal favourites.” In terms of selecting other brands, Carstens looks at criteria such as uniqueness and exclusivity; research and technology in formulation; whether the brand is inspired by nature; results; and luxury. She notes that Delaire Graff is the only spa in South Africa to offer Dr Barbara Sturm, a pioneer in molecular cosmetics. Other brands include Ling New York; Aromatherapy Associates; Black Pearl; Knesko; Margarate Dabbs London; and South African brand Elim. In conclusion, Carstens reveals that she is currently working on a few exciting projects that will be revealed to the market in due course.

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SPA FOCUS

The great re-set – trends 2022

Spa and beauty professionals are living in exciting times and should embrace the new world that is forming, as an opportunity to re-invent and grow their businesses, writes spa consultant Marisa Dimitriadis ow more than ever is the time to have an open mind and experiment with change. A great idea is to align your business with the forecasted industry trends to ensure you are meeting consumer demands and evolving your business for the new world.

Clean Beauty

This year will see a more transparent approach to ingredient labels and evidence that product manufacturers are indeed making use of natural, clean ingredients. There will be a rise of active ingredients in the market place that are clean and effective, with excellent results. Examples of these types of ingredients to look out for are ceramides and fermented beauty. Fermentation acts as an active ingredient booster and also allows for a

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higher concentration of nutrients and antioxidants, making these formulas super effective for anti-ageing. What should you be doing? • Partnering with brands that offer clean ingredients and have clearly defined sustainability initiatives. • Researching clean ingredients and including education on these ingredients in your social media messages.

Core and gut are in the spotlight

It’s all in the core! Having a strong core is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. It improves balance, coordination, posture and brain power and also prevents back pain and protects your organs. Interestingly, research from health insurance and healthcare group, BUPA, discovered that Google searches for ‘gut health’ are up by 83%, which puts the gut in the spotlight more than ever before. Proper gut health contributes to nearly every aspect of wellness, including brain and heart health, balanced moods, a regular sleep schedule and prevention of serious diseases. In our industry, gut health is commonly linked to a clear, flawless complexion.

SPA FOCUS

What should you be doing? • Analyse all treatments in your salon/ spa where the core could be activated or supported. For example, if you have nail tables where clients and therapists sit for long periods of time, you could have balance cushions on the chairs that activate core muscles and improve posture. • If doing a full body massage, offer the client a stomach muscle stimulation belt to wear whilst you massage the front of the body to keep them focused on their core even whilst relaxing. • Partner with an integrative doctor and get a good probiotic on your shelves as part of your retail offering, since good gut health is connected to a clear, healthy skin complexion.

PROPER GUT HEALTH contributes to nearly EVERY ASPECT of WELLNESS, INCLUDING BRAIN and HEART HEALTH, balanced MOODS, A REGULAR SLEEP schedule and PREVENTION of serious diseases. Sustainability Initiatives

Environmental, social and economic sustainability awareness is a MUST in today’s ever evolving world. Consumers are already making spa/ salon choices based on their sustainability initiatives. What should you be doing? • Start somewhere and do something, don’t ignore this. • Make your initiatives public by posting them on social media and ensure signage in your salon/ spa that talks about the initiatives. • Appoint a sustainability ambassador in your business who will monitor and check all efforts and slowly introduce more initiatives. • Get your clients involved in your efforts. • Partner with suppliers who have sustainability programmes you can join.

Skinmunity

Immune system everything is going to be at the forefront of consumers’ choices for this year. Antioxidant-rich formulations for body and face will be on the rise to protect the skin, as well as blue light protection formulations to protect against the effects that screen time has on our skins. What should you be doing? • Educating your clients about their immune systems and how they can strengthen and improve them.

• Collaborate with an integrative doctor or nurse to offer immune boosting IV drips as add-ons to treatments so clients can have a drip while having a facial or pedicure. • Look at which treatments on your menu you can add the words ‘immune boosting’ to.

Online

As the world moves more online than ever before, the beauty and wellness industry is still very much driven by personal interaction, however your online capabilities are going to contribute to maintaining relationships and keeping your clients engaged and loyal. What should you be doing? • Creating shop-able posts in social media platforms, especially Instagram. • Allowing clients to book appointments through social media posts. • Online tutorials will keep your clients engaged and create interest in other products and even services you offer to get more bookings. • Explore different contactless payment options as these are becoming increasingly popular.

Wellness journeys

With travel on the increase it is clear that wellness travel destinations are in demand. If the consumer is going to travel, they want to get the best of both worlds in their travel experiences. This doesn’t mean that only hotel spas or destination spas can focus on wellness journeys but every salon or spa can look at ways to incorporate wellness into their business. What should you be doing? • Convert a treatment room in your spa to bring the outdoors indoors. For example, put a tree in the room as well as lots of plants and a water feature so there is the sound of water and make that your ‘nature room’. • Offer wellness solutions like lavender eye pillows to cover the eyes when massaging and an eye massager device

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SPA FOCUS

to use while doing nails or pedicure to enhance the wellness experience of those treatments. • Include wellness retail items such as satin pillowcases, silk sleepwear and therapeutic room sprays, to mention a few. • Educate your clients about ingredients tied to wellness outcomes, like lavender, chamomile, vitamin C and CBD.

Zoom make-overs

With more time being spent on video calls, the increase in procedures and treatments that enhance anything seen on the screen will be in the biggest demand. So procedures like eyelid lifts, fillers, botulinum toxins, face lifts, hair implants and the like will be on the increase this coming year. What should you be doing? • Make up classes/ tutorials specifically geared towards video calls/ meetings. For example: ‘How to get your BEST online face’. • Offer skin treatments focused on glow and radiance and use words to promote this like, ‘Video meeting flawless skin treatment’. • Look for non-surgical options for your clients as a large percentage of people are looking for non-surgical solutions. For example: ‘Zoom meeting hair’, which is actually a wig that you pop on for a video meeting. Radical as this sounds there is a market for this out there so tap into it and find the solutions.

THE CHANGE this year will bring the inclusion of DIFFERENT AGES, SKIN TYPES AND GENDERS in aesthetic treatments. GROWTH WILL COME from YOUNGER AGE GROUPS, the MALE DEMOGRAPHIC and the DARKER SKIN TONES. Personalised experiences

There is no doubt that the world is moving towards bespoke solutions for everything. This is the future of businesses that will fly. What should you be doing? • Re-engineer your treatment menu to sell time for the different categories of treatments. Don’t list 20 different facials but just the times and then the treatment is completely personalised to suit the client’s needs. Do the same with massage. This is a game changer in our industry and something that has taken a while for spa and salon owners to get their

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heads around, but those who have embraced it are getting the loyal and big spend clients. • Personalise the music in the treatment room to suit the client’s mood. So, if the client is having sleep issues, play music that enhances quality of sleep and deep relaxation, or if the client has concentration issues then play focus type of melodies. The traditional whales and chirping birds type of spa music has to evolve please! • Personalise the aroma in the room to suit the client’s mood. A calming scent will help enhance the treatment experience if sprayed at the start and end of treatment, or a scent that uplifts for someone feeling depressed and anxious. • Get to you know your client’s drink preference and their payment preferences and act accordingly so they realise you are personalising their experience.

Diversity and inclusion in aesthetics

Aesthetic treatments will continue to show the biggest growth for this coming year, with some interesting new treatments making a debut, like radiofrequency needling, which sees the evolution of traditional microneedling treatments and SHR laser. There are also hair removal treatments with interesting new technologies and never before seen results. The change this year will bring the inclusion of different ages, skin types and genders in aesthetic treatments. Growth will come from younger age groups, the male demographic and the darker skin tones, which in the past were wary of aesthetic treatments due to side-effects. New skin peeling technology specifically for darker skin pigmentation is going to be the most popular, with hydrabrasion also shining bright for darker skin, teens and men. A huge ‘prevention is better than cure’ culture will prevail in 2022.

Mental wellness

Mental wellness in the spa and salon space is of critical importance to customer loyalty and long term relationship building. What should you be doing? • Incorporate mental wellness into your social media strategy. • Do wellness check-ups on your staff and make the initiatives public so your clients can see you look after your staff mental wellbeing too. • Host mental wellness workshop events, even if only two a year, to show your commitment to this aspect of wellness as part of your offering.

Marisa Dimitriadis is the founder and owner of The Spa Consultants and a co-founder of The Spa Professionals Guild. Email marisa@ thespaconsultants.co.za

SKINCARE

DARKER SKIN types are RICH IN EUMELANIN (dark brown / black pigment), whereas LIGHTER SKINS are RICH IN PHEOMELANIN, which is your red pigment. Please provide a definition of the darker Fitzpatrick skin types.

Darker skin types mainly contain increased eumelanin and are therefore typically skin types IV, V and VI. Because of the increased eumelanin, darker skin types rarely burn although they do tan easily, in some cases they can tan quite dark. Because of this we see an increase is post inflammatory pigmentation and pigmentation disorders.

What are the dermatological characteristics of the darker skin types?

Expert View

Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels

As part of our annual focus on treating the darker Fitzpatrick skin types, we conducted a Q&A with specialist dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, Dr Lushen Pillay, on the best way to treat this client demographic

Skin of colour, which is also known as ethnic skin, has a structural difference that is also evident in hair. Due to this structural difference, skin of colour presents specific conditions. •D PNS (Dermatosis papulosa nigra) – these are mostly on the face, but can appear on other body parts too. They are tiny bumps on the skin which have a dark appearance and are usually small and smooth. Although not painful, they are aesthetically unpleasing. In some cases, they can leave quite severe scarring. • K eloids (raised scars on the skin) – darker skin types are prone to keloids and even though they can be treated accordingly, keloids can always come back, especially after surgeries. Some keloids develop long after an injury or trauma to an area has occurred. • A cral lentiginous melanoma – this is a type of skin cancer most common in patients with a darker skin. This condition can be detrimental if not treated and most commonly appears on the hands and feet. It requires urgent excision.

It’s commonly believed that African skin has more melanin than Caucasian skin – is this actually the case?

Darker skin types are rich in eumelanin (dark brown / black pigment), whereas lighter skins are rich in pheomelanin, which is your red pigment. Darker skin types definitely contain more

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SKINCARE

melanosomes (organelles which hold the skin’s pigment), whereas lighter and darker skins contain the same amount of melanocytes (i.e. the cells which release melanosomes into the keratinocytes). Hence, melanocytes will release more melanosomes in a darker skin than in a lighter skin.

What skincare ingredients are most suited to African skin?

Topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid are all good ingredients, however they must be prescribed under the correct dosage for optimal results. It’s important to protect the skin’s acid mantle whilst still treating skin conditions. Darker skins are also more sensitive to vitamin A / retinoids, so dosages need to be integrated into the skincare regime slowly to avoid irritation.

Photo by Gideon Hezekiah from Pexels

SKIN CANCER can affect ANYONE AND EVERYONE, so there is NO PERSON EXEMPT from USING A SUNSCREEN. SKIN CANCER STATS show an ALARMING INCREASE in darker skins, most likely due to an INCREASE IN THE OZONE LAYER depletion

What skincare ingredients should be avoided when treating black skin?

Formulations which are higher in alcohol content should be avoided due to possibility of creating skin irritation and other concerns. Hence, toners are a no-no. Highly fragranced products should be avoided in all skin types, but especially darker skins due to the possibility of increasing inflammation and potentially weakening the inner layers of the skin.

In your practice, what would be the most typical skin issues among clients who have darker Fitzpatrick skin types? Acne and pigmentation, all with different

severities of each condition. Atopic dermatitis is definitely higher in the black population, as well as certain untreated conditions such as psoriasis, keloid and scarring.

Black skin is said to be particularly prone to pigmentation and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. What actually causes pigmentation?

There are so many triggers to pigmentation. Medication, stress, sun exposure, pregnancy, allergies and trauma to the area. These triggers all create further inflammation in the skin, which then leads to our cells over producing pigment. There is never one specific cause, but they can all contribute towards different types of pigmentation on the skin. Darker skin types typically respond to trauma by releasing pigment, which causes darkening and scars.

What are the best topical treatments for pigmentation on the darker skin types?

Hydraquinone, topical retinoids, kojic acid, arbutin and vitamin C are just some important ingredients. (If using hydraquinone, it must be used carefully and intermittently, not for continuous use. Hydraquinone cannot be used long term without breaks in between) Regular daily use of sunscreen is a must!

On that note, please comment on the fact that some black people may think that, because they have dark skin, they are automatically protected from the sun’s rays. Skin cancer can affect anyone and everyone, so there is no person exempt from using a sunscreen. Skin cancer stats show an alarming increase in darker skins, most likely due to an increase in the ozone layer depletion. Also, sunscreen protects against photo-ageing and pigmentation disorders.

What sun protection ingredients should be avoided for African skin so as not to result in an ‘ashy’ look.

Zinc oxide and high concentrations of titanium dioxide can cause the ashy and whitish discoloration, which is unacceptable aesthetically. Good trusted brands such as Heliocare, Isdin, Bioderma, La Roche Posay, Eucerin and Cetaphil, just to name a few, are cosmetically pleasing but also get the job done.

Dr Lushen Pillay is a specialist dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Helen Joseph Hospital, where he is also the head of the Dermatology department. He is a lecturer at Wits University, Department of Dermatology. Dr Pillay completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Pretoria, and then completed the fellowship in Dermatology, FC Derm (SA), as well as a Masters (MMed) in Dermatology through Wits University. He has won various research awards and has a special interest in facial aesthetics.

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SKINCARE

Treating the darker

Fitzpatrick skin types

As the majority of South Africans fall into the darker skin type category, it’s important for salons and spas to cater for this client demographic with the appropriate products and expertise s mentioned in Dr Lushen Pillay’s article on the preceding pages, one of the biggest skin concerns affecting the darker Fitzpatrick skin types is pigmentation. Say the experts at Derca: “Pigmentation is often caused by inflammation or the healing process of the skin. As such, pigmentation is one of the ways the skin is showing the abuse that results when it is not protected or when exposed to harsh environmental conditions. The skin is our biggest organ and grows and changes every day. By treating it with harsh chemicals you cannot expect it to heal and grow an improved layer of skin.” Derca recommends the following prior to treating the client’s skin: respect the current skin condition as sometimes hydration and antiinflammatory ingredients are needed before active peeling products can be used. Secondly, consider the environment your client works and lives in. For instance, a skin peel is not recommended before her beach holiday so rather give her skin a holiday from the retinols and actives. Thirdly, respect the client’s budget – do not start her on a high maintenance treatment with expensive homecare and in salon

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Non-aromatic plant extracts

Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels

care if she can only afford it for one month. Pigmentation is a long-term treatment. Fourthly, choose a derma cosmetic product line that focuses on an advanced repair and maintenance concept. The range should only use top quality natural ingredients at aesthetic percentages to alter the skin.

The supportive products in Derca’s Anti-Pigment Collection Range contain non-aromatic plant extracts that are 100% fragrance-free. These four products are ideal for the treatment for sun spots, melasma, hyperpigmentation and freckles. A medical pharmaceutical grade product, the Triple Active Retinol Complex and Vitamin C Concentrate from Derca is an advanced serum with a high percentage of active ingredients that treats hyper-pigmentation, melasma and chloasma. This BioPhase slow-release retinol, together with vitamin C concentrate, create a powerful duo to treat dermal pigmentation without adverse reactions. Also from Derca, the Alpha Hydroxy Acid Skin Peel with glycolic acid, aloe vera and chamomile allows natural skin peeling while hydrating the skin and causing no inflammation. This peel has a 1.9 pH and self-neutralises after 10 minutes. A perfect treatment for hyperpigmentation and melasma, it repairs UV damage, balances skin hydration and has an anti-ageing effect.

SKINCARE Pre-protocol conditioning

Three steps

Environ’s Radiance+ Range revolutionary 3-step Mela-Smart System™ is comprised of four innovative products that work together to help inhibit the six complex steps involved in the formation of hyperpigmentation. This system targets the root causes of skin discoloration, dark spots and uneven skin tone to reveal a more even-toned and radiant complexion. Powerhouse formulations containing intelligent ingredient combinations give the skin exactly what it needs to look more eventoned and radiant. For optimal results, the client should combine the Radiance+ Range with their daily Environ Vitamin STEP-UP SYSTEM™ routine. The first step in Radiance+ is the Multi-Bioactive Mela-Prep Lotion, which contains an expertly formulated combination of highly specialised ingredients for a brighter, more even-toned complexion. Step Two is the Vita-Botanical Mela-Fade Serum System This innovative serum system, comprised of two serums that work together, boasts a potent blend of vitamins and botanicals that assist in targeting the root causes of skin discoloration and helps to improve the appearance of uneven skin tone and visible sun damage. The final step is the Intense C-Boost Mela-Even Cream. This technologically advanced vitamin C infused cream reveals a brighter, more evenly radiant and healthier-looking skin. Extensive trials were conducted on all genders, skin tones and types with very positive results. Best results were achieved when the home care routine was combined with professional treatments, specifically the Environ Vibrant-C Micro Peel Treatment, ideal to improve the appearance of pigmentation.

The understanding of skin brightening and managing of hyperpigmentation on various ethnicities can be challenging, according to Ursula Volbrecht of DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care. She continues: “Whilst hyperpigmentation can be noticed across all Fitzpatrick skin types, it is especially prominent within the Fitzpatick IV – VI groups. When working on a darker Fitzpatrick skin type, it is always important to bear in mind that many treatment protocols induce an inflammatory effect as part of the rejuvenation wound healing response. If this inflammation is not pre-empted and the correct measures are not implemented prior to the treatment being done, these protocols can lead to postinflammatory hyperpigmentation as a result.” Volbrecht believes that pre-protocol conditioning of the melanocyte is therefore of the utmost importance, helping to minimise the risks of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation alongside many advanced skincare protocols. “While many ingredients exist with the claim to help alleviate hyperpigmentation concerns, many of these claims are unsubstantiated and have little to no effect on skin brightening. DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care offers the following advice and product options that include the use of scientific formulations to help correct both existing hyperpigmentation lesions, as well as reducing further production of pigment within the skin across all Fitzpatrick skin types,” she explains. Tyrosinase inhibitors work to disrupt or slow down the melanogenesis process of pigment formation within the skin, and include ingredients such as kojic acid, tranexamic acid, alpha arbutin and paper mulberry. These skin brighteners and more are found within the DermaFix ACC Tranexamic Gel, DermaFix MelanoDerm and DermaFix Brightening Wipes, targeting both existing hyperpigmentation lesions as well as assisting to prevent further hyperpigmentation responses. “Vitamin C is another popular antioxidant ally in the world of skin brightening,” comments Volbrecht. “Assisting as a natural skin brightener, vitamin C works to lighten hyperpigmented marks, whilst providing additional antioxidant support in the fight against free radical and environmental damage.” DermaFix Cosmeceutical Skin Care offers vitamin C within the DermaFix Vitamin C Serum, DermaFix Ferulic + C + E and DermaFix ACC Vitamin C formulations. Volbrecht stresses that no hyperpigmentation protocol will be fully successful without the addition of sun protection, as in the DermaFix DermaShield SPF40 / SPF50, which offers broad spectrum High UVA/UVB/HEV-light protection.

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SKINCARE All about the acid

SIX Aesthetix recommends its Azelaic Acid Peel 25%, a superficial depth chemical peel used to treat acne and pigmentation especially in adults and the darker skin types. Aselaic acid is a naturally occurring acid found in grains such as barley, wheat and rye. It is a semi-fluid, colourless gel which is odourless. This active ingredient is in a class of medications called dicarboxylic acids. It works to treat acne by killing the bacteria that infect pores and by decreasing production of keratin, a natural substance that can lead to the development of acne. Azelaic acid also prevents what’s known as melanin synthesis, the ability of your skin to produce pigment that can vary your skin’s tone. It is suitable for sensitive and darker skins and can treat mild to moderate acne and acne scarring.

The power of clay

In-depth knowledge, proper consultation and a slow treatment approach is key to treating darker Fitzpatrick phototypes struggling with hyperpigmentation, says pHformula educator, Sunette Steenkamp. She explains that the skin of darker phototypes is more heavily melanised with an increased melanin production, however skin degradation is much slower compared to lighter phototypes. “Darker phototypes are at an extremely high risk for both hyper- and hypopigmentation. The skin has a high risk for scarring, including keloids and an extremely high risk to post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).” PHformula’s M.E.L.A. 1, 2 or 3 powerclay™ (M.E.L.A. 3 powerclay™ for medical doctors only) range contains a powerful blend of active ingredients uniquely formulated in a clay base, which assists in the even and rapid penetration of the actives. The unique pHformula powerclay™ formula used in the M.E.L.A. resurfacing treatments is a powerful hyperpigmentation treatment designed to reduce the accumulation of epidermally located melanin. It effectively inhibits the enzymatic activity of tyrosinase, whilst stimulating epidermal differentiation and therefore accelerates epidermal cell turnover, causing the removal of already formed melanin pigment. Due to the innovative and highly effective mode of action, significant visible results are obtained with minimal risk.

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Larger fibroblasts

Jacqui Faucitt of RégimA points out that black skin is thicker than white skin due to the stratum corneum having more layers, a more compact dermis with larger, more numerous fibroblasts, which can lead to abnormal scarring and keloid formation. Says Faucitt: “Black skins contain less glutathione, known to inhibit epidermal melanogenesis, leading to darker skin. Melanocytes in black skin have 10 times more tyrosinase activity producing 10 times more melanin with slower melanin degradation. If pigmentation occurs in the upper superficial layers of skin, the patches are a darker shade of brown, if in the deeper layers, an ashy grey discoloration appears.” She notes that RégimA Power Peel Treatments have proven to be very effective and a safe option. The therapist must ensure that the client is using correct home care if undergoing peels. These peels should work synergistically with the home care to produce the desired aesthetic result as well as skin health. Faucitt advises therapists to treat conservatively in order to achieve a safe, perfect and lasting result. Also from RégimA, the Medic Peel de Monaco New Super Peel at 86% Natural Acid with hyaluronic acid, elastin and bakuchiol (safest vitamin A alternative) is proving to have an amazing impact on pigmentation.

HAIR NEWS

Speedy colour

The Nouvelle Espressotime 10 minute professional colour range allows salons to triple the amount of clients they can see per day. Unique ingredients include biofermented coffee beans, which have a high content of polyphenols, antioxidant and caffeine to stimulate microcirculation of the scalp. Ginseng extract helps nourish roots and to hydrate. 011 262 2451

Crowning glory Tress-a-licious news from the hair front

Fabulous fragrance

Brumes du Maroc is Moroccanoil’s first-ever fragrance offering. Featuring the signature Moroccanoil scent – an exotic blend of spicy amber and sweet floral notes – this ultra-fine fragrance mist takes you on a sensorial journey through the Mediterranean. It can be used throughout the day as a refresher for hair and body and contains Argan oil. 011 305 1600

More love, less salt

Inoar’s +Amor –Sodio is a sulphate free, foamy shampoo exclusively formulated with tribulus terrestris and banana flower oil, a combination that substitutes sodium. Tribulus terrestris is rich in vitamin C and saponins, while banana flower oil is full of potassium, nutrients that are important for strong, healthy and shiny hair and minimising hair loss. 012 346 1721

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Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

AESTHETIC MEDICINE

Keeping ahead of the curve With many of our local industry doctors spearheading aesthetic medicine in South Africa, Karen Ellithorne asks for their opinions and insights about the latest treatments, ingredients and aesthetic trends they foresee in the industry for 2022 Dr Marisa Heyns

Dr Nerina Wilkinson & Associates Having a rejuvenated look with flawless skin will certainly never go out fashion and neither will the myriad of treatment options that are becoming available to us. One treatment that has recently hit our shores is the revolutionary Profhilo treatment. More than just a skin booster, Profhilo is a potent biostimulatory treatment that boosts your own skin’s hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin production. Due to its placement at specific anatomical sites on the face and neck (bio-aesthetic points), clients can expect a visible improvement in the skin’s quality and firmness, translating into a younger and more refreshed appearance. Another favourite treatment of mine is Morpheus – the perfect solution for mild to moderate sagging in the lower face and neck. The technology is based around

radiofrequency energy that is passed into the deeper layers of the skin with a depth-adjustable microneedling tip to ensure a more precise and uniform delivery of heat energy to powerfully stimulate collagen production throughout the skin. Clients can expect a tightening and firming effect on the contours of the face, as well as an improvement in neck laxity.

Due to ITS PLACEMENT at specific ANATOMICAL SITES on the FACE AND NECK (bio-aesthetic points), CLIENTS CAN EXPECT a visible IMPROVEMENT IN the skin’s QUALITY AND FIRMNESS, translating into a YOUNGER AND MORE REFRESHED appearance. online @ probeauty.co.za

AESTHETIC MEDICINE Dr Melanie Lambrechts The Centre of Wellness

Wrinkle reducing injections with toxin remains the go-to treatment for all new and seasoned aesthetic patients. A trend for 2022, I believe, will be an increased uptake of the beautiful effects toxin injections can bring in both male patients as well as our emerging ethnic population. We saw a huge increase in 2020-2021 in male patients doing frown reducing injections after their exposure to viewing themselves speaking and expressing in online meetings. Men are increasingly open to treatments, as well as being less guilt-ridden over spending money on themselves like their female counterparts. The same trend in treating the peri-orbital (eye) area has been seen in all groups after the poor lighting often evident in online meetings has highlighted the early ageing of this delicate area. Treating wrinkles as well as the under eye hollows (also known as tear-trough dents) with dermal fillers and laser treatments is experiencing sharp upward swing.

Dr Zak Schabort

The Cosmetic and Dental Emporium The continuous trend extending into 2022 includes more contoured, more defined facial features, with less volume added to the face. Strategic placement of threads and fillers, as well as the use of skin tightening devices, enable doctors to achieve these results. Now, more than ever, people want to not only look their best, but feel their optimal best. Aesthetics is branching into methods to turn back the DNA clock and repair from the inside. These treatments include the use of exosomes, stem cells, peptides and the elimination of senescent cells.

Dr Mark Opperman The T Clinic

The face of aesthetics is changing, and so are the desires and demands of our patients. When asked, 75% of woman would prefer a gradual onset of a more natural looking result that is long lasting, over something that is quick and short of duration. Gone are the days of just filler and anti-wrinkle treatments. Hello Biostimulators! It’s important to note that biostimulators are not fillers. Comprised of Poly-L-Lactic acid, they stimulates natural type 1 collagen production in your skin through fibroblast activity. The deposition of collagen improves skin quality, especially laxity. It gives a great natural lifting to sagging skin and creates natural volumising of facial tissue and contours. Poly-L-Lactic acid is bio-compatible and biodegradable, which makes it extremely safe. A series of treatments, usually three spread six weeks

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apart, is all that’s needed to get a result that you and your patients will rave about for up to three years. Patients report a great and continuous improvement of results. And at 25 months, both investigators and patients give a thumbs up in more than 80% of cases. In my practice, combining biostimulators into my treatment protocols is a game changer and I’m convinced it will be so in most aesthetic practices.

Now, MORE THAN EVER, people want to not only LOOK THEIR BEST, but FEEL THEIR OPTIMAL BEST. AESTHETICS IS bRANCHING into METHODS to turn back the DNA CLOCK and REPAIR FROM the inside. Dr Cobus van Niekerk Wellnessthetics

My top picks of treatments for 2022 is as follows: 1. Botulinum Toxin Type A – this is and will remain the top aesthetic treatment worldwide. Though aesthetic treatments declined by almost 15% in 2020, my prediction is that this will recover and even exceed previous numbers due to online working, and people seeing what they look like online. 2. Fillers will continue to be a second favourite, for the same reasons as above. 3. Chemical peels – with little downtime. 4. Regenerative medicine – Microfat, Profhilo, PRP etc. 5. Laser and IPL. 6. Plastic surgery will move back from body treatments to facelifts, nose reshaping, eyebrow lifts, neck lifts and threads. Currently the global trend is to improve what you can see on a computer screen, as we move from the 4th Industrial Revolution into the 5th Industrial Revolution, where empathy, kindness, individualism and humans will have to work together in symbiotic relationships. It is not the time to fall behind, but to embrace technology to stay abreast in the developments in medicine, but also aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. The above input from the doctors was collated by Karen Ellithorne.

A qualified aesthetician, Karen Ellithorne has been actively involved in the skincare industry since 1992, working as a lecturer and therapist, as well as successfully importing and distributing various products throughout South Africa. Email karen@spaandsalonsolutions.co.za

AESTHETIC MEDICINE

Product Focus Device-based aesthetic treatments are more and more sought after by clients and can have a positive impact on a practice or salon’s revenue generation

As the world leader in the treatment of connective tissue, LPG endermologie created the all new, all improved Cellu M6 Alliance devices, and in 2018, Marine Spa Distributors started selling the new devices. With high-performance tools, the result is quicker and more effective treatments. The results of LPG endermologie are full body and proven to increase blood circulation as well as lymphatic flow. They also lead to a 40% reduction in fibrosis, a 60% reduction in pain, an 80%

increase in endogenous hyaluronic acid and collagen, and stimulation of endogenous elastic synthesis. Thanks to specific treatment protocols, today LPG endermologie technologies are part of numerous medical procedures in different areas of intervention. These ensure complete patient care for a quicker return to better health. LPG endermologie technologies can be used to treat: • R heumatology: joint stiffness reduction, breaking up of tension, pain reduction • Orthopedics: pre- and postoperative care, edema resorption, joint mobility improvement • S enology: relieving adhesions, scar treatment, lymphedema reduction • B urn care: tissue softening, treatment of bridle scars, burns, skin grafts • M axillofacial: relieving muscular spasms, treatment of edema and scars • U rogynaecology: C-section scar, sagging skin, water retention • S port: muscle preparation and recovery These protocols are used in aesthetic salons and clinics to increase footfall and to offer a new non-invasive recovery treatment solution for all aesthetic problems.’

LASERS

Smooth as a baby Educator Raymond Schoeman takes an in-depth look at the fullbody laser hair removal trend

ull-body hair removal seems to be the thing of the day, and all in your lunch break! Just imagine being smooth all over in six quick, easy and pain-free sessions. But just how realistic is that? Obviously a full-body treatment is possible but does it make sense to do it in one session? To my knowledge, the answer is no. And here’s why.

Hair growth cycles

Because body hairs have different growth cycles, multiple treatments are needed to get rid of most of them. Remember that the hair growth cycles differ over the human body. The average cycles are as follows: Neck and head: 4 to 6 weeks. Body (shoulders to pubic): 7 to 9 weeks. Legs and feet: 12 to 14 weeks. Doing a neck and head treatment every 4 to 6 weeks makes sense, but doing a body

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treatment every 4 to 6 weeks is not necessarily the most effective way of doing it. And doing legs every 4 to 6 weeks? During the course of treatments, the client will experience shedding after every treatment as it’s the body’s first reaction when the follicle is heated over 40 °C. Each and every person that I mention the idea of laser hair removal to will have her own opinion of what a scam it is – expensive and poor results. Just imagine how much your investment in a laser machine is going to be worth with a reputation like this.

Fluence

This is an old fashioned word that everyone tries to ditch nowadays. Fluence is the energy spread over a surface, J/ cm2. What this means in practice is that you have to apply a minimum amount of energy to every cm2 of area to be

LASERS

treated. This will allow for the hair to heat up and transfer the heat to the surrounding tissue, to kill the dermal papilla. If you do not apply enough energy, you will under heat and the results will be disappointing, or worse. You can even cause hair growth stimulation, ending with darker and thicker hair. Since most lasers on the market now are diode lasers (mainly the less expensive type), you will find that fluence and pulse duration are linked. You can either work with a lower fluence and higher frequency (pain-free technique), or with a higher fluence and longer pulse duration, stepping technique. If you choose for the pain-free technique, you need to compensate for the reduction in fluence by increasing the time you scan over a given area.

Stepping

Imagine a row of holes where you want to plant carrots. You can put a carrot plant into every successive hole and close it before you go to the next hole. At the end of the row, you’re done. This is how you can imagine the stepping technique of laser hair removal. You treat every cm2 fully at once before you move on to the next cm2. And at the end of the row you know you can go to the next row because this row is completed.

BECAUSE BODY HAIRS have DIFFERENT GROWTH CYCLES, multiple treatments are NEEDED TO GET RID of most OF THEM. Remember that the hair GROWTH CYCLES differ over the HUMAN BODY.

energy required for that area. Next, you have to calculate the time you will need to repeatedly scan the area (row) before you can go on to the next area. The more expensive machines do this for you, the less expensive machines don’t. If done correctly, the pain-free technique requires more time than the stepping technique. This is because you compensate with time for the lower fluence. If you don’t, you reduce the results of your treatment.

IF YOU DO NOT APPLY enough energy, you will UNDER HEAT and the results will BE DISAPPOINTING, or worse. YOU CAN EVEN cause hair GROWTH STIMULATION, ending with DARKER AND THICKER HAIR. Lunch break session feasibility

Let me revisit the notion of the lunch break session mentioned in the first paragraph. Typically, this would be 75 minutes. Since I’m a man, I have chest and stomach hair, maybe a bit on my back, and you don’t want to see my legs. I would imagine that I have a lot to gain from such a session. I’m a Fitzpatrick skin type 3 with dark hair and have average pain tolerance. My stomach and chest is about 38 cm by 45 cm = 1710 cm2. If I’m treated with a 12 mm x 12 mm (1.44 cm2) hand piece, it means that I need on this area alone 1,188 pulses (1710 / 1.44), at about 25 J/cm2 for a first treatment. Given the Thermal Relaxation Time for hair and the Thermal Damage Time for the dermal papilla, it is

Gliding

Another way of planting your carrots is to put a plant into every third hole and when you reach the end of the row, you’re not done. You have to come back to the beginning of the same row and put a plant in every second hole that is still open. When you reach the end of the row, you’re still not done. You have to go back to the beginning of the same row one last time and put a plant in each of the remaining holes. When you reach the end of the row this time, you’re done planting this row, and you can move on to the next row. This is how you can visualise the gliding (or pain-free) technique. In laser hair removal, this means that you have to calculate the surface area and the

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

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LASERS

A PAIN-FREE HAIR removal session doesn’t mean a SENSATION FREE hair REMOVAL SESSION. It means you HAVE THE SKILL TO ensure an EFFECTIVE TREATMENT for your client at a certain COMFORT LEVEL. about 4.5 hours. Of course, we decided that for a first treatment we can reduce the fluence and work a lot faster, thus lowering it to 2.5 hours. By this time, the cumulative effect of the treatment lowered my pain tolerance to 0% and increased my irritability to 100%. Therefore it is time to stop the treatment. I still wanted to do my pubic area, arms, axilla (armpits) and beard.

Conclusion

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Unsplash

best to work at least at 200 ms. I will even recommend 400 ms, meaning that you can work at most on 2 Hz. But my pain tolerance will not allow for it, so we’re on 1 Hz. The actual time the laser pulse is on for this part of my treatment is 8 minutes (1,188 pulses x 400 ms). If you add one second of skin cooling time per pulse, you add 20 minutes. Thus, 30 minutes – in theory. I can say that I have not done a treatment at this energy level in such a short time and I’ve been working with lasers for more than 20 years. Realistically, we will spend about 90 minutes on my chest and stomach treatment alone. By this time, my pain tolerance has decreased and my irritation level has started to rise. I don’t have a problem on my back, so we skip that and go to my legs. I have about 2,500 cm2 per leg, a total of 5,000 cm2 for both legs. This is 3 times the surface of my chest and stomach. Going through the same calculation as with my chest and stomach, we end up with 270 minutes, or

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Not respecting the hair growth cycles during a course of treatments will diminish your results. Trying to fit the whole body’s cycles into one session will not work in a treatment course of 6 treatments. If you extend it to a 21 treatment course, it may work. But how do you plan to sell 21 treatments to your client when everyone else promises 6 treatments? A sensation free treatment guarantees a result free treatment. You need to cause heat at a level in the skin where there are a lot of nerve sensors present. Your client should have some sensation. But, it should remain tolerable to your client. To generate enough heat, you have to apply a minimum level of energy. It is not only heat that counts. You also need time for the hair to heat up, spread the heat to the surrounding tissue, and heat the surrounding tissue long enough to kill the dermal papilla. Thus, you require a long pulse duration. A pain-free hair removal session doesn’t mean a sensation free hair removal session. It means you have the skill to ensure an effective treatment for your client at a certain comfort level. Think twice about the promises you make to your clients. If you’re going to make the investment in equipment, take the time first to educate yourself before you spend the money.

Raymond Schoeman is the founder and Head Course Coordinator of LaserCollege, a leading authority in aesthetic laser training. Schoeman started his career in the industry when he opened his first laser clinic in Pretoria in 2000. He is the author of two books: Textbook for Aesthetic Laser Therapy and Aesthetic Laser Treatments – Insider Secrets.

PRODUCT NEWS

Exfoliating polish

The Glycolic Microdermabrasion Polish from NeoStrata® is formulated to immediately revitalise skin for a polished, smooth and radiant appearance. It provides instant skin resurfacing with 10% glycolic acid combined with professional-grade alumina crystals. The dual physical and chemical action clears away the dull, superfluous surface skin cells. 011 545 9300

In the market Our round-up of new products and treatments Zoning in

Beauté Pacifique’s Crème Symphonique Eye Zone Gel offers total rejuvenation of your eye zone appearance in just 15 minutes by filling in non-nutritive sugar molecules into your wrinkles and fine lines. It provides six anti-ageing vitamin A types for maximum effect, supported by both Botulinum-toxin mimicking and antioxidative ingredients. 073 053 8830

Brows on point

Creating and shaping amazing brows is a skill that needs mastering. The first step towards expertly created brows is to find the perfect shape for each brow and face shape. The new RefectoCil Brow Mapper allows precise brow mapping but can also be used to draw the outline of the brow shape before tinting. 082 5756 567 / 031 209 2548

On the bright side

The Spalicious Medi Solutions Vitamin B Sensitive Brightening Cream is a pH balanced, vegan pigment corrector for intimate areas, underarms and friction areas. Free from steroids, parabens and fragrance, this product contains highly active ingredients such as vitamin B and arbutin to fade hyperpigmentation and prevent future development. 011 312 7840

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NAIL FILE ISSUE 48

FEBRUARY 2022

Arty Outlook

RAISED LEAVES AND FOIL Step by Steps

CUTI-FRENCH

What’s in store for nail design?

All the rage

WELCOME

Firstly, happy new year to you all. May 2022 be considerably better than 2021. As this edition of Professional Beauty & NailFile was just about to be published, we received the happy news that Cabinet had approved the easing of some of the Adjusted Alert Level 1 Covid-19 Regulations, including the fact that people who test positive for Covid but are asymptomatic do not have to isolate. This is obviously very encouraging and means that asymptomatic nail techs do not have to miss out on work and income. And for those positive cases with symptoms, the period of isolation has been reduced from 10 days to seven and their contacts don’t have to isolate unless they develop symptoms. It’s clear that Government’s vaccination roll-out is having the desired effect in terms of helping to build up immunity to this horrific virus that has plagued us all for so long. A quick glance at this issue of NailFile reveals a big focus on nail art, from the Cuti-French to a trends prediction for the year, to stylish step by steps. Nail art rules, right? Joanna Sterkowicz Editor Photo by Apostolos Vamvouras on Unsplash

What’s INSIDE 48

Industry News Stay in the know

Ask the Experts

What is the Cuti-French?

Product Hub

All the latest releases

Trends

Nail art in 2022

52 – 53

Step by Steps

Botanical nail art International flair

Top Tech Talk Ronay Delport

@probeautyexpo

@PROBEAUTYSA

@PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY SOUTH AFRICA

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INDUSTRY NEWS

French manicures dominate at the E! PCAs The pervading nail style at the E! PCAs (People’s Choice Awards) held on 8 December 2021 in Santa Monica, California, was the French manicure, albeit in a variety of different creative forms. Perhaps the most classic and subtle example was seen on ever-popular actress, comedian and screenwriter Mindy Kaling’s short, square nails – a sheer base coat finished with a soft white French tip. Latina singer Becky G’s manicure matched her daring and much admired yellow Roberto Cavalli dress – the basic French design included angled yellow tips with black graphic lines for extra effect, echoing the black border on the gown. The vivid lime green dress of ‘Coming to America 2’ star, Leslie Jones, was offset by adding touches of the same colour to her French manicure, with the ring fingers painted entirely white for contrast. Dancer, singer and social media star, JoJo Siwa, went the glitter route with her French manicure, which perfectly suited Dorit Kemsley (Instagram @doritkemsley) Leslie Jones (Instagram @lesdogggg) her fairy princess style dress. ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ star, Porsha Williams, with a black crescent shaped ‘French moon’ at the base of rocked three different French styles on her extra-long, her long, square nails. ballerina shoe shaped nails – namely glitter tips, graphic Not going the French route were E! PCA red carpet host lines and ombre. and trans actress, Laverne Cox, and social media star, Another ‘Real Housewife’, this time from the Beverly Hills Charli D’Amelio, who both opted for long, elegant oval nails franchise, namely fashion designer Dorit Kemsley, in a pale cream shade, which let their intricate and complemented her ‘peekaboo’ cutout, black satin dress colourful dresses do the talking.

Pantone creates new shade for its Colour of the Year

For the first time in the history of the Pantone Institute’s Colour of the Year, the global colour authority has created an entirely new shade for the occasion in 2022. Very Peri (Pantone 17-3938) is described as a ‘futuristic’ periwinkle blue with ‘violet-red undertones’. Says Pantone: “Displaying a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit, inquisitive and intriguing Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives after a period of isolation. “Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri is a symbol of the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through.”

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BUSINESS TIPS

Our beauty industry experts answer questions about every aspect of running a successful salon or spa business

I believe that a new reversed French nail art look is currently trending on social media. What is it all about and how do I create it? So, the French nail design has been with us since 1975 and no, the French manicure did not originate in France but was founded by Jeff Pink, founder of the Orly brand. Now that we have established that, we can look at how the French design has evolved – from your normal pink and white, to nail techs creating colorful French designs using every colour under the sun. Then of course we started seeing the ombre French that took the world by storm. In 2021, Instagram started showing nail techs from all over the world doing a French type design at the cuticle, or doing a curved design at the cuticle, which was intriguing. The painted roses and creative designs that were seen flipped the normal French, as we know it, upside down, as the smile line (where your nail bed meets the white tip) switched over to the nail base with the tips left bare. Many celebrities followed suit and had their manicurists do the Cuti-French on them. We have seen the likes of singer and Hollywood star, Jennifer Lopez, Canadian actress, Rachel McAdams, and British singer and TV personality, Rochelle Humes, wearing this design on the red carpet, as well as many Instagram nailies. This look has also been spotted on the fashion runways and on the nails of several TikTok influencers. I think that the reverse French or Cuti-French is a great option for those clients who like their manicure short to meduim, and for those clients who don’t like too much art. This style will keep them trendy and save you some time on hand painted art. It is a fairly simple look to create and we find that the Cuti-French works best on a round type cuticle, depending on your design.

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Procedure for the Cuti-French Firstly overlay your client’s nail as you would normally do.

Then, map out your French manicure as if you were doing a normal French, only this time do it at the cuticle. Create your cuticle design and apply top coat as normal. Voila – there you have it!

Riana Botha is an experienced make-up and nail artist and the owner of The Make Up Monsters.

IN THE MARKET

Paraffin power

Rubbery base

Sparkle has launched Entity Rubber Base Gel, a new LED-cured gel product. This self-leveling base coat conceals nail imperfections and has a unique rubberised quality that helps provide flexibility, while maintaining superior adhesion to the natural nail and LED gel polish. Its formula has a volumising effect that helps shape the natural nail, without building. 011 447 0659

LCN’s Paraffin Wax Spray envelopes the hands and feet with a warm, velvety sensation, while the seductive fragrance of a ripe peach indulges the senses. This product is easy and hygienic to apply thanks to the new spray function. For easy heating of the product, LCN has designed a paraffin warmer that will heat up the spray in approximately 30 minutes. 010 593 3293

Product Hub Our round-up of the latest product launches in the exciting world of nails Head over heels

Bio Sculpture’s Summer Heel is a safe, quick and easy callus removal treatment. Visible results within minutes are achieved by using products suitable for both salon and home use. The Summer Heel Callus Removal Patches and Summer Heel Spritz are made with no harsh ingredients and mild, nonirritating formulas. 051 943 0377

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TRENDS Abstract

Abstract nail art remains a sought after trend year in and year out. I suspect we will see more abstract nail art, either including light colours or nudes, with minimalistic detailing or bold and bright features.

Soft colours vs bright

Although we will see a fair amount of soft, beautiful pastel designs this year we need to make room for those bright, bold and funky designs. Neons and bright statement colours, especially in the summer months, will be a top request. A neon, perfectly detailed French manicure will be a popular choice.

Nail art in 2022

Salon owner Tania Biddle gives her take on what’s likely to be hip and happening in nail design this year new year brings new beginnings and new excitement – new trends, new colour collections and new clients to our businesses. This positions us for new challenges and gives us the opportunity to adjust our focus to improving our skill and technique. One question that should always be at the back of our minds is, ‘How can I improve?’ ‘How can I become a better technician and nail artist?’ Staying on top of your game is the next step to becoming a top and highly skilled, sought after nail artist.

Less is more

Looking at trends likely to be popular this year, styles such as the French manicure remain a timeless and classic look and are always in demand. I see the French manicure making a sweet comeback this year. A perfectly applied mini French overlay on short, well-manicured nails is at the top of the client request list. Less is more seems to be a big consideration for the working woman.

Ombre

Who doesn’t love a good ombre? A beautifully applied ombre in any colour, or even a styled look including multiple colours, will feature regularly in 2022. Clients are always on the hunt for a technician that can do a flawless ombre, so do perfect your skill in this style.

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Nude, nude, nude and more nude!

One of the biggest requests I get, regardless of the time of year, is for a nude overlay. Ensure you stock a selection of different nude colours that will suit different skin tones. I suspect we will be seeing more nude looks this year, including minimalistic nail art accents, such as a thin glitter line, delicate glitter detail around the cuticle outline or free edge, abstract features, or fine line detailing.

You can never have too much sparkle!

Glitter accents in a fine, delicate detail, or a more solid and bold look, in a variation of different colours and textures remains a popular choice. A beautiful glitter fade can be done on any colour gel and just gives that extra little something to an overlay.

Pantone influence

The Pantone Colour of the Year for 2022 is Very Peri (Pantone 17-3938). With celebrities and social media influencers using this shade of periwinkle blue with violet-red undertones, we are sure to see many new glamourous nail art trends evolve from this.

Tania Biddle is the owner of the awardwinning Plush Nails & Beauty salon in Roodepoort. She is also the head of education for Bio Sculpture.

STEP BY STEP

Botanical nail art

This striking design with raised leaves was created by Elaine Timcke Step 1

After preparing the nail and applying the base gel, apply two layers of beige gel colour. (I used Calgel + M07BE.)

Step 4 Step 2

Use the same mixture to layer until you achieve the desired raised ‘height’. Cure. Apply a layer of matte top gel. Cure and wipe to reveal the matte effect. (I used Calgel Matte top gel.)

Mix a blue coloured gel with Calgel cream art mixing gel. (I used blue from Calgel + M08BL.)

Step 3

Draw a guideline of the leaf design onto the nail using the gel mixture and a thin nail art brush. Do not cure. For a more interesting effect, you can also apply a layer of glossy top gel on only the leaf or design detail to enhance it even more. (I recommend Calgel non-wipe top gel.)

Elaine Timcke qualified at the International Academy of Health & Skincare in 2007 as a health & skincare therapist. She has been working in the industry since then, in salons, spas on cruise ships, and for quality industry brands like Calgel, where she is currently the sales & marketing manager.

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STEP BY STEP

International flair This stylish and striking design was created by Michele Ferrari, who is based in the Czech Republic

I used the following products: CND Shellac, Lecente Nail Art Foil and gold holographic Tartan Foil. The following step by step procedure is for the nail that is second from right in the above image.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 4

Step 5

Apply two layers of CND Shellac UV Color Mystic Slate and cure the two coats for one minute.

Use CND Shellac Color Black Pool and make black spots on the white arbitrarily. Cure for one minute

Apply a single layer of CND Shellac Matte Top Coat and cure for one minute. Remove the top film.

Step 3

Apply white CND Shellac UV Color Cream Puff and cure for one minute. Again remove the top film.

Press the film on the black spots and remove with one pull. To complete the design add a few yellow dots – you can use any yellow from CND Shellac. Carefully fix the foil with CND Shellac Original Top Coat, cure for one minute and remove the film.

Michele Ferrari is based in the city of Brno in the Czech Republic and has been working in the nail industry since 2008, after having studied at business school. On 8 November 2021, Ferrari was appointed as a CND Education Ambassador.

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Q&A

Top Tech Talk

NailFile chats to nail artist and beauty professional, Ronay Delport, about making it in the industry

For how long have you been a nail tech?

Since 2019, when I qualified with Zsa Zsa nails for Professionals. I have improved a lot since then, especially in terms of nail art.

Why did you choose this particular nail brand?

My soon to be mother-in-law actually introduced me to the brand at the time she did her own nails and was extremely impressed with their quality of products. So I got in contact with Zsa Zsa Nails founder, Lillian Lee, whose work is so good and who I get along with so well. The Zsa Zsa products and training course are very well priced and such great quality. I couldn’t resist Lilian’s offer to be a brand Ambassador and now proudly represent Zsa Zsa Nails.

What is it that particularly appeals to you about the nail profession?

I think mostly the diversity and freedom of creating something. There’s always new art, new trends, new techniques. It’s never the same, never boring, and there is always space to improve and challenge yourself.

Do your clients allow you enough freedom to be really creative with nail art?

Most of my clients are very open-minded and creative people. They challenge me from time to time, but I definitely think their willingness and patience allows me to create awesome art.

What sort of nail art are they most requesting at the moment? Aside from seasonal themes, like Halloween or Christmas, most of my clients like either floral, watercolour or animation character-based art.

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Q&A You recently created a lovely watercolour step by step guide for NailFile – why do you like this style so much?

I love to see how the ink reacts with the swipe, how the pigments move and change into something. It’s more of an abstract art form, which I love because it doesn’t have to be perfect. So you can be a little bit more open-minded and be a bit messier or rough around the edges. I think that with other art, for example animation art, there is a lot of detail and it has to be perfect, while with watercolour it’s supposed to be flowy and abstract.

Are there any other styles of nail art you really like?

Yes, I thoroughly enjoy doing multiple colour fades with gel, for example rainbow fades. I also really enjoy hand painted art such as flowers, animation art and sugar skulls.

You have a background in professional photography – has that helped you in your nail career at all?

It may help a bit in the framing and positioning of nail art on the nail plate, but in terms of taking photos of my work, I think it’s a great advantage. To understand light and angles really helps one to take good quality photos, although I don’t think a photo will ever do nail art true justice compared to real life

Has your professional make-up training helped you in any way with nail art?

My make-up background definitely helps me with colour palettes, understanding the different skin tones and deciding which colours will suit or not suit my clients. It has also helped me so much when a client wants a specific colour to see and understand the colour wheel to mix exactly what they want.

Do you have a personal preference for either gel or acrylic when working?

You get two types of people – gel people and acrylic people. I am definitely a gel person. While I am comfortable and confident working with acrylic, I do feel more relaxed when doing gel. I think it’s also more satisfying to see the progress you achieve with gel.

You are currently employed at Soho Hair & Color Lab in Kempton Park – is this your first job in nails?

It’s my first time working in a salon for someone else. Previously, I had my own small home salon in Wakkerstroom. I find it so much more fun working with other people, especially because we girls in the salon get along so well. Actually, I’m a ‘Jill of all trades’ at Soho, as I’m also qualified in lash extensions, waxing, dermaplaning, microblading and permanent make-up. I basically do everything except hair and love being busy with different things. Just doing one thing bores me.

In terms of nails, what are your long term goals?

I definitely feel there’s always room to improve and learn. Over the past year I have grown a lot and entered my first online nail competition. I think that the challenge of competition is definitely something I want to pursue in the future.

How do you deal with difficult and/or demanding nail clients?

In the beauty industry, you must always think about the client firsts. Be patient, keep your cool and do whatever it takes to satisfy that client. Remember that, especially in our industry, word of mouth will be your biggest marketing tool. Even one or two unhappy clients can make a mess of things, which is unnecessary. Do what you have to do, but just make sure to always be polite, calm and collected.

In the time that you’ve been a nail tech, what have you learnt about the South African industry?

I have clients who have travelled around the world and 90% of them say that the South African quality of nails is just different, next level. It seems to me that South Africans don’t really follow international trends, rather we just kind of have our own ‘pizazz’; we are creative people and we do what we feel like. I definitely also think that South African clients are very loyal once they find a nail tech they trust. It’s more about quality and relationships than quantity, like other countries.

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