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Beauty industry rebuilds post lockdown

Feedback from beauty suppliers indicates that business, post lockdown, is starting to pick up after a slow start.

Despite reports that some salons have closed as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, Jacoline Wentzel of The Spa Warehouse has found more new salons opening than closing. She explains: “As therapists are losing their jobs in the bigger salons and spas, they are opening their own smaller establishments.

“In terms of our sales, July was a little slow, but August is a lot busier as the industry is slowly but surely opening up and the sun is coming out.”

Lea Castro of Looking Good LCN says that while sales are lower by approximately 30% compared to the same last year, her team remains optimistic. “All of our top salons are still trading countrywide,” she notes.

A RegimA distributor reports that sales from May to August were down by 20% to 40%, but with a steady improvement since then. Retail product sales have recovered far better than salon products.

Exclusive Beauty Solutions, distributor of Anesi and CND, found business very slow immediately post lockdown. “Sales are at least 50% less than normal and some of our stockists have closed,” says MD Dalize Havenga. “However, sales are gradually picking up although salons are only buying what they need.”

Upswing

SIX Skincare and Spalicious have gained an abundance of new brand partners post lockdown.

Says SIX and Spalicious founder, Marisa Dimitriadis: “SIX Skincare has welcomed 10 new stockists, Spalicious seven new stockists and SIX Aesthetix has gained seven new stockists in total, all in the space of six weeks.”

Wayne La Grange of Blue Sky International, incorporating the Beauté Pacifique, RapidLash and RapidBrow brands, comments: “There was huge excitement as we opened with great sales, which was followed by a dip but we got back to normal business in August. Our expectation is that we’re through the worst in our business year. We have already seen a 35% increase in sales versus July 2020.”

SKNlogic has experienced an increase in sales of over 20% for June and July. Says Natasha Delport: “We have continuously had sales since May, as we were helping salons retail remotely. Sales traditionally increase in September, so we’re hoping to see the same increase this year.”

Prices

RégimA has not increased prices, despite huge increases from most raw materials and packaging suppliers. Says Jacqui Faucitt: “We usually have an annual price increase on 1 July, but have waivered this until further notice.”

Exclusive Beauty Solutions also has not increased prices, notwithstanding shipping prices having gone up. “It’s challenging because, realistically, we should increase our prices but we are apprehensive of losing clients,” states Havenga.

A price increase will be the last resort for Looking Good LCN. Castro explains: “It would damage our business critically. We are still able to absorb most of the additional costs incurred over this period, as well as the current exchange rates.”

SKNlogic will, as far as possible, absorb the losses of April’s hard lockdown without carrying it onto clients.

Consumer trends

Business patterns post lockdown seem to have evoked a better inner awareness and introspection of the lifestyles that people in general were living prelockdown.

So says Karen Ellithorne, distributor of H2Glow, Milk Solutions and Jessica Cosmetics. “People are wanting to try different treatment modalities that will help them improve their appearance and body health, with a better long term vision as opposed to instant gratification.

“This has created an opportunity for beauty business owners to change structures and relook at the way they have been running their business.”

SKNlogic’s Delport adds: “Salons are looking to offering clients something new that they were not offering before, probably to set themselves apart from competitors.”

Imbalie launches new division

The Imbalie Beauty Group has launched a Customer Services Division (CSD) to target new customers and stimulate growth for its salons.

“Our new CSD will reach those people who do not yet visit our Placecol Skin Care Clinics, Perfect 10 Nail & Body Studios and Dream Nails Beauty salons, or who are currently not inclined to visit a salon due to COVID-19 related reasons, but need the unique beauty and wellness solutions that our premium salon products offer,” explains Imbalie Beauty CEO, Esna Colyn.

The CSD will bring premium, salon quality products to customers in the comfort of their own homes.

She continues: “CSD customers will also be referred to our salons for treatments and services. We are encouraging our franchise partners to start Growth Teams as part of their business. This would be a group of women who we empower and who work in the community around the salon on the CS basis. Because they are affiliated to and managed by the franchisee, the commission earned from the sales of this group creates an extra revenue stream, plus referrals for the salon.”

Colyn notes that the poor economic conditions brought on by the effect of COVID-19 and severe landlord issues has caused some Imablie franchisees to close their doors. “It is Imbalie’s sincerest desire to keep the franchisees who are affected in this way as part of our group and our family. The CSD offers an ideal opportunity for an affected franchisee to start a small CSD practice, plus build a group of her own. In this way she will be able to empower other women, earn an income and remain part of Imbalie.

Environ supports big cat sanctuary

South African skincare brand, Environ, has partnered with Love Lions Alive Sanctuary in Swinburne, Free State, to support the annual cost of vitamin A supplementation for its lions.

Lions kept in a sanctuary require daily vitamin A supplements, or they risk developing a potentially deadly vitamin A deficiency, called Hypovitaminosis A, which can lead to blindness, convulsion, limb paresis, a weakened immune system and death.

Says Environ’s chairman and CEO, Val Carstens: “Vitamin A is at the heart of our business, and because we understand the wellness benefits of this vitamin, we’ve decided to show our support for this iconic South African animal.”

“After seeing the detrimental effects of COVID-19 for so many, we recognised that it was essential for the group to find a way of creating new income opportunities and therefore assist in stimulating our South African economy. We also had to acknowledge that the market place has changed drastically and that it was our group’s responsibility to find new ways to enable customers to easily connect and do business with us. This is our way of making a positive change in the world through improvement and empowerment, as well as increasing the esteem of all.”

The launch of the CSD is regarded as a momentous occasion for the Imbalie Beauty Group, as this is also the same year in which Placecol, its much-loved, trusted and awardwinning South African skincare

brand, turns 40.

How day spas are coping post lockdown

Taking steps to mitigate crossinfection between guests and therapists, frequent deep cleaning of premises, and dealing with guest and staff anxiety are paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is according to a recent Professional Beauty webinar that featured Engela Lanie Meiring of All Wellness Spa and Ayesha Rajah of Urban Bliss Wellness Spa.

All Wellness Spa reopened at the beginning of July. Said Meiring: “Despite the fact that we’ve had a lot of interest from clients, we were 25% down on revenue compared to the same time last year. However, taking everything into account and the fact that July is the middle of winter, that percentage is not too bad.

“We still perform most of the services on our menu but we do them differently and limit our larger groups to six people at a time. Consequently, we can’t take in the full amount of guests that we used to. But we’ve been lucky in that we haven’t had many cancellations and we definitely saw bookings picking up in August – Women’s Month.”

Rollercoaster

Rajah noted that in terms of business, her reopening journey has been something of a rollercoaster ride. She continued: “In our first week we had a bridal package who brought in their own drink and food and literally didn’t want to leave the spa. We put them on the pool deck, observing social distancing regulations. These guests told us they found the spa experience very beneficial from an emotional wellbeing point of view and couldn’t wait to come back.

“August has been very tough, with lots of COVID-related cancellations, where clients phone us and tell us they have are experiencing flu-like symptoms, so we ask them not to come in. However, the warmer the weather gets, the more our spa will become booked for hair removal treatments.”

Anxiety

Meiring reported that in terms of the anxiety guests may feel about entering the spa environment, some clients are very anxious, while others are so relaxed that they have to be reminded to wear masks and to observe the enhanced hygiene & safety protocols.

“Some guests ask therapists to wear gloves during massage treatments, while others don’t. We are quite flexible in terms of making clients feel comfortable, while taking the necessary precautions,” she explained.

Communication with consumers is key, according to Rajah. “You have to instill faith in them and keep reassuring them that your staff is fully trained, that we are using PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), and that we are observing all hygiene protocols.”

Safety measures

Rajah has taken steps at Urban Bliss Wellness Spa to mitigate cross-infection between staff and guests. “To this end, we book only a single client per day per room and we deep clean before and after each client. Our clients don’t even enter the spa with their own shoes – they are given a set of slippers at the door. They are asked to leave as much of their belongings as possible in the car. I do add a small COVID surcharge to cover the PPE and cleaning costs. Our therapists wear surgical masks and visors that are changed frequently.’

Meiring implements two hours of deep cleaning and fogging to ensure everything is cleaned after clients. Clients are encouraged to wear their masks as much as possible, including during hand and foot treatments.

Beauté Pacifique launches 3rd flagship in SA

Skinlogic Smart Skin Centre in George, Garden Route, headed by Dr Herman Van Rooyen, has become the third flagship in South Africa of Danish medical skincare brand, Beauté Pacifique.

Says Wayne La Grange, CEO of Beauté Pacifique Africa: “‘We are so excited to be in partnership with Dr Van Rooyen. He is not only an aesthetic expert, but is also actively involved in the upskilling of other medical practitioners in various aesthetics disciplines. This is the perfect collaboration for Beauté Pacifique, as we expand rapidly across South Africa in our support of the medical aesthetics sector.”

Van Rooyen adds: “‘At Skinlogic, our team understands that we live in a highly demanding, image conscious world where people want to look and feel their best despite everyday pressures. Skinlogic has long been a trusted Former Dermalogica SA CEO, Cherie ten Hope, has resumed her position with the company after three years, taking over from Teresa Mordoh.

Says Ten Hope: “I am delighted to be back in the saddle as CEO for Dermalogica SA. After 25 years with Dermalogica, I remain passionate and excited about our brand, our tribe, our industry and our customers who have made Dermalogica their preferred choice.

“This is a time of much challenge, disruption and change but also huge opportunity. It’s an extraordinary time to be in business and we remain committed to our global vision of changing skins and ultimately, changing lives.”

Ten Hope was one of the presenters at Dermalogica SA’s recent first ever virtual launch and press party, which saw the release of two new products, Retinol Clearing Oil and Invisible Physical Defence SPF30. aesthetic centre of excellence in George, consistently delivering outstanding service and results.

Dermalogica founder, Jane Wurwand, spoke at the event, saying: “Our business is based on human connection, so when we are separated from that, as during the COVID-19 lockdown, it feels odd. If you think back to 1956, to the Women’s March in Pretoria against the apartheid pass laws, they said: ‘When you have touched a woman, you have touched a rock.’ Well, we are rocks to our clients – steady, steadfast and solid. So, when we come through this current challenging situation to what we call, ‘the new next’ – I don’t refer to it as ‘the new normal’ as there is nothing normal about it – Dermalogica will be there. We are working hard to ensure that our ‘new next’ will be as steady as a rock.”

Ten Hope noted that the five months of quarantine in South Africa had been a rollercoaster ride. “At the beginning of lockdown, we were earmarked as an industry that was only meant to open at Level 1. So we joined

“We enhance innate beauty with precision and expertise in order to

Dermalogica preps for ‘the new next’

get real, yet natural-looking results.” forces with all the other product houses and industry bodies and lobbied government to be allowed to open for retail on 1 May. And we carried on lobbying until salons were allowed to open in late June.

“As a leading brand we are bold and brave and it’s up to us to make the most of what is around us and to embrace the changes we are being pushed into. The beauty industry is more flexible and resilient than we realise.”