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Aestheticians have a big responsibility to their clients' well-being in the treatment room as well as after they leave. While facial scrubs may be the most often employed method of exfoliation in the professional environment, knowing how scrubs affect the skin and how critical it is to properly treat the skin post-scrub can be the difference between exfoliation that can improve skin conditions and a procedure that promotes oxidation and aging. Scrubs are ingredient compounds usually formulated with small, hard particles suspended in a cream, gel, or lotion, often containing a light surfactant cleansing agent plus skin conditioners and moisturizers.
Dear Readers and Fans, As we all know, the profession of aesthetics is all about embracing progress both internally and in the world of technology. And, as we encourage positive change in our clients so must DERMASCOPE work to update and improve what it bring to its many loyal subscribers. For 2007 the editors have planned a new and refreshing format for educational content and feature stories, a decision I heartily applaud! Ah, but new additions often require sacrificing certain traditions and this upcoming revamp of DERMASCOPE is no exception. So, with regret and relief I announce that this is the final installment of the monthly Business Solutions column.
When Sarah Hughes skated off with the gold medal, she pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history. Her surprisingly simple secret? “I didn’t skate for a gold medal. I went out and had a great time.” Athletes say it all the time: “I just went out there and had fun.” And, admittedly, they do look like they’re having a great time. Fortunately, fun isn’t the sole province of superstar athletes. It can work for the rest of us in the skin care industry, too. The link between having fun and business success has been proven in countless studies.
When Sarah Hughes skated off with the gold medal, she pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history. Her surprisingly simple secret? “I didn’t skate for a gold medal. I went out and had a great time.”
Athletes say it all the time: “I just went out there and had fun.” And, admittedly, they do look like they’re having a great time.
Fortunately, fun isn’t the sole province of superstar athletes. It can work for the rest of us in the skin care industry, too. The link between having fun and business success has been proven in countless studies. When we’re having fun on the job, we are more creative and more productive.
Ayurveda is the traditional holistic medical system that originated in India some 3000 to 5000 years ago. Derived from Sanskrit roots, ‘ayus’ (life) and ‘ved’ (knowledge) means “Knowledge of Life.” Ayurveda is based on the belief that the natural state of the body is one of balance between the mind, body, and soul. The fundamental belief of Ayurveda is that the power to heal lies within the individual. Based on the principle that disease is the natural end result of living out of harmony with our environment, Ayurveda views symptoms of disease as the body’s normal way of communicating disharmony.
For many of us, it was a complete surprise to learn upon graduation from aesthetics school that we were not adequately trained to compete in the rapidly-changing world of aesthetics. We discovered that we were entering our new careers without the competitive edge. To make matters worse, we found that the field of aesthetics was under increasing attack by the medical profession… and for good reason. Under-trained aestheticians are making mistakes and people are having bad experiences, sometimes even resulting in injuries. In the age of “Extreme Makeover,” feeling good about ourselves has become a lot more complicated.
Aesthetics has come a long way in the U.S. since licensed professionals had to spell ‘aesthetics’ for those who asked ‘what do you do?’ Clients know what aesthetic services are now, and many have placed them firmly into their lifestyle must-haves. Due to this populartity, aesthetic schools are filled with students excited to join our profession, and committed aestheticians graduate with the fundamentals for practicing basic skin care. But is this basic education enough? Our services and our businesses have become more complex and many believe require higher levels of education for the safety of our clients and to just stay in business.
Spas come in all shapes and sizes from the mega resorts to the independent day spas; well so do clients and their needs. Are you prepared to meet the needs of all your clients? Young, mature, pre-teen, petite to large size clients are all looking to spas for waxing to massage but are you prepared. I know you are thinking YES… but while many spas are prepared for the average size clients many are not prepared for ALL. There are many things to consider including ADA requirements, equipment strength, and therapist etiquette.
Only a generation ago, children were to be seen and not heard. Now, young people who might have been dismissed as “kids” back in the 20th century are proving to be the most powerful segment of American society in terms of establishing and driving brand dominance in the consumer marketplace. Rather than viewing consumers under the age of 21 as simply future-tense buyers, the fact is that national purchasing trends across the board in fashion, beauty, food and lifestyle choices are shaped largely by teens and ‘tweens. Fierce brand loyalties to a specific label form younger and younger, as children are barraged with marketing messages from infancy, and often acquire personal income well before high school.
Selling spa products is like exercise: you know it's good for you and you feel better when you've really got it going. Ah, but when you fall off of the routine it can be hard to get back in the selling groove. Sometimes, it simply takes a short-term challenge that is fun and achievable to get back on track. Committing to do local 5K walk or run can magically provide the push you need to get you to the gym. Likewise, committing to an achievable goal can get you out of your retail rut and on to improving the health of your business.