Displaying items by tag: Skin care

Learning how to write winning grant proposals is an invaluable asset for massage therapists seeking funds to further education, research, and business opportunities. The world of grants opens unlimited opportunities for massage therapists, body workers, and skin care professionals. Billions of dollars worth of grants are given out each year. The federal government, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, community foundations, corporations, private foundations, family trusts, and individual donors award them. Grants are awarded to organizations and individuals.
Grant seeking is not a special talent that one has to be born with. It is an art that can be cultivated over a period of time.

The aesthetic industry is opening itself to what is unique about contemporary times, detaching from outdated procedures and instead adjusting them to our current needs. Cultural, environmental, and dietary changes within our society have altered how our skin interacts with traditional treatments. In order to provide optimal results to our clients we must begin by acknowledging various skin conditions that are on the rise in our culture, understand their source and adjust our procedures accordingly.

Our concepts of beauty are deeply shaped by history and culture. The ancient Greeks and Romans still affect our Western standard of beauty by their portrayals of gods, goddesses, emperors and nymphs, in eternally smooth, firm substances: marble and bronze. We aspire to this perfection today, and keeping facial and body hair to a minimum is in line with the aristocratic ideal of beauty passed down to us from classical times. Depilation technique and technology have never been more sophisticated, but obtaining optimum results still require some study.

Some years ago I was in possession of a busy and lucrative skin care clientele, the result of 16 years of effort, trial and error, and devotion. Though now blissfully retired from that career, many of you have asked me what I would do if I had to do it all over again. To be honest about it, I was never absolutely certain that I wouldn't have to practice skin care at some later date should my subsequent career path suddenly tank. Fortunately, that hasn't been the case but I do like to keep a good plan handy for emergencies!

The popularity of minimally invasive cosmetic surgery procedures has skyrocketed over the past five years. In fact, more than nine million plastic surgery procedures were performed in 2004 alone, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The increasing popularity of cosmetic surgery has led to another beauty trend, the explosion of mineral make-up into the mainstream.
Now, patients can cover virtually any imperfection experienced after surgery and return to their daily routine with minimal downtime. However, it is extremely important to educate your patients on make-up application tips in order to minimize infection and other problems that can occur when applying make-up to affected areas.

Professional skin care in the 21st Century has never been so exciting, technical, scientific, profitable and yes, extremely competitive. Open up a fashion magazine today and you will find no less than 30+ non-professional skin care brands claiming to reduce lines and wrinkles, improve skin, restore elasticity, replace Botox tm and on and on and on.
These companies also promise simulated “professional peels” and “microdermabrasion” in do-it-yourself at home product kits. Think about it, if you are reading these ads, it’s inevitable your clients are reading them too!

Superstar of the 1940s, Rita Hayworth was known for her signature "widow's peak" hairline. A "natural" mark of beauty? Well, not really. That perfect beautiful hairline was created by electrolysis treatments! Other superstars, such as Cher and Elizabeth Taylor, also received electrolysis that added to their professional persona, and, it is perfection that really sets electrolysis in a class by itself. Because this is a hair-by-hair removal system, great precision is possible. A skilled electrologist can accomplish flawless hairlines, eyebrows, back of the neck and even shaping a man's entire chest.

Light based technologies have revolutionized aesthetic procedures and medicine. Lasers are at the pinnacle of these technologies because of their brightness and intensity, but significant improvements in a wide variety of cosmetic conditions are also afforded by other light sources such as IPL's (Intense Pulsed Light Systems), LED banks (Light Emitting Diodes), and other Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) modalities. Anyone working in the field of aesthetics should have a good understanding of the basic principles behind laser and light based therapies whether or not you are actually treating clients with these devices because they impact so many conditions in so many people.

Dear Jane,
My background is in make-up. I was a professional make-up artist for many years, and recently earned my aesthetics license because I love skin care as well. The two girls who work my front desk and retail area are wonderful sales people, but not skin therapists. How can I help them totruly meet the needs of clients in terms of selling? We get walk-ins who do not necessarily want a treatment that day, but who do want to buy the "right" cleanser, mask, etc.
~ A. Pierce, Long Beach, CA

Whether you're new in the spa industry or ready to relocate your career, finding the ideal (or any!) job can be a grueling and frustrating task. Where once spa operators were hat in hand trying to recruit qualified spa personnel, there is now a sea of applicants in many areas vying for the same precious opportunity to do their work. Beauty, massage, and aesthetics schools are minting new therapists faster than spas can be built, and a still down-turned economy has left many spas with more available appointments than customers.