Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
Light and bright, fast and effective, from cosmopolitan cities to country counties, clear and even toned skin is the NOW and WOW factor that clients seek. It is the skin care professional’s business to support this aesthetic goal by promoting care and maintenance of healthy skin. How NOW can this goal be achieved, the WOW in the answer comes from excellent professional treatments and use of targeted products formulated with performance ingredients. An excellent professional treatment is learned and practiced by the skin care professional through continuing education and qualification by reputable and responsible organizations.
As a spa professional, you want to provide the best possible treatment for your clients. Providing the best treatment is reliant on 50 percent technique and 50 percent product. In aesthetic or massage therapy school, often the emphasis is put more on learning the right technique and less about teaching the basics of natural ingredients and how to select quality products for your business. In turn, once you complete your studies you are left to learn about products from independent research and through suppliers. Unfortunately, the information skin care companies provide to you can in some cases be based on false claims the company is making to sell their product.
OK, let’s get right down to it – your skin care products may contain ingredients that are actually classified as OTC’s. OTC stands for “over-the-counter” and refers specifically to non-prescription drugs. This isn’t necessarily a problem, although any skin care product containing an over-the-counter drug needs to be labeled as such. This may be a bit of a “gray area”, as you’ll see. Before we shed light on the labeling dilemma, let me give you some technical detailing set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and it’s corresponding Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (from now on referred to as “FD&C Act”) which sets definitions and protocols for our industry.
Have you ever experienced a facial that provided you with new vision and helped you feel completely at peace with yourself and the world? Beyond relaxation you are free of mental chatter, emotional distress and even have more a-ha moments. If so, this is what healing the spirit feels like. We commonly refer to this as balancing body, mind, and spirit. Aestheticians can now provide products and treatments that specifically target the spirit or energy body with a category I call EnergyCeuticals. When we work to address a depleted spirit, due to a stressful lifestyle, we also help to heal emotional, mental, and physical aspects as well. The difference is rejuvenation versus relaxation.
The exact cause of acne is not known. It is one of the most common skin disorders and can affect teenagers and adults. Acne occurs when the skin's pores are blocked. Certain factors can worsen the condition, such as cosmetic and skin care products that contain oils and petroleum jelly or using make-up tools (brushes, sponges, spatulas and palettes) that have not been properly cleaned and sterilized, subsequently transferring bacteria onto the skin and into the pores.
In working with acne in skin of color, the best tools in your aesthetic “tool kit” are an understanding of acne, an understanding of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, ingredient knowledge, and most of all a partnership with your client to progressively achieve healthy, balanced, beautiful skin.
The initial trouble with acne in skin of color is the actual lesion. The acne lesion is often observed as an unsightly spot. However, from the acne lesion the greater problem for skin of color is the dark spot, the X, marking the site of trauma and inflammation from the initial acne lesion.
Every day an estimated 123 million people are using the Internet for all kinds of business including banking, paying bills, shopping, research, and entertainment. Some of the most popular sites include Ebay.com, AOL.com, MSN.com, Yahoo.com, Myspace.com, Craigslist.org, and Amazon.com. The majority of people on the Internet are using it to research new products. If you’re not competitive in this market you are missing a significant opportunity! According to TrueLocal.com, 25-60 percent of people are searching the Internet for businesses and services in their community, with Spas and Health Clubs being top search categories. Is your spa/skin care center on the Internet, are you exploiting this new market growth?
Let’s face it. We live in a high stress world. The daily demands of family and career leave us feeling as if we have little time to keep for ourselves. Additionally, people – especially women – instinctively tend to neglect themselves while catering to the needs of those around them. It is not news that stress and self-neglect manifest themselves physically in many ways. Nurturing one’s self is an intentional process that, once learned, helps us control the stress in our lives rather than allowing stress to control us. Stress begins on an unconscious level, as a worry or a nagging thought that builds-up until physical symptoms begin to show.
We frequently encounter questions such as: what is the best way to handle a disgruntled client? Why are we having problems mastering waxing? Where can we go for answers? Expanding your knowledge is the most powerful investment you can make to further your growth not only professionally, but financially. Education is a must from the novice therapist to the seasoned aesthetician. The opportunities to attend seminars, trade shows, and classes are available, but taking the time from work or spending the money is sometimes very difficult. Sometimes we need answers right away and waiting for the seminar is not a choice. What to do?
Your clients and patients love beautiful nails! While artificial nails are still popular, natural nails and natural nail care are the most exciting trends for professional salons, day spas and medical spas today! Whether you currently offer nail care services or are planning an expansion to include nail care services, you should be aware of the latest nail care trends. Maintaining natural nails is a challenge and there are obstacles that could cause your patients to become self-conscious of their nails’ condition. Most of these common nail care challenges are unsightly but can be overcome by regular visits to a nail technician.