While October has been officially recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month for more than 25 years, the statistics from the American Cancer Society are still shocking:

—–One out of every eight women (12%) will develop breast cancer.

—–Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.

—–One out of 210 breast cancer cases occur in women under the age of 40.

And according to www.mobilespa.com, “In the U.S. alone, a woman dies of breast cancer, on average, every 13 minutes.” That means you are likely to know someone whose life has been touched by breast cancer…maybe it’s even you.

But what does all of this mean for your spa? It means your opportunity to join the cause for breast cancer research, treatment, and education is right around the corner. Here are some great ways you can have your staff and clients seeing pink and helping make a difference in the fight against breast cancer this October.

Promotions

—–Offer a percentage off of treatments and/or retail to customers who wear pink or mention they heard about your pink promotion.

—–Offer free or deeply discounted spa treatments to breast cancer patients and/or survivors.

—–Designate special treatments or packages “pink” and offer a discount on them and/or give a donation to a breast cancer cause when clients book those treatments. For example, create a “Pink Pedi” with Pedi-Redi Rose Petal Pedicure Salts, Pink Washable Nail Files, and a Round Resin Pedicure Bowl in Pink. Build the cost of Flex Flop® Slippers or Pink Pedi Slippers into your treatment and give a pair to each client as a gift with service.

—–Use pink products (Pink Gloves) while performing treatments.

—–Give clients pink ribbons or ribbon pins.

—–Offer free pink gift-wrapping in your retail boutique. These Two-tone Design Gift Bags in Lipstick and Tissue in Cerise would be perfect!

Giving Back

—–Give either a percentage of your profits or a flat amount from treatments to a breast cancer charity. (See our list of national breast cancer charities.)

—–Have a raffle to give away treatment packages or retail gift baskets and then donate proceeds to a breast cancer cause. This is even better if the treatments and retail items are pink, like this Essie® Nail Corrector Pen, Kama Sutra® Strawberries & Champagne Oil of Love, Fresh Organics Bubble Bath Roses , and Contour Pumice Bar. Other great retail choices include: Akhassa® Pink Tea Hand Scrub, Fun Betty™, and Renew™ Lip Plumper.

 

Want to see more ideas? Click here!

Autumn is here! Time to usher in the season with a few special touches that will delight your guests. From warm shoulder wraps to a beautiful, inviting bath bar, it’s all about creating a sanctuary for relaxation. But, shopping is therapeutic too, right?  So, be sure to include fun products in your retail area so clients can end their day at the spa with a few take-home items. Here are a few tips to help you feature fall in your spa:

 Warm up your beverage offerings with White Lion^® Cranberry Hibiscus Herbal Tea. Soaring in antioxidants and naturally caffeine free, this mild and slightly tart blend is comforting and refreshing.

Don’t forget Fido… Puppies need pampering too! After a season of running on hot pavement or splashing through riverbeds, the sudden dry air of the fall can lead to dry, cracked paws. Solution? Cain & Able^® Paw Rub. Other best-sellers for doggy divas include the Between Bath Spritz in Lavender  and Peppermint Tea Tree .

Help new customers “warm up” to your spa; always treat guests to a warm shoulder wrap as they await their therapists’ healing hands. We offer so many different colors, fabrics and herbal blends in our packs, there is sure to be a wrap that is a perfect fit for your décor and clientele. Check out the offerings from SpaLaLa, Kozi^®, Spa Moments^® and durable Professional Packs.

Autumn means the beginning of sultry eye makeup trends. The Mirabella^® Reusable Color Palette Pick Four is a fashionista’s best friend! Sleek and lightweight, this magnetic mirrored compact lets you transition from soft summer shimmers to warm autumn hues in seconds.

Cooler weather means more evenings in…including candlelight and romance! Stock your boutique with cozy candles, especially Pure Light Inspire with amber, bergamot, and ginger, and don’t forget the sensual gift kits from Kama Sutra. Our favorites? The Massage Therapy Kit and of course the purse-sized Weekender Kit in original  and Strawberry Dreams .

Want more? For the complete list of ideas, click here!  Have ideas to share? Please post!

Las Vegas was the last place I expected to receive a mud treatment with Copper River Delta glacial silt from Alaska. At Universal’s Spa Day Event at The Cosmopolitan, however, I was able to experience an amazing body treatment featuring Alaska Glacial Mud . Expert spa therapist Denette Kennison started off the treatment with a body brush, then slathered my body in the silky and luxurious glacial mud.  My face and scalp were massaged for 20 minutes while the mud dried, then I headed to the shower to rinse off.  Heaven!

The Alaska Glacial Mud Company manufactures pure glacier derived skin care and spa therapy for face and body made with wild Alaskan and certified organic ingredients. The mud is harvested from one of the most pristine mineral-rich glacial mud deposits in the world. Pacific Northwest botanicals, such as chamomile, horse tail, elder flower, nettle, and seaweed are also present in the glacial mud. Universal distributes “The Glacial Facial” retail kit along with back bar products for body treatments.

Alaska Glacial Mud was founded by Alaska resident Lauren Padawer, a 33-year-old from the fishing town of Cordova southeast of Anchorage. More than 20 glaciers depositing 100 million tons of glacial silt a year on the 700,000-acre Copper River delta are practically in Padawer’s back yard. Padawer’s inspiration for a beauty product made of glacial mud struck during a rafting trip down the Copper River.

A sustainable resource obtained without hurting the environment, Alaska Glacial Mud is an ideal partner for Universal.  The company always pledges to use the most eco-friendly and socially responsible methods for harvesting and manufacturing our products without the use of mechanical or explosive techniques. They never use synthetic fragrances, colors or fillers. All products are free of propylene glycol and parabens, and are never tested on animals. Ten percent of profits are donated to local wilderness preservation, habitat restoration, sustainable community development and environmental education programs.

It’s a common lament, especially this time of the year. We’ve only just gotten into the mindset of one season when we’re pushed into the next, ready or not. You can’t add days to summer, but you can help your clients embrace autumn and be ready for the holidays with a few creative additions to your spa menu. Here are some of my fall favorites:  

Falling Leaf Facial
Deep cleansing, anti-aging, and hydrating, this facial featuring the fresh aromas of autumn will satisfy your cravings for a fresh face…and that slice of pumpkin pie!

Following your standard cleanser and toner, gently scrub the face and décolleté with cranberry based Alchimie Forever^® Excimer Scrub . Then perform an enzyme exfoliation with our Pumpkin Exfoliating Peel. Finally, the Pumpkin Collagen Mask provides deep hydration and antioxidant soothing to the skin. Finish with your favorite moisturizer.

Immune Boost Body Massage
Cold and flu season is just around the corner. This preventative massage promotes health with an aromatic germ fighting blend of essential oils including eucalyptus, tea tree, cajuput, and ravensara. It features foot and facial massage focused on clearing the sinuses and stimulating immunity.

Simply add a 2-3 drops of ESS^® Immune Boost Essential Oil Blend to a generous pump of unscented massage oil as traditional massage is performed. Be sure to perform a sinus draining facial pressure point and foot massage focusing on the lung, sinus, and head reflex points of the feet. For added effectiveness, spray the face cradle and sheets with a light mist of ESS Body and Linen Spray  that you have customized with the ESS Immune Boost Blend!

Want more recipes? Click here to read the whole article. Have recipes or ideas to share? Please post!

When creating a special report on Staff Compensation awhile back, we mentioned that businesses were reporting a world-wide “shift in drivers” when attempting to staff-up their spas.  A growing number stated they were no longer in the driver’s seat when it came to staff controls; but rather employees were more frequently occupying that seat.  Today, staff recruitment; compensation; and retention demands are prime examples of this, and have forced businesses to continually implement new strategies to stay ahead of the game and avoid the revolving door syndrome.

This predicament continues to escalate for many reasons.  When trying to understand it, many variables need to be considered, including the impact that the current technological revolution is having on people. 

Big data flow is getting bigger, and with it comes increases in self-confidence; competition; and therefore expected standards of practice.  With these rises, come off-setting declines.  People’s stability factors have dropped, as have levels of loyalty and even respect for once-respected authority figures; opinions, and even brands.  The internet has made it both easier and more difficult all at the same time, to gain and retain your desired status. 

The web has almost taken on the role of “magic mirror”.  The onlooker can create their own reflection of reality, based on unreality.  They can custom build their self-belief system by choosing their own set of criteria, and fill their world up with conformists and supporters.  More and more of us are learning self-importance and self-righteousness through the ever-growing online environment.  Read about “The Cult of Me” at this link here.

My 16 year old son had this to say:

—–You can show only what you want them to see online;

—–Screen what you want and don’t want to hear; X out the rest; and not deal with it;

—–People talk big online, but they’re not big offline;

—–People photo shop their image to be popular online, but they aren’t popular offline;

—–It’s easy to think you’re more important than you are online:  2,000 friends; 200 likes; 5,000 followers and 500 connections, but you have no one to hang-out with offline.

What I took from this conversation, is that we all toggle between online and offline personas, and one clearly and profoundly affects the other. 

Although there still exists the decades old devotion to me, myself and I, as we also grow stronger feelings of self-importance and self-entitlement through online exposure, we become more and more certain that we already know everything there is to know and therefore less open to good judgment, and more difficult to teach.  This false spot of security is difficult for anyone to be in, and any business to deal with.

But just as black balances white; yin steadies yang; “We-ism” has come along to counterbalance “Me-ism”.  Giving is already the new taking for many individuals and has become a very welcomed new status symbol.  This phenomenon is online-driven too, and is rapidly driving a strong offline culture.  It is a culture of sharing; caring; contributing and generosity.  As Trendspotting’s article “Generation G” states, it is a leading societal and business mindset. 

Trendwatching.com states, “Sometimes big events and ongoing trends clash in a beautiful way, only to converge soon after.” I think “me-ism and we-ism” is a clash of epic proportions.  Which one do you choose to employ?

As estheticians, we really should be accountable for educating our clients about carcinogenic, irritating and toxic ingredients in skin care products.

What amazes me the most – many of our clinical Oncology Esthetics® graduates continue to use and sell skin care products without much concern about irritating, toxic and carcinogenic ingredients to cancer patients or clients.  More so, there are thousands of estheticians who do NOT know much about ingredients in skin care – how else do we reach them and educate them?

Surely when working with anyone who has health challenges we ought to be conscious of what is good and what isn’t?  Or do we actually have a conscience or not?  Let’s talk briefly about 1,4-Dioxane.  This petroleum-derived contaminant is considered a “probable” human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a clear-cut animal carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program. It is also on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected by the state to cause cancer or birth defects. Because it is a contaminant produced during manufacturing, the FDA does not require it to be listed as an ingredient on product labels.

What really does the FDA do with regards to the safety of every consumer out there?

What are we as, clinical Oncology Estheticians really doing about this?

I had the good fortune of experiencing some amazing treatments at Universal’s Spa Day Event at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas last week. One of my favorites was the Bamboo Fusion Massage masterfully executed by Mary Ann Vaughn. A Holistic Health Practitioner and a Licensed Esthetician, Mary Ann is a national trainer for Bamboo Fusion, which uses Bamboo and Rattan reed to will knead, glide and roll tense muscles into submission. Bamboo Massage has recently gained popularity across the US, and was chosen as one of SpaWeeks Top Ten Hottest Spa Treatment Trends for Fall 2011.

Bamboo Fusion uses heated bamboo and rattan sticks to promotes blood circulation, releases muscle fascia, and encourages lymphatic drainage. Founded by Nathalie Cecilia, a Certified Thai massage therapist based inSarasota,FLwho discovered bamboo when one of her large male clients kept asking for deep tissue massage. Cecilia’s practice includes the use of 12 –inch bamboo sticks. Two smaller pieces of rattan are used to reach harder areas. “I use the bamboo as a continuation of my fingers,” Mary Ann told me. “The environmentally sustainable materials are easy to heat and clean, and I am able to rapidly release tension and trigger points.”

The goal of Bamboo Fusion  is to help therapists provide deep massage without pain. This technique aids in avoiding repetitive injuries, such as carpal tunnel, and reduces the stress on thumbs, wrists and hands. Training is the corner stone of Bamboo Fusion. Massage Continuing Education offering NCBTMB CEUs. Courses are available for table massage, chair massage and facial techniques. The Full-Body / Table” Workshop is 2 days and offeres 16 FL & NCBTMB CEU’s. For more information visit www.bamboo-fusion.com and to purchase kits click here.

The past month seemed to be filled with calls from spa owners and physicians who built and opened their businesses somewhere around 2005-2007.  They saw the trend, and drank the Kool-Aid.  Landlords seized the opportunity too, marketed their property as though it was the greatest thing since sliced bread and negotiated hard leases and over-sold the potential of their locations.  So after 4-5 years of not hitting over-optimistic sales projections, the impact of market rent on too large a facility has taken its toll on the operators.  The reality is that rent should be no more than 10-15% of gross sales.  When it is, there isn’t money for other things, like payroll.

Speaking of payroll, we became the indentured servants to our employees.  How often did we hear that the “going rate” for service practitioners was 45 to 60% of service sales? For these commissions we were guaranteed that they would bring their substantial following of clientele streaming through our doors.  Now wait a minute, if we provide an arena to attract this clientele and fill the schedule, aren’t the customers an asset of the business?? Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. I feel the employers have the responsibility to provide a phenomenal work environment.  I want my clients to operate a business where people want to work because of the great working conditions.  After all, how we treat our employees will be directly reflected in how our employees treat our guests. But, assets are assets, and who controls them must be clearly defined (at times by contract at others in a personnel manual). So, I ask you, have you adjusted to a fee per service compensations program for service providers or a modified hourly pay?  Straight commissions don’t work, and if you are paying attention to the unemployment numbers around the country and the enrollment in the spa and aesthetic schools, you may find a way to lower your payroll to about 40%.  By the way, did I mention that many of the calls I received last month were from operators who had service payroll between 55-60% of service sales?  These numbers didn’t work then and don’t work in todays market either, especially if we have guests coming in on reduced price services.

We’ve talked a lot about getting wellness involved with your business.  The doctors have jumped on the medical weight loss band wagon in a big way.  Not all of our clientele can afford bariatric weight band surgery or medical HCG programs. Weight loss and weight management is more than nutritional supplements. It is a preventive program that is a marriage of personal training, exercise, nutritional counseling and education. Is it me or have many fitness centers and gyms not taken advantage of developing these synergistic programs? Weight loss and makeovers has a psychological impact as well.  Is this an opportunity to co-market services with a psychologist or mental health professional?

How much is too much? During a recent vacation, I went searching for a massage. I looked around for my options.  There were day spas, sports medicine/physical therapists, chiropractors and hotel spas.  I wanted my 60 minute escape and I was willing to pay for a fair price. What I wasn’t prepared for was the range of prices in a resort market $120, $130, $140, $145, $150, $155 were all offered for a 50 to 60 minute massage. I felt like I was at an auction. Yes, price fixing is illegal and I do not support it.  What I do support is a fair price that provides a good value. What makes one massage worth $120 and another worth $155? How do these prices impact the expectations of the guest and where do we cross the line regarding losing touch with providing a value to our clientele?

Creating a value is something our guests have told us is important by voting with their attendance our businesses.  If they are there because they have been told to go by their physicians, price is less of an impact because chances are the massage therapist is being reimbursed by insurance.  When it is their own dollar, they spend it with a whole lot more discretion. With price come expectations.  My question is how much is too much?  Are we pricing ourselves out of the market? Can we provide what we do at a profit? Not if the major cost component of providing the service (labor) increases every time we increase our prices.  We might want to look at this a bit differently.

We need to be conscious and aware that we are marketing what is perceived to be a luxury at a time when people do not want to spend money on anything that does not provide results and (short or long-term) benefit. Money is tight and we cannot be perceived as trying to squeeze every possible dollar from our clientele.

Interesting issues.  Again, there is no easy answer but there are answers and solutions.  Each of us must find the balance of profitability, morals, guest service and hospitality that works in our particular business situation. Sometimes seeing things through a second set of eyes is helpful. We’re here to talk if you want, and as always, the first call is free. Don’t hesitate to give us at 888.727.5489 or e-mail at Monte@WellnessCapital.com.

At Alchimie Forever, we believe phyto-antioxidants are the most powerful way to prevent and repair signs of skin aging. Indeed, antioxidants are not new to beauty and skin care industries and have been on everyone’s lips over the last few years, touted to be the latest “miracle in a jar.” But what exactly are antioxidants? What do they do? How do they work? And which ones should you use?  

To understand antioxidants we must understand oxidants
Oxygen, essential to life, is metabolized in the body by successive reductions, leading to superoxide anion (O₂^.-), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and hydroxyl radical (^.OH) generation. These different molecules are named reactive oxygen species (ROS), or oxidants; some are free radicals (defined by the presence of an unpaired electron), whereas others are non radical (such as H₂O₂, singlet oxygen ¹O₂).

Oxidants, when present in significant quantities, lead to oxidative stress which in turns damages cellular structures.

Exposure of the skin to UV is the main cause of oxidative stress: UV exposure induces the production of high quantities of oxidants, which damage DNA, lipids, membranes, intracellular and extracellular proteins, and sugars. Oxidants have both immediate and long lasting deleterious effects to the skin, including the appearance of actinic keratoses,  a  citrin coloration of the skin (lipid peroxidation), a loss of collagen and elastin (protein alterations), and finally skin cancer (DNA alterations).

Antioxidants: a way to fight oxidants
Antioxidants, as their name indicates, are the opposite of oxidants. What oxidants break, antioxidants can repair.

Endogenous antioxidants
The first key distinction in the family of antioxidants is whether they are endogenous (those produced by the human body) of exogenous (those not produced by the human body). Indeed, human cells are equipped with a series of endogenous antioxidants to deal with the damages caused by oxidants. Such endogenous antioxidants include the following enzymes: superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and thioredoxine reductase. As we age, these endogenous antioxidants are gradually depleted over time; this consumption is accelerated by an increased production of oxidants. Hence the importance of exogenous antioxidants.

Exogenous antioxidants
Synthetic antioxidants: the case of Idebenone
Idebenone is one of the better known synthetic antioxidants. It is an organic compound of the quinone family and promoted commercially as a synthetic analog of coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀). Idebenone’s antioxidant role involves both the scavenging of oxidants as well as a preventative role in lipid peroxidation. It seems idebenone’s antioxidant properties function by virtue of the electron-donating properties of the hydroquinone form. 

Idebenone is present in skin care products from brands such as Prevage (owned by Allergan) and True (which licenses idebenone from Allergan).

Phytoantioxidants
The alternative to synthetic antioxidants are natural antioxidants, namely those derived from plants. Plants, like human beings, suffer from UV-generated oxidative stress – they live in the sun after all! Plants are, however, unable to protect themselves by moving into the shade or by using sunscreen. Consequently, plants have developed effective antioxidant strategies to protect themselves against the oxidizing stress induced by their environment, in particular UV exposure.

Phytoantioxidants fall into four main groups, namely enzymes, terpens, polyphenols, and vitamins. Some of the best known, and most studied phytoantioxidants are carotenoids (a terpen), and flavonoids and anthocyanins (polyphenols).

Green tea
Green tea contains four major flavonoids: epicatechin, epicatechin-gallate, epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate. These molecules have the ability to scavenge oxidants including O₂^.-, ^.OH, H₂O₂ and ¹O₂. It has been shown that epigallocatechin applied topically with exposure to UVB inhibits the production of H₂O₂ in the dermis and epidermis. Numerous skin care brands use green tea, including Elizabeth Arden and Replenix.

Rosemary
Rosemary contains various antioxidants, in particular phenolic diterpens: carnosol and carnosic acid represent over 90% of the antioxidant properties of rosemary extract. These lipophilic molecules scavenge lipid free radicals, thereby enabling the reduction of lipid peroxidation and inhibiting oxidative damages to skin surface lipids. Carnosic acid also has photoprotective potential. Alchimie Forever and Clarins are two brands that use rosemary in their skin care products.

Grape seeds
Grape seeds are major sources of resveratrol and quercetin. The stilben resveratrol inhibits lipid peroxidation induced by UVB and significantly decreases UVB-induced skin thickness and oedema. The iron chelator flavonoid quercetin maintains and protects the activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase after exposure to UV radiation. Caudalie is an example of a skin care brand using grape seeds (and grapes) as its signature ingredient.

Tomato
Tomato is rich in lycopene, a widely studied powerful antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic carotenoid with strong reducing ability and the most effective carotenoid in the scavenging of the oxidant ¹O₂. Lycopene also scavenges lipid radicals, reduces lipid peroxidation and prevents erythema caused by UV radiation on the skin. Kiehl’s and Alchimie Forever both use tomato extract in their products.

Antioxidants represent a key therapeutic approach to preventing skin aging. More specifically, research indicates that the combination of multiple antioxidants at low concentrations represents the most effective approach. Indeed, different antioxidants (whether synthetic or natural) have difference mechanisms of action and target different parts of the cell, thus offering synergies when combined. In the world of antioxidants, 1 + 1 is not 2 but rather 5. As such, the more antioxidant products you use, the better off your skin will be!

Universal Companies’ 2nd Spa Day Event was held at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on August 30^th. The all-day event introduced Vegas Spa Directors to Universal’s brand partners by experiencing them first hand. I was lucky to be included and we all left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. I also learned about some great new treatments!

The very posh Sahra Suite in The Cosmopolitan provided an ideal venue for Spa Directors to network in their Boca Terry Robes and heated Therapearl neck wraps.  Fifty minute treatments were provided in adjacent couples suites.

“Thanks to Universal for orchestrating such a clever and productive event—I know this will go a long way for the Spa Directors in Las Vegas,” said Jennifer Lynn, Spa Director at The Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter. “We always need a respite and very few and far between do we find time in our own spas to do so.”  .  

“Thank you so much. It was great fun, and I think everyone appreciated the opportunity to experience something new and to see some of the Universal offerings up close. I got some ideas, saw some things that interested me that I hadn’t thought of….” said Shawn Granito, Spa Treatment Director of Canyon Ranch.

The event featured 50 minute Bamboo Fusion massage using heated bamboo tools,  HydraFacials from Edge Systems and body wraps by Alaska Glacial Mud.  “We really enjoyed showcasing our lines in an experiential, relaxed and fun way,” said Universal Companies’ Lisa Michaelis, Director of Development, Western US.  “Spa Directors found it  helpful to sample products and meet the representatives and owners behind Universal’s brands.”

Mini treatments from Universal Companies’ brand partners were also available including Firm & Eye Lift treatments from Control Corrective, Kantic Blueberry mask hand treatments by Alchimie Forever, Eco-fin paraffin alternative luxury foot treatments,  gel manicures by LeChat, mineral makeup application by Mirabella Beauty, and shoulder and neck massages with Pure-ssage, Universal Companies’ house brand of nut free, paraben free, unscented oil.

The SpaRitual swag bag also included products from all featured brands showcasing treatments and A La Turca, Aromafloria, Plum Smooth,  SpaLaLa and Biofreeze.

Look for my upcoming blogs detailing the amazing treatments from Bamboo Fusion, Hydrafacial and Alaska Glacial Mud.