Dear Reader April 2011

There is no escaping the fact that we, to a person, are obsessed with our image. We walk around sporting our Blackberry’s and iPhones, sipping our Starbucks, and “Checking In” wherever we go because we are ever mindful of our image. Wikipedia defines self image as: A person’s mental picture, generally of a kind that is quite resistant to change, that depicts not only details that are potentially available to objective investigation by others (height, weight, hair color, gender, I.Q. score, et cetera), but also items that have been learned by that person about himself or herself, either from personal experiences or by internalizing the judgments of others.
Even those who appear to snub their nose at fashion, trends, and beauty regimens actually care. One of my favorite movie monologues is the belt/Cerulean sweater scene in The Devil Wears Prada, where Anne Hathaway’s character laughs at the selection process of a belt, which was quickly followed by Meryl Streep’s character admonishing her for believing that she was exempt from “this stuff.” None of us are exempt. In 2009 (the most current statistics available) the average consumer spent $596 on personal care products and $1725 on apparel and services according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

The astoundingly high numbers beside the words below are the number of results returned when I Google each of the following words.

• Beauty: 2,660,000,000
• Beauty tips: 48,700,000
• Cellulite: 9,790,000
• Cellulite treatment: 1,300,000
• Diets: 30,000,000
• Diet books: 85,800,000
• Fashion: 975,000,000

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS) a total of 13,117,063 cosmetic procedures were performed in 2010. The top five cosmetic surgical procedures in order were breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, liposuction, and abdominoplasty. While the top five minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures in order were Botox, soft fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion. Minimally-invasive procedures are up 110 percent since 2000, while total cosmetic procedures are up 77 percent in the same period overall.
As providers of skin care and aesthetic services you undoubtedly play a key role in assisting clients in creating a positive self-image. Therefore, we have dedicated this issue to increasing your knowledge on a variety of services that speak directly to image. Since no image is more important than your own, we begin with an article by new contributor, Rachael Pontillo, which addresses your own appearance and why you should consider it your professional calling card. Followed by articles on camouflage makeup, fat reduction technology, grooming practices, et cetera. These are all great services, which can enhance the fantastic results you are already providing clients in your treatment room. I hope you enjoy and learn!

Until Next Month,

Saundra

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