9 min read
With more men becoming active participants in the youth revolution, it is not uncommon to see facial treatments geared toward the male clientele commanding equal space on the spa services menu. But just because you build it, does not mean they will necessarily come. Different messages, services and images resonate with men than women, and the slightly different makeup of their skin will impact how they age and the issues with which they are challenged. Whether you are already offering these services or planning to, knowing how to maximize your marketing efforts by providing solutions to the skin challenges men face will prove vital. Since men are ready and willing to seek out professional skin care, growth projections for this market are staggering. There is an opportunity not only to become knowledgeable in working with men’s skin – particularly generational skin care for men – but to also educate them on proper skin care. Read More
- Published in Men's
9 min read
By now everyone is well aware of the sun's damaging effects and you have likely had the "importance of sun protection" talk with your clients more times than they care to remember. Despite these efforts and the statistics on skin cancer that abound, many still seek the sun's rays in an effort to achieve that bronzed, glowing skin. When a client has clearly spent too much time in the sun, how do you bring their skin back to optimum health? What types of damage can occur, and what treatments and ingredients work for sun damaged skin? Diagnosing and repairing sun-damaged skin is not a one-size-fits-all. Read More
- Published in Sun Care
9 min read
You have invested in the most comfortable aesthetic table available, selected a sleep-inducing soundtrack, and adorned your treatment room with calming colors and décor… You have created the consummate tranquil environment. Clients will surely slip into a deep relaxation the moment they set foot in your treatment room. But there is still one component that could thwart your efforts. Clients, particularly first-time clients, typically come in with a host of worries and self-deprecating thoughts that will most definitely impact their experience. From lumps to bumps to stubble to wrinkles, they are subconsciously focused on their skin or body condition. It is also common for first-time spa visitors to experience some trepidation. Part of our job as aesthetic professionals is to ease any of these discomforts and eliminate anything that might be keeping the client from relaxation. Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
4 min read
Inflammation is often associated with infections and wounds, and while this association does have some validity, it is important to remember inflammation is not a synonym for either of those. Rather it is the response caused by infection or a wound. Inflammation is the body's response to trauma, and in fact, it is a very complex biological process. It indicates to the body to begin the healing process. Without inflammation wounds and infections would not heal; in this regards it becomes an important and necessary part of skin rejuvenation. When inflammation becomes dangerous is in chronic situations. As skin care professionals, it is important to understand the differences between acute and chronic inflammation and how it impacts the aging and rejuvenation process. Read More
- Published in Acne
3 min read
Historically it has been one of the most important commodities to humankind, used in everything from food to cleaning products to cosmeceuticals. It is also the sixth most abundant element in the Earth's crust. What is this miracle element? Sodium. Sodium is an essential nutrient that regulates blood volume, blood pressure and our pH, and in the world of aesthetics it has a number of preparations (when combined with the right compounds) that reap tremendous benefits on the skin. Read More
- Published in Ingredients
10 min read
We are constantly in search of the elusive "Fountain of Youth" and the answer to a common question: what causes the skin to age? While we have yet to find the one magic antidote or fix-all, today we have more insight into what ages our skin and it goes beyond skin deep. There are two primary culprits of skin aging, intrinsic and extrinsic agers. Intrinsic refers to the internal, less controllable factors – namely our genetic programming and physiological decline. Extrinsic are the external, controllable factors such as sun exposure, smoking, sleep, diet and stress, lifestyle factors and choices. Read More
- Published in Aging
6 min read
Around this time of year, most people strive to achieve beautifully bronzed skin. Despite knowing the damaging and aging effects of UV rays, many will ditch the sunscreen in an attempt to obtain glowing skin. Knowing bronzed skin is in high demand amongst our clients this season, how can we drive home the importance of sun protection and what can we offer them as an alternative? And if clients do spend too much time in the sun, what can we do to help them safely heal and repair the damage? Read More
- Published in Tanning
10 min read
The summer months are when clients typically have the most down time, making it an ideal time for corrective, rejuvenating treatments. Summer is also peak time for many spas and salons, depending upon the locale. However, administering peels and other corrective treatments during the summer months will cause a client's skin to be even more vulnerable to sun damage. So how can skin care professionals bolster protection of the skin and simultaneously reverse the effects of photoaging? What do professionals need to know about caring for skin – face and body – post-peel or corrective-treatment during the summer months? Read More
- Published in Sun Care
10 min read
The great inventor Thomas Edison once said, "Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration." This equation is also applicable to success in the skin care industry. Perspiration – in the form of the constant pursuit of knowledge – fuels success and ultimately inspiration. In this profession we have to stay on top of new, cutting-edge ingredients, product formulations and protocols, as well as marketing tactics, and knowledge of how each of these tools can be used most effectively. How do skin care professionals obtain the knowledge, and perhaps more importantly, how might it be applied, and what are the right tools? Read More
- Published in Continued Education
11 min read
There is no denying that Mother Nature has provided us a bounty of exquisite ingredients that have many supportive benefits for our skin’s health. But what happens to those ingredients when science enters the picture? Science and nature may be at opposite ends of the spectrum, but when the two merge, how does that impact the effectiveness of a skin care formulation? It all comes down to how those ingredients are created and what they are partnered with that makes the difference in product performance. In some cases, natural ingredients alone are limited in how they effectively rejuvenate the skin, but when these natural essentials are combined with cosmeceutical ingredients using scientific technology, product efficacy can increase drastically. Demand for natural and organic products will never go away – and it should not; nature has a lot to offer the overall health of our skin. Read More
- Published in Chemistry
