11 min read
So let us get started with an apology. If you are like me, your aesthetic schooling never educated you on cells. Mine did not either. Your on-going training has led you more into product knowledge and equipment tools-of-the-trade than pure, raw, deep-down at the root skin chemistry. Imagine applying topical products and using equipment that can electrify, scrape, burn, disintegrate and otherwise damage the cellular structure of the largest organ of the body – the skin. Therefore, I have to assume that the majority of aestheticians have no idea at all about what they are really doing to the skin. So let us change all that starting right now. The Basics Mitochondria, protoplasm, keratinocyte, mesodermal, ATP, basal, spinous, DNA, granular, melanocyte, langerhans, follicle, merkel, cytoplasma, mitosis, fibroblast, macrophage, adipocyte, friction ridge – are just a few of the very many cells that make up the skin. To properly list, define and expand on each and every cell that are the foundation of the human body would require every single page of a DERMASCOPE Magazine – and that is without any advertising. In other words, the “cell” is what gives our body, and therefore our skin – its life! The life Read More
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9 min read
Everyone’s skin ages in its own unique way. Much of the inevitable part of facial aging is driven by a person’s DNA and is considered intrinsic. Fortunately, 85 percent of the visible signs of aging can be directly attributed to extrinsic causes that are preventable, and can often be corrected, even if the damage has already been done. Making informed decisions about sun exposure, diet, exercise, smoking, and regular use of skin care products is key to staving off skin aging. Knowing the primary offenders and learning the best ways to protect you and your patients puts healthy, younger-looking skin within reach. Read More
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9 min read
As a skin care professional, you have no doubt heard these terms countless times. But what do they mean? At face value, “functional,” “performance,” and “active” sound like different ways of saying, essentially, the same thing. But in reality, these categories could not be more different. “Active” and “Performance” Ingredients Any skin care product that ... Read More
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6 min read
Your professional image is your portfolio. This is the package you present that will influence whether or not people in this industry (both professionals and clients) will take you seriously enough to see what you actually have to offer. This package is not only made up by your physical appearance (hair, skin, makeup, nails, ... Read More
- Published in Articles
12 min read
New Tech and a New Economy Call for Greater-Than-Ever Customer Service We do not need reminding that is it is a “new economy” in 2011. We are all much more selective about where we want to spend our time and our hard-earned dollars. When considering our particular trade, the client has a level of expectation; ... Read More
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5 min read
The largest growth area in cosmetic facial treatment is related to aging. People are living longer and healthier and want their appearance to reflect their vital state of mind and health. The aging process begins when we enter the world and the effects of aging are evident in our bodies throughout our lives. Looking forever ... Read More
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11 min read
It has always been a commonly accepted fact that the typical spa client is female. However, what if it was possible to change this? The International Spa Association reports that approximately 70 percent of spa guests in the U.S. are female. With the overall U. S. population much closer to a 50/50 gender split, it is easy to see that spa professionals are missing out on a large portion of the population - men. What a lot of beauty businesses do not realize is that men can be great spa clients if the time is taken to reach out to them. The same forces that drive women to a spa can be used to encourage men to try it out as well. Men face increasing social pressure to spend time caring about their looks in order to attract both romantic and professional interests. In an attempt to achieve desired results, men are becoming more open-minded to trying new things when it comes to looking their best. Men in the corporate world face the challenge to look their best everyday and many of them would be glad to have a little help. As a man climbs the corporate ladder, the pressure Read More
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9 min read
For years now the craze has been nutrition, wellness, health, and beauty; and although it seems to be the craze, and those buzz words are everywhere, I continue to be baffled by the lack of commitment and understanding. “Michelle, what in the world are you talking about?” Is that what you are thinking right now? I know, hear me out. Keep reading, and help me, help you… help your clients. How many times in a day do you either say to yourself, or to someone else... “You have to take care of you, before you can care for anyone else?” I know, I am just as guilty as you are, but the fact of the matter is; you do! My husband has a wonderful saying, “If momma’s not happy, no one’s happy!” As funny as I thought that was, I have come to realize how true it is, and not just because I am a mother, a business owner, a wife, an author, and a public speaker; but because I am a care giver. And so are you. As professional aestheticians, in any realm of the skin care business, you are a care giver; and you cannot give care, if Read More
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11 min read
How do retail stores entice you to enter their doors and linger over their shelves full of irresistible products? Visual merchandising is a skill that department stores, shopping malls, and chain retailers have spent many years perfecting. Retailing and merchandising is an important part of your overall business plan and it will dramatically increase business profitability at your skin care center, salon, day spa, or medical spa. Lauren Gartland is the president of Inspiring Champions, a business training and coaching company specializing in the beauty industry. Gartland, along with Salon Spa Cash Flow expert Gary Ahlquist, regularly advise business owners on how to instantly boost their profits with retail. Make a Paradigm Shift Ahlquist advises beauty professionals to make a paradigm shift in retail, to change their entire mindset about how to retail effectively. “The old way of thinking about retail only involved your staff selling products. The new way of thinking is to create a real shopping experience for your clients. We show salons and spas how to create a retail store within their business. We have never failed to have a business at least double their retail sales in this way and most do three to 10 times Read More
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11 min read
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 ... Read More
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