If I had to identify one large knowledge gap in the skin care industry, I think it’s in the area of retail sales. Yes, there is a wealth of product knowledge training available, but very little in the way of customer psychology and sales technique. Knowing what to recommend is not the same as knowing how to sell. Aestheticians are in a tough bind because of this shortfall. On the one hand, it’s probable that no one has ever taught you how to sell products, and yet on the other hand there is an expectation that you’re supposed sell a lot—whatever that is. It’s intimidating, frustrating, and a large number otherwise capable aestheticians respond to the pressure through avoidance. However, until you learn how to generate retail sales, you will be earning significantly less than your potential. That just won’t do. Read More

Since the beginning of civilization, humans have been continually searching for the cleanest, best tasting water with the most health benefits. In fact, the quest for pure, sweet tasting water has been going on for longer than the quest for the Holy Grail! Today, the popularity of water is evidenced by the well being of the bottled water industry, creating a convenient way to get the health and good taste of waters from around the globe. The world has now come to accept bottled water as a staple of life, when a few short years ago it was seen as a luxury for the wealthy. The only consideration for choosing a brand back then was the best taste, or perhaps the most exotic source. Read More

It’s always been your dream and you know now is the right time to make it happen. You have researched and planned and prepared and at this point there is only one thing standing between you and the doors of your spa – money. You envision a waiting list of clients, a talented and attentive staff, and because of your success you will be profitable early on and be able to pay back your loans early! You are sure that because your business and marketing plans are so well designed, you will have multiple lenders ready to offer you the money you need to launch your spa into business. Isn’t this the way it’s supposed to work? Well, not to burst your bubble, but it doesn’t work this way. Funding your dream takes more than a great vision for success. It takes a black-and-white detailed financial plan, and the more organized your plan is, the clearer you can present it to a lender which improves your chance of getting financing. The Pieces of the Puzzle Prior to determining how you will fund your medical spa, you need to have a clear but flexible picture of what it will look like. Read More

At the onset of a design or re-design of your skin care facility you may want to assess or reassess your vulnerability to Mother Nature. It is a very real threat accompanied by the fear of loss of income, loss of wages, workplace disruptions, structural damage, and sometimes injuries and even death. What is a business owner to do? What is an employee to do? How do you plan for such disastrous scenarios? Many spas and salons are caught off guard when destructive weather takes power lines down and damages their businesses to the point of not being able to work at all. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) states that about 40 percent of small businesses do not reopen after a major disaster. A savvy owner should confront the potential of a disaster and be prepared. A temporary interruption is usually due to a smaller storm, affecting the business with the loss of electricity and/or water for a brief period. Such local storms usually cause similar problems at the home of clients or employees, so many are unable to keep their appointments. Disruptive as these situations are, most businesses can weather them with minor inconvenience. However, a major hurricane Read More

Let’s get it right from the start, anyone, any skin type, any skin color is at risk for skin cancer. Indeed, nobody is safe from skin cancer. Skin type and skin color do not fully protect an individual from skin cancer. Skin safe, sun safe practices do protect and do help in skin cancer prevention. Lynne Kurashima, Hawaii Licensed Aesthetician, says, “It’s a misconception that darker skin types think they’re fully protected.” This common myth continues today because of the belief that darker skin types have natural melanin protection from solar radiation exposure. While it is true that darker skin types are at a lower risk for developing skin cancer and have some natural melanin protection from solar radiation, this false sense of security leads to a lack of education and sun protection practices that are important for all skin types. In a study of Hispanics and Blacks, solar radiation exposure seemed to play a large role in the development of melanoma in both of these groups1. Education on sun protection and skin cancer risk should be offered and an annual skin cancer screening should be performed by a dermatologist for all people. Read More

Compared to a chemical peel, microdermabrasion offers the benefit of more precision and enhanced results, with no down time. Treatments are arranged as sessions generally as part of a four to eight visit strategy, with the goal of accelerating the regeneration of cells to the outer surface of the skin. This article will provide additional applications and describe alternative therapies, as well as delineate contraindications. Read More

Equilibrium We grapple daily to stay on top of elements that threaten our health and well-being. The need for equilibrium is dire. The concept of a medi-spa is not mysterious in the least. Neither is it new. Indeed, it’s such a natural union of spa and corrective, aesthetic medicine that one wonders why the idea hasn’t hit center stage earlier. In these times, it’s easy to forget that a holistic approach to medicine and well-being has been a long time coming. For quite a while, medical practice has been, for want of a better word, largely conservative, with “alternative” approaches sidelined to the secondary. However, attitudes have been changing towards something more broad based, embracing traditional cures and principles of well-being along with modern medicine. Read More