Botanicals, flowers, and herbs have been used for centuries to calm, repair, and beautify skin. The infusion of the cannabis sativa plant into balms, oils, and tinctures dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and it is said that even the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, extracted the essence of the plant into elixirs for her daily bathing and grooming rituals. Cannabis is one of the earliest plants to be cultivated. By the late 1800s, cannabis extracts were sold throughout Europe and the United States to treat skin ailments such as psoriasis and eczema. 

For years, clients have focused on receiving facial fillers for the upper half of their face and have often neglected other areas that reflect the signs of aging, such as the lower half of the face and hands. With hyaluronic acid fillers becoming a game changer in terms of available injection sites, a stronger look in the areas that represent strength and youth has made a major impact in the aesthetic industry. However, with newer available injection sites and widespread availability of injection techniques throughout social media, injectors need to further their education now more than ever.

Allison Brewer is a certified nurse practitioner who has spent over 13 years in the aesthetic industry, working in surgery and with hands-on patient care. Her passion is using the industry’s latest injectable techniques to reverse the aging process while keeping clients looking natural and not overdone. She implements her one-of-a-kind smoothing technique to give her patients a natural, polished look. Brewer sets herself apart from other injectors with her gentle touch and her standard of care that she follows with each client’s injection.

D’Arcy Wellness Spa is redefining clean beauty and inspiring self-care. Female-owned and lead, this spa is a calm destination for holistic wellness needs. They proudly use and sell only the highest-quality nontoxic and cruelty-free products. Additionally, they retail female-owned brands with half of their shelf space dedicated to Black-owned brands. The convergence between the latest technology and ancient practices is what makes their services one-of-a-kind. D’Arcy Wellness Spa is located in downtown Natick, Massachusetts, a beautiful small town just outside of Boston Massachusetts, co-owned by sisters, Cailin and Alyssa D’Arcy.

Cailin D’Arcy is dually licensed in the states of Texas and Massachusetts, a two-time advanced certified volume eyelash artist, and holds specialized certifications in gua sha facial massage, facial reflexology, facial cupping, LED light therapy, and facial sculpting massage. Using her passion for clean, sustainable beauty and her experience with a wide range of modalities, she strives to give the city a modern spa experience.

Alyssa D’Arcy is nationally board certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and is a licensed acupuncturist under the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine. She earned her bachelor’s in kinesiology with a minor in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At the New England School of Acupuncture, D’Arcy pursued a dual track in Chinese herbal medicine and orthopedic acupuncture. Her specialties include women’s health, fertility, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and cosmetic acupuncture.

DERMASCOPE spoke with Cailin D’Arcy to get to know this holistic Face Haven a little bit better.

Contact Information:

darcywellnessspa.com

508-314-8164

@darcy_wellness

A DERMASCOPE in-house aesthetician, Farmer is the owner of Blush ’N Beauty Spa in Dallas, Texas.

Contact Info:

817-797-9542

blushnbeautyspa.com

@blush_n_beauty_spa_

In the world of social media, it seems like it is almost impossible to get away from body talk. From fitness inspiration to fashion trends, the consensus states that skin is in. While of course, body care has its place within the industry, it is often overlooked for the complex nature and popularity of facial treatments. However, ignoring the possibilities of body treatments is robbing clients of self-care opportunities that will upgrade their overall wellbeing. This issue has a fantastic lineup of articles showcasing just a fraction of these possibilities. So, get comfortable, start flipping through the pages, and unlock the potential.

To start the month off, Shannon Esau takes on body acne and the challenges that come with this skin issue. Although most skin care professionals have had their fair share of treating and eliminating facial acne, explore her methods to helping clients achieve clear skin from head to toe in the article entitled, “Fully Flawless.”

For the second subject for this month’s primary education, take a dive into a scientific overview of everyone’s least favorite kind of dimples, cellulite. Cellulite is a cosmetic skin condition that affects the majority of the feminine population. With so many potential candidates for treatment, it is definitely worth investigating the different options available for care. Discover clients’ choices in “Fat or Fiction?” an article by Amanda Azar Walsh.

The body can be afflicted by many imperfections; however, excellent skin care professionals have the solutions for their clients. One common concern includes broken capillaries. Get a better grasp on this topic and how clients can achieve and maintain their results with IPL, electrical cauterization, sclerotherapy, and cryotherapy in Holly Sheppard’s article entitled, “Red Recovery.”

Lastly, with the world of aesthetics booming in every single way imaginable, it is no surprise that vaginal spa treatments are increasingly growing in popularity. What started with the Brazilian in the 90s has now transformed into treatments such as the vagacial, V-steaming, intimate radio frequency, and the O-shot. Catch up on the hottest trends in the spa with “Secret Service,” an article by DERMASCOPE Ambassador, Mary Nielsen.

Body treatments and care have come a long way, and although every spa may not be equipped to add these treatments to their menu, it is always the responsible choice to be an educational powerhouse for clients. Keeping up with trends may take effort but knowing what works and keeps clients happy are what separates the good from the great – and we know our readers are only the greatest.

Skin care professionals in 2021 are seeking independence and job satisfaction as they navigate through their passion in providing excellent skin care treatments to their clients. Business owners have two options when it comes to involving individuals within their industry. They can either employ licensed professionals as W2 employees or rent out additional treatment rooms to individuals that hold their own LLC, liability and property insurance, Federal Tax ID Number (EIN), state withholding number, and county business license. Room renters may also need a salon license to operate within the treatment room they are subleasing from the business owner. The option of contracting 1099 employees is not applicable in the salon world; it actually counts as tax evasion by the business owner which is a huge liability. 

Spa owners must understand the importance of tax compliance as a leader in business. Setting up individuals as W2 employees and contributing to their tax deductions as employer matching is required by federal law; it is part of the responsibility of employers everywhere. If a spa owner does not desire to have employees that report to them, does not wish to assist in providing services for income generation for the business, or does not want to handle human resources in any capacity, room rental may be a viable option. 

Courtney Sykes is the Chief Administrative Officer of Southeastern Esthetics Institute and licensed aesthetics instructor in South Carolina. Sykes also is the creator of Courtney Sykes Molecular Anit-Aging, a clinical skin care line for consumers and professionals. Her passion lies in creating real change in the aesthetics industry, assisting her students to obtain gainful employment, and make a difference in the lives of their clients. Sykes specializes in a science-based approach to skin health and education. Her primary focus is chemical peels, laser treatments, eyelash extensions, micropigmentation, and cosmetic lasers. Her background in medical spa management has led her to nationally-accredit the largest, licensed aesthetics school in South Carolina – Southeastern Esthetics Institute. 

Halloween-inspired looks are taking over social media. Clients are excited and ready to recreate what they see in a perfected, often filtered image. The worst thing for any skin professional to see is a client’s results go down the drain because they chose to use awful, pore-clogging Halloween makeup. There is a good chance they have not thought of a plan to protect their skin when piling on layers of synthetic stage makeup or silicone. This kind of makeup can result in scary breakouts, redness, and even a prickly rash. Using the wrong products, like lower-priced makeup, acrylic, or latex paint, can cause skin to freak out, leaving it irritated and dry. Unfortunately, when skin is irritated, it can take a while to clear up and get back to balance. To help clients find the best skin-friendly options, professionals always need to recommend professional-quality products that are user-friendly and perform well so clients can be at their spookiest.

Jaclyn Peresetsky is the founder of Skin Perfect Academy, Skin Perfect Spas, and Colore Me Perfect Analysis and Cosmetics. Her passion lies in advanced education for aestheticians in real life aesthetics. She contributes her expertise through speaking, writing, teaching, and continues to see her clients to advance her knowledge and skill to share with others.

Exfoliation is a topic of debate for many professionals and so-called skin experts. Everyone understands the concept of exfoliation, yet most people are doing it all wrong. Exfoliation is an important step in a skin care routine as there are many benefits of enzymes and gentle exfoliation techniques.

Let’s go back to the basics and relearn why exfoliation is an important step in a skin care routine. Not digging too deep, it is important to remember that skin naturally exfoliates when it goes through a cellular cycle. The stratum corneum is the protective layer and replaces itself every 28 to 30 days, yet as one ages, that cellular turnover rate slows down. Exfoliation becomes more important with age, but the key is to exfoliate correctly.

Samantha Dench is a 16-year licensed aesthetician, owner of Skin Deep, author, and speaker. Dench’s passion stems beyond treating the skin to include internal health to achieve healthy skin for clients by finding the root of the problem. She loves to educate groups of women and share her knowledge and passion of skin. Dench loves to share her book to help women take control of their skin. She is a single mom of three and loves to cook, bake, and find creative ways to find healthy alternatives to her favorite dishes. 

Let’s talk about branding. Effective Branding and a cohesive feel can give you a major edge in an increasingly competitive industry. Your brand is the commitment you make to clients. It tells them what they can expect from products and services, and it differentiates you from others in the skin care industry. Your brand is created from who you are, who you want to be, and who clients perceive you to be.

Since this can sound overwhelming, start with what you like, picture the perfect client, and don’t be afraid to have fun.

Instead of stressing about the perfect logo, think of the overall feel a client should experience when they walk through the door, visit your website, or click through your Instagram account. While a logo is one way a client will remember you, clients are more likely going to remember how they felt when they saw your space or online presence than the perfect logo. This impression should have a cohesiveness about it. Colors are important and can convey desired environments like something uplifting, energizing, or relaxing. 

To help grow a brand and the perfect clients with it, create an avatar that represents your ideal client. For example, the perfect client could be in their mid-30s, make good money, and isn’t afraid of spending money. The ideal client may like an elevated experience and doesn’t want to be rushed in and out. They may have their hand on the pulse and know the trends. Generally, ideal clients prefer quality over quantity.

After determining the avatar, start building a cohesive experience.

Kasey Boone has always had a passion for the beauty industry. After working as an aesthetician in the treatment room for over 15 years, she now has a passion to create fun, versatile tools that can be used in and out of the treatment room. She has created the amazingly soft and easy-to-use Glow Towels, Glow Skincare Cold Roller, Mini Cold Roller, and more. When Boone is not creating skin care tools or treating her clients, she is working on her new magazine and podcast, Skin and the City.

With the constant video calls, less-than-ideal lighting, and Zoom filters, clients have been critiquing their facial features and appearance more than ever this past year. The focus on the face and empty social calendars caused body sculpting treatments to take a bit of a backseat. Thankfully, vaccination rates are growing, mandates are lifting, and in-person life is resuming, and with it, clients are thinking about more than their usual facial filler and toxin touch-ups – the body is officially back in focus.

Often, regardless of a healthy diet and active lifestyle, clients are left with stubborn pockets of fat that do not respond to their efforts. The great news is that there are more noninvasive body sculpting and fat reduction modalities than ever.  

Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD, is a fellowship-trained, board-certified dermatologist based in CT. A leader in the field, she is the chief medical officer of Ideal Image, the nation’s largest aesthetic provider. She is also president and co-founder of Modern Dermatology of Connecticut. As an authoritative voice in aesthetics, she is intimately involved with clinical research, speaking, and teaching.