Champagne & Rose Luxury Manicure

Featuring Repechage’s Pomegranate Cran-Apple All Over Body Scrub

1)   Cleanse hands and arms with Repêchage Sea Spa Body Wash and spray with antimicrobial spray.

2)      Apply Repêchage Sea Spa Hand Cream and dip hands into a warm delicious paraffin bath.

3)      Wrap hands in plastic bags and place in terrycloth hand mitts.

4)      After 5-7 minutes remove terrycloth mitts and paraffin treatment by lightly massaging hands.

5)      Fill porcelain soak baths with warm water, champagne and Repêchage Sea Spa Mineral Bath Salts (for softening cuticle and relaxation) Soak for 3-5 minutes.

6)      Prep nails by filing, pushing and trimming cuticles, etc.

7)      Exfoliate the elbows, arms and hands with Repêchage Pomegranate Cran-Apple All Over Body Scrub in a relaxing circular motion.

8)      Rinse and remove with Repêchage Peppermint Essential Oil applied to a warmed steamed towel.

9)      Massage full arm and hand with Repêchage Sea Spa Hand Cream, enriched with Seaweed and Shea Butter.

10)  Spray arms and hands with Repêchage Algo Mist Hydrating Seaweed Facial Spray supplying the skin with minerals .

11)  Massage Repêchage Essential Oil of Seaweed into the cuticles and clean excess oil away.

12)   Ready to Polish.

How do you make the Repêchage products and protocols unique in your salon or spa? Tell me in the comments, who knows, maybe your treatment could be featured on my blog!

]]> http://www.lydiasarfati.com/signature-spa-treatments-put-your-stamp-on-it.php/feed/ 0 http://www.lydiasarfati.com/express-valentines-day-spa-services-smolder-in-a-snap.php http://www.lydiasarfati.com/express-valentines-day-spa-services-smolder-in-a-snap.php#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:36:39 +0000 Lydia Sarfati http://www.lydiasarfati.com/?p=2440 For Valentine’s Day Last year, I offered 4 Tips for A Very Spa Valentine’s Day.  I hope that you were able to successfully incorporate those tips into your spa, and that you plan on referring to them again this year!

This year, we’ve been thrown a little curve ball, Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday! For those who will not be taking the day off of work to indulge in a day of pre-date-pampering, we are going to need some express spa services!

Offer your clients an express Valentine’s Day package.  Have extra employees  on hand so that your clients can get all of their services done at the same time!

(Photo Credit: www.feelingsflowers.com)

Smolder in a Snap – Express Spa Package

Opti Firm® Eye Contour Treatment

No Valentine wants to stare into tired, puffy eyes! In just 20mins, this eye contouring treatment will help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles. Tired eyes just don’t match that sexy cocktail dress.

Kiss and Makeup

Following the eye treatment, provide your clients with a makeup service. Mineral-rich makeup coupled with a deep, red lip gloss will have your clients looking flawless and totally kissable.

Manicur-gency!

Having a full blown spa manicure is probably not in the cards for your clients in a hurry! Instead, offer a polish change with an express hand massage with a non-greasy hand cream.

Men want to look great for their date too! Just swap the “Kiss and Makeup” for a shaving service and provide a MANicure for those hard working hands.

And voila! You can have your clients in and out in 40mins or less! Your clients will be so happy that you were able to primp them in time for their dinner date, they might even book a couples treatment for Saturday! If not, at least you can get them to leave with a sensual massage oil or an aromatic candle for some post-date spa romance!

(Photo Credit: www.finkorswim.com)

How do you market Valentine’s Day in your Spa or Salon?

]]> http://www.lydiasarfati.com/express-valentines-day-spa-services-smolder-in-a-snap.php/feed/ 0 http://www.lydiasarfati.com/repechage-sea-spa-stone-pedicure-step-by-step.php http://www.lydiasarfati.com/repechage-sea-spa-stone-pedicure-step-by-step.php#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:24:55 +0000 Lydia Sarfati http://www.lydiasarfati.com/?p=2371 Walking in a winter wonderland is not always as relaxing as it sounds! A walk outside could mean cold, wet, stressed-out feet! As I mentioned in my post for Beauty Trends in 2012 , cold therapy can be great for sore feet but in the spa not the snow! This effective spa pedicure gives you the option to either defrost your client’s toe-cicles or cool down their stressed feet while helping to improve circulation and to relieve strained, aching feet.

1.)                          First ask your client what their concerns are.  If they are looking to escape the cold, soak tired feet in a foot bath with hot water and 1oz of Repêchage Seaweed Bath. Alternatively, if they are looking to relieve aching feet from high heels, use cold water instead.

2.)                          Add 5 drops of Repêchage Essential Oil of Peppermint to help improve circulation and to energize tired feet.

3.)                          For 3-5 minutes, massage Repêchage Sea Spa Glow into feet and calves in upward movements. This exfoliating scrub helps to re-enforce circulation and polishes away any dry winter-skin.

4.)                          Following exfoliation, place feet back into the foot bath and remove salts by washing feet in bath.

5.)                          Remove feet and dry with a fresh, clean towel.

6.)                          Proceed with a deep massage using Repêchage Sea Spa Foot Cream. This peppermint foot cream is perfect for the season and will keep your client’s feet feeling fresh long after the treatment is over!

7.)                         Again, depending on your client’s concerns, Follow with either warm or cold toe stones and a massage using the foot stones.

8.)                          Remove excess cream with clean towels…

9.)                          Finish with your favorite nail polish and voila! Rejuvenated, re-hydrated feet!

So when your client’s feet are calling out, give them the Repêchage Sea Spa Stone Pedicure!

Repêchage® is offered at top spas and resorts around the world. To locate a spa nearest you or to purchase online, log onto www.repechage.com or call 1-800-248-SKIN(7546).

What I thought was particularly interesting, were some beauty articles about 2012 trends that one of the Repêchage Customer Service Representatives brought to the group’s attention. Using the articles as references, she pointed out that the beauty trends of 2012 were all products and services that Repêchage already provides!

You can see my personal spa trends projection for 2012 , but below are some other predictions we found for 2012 and tools to tap into them!

1.)     Bring on the Chill!

Cold therapy has been known to help improve circulation and reduce inflammation. If you don’t have any ice chambers or snow showers in your spa, it’s okay! In order to provide your clients with these wonderful benefits, look no further than adding cold sea stones to your signature services.  Cold Sea Stones can be used to exfoliate and massage your skin or add them to a cold eye contour therapy to reduce puffy eyes. You’re clients will love the results!

2.)     Hail to Your Heels!

I rarely leave home in flat shoes. There is just something so sexy about the effect a beautiful pair of high heels can have on your legs! Instantly longer, leaner and well, they just look fantastic! Unfortunately, when I get home, I am more than ready to give myself a nice massage with a nourishing foot cream. Your clients want a little tootsie TLC too! Spa Pedicures offer feet a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. A little cold stone massage or even a cold fresh seaweed mask will have your clients back in their Louboutins in no time!

3.)     Spa on the Run!

It seems that everywhere I have been seeing articles about “new” express spa treatments for clients who don’t have the time for a full service facial. Repechage Spa de Beautes like Three-13 Salon Spa & Boutique have been offering these services for years and seeing the benefits! Create a facial bar in your front room to bring those facials out of the closet! Shorter, express treatments allow clients to experience more of the beauty services that are offered in the salon. No need for your clients to disrobe or remove their shoes.  Provide express spa treatments in a Facial Bar Chair or even in a shampoo bowl while their color is developing!

(Rebellations Hair and Beauty Studio, Hoboken, NJ)

Which of these spa trends do you think will be most successful? Share in the comments below!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tje8ryi_38

Monday, December 5th, 2011 - Lydia Sarfati would like to invite you to the Repêchage Corporate Headquarters in Secaucus, NJ for the Annual Network Power Lunch - Champagne Brunch!

Join the Repêchage team in support of  American businesses and jobs and to educate, motivate, inspire and have a good time!

Hosted by Sarfati herself, she will be presenting “Spa by Prescription: Recreating the Spa Industry in 2012″.

Special Guest Speaker Dr. Jason A. Moche will be presenting “Sharing the Mirror: Cosmetic Surgery and the New Male Aesthetic”.

AND! Glamour Magazine Executive Beauty Editor Mary Maclean will be providing her inside knowledge on upcoming beauty trends for 2012!

Lydia would also like to invite you to join us on Tuesday, December 6th for the Hands-On Goal Setting Workshop! Vice President of Sales and Business Development of Belvedere USA, Eric R. Lewine is also a Motivational, Educational and Team Building Speaker. Lewine will be presenting business tips on how to improve organizational and planning skills, personal development, stress management, accountability and responsibility, how to delegate, and time management.

Click here to sign up for the Annual Network Power Lunch - Champagne Brunch and the Hands-On Goal Setting Workshop today!

Gift Certificates are a wonderful business builder during the holiday season. They bring in a great deal of cash up front for services yet to be rendered. These are great for both existing clients, and they also have potential to bring in new clients who have never been in to your salon or spa before. Make sure that EVERYONE knows that you offer gift certificates and make it easy for customers to obtain them.

Make sure that your staff is aware that you carry gift certificates and that they are passing the word on to their clients. You could even offer a holiday bonus for your employees that sell “X” amount in gift certificates before January 1st. Word of mouth is a powerful tool and advertising is also a great way to bring attention to your salon or spa. Try advertising in the sports section of your local newspaper, for example, a few weeks before the holidays. This will grab the attention of hapless husbands or boyfriends, after all what better holiday gift than spa skin care products or services? Allow them to purchase a gift certificate for their loved-ones with as little effort as possible on your website or in the spa.

(photo credit: www.ehow.com)

Now that you have the clients at your spa, get their attention! Packaging is everything! Have custom-made certificates for the holiday season. Print the certificates on beautiful silver or red cardstock and place them on a shelf with a beautiful display behind the register where your clients can see them. You could also offer to wrap the certificate in a beautiful box, after all it is a gift and the receiver should be excited to open it!

(photo credit: www.portfolio.com)

Another great way of marketing gift certificates is by offering a free gift with purchase. For example:

With the purchase of a $200 gift certificate receive a FREE Repêchage Relaxation Stay-cation gift set!

With the purchase of a $350 gift certificate receive a FREE Repêchage Holiday Bath Bliss gift set!

With the purchase of a $500 gift certificate receive a FREE Repêchage Head-to-Toe Luxuries gift set!

Promoting the gift certificates with a special gift allows your client to kill two birds with one stone! They can present the gift certificate with the gift set, give the gift set to another loved one, or keep the gift set for themselves for some holiday spa relaxation!

(Repêchage Holiday Bath Bliss gift set)

The FREE gift should be around 10% of what the client is spending. For example if you spent $50.00 on a gift set, the minimum balance of your client’s gift certificate should be $500.00.

Lastly, utilize your community! Team with a local jewelry store, a limo company and an intimate restaurant or inn to include gift certificates to your spa as part of a beautiful holiday package. Have fun with it!

Follow these tips for gift certificate promotion for a successful holiday season and a jump-start into the New Year!

Repêchage gift sets can be purchased on www.repechage.com today!

Halloween can mean loads of makeup and possibly even cakey face paint that can leave pores clogged and cause breakouts. Although it is always important to mask at home, now you have an edge to help you sell your products to your clients. Colder fall and winter months can also mean dehydrated skin, a great mask for dry skin is the Kanshi Hydrating Silk Masque, plus it’s orange and right on trend with the season! Try creating a display near your register to draw your client’s attention to their festive color and benefits.

Once your client is engaged, you need to inform them of the importance of masking at home. In-between professional visits, your clients should be regularly masking at home with the appropriate retail mask for their skin type. This is essential to maintain the benefits of their monthly facial. For your busy clients, suggest a time saving exfoliating facial mask. This will help deep cleanse pores without over drying so that you can address any major congestion your client may have when they come in for their next facial. For clients who are willing to add 7-10 more minutes to their skincare regime, suggest a skin brightening facial mask. With the dryer months approaching, a brightening mask with glycolic acid will help to remove any dulling, dry skin cells to reveal a more luminous complexion.

It is also important that your client knows how to properly use at-home facial masks to achieve optimum results. First, instruct your client to apply their mask to a cleansed face, this is your opportunity to direct them to a facial cleanser that would be beneficial to their skin type. Then, using a tester, show your clients the amount of product they should be using when applying the mask. Proper removal of the masks is essential as well. Facial masks should be removed with cotton saturated in warm water and then gently patting the face dry with a facial tissue. You do NOT want your clients to scrub off the mask with a wet washcloth as it could cause damage to the delicate structure of the skin and may become irritated from detergents and dyes on the towel.

Once you have recommended a mask for your client and shown them how to properly use it, suggest products for them to use following their at home treatment. If they are masking in the morning, be sure that they are following their treatment with a toner, facial serum and a day protection cream to keep their skin protected from the elements. If your client plans on masking at night, recommend a toner, serum, and overnight cream that are appropriate for their skin type.

View this video for a step by step on how to cleanse and mask at-home:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDJchPcaF4

So, by using the season to your advantage, you will be able to help boost your retail sales! By promoting an at-home mask, you have the potential to also sell your client a cleanser, toner, serum, and facial cream. Best of  luck and have a happy Halloween season!

Lemongrass Day Spa Valdosta, GA

A lot of work goes into planning a successful event, and if you are not prepared it will show. Below is a timeline to keep you on track for a successful holiday spa event:

8 weeks prior to the event:

- Save the date. Schedule a date and time for your event.

- Schedule a staff meeting to ensure that your employees are up to date on skin analysis and protocols.

- Update your client database. Make sure that all of your client’s names are spelled correctly and that you have their current addresses to control postage costs.

4 weeks prior to the event:

- Mail out invitations announcing the event. Make your invites stand out! Sending invitations in shiny silver or bold red envelope will surely get your client’s attention.

- Be prepared. Take an inventory and make sure all of your shelves are stocked with retail products. Not only are your clients going to be shopping for themselves, they are also going to be looking for gifts so make sure have all their skincare needs!

- Create a timeline. Organize your appointment calendar to schedule 20 minute skin consultations.

Image courtesy of www.blindgossip.com

2 weeks prior:

- Deep clean the entire spa.

- Ensure you have clean, fresh testers, product directories, and tissues. It is better to have too many than not enough!

- Pick up the phone. Call everyone who has RSVP’d to the event to remind them the date is approaching. Also be sure to call those who have not yet RSVP’d to see if they will be able to attend.

- Set the mood! Select the kind of music you will be playing at the event. I personally enjoy classical, Rod Stewart or Frank Sinatra but everyone is different! Choose music that best suits your customer’s tastes and preferences. Also make sure that your audio system is working properly.

- Hold another staff meeting to explain the goals of the event. If you are able to, offer staff incentives. This will keep your employees ambitious and they will really work the crowd. It will create a lively environment for the event and also help your salon or spa make money!!

The day before:

- Make sure that your salon or spa is immaculate, fully stocked with product, and that you have the appropriate signage. Leave no stone unturned.

- Make sure that you are using sales and marketing tools such as shelf talkers and posters to create further excitement.

The day of:

- Have a brief staff meeting to review each person’s assignments.

- Take one more complete walk through and make sure everything is in its place.

- Set up refreshments. If you’re serving alcoholic beverages, try something festive like a cranberry or peppermint signature cocktail. For non-alcoholic beverages offer hot cocoa or mulled apple cider. Also be sure to offer clean finger foods.

Image courtesy of www.marieclaire.com

Now that your event has finally arrived, get to work and sell! As guests arrive, greet them at the door and thank them for coming, offer them refreshments, and instruct them to complete their skin analysis charts. Following treatments make sure your estheticians are recommending retail products and explaining exactly how they work.  If your client is looking to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, show them anti-aging products that they can use at home. As I always say, “Show and tell and you will sell!” Show your clients the retail products, tell them how they work, and get them up to the register!

Christie & Co. Salon  ●   Spa Queens, NY

I hope that this event planning timeline is helpful for your salon or spa during this holiday season. I wish you all the best of luck!

Please join us for our Power Lunch December 5, 2011 for more great business tips and holiday shopping!

Call 1-800-248-SKIN for details!

Well, I’ve never been a proponent of plastic surgery, but there is a definite correlation to “looking good” and getting the job (or keeping it for that matter).

When it comes to interviewing for a future job position, personal beauty involves being well-groomed, dressing for success, being well-informed (looking smart) and having self-confidence.  In a job market like this, you are lucky to get an interview, so when you do get one, you need to make sure you are prepared for it.

Personal Appearance: Go in well groomed. This is a first impression and you are showcasing yourself, you want the person that is interviewing you to be impressed before you even say “hello”.  I recommend getting an exfoliating facial or face mask at home to make sure skin is in good condition, get your hair professionally blown-out, and get a manicure or a men’s buff (guys- your nails need to look good too!) before an interview. Make sure your make-up is professional – keep to warm and neutral tones. Don’t overdo it or under do it.

Dress for success! Know what the dress code is at the job you want to land and show up looking the part.  If you are applying at a very corporate office, be sure to wear a tailored suit, if the place is more fashion forward, you may want to add a signature piece of jewelery. Invest in your interview! Spending a little extra money to look your best could lead to you landing the job and having financial security in the future.

Be Well Informed: Research the company that will be interviewing you. You do not want to go into an interview blindly, show your interviewer that you are serious about the position by doing your homework. What kind of company are they? Do they have a company motto? What are their beliefs on education? If possible, also do your research on the person who will be interviewing you. Google their name and see what you can find, maybe they have published a book, and if they have, read it before the interview! Being well-informed about the company and the person who will be interviewing you makes you “look smart”and demonstrates to your interviewer that you’ve done your homework.

Confidence: Be well informed about the company that is interviewing you and bring your best face forward, and you will exude confidence. Nothing is more beautiful than confidence and your interviewer will be able to see it immediately. Be sure you shake your interviewers hand firmly, smile and look at their eyes when you speak.  I hate when people interview with me and give me “fish hands.”  If you are not sure about your hand shake, practice on your friends.

Confidence is quite possibly the most powerful part of the equation so plan ahead to make sure you are feeling good, well prepared, and confidant!

Things happen because you make them happen. Nothing is by chance and if you want the job of your dreams you have to be prepared. Do your homework and ask yourself, “Am I the material that employers want?” If not, you need to revamp yourself. I hope these tips will help you at your next interview.  Good luck!

Fall is the perfect season to introduce treatments and at-home care products that target hyper-pigmentation. As an esthetician, it is important for you to provide your clients with the most advanced skincare technology that is available to successfully treat your clients. Due to arrive in Fall of 2011, Repêchage will introduce the Repêchage Biolight Miracle Facial with Glyco-Sea Glycolic Peel and the Repêchage Biolight Beyond Brightening At-Home Care Products.  This revolutionary new professional treatment and product line is a natural and effective method to help your clients treat hyper-pigmentation without damaging the structure of the skin.

A wonderful way to introduce the new range in your spa is by having a launch party! Make your clients feel special by inviting them to experience complimentary “mini” treatments like the New! Repêchage Biolight Glyco-Sea Glycolic Peel Express Treatment. By giving them a sampling of the new range, you will entice them to book the full service, the Repêchage Biolight Miracle Facial with Glyco-Sea Glycolic Peel.

We can’t forget the skin on our bodies either! This is a great time to market contouring body treatments such as the Repêchage Peppermint Sea Twist. This seaweed body treatment improves circulation, and provides slimming and toning benefits. Not only does it do wonders for repairing the skin, but it also lends a helping hand to those who may have gained a few extra pounds eating hot dogs and ice cream on the boardwalk this summer. If you are unable to get to the spa for a body treatment this fall, scrub away dull skin cells with the Repêchage Sea Spa Glow followed by the soap-free Repêchage Sea Spa Body Wash to cleanse your skin without the over-drying effect of soap.  Follow with the Repêchage Seaweed Body Cream for smooth, hydrated, and refreshed skin.

For those of us who wore our wide-brimmed hats and donned our sunscreen, kudos! But as mentioned in my summer skincare blog post, sunscreens and oils can sometimes lead to breakouts which may linger into early fall.  Be sure to continue with an acne skincare regime including a cleanser, toner, light-weight moisturizer, serum, deep pore cleansing mask and spot treatment.

Although proper skincare is always important, your skin is not the only thing that will need attention this fall. As the summer dwindles away, you may see a change in mood in your clients and even in yourself. The transition from summer to fall can be depressing for some people, but there are precautions we can take to prevent it. To make sure that your clients are happy with their skin and just happy in general, provide them with this post-summer lifestyle tips:

•  Start exercising again, if your work-out plan went out with the tide, then start back up again. Exercising for 30 minutes every morning will help give you that extra energy you are searching for.
• You are what you eat! Try snacking on walnuts and almonds instead of greasy potato chips. Also be sure to consume foods with skin enhancing Omega 3s such as: fish and spirulina.
• Keep up with you skincare regime so you can feel as good as you look!

So as the summer is winding down, be sure to take into consideration what this change of climates will mean for your clients and your business. By staying in tune with the needs of your clients, and providing them with the latest that skincare technology has to offer, you will be able to transition your clients into the fall with ease.