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/launch-your-spa-business-with-beauty-trends-for-2012.php http://www.lydiasarfati.com/launch-your-spa-business-with-beauty-trends-for-2012.php#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:30:45 +0000 Lydia Sarfati http://www.lydiasarfati.com/?p=2360 This week, my Repêchage team and I  got together for a meeting of the minds. We talked about 2011, what we will continue to do in 2012 and what we will do differently. It was amazing for me to see the drive and the strategies that my employees have for success in 2012.

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!

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!

Now packaged in a convenient pump-bottle, this super facial serum can be applied with ease all over the face, neck & décolletage. Although the outside received a make-over, the recipe is the same. Made of the same great stuff, C-Serum, short for cytoserum, is a highly concentrated Laminaria Digitata & Ascophyllum Nodosum Seaweed extracts rich in vitamins, minerals amino acids and trace elements. Helps to prevent dehydration, fine lines and to return moisture to restore overall skin vitality.

Since 1980, Repêchage, meaning “to rescue” or “second change,” has created a full range of nutrient-rich seaweed based skincare products featured at top spas globally. Forerunners in sea plant technologies and pioneers in seaweed treatments and cosmetics in the US, Repêchage researchers seek out specific seaweeds, beneficial for a range of skin conditions and therapeutic needs. The rich blend of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids and anti-oxidants in seaweed makes it an ideal main ingredient for detoxifying, oxygenating, re-balancing, hydrating, anti-aging and renewing benefits. Our seaweed is harvested from the Brittany Coast of France and processed right in the Repêchage headquarters in Secaucus, NJ. Our proprietary method of processing the seaweed delivers all the nutritive benefits from the sea to the skin.
This Repêchage favorite got a little lift, why not treat your face to a hydrating make-over with the Repêchage C-Serum Seaweed Filtrate in new packaging?!

1.)   First, refresh your footsies with a spritz of the Kanshi® Instantly Refreshing Foot Spray! Infused with Triple Mint, Horse Chestnut, and Lemon Myrtle, this spray will help cut down on foot odor and re-energize tired feet.

2.)  Scoop-up some Kanshi® Salted Mango Hand and Body Scrub or the Kanshi® Salted Coconut Scrub to exfoliate rough edges from all those days spent in flip flops! Gently massage your scrub of choice into your calves, feet and soles to achieve the perfect polish!

3.)  Smooth on the Kanshi® Triple Mint Hydrating Foot Masque, its Lemon Myrtle and Triple Mint formula will help to cool and soothe feet while softening callus buildup. Once applied, wrap feet in Mylar or plastic then kick back and relax as the masque soaks up the stress!

4.)  Continue this luxury treatment by using some warm towels to remove the masque.

5.)  Once the masque has been removed, slather on Kanshi® Triple Mint Nourishing Foot Cream and give yourself a wonderful foot and leg massage.

Ta da! A perfect-pedi!

So put your best foot forward this Labor Day Weekend with the Kanshi® Welcoming Foot Cleansing Ritual! Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

For more information on Kanshi, call 1-800-248-SKIN or log on to www.kanshibeauty.com

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.

Necessary Evil

• Soak up the sun…screen:  Although sunscreen is an absolute must for protecting your skin from skin cancer and preventing wrinkles, it can sometimes be harmful to your complexion. When buying sunscreen, be sure to find one that is specifically for facial use. Look for sunscreens that are mineral and anti-oxidant rich and beware of sunscreens that include: fragrance as it may be a photosensitizer, isopropyl myristate as it may be comedogenic, or  PABAs which are known skin irritants. Also, keep your skin clean with a daily regime geared toward acne-prone skin. Even if you don’t typically have acne, this will offset the multiple applications of sunscreen that your skin isn’t used to. I recommend adding a daily deep pore cleansing mask like Repêchage Hydra Medic Sea Mud Perfecting Mask to keep skin clear all summer long.

Bacteria

• Keep it clean: Unfortunately, hot, moist weather creates a prefect environment for bacteria to thrive. As always, keep your hands off your face, and make sure that everything that does touch your face is clean. Towels, pillowcases, and makeup brushes should all be washed regularly with non-comedogenic cleansers.

Post-party pimples

• Remove your makeup!: Long summer days can lead to even longer summer nights. No matter what time you make it back from the luau, remember to remove your makeup! Leaving makeup on overnight is damaging to the skin and can clog your pores leading to, you guessed it, breakouts. So be sure you are completely bronzer-free by the time you hit the hay.
• As always- water, water, water:  A couple of cocktails can leave you and your skin dehydrated. Amp-up the amount of water that you drink to flush your system, and re-hydrate your skin from the inside out.

In the Spa: Find an Acne Facial Treatment! Continued Acne Facial Treatments help to control existing breakouts while helping to prevent new ones from forming. These treatments are wonderful in the summer time, because you are keeping your skin clear while giving yourself a little break from all of the summertime commotion!

Making the commitment to incorporate these tips and finding an Acne Facial Treatment like the Repêchage Hydra Medic Acne Facial Treatment can help you beat the summer breakout and keep your skin looking its best!

The incidence of melanoma is increasing rapidly in woman under the age of 40.  Skin Cancer is now the most common cancer in young women aged 25-29, and 2^nd only to breast cancer in women ages 30-34. This is especially disturbing as more than 90% of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, which we can prevent!

If you enjoy the beach, as I’m sure many of you do, you need to take extra precaution to protect your skin.  Although a sun-kissed glow can be appealing, it can also be dangerous.  Anytime you are going to be out in the sun for an extended period, you must always wear sunscreen!! Sunscreen is not a one and done application either, in order for sunscreen to be effective it needs to be reapplied throughout the day.  SPF measures the length of time a product protects the skin, so if you normally start to turn pink in 10 minutes of sun exposure, with an SPF 15 it will take 15 times as long (2.5 hours).  I recommend if you are at the beach to reapply sunscreen at least every hour and before and after taking a dip in the water.  It is also important to accessorize, whether you’re at the beach or not! Sunscreen is effective but it never hurts to be too prepared.  Make sure you are armed with a beach umbrella, a wide-brimmed hat, and a sarong so you can stay healthy and chic this summer.

As estheticians, we see a lot of skin and we can be instrumental in detecting early signs of skin cancer. Remember, if you can spot it you can stop it! If when giving a facial or a massage you notice that your client has an irregular mark or mole, mention it to them once the treatment has finished.  Approach them gently, be sure not to offend or scare your client.  Perhaps you could even team up with a dermatologist in your area so you can be prepared to offer them a referral if they hadn’t noticed the mark prior to you mentioning it.  It is better to be safe than sorry, and we are in a wonderful position to make sure that our clients are skin stays healthy!

For more information, please visit The Skin Cancer Foundation.

For the holidays, we dressed our newly renovated headquarters in holiday theme as guests, greeted with flutes of Champagne splashed with pomegranate juice, were surrounded by chic silver and blue holiday décor. If you’ve been following my blog, you will know by now that one of my favorite parts of prepping for any event is getting the space decorated in the spirit.

The event kicked off with guest speaker Julie Mahoney of Oasis Day Spa in Weymouth, MA, who shared her experiences as an esthetician owning her own skincare center; from finding the perfect location to making tough choices like firing a lead esthetician. Our second guest speaker Richard Calcasola of Maximus Spa/Salons of Long Island shared the challenges and successes he has found in running a full service salon and spa. He shared his challenges in opening a Soho salon in the wake of September 11^th, as well as the success of his newly opened salon in Long Island that incorporates FACEbAR to offer Repêchage express services in the salon environment. Finally, I was lucky to present an in depth look at the benefits of sea water and sea plant technology for the first time, though I couldn’t resist delving briefly into helpful business tips for 2011.

Before guests left, Shiri presented a sneak peak at the Repêchage Sea Spa Lifestyle Collection, our collection launching in the first quarter of 2011. Guests were the first to preview the new Sea Spa Collection and left the event toting new and fabulous “Gift-to-Go” items, Sea Spa Foot Cream and Sea Spa Body Cream, in eco-friendly reusable Repêchage bags.

I would like to thank everyone who came! It was an amazing event and we were so lucky to have you with us. Here’s looking to next year!

We would like to give a special thanks to all of our speakers and we hope you enjoyed their presentations. We would also like to extend thanks to our amazing sponsors, Creative Nail Design, Belvedere, Les Nouvelles Esthétiques and Satin Smooth.

Repêchage would also like to take the opportunity to thank all of the applicants for the Spa de Beauté of the Year Award. This year the much coveted awards, judged by Denise Fuller, Editor in Chief of Les Nouvelles Esthétiques went to Michelle Lamb of Lemongrass Spa, from Valdosta, GA, for Day Spa of the Year, Julie Mahoney of Oasis Day Spa from Weymouth, MA, for Skin Care Spa Center of the Year and Mayola Amador of Melange World Spa for Destination Spa of the Year. This year, Lydia Sarfati presented the President Awards to Mario and Cheryl Tricoci of Tricoci University, Kelly Heuther of SalonCentric, Carolyn Corporan of Beauty Systems Group and Wendy Lynch of Anthony P. Scott, Trinidad.

Your relationship with Repêchage as well as your continued support is always appreciated. Repêchage intends to continue to make the spa industry better each and every day by offering first class events and educational opportunities. Education has always been a top priority of Lydia Sarfati’s, and that is why Repêchage continues to support you in furthering your education. Thank you for your commitment to raising the bar for your salon and your community.

We are so appreciative of your support for Repêchage and look forward to a beautiful future together!

Please plan to join us next year July 18, 2011 for our 13th International Congress for Salon and Spa Professionals & Exclusive Launch Event.

Click the PLAY button below to hear a personal podcast message from Lydia.

Pictured: 1. Lesley Seymour, Felicia Milewicz, Lydia Sarfati, Andrea Robinson, Susan Sommers 2. Rachel Boger, Susanna Disotto, Lydia Sarfati, Shiri Sarfati 3. Vera Mazak, Lydia Sarfati, Irena Stelowska, Mayola Amador 4. Marianna Tiedemann, Lydia Sarfati, Lee Rector 5.Amanda Baratta, Shartisha Ellison 6. Tadamasa Shimizu, Kazuko Akiyama, Lydia Sarfati 7. Lydia Sarfati, Adelaide Farah 8. Marlene Lopez, Tadamasa Shimizu, Gabriela Viloria, Kazuko Akiyama, Indira Van Uyten, Esther Andrea 9. Michael Golden, Linda Fellows, Carolyn Corporan, Lydia Sarfati, Stacy Gaspard 10. Rafael Herrera, Fatima Scheker, Clarissa Herrera, Lydia Sarfati, Esther Andrea, Marlene Lopez, Indira Van Uyten, Gabriela Viloria, Yulieantiningsih Sri 11. Dzigbordi Dosoo, Lydia Sarfati, Arinola Adeniyi 12. Johanna Emma 13. Cheryl Tricoci, Mario Tricoci, Richard Calcasola, Joyce Calcasola 14. Joel Gerson, Lydia Sarfati 15. Lydia Sarfati, Dr. Randall Feingold, Shiri Sarfati 16. Leigh Jacobs, Lydia Sarfati, Dr. Elliot Jacobs 17. Shiri Sarfati, Laurie Consolo, Valerie Desmond, Kelly White, Jennifer Magnussen, Ashley Onges, Pamela Onges, Lydia Sarfati, Elvira Santos 18. Shiri Sarfati, Denise Fuller, Lydia Sarfati, Mayola Amador 19. Cheryl Tricoci, Mario Tricoci, Lydia Sarfati, David Sarfati 20. Shiri Sarfati, Denise Fuller, Michelle Lamb 21. Shiri Sarfati, Renee Lovely, Lydia Sarfati 22. Lauren Streeter, Lisa Dominguez, Jennifer Matuga 23. Shiri Sarfati, Denise Fuller, Julie Mahoney, Lydia Sarfati 24. Lydia Sarfati, Kelly Huether 25. Shiri Sarfati, David Sarfati, Felicia Milewicz, Lydia Sarfati, Lesley Seymour, Andrea Robinson, Jean Zimmerman, Susan Sommers, Marek Milewicz 26. Susan Vindics, Don Emiliani, Sally Onesty 27. Julie Mahoney, Denise Fuller, Lydia Sarfati 28. Shiri Sarfati, Karie Frost 29. Kathy Marzano, Shartisha Ellison, Neisha de Freitas, Sarah Hernandez, Lauren Streeter, Arinola Adeniyi 30. Samantha DeMartini, J Scott Berry, Beth Hickey, Lydia Sarfati, Emmett Hickey, Shiri Sarfati 31. Joel Gerson, David Sarfati, Lydia Sarfati, Shiri Sarfati, Lawrence Markovitz 32. Alla Pulvermahker, Lydia Sarfati 33. Asma Mohammad