It can be isolating just to associate with other green spa owners and enthusiasts. But there's a whole eco-friendly world out there, and even if much of it doesn't share the same infrastructure and focus that your business does, there's a lot to learn. Look in your area for seminars on environmentally sound practices and materials; you never know who you might meet and what unique expertise they can provide.
Plus, check out sustainable trade shows. Many of them are starting to showcase the personal care and beauty perspective. One such example is All Things Organic, which takes place in Chicago June 16-18. While it's staged by the Organic Trade Association (www.ota.com), the Day Spa Association (DSA, www.dayspaassociation.com) will also have a presence there. On Wednesday, June 17, Eric Light of the Strawberry Hill Group and a DSA advisory board member will host a session for spa owners looking to capture the eco-friendly market. DSA will also have a booth in the health and wellness section on the show floor—which will likely contain a number of interesting vendors for those who want to greeen their facilities.
Here we present DAYSPA’s first foray into the video blogosphere with a report from the floor of the International Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa Show in Las Vegas earlier this month. Be gentle! We’re still figuring this out.
My shoulders were aching, and my calf muscles had been stretched beyond any acceptable limit. After a full day lugging around bags of brochures and products at the IECSC show in Las Vegas, I was thrilled to climb onto the treatment table at Qua Baths & Spa at Caesar’s Palace. Before I’d left for Sin City, I’d looked up the treatment I’d signed up for—the Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi massage (75 min./$225)—and found myself mesmerized by the flowing choreography. But once I was on the table, I was enthralled by something else entirely. Natasha, my “master artisan,” rubbed the tension out of my back with warming coconut-scented cream as soft ukulele music played. Before the service, she checked with me whether I’d be OK with the stretching element of Lomi-Lomi and, as a former ballet dancer, I enthusiastically agreed. It was like a guided yoga session, but her direction was so soft that I felt as though I were doing the motions on my own.
But my favorite part was when she focused on each appendage. Those therapists at Qua who provide Lomi-Lomi have to undergo extensive training with Dr. Maka’ala Yates, a Hawaiian medicine specialist who must know everything possible about the body’s reflexes. As Natasha worked down my arm, she tweaked pressure point after pressure point, making my fingers curl. Her deep touch targeted each ligament at a time, as though she were plucking me like a harp. It was revitalizing and relaxing all at once; a perfect combination.
After the treatment, I met back up in the tearoom with my friend, who had experienced Qua’s Raindrop Therapy (75 min./$210). She described it as “heaven.” Her artisan, Shannon, explained the benefits of each of the nine oils she applied to the skin, including basil, oregano, thyme and peppermint. After the treatment, my friend received a heavy, warm blanket on her back before a thorough massage. We must have looked a sight in the tearoom; our limbs askew, completely relaxed. After grabbing a quick drink, we went on a tour of the facility, checking out the simulated snow and 55° temperature in Qua’s Arctic Ice Room before finally plopping down by the Roman Baths. Characterized by three pools—hot, tepid and cool—the area featured heated chaise lounges and several waterfalls. We lamented that we didn’t have enough time to take a dip, but we intently listened to the roar of the water as our time at Qua came to an end.
Even if Qua represents the height of Vegas luxury, their ideas are relatively simple. The Raindrop Therapy treatment is just aromatherapy writ large, and the Roman Baths are an enhanced version of the original bathing ritual. Sometimes, all it takes is something just a little bit special and out of the ordinary to capture the client’s attention.
I’ve always been a fan of a good steam bath — the way the hot, moist air opens my pores, clears my sinuses and relaxes me from head-to-toe. But I recently learned the benefits of using both dry and wet heat therapy. Prior to a recent visit to dtox Day Spa in Los Angeles, director Kat Podmolik recommended I schvitz in the dry sauna prior to my massage and relax in the steam room after. “The dry heat loosens everything up so the therapist can really get in there during treatment,” Podmolik says. “Steam afterwards encourages lymphatic drainage.”
Indeed, my tense muscles calmed down after 15 minutes in the sauna, and the deep-tissue massage didn’t seem as painful — though it was just as effective. A brief steam after my treatment (followed by liters of cool cucumber-lemon water) left me feeling revitalized.
Day spas that offer additional amenities to their clients have a competitive edge. Even small spaces can do it. The women’s and men’s lounge areas at dtox — each of which has a sauna and steam room — are just 250 square feet each. There are also showers, a roomy vanity area stocked with face-and-body products and a quiet nook where guests can sip water and unwind. Creating a luxurious environment encourages clients to stay longer to enjoy a little extra relaxation, Podmolik says. And a rested, revitalized and happy client is most likely to become a repeat client.
Kathryn Borrnd (pictured here with Murad founder Howard Murad, M.D.) won the grand prize—a “Sun Undone” Health and Beauty package for two—on the night of June 4 at the Murad Inclusive Health Spa in El Segundo, California. The occasion was a launch party for Murad’s new Active Radiance Serum, which aims to defend the skin from sun damage. Each of the approximately 150 guests received a sample in their gift bags, in addition to a sample of Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30. The get-together also featured facial consultations from estheticians, vitamin-C hand treatments from nail techs and mini-massages from massage therapists.
Whether you call them spa freebies or strategic bottom-line boosters,
gratis products and services make good business sense.
The last time I booked a pedicure, I got more than the usual cleanse, clip
and color. The nail tech not only gave me a hot summer style tip (“purple and pink polish are the next black and red”), but she also indulged me in lots of spa freebies—a nail file, buffer and several product samples. I was so delighted, I couldn’t wait to book my next appointment.
When it comes to client satisfaction, low-cost/high-impact complimentary products and services now represent a smart business strategy. In today’s economic climate, what better way for a day spa owner to quickly attract the attention of potential long-term clients?
Check out what several day spas across the country recently offered:
Absolute Serenity Salon & Day Spa in East Windsor, Connecticut: Gratis haircuts to the first 100 people who recently lost their jobs.
Cocoon Urban Day Spa in San Francisco: Free manicures to spa-goers who booked a facial or massage before 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
As you create your mani and pedi protocols this summer, consider giving clients modest yet memorable spa gifts. How about a bottle of bright red nail polish after a cherry-scented foot treatment, or an almond-scented body lotion sample following an almond-oil mani? For more innovative protocols and spa freebie suggestions, read “Flights of Fancy.”
Plus, see how one day spa owner’s free beauty treatments touch the lives of armed forces personnel. In this month’s “Winning Ways,” we salute all spas and salons participating in the Military Mission Makeover program.
DAYSPA is also giving away premium products. Enter our “Win It!” Giveaway.
Catch spa freebie fever this summer. Something tells me it may be even hotter than purple and pink nail polish.
