Jane Wurwand addresses an in-person and virtual crowd about the power of connectivity.Jane Wurwand addresses an in-person and virtual crowd about the power of connectivity.
Sometimes a professional event delivers way more than attendees ever expected, and this was the case on the evening of February 25th. Whether you were one of the lucky 200 in-person attendees and or you were among the 1,000 skincare therapists from around the globe who were virtual visitors, the recent live webinar featuring Dermalogica founder and advocate for women Jane Wurwand was a revelation.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the company’s International Dermal Institute, Wurwand and colleagues opened up Dermalogica’s light and sprawling facility in Carson, California, to beauty and spa industry professionals and media, for the webinar event. DAYSPA editors were among the fortunate few to enjoy a personalized tour of the building’s state-of-the-art esthetics classrooms, airy-bright offices and massive warehouse, led by none other than Dermalogica president and COO Jerry Wenker.
The webinar itself, however, was the main attraction. Before a spellbound auditorium and cyber audience, Wurwand launched into a riveting presentation about the power of connectivity, starting with the use of devices to do everything from find a restaurant to enjoy a family reunion, and the tremendous advantages and opportunities that these devices afford. However, explained Wurwand, an unfortunate side effect of this phenomenon is a growing sense of disconnection—a paradox that she believes brings skincare therapists front and center.
“I believe that we are the cavalry,” Wurwand told the captivated crowd. In what she referred to as our “touch-starved society,” skincare therapists just might be the ones most able to provide a severely needed sense of connection—to counteract the “epidemic of loneliness” that many in today’s high-tech world have come to experience. She then shared the compelling “Free Hugs Campaign” music video to illustrate her point, bringing many in the audience to tears.
Wurwand’s closing words to skincare therapists was a mantra of sorts, meant to help them stay connected to their own purpose—to not only serve the “what” and “how” of their profession, but to stay true to the why of it. In the end, she said, skincare therapists are there to make people’s lives better, and to do it via the human connection. When with a client, Wurwand urged, “Don’t break eye contact. Stay engaged. Stay in the moment.” It was a stirring reminder of the importance of the spa industry in maintaining a healthier, more balanced world. —Linda Kossoff
