Pamela Hill Institute

Are you offering your clients the facial treatments that they want? During the coming year it would be wise to emphasize the facial, a vital step for any client towards reaching the beautiful skin that they desire. A facial is a way of cleansing the skin on the  face and removing the top dead layers of the skin resulting into having beautiful, more youthful appearing and glowing skin. Facials moisturize the face and assist in cell renewal, relaxing the muscles of the face. Facials can also treat problems like acne, dark patches, loss of color and toning, and should be done at least once a month, which both helps your clients and  creates ongoing income for your business.

One of the joys of being a woman is personal pampering. Facing each new day looking your best is a challenge, but a regular facial can help your clients to achieve this goal. There are of course many types of facials to offer your clients. One thing they all have in common is that they make the skin, the largest organ on the body, healthier. The skin protects our bodies  from invasion by foreign substances and serves as the transfer point for release of toxins from the body, a function essential for living and good health. The skin also provides an honest mirror of a person’s inner health and well-being. This makes it  especially important to use only natural, gentle ingredients on the skin whenever possible. Application to the skin of fresh, natural products which include essential oils, plant waters or hydrosols and cold pressed unscented oils will help to  maintain a youthful, glowing complexion. These essential oils and hydrosols are the fragrant liquids distilled from different plants. They include flower petals, herbs, leaves and tree barks, and they are fundamental components of any solid, natural skin care regime. Cold pressed unscented oils are extracted from many fruits, nuts and seeds including olive oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil and jojoba oil. When they are used in tandem these essential oils, hydrosols and cold pressed unscented oils will work together to soothe and nourish the skin resulting in the encouragement of a healthful, radiant complexion.

Facials are deep skin treatments that cleanse, rehydrate and rejuvenate a person’s skin. They minimize blemishes, acne, wrinkles and dry skin. They vary depending on type of skin and the type of treatment chosen. It is wise for your clients to begin having facials in their 20’s.

The new year approaches and it is time for some financial fitness new year’s resolutions for your aesthetics business. Do you have all of the business you need and want? Probably not. Most of us could use more. There is always some attrition of clients. Some move away, some pass away and some for various personal reasons move on. Others are lost to competition. Even if you have a good client base and stay busy, adding more clients is a sign of health in a business. Take some positive steps this year to increase your business as much as you can handle.

First, take a look at your overall marketing plan. How do you acquire new clients? Do you just rely on referrals and word of mouth? Word of mouth is the best type of publicity that you can get, but for most businesses, as good as it is it may not be enough. A good public relations program can go a long ways towards increasing your client base. Do you send out press releases when you hire a new clinician? Your daily newspaper business page and your weekly business journal will both print them for you, making more people aware of your business.

How about networking? Do you belong to local groups, clubs and organizations? The chamber of commerce, local business and networking groups and even social activities are all there to help you get the word out. Just follow the three foot rule when you go to events. If someone gets within three feet of you, hand them a business card and make them aware of your business.

Now let’s discuss advertising. Dollars are hard to come by and you need to spend them wisely. Is your paid advertising reaching the demographic group that your clientele belongs to? Many spa businesses rely only on the local newspaper for advertising. Newspapers all over the country are loosing readership and raising ad rates at the same time, so the newspaper may not be your best bet. Have you looked at radio recently? Many local radio stations offer discounts on advertising purchased in January. It is traditionally the slowest time of the year for them, and you may find bargains that are on the station the people you want to reach listen to. If you have a web site, then use the commercials you buy to drive listeners to your web site to learn more about your business. Be creative and you’ll have the best financial year ever.

Once we get past the holiday season, many of your clients will suffer from the post holiday winter blues. These clients will come to you feeling down and out and need a pick me up. And they will be coming to the right place, your spa.

Coming into a spa is an invigorating experience in itself. But if your client is feeling blue then you have an even more important responsibility than normal. Make sure that they experience treatments that will make them feel better. One of the best is one of the simplest – the traditional massage.

A massage is a truly hedonistic pleasure as anyone who has experienced one will attest. However it also has health benefits, assisting the blood flow throughout the body and relieving stress. Some clients become so relaxed when enjoying a professional massage that they fall asleep right on the massage table. That really indicates a release of stress.

Another treatment that rejuvenates and restores and is always a hit is the simple facial. Exfoliation, cleaning out the pores of the skin is health, but it also feels really good to the person receiving it. Suggest that your clients try a facial. And if they have not done so before, then encourage them with a post holiday special price. Knock a few dollars off and see the number of clients trying a facial increase. It will make them happier and it will fill up your cash register.

How many of your clients are complaining about excess hair? If your business offers intense pulsed light therapy or laser hair removal then right after the holiday season is the perfect time to encourage them to engage in hair removal. Hair removal, whether by IPL or laser enhances the quality of appearance and makes people feel better about themselves. Getting rid of unsightly hair raises self esteem and allows your clients to become more daring in their dress, revealing more of themselves and going out in public more often. This in turn leads to a more active social life, which in itself can do a lot to rid them of the after the holiday blues.

What other services does your spa offer? Alphahydroxy chemical peels, microdermabrasion, reiki, Chinese medicine or alternative therapies of various sorts? Whatever your business offers, think about how you can encourage your clients to give it a try to rid themselves of the dreaded post holiday blues.

Holiday greetings to everyone from the Pamela Hill Institute. As the holiday seasons come upon us, most people’s thoughts turn to family and loved ones. Be sure this year that you let everyone in your inner circle know how special they are to you. Christmas time is a joyous, happy time of year that coincides with Huachuca, the Jewish festival of lights. Both of these holidays are important to the people who practice them, and whichever one of these holidays you observe, spend time with family and friends and make sure that you take enough time off to appreciate the season.

As the New Year approaches, take time to contemplate all of the wonderful things that you can accomplish in the coming year. The New Year is a time of change, and traditionally a time when people determine the things they can do in the coming year to improve their situation, and the situations of those they care about. New Year’s resolutions often include losing weight, quitting smoking, getting in shape, spending more time with children or parents, and many self improvement ideas and techniques. Somewhere in this mish-mash of endless things to do, take  some time for yourself.

Remember that you cannot help others unless you first help yourself and make sure that you are the best “you” that you can be. If losing weight is something that you want to do for yourself, then do it. If improving your health through an exercise program and a change of diet is something that you need to do to be and to stay healthy, then by all means do so.  Take care of you first. Make sure that you are in great shape physically, mentally and spiritually. Then you’ll be ready to move on and to help others.

When it comes to helping others this year, think of your clients. Being an aesthetician or a spa clinician is in many ways a calling just as vital and important as religious or charitable callings. What you are doing for a living is helping people. Even when you pamper your clients you are helping to increase their self esteem and assisting them in feeling good about themselves. This is not just your job, it is truly an adventure. There is no greater feeling in the world than what you get from helping someone to reach their full potential. As an aesthetician in the coming year you will have many unique opportunities. Take advantage of them.

Happy Holidays.

Radiesse is the safe, next generation cosmetic dermal filler that is  setting a dynamic new standard for facial lines and wrinkles correction and gaining a great deal of buzz. It is great for  nasolabial folds and is based on a natural substance that is found in the human body. It is non-allergenic which of course means that a skin test does not have to be performed before a client has the treatment.

How does the treatment work?

Very small needles inject the gel into the wrinkles and other problem areas on the face of the client. The Radiesse micro spheres are suspended within a gel carrier and the gel is replaced with a natural soft-tissue which provides scaffolding for tissue infiltration and new growth.

The results for most who try it are very positive. Radiesse can either shape facial contours or smooth out wrinkles . The final result will leave the client’s facial features looking healthy, fuller and more youthful. As for side effects, there are possibilities that include swelling, itching, slight pain, discoloration and tenderness at the injection site. There is, however no downtime, but there  may be some swelling and redness following the treatment.

The benefits of Radiesse are the immediate results. It is long lasting, cost effective and non allergenic. There is also no need to harvest fat or skin from another part of the body. Radiesse also remains soft and very pliable for years to come. The time involved for the treatment is about fifteen minutes, and the best areas to respond to Radiesse are the areas around the mouth and the nose. How is it applied? The treatment is injected through a very thin needle. While some discomfort should  be expected by the client a topical anesthesia can be applied to ensure maximum comfort. 

The results of Radiesse  generally last from one to two years. Usually only one treatment is necessary though there is the possibility of touch-up sessions that can be performed every few months or few years.

Before treatment be sure to tell your doctor about any food allergies, drug allergies or environmental concerns you have. Also include information on all of the medications you take, both over the counter and prescription. Be sure to follow all of the instructions your physician gives you regarding smoking, eating and drinking. Then you will probably be like most people and rave about the great effects you will have from Radiesse.