Winterize
Your Client's Skin
by Jane Wurwand
Reprinted from Les
Nouvelles Esthetiques
in The United States
of America.
Seasonal changes are always an excellent opportunity to offer promotions and services tied in with the seasonal event. For example, Mothers Day, Valentines Day and Fathers Day all give a boost to salon revenue and excitement by allowing us to build displays, retail pro-motions and service extras around the theme of the holiday.
Wintertime gives us a double bonus however, of both exciting seasonal activities of Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year's PLUS actual skin changes that occur at this time of year. Winter is the ideal time to build in great promotions and solutions to real skin and body care problems that start to affect our clients.Winter skin complaints
The key common complaints from our clients at this time of year are:Extra dry skin
The most obvious reason for this is the increase in environmental dryness because of central heating in homes and offices. Central heat or air conditioning literally leeches moisture from the air, and leads to dry skin, chapping and irritation. Low humidity in desert climates like the Southwest at this time of year, further compound the problem.
Body skin roughness
Because we have generally been "under wraps" since the summer months, body skin can suffer from a general neglect of care. Grittiness on the upper arms, dull skin overall and lack of smooth silkiness are all evidence of our winter skin and body habits.
Breakouts on the chest and back areas
Dermatologists report that breakouts are more prevalent in late fall and winter. Some reports suggest that our hormone levels change going into winter, and this may account for the rise in acne. When our clients reveal backs and decolletes for holiday dresses, they often find themselves suffering from unsightly breakouts.
Hair growth
Hair growth is slower in winter months, and many clients neglect their regular waxing appointments. Some clients, who wax in the summer months, opt to shave or depilate in winter. This, coupled with an increase in ingrown hairs because of clothing friction from pants and pantyhose, leads to less than perfect bodies come
holiday-time. Legs and underarms are often on display during holiday party season, and many clients have neglected their waxing for several months.
Increased stress levels
With holiday shopping, gift giving and entertaining, almost everyone suffers from stress at this time of year. Last minute preparations can leave even the most enthusiastic among us feeling jaded and burnt-out. Tired shoulders, neck tension and muscle stiffness can all take their toll, as it seems that we have thought of everyone else's needs but our own.
Key winter services
With these common complaints from clients, we can introduce several holiday treatments and retail products centered around solutions to these winter skin problems. Key services and products to highlight would be:
Hydrating paraffin wax masques
Paraffin wax rehydrates the skin with gentle and deep-warming melted wax. The heat of the paraffin induces perspiration, and this aids in deep moisturization of the stratum corneum. The paraffin heat also aids in relaxing tense muscles and loosening joint stiffness. Offer paraffin wax dipping for hands and feet, combined with winter manicures and pedicures. Recommend hand and body lotions to maintain the results at home. Offer a paraffin hand or foot masque with every sixty minute facial.
Design a winter skin treatment which combines application of a paraffin wax facial masque with infra-red heat, for deep warming and moisturizing of dehydrated winter skin.
Paraffin wax can be applied by either dipping, painting or laying gauze over the skin, pre-soaked in paraffin wax. This latter method is ideal for the upper back area, for shoulder tension. Work over the shoulder muscles with a muscle-relaxing liniment. Then dip gauze sheets into paraffin wax, and lay them over the shoulder area. Smooth the gauze out with the hands, rather like applying a plaster-cast. Place under infra-red heat for 15 minutes and then remove. Recommend body hydrating creams to maintain the results.
Back "facial" treatments
Basically, this treatment combines similar procedures as are involved in a facial treatment, but focuses on the back and upper arms. Begin with cleansing under steam using manual techniques and a washable buffing cloth. Follow with either a hydroxy acid or enzymatic exfoliant or a rubbing peel, removed with a friction massage. Complete extractions, and use direct high frequency afterwards. Give a 15 to 20 minute back massage, using an oil-free massage fluid, or relaxing essential oils, if you prefer an aromatherapy technique. Follow with a masque and complete with a moisturizer. Perfect for clients intending to wear strapless dresses during the party-season! Recommend buffing cloths, body smoothing scrubs and body lotions to maintain the results.
Holiday waxing packages
The most popular waxing services during winter holiday season are lower leg waxing, underarms, lip and brow. These services put the client in perfect form for short and strapless party dresses between mid-December and the New Year. Offer a "package" of holiday waxing appointments, at a promotional savings, to
encourage lapsed waxing clients to return in winter. Schedule the waxing package around mid-December so the results will last through to early January. Offer free touch-ups within seven days of the service in case a
winter regrowth occurs during the holiday season.Express facials
With clients pressed for time during busy holiday months, they often cancel their appointments due to lack of time. Offer a special thirty minute "Express Facial," designed to maintain their skins through December and prevent stress breakouts. This can also be offered prior to a holiday make-up lesson/application, to make sure the skin looks its best. Begin the "Express Facial" by mixing the cleanser with an abrasive scrub, and applying to the skin, under steam. This gives a one-step cleanse/exfoliation. Follow with minor extractions, and a masque. While the masque is on for ten minutes, give a shoulder massage. Remove the masque, tone and moisturize. Put together a
kitbag of travel size cleanser, toner, scrub, masque and moisturizer for the client to tote to holiday parties out of town!Winter seasonal spa services
Body scrubs and salt hlows. An all-over exfoliation that leaves the entire skin silky smooth. Use either an abrasive body scrub or mineral salts, if your product line has them, or mix up your own mixture of sea salt, detoxifying essential oils (rosemary, lemon grass, juniper) and massage oils. Apply the mixture to the entire body with broad sweeping movements in a friction massage. Follow with a buffing cloth, with hot water and a body cleansing wash. Have the client shower off, or rinse off in a wet room if you have one. If neither of these facilities is available, use steam towels to remove any residue. Recommend buffing cloths, mineral salts and body smoothing scrubs to use at home.
Stress reduction back massage. Reduce the client's tension and stress in fifteen or thirty minutes (offer two time options) by offering a special "Stress Reduction" back massage. Begin with relaxing essential oils (mandarin, sandalwood and lavender) and then, follow with a warmed massage oil and a full back massage. Work the tense areas either side of the spine, and focus on the scapula area and neck tension. Work under the glow of a warm infra-red heat lamp, and choose the music to be relaxing and rhythmic. Make this service available as an individual appointment, or combine it with a facial appointment. All clients who book a facial could have the opportunity to schedule the stress reduction education back massage BEFORE the facial, at an additional charge. Introduce essential oils for the bath to de-stress at home during the holiday season.Hot herbal linen wraps. The perfect Winter Warmer! Unbleached linen sheets are steeped in a hot herbal "tea" inside a special thermal moist heating unit or Hydrocollator. The seasonal herbs can be cinnamon, juniper, eucalyptus and clove. As the sheets soak and steep in the hot water, the massage table is prepared with a Metallic Spa Sheet or Mylar wrap, with a thick wool insulation blanket underneath.
The hot sheets are then taken out of the water, wrung out, and quickly laid out flat on the massage table. The client lies on the sheet, and it is wrapped around them, like a "mummy wrap." The face and head are excluded, and the arms can be left outside if the client is claustrophobic. Extra sheets are then laid over the client, adding to the weight and heat, and the wet sheets are then enclosed in the metallic spa sheet and wool blanket. The hot herbal linen wrap is a sedation treat-ment, causing detoxification. It is also an inhalation therapy, as the warmed herbs vaporize to be inhaled by the client wrapped in the sheets. Cool compresses can be placed on the forehead and thyroid area of the throat, and the wrap is left in place for about 20-25 minutes. The entire treatment takes around 30 minutes, and is a wonderful winter service.
Winter promotional activities
With all these service ideas in mind for the holiday season, do not forget displays and promotional ideas to let your clients know all about them. Begin your salon holiday specials around the beginning of December and run them through the New Year. Feature gift certificates and holiday gift set ideas, for clients to purchase for their family and friends. Take one of your salon gift certificates to a local print shop, and have them enlarge the certificate to poster size. Frame it and place in your window, and place another in the reception area, to encourage clients to purchase them as gifts.
At our company skin care centres, called "Leonard Drake," we mail our clients a promotional letter every six weeks throughout the year. In December, we do a special holiday mailing with all our specials for the season. We offer a gift-giving service, where the client can telephone the salon and order a gift certificate to be sent to the person of their choice. We take the order with a credit card on the telephone, personalize the message on the gift certificate and then mail it out to the recipient free of charge. All the client has to do is pick up the telephone!In addition, if the client purchases $200.00 in gift certificates from us, we give THEM a complimentary facial to be booked for January!
Create a special seasonal service menu. It can be printed on parchment paper, and inserted into your regular selection of services brochure. Offer some special "Winter Warming" treatments for the three month Holiday Season, and highlight their benefits. Outline your gift certificate and gift wrapping services, and don"t forget to mention some suggestions for Holiday Packages of services that will make great gift ideas!
Display a Christmas Tree (or Chanukah Bush or Large Log Basket!) with small gift cards on it. As each client having a service comes in during the Holiday Season, they are allowed to select an envelope. Inside are various free gifts for them, ranging from a free Paraffin Hand dip, to a sample of a favorite product, to the one "Grand Gift" of a free service that day! It"s a lovely way to say thank you to your clients, generate excitement and give client gifts in the easiest way.Winter seasonal touches
When decorating your skin care center, remember to keep the themes in good taste, and not overpower the entire salon! Because we have a very diverse client base, it may be appropriate to include themes from several holidays being celebrated at this time.- Offer warm cinnamon tea with cinnamon sticks or stirrers during the season
- Make up some fat-free hot cocoa to warm up chilly clients during the winter months
- Select essential oils for your diffusers that evoke winter memories, such as Pine, Eucalyptus and Clove
- Serve warm mini-muffins instead of fresh fruit during the season
However you may decide to promote the holiday season in your salon, it is potentially the most profitable and exciting time of the year. It gives us opportunities to treat regular clients, gives them opportunities to solve difficult gift ideas with salon gift certificates, and allows us to offer solutions to very real skin and body care problems that occur during winter time.
One more suggestion, instead of sending out all those greeting cards this year, with the cost of cards, mailing and paper wastage that incurs, why not do something different? Send out your promotional mailing piece on recycled paper, and give the money you will have saved on a commercial card, envelope and extra mailing costs to a charity of your choice. That way, EVERYONE will have an even better holiday season!
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