You can now get certified for doggie massage.  I understand that dogs are very important to their owners, but maybe we are carrying this a little too far?  I have four dogs and I can tell you if anyone in my family is going to get a massage it going to be me.  Sure I’ll rub their little tummies, but pay for a doggie massage?   I don’t think so!

Sorry Bert, Irma, Lilly & Megabyte….the best you are going to get is doggie day care once a month.  Spoiled Rotten Woof, Woof!

I know that I’m a spa girl and I know Premiere Orlando, has traditionally been mostly hair and nails, but I love Premiere Orlando. Where else can you get 40,000 beauty fashionistas together for two days to carry on about up-dos, hair extensions, makeup, skin care, nail art, and so many other topics.  We could just spend a day on brushes….and who is copying who! (now, that is hot news…surely speaking).

Now for the trends that are still happening…believe it or not, hair extensions continue to be hot, and of course, the debates continue on which ones hurt the hair and which ones do not.  Next on the hit parade is hair straightening….now you have to know I have actually tried this and it was a very science project kind of day.  Do you remember science class, dissecting frogs, and other stuff?  Do you remember the smell?  Now this is what you smell like—this is formaldehyde that you are putting on your hair.  You know the stuff that they embalm bodies with!  Okay, I know it is supposedly only 2.5%, but this can not be good for you.  And if you are anywhere close to the spa world, this is as far from green and sustainable as you can get.  Nix, the straighteners….although I would give my right arm to wake up with silky, smooth hair instead of broom hair.

Moroccan Oil was a hot booth with turquoise bags filling the convention center everywhere.  The magical argan oils make the hair shiny and smooth, sealing in the shine with of course a blow dryer.  The models were gorgeous, the hair gorgeous…and as I was walking by taking pictures, I admired one of the model’s hair….”your hair is gorgeous, do you love the oils…yes, but I also use Redken.”  It’s hard to get good help these days.

This past weekend marked the Les Nouvelle show in Miami Beach.  Primarily an esthetician show in years past, it has now turned a little green and way more “spa-like”.  Walking the trade show floor, there were vendors showing their “stuff”.  Up and down each row, you heard manufacturers and sales reps preaching their gospel.

1. Lesson #1:  Don’t Buy Immediately.  Here, let me put this on one hand.  Wow, look at that.  Compare the two hands.  Wow, look at that.  Lesson #1….walk away, and compare your hand in 5 or 10 minutes.  Does it really look different?  Betcha, it doesn’t after ten minutes, but if it does, run back and buy it!
2. Lesson#2:Vendor Training Is a REQUIREMENT, not optional and not at a cost.  One vendor proudly announced to me–”Your first training is FREE.”  Are you kidding?  You want to sell products to me that you want me to sell to my clients and you will graciously give me the first training for FREE?  PLEEZE!  Have you heard of vendor partners?  Please don’t do me any favors.  On to the next booth.
3. Lesson #3:Packaging Sells.  Booth after booth, we kept looking at some of the worst packaging in the world.  Some of the manufacturers have some of the best products in the world, but they put them in the worst bottles, with labels that look like they were designed in a word document.  Welcome to the new millennium and take a trip to the mall to look at your competition.  If you have a great product, make it look great from the outside too.

Every show has highlights and lessons.  It’s how we learn and grow in the industry.

Imagine the horror when you hear that a therapist is telling new clients that she only takes tips in cash.  The ongoing debate on tips in the spa has reared its ugly head.  Some spas charge the tip automatically giving the entire tip to the therapist, while others split the tip with a percentage going to cover overhead.  Others have even been known to use the tip as part of the therapist’ compensation plan.  The latter, I think has some type of moral repercussions, if not labor laws.

1. Last time I checked, a tip is not required.
2. A tip is an appreciation for super service above the norm.
3. Why only in cash, because you get it sooner?
4. Did you also tell the client that you have to wait until your paycheck to receive your other tips?
5. Did anyone share with you spa etiquette?

Whether your spa collects tips automatically or as a thank you, my southern hospitality tells me that from the dawn of ages, a tip is a special thank you for going above and beyond.   It should not be automatically added to the check unless you have a large party and it definitely should not be part of a compensation plan. 

The client’s motive for telling us about her experience, was that she thought it was inappropriate to discuss tips before having and during the service.  The client also questioned as to whether we actually paid the whole tip to the employee (a practice which some spas use by taking a portion of the tips).  In this particular case, the employee had breached the client/staff line, where something that should be private is aired in public–like airing your dirty laundry.

When approached, this employee, of course, denied telling the client she only took tips in cash.  She said that the client must have misunderstood.  We walked through the inappropriateness of the conversation and why you do not discuss tips with your clients and guests.  Discussing money with anyone except your accountant or a financial adviser is etiquette taboo.

Speaking green all over the world, Cosmoprof Italy saw new brands hit the green parade with natural ingredients combined with the latest technology.  The new combination of tech and green pushes the creativity and eco-consciousness of all brands.  Some touted highlights of the show include “Boob Job” (a breast & cleavage firming cream), “Organic Surge” (an upscale body care line), and Polaris, (a new chemical free straightening treatment).

As every cosmetics and beauty show starts to hit Green pay-dirt, will the organic frauds start falling out?  If you are organic, say the percentage that you are organic.  If you are natural, be natural.  Will it take a federal grand jury to keep manufacturers and marketers from green washing the spa & beauty industries?  Just be greenly honest…sometimes you can not afford to be totally green…that is okay if you just admit it.  There is no fooling your greenies.

Working with mostly women is always a treat, but when one of them does something outrageous, it suddenly becomes fodder for the entire spa. 

It starts with the ever fashionista hair stylist who tells one of the estheticians–hey, you need to teach her how to wax her sideburns.  She is cutting them, and not for nothing, she looks like ELVIS.  And, we cannot have ELVIS here at the spa, performing a massage.  This just isn’t right.

You know, it was okay for Elvis, but then again, Elvis was a man, yes, it was okay for Elvis to have sideburns, but not a girl.  Especially in the spa business.  Say NO to sideburns or maybe she ain’t a hound dog.

Heart to heart conversations happen in the spa.  Why, you ask? Because you have created an environment where people tell all.  You have created a place where people can exhale.

They will open up their hearts and tell you every little detail.  Knowing that Mrs. Jones wears only black is a fact, because you have always seen Mrs. Jones in black.  Knowing WHY Mrs. Jones wears black is because you have created an environment where people tell it all.  It is good and bad.  Good, becaue you have created a safety net and a cocoon, where people can exhale and have private conversations.  Bad, because you know a lot about people, their personal life, their dreams, their needs and desires and YOU must keep secrets.  If you tell, you will put a hole in the safety net.

Now for the secret.  First, Mrs. Jones is not her real name.  And, she wears black, because she mourns everyday for the loss of her marriage.  I still haven’t connected the dots between law school, marriage, and wearing black, but she has, and as long as she still comes to the spa, I will keep honoring her secrets.  Exhale!

Locker Room and Grooming Areas

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Benches or Ottomans in locker area

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Robes & Slippers- In Spa Lockers

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Towel drop cabinet should be large enough to fit laundry bin on wheels.

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Towel Racks for clean towel and drop off points for soiled towels

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Scale

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Full length mirror

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Grooming area with:

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Counter top at 36”

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Pull up stool under

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Wall lights

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Grooming amenities

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Grooming accessories: sealed combs, brushes…..

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Tissue dispenser

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Trash bins

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Amenity line- private label, brand names or a combination of both.

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Make-up mirror (for women’s areas)

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Sink Vanities with:

Free-standing (on counter) soap dispensers

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Sufficient space for clean/soiled linen; refuse disposal

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Finishes to be durable, natural materials that are easily cleaned

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hand soap, sealed brushes, combs in sanitizing solution, Makeup

remover, tissues, trash receptacle

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Wall mirror

Wall lights

Faucets (on sensors)

Soap dispensers (on sensors)

Amenity trays for cleansers

Consumables: razor, shaving gel, q tips, tooth brush, tooth paste,

mouth wash, paper cups

Trash bins

Tissue dispensers

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soap, sealed brushes and sanitized combs, disposable razors,

shaving cream, Facial Toner/Splash for after shave, tissues, trash

receptacle

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Wall mirror

Wall lights

Faucets (on sensors)

Soap dispensers (on sensors or on-counter container > operator)

Amenity trays for cleansers

Consumables: razor, shaving gel, q tips, tooth brush, tooth paste,

mouth wash, paper cups

Trash bins

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Dry Grooming with:

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Hairspray, Hair Mousse, Hair gel, Spray Deodorant, Talc, Cotton

Balls, Swabs, tissues, trash receptacle

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Deodorant, Swabs, Foot spray, Talc, Tissues, trash receptacle

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Oth

Linen hand towels

Each generation has its own description of the “do-it-all” mom…from Super Woman to “Alpha Mom”, the latest in the monikers for the stretched thin, incredibly organized, super MOM. Good Morning America has talked about her, USA Today has written about her, and now I have met her (AKA “Alpha Mom”) in person.

It all started when our new yoga studio needed a babysitter for the 8:30 am vinyasa yoga class. In walked two seemingly normal moms–you don’t know an alpha mom until you actually see the diaper bag. It is also very organized, just like their life. They transport the little one to other hands, promptly close the door, and they have just adjusted to 1 hour of bliss, sans (without) the little bambino.

Now, one was an alpha mom, latest style of clothing, cutting edge of technology (iphone), hot yoga clothing and the other, well, she was “just a regular mom”. Ask alpha mom her plans for the day–well she wakes, gets son ready for school, says goodbye to husband, packs up new baby, off to yoga class, back to house, change, feed baby, meet business friend for lunch, work at 1:00, 5:00 grocery store, dinner at 6:00, homework at 7:00, husband time at 8:00, sleep at 10. I am awed at her amazing ability to get everything done in one day and juggle all of her responsibilities with such apparent ease—-I can barely get one person (me) ready, much less juggle 4, a job, yoga classes, house, and do it with such grace and smiles.

After one hour of my yoga class babysitting, my hats off to alpha mom. She is a goddess, we need to worship the ground she walks on….and I learned another important lesson…she takes at least one hour every day just for herself. She loves the yoga because it makes her grounded, stretched and relaxed. Whether it is yoga, or a walk, or a rerun of her favorite sitcom, or a book, she takes one hour every day for the alpha mom that she is.

Take one hour every day just for you! Breathe, stare at the ocean, read a book, have a massage, take a yoga class!

One of the funniest stories in our spa happened many years ago on a Saturday morning.  We were completely booked, 5 treatment rooms, 4 nail techs, and 1 hairstylist.  One of the massage therapists was not showing up for the 9:00 appointment and the client was there and she was a brand new client.  We escorted the client into the room and let her get ready for her massage. 

Then panic set in.  The very late massage therapist was not answering her phone (too much Friday night partying).  Who was going to do the massage?  Everyone was booked except one nail tech had just received a cancellation–Chong, a warm, friendly, & very funny Korean stepped up to the plate.  She flung her hands to the ceiling and stated, “Once they have a massage with Chong, there is no going back”.  I waffled between my desire to please the client or to disappoint the client…my warped rationalization said, well if she doesn’t like the massage, we can always refund her money.  Then, Chong do you know it is 90 minutes?  Do you know what to do?  Chong, ever the funny girl, replied, “Not to worry…I massage in Korea”.

90 minutes sweat-ed by tick, tock….my pedicure was taking forever…as I wondered how the massage was going.  Finally Chong came out of the room,  she washed her hands, and then with a brillant smile exclaimed, “She loves me, she’s re-booking next Saturday”. 

The brand new client finally came out of the room and confirmed with the front desk, that indeed, she had loved her 90 minute massage and would be booking one every week with Chong.  The new client thought the best part of the massage was when Chong stood on the table….I said…WHAT?

We spend hours on our hair, pulling, drying, smoothing, curling, heating, cooling….you have to start with nourishing your body from the inside out. Start with a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish. If your diet isn’t showing in your hair, try some evening primrose oil for at least 6 weeks and you will start to see your hair shine.

Or if your diet not rich in greens, meet with one of the “Cutting Edge Redken Certified & Trained” Stylists. They know how to make even the frizziest, coarse hair, silky smooth. Some of their tricks include using a semi-permanent color on really damaged hair, or conditioning with a Super Duper Power Serum. Repeat color can wreak havoc on hair…so make sure the color that you use is rich in conditioners. They use the word “Professional” for a reason!

Other tips include home care with Pureology Shining Duo or Hergen Gold Leave-Conditioner.  Lastly, this is going to sound nuts (almonds), but it is really true. They told me to take a Yoga class. When you get stressed, it can cause your hair to fall out….your cortisol levels increase because of the stress, causing your head to shed (no kidding). Try some yoga (you know you need it any way), but if your head is shedding, it is time to take a deep breath and do your child’s pose or doggie down.