Many years ago, I sat at a Knowledge Network and listened to several spa directors and owners talk about how their robes kept walking out the door.   I asked them what kind of spa robes they had and of course, the brands varied.  One spa director said that her robes were wrinkled and scratchy and they still were taken, while the other spa director said that her robes were the top of the line.  Of course, I totally understood the latter being taken…people.

Well, after visiting hundreds of spas in the last fifteen years, I think there may be an easy way to judge a great spa robe.  If you want to buy it or steal it, it is a great robe.  And, we have found just the robe–It is by Kashwere and it is their new microfiber robe that is lined with terrycloth–and it is gorgeous.  Right now, we have them just for the men, and men are actually buying them.  You have to see and feel this robe…yes, I like fuzzy, but this robe is perfect in spas.  It washes well, it hangs well, it dries fast (you spend less on laundry), and the length is perfect.

Check them out.

When you are working (yes, being a massage therapist or esthetician is a job) the room needs to be set up with thought and understanding of how you work and the need for speed.  Although your client should never feel your speed, everything should be within reach, organized, and setup for easy access.  If you have never been a therapist before, it is very obvious when an architect or interior designer is clueless about room setup.

Setup of the treatment room should allow for the following and I think everything should be hidden (it looks clean, uncluttered, and you never see the “trash”)

1. Mobil Cart that moves around the room (great for esthetician & for body treatments) (3-4 drawers)
2. Hot Towel Cabinet
3. Cold Refrigerator
4. Towel Storage
5. Laundry Storage (Under Table)
6. Back-Bar Organization (at least 3 drawers)
7. Sink
8. Under Sink (paper towels)
9. Any machines or equipment should be on carts (preferably enclosed)

There are of course other very important items needed in the treatment room, but the list above are the key items.  Treatment room setup and design needs to be a joint collaboration with your management team of therapists.

When the client walks in, when the client is greeted, when the client has spa services—what is it about?  It is about the experience.  Whether they are alone, or with a group, it is all about the experience.  People go out to dinner and yes, it is about the food, but you will hear them say…well the food was great, but the service was terrible.  And yes, you hear the same thing about the spa.  How was the spa?  Well, the massage therapist was fabulous, but the front desk was rude.

The spa experience must be consistent from beginning to end…from start to finish.  This is very critical to your success.  You can have a beautiful spa filled with talented therapists, and without great service at the front, the spa will slowly sink.  It is about the experience.  The same feelings you get when you get a cup of coffee at Starbucks, you must create the experience at your spa.

After many years in the spa business, of course, I have gone to many spas.  Your expectations are always high, especially with the highly rated spas.  You walk in, you expect the world, and suddenly you either receive it or it falls flat.  You don’t want to fall flat…so spend your management hours walking from the front of the spa to the back of the spa..

1. What did I feel here? 
2. What did I feel there? 
3. Did they assist me here or ignore me?
4. Was it easy for me or did I struggle?
5. Did I feel abandoned? 
6. Was I alone? 
7. Were people friendly or snobby?
8. Were they helpful?
9. Did I feel welcomed?
10. Did I feel like you were glad to see me?
11. Did you THANK ME?

As the spa industry grows, changes, morphs, and moves, it is all about the experience…the spa experience.

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.

Taking great care of your skin includes exfoliation. Why you ask? As you age, our skin cells start to slow down (yes, just like the rest of our bodies). Your job is to make sure that your skin cells keep moving fast (like exercising for your skin cells). How can you do this?

At one spa, they have this amazing treatment with microdermabrasion and ultrasound–it is call it the MEGA-MICRO. Microdermabrasion works like a sanding (pardon- sucking machine to create redness (inflammation and speeding up the skin cells) in the skin. The vacuum pressure in the machine combined with the crystals creates the exfoliation and increased turns of the skin cells. Simple exfoliation is great, but the machine has the vacuum, which in all of the major studies–it is the vacuum that actually does the trick to create younger looking skin. The surface exfoliation is nice, but the vacuum and aspiration speeds up the skin cells, thus creating better looking skin. Step 2 of the MEGA-MICRO is ultrasound to penetrate vitamins into the skin. Using topical vitamins is great, but pushing them into the skin is what creates this wonderful anti-aging treatment. Penetration of the vitamins takes about 2-3 months to see the results ( you need the skin cell cycle to turn every 21-28 days ). It is recommended 6 treatments to start and then maintaining your skin with one a month.

And, you need your home care. It is great to have a skin treatment, but you need to maintain at home, in fact, if you have a budget choice between treatment and home care, always choose the home care, because it is daily. Exfoliate at least 3 times a week, to slough the face and body of dead skin cells. When the body is exfoliated, it allows the skin cells below to rise to the top smoother, clearer, brighter, happier skin.