MyCareType Blog

Tomatoes Reduce Wrinkles

2010-02-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

You may be familiar with lycopene, the carotenoid found in red fruits—most notably, tomatoes. A number of beauty brands put this nutrient in their topical anti-aging products, but a recent study says oral lycopene supplements may be all you need to get smoother skin. Researchers at Berlin's Charité University provided lycopene supplements of varying concentrations to 20 participants ranging from 40 to 50 years old, planning to assess skin roughness before and after supplementation with an optical in vivo technique.

After seeing an improvement in forehead lines and furrows, the researchers determined that higher levels of lycopene correspond to a greater reduction in the roughness of skin. Experts believe this could be due to the ample antioxidants in lycopene, which doesn't occur naturally in our own bodies.

There you have it, get yourself some tomatoes then visit a CTS equipped salon or buy an At-Home Skin Analysis kit to see if they worked.

Hydration and Moisturizer Ingredients

2010-01-26T06:40:00.000-08:00

From Beauty Beat:

Everybody seems to be battling dry skin lately. Even those with typically oily skin year-round are complaining of tightness and flakiness, no doubt resulting from cranking up the indoor heat in cold, dry weather. Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all moisturizer, since we all have different skin types and reactions. The best way to find your perfect moisturizer--and remedy ultra-dry skin--is to get educated about the ingredients that go into moisturizing products, then determine what works best for you.

The post gives a brief breakdown and examples of alpha hydroxy acids, antioxidants, emollients, humectants and occlusives. Check it out.

Acne? Add oil....

2010-01-14T13:28:00.000-08:00

Here's another example of how adding oil to your skin helps with acne:

When my skin is breaking out the last thing I think about is adding moisture. I want to put acne cleansers and treatments on as soon as possible to dry out my skin and zap the trouble areas. But drying out irritated skin is usually the wrong way to solve the problem…

It may sound backwards at first, but one of the best ways to heal skin that is breaking out is to keep it thoroughly moisturized. If your skin is extremely tight and dry, your body will start to secrete natural oils as a reaction. Shiny, oily skin can easily cause infections in pores that turn into serious breakouts.

My secret ingredient when my skin is in desperate need of moisturizer is the Sonya Dakar Omega-3 Repair Complex. I have combination skin, so when my skin gets out of balance I instantly break out in my T-zone. The natural Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids replace lost moisture in the skin by mimicking natural oils and helping to regain the skin’s natural and proper balance.

I thought that adding oil to my breakouts would only make them worse, but it turned out that this nourishing oil can be a key ingredient in helping your skin to find its natural balance. The Omega-3 Repair Complex is available at SonyaDakar.com for $42.

And of course, ahem, the At-Home-Skin Kit by Reveal contains the sebum test strips that will enable you to get an accurate and detailed picture of how your skin is responding to the regimen you're using.

Using Scotch Tape To Remove Acne Marks?

2010-01-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

From VivaWoman:

Speaking of which, let me share with you the tip of using scotch tape to heal acne marks from reader A Burn, A Shiver who left the following comment:

Regarding acne marks, I’ve found a FANTASTIC way to get rid of those nasty red marks. I believe it’s called the taping method. You put tape on
your face after washing it, and you peel the tape off. It sounds ridiculous,
I know, but I tried it and a lot of my marks are gone.

Mind you, I’ve had these marks for over 3 years and have tried pretty
much every product, DIY or store bought, even prescription, to get rid of these marks. I was about to get laser surgery but then I found this method. I gave it a try and BAM! This really works!

I’ve only done it for a week, and my marks have faded and are significantly less noticeable. this hasn’t made me break out too much, but it might also be because I’ve been stressing so much lately over tests and college applications. :/

Weird as it may sound, it came across as pretty logical to me. Personally, I’ve always found that acne marks heal way faster and better if the top layer flaks off so I’m guessing that this taping method peels off the top layer quicker.

To Tone Or Not To Tone...

2009-12-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

Kendra the esthetician and blogger over at Nature's Basin Blog gives her advice on toner, according to skin type and season:

It's a question I get all the time as an esthetician: Do I really need a toner? Toner is certainly something you can skip if you're trying to save a little money on your skin care, but a natural and organic facial toner is a great addition to your regimen, especially if you have combination or oily skin. A toner helps remove cleanser residue, important for skins that have a tendency to get clogged. Toner can also help restore skin's pH barrier, keeping it protected. I love how toner imparts a fresh feeling and helps shrink and tighten pores to make skin look more smooth. In the winter, I often suggest dry skin types avoid toner, but our natural and organic toners are so gentle and full of beneficial botanicals that they work in any season. So, when it comes to a natural facial toner at Nature's Basin, my answer is "Yes, you need one."

Suprising Things That Dry Out Your Skin (And Winter Skin Issues)

2009-12-21T09:59:00.000-08:00

Some surprising things that can dry out your skin:

Lip balm. Yup, you might love them, but these little beauties commonly have ingredients like menthol and camphor, both of which actually dry out lips even more.

Hand sanitizer. The alcohol in them and lack of water can dry your hands out and make your nails brittle.

Fragranced hand lotion. The problem with lotion isn't the product itself, but constant reapplication. You only need to put it on once or twice a day. More than that and you can injure your skin's moisture barrier by constantly taking it from dry to wet.

Warm water. A piping hot shower feels great when everything around you is freezing, but it strips your skin of its natural oils, drying it and making it more vulnerable.

High-lathering soaps. It's really satisfying to work up a good lather, but the surfactants that make some products so bubbly actually dry your skin instead of soothing it.

And a commenter adds "Using dry heat such as natural gas to heat your home also really dries your skin out. It lowers the natural humidity within the household."

FabOverForty links to a very thorough interview on solutions for all your winter skin issues.

Skin Care Jargon

2009-12-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

From the Health Care Guide blog:

Have you ever looked at the ingredients list of the skin care products and skin care cosmetics that you buy and got confused by the undecipherable terminologies used? Just as it is important to consider the ingredients of your skin care products, it is important that you know what the terms and jargon are. So here is a handy list of common buzz words of the skin care market.

A useful short list for those interested.

A Word to the Wise on "Organic" Beauty Products

2009-12-15T09:29:00.000-08:00

From BellaSugar:

Did you know that no government agency regulates use of the term "organic" when it comes to makeup and skin care? Yup, it's true. Although the USDA enforces a strict standard when it comes to food labeled as organic, the same isn't true for makeup and skin care, which are notoriously poorly regulated.

So what does this mean for you? Well, mostly that if you pick up a product that says it's organic, that label means absolutely nothing. There's no regulatory process, so bald-faced lies from manufacturers are all over the place. The item could have no organic, or even "natural," ingredients in it.

There's actually only one way to tell if your product is organic. There's a completely voluntary USDA organic regulation for skin care, called the USDA NOP. Products that are actually organic and pass the standard will have this USDA Organic seal on them clearly displayed, so there's no mistaking them.

Sunscreen Labeling

2009-12-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

From Cosmetics Design:

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has announced its intention to phase out its Seal of Recognition program for sunscreen products with the expectation that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will soon issue a sunscreen monograph.

The program had low participation, and critiques claimed a conflict of interest. As we've noted before, a new sunscreen rating system is needed.

Dysport

2009-12-10T11:12:00.001-08:00

Dr. Anne Chapas at the Huffington Post writes about the new botulinum toxin treatment Dysport, recently approved by the FDA:

Our study showed that Dysport was effective in eliminating wrinkles, but it is still unclear whether Dysport will be an improvement over Botox or just a healthy competitor. In theory, Dysport should attack wrinkles faster because it has fewer proteins surrounding the toxin. It should also stimulate a weaker immune response to break down the toxin, and thus last longer.

Stay tuned... She also adds this wise advice:

Patients can reduce their risks of any adverse events by seeking treatments from highly skilled dermatologists or plastic surgeons and making sure they are treated with Botox or Dysport, the only FDA approved botulinum toxin treatments.

NaturallyCurly.com

2009-12-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

Naturally Curly, a neighbor of ours here in Austin brings us the very thorough Acne Manifesto: A Guide to Treating Acne. Lots of natural remedies and treatments according to the area affected. Interesting stuff.

They were also named one of Austin's 30 City Gems by Austin Monthly, so congrats to them!

Choosing a School

2009-12-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

We are going to be posting more about schooling, as we have been working our CareType system into the curriculum at a couple of local Beauty Schools here in Austin.

To kick it off, here's some good information on what to consider when choosing a school:

Is the esthetics school accredited? This is important for obvious reasons, right? But just in case – accredited esthetics schools are recognized throughout the various associations and schools in the field.

Does the esthetics school provide the number of hours needed for taking your state esthetician license? For California, you need to complete 600 hours of esthetics school as well as a minimum number of hands-on practice.

Is their curriculum balanced with practical and theory hours? Practical hours are hours spent practicing esthetics – waxing, makeup, facials, etc. Theory hours are dedicated to learning about your craft through classroom-style strategies – books, magazines, lectures, etc.

Do they have a spa and how many hours are you expected to work in the spa? The busier the spa is, the more opportunity you will have to complete your required hands-on practice as well as give you a feel for working with real-world clients (or at least clients who want a deal and are willing to risk their money on those in-training).

Are you able to talk with students who have graduated or who are in the process of training? This may or may not help. If you are in front of the admissions rep and you do this, the current student may feel obligated or pressured to help give the school a good name. My recommendation is to find someone who graduated from the school on your own and interview them for the most honest review.

Does the school have job placement assistance? The school I went to did, but I found that I had to initiate contact with the admissions rep to get that information. There wasn’t a posting board to check for opportunities. Politics came into play at times, so make sure to be kind to everyone you meet and interact with.

Do they offer continued education once you have graduated? Once I graduated, I still felt like I needed to learn more things – like eyelash extensions, makeup techniques, airbrush tanning, etc. My school didn’t (doesn’t) offer these specialized classes, (and I don’t believe most schools will) so I ended up having to dish out more money to invest in more education after-the-fact.
Is it convenient to your home and have times available which will work in your schedule? This is a plus, but some girls in my class travelled 25 – 50 miles to get to school. I only lived 10 minutes away which made it really convenient. Since graduation is based on time, punctuality was very important, so don’t miss class and don’t be late.

Is the school recognized as a quality establishment by your potential employers? This was something that the admissions rep pointed out to me about their school. However important this is, it’s also important to keep in mind that paying an additional $5,000 isn’t worth it. Choose the school based on reputation and your total investment.

Does the school offer an overview of medical procedures such as lasers and injectibles so you can stay current? In the ever-changing esthetics world that we’re in today, this is more relevant than ever. The school I went to promised to teach us body treatments, but the entire time I was there, the body capsule was “broken” and never repaired. I was there for 6 months.

CareType System Screen Shots

2009-12-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

Check out how it works, click to enlarge.

More about the system here...

Good Skincare Habits Gone Bad

2009-12-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

Beauty Beat brings us an interesting series of posts on how over reliance on some good skin care habits can actually be a bad thing for your skin. Go read both parts one and two for the details on what can go wrong and how you can fix it. Here's a list of the good habits discussed:

1. Adhering to the same skincare routine
2. Being too gentle.
3. Relying exclusively on organic products
4. Applying sunscreen — but not enough
5. Using too much product
6. Not wasting products

She's also adds this conclusion:

Remember that your skin changes throughout the seasons and throughout the years. Also, keep in mind that just because a product works for your best friend doesn’t mean it’ll work for you (even if her skin type is similar). The key to great skin is letting it do all the talking, while you listen carefully. Let your skin tell you when it’s time to switch products, exfoliate more or less and see a dermatologist.

In fact, an At-Home-Skin Analysis Kit is the perfect tool to help you listen to your skin.

Smoothing Out Wrinkles by 70%?

2009-12-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

L'Oreal is in court in Sweden for its product claims:

The KO, a government body that can defend the interests of the consumer against companies in court, claims that marketing for L’Oreal’s Lancome High Resolution and Vichy LiftActiv Pro are not backed up by scientific evidence.

According to KO, the Lancome adverts claim the product can smooth out wrinkles by up to 70 per cent.

In the case of Vichy, the KO said that L’Oreal claims the product is ‘the source of healthy skin’ and can reduce wrinkles by up to 43 per cent.

Such strong marketing claims, which border on those made for pharmaceutical products, should be backed up by strong evidence, according to the KO.

Sounds like a good test case for the CareType System, which has a quantifiable wrinkle test. Perhaps we'll post something related to this soon...

Free At Home Skin Kit

2009-11-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

If you want to help us test our new At-Home Skin Analysis Kit you can sign up here. It's free for the first 25 people to respond!

For Those Interested In Samples....

2009-11-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

The Makeup and Beauty Blog rounds up the top 10 places to check out samples on the web:

Site: Gilt Groupe
Shtick: Mainstream beauty (Jemma Kidd, Mario Badescu and more) and fashion stuff, too

Site: Rue La La
Shtick: Luxury fashion, house stuff and beauty

Site: Swirl
Shtick: A product of Daily Candy; clothing and accessories up to 80% off retail

Site: Billion Dollar Babes
Shtick: Fashion, home and beauty products by Michael Kors, MD Skincare and more

Site: The Fairest
Shtick: Big mix of brands including Anastasia and FusionBeauty

Site: The Skinny
Shtick: Simple concept and not a lot to it; brands featured like Bare Escentuals, Dermaquest and Perricone MD

Site: NewBeauty TestTube
Shtick: Little choice; they send you a new sample set/tube once every three months

Site: Beauty VIP
Shtick: Actually charges an annual fee (about $50/year); has a huge array of deals, but their discounts are usually around 20% off

Site: Haute Look
Shtick: Fashion, beauty and stuff for home

Site: Market for Drama
Shtick: Typically just one discount/sale at a time; I like their product writeups, though.

Stem Cells and Skin Care?

2009-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Michelle over at BeautyEditor brings us the scoop on stem cell technology and skin care products:

A couple of weeks ago, Lancôme launched its first foray into the stem-cell anti-aging category, Absolue Precious Cells. It joins a handful of similar products (such as Amatokin Emulsion and Dior Capture R60/80 XP), so I think it’s safe to say we’re witnessing a bona fide trend here, folks. (That’s why I’m dubbing them the Next Big Beauty Thing… not to be confused with my previously-posted Next Big Beauty Thing, sirtuins. I think they can both co-exist nicely… although not in the same product, obviously. You’ll have to pick your poison.) ...

... As The Times nicely explains, we’re not talking about ACTUAL stem cells—embryonic or otherwise—being infused in these little jars. (At least, not in Canada. I wouldn’t put it past other, sketchier countries. I won’t tell you where it was from, but once, I got sent some bizarro skincare product containing PLACENTA. I almost threw up.) No, these stem-cell products encourage our OWN stem cells to proliferate, generating new, more radiant skin.

However, a good rule of thumb for all skin care products is raised:

The problem is common to all anti-ageing cosmetics: if they really do have a radical effect on the skin’s cells, and change the way skin looks and functions long-term, then they would cease to be a cosmetic and would have to be regulated by the much stricter rules applied to drugs. So the big cosmetics manufacturers build in limits to the power of their products. The bad news for consumers is that stem-cell cosmetics won’t offer a miraculous rejuvenation. The good news is that they’re unlikely to harm you.

Another reason why product validation technology is so important in helping you spend your money wisely on skin care products.

Test your skin at home...

2009-11-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of ways you can test for your skin type at home. Both are cheap and easy! First, a method from Boydie Beener:

There are five basic skin types – normal, oily, dry, combo and sensitive. To find out which one you are, take the test as soon as you wake in the a.m. Grab a clean tissue, a piece of paper, or a blotting sheet. Dab your face with it, starting in the t-zone and then working your way around, taking note of where exactly the paper picks up traces of oil.

1. Normal Skin: The paper will not have any traces of oil, or may pick up small amounts of oil from the t-zone only. If you're normal, your skin will also feel and look soft and supple.

2. Dry Skin: Like normal skin, the paper won't have any oil on it, but it will most likely be flaky and will feel tight and dry.

3. Combination: Combination means you have both oily and dry (not normal – common misconception). If the paper blots up tons of oil on the t-zone but you note the rest of your face is flaky and dry, then you're a combo.

4. Oily: The paper will pick up plenty of oil from all over the face – the t-zone, cheeks, chin, and forehead. It's easy to spot oily skin because pores are often large and skin tends to be acne prone.

5. Sensitive: Sensitive skin will not pick up much oil but does tend to be dry and feel tight. It is often slightly reddish in color, may be flaky, and is incredibly prone to breaking out or feeling itchy or tingly when applying skin care
product.

The second way, order an at-home skin testing kit! The advantage here is using the online component to match products according to your score.

Skin Care & Skin Type

2009-11-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a nice short summary on caring for your skin according to your skin type from Aging Fabulous:

Combination Skin

For combination skin, Dr. Badreshia-Bansal recommends using a mild cleanser that minimizes sebum removal. In addition, a medium-weight lotion with broad-spectrum sunscreen containing many different sunscreen ingredients is beneficial.

Dry Skin

For dry skin, Dr. Badreshia-Bansal recommends washing the face twice a day with a gentle cleanser or creamy wash with mild detergent. She suggests applying a moisturizer with sunscreen once a day right after cleansing while the skin is still damp, as this can help seal in moisture.

Oily/Acne Prone Skin

Some people with oily or acne-prone skin need to wash their face as much as two to three times a day. However, over-washing the skin also can lead to increased oil production, so a balance must be achieved based on an individual’s skin care needs. In general, using an oil-free, non-comedogenic foaming cleanser that contains salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide is imperative to prevent breakouts.

Sensitive Skin

For sensitive skin, washing the face once a day should be enough to keep the skin clean. Dr. Badreshia-Bansal noted that exfoliation is not necessary and can worsen already sensitive skin. In the morning, Dr. Badreshia-Bansal suggested applying a cream-based moisturizer to dry skin to help prevent or reduce irritation.

Reveal Sciences Newsletter

2009-11-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

Just an fyi, here is the latest newsletter from Reveal Sciences for those interested. You can also subscribe to the newsletter here.

*Special Introductory Pricing Offer from Reveal Sciences, LLC.

Greetings!

As a Skin-Care Industry Professional we would like to introduce the latest in Skin-Care Analysis to you and your team.
Purchase the complete CareType System for under $999 during the month of November

The CareType™ System (CTS) fromReveal Sciences is a revolutionary rapid non-invasive skin diagnostic system that provides easy to interpret science-based results on skin wellness parameters ranging from hydration, consistency, pore size and oil production, to fine lines and wrinkles and many more. The CareType System offers skincare professionals, researchers and their clients and customers quantitative, scientific results they
can trust.

The CareType System offers the user-friendly engaging interface you need to evaluate and track your client's improvement before and after treatments as well as over time using your custom recommended products.

The clinical research software upgrade module has extended capabilities that allow for advanced image processing and data capture as well as unique tests for hydration retention and UV blocking measurements well suited for in-house clinical testing.

See what you have been missing and make the leap into the future of low-cost automated skin analysis. For a quick product overview and demonstration visit

www.mycaretype.com.

For additional company information visit

www.revealsciences.com

or contact us directly at
512-697-8156 or email us at info@revealsciences.com

Sincerely,

The Reveal Sciences Team

Does your sunscreen actually help protect against skin cancer?

2009-11-06T13:09:00.000-08:00

We came across an article in the SF Gate, “4 out of 5 sunscreens inadequate, study finds”, about the effectiveness of sunscreens and preventing skin cancer. This prompted us to do a quick in house test with our CareType system on some off the shelf sunscreens. To start, here’s a bit from the article to give the background:

… when pressed on the cancer question, Baily conceded: "Scientifically, I cannot say that sunscreens protect against melanoma."

Several scientists actually warn that wearing sunscreen can give users a false sense of security, leading consumers to stay out in the sun longer. "It is a natural experiment that has been going on for 40 years," said Edward Gorham, an assistant professor at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego.

When a new sunscreen is marketed, the Food and Drug Administration requests manufacturers to show that it prevents sunburn, but the FDA does not demand clinical trials verifying the prevention of melanoma or other forms of skin cancer.

So, why doesn't a sunscreen that keeps you from getting burned possibly keep you from getting cancer?

One hypothesis is that sunscreens traditionally have been designed to protect only against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which cause sunburn.

…

In the ultraviolet spectrum, there are two different UV-rays, UVB and UVA.

"For a long time, UVB was thought to be the primary carcinogen in the sunlight, but what is happening now is that UVA is being viewed as a melanoma carcinogen," Gorman said.

While wearing sunscreen with a high SPF factor, sun worshipers have been able to stay in the sun for much longer without getting the natural warning sign of a red skin. But they have still been exposed to dangerous UVA rays and, in the end, people have obtained a much higher dose of UVA rays.

We thought to check this out with some standard products using our CareType System. Our system has an enclosed sample imaging compartment with UV lights that emit in the UVA range. We tested how much of this UVA light could be blocked by each sunscreen formulation. By placing our cosmetic test strips (show in the image below) the amount of UVA light that reached them depends on how much the sunscreen on the test strip lets through.

We bought one moisturizer rated as SPF 15, and two sunscreens of SPF 30 and SPF 70. Here is a screenshot of how the results look in our software:

We took the values from each and plotted them in a graph of UVA absorbance:

As you can see, the results are the opposite of what you would expect! The highest SPF of 70 absorbed the least UVA light above the control. The lowest, SPF 15, absorbed the most.

We looked at the ingredients to see if there was something that could explain the correlation. All three products had the ingredient avobenzone, the UVA absorbing component of these sunscreens. It was most concentrated in the lowest SPF product. The SPF 15 product had 3% avobenzone, the SPF 30 had 2%, and the SPF 70 had just 1%.

As the article above suggests, this could be the most dangerous of any circumstance. If you’re not getting sunburned you may stay out longer. However you will still be getting the melanoma causing UVA rays.

With the change in the regulations, SPF no longer stands for “Sun” protection, but “Sunburn” protection. Most people probably aren’t aware of this change. This distinction is even missed by the M.D.’s writing articles on sunscreen over at MedicineNet! The only measurement of protection from the harmful UVA part of the spectrum is the qualitative claims on the label. Typically this is something like “uva/uvb” or “broad spectrum” coverage, etc. But there is no quantitative number such as SPF. Thus a person concerned about coverage will mostly likely choose a label that says “uva/uvb coverage SPF 70” over a label that says “uva/uvb coverage SPF 15”. Yet, they could be far worse off with that product in terms of preventing skin cancer from years in the sun.

So what does this mean for us? It means if you want to protect your skin’s health over the long run you should look for the UVA blocking ingredients in the sunscreen and not be satisfied with “broad spectrum” or “UVA blockers” on the label. 3% avobenzone seems to work well. Other physical blockers such as titanium blockers work well against all wavelengths of light.

Look for high concentrations of avobenzone, ecamsule (Mexoryl), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide for good UVA protection. Also, reapply regularly, as many of the UVA blocking chemicals breakdown quickly in sunlight.

Two Esthetician Experiences....

2009-11-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

Selling retail vs service in spas has come up a few times before on this page. The sharp contrast in the the following two posts touches on the issue again. From Suite 300 Salon:

... last Friday a client of mine came in for a facial. She had just returned from climbing in the Himalayas. She had been back in the country for less than 24 hours. At the beginning of our treatment she had tears in her eyes, sallow, exhausted, telling me about her experiences and how they had effected her. The altitude had depleted her ability to retain moisture. I began by rubbing jojoba and jasmine oil onto her scalp and hair. Her skin had burned and peeled and was in a delicate state. I gently exfoliated her face and chest with a pomegranate enzyme peel. After cleaning her pores, I massaged apricot kernel and lavender oils into her dehydrated complexion. Her shoulders were particularly tense from the pack she had carried, so I paid special attention to relieving the tension there. During a vitamin C mask I applied Shea butter and ylang ylang oil to her arms and hands. The treatment ended with a protein serum, firming cream and a final stroke of peppermint oil to her upper back and base of her neck. When she emerged from my treatment room her skin was glowing. With a smile from ear to ear she thanked me for helping her with her re-entry and told me that there was no better way to assimilate back into her life.

That example is just a sliver of the joy I share with my clients every day

Another perspective from Shar at Le Femme Couture:

I started because I had a genuine love and fascination with the skin and with health and wellness. In theory, being an esthetician puts you in prime spot for these things, but the reality is much harsher.

- The reality is 8 facials in a row with no breaks, being asked by management to sell at least 5 products per client per visit regardless if they need it or not
- The reality is that we only have 1 hour to work with you if we are booked. But management not only wants us to sell you 5 products by the end, they want us to talk you into add-on’s like brow waxes, eye treatments, glycolic peels and etc….even though we still only have the 1 hour to do what is now 2 hours worth of work. And we are supposed to take your money and cheat you the time you paid for.
-Then management wants to know why your clients don’t come back for repeat visits. Would you come back to someone who shoves product in your face and charges you for services that she rushes through?
-Then, if you do have a loyal clientele, management wants to know why you don’t do more add-on’s or why your retail numbers aren’t up. Do we see a pattern here?

I loved being an esthetician. I loved my clients.... I found that I could not give my clients the attention and treatment they deserved while still keeping in good standing with management. So I quit.

Once again we see the tension in sales vs service from the estheticians perspective. Now not to plug ourselves... BUT! Perhaps a tool that allows you to focus on service while offering useful, real, information is a great approach to selling products! Keeping both esthetician and management happy....

Here is such a tool looking cool in the UK:

PS - congrats to Suite 300, best facial in Western Washington!

Facial Wrinkles

2009-11-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

Christine Byer, an Esthetician here in Austin, TX explains why expensive creams won't get rid of your wrinkles:

Let me explain why a cream can't cure all facial wrinkles past, say age 30. Facial muscles act differently that other muscles in our body. Body/skeletal muscles often are matched in pairs that have opposite actions. For example, the abductor and adductor muscles of the arm move the arm away from and towards the torso, respectively, and other pairs of muscles flex and extend the arm or leg.

Facial muscles of expression do not have such an arrangement. Instead, the facial muscles often have no oppositional muscles and the facial tissue they affect returns to a resting state because the tissue resists deformation (or turgor). When muscles produce opposite facial appearances (e.g., raising versus lowering the lip corners), they do not have the oppositional arrangement typical of skeletal muscles, but instead attach to different bones or tissues.

She recommends microcurrent and facial exercises.

Retail vs Service Profitability

2009-10-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Touching back on the previous conversation about service vs. retail in the spa business, this article by Bert Carder makes a very good point:

Did you know that retail is 8x more profitable than services? I mean, for every $1,000 in service sales you will typically have a net profit of just $50, BUT for every $1,000 in retail sales you will have a net profit of $400.

While service is the spa business, pound for pound the retail opportunity should not be ignored. A spa or esthetician tool that that helped one do both, provide better service and offer retail product information and sales, would be ideal.