Renew Magazine - November/December 2008 - (Page 28)

great expectations customized and inclusive Customization is the key to accommodating the shift from long, occasional visits to shorter, but regular, appointments. You’ll be most successful at putting guests on a facial or massage regimen if you design a program unique to their needs. “The point of these customized programs is not for clients to go to the spa for two days, get ﬁxed and go back into the world,” says Samyeh. “This is a lifestyle change—a long-term program that schedules a client to talk to a nutritionist, consult a physician, get a peel, have a massage, see an acupuncturist. It’s bundled into a program of 90-minute appointments, not done all in the same day. And two clients’ programs may be very, very diﬀerent. It’s more like a gym: The trainer lays out goals to create the best customized plan for each person.” This has spas calling upon a variety of disciplines. “The facilities of the future will be inclusive, bringing together medical, spa and alternative practitioners,” Samyeh continues. “We believe that the spa service provider is already a health care professional.” Specialty facilities such as pregnancy spas, mommyand-me spas and residential-living spas for older adults recognize the synergy of spa and health in carving out individual service plans. But it’s not as simple as the industry’s transitioning to medi-spa; Samyeh foresees spas playing a prominent role in everyday life. “The inclusive spa of the future will become the hub of the community,” she predicts. “Spas will be the gathering place for corporate parties, bridal gatherings, bat mitzvahs and all sorts of other events. If Starbucks can become a place where people just hang out, why not the local health center? Spas already oﬀer wireless internet and cafes. People want the other side of the Blackberry. They want the human connection to counter the isolation of today’s world.” Case in point: Spa E in Miami’s South Beach area is Repêchage’s test spa for the Facial Bar concept, and it doesn’t much resemble spa life as we know it. “This spa has no dim lighting or soft music,” says Shiri Sarfati. “The atmosphere is more like a hair salon. Right where you walk in are six facial beds lined up in front of a huge window, so everyone can look in and see people getting services. This spa is 2,500 square feet, does $1.2 million a year and is packed all the time. They stay open late and do a lot of parties.” A somewhat opposite trend, mobile spas, may serve in the interim to attract clients who are on the fence about spa services. “Maybe someone’s intimidated to walk into a facility,” Samyeh says. “A mobile spa’s service provider comes into her home to perform the services and, after a while, that client may become comfortable enough to visit the spa.” When it comes to the future of the spa, the one thing Ogle vows that he won’t do in 2009 is panic. “We’re not making long-term decisions based on this economy,” he says. “This thing will pass, or we will adjust. And we’ll all be happy again.” A bleak economy can become just a blip when you view the roadmap as part of a long, forward journey. “If you look back at where we’ve been, the industry is truly, truly unstoppable,” says Samyeh. “This industry is the lifestyle of the future.” n green blends in While it’s difﬁcult to tell whether the green graph continues to climb or is beginning to ﬂatten, what’s clear is that environmental concern is coexisting with, not replacing, cosmeceuticals. “The emotional tie to green and organic is still very big,” says Dermalogica founder Jane Wurwand. “People want to know that they’re working with a company that’s ecologically responsible. But if I put two products in front of a client and say one is green and the other will deliver results, she’ll choose the one that will deliver results. The wish list is that a green product will deliver results but, truthfully, I’m not sure we’re quite there yet.” Becki Tuggle of Hale Cosmeceuticals agrees that all green concerns may not be satisﬁed.“Anything you use over a period of time must be preserved,” she notes. “Preservatives and ingredients are changing, and people do look at the ingredients list and question anything that does not look familiar—which is why we bring our chemists to trade shows!” According to Dallas-area spa owner Daired Ogle, clients tend to compartmentalize regarding ecological concerns. “A lot of people having Botox are the same people who are concerned about the environment,” Ogle notes.“Currently there’s no organic alternative for these ﬁllers, but they’ve been proven to be very safe. In our newsletter, we’ve listed all of the green things we do. It’s important to show clients that we’re doing what we can.” 28 renewprofessional.com nov/dec 2008 http://www.renewprofessional.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Renew Magazine - November/December 2008

Renew Magazine - November/December 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Renew Mind/Face/Body/Spirit Reflect Role Models Editor's Pick Great Expectations Top 10 Buzz-Worthy Ingredients In the Room Solutions Inside Ingredients

Renew Magazine - November/December 2008

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