Our beauty experts answer an array of questions about every aspect of running a successful salon or spa business

As we move into winter, how can I advise clients on seasonal skincare?

During this period of seasonal change, it’s necessary to identify any damage summer may have caused the skin so that we can feed, nourish and prepare it for the harsh weather ahead. Summer’s environmental aggressors, such as UV and pollution, can produce cellular damage and a reduction of skin protection.

As we approach winter, a few subtle changes to a client’s skincare routine can have a measurable effect on how the skin copes with extreme temperature changes, from outdoor cold and wind to artificial heat indoors. Always use a hand mirror during the consultation phase and encourage clients to really look at their skin. Ask them how it feels and what changes they have noticed after the summer. Do they remember having any skin problems last winter?

Talk through how their activities change from summer to winter to further assess their skin’s needs. Together, you can then devise a simple action plan to slot into their existing skincare routine without over-complicating things.

This is a great time of year to encourage customers to start using a chemical exfoliator with glycolic acid and AHAs to restore the skin at the deepest level while treating chronic dryness, pigmentation, wrinkles and dehydration. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is also the perfect winter ingredient. It holds 1,000 times its own weight in moisture and works well in both serums and creams. A serum with a low molecular weight of HA will work more in the dermis, preventing long-term damage, while a highmolecular- weight HA in a moisturiser will give more surface protection from the cold. Finally, don’t forget to provide advice on products that give HEV blue light protection as most of us tend to spend the winter months curled up in front of the TV or on our phone or tablet.

Gina Baker is training manager at distributor Totally UK, where she oversees education and treatment development for Germaine de Capuccini, Universal Contour Wrap and London Spa.

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How can I drive waxing sales throughout autumn and winter?

While waxing has without question become a year-round beauty treatment for a percentage of salons’ clientele, there is unfortunately an element of summer boom and winter bust in waxing for some businesses.

To ensure a transition between seasons that’s as smooth as the results of your waxing treatments, there are two options to encourage continued and new custom throughout winter – diversify and educate.

In winter, regular customers may either leave longer between waxing appointments or choose to wait until they are not covered up from top to toe. So, the colder months are the ideal time to diversify your offering and wax the bits that are on display with a facial waxing menu. Eyebrow treatments continue to be incredibly popular and a wax can easily be sold as an add-on to other facial treatments.

Look to incorporate waxing into overall beauty packages or as a preparation treatment – for example, a lip, cheekbone and eyebrow wax with a makeover or facial. Educate clients on the benefits of a regular waxing routine during winter, which will bring them the best results come summer. Maintaining a consistent routine over time will help the client’s hair growth cycle to sync, eventually creating lighter, weaker and more even hair growth. As the hair growth cycle becomes uniform, waxing treatments will remove hair at the anagen phase, which is ideal for creating longer-lasting, smooth results.

David Sneddon is operations and marketing manager for Hive of Beauty, which offers a comprehensive waxing range designed for professional use.

Should I analyse clients’ nails before every single treatment?

Whichever treatment your client chooses, every appointment should begin with an in-depth nail analysis, even if you see that client on a regular basis.

Our natural nails, and the skin surrounding them, can change with time and there are many reasons as to why that may happen, including age, ill health, pregnancy, and general changes to lifestyle.

Nail and skin analysis is essential to provide a safe and effective service every time you do a treatment. Start by sanitising your own and your client’s hands and nails. During this process, you need to pay attention to their skin; is it in a healthy condition with no breaks? Check every nail very carefully. Are all of the nails healthy? Is there any discoloration or dryness? Are there ridges or curvature to the nail bed? Look for signs of any flaking and peeling of the nail.

Always make comprehensive notes because this will help you to refresh your memory on the client’s next appointment. This information will help you to plan the treatment as well as retail products suitable to your client’s nail needs.

Monika Kupie´n is a nail expert, Nail Harmony Gelish educator in the UK and runs Monika Kupie´n Beauty Academy in York.

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What’s the science behind fat freezing?

A popular body-contouring treatment among end users is “fat freezing”, scientifically known as cryolipolysis. This is non-surgical technology that eliminates fat cells in the treatment area. Cryolipolysis works by using a handpiece that creates a vacuum when placed over the target area, drawing the fat pocket into the hand piece.

The temperature is then lowered to -5°C on the localised area, causing the content of the fat cells to become crystallised. This procedure causes necrosis, or cell death, without harming the surrounding tissue. The remaining contents of the fat cells are then disposed of naturally through the body’s lymphatic system. As the body takes several months to flush out the dead fat cells, results are usually seen approximately eight to 12 weeks after treatment. A single cryolipolysis treatment can kill 20-40% of fat cells in the area.

A course of shockwave therapy can be used following cryolipolysis to speed up and enhance the results seen. During shockwave therapy, a probe is placed against the treatment area and emits radial waves through the skin as it passes over. In doing this, the waves speed up the breakdown of fat cells and encourage lymphatic drainage. This process needs to be completed immediately after the cryolipolysis handpiece has been removed and followed up with three additional weekly shockwave treatments.

Joanne Leahy is head of training at 3D-lipo, which offers a range of options for cryotherapy and shockwave therapy including the new 3D-lipo Ultimatepro machine.

How can I promote party make-up to my 40-plus-aged clients?

A fundamental part of being a successful make-up artist is tailoring your services to clients’ needs. Your customers should be at ease knowing that their make-up artist is capable of delivering a bespoke service depending on their skin type, colour and age, as well as the event that they are attending.

Promoting your service as an all-round experience is just as important as promoting your products, skills and expertise. Not all makeovers have to be the full-on glam that we see on social media and this is especially important when working with, and marketing to, a more mature audience. As skin matures, make-up routines should evolve and the key is to enhance client’s best features while providing a radiant, youthful finish.

Using cream products on mature skin can instantly add a youthful glow and make the skin appear supple. Kryolan has just launched a collection of cosmetic counter displays with a range of products to suit all skin types and ages. Investing in a comprehensive range will also help you target and promote your party make-up services to the more mature demographic.

Gemma Horner is Kryolan’s head of education and part of the Kryolan Pro Team. She works internationally on high-fashion, editorial, theatre, bodypainting and camouflage make-up.

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How can I safely incorporate CBD oil treatments into my business?

Cannabidiol, often shortened to CBD, is such a universal product; its benefits are numerous, and it has powerful properties to treat mind, body and soul. The critical aspect of working with this ingredient is having a thorough understanding and knowledge of it so that you can demystify the predictable connotations surrounding the belief that it has psychoactive properties. Then you can safely manage expectations and educate your clients.

Proper training is, therefore, paramount to ensure that you and your staff are completely confident and competent to offer this particular service. At the Potting Shed we have “dope-free” blends that have names such as weed, pot and grass, to match our botanical theme, but our products are, of course, entirely free from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive compound in cannabis that creates a high.

We’ve sourced organic full-spectrum oil, which contains terpenes. This can assist in treating a range of conditions, from anxiety and intestinal issues, to inflammation and sleep disorders.

We’ve created protocols that can be immersed in many different treatments. Our Getting Stoned massage, for example, has improved our clients’ sleep quality and diminished their stress levels immeasurably. We now offer training to salons and spas to educate other businesses on how to provide these types of treatment effectively.

Sam Pearce is founder of the Potting Shed Spa in Yorkshire, where she offers CBD treatments, as well as The Greenhouse Training Academy.

How can I help my therapists get over their fear of retailing?

Selling retail products is often either daunting to therapists or an afterthought, particularly when they want to gain a loyal customer base without scaring them off with pushy sales strategies. But there are ways to help your team gain experience in more subtle ways of increasing retail revenue.

The key is to remind therapists to think of it as helping clients find the best products to maintain the results from the fantastic treatment they’ve just had. They are the skincare experts and clients will want their advice. The more confidence they have in their recommendations, the more likely the client is to take notice.

Try offering therapists a retail incentive and give the staff member who sells the most retail a reward. Remember to pro-rata this for part-time employees. Rather than upselling individually, encourage your therapists to build retail into treatment packages, giving the client an incentive to purchase at that moment. Whether you have samples or can create an interactive display, encourage clients to trial your products. Let them touch, feel and smell the selection.

Finally, the most subtle and effective sales tool is encouraging your therapists to use the products they’re retailing, as this shows therapists believe in the products they use and prescribe.

Laura Jones is senior product manager for Sienna X, where she works closely with professional accounts.