SPA Inc. Fall 2016

fall 2016

Canada’s spa connection

Living Shore Spa

Location, location s p a c a t i o n

CIDESCO

Educating the Spa Therapists of the Future Finding a Healthy Work-Life Balance

good

posture at the spa

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contents

16

spa news

News from the spa industry

6

in the know

The therapeutic powers of aromatherapy

21 Breast cancer awareness in the spa

spa light

Living Shore Spa: new space, new mission

22

8

fresh & new

18

spa elements

Why good posture is important for spa therapists

Looking forward to Winter: New products, tools and equipment

24

13 Maintaining a healthy worklife balance

spa star

16

Rock star and yoga instructor Sadie Nardini

Wellness trends and education driving the industry

27

17

22

Wellness at the spa starts at the top

18

24

Cover photo: Living Shore Spa

www. s p a inc .c a

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between us fa l l 2 0 1 6

Physician,

Heal Thyself

Publisher Susan A. Browne sbrowne@dvtail.com

Editorial Theresa Rogers Director trogers@dvtail.com

Assistant Hermione Wilson Editor hwilson@dvtail.com

Staff Writer Kelly Townsend ktownsend@dvtail.com

Art Katrina Teimo Director kteimo@dvtail.com

Contributors Robert Cass Morag Currin Allison Hegedus Angela MacDonald

I

t’s been said before, but it bears repeating: you can’t care for others if you don’t first care for yourself.

This is all the more true for spa therapists whose job it is to guide clients toward greater well-being.

I think about this every time I get on a plane and listen to the flight attendant telling me that, in case of a loss of cabin pressure, I should put on my own oxygen mask first before assisting others. On one hand, it’s just common sense: you can’t help someone if you pass out. On the other hand, though, years of social conditioning has taught us that helping others means putting their needs ahead of our own.

Nothing could be further from the truth! It literally Hermione Wilson pays to take time for self-care, especially in the assistant Editor wellness industry. In the words of Allison Hegedus, President of Vida Spas, “When we find a personal balance through family, rest, wellness and life experiences, we become more productive at work.” (Page 16).

As you’ll learn in this issue, there are ways to nurture yourselves as spa owners and spa therapists, while also nurturing your spa clients. British Columbia-based chiropractor Angela MacDonald will implore you to care for your back and correct your posture when giving clients a massage or a manicure (pg. 13). Spa business consultant Robert Cass lays out actual steps spa owners can take to make sure they are addressing the health and wellness of their employees (pg. 18).

At the end of the day, spa clients will benefit more from the service of healthy, wellbalanced spa therapists than tired and burnt out employees.

ISSN 1710 -1727 – Volume 13, Number 3

Advertising Beth Kukkonen Manager bkukkonen@dvtail.com

Advertising Jennifer DiIorio jdiiorio@dvtail.com 905-707-3509 Lynne LeBlanc lleblanc@dvtail.com 905-707-3521

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spa news

The Ten Spot Turns Ten The Ten Spot turned 10 years old this year and it celebrated by offering customers free services at all 18 locations on Aug. 10. In conjunction with the momentous anniversary, The Ten Spot opened another Toronto location on Sept. 9, the company’s 18th location in Canada.

The Canadian beauty bar and self-proclaimed “antispa” was founded by entrepreneur Kristen Wood in 2006 to combine the affordability of a low-end salon and the quality of a high-end spa.

“I had a burning desire to start my own business as a young adult and set out to fill a gap in service offerings in the beauty industry, starting with Toronto,” Wood says.

“With our rapid growth I was able to give other driven and passionate entrepreneurs the same opportunity and freedom of owning a small business, and I want to continue helping young women thrive in their careers and life through our partnership with Dress for Success affiliates in Canada.”

As part of its partnership with Dress for Success, a global charity that provides professional attire to help

The Ten Spot celebrated its 10th anniversary at its HBC and Queen West locations in Toronto. women re-enter the job market, The Ten Spot collects unopened makeup, beauty products or gently-used business accessories such as purses, shoes and belts from customers.

Massage Addict Expanding

Massage Addict to open more clinics by year’s end, bringing the total to 70 (CNW Group/ Massage Addict).

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Canada’s largest membership-based registered massage therapy company is enjoying an expansion boom. Massage Addict Inc. opened 26 clinics in August 2014 and plans to open 11 more by the end of 2016, bringing the total number of clinics to 70. The latest clinic openings are a result of Massage Addict’s new franchise partners opening their first clinics, as well as existing partners expanding beyond one clinic.

In June, three Massage Addict clinics opened in Sydney, Nova Scotia; Brampton, Ontario; and Calgary, Alberta. In August three new clinics opened in Ontario, in Guelph, Toronto and Ottawa.

During the fall months, Massage Addict will be opening locations in Edmonton, as well as in Toronto, Mississauga and Burlington, Ontario.

Massage Addict was founded in 2008 to provide clients with access to quality massage therapy from registered massage therapists at affordable prices and convenient locations. President and CEO Fraser Clarke says the company plans to continue expanding in 2017.

spa news

The Canadian-Caribbean Deal Nova Scotia’s Fox Harb’r Resort has teamed up with Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina in the British Virgin Islands to offer a unique deal to residents at both resorts. Residents at Fox Harb’r’s executive townhomes and custom designed homes will be entitled to a complimentary one-week stay in a one bedroom ocean view suite at Scrub Island Resort during their first three years of ownership. In return, Scrub Island residents will be entitled to a complimentary one-week stay in a Harb’r Stone Village Town Home at Fox Harb’r Resort. The Nova Scotia resort is located eight kilometres from Fox Harb’r Provincial Park and offers golf courses, sports shooting, a deep sea marina, spa facilities, and fine dining, as well as accommodations and private residences.

“We believe our residents will feel very much at home at Scrub Island, as both properties feature the same level of unparalleled luxury, service and recreational options,” says Kevin Toth, Fox Harb’r President.

Canadian company infuses body care products with crystals and organic botanicals (CNW Group/Crystal Hill Organics Inc.)

Crystal-Infused Skin Care

Women Want to Feel More Confident, Not Look Younger The reasons women seek medical esthetic treatments have changed, according to a report commissioned by Allergan. The report, The Changing Face of Beauty: A Global Report, captures opinions on beauty and aging from nearly 8,000 women in 16 countries.

“When it comes to women’s beauty goals some key cultural differences are apparent. In Europe women embrace ageing naturally and subtly,” says Caroline Van Hove, Senior Vice President of International Medical Aesthetics at Allergan.

“In Asian markets, women want a more obvious transformation, while in the Middle East women want to look more beautiful with fast, enhancing results that accentuate their best features. What is especially exciting about this new research is the discovery that women around the world are united by an increasing desire to control how their looks evolve with time.”

The report found that for women seeking esthetic treatment, 42 per cent considered a boost in their self-confidence as equally important as improving their physical appearance. Almost three quarters (74 per cent) of women stated they made the effort to look good primarily for themselves. General beautification was seen as a bigger motivator for seeking out beauty treatments over addressing signs of aging, except in China where changing or enhancing a specific feature was the key trigger.

Andrea Sazwan wanted her line of body care products to be allergen-free, as well as physically and spiritually nurturing. That’s why the Canadian entrepreneur infused her products with beneficial organic herbs and high-vibration crystals. The idea of Crystal Hills Organics came to Sazwan when her young twins were diagnosed with a number of allergies and she had difficulty finding products that didn’t contain irritants, sensitizers and harsh chemicals. With her background in bioscience and occupational health and safety, as well as being a chartered herbalist and reiki master healer, Sazwan decided she wanted to make unique formulations that anyone could benefit from, whether or not they suffered from allergies.

Crystal Hills Organics products utilize allnatural formulas made by incorporating the active components of botanicals as well as the healing energetic traits of crystals, Sazwan says. At first she says she thought the product line might be something only new agers and hippies would be interested in, but she has received an overwhelming number of orders since she launched the brand.

Erratums

In our previous issue, Kelly Townsend was mistakenly listed as the author of Le spa flottant: Bota Bota, Spa-sur-l’eau. The author of the piece was Hermione Wilson. www. s pa inc .c a

7

foliage, tree branches and steaming pools, the Aquapath includes a river walk, remineralization tubs, exfoliation tubs, cave-like shower areas, and a steam room.

world of wellness tourism

Living Shore Spa wants to take its place in the

Spacatio

Built like a tropical grotto, with

By Hermione Wilson

8 S p a Inc. | Fall 2 016

spa light

www. s pa inc .c a

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spa light

L

iving Shore Spa officially opened its doors in May 2016, but the Collingwood, Ontario, spa isn’t starting completely from scratch. Known previously as Essence Spa, the privately owned facility provided holistic spa services for Living Water Resort.

“That spa closed and all the staff transitioned to this space here, which is a lot bigger,” says Spa Managing Consultant and previous owner of Essence Spa, Tricia Wells-Smith. The new spa is owned and operated by the resort, Wells-Smith says, and it has moved from a 1,500 square-foot space at the resort to a 5,000 square-foot space across the street. Wells-Smith has been busy getting the word out about the new spa and introducing clients, old and new, to the new operation.

“The biggest [challenge] is... explaining to people what exactly it is that we have that’s different and what the benefits are for them,” Wells-Smith says.

“Communicating that has been big.”

The new spa is in a bigger space, but it doesn’t end there. The space is divided into two areas: a traditional full-service spa area, with treatment rooms, a manicurepedicure space, a hydrotherapy space and men’s and women’s locker rooms, each with their own steam saunas. There is a lounge area off of the locker rooms where clients can wait for their treatments or access the Aquapath, or hydrotherapy space.

The Aquapath is at the back of the spa, away from the reception area and treatment rooms. Built like a tropical grotto, with foliage, tree branches and steaming pools, the Aquapath includes a river walk (warm and cold water trenches complete with pebbles and jets), remineralization tubs, exfoliation tubs, cave-like shower areas, and a steam room.

“It’s like you’re outside... in a cave,” WellsSmith says. The Aquapath was patterned after the design of the Pacific Mist Spa Hydropath at Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa on Vancouver Island.

Across from Living Shore Spa is Lakeside Seafood & Grill, backing onto the picturesque Georgian Bay. The

10 S pa Inc. | Fall 2 016

“We have customized aroma exfoliation products designed specifically for our Aquapath adventure. We have a local lady who blends them for us.”

– Spa Managing Consultant, Tricia Wells-Smith establishment is the first waterfront restaurant in the Collingwood and Blue Mountain area and another new addition to the Living Water Resort. One of the most popular packages at Living Shore Spa gives guests access to the Aquapath, a massage and a lunch voucher for the Lakeside Seafood & Grill, Wells-Smith says. “People really enjoy that combination of things,” she says. “People love the Aquapath. They like that full service that we provide, and

spa light then being able to go and have lunch and sit on the water.

Living Shore Spa sees itself as a holistic spa above all else, Wells-Smith says. “We have customized aroma exfoliation products designed specifically for our Aquapath adventure,” she says. “We have a local lady who blends them for us.” The spa has private labelled the custom products, which it sells in the gift shop along with Pevonia, Spa Ritual and CND products.

“There are sea salts... there are essential oils, citrus oils, as well as coconut oil.

Wells-Smith says “We also sell [our products], so a lot of people will purchase that as well.”

Having only been up and running for a few months, Wells-Smith says there’s plenty she would still like to accomplish.

She plans to take advantage of current wellness tourism trends and a new generation of spa clients who favour spacations over spa visits, and are prepared to stay at the spa for longer periods of time.

It helps that the spa has been able to build on the loyal client base from the previous spa and those who have followed its spa therapists to their new location.

“We’re going to look at doing monthly specials... we want to do wellness retreats and girls’ getaways,” she says. “[These are] things that people can do now that we have the hotel and the spa, and we’re on the water, and we have a restaurant. We want to be able to combine all those things to give an exceptional experience.”

living shore spa Facts Size: 5,000 square-feet Number of treatment rooms: 8 Number of staff: 12 Retail: CND, Pevonia, SpaRitual, Living Water Spa brand (private label)

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spa elements

Posture

Did you know that your head weighs B y A n g e l a M a c D o na l d

10 pounds and for every inch it is in

front of your body, it weighs an

extra 10? for many of you, your neck

muscles are often holding up close

to 50 pounds for part of your day.

F

irst of all, I need to say, “Thank you”. I don’t know if you realize the influence you have on my, and all of your clients’ quality of life.

I remember thinking one time, after a facial, while sitting in my robe with my tea, how my sanity had just been saved. There are so many women like me juggling a career and a family, putting a little too much on our plate, putting one too many balls in the air. When we constantly are giving and caring for others, we deplete ourselves.

You cannot pour from an empty cup and it makes you feel very unwell when you try to.

That day I knew for certain that my time at the spa was the best medicine anyone could have prescribed to me. Someone took care of me and did it with such presence and care and thought.

My cup was full again and I was ready to serve again, do my best again and be grateful for my wonderful family and career, instead of weighed down by them.

So, I have a very vested interest in keeping all of you uninjured

and healthy throughout your careers so you can help me live fully in my life.

As I observe and talk to spa professionals, your biggest challenge is having to have your head over us, whether it is our eyebrows, toenails or bikini line. Did you know that your head weighs 10 pounds and for every inch it is in front of your body, it weighs an extra 10? So, for many of you, your poor neck muscles are often holding up close to 50 pounds for part of your days.

The muscles in your neck and upper back, understandably, get tired so the stress goes to the neck joints. Over time, stress on neck joints leads to arthritis. The weak, tight muscles give us neck pain and headaches. The rounded shoulders associated with a forward www. s p a inc .c a

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spa elements

head start to lead to tight chest muscles. Gradually, the tension here can irritate nerves and restrict blood flow that go into your arms, leaving you with tingly and numb hands. The shorter and tighter these chest muscles get, the harder it is for you to stand and sit up straight, which creates a cycle of problems that play on each other and make your life miserable.

Not only does the poor posture create the neck and back pain and headaches but it negatively affects many other aspects of our health: Breathing: Try this right now: Let yourself collapse into a poor posture and try to take a big breath. Pretty hard, right? Now sit up nice and tall and take that same breath into your back. There, that’s better. We need that oxygen to think and feel vibrant, not sleepy, and heal injuries, and if we are athletes, to perform at our sport.

Digestion: There is less space for all of our organs to work efficiently when compressed. By creating more space in our abdominal cavity we allow for healthier digestion of our nutrition.

Confidence: If any of you have seen Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk, “Your body language shapes who you are”, you will know that how we stand and sit can actually, physically change our hormones, creating a more or less confident person. You not only feel more confident when you are rocking your good posture but you scientifically are.

Before you run out and change careers, here is the very good news: there is so much to do to prevent these changes and symptoms that rob you of the joy of life.

To state the obvious, we must talk about your body mechanics while working. As you are able, bring the area of focus closer to you; this may mean adjusting your stool or the client’s bed. Relearn how to bend. If you bend over by rounding through your back then the joints and discs take the load of the upper body. If, however, you

keep your back strong and solid as one unit and hinge at your hips, now your core muscles and strong glutes support the weight.

Just like I need to take time for self care, so do you. Our core muscles must be strengthened daily. Planking twice a day for a minute is an efficient way to accomplish this. Pilates is also a fantastic form of exercise to create a stable core. We must also work on staying mobile. Yoga is my favorite practice for this, but it can be as simple as doing sets of “swimming arms” each day, six front crawls, six back crawls, six breaststrokes, and general hip and lower back stretches on your bedroom floor. While at work, frequently stretch your back in the opposite position it has been for the last while to stop the muscles from shortening into poor posture. Lace your fingers behind your back and gently pull down while looking up.

I want to leave you with this visual; I often tell patients to pretend that there is a helium balloon on their head to lift them into beautiful posture but instead I’d like you to imagine you’re wearing a crown!

Stay well, take care of yourselves as well as you take care of us, and please know you are so very much appreciated.

Angela Macdonald is a chiropractor practising in Maple Ridge, BC. She is also the creator of “The Posture Project,” a social media soap box to let the masses know how beautiful posture helps people feel, look, play and age better . For more ideas, find her at “Dr. Angela Macdonald The Posture Project” on Facebook or on Twitter with Angela Macdonald DC @Posture_Project.

Two easy exercises for strengthening your core and stretching your back at work. Courtesy of author.

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spa elements

Creating Work-Life

Balance

Spas are often part of the wellness equation

By Allison Hegedus

A

s a fast-moving society, we tend to work long hours to get ahead in the work place or to climb the corporate ladder.

Taking on more responsibilities when a role is eliminated, when we are short-staffed or when an employee takes maternity leave are examples of how we continue to add to our workload.

When companies realize they can make do with diversifying other employees’ roles when faced with these circumstances, they will.

The spa industry is a small-margin industry and as such, every dollar helps in future successes and growth for both the owners and staff. The problem, however, is that by having team members multitask and increase their responsibility, they end up adding necessary extra hours to their week in order to succeed or, as they say, wear multiple hats.

With longer hours and a competitive society, we often lose track of how fast time is slipping away and of the need for a work-life balance. Before we know it, another season has passed. With this, friends and family often slip away.

Finding a work-life balance has been a focus and trend for years with more and more employers and employees realizing the benefits behind it. It is proven that when we find a personal balance through family, rest, wellness and life experiences, we become more productive at work.

More owners and operators are realizing that time off is both earned and necessary for their team to be happy and to remain loyal for many years to come. Every so often we need to stop, regroup and refocus on taking time for ourselves and our loved ones.

After losing two close family members in the past two years and with ongoing growth in our industry, my work-life balance slipped away. In May I decided to spend valuable time with my sister all while resting in a wellness environment. Our ultimate goal was a destination yoga retreat where mind and body rest could be found.

We did just that, by creating our own yoga retreat at a hotel in Maui.

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Enjoying their morning yoga on the beach each day, paired with spa and sister time was the perfect environment to achieve our goals.

However, you don't have to go to Hawaii to create your own yoga retreat. At the spa, we are seeing an increase in the number of couple treatments requested by husbands and wives, or even girlfriends, wanting to reconnect, followed by time in the lounge, sauna and sometimes an overnight stay. It can be a life-changing staycation within the city and just enough time to recharge. Very often we are finding three generations – grandmothers, mothers and granddaughters – coming together to share a spa experience and relaxation lounge time while enjoying the benefits of a facial, massage or pedicures.

Even sales associates are finding balance within their work place by treating clients to side by side pedicures versus a corporate lunch. Many deals are being closed with both minds relaxed and refocused!

Pairing treatments with a yoga session is also trending with friends and family alike. Guests can fit in a healthy yoga class, time with family and friends all while creating their own mini wellness retreat with the ultimate goal of work-life balance. All it takes sometimes to share quality time with someone special and create lasting memories are two or three hours in an afternoon together.

I believe that if you live well, which encompasses time with family and friends as well as a wellness component, you live long!

Allison Hegedus is the President of Vida Spas and currently oversees five spa locations in Canada’s Pacific Northwest.

spa elements

Anna-Cari Gund Wellness trends and education driving the spa industry

By Hermione Wilson

Anna-Cari Gund is the President of CIDESCO International (Comité International d’Esthétique et de Cosmétologie), a Switzerland-based organization considered a world standard for beauty and spa therapy education. We spoke to her about wellness in the spa industry and how spa therapists and managers can educate themselves to be successful.

What are some of the biggest wellness trends you see in spas today?

Workplace wellness is a big trend and a very important one since we spend so much of our lifetime working. The new on-demand options where mobile spa and wellness treatments are offered provide an unprecedented level of flexibility, immediacy, and convenience, and many established industry-leading companies are adding on-demand services to their offerings.

Connectivity to nature is a wellness trend that is free for us all to enjoy and more people see the benefit from what a peaceful and quiet moment by a lake or in a forest gives to the mind and body.

Sleep wellness is also a growing and important trend since no other system in the body can function properly if we don’t get enough sleep. Yoga, meditation and contemplation are excellent ways to deal with sleep deprivation.

experience of a treatment is the most important thing, together with skills and expertise. This can be achieved by having a high-level holistic training, such as the International CIDESCO Diplomas in [Beauty Therapy, Spa Therapy, Beauty & Spa Management, Media Make-up, Post Graduate Aromatherapy, Post Graduate Electrical Epilation and Post Graduate Spa Therapy] and experience working with clients. This will give the therapist the perfect tools and ensure you deliver highest possible quality and connectivity to nature is a standards.

CIDESCO Section Canada wellness trend that is free for us has all the information for spa all to enjoy and more people see therapists interested in the benefit from what a peaceful achieving the prestigious CIDESCO qualification at and quiet moment by a lake or in a www.cidesco.ca forest gives to the mind and body.

What are the most important skills future spa therapists need to acquire?

The therapist needs to be well-trained, qualified and experienced. They need to be someone who can deliver excellent client service and an unforgettable treatment; if not, the guest experience will be mediocre.

Nowadays, the customer is more and more demanding and they expect a certain standard. Qualified and educated therapists are vital. Education is extremely important in spa and beauty therapy, where new techniques, products and equipment mean that constant updating is essential for consistent and improving standards. The industry is rapidly changing and therapists must invest in themselves in order to keep up-to-date with the latest techniques and to continue the process of lifelong learning How does CIDESCO prepare its students to be innovative in the spa industry?

Education is power and it is the only way we can continue to develop and find satisfaction in our work. In the beauty and spa industry it is even more important where the

What advice would you give people looking to get into the business as spa owners?

Invest in people! Look for leaders with operational experience that can lead a team to success by making everyone a part of the puzzle. Trust in them to become engaged in the day to day business and never forget that by allowing people to grow, the business will grow with them. www. s pa inc .c a

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s s e n l l e W spa elements

w o r k p l a c e

H e a lt h y e m p lo y e e s m a k e h a p p y c l i e n t s

By Robert Cass

I

n a business where the whole goal of service delivery is to create greater wellness for the client, the leadership and business does not always respond the same way to the people who work in it. More simply, the job of the spa is to make its clients look good and feel good, but does the spa also help, inspire, assist or coach the people who work there to look good and feel good? Do the owners, managers, supervisors and leaders create a culture of wellness for all employees?

If you believe in treating your team like you want them to treat your clients, this should be a common attitude in the spa industry. This is not always the case. In an industry where weekend and night work is not uncommon, as well as mentally and physically demanding work, being tired, burned out or simply drained is the norm.

Creating a culture of accountability This starts, as most things do, at the top. What does the leader believe is most important in delivering consistently excellent service to guests? Since the industry is built upon the one-on-one experience created by the service provider and their guest, it is paramount the service provider be provided the tools and environment to flourish. These are the four keys to creating this culture of wellness:

Mental WELLNESS

Being prepared to do your best can be the difference between good and great. Although the leader of any business cannot control all aspects of a team member’s life, providing a workplace that values clear communication, team work, support and shared goals provides a forum for clear thinking. This allows them to be present and focused on their clients and not on the operation.

Team members are stressed when they don’t get a clear understanding of expectations and there is confusion about what to do and when to do it, how will they be evaluated, etc.

Solution: Have weekly one-on-one meetings with each team member. Make sure you support them in settings goals for personal and professional growth. Have monthly team meetings and an open forum for team sharing. Implement an open door policy.

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s

spa elements

Physical

WELLNESS The majority of services delivered in spas today involve a service member touching the client. Standing, sitting, lifting, squatting, twisting, turning, reaching, and rubbing are just a few of the activities that take place. In order to have a long and enjoyable career, services providers must be physically able to perform multiple services per day and have the twelfth service of the day be as good as the first.

Solution: Be aware of the physical health of your team and invest in teaching them how to properly execute their duties while minimizing stress on their bodies. Support a workout regime, general fitness or strength training program for your employees.

Make sure team members are scheduled appropriately. Figure out how many consecutive services each person can reasonably perform and how many breaks are required. Encourage and support eating, drinking and sleeping wellness.

Spiritual WELLNESS

Across North America we continue to become more and more diverse in our languages, cultures and beliefs. With a growing challenge to find and keep good staff, it is important to create an environment that embraces all people and allows them to find peace and balance at work. A spa space that has calm and peaceful team members has a positive and powerful impact on the guest experience.

Solution: Ensure that the sharing of beliefs in the workplace is done so with acceptance. Consider making skills like meditation, yoga, and mindfulness training part of your business. Ask yourself whether you as a leader introduce and inspire positive thinking and energy.

Bottom Line

WELLNESS The vast majority of service providers in the spa business enter due to a passion for helping others. Many talented service providers leave it due to a lack of income. The ability and willingness to help more people comes with the ability to make a living doing it. To succeed in today’s environment, leaders in our industry must teach service providers how to execute the necessary business operations that will allow them to build a sustainable clientele and financial wellness doing what they love to do.

Solution: Provide your employees with job descriptions and evaluations, and help them set professional goals. Provide skills training in consultations, upgrading, home care, sales, rebooking, referrals, and marketing. Actively train each team member on how to build a business within a business.

The wellness of a spa business depends on a leader’s commitment to creating a culture that supports wellness for the people they lead and the people they serve.

Robert C. Cass is the CEO of Spaformation, a marketing, training and consulting business.

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in the know

Aromatherap y: The Power of Scent

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By Hermione Wilson

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cent is an important part of the spa experience because different scents have the power to affect us either negatively or positively. “The olfactory senses are very powerful,” says Zena Hallam, founder of Tazeka Aromatherapy. “When you smell something it takes you back to that place where you first smelled it and it evokes emotions and memories.”

Hallam is a certified clinical aromatherapist who grew up in Guyana, South America, watching her mother using herbal medicine to heal people in their village.

Hallam has since learned to appreciate the healing power of essential oils. The Tazeka Aromatherapy collection includes blends that relieve headaches, pain, muscle tension and stress.

“Because the oils have the chemical components in them that have therapeutic benefits, we look for the components in a specific oil that will target that,” Hallam says. “When you inhale the scent of rose oil or lavender, you’re actually inhaling molecules...that travel up into your nose and get stuck to the olfactory membrane.”

According to information on the Tazeka website, the olfactory membrane contains olfactory receptors, highly specialized nerve endings that recognize scent molecules and signal the olfactory bulb, which in turn signals the cortex and limbic system. Those signals result in the release of hormones and neurochemicals that can have a real healing and therapeutic effect.

“The olfactory senses are very powerful,” Hallam says. “When you smell something it takes you back to that place where you first smelled it and it evokes emotions and memories.”

It takes proper training and education for spa therapists to use aromatherapy effectively. Joy Watson and her daughter Julie Fischer are the owners of Joyessence Aromatherapy Centre in Guelph, Ontario, where they teach 450-hour aromatherapy courses to spa and wellness professionals. They specialize in a signature aroma massage treatment which Watson says is a very popular treatment for spas. “It’s a specialized technique that works on nerve centres of the back and the face, with essential oils applied,” she says.

Fischer, who is a nurse by training, cautions that aromatherapy is not without its safety concerns. There are dilutions that shouldn’t be used and some essential oils used in aromatherapy that can have adverse effects on certain people in certain conditions. Because essential oils are as easily accessible as your nearest drugstore, education about the different uses and contraindications of essential oils is vital.

“There’s a lot of interest and, at the same time, confusion,” Fischer says. “It’s really important to us as a training centre that our students who come to us want to know... how to use the oils, how are they absorbed by the body, what are their benefits, and then of course... how do you use them safely.”

Once their students are armed with knowledge about how to use aromatherapy safely and effectively, Watson and Fischer encourage them to use their creativity to the therapeutic benefit of their clients. Fischer recalls a current student, a registered massage therapist, who developed her own signature blends for different areas of her office so that her client’s experience would start right at her front door.

“You don’t just take a couple of oils and it smells good and you throw it in your hand and you rub it on somebody,” Fischer says. “It really is learning what those essences are and how to put them into practice.

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1. Cor Pendant Calm, Focus and Energy Blends www.corpendant.com 2. Ambrosia Aromatherapy Aromatic Wellness Soak – Ylang-Ylang & Orange www.ca-botana.com 3. ESPA Winter Spice Reed Diffuser & Restorative Ceramic Diffuser www.espaskincare.com 4.

Makes Scents Spa Line Eco Soy Candles (Java Junkie, Pumpkin Spice, Purify) www.makesscentsspaline.com 5.

Tazeka Aromatherapy Essential Oil Blends www.tazekaaromatherapy.com

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in the know

in the Spa The spa professional’s role in recognizing changes in the skin and modifying therapies

By Morag Currin

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ewer women are dying from breast cancer today than in the past. Breast cancer deaths have decreased due to earlier detection and greater awareness. This awareness is imperative, and all spa professionals need to be educated about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, so they can recognized it.

That being said, it is not our role as spa therapists to diagnose cancer, but simply to make the client aware of changes in their skin, and these changes can be noticed during spa treatments, such as underarm waxing, body wraps or other skin care services.

By being aware, you can help save a life!

Because a large percentage of women of all ages – and more and more men – visit spas, spa professionals cannot shy away from the reality of breast cancer. When it comes to both sexes, both women and men have breasts; women just have more breast tissue. Each breast lies over the pectoral muscle. The female breast extends from just below the clavicle, to the axilla and across to the sternum.

The breast is a mass of glandular, fatty and connective tissue made up of: • Lobules—glands that produce milk; • Ducts—tubes that carry milk from the lobules to the nipple; • Fatty and connective tissue—surrounds and protects the ducts and lobules, and gives shape to the breast; • Areola—the pink or brown circular area around the nipple; and • Nipple—the area at the center of the areola that dispenses milk.

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Ligaments support the breast. They run from the skin through the breast and attach to muscles on the chest. Breast cancer can begin in different areas of the breast: the ducts, the lobules or, in some cases, the tissue in between. There are several types of breast cancer, but some of them are quite rare. In some cases, a single breast tumour can be a combination of types, or be a mixture of invasive and in situ cancer.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Metastatic breast cancer (sometimes called advanced or stage 4 breast cancer) is breast cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, bones, or brain.

Although metastatic breast cancer is considered incurable, it is important to know that there are many treatment options which can control the disease for extended periods of time and allow people to live with a good quality of life, and in many cases, for many years.

The signs and symptoms of metastatic breast cancer will depend on the location that the cancer cells have spread to. The main sites of metastasis for breast cancer are the bone, lungs, liver, and brain. Sometimes, metastases may be found before they have a chance to cause any symptoms. In some instances, changes in a person’s health and certain signs and symptoms may prompt them to visit a health care provider.

When a person is diagnosed with breast cancer, or they have a breast cancer recurrence, their health care provider will do

in the know

additional tests to find out if the cancer has spread, even if the person doesn’t have any other notable signs and symptoms. This is called a metastatic work-up. These tests may show that breast cancer has spread beyond the breast tissue.

Signs and Symptoms at location of metastasis

Bone: Bone pain; bone fracture; high calcium levels resulting in fatigue, nausea, constipation, thirst.

At the spa: Some modifications to consider: avoid localized area of pain/fracture, modify pressure, shorten the service and ensure that it is gentle and relaxing.

Lungs: Coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain.

At the spa: Elevate spa bed to help with breathing and focus on relaxing the client so breathing eases up.

Constant shortness of breath may require a 911 call.

Liver: Fatigue, loss of appetite, itchy skin, jaundice (eyes and skin), nausea.

At the spa: Slow, gentle and shorter service, and emollients for skin.

Brain: Headaches, pressure, memory and personality changes, nausea and vomiting.

At the spa: Relaxation, use pressure points to soothe headaches.

Holistic or complementary spa therapies Spa therapists also need to be aware of the possible side effects from cancer treatment and how they can help.

Studies have shown that relaxation therapy or acupuncture can ease pain. Even if holistic or complementary therapies, such as a facial, manicure or pedicure, do not lengthen a person’s life, they may improve the quality of life while undergoing cancer treatment. Some physicians will combine both complementary and standard treatments, drawing on the strengths of each. This is often called “integrative oncology.”

Many physicians are not familiar with all the holistic or complementary therapies available to the spa client. This may mean that your client’s physician may disapprove of their interest

in a spa treatment. This requires you to educate your client and, in turn, have them educate their physician about the services you will provide.

As spa therapists, you can also educate your clients about the importance of regular, monthly breast self-exams and having an awareness of changes occurring in, on and around the breasts and underarm areas.

Morag Currin is the company owner and educational professional of Oncology Training International (OTI) whose innovative concepts were designed to provide more advanced comforting modalities of esthetic treatments and care for patients undergoing cancer treatments.

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fresh & new HYDRAFACIAL

HydraFacial MD HydraFacial MD combines spa therapies with advanced medical technology. The HydraFacial MD Treatment involves cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, and hydration all while delivering antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, peptides and other essential nutrients.

The treatment is effective in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, elasticity and firmness of the skin. The technology behind the HydraFacial MD was developed by Edge Systems LLC. www.hydrafacial.com

G.M. COLLIN

Diamond Serum G.M. Collin’s Diamond Serum is an anti-aging serum that visibly reduces the signs of aging by improving skin’s elasticity and firmness, softening the look of wrinkles, revitalizing the skin and protects it from environmental stressors. The serum reinforces the skin’s hydration barrier and increases its radiance.

Diamond Serum contains Photoluminescent Diamond Powder, Diamond Peptide, Snow Algae, Neodermyl, and plankton extract. www.gmcollin.com

PHILIP STEIN

Sleep Bracelet Philip Stein embedded Natural Frequency Technology into its Sleep Bracelet. The metal case on each Sleep Bracelet acts as a finely tuned antenna that channels natural frequencies that constantly circle the earth. The antenna is designed to only pick up combinations of frequencies between 0.2 and 32.5 Hertz, which are believed to be beneficial for overall well-being or sleep. The Sleep Bracelet has a comfortable, ultra-soft microfiber strap that comes in a variety of colours, and the metal case comes in either rose gold plate or stainless steel. www.philipstein.com

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ESSIE

Gel Couture Collection Essie’s new Gel Couture collection was inspired by the world of high fashion and contains 42 shades categorized into four colour families and one exclusive gel couture top coat.

The easy two-step system delivers an instant gel-like shine. The collection comes in a new bottle designed to mimic the twist and swirl of a perfectly tailored gown. www.essie.com

fresh & new SPARITUAL

MEDISCA

Holiday 2016 Rise Collection

Blend & Boost Medisca’s Blend & Boost collection contains 13 active cosmetic boosters and five dermatologisttested cream bases rich in natural ingredients. Each cosmetic active booster can be mixed and matched with the specialized bases for a customized solution to specific skin concerns, whether it be aging, dry skin, oily skin, or sensitive skin. Each booster is free of parabens, fragrances and gluten, and includes ingredients like beta-glucans, peptides, and vitamin C. Blend & Boost also features patented technologies, which include hyaluronic acid and ceramides to optimize the delivery system. www.blendandboost.com

The rich hues of this collection reflect the festive season and features Champagne Shimmer, Dusty Red Crème, Mauve Crème, and Deep Forest Crème. The names chosen for each of the four shades – Rising Spirit, Unite, Come Together, Take a Stand – celebrate “the rise of women and a renewed feminism, [and]... is representative of women coming together in unity to inspire each other to use their voices for change,” says SpaRitual Founder, Shel Pink. The Rise Collection uses SpaRitual’s patented GOLD Cap for easy opening and Mindful Brush, which utilizes more than 600 bristles that fan out for maximum control and precise application. www.sparitual.com

VI AESTHETICS

VI Derm HQ Plus SÉRUMTOLOGIÉ

C serum-22 and Pure Whipped Chiffon Moisturizer sérumtologié’s C serum-22 contains a clinically proven combination of vitamin C, E and ferulic acid at very concentrated levels. This trio of powerful skin beautifying ingredients is combined with botanical hyaluronic acid, L-arginine, MSM and aloe. When paired with the Pure Whipped Chiffon Moisturizer, C serum-22 supports healthy skin and minimizes the appearance of fine lines. www.serumtologie.com

VI Aesthetics’ VI Derm HQ Plus is specially formulated for the treatment of hyperpigmentation. The product has a two per cent hydroquinone formula with additional targeted tyrosinase inhibitors that work together to block melanin formation, degrade melansomes and inactivate melanocytes. HQ Plus is clinically proven to reduce pigmentation and skin redness in as little as two weeks, while studies show at four weeks there is a significant reduction of pigmentation by 14 per cent. www.viaesthetics.com

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O ffering advanced thalassotherapy using hand harvested raw Pacific Seaweed, raw Canadian Glacial Clay & Sea salts from BC Canada N o shower required , plastic or mylar needed for removal of any of our full body treatments Exceptional cost per treatment Excellent sell through with our retail collection P ure natural formulas, with a focus on ethical & sustainable practices Authentically Canadian

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Streamline your menu, reduce your full body treatment costs, and support your guest’s health & wellbeing with Beauty Through Balance spa line created by Ancient Secrets Inc. Beauty Through Balance is carried in top spas and resorts.

experience. www.spainc.ca

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We have recreated our spa experiences with personal tales and trials including some zen moments and giggles for your enjoyment.

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Enjoy the conversation and the Spa Inc. experience @SpaIncMag

spa star

Sadie Nardini

S

adie Nardini is a yoga instructor by day and a rock star by night. As a teenager, Nardini was leaning toward the rock star life until she suffered a serious accident at a pool, dislocating her spine in three places. During this time, partially paralyzed and in excruciating pain, Nardini discovered yoga as a way of healing. She eventually developed a technique called Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga, which she now travels the world teaching. She also tours and sings with her rock band. “I’m all about rocking who you are from the inside out,” Nardini says.

How did dealing with health issues at such a young age inform your views on what it means to be well?

I never was a strong, vibrant, healthy, capable person from the beginning; I had to fight for that. I was forced to do anything and everything I could to feel better in any way. With no money and no resources, and I’m a teenager and my mom was working full-time, she didn’t have time to take care of me as much as I needed. I had to really turn inward. What I learned about health during that time is that it’s really an inside job.

For better or worse, nobody’s going to do it all for you; you’ve got to... make it a priority to do radical self-care.

How did you come up with Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga?

When I was first learning yoga from a book by myself, I was on the ground, unable to really move, so I had to move with an efficiency of effort, from the inside out and the ground up. I learned that the body can move better if you’re not forcing it or going too linear. As I got stronger I went into more structured, classical yoga classes and they trained it out of me. I was taught to be very linear and get from place to place like an outstretched robot. We have this urban legend in the yoga community that you’re supposed to move like that, based on our founding fathers of yoga movement who did not know anatomy and biomechanics. So now we have to evolve. After [reinjuring myself ]... I said, ‘OK, something structurally seems to be off.’ [Now] I go around teaching people transitional movements. That’s my style.

What is one thing you wish you had known before you started your wellness business?

I wish I’d known how to set better boundaries around my own self worth. I entered into some partnerships early on that took

advantage of me and I’m very generous, I work really hard, so I didn’t always ask for enough in return. The art of balancing relationships and self value has always been my greatest challenge. I’ve learned the art of boundaries and self-worth, and... part of that has been stubbornly making time for me and my work, and my health, every single day.

How do you treat yourself?

I have a Pinot Grigio meditation I like to do when I have an afternoon off. I’ll go have a glass of wine and a Seltzer – separately, of course – and I’ll go and enjoy a moment of pure creativity where I’m envisioning what I need to do next, what projects I want to get to, how I can care for myself more. It’s just a time for me and I really crave it.

What is your favourite spa treatment?

I love going to the Korean spas. They have something called the gold massage where they basically do everything you can think of to you in an hour-and-a-half. It’s hot oil, it’s [dry brush], deep massage, cupping, ice water, salt rubs, sugar rubs... everything. Honestly, I’m a multitasker and so I like to kind of load it up. www. s pa inc .c a

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Take the spa experience to a heightened level of healing & wellbeing through the many benefits of our holistic ingredients which are sourced direct from the ocean & rainforests.

All harvesting & production focuses on ethical & sustainable practices.

Free of Sulfates, Parabens, Synthetic Colors, Fragrances, Petrochemicals, and not tested on animals.

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