SPA Inc. Spring 2017

spring 2017

Canada’s spa connection

Children at the spa

Dol-άs Spa

Five Star Service on the East Coast

Medi spa treatments www.spainc.ca Publications Mail NO. 40026342

for sun damage

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contents

11

14

spa news

News from the spa industry

6

in the know

The Science of the Spa Understanding skin and the importance of hydration

17

spa light

The power of touch

Dol-ÎŹs Spa: An East Coast escape

20

8

Honeyed skincare

spa business

Medi spa treatments for sun-damaged skin

11 Welcoming children into the spa

22

fresh & new

Looking forward to Summer: New products, tools and equipment

24

14

spa star

Fitness and nutrition coach, Bruce Krahn

27

20

24

Cover Photo: Dol-as Spa

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between us spring 2017

Skin Deep W

ith summer coming, spa clients will be clamoring for solutions to their skin woes. As the weather warms and sleeves and hems creep up, more and more skin is revealed and that will certainly be on your clients’ minds. To make sure you’re equipped to prepare your clients for beach season, we’ve done a deep dive into the care and preservation of the epidermis in this issue. Isabelle Villeneuve, Head of the Valeant Center of Excellence in Skin Care, gives us a scientific perspective on skin hydration and Dr. Diane Wong of Glow Medi Spa in Toronto advises us on the best medi spa solutions for sun damage (because it’s never too early to think ahead). And, for a sweet treat, we’ve gathered a collection of honey-based skincare products you might want to pass on to your spa clients.

Hermione Wilson Happy Spring! assistant Editor

ISSN 1710 -1727 – Volume 14, Number 1

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 Vivienne O’Keeffe Isabelle Villeneuve Dr. Diane Wong

Advertising Beth Kukkonen Manager bkukkonen@dvtail.com

Advertising Lynne LeBlanc lleblanc@dvtail.com 905-707-3521 Kim Cristini kcristini@dvtail.com 905-707-3510

Marketing Stephanie Wilson Manager swilson@dvtail.com

VP of Roberta Dick Production robertad@dvtail.com

Production Crystal Himes Manager chimes@dvtail.com

Published four times a year by: Dovetail Communications Inc. President: Susan A. Browne Tel: 905-886-6640 Fax: 905-886-6615 Email: general@dvtail.com SUBSCRIPTIONS AND RETURNS 30 East Beaver Creek Rd, Suite 202 Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1J2 PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40026342 Legal Deposit – National Library of Canada. All rights reserved.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in all or in part, without the written permission of the publisher. Dovetail Communications Inc. cannot be held responsible for any losses or other damages incurred by readers in reliance on information appearing in Spa Inc. Spa Inc. and Dovetail Communications Inc. do not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising.

Spa Inc. will review unsolicited submissions (hard copy or digital texts, photos or illustrations) for editorial consideration but does not guarantee their publication. The submitted material may be used without consent or payment.

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4 Sp a Inc. | Spring 2 017

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spa news

Canadian Spa Supplier Fetes 10th Birthday L’Moor, an Ontario-based supplier of spa and wellness products, supplies, equipment, and education, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

“Starting a very tiny business in 2006, we were immediately grateful for our vendors and clients who had faith in us,” co-owner Bonnie Annis says.

“Entrepreneurship is often fraught with worry, doubt and stress, but the rewards are plentiful.”

To mark their 10th anniversary, Roderick and Annis planned a year-long celebration that culminated in the inaugural LEAD Spa and Wellness Conference on March 27, 2017. The conference offered the opportunity for the spa industry to explore leadership and education as a way to advance and define their businesses. Keynote speaker Peter Shankman invited attendees to harness the power of social media as a way to springboard their business to success. The author and entrepreneur is recognized internationally for inspiring radical new ways of thinking about customer service, social media, PR, and marketing.

In addition to the LEAD Conference, L’Moor has been celebrating its anniversary by featuring its loyal clients on its website and travelling the province offering training courses for spa therapists, estheticians, and independent foot care nurses, among others.

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Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain Expands Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain has expanded its facilities with the addition of a new infra-red sauna, an indoor relaxation room and an outdoor deck area overlooking a natural pond. Altogether, the expansion adds 1,500 sq. ft. to the spa and adds to its offering of hot baths, Finnish sauna, eucalyptus steam room, thermal and Nordic waterfalls, cold plunges, fireplaces, and indoor and outdoor relaxation areas. Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain is already one of the largest spas in Canada and the only outdoor nature spa in Ontario.

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spa light

Dol-άs Spa

A hidden p aradise

on Canada’s East coast B y K e l ly T o w n s e n d

F

or many Canadians, the Maritimes represent the simple life; taking in the wonder of the picturesque landscape and the feeling of the sea breeze on your skin. For tourists looking for an East Coast escape, Dol-άs Spa, a 2016 Canadian Spa and Wellness Awards winner, is the perfect fit — and that’s not just because its name, Dol-άs, means “escape” in Scottish Gaelic.

The Fox Harb’r Resort, home of Dol-άs Spa, is located in Wallace, Nova Scotia, right along the coast of the Northumberland Strait. Aside from the spa, the massive resort is home to multiple golf courses, riding stables, a junior Olympic pool, trails, and greenhouses, with options to rent or own on-site property.

“Dol-άs Spa provides Fox Harb’r Resort guests with an additional luxury amenity that positions us as a world class destination resort,” says Kevin Toth, Fox Harb’r President.

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spa light

Classic East Coast Hospitality

East Coast residents are best known for their hospitable nature, something Joann Patriquin, Spa Director, takes to heart.

Patriquin personally welcomes the guests who visit the spa and says each day she hears from guests how bright, warm and inviting it is.

“From every window of the building, you can see the ocean,” says Patriquin.

“The setting of the whole resort is overwhelming with its beauty.”

Spa amenities include a lobby where guests can sit and relax while enjoying complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness centre, hot tub, and a number of pools, including a saltwater mineral pool. “It’s like being in a tropical location,” says Patriquin.

Treatments are marketed to both genders, as the resort is often visited by male golfers and corporate executives.

Patriquin says getting men through the spa doors is the hardest part, so Dol-άs Spa created a Men’s Executive menu, with names like “Sports Pedicure” and “MANicure.”

“The more they get in tune with it, the more they realize it’s not about the women’s world and more about refreshing the body,” says Patriquin. “We do what we can to entice them with our marketing abilities, but massages are most common with the type of gentlemen that come here.”

An Exclusive Treatment

Out of all of the spa’s treatments, the most unique is the Fox Harb’r Signature Facial.

It uses the Swiss skincare line, Cellcosmet, which was designed exclusively for Dol-άs

by Cynthia Audet, President of Audessa Health Care Products. “We are the only spa east of Montreal permitted to carry this line,” says Patriquin.

Audet approached Patriquin about designing the facial treatment at Fox Harb’r after the two met at a show where Patriquin sampled the Cellcosmet line.

The signature facial is designed to work in combination with Dol-άs’ NuFace microcurrent treatment. www. s pa inc .c a

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spa light

“Five-star therapists are not made in schools, day spas, working for themselves, or in massage clinics. They are made in five-star properties. We make five-star therapists here.” – Joann Patriquin, Spa Director

Dol-άs Spa Size: 30,000 square-feet Number of treatment rooms: 8 Number of staff: 6 retail: Cellcosmet, Dermalogica, Jane Iredale, Comfort Zone, Molton Brown, OPI, Dedicated Clothing, Artizan

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Other standout treatments include the Gazebo massage, where guests can enjoy a close view of the sea cliffs while enjoying a stimulating massage, weather permitting.

With hot summer weather and breezy waterfront winds, it’s not always the serene environment spa-goers are looking for. “It may not be for everyone, but we get requests for it,” says Patriquin.

Five-Star Training

What truly makes Dol-άs Spa stand out is the comprehensive staff training program.

Each therapist goes through up to two weeks of training every new season, to learn about or refresh their knowledge on products and spa protocol. “Five-star therapists are not made in schools, day spas, working for themselves, or in massage clinics,” says Patriquin. “They are made in five-star properties. We make five-star therapists here.”

The training also emphasizes the importance of individualizing the experience for each guest that enters the spa. “If you ask 10 people, 10 people are going to give you a different opinion on what luxury is and what five-star is,” says Patriquin. “And since we individualize it, we meet every client’s expectations.”

Due to its remote location, hiring the right staff is no easy task. Patriquin networks with schools across Canada to advertise spa therapist openings.

Accommodations are provided to all staff members as an added incentive to working at the resort. “Being in a rural area, it’s very hard to find rental,” she says. “It’s convenient for managers and directors to have the staff live on the resort as well because the business levels change so frequently that we to have them here and can call them quickly.”

It seems that Dol-άs Spa can be the perfect place for guests and spa employees to find a real East Coast escape. After all, it’s in the name.

spa business

Treating

at the spa

By Dr. Diane Wong

S

un-damaged skin accounts for the majority of skin conditions treated at medical spas. Education and prevention of sun damage is a primary role of the skincare therapist. Sunscreens, sun avoidance, and appropriate skincare products are most important in prevention. To treat existing sun damage, the severity of sun damage along with the skin type being treated must be carefully considered in selecting an appropriate medi spa treatment.

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spa business

What is Sun Damage and How Does it Occur?

Short-term sun damage is seen as sunburn or a suntan.

Long-term sun exposure causes gradual damage to the skin called photo-aging, producing fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation (sunspots), redness, thinned skin, sagging skin, and potentially skin cancer.

Pigmentation or sun spots are caused by an increased production of melanin. Through a process called melanization, the pigment is passed along to the keratinocytes during cell division and the skin becomes a darker colour. Melanin can cluster together in deposits, becoming visible as brown spots.

Medi Spa Treatments for Sun Damage

FOR MILD SUN DAMAGE

To protect and maintain optimal skin condition, it is important to use products that are appropriate, effective and beneficial to particular skin needs. A thorough consultation and customization of at-home skincare products is the key to effective treatment.

There are a variety of medical-grade products to prevent and treat sun-damaged skin. The active ingredients must be carefully chosen for specific skin types and should be introduced with careful consultation. The quality of skin can be improved with active ingredients such as: vitamin A, C, and E, Collagen, kojic acid, hyaluronic acids, glycolic or lactic acid, just to name a few.

In terms of medi spa treatments, one of the most common methods of treating sun-damaged skin is exfoliation, either mechanical or chemical. Exfoliation removes the dead cells on the surface of the skin and stimulates the skin’s natural cellular turnover and growth processes, leading to increased collagen stimulation.

Exfoliation can be done mechanically such as with microdermabrasion or various other devices which have a roughened surface to gently remove the old, dead surface skin. Mechanical exfoliation yields immediate results but care must be taken to avoid breaking small capillaries which may lead to residual redness. Chemical exfoliation, on the other hand, works to break down and remove dead skin with varying intensities of active solutions such as lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, TCA, or a combination of ingredients. Results of chemical peels may not be immediate and there may be mild flaking or peeling which can occur for a few days following the treatment.

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All skin types can be treated with peels, as long as the peel is properly selected, customized, and applied by an experienced therapist.

FOR MODERATE SUN DAMAGE

One of the most effective medi spa treatments for removing sun spots and treating sun damage is IPL (Intense Pulsed Light). Through thermal heating with IPL or lasers, the melanin deposits are disrupted and slough off in about seven days, usually with no downtime, scarring, or much discomfort. IPL photorejuvenation addresses brown spots, redness, uneven skin tone, fine lines, wrinkles, and stimulates collagen as well. Not all skin types are appropriate for IPL/lasers and these medical skin treatments should not be performed on tanned skin.

There are innovative, new skin treatments, such as VoluDerm, that combine several existing technologies into one machine and one treatment to achieve fractionated skin resurfacing and skin rejuvenation, at both a superficial and deeper level. It combines (1) micro-needling, (2) radiofrequency (thermal energy), and (3) galvanic (Electric Energy) all into one treatment and the synergistic effects are much greater than each treatment on its own.

The energy is delivered using sophisticated micro-

To treat existing sun damage, the severity of sun damage along with the skin type being treated must be carefully considered in selecting an appropriate medi spa treatment.

Mechanical exfoliation yields immediate results but care must be taken to avoid breaking small capillaries which may lead to residual redness.

spa business

Exfoliation treatments, IPL and lasers are amongst the wide variety of effective skincare treatments available at medical spas.

A thorough consultation is always required and risks versus benefits must be carefully considered.

needles which create invisible micro wounds in the mid dermal layer while minimizing the effects on the superficial epidermal layer. The VoluDerm treatment results in softer, smoother, tighter skin with a volumizing effect overall. It can be used anywhere on the face or body. It can also be used for those harder to treat areas such as under the eyes.

Thus it can be used to treat lines and wrinkles, and other textural skin changes related to sun damage or aging.

Liquid nitrogen, referred to by patients as a “cold freeze” is also commonly utilized in medical clinics to remove pigmentation and/or pre-cancerous lesions. A thorough consultation is required by a trained skincare professional when considering medical skincare treatments.

FOR SEVERE SUN DAMAGE

For clients who have severe sun damage or roughened textured skin, the option of more invasive treatments can produce more effective and rapid results. Very strong chemical peels that penetrate deeper into the dermal layers can be applied. Alternatively, laser treatments that utilize erbium, CO2, or thallium lasers can resurface the superficial skin in just one treatment. Downtime is required as a result of the peeling, redness, irritation, swelling, and discomfort. Fractionated laser resurfacing is better tolerated with less downtime than traditional lasers, however, risks and precautions must be emphasized in the consultation. Not all skin types are appropriate for laser treatments and sun exposure must be avoided before and after the treatments. Possible side effects such as infection, hyper or hypo-pigmentation, scarring, and pain may occur. Results, however, are impressive and longlasting.

Exfoliation treatments, IPL and lasers are amongst the wide variety of effective skincare treatments available at medical spas. A thorough consultation is always required and risks versus benefits must be carefully considered in making the proper selection for each individual client.

Dr. Diane Wong, MD is the owner of Glow Medi Spa with two locations in Yorkville and Aurora, Ontario. Glow Medi Spa was awarded a Top 25 Spa in Canada for 2016 by Spa Inc. and Spa Industry Association of Canada.

How Do You Choose the Best Sunscreen?

For spa clients

There are different filters in sunscreens for UVB and UVA rays. The most important thing is to choose a “broad spectrum” sunscreen which covers against both UVB and UVA rays.

Sunscreens with SPF 30 or greater are recommended for UVB protection and are important especially in the summer. UVA protection requires a physical block such as zinc or titanium dioxide and is important year-round.

Compliance with sunscreen use is crucial and can be facilitated by using sunscreens which are non-comedogenic, sensitivity-free, fragrancefree, and paraben-free.

Other Sun Safety Tips Use enough sunscreen.

Apply 30 minutes before exposure and reapply every two hours or after swimming, sweating, or towel drying. The average adult should use 35 ml for the entire body (equivalent to one shot glass or 1oz). Use ¼ tsp on your face. Most people don’t apply enough. The concern with BB creams or CC creams is that because they are often tinted, there is a tendency to not use enough.

There is no such thing as a healthy tan.

Tanning beds or booths are also harmful and should be avoided. Remember, tanning is a sure way to prematurely age your skin. If you want a sun-bronzed look, try a spray tan, tanning lotion, or cosmetic bronzer.

Cover up and avoid direct sun exposure.

Broad-brimmed hats, sun-protective clothing, UV-protective sunglasses, and avoidance of sun exposure especially between 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. are also recommended. Seek shade, stay under trees or utilize sun umbrellas as options.

Add a topical antioxidant to protect the skin from free radicals in the air.

Examples of antioxidants include: vitamin C, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, tocopherol acetate, resveratrol, grape seed extract, and glutathione.

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spa business

Spa Treatments for

Young Clients

By Hermione Wilson

M

ost spas are dedicated to serving clients in their teens and up, but according to a 2013 report by ISPA, only about 28 per cent of spas offer services to children under the age of 13. To be sure, children cannot be treated in the same way as more mature spa-goers, but they are certainly in need of the wellness benefits of the spa as much as their parents.

Adding spa treatment options for children makes sense for Spa du Manoir Saint-Sauveur, says Spa Director Sonya Bonin. “We have lots of families coming to Manoir Saint-Sauveur for weekends or vacation, and they are coming with their kids,” she says. “We have a kids club where they can stay and they have access to everything – to the spa outside, to the swimming pool, everything.”

Manoir Saint-Sauveur offers a unique treatment plan for spa guests aged four to 12 called Bambino Treatments. Children can come with their parents or alone to take advantage of chocolatevanilla or green apple massages, a chocolate exfoliating treatment, and a manicure and pedicure.

“We have a small wardrobe for them so they can change and have the same services as their parents,” Bonin says. “They have their own locker in the locker room, they have their treatment with the therapist, and after that we give them a piece of chocolate to finish the treatment.”

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Manoir Saint-Sauveur takes great care to treat little guests like grown-ups, but adapts some elements to suit a younger audience.

The massages are shorter, only 45 minutes, and Bonin says that therapists use dynamic, energetic movements during the massage treatments, rather than long flowing movements, so that the children stay awake and engaged. The focus, Bonin says, is not so much therapeutic as it is fun.

Spa du Manoir Saint-Sauveur only uses female spa therapists for the Bambino Treatments and they are specially trained on how to provide service to and talk to younger clientele. One key is constant communication with the child who is receiving the service. “We tell them everything... just to keep them engaged during the treatment and stimulated by the service that we’re giving,” Bonin says.

Nicole Nifo of Fully Alive Wellness Centre, knows what it takes to keep young clients engaged. The Registered Massage Therapist specializes in pediatric massage and mainly works with children aged three to 10 years old. Nifo uses stories, songs and finger puppets in her massage sessions, all to get her young clients comfortable with the experience. When she is telling a massage story, Nifo tries to incorporate elements that appeal to the child she is working with and get the child involved in the telling of the story.

spa business

“We try to make it fun,” she says. “Each action word has an action with the hand. If they’re talking about a dog walking we’ll use our fingertips moving along their back or if the dog is having a bath, we’ll move our whole hand in a circular motion.” After a session, Nifo will ask her client what part of the story they enjoyed the most, which allows her to assess what hand motions the child liked best and can repeat those in later sessions.

“It helps to empower them in their bodies, it helps them to understand positive physical boundaries, because we don’t want them to think anybody can just touch them,” Nifo says. “People have to ask permission and they get to tell people how they want to be touched.”

With all her clients, Nifo has the child choose which part of their body they want massaged, based on a muscle chart she shows them. “We’ll get a muscle chart and we’ll get them to point out which areas that they want touched or which areas are feeling sore, and there’s a code word that if they want us to stop if they’re uncomfortable or they don’t like it,” she says.

Lying face down on a massage table is a vulnerable position, especially for a child, so Nifo says she usually starts a session with the child sitting up with their clothes on. “Then, if they’re comfortable, they can lie on the massage table and then they can undress appropriately if they feel comfortable with that.”

Parents are always present during Nifo’s sessions – for legal reasons and to put the child at ease – and she uses the opportunity to educate them about how they can give their child massages at home. This is especially important for her clients who have Down syndrome or cerebral palsy. “[Massage is] most beneficial for the special needs kids when it’s done daily and unfortunately I can’t be there every day,” Nifo says.

Children with Down syndrome are often not very verbal so they can’t tell their parents what parts of their body are hurting. Nifo teaches parents how to pick up cues from the child during a massage that can tell them what the child likes and doesn’t like.

For her clients with cerebral palsy, Nifo pays special attention to their muscles. “Kids with cerebral palsy have something called spasticity and also some of their muscles may be very lax as well, they don’t have a lot of tone to Photo credits: Manoir Saint-Sauveur them, whereas the other side of their body will be very toned, where they can’t necessarily even relax the muscles enough to walk,” she says. “Massage is very useful in helping to relax their body.”

Massage is not all Nifo offers her young clients, however. She also teaches breathing and visualization techniques to help children cope with stress. She also incorporates aromatherapy into her massage sessions and asks the child to pick out their own essential oil.

With stress and anxiety on the rise for adults and children alike, there is a need, now more than ever, for spas to offer services for children.

Tips for Treating Kids at the Spa

top tips

Make it fun!

Whether it’s finger puppets and massage stories, or simply maintaining a running dialogue with the child, make sure your young client is awake and engaged.

Keep treatments short.

“Don’t start with a one-hour massage for a fiveyear-old. Work your way up to half an hour, 45 minutes,” RMT Nicole Nifo says. “Older kids between 10 and 16 could definitely do an hour, but have shorter duration times for the younger guys.”

Involve the child in the treatment.

Get them to pick out a signature scent for aromatherapy treatments or ask them what areas of their body they would like to focus on. It helps give the child a sense of control and reinforces positive physical boundaries.

Add a special touch.

End the treatment with a special treat, like a chocolate.

Have a special spa day for children and parents.

Try out a package for younger spa-goers before making it a permanent addition to the spa menu.

Organize a kids’ spa day or, as Nifo suggests, offer a spa package for families where you teach them how to massage each other. Organize a massage train where one family member massages another while someone massages them in a line.

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ad

in the know

The Science

of The Spa

Moisturizing: a made to measure strategy

By Isabelle Villeneuve

W

ater is a source of youth and vitality. It is at the origin of all biochemical reactions and therefore plays a fundamental role in our organism. When our skin cells are lacking in water they don’t function as well and become more vulnerable. This can lead to accelerated aging, increased reactivity, increased sensitivity to environmental and climatic stressors, etc.

Under normal physiological conditions, the surface of the skin contains 20% water while the lower layers of the epidermis contain 70%. If this gradient is maintained, skin is considered to be ideally hydrated and its suppleness and elasticity are preserved.

Hydrolipidic layer

The hydrolipidic layer covers the surface of the skin like an invisible, non-occlusive film. It’s an emulsion composed of sweat, sebum, cell debris, and water coming from the lower layers of the skin. Its quantity and composition vary according to the individual, the part of the body, the season, the level of humidity in the air, and stress. This layer slows the evaporation of water from the skin’s surface. It also contributes to the skin’s suppleness.

The Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF)

The NMF is located under the surface of the skin, in the stratum corneum. It is composed of water-soluble substances, predominantly free amino acids and their derivatives, as well as components such as lactic acid, urea and sugars. The substances that make up the NMF are hygroscopic, meaning that, like a magnet, they not only attract water but also retain water, thereby ensuring that the skin remains better hydrated. Exposure to UV rays, disease and aging may lead to a decrease in the quantity of NMF.

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The Science

in the know

of The Spa

Intercorneocytory cement

The keratinocytes of the stratum corneum (where the NMF is located) are naturally surrounded by lipids, including ceramides, essential fatty acids and cholesterol. These substances prevent the excessive evaporation of water contained in the skin and protect the skin against harmful intruders such as bacteria. This combination of NMF and lipids is also referred to as the skin’s barrier.

In terms of texture, oilmoisturizing products are the ideal solution and are suitable for all skin types.

Lack of lipids or lack of water?

In summer as well as in winter, skin needs to be moisturized because water evaporates continuously through the skin, especially when the humidity level in the air is low. In other words, all skin needs moisturizing, whatever the type of skin, and moisturizing skin care products should always contain hygroscopic substances (elements of the NMF, sugars, etc.).

Moisturizing, film-forming molecules such as hyaluronic acid are also beneficial because they form a moist microclimate on the surface of the skin that lasts all day long and, as a bonus, they smooth wrinkles and provide a plumping effect. In terms of texture, oil-free gel or serum type moisturizing products are the ideal solution and are suitable for all skin types. The composition of the moisturizer needs to be adjusted, either more or less rich, depending on the season. For added benefit, we also recommend a soaking of the stratum corneum.

Dry skin

It is necessary to use moisturizers that are rich in lipids, preferably identical to or very similar to those which make up the intercorneocytory cement (ceramides, free fatty acids, cholesterol, plant sterols). These will help compensate for the lack of lipids in the intercorneocytory cement and will strengthen the skin’s barrier. In more serious cases, or when skin is affected by a cold climate, by wind or by electric heaters for example, antidehydrating agents need to be added, meaning hydrophobic filmforming surface-active substances, which are more or less occlusive (waxes and vegetable oils, silicones), to effectively slow the evaporation of water contained in the skin. It’s important to ensure these substances are non-comedogenic.

Oily skin

There are excellent completely glycerine-free serums available, in the form of aqueous fluid gels, which penetrate very well and

18 Spa Inc. | Spri n g 2 017

don’t overload the epidermis. They also generally contain added values for oily skin, such as ingredients that control the production of sebum as well as antiimperfection or brightening properties.

These can be recommended for daily use under a light texture sunscreen. Paradoxically, oily skin can also lack lipids. In this case, the best option may be “oil-free” formulas.

free gel or serum type

Combination skin

An oil-free moisturizer is the best choice for the T-zone regardless of the season. For the rest of the face, it is recommended to use a moisturizer designed for normal to dry skin, of a richer texture in winter and a lighter texture in summer.

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is skin whose barrier is damaged to the point that it no longer plays its protective role. In this case, it is recommended to use the same solutions as for dry skin but to also seek out products that offer soothing properties as well as humectant, anti-dehydrating and lipid-replenishing properties.

Mature skin

Over time, the quantity as well as the quality of the skin’s lipids may decrease. Most anti-wrinkle or anti-aging treatments contain hygroscopic, film-forming and lipid-replenishing substances. In this case as well, the composition of the moisturizer, either more or less rich, must be adjusted depending on the season.

A good moisturizing strategy is paramount in any skincare routine. It represents an essential step in the same way as the use of adapted epidermal cleansers and exfoliants. Moisturizing strategies should be reviewed and adjusted by the esthetician at each change of season.

Isabelle Villeneuve is R&D Director – Head of the Valeant International Center of Excellence in Skincare. Passionate about cosmetology, she has more than 25 years of experience.

Villeneuve is recognized as an international expert in skincare.

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in the know

tomorrow New discoveries about the skin’s connection to happiness, immunity and possibly even autism may dramatically alter the way we deliver touch therapy B y V i v i e n n e O ’ K e e ff e

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t seems the body’s largest organ might also be the least understood.

The mystery began in 1939, when Swedish physiologist Yngve Zotterman noticed unusual electrical responses from cats’ legs being slowly stroked by wooden pins. Subsequent experiments on cats, rats and monkeys in 1957, 1977 and 1993 identified nerves in the skin designed not to register mere contact or pain or itchiness, but to convey complicated information about social interactions.

In the present day the nerves, known as C-tactile (CT) afferents, are still not fully understood, but we’re getting closer. Recent studies, including one by Francis McGlone, a cognitive neuroscientist at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK along with colleagues in Montreal, have confirmed the powerful connections between CT afferents and the parts of the brain that process emotion.

As reported in National Geographic magazine, McGlone’s group and Yale neuroscientist Kevin Pelphry also reported CT fibres stimulated by slowly stroking the skin activated portions of the brain involved in socially meaningful sights, sounds and possibly even smells. Most intriguing was an appreciably lower brain response in subjects with autism spectrum disorders.

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in the know “The skin is not just tissue that you want to neurotransmitter in the brain, going up McGlone believes affective touch is regenerate and exfoliate when we hug or kiss someone we love and crucial for brain development, and and primp and pump and all playing a vital role in pair bonding. The worries about what will happen as we that. It is so much more.” research also charted rising numbers of transfer more and more of our social lives lymphocytes (white blood cells in the online. For now, it’s important for us to – Claudia Aguirre, Neuroscientist immune system) in the volunteers, understand the amazing power of touch, suggesting that therapeutic touch in the and the possible future ramifications of form of massage might play a vital role in these breakthroughs in our therapy strengthening our immune system. sessions.

Clearly there are powerful, measurable benefits from massage In a lecture at the 2015 Global Wellness Summit in Mexico beyond relieved muscles and joints, and more come out with each City, neuroscientist Claudia Aguirre characterized skin as a new study. Benefits of other forms of touch second brain, complete with its own hormone production can be more inscrutable. Reports (cortisol, estrogen, testosterone and others) and antioxidant indicate, for example, that an defenses. She cited the case of an airline pilot who broke out in acupuncturist believing in the viral herpes every time he flew over a certain canyon. It turned healing power of the needles out that a pilot friend of his had crashed in the area on a day when she places in the arm of a he should have been flying himself. Unconscious guilt on every client will positively crossing triggered the unwelcome rash. affect the outcome of the “The skin,” said Aguirre, “is not just tissue that you want to therapy – as much as regenerate and exfoliate and primp and pump and all that. It is so will the positive belief much more.” of her client.

A lack of human contact in the early stages of life can be tragic.

Nonetheless, there Austrian-American child psychiatrist René Spitz gathered a is no denying that when group of babies from orphanages in the early 1940s to see whether you touch a body, you reduced human contact could lessen their incidence of disease. touch the whole person – The babies were fed and clothed and kept warm and clean, but the intellect, the spirit and were not played with, handled, or held. Although the children’s the emotions. Unseen energy physical needs were met, instead of benefitting from lack of is conveyed in every touch a contact, they became withdrawn and sickly, and lost weight. A human being makes, and massage great many died and exhibited a vast number of infections. We is a formalized and well understood now know that this is because babies that don't get caresses form of touch therapy. As professional trigger a series of epigenetic changes that render them less therapists, I believe we need to be conversant in the new language resilient to stress and illness in the future. of touch therapy, and prepared to deliver a whole new range of In another example, premature newborns studied by client services that will surely flow from the recent discoveries, researchers Klaus and Kennell who were carried, rocked and particularly those about the role of CT afferents. cuddled during their stay in a hospital nursery gained more “The compassionate touch of a hand or a reassuring hug can weight, had fewer periods of non-breathing and better functioning take away our fears, soothe our anxieties, and fill the emptiness of nervous systems than newborns who did not receive this level of being lonely,” says author and broadcaster Randi G. Fine. Our attention. hands may hold far more power than we realized.

Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 2010 appears consistent with an emotional role being played by CT afferents. While deep-tissue Swedish massage significantly altered levels of cortisol (involved with stress) and arginine Vivienne O’Keeffe, AAD, PEA, CIBTAC, is President of Spa Profits Consulting Inc., and an expert in designing successful spa vasopressin (linked to cortisol), volunteers who received lighter concepts. She is also an international consultant in developing touch massage showed bigger decreases of adrenocorticotropic product lines, treatment plans and training programs, a (which stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol) and member of ISPA and Spa Industry Association of Canada (for greater increases in oxytocin than the Swedish massage group. As which she won an Outstanding Service Award in 2012), and a you may know, oxytocin is a powerful hormone which acts as a member of International Management Consultants Inc.

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t e e w S treat

in the know 1.

By Hermione Wilson

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or spa clients who follow the principle of not putting anything on their bodies they wouldn’t also put in their mouths, honey-based skincare solutions seem like an obvious choice.

Honey is delicious, packed with antioxidants, and has many benefits for the skin as well. Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture to the skin and plumps the skin cells, making it a perfect treatment for clients with very dry skin, says Oresta Korbutiak, founder of Oresta Organic Skin Care.

“It’s really nourishing to the skin. I always say it’s like feeding the skin.”

Oresta Organic Skin Care offers the Laurel Sun Damage Repair Facial, based on Laurel Whole Plant Organics’ Honey Berry Enzyme Mask, at its four spa locations in Ottawa, Ontario. Korbutiak pays special attention to how the honey is processed when sourcing honey-based products. She looks for products that use organic, unfiltered honey, which she says are the best for the skin of her spa clients.

Honey is also an antibacterial, Korbutiak says, but it leaves the beneficial bacteria of the skin intact. “It’s really balancing to the microbiome... the skin’s natural barrier,” Korbutiak says. “When your microbiome is not healthy... when your skin is inflamed, that’s when it produces problems like acne and sagging skin.”

Husband and wife team Teague Griffin and Sarah Richer, who run an organic skincare company Wild Hill Botanicals on Vancouver Island, created a honey-based skin treatment that proved very popular. Their Honey Myrrh Mask is a limited edition run because it depends on the harvest of wild plants on Vancouver Island, meaning they can only make it in small batches at a time.

When she started looking for the honey to use in her new product, Richer discovered that not all honey is created equal. She uses raw beechwood honey from New Zealand’s South Island in the Honey Myrrh Mask, which she then blends with myrrh and balsam poplars right from her own backyard on Vancouver Island.

“On the South Island of New Zealand they have beech tree forests and those trees emit a sap, and the bees collect that sap and make honey,” Griffin says.

“So it’s not blossom-based honey, it’s a sap honey; it’s also called dew honey for that reason.”

Richer and Griffin liked the fact that the environment of New Zealand’s South Island is pristine and that the bees in the area don’t suffer from some of the issues that plague North America, such as overmedication and the result of problematic agricultural practices.

It seems like a no-brainer: honey is a sweet treat you can feed both your body and your skin. Griffin says a blogger once asked his wife what advice she would give to someone who wanted to switch to green beauty, get rid of all their makeup and start over. Richer replied: “The first thing I would do is put nothing but honey on my face for 30 days.”

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Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin-Brightening Eye Cream www.antipodesnature.com 2.

Wild Hill Botanicals Honey & Myrrh Facial Mask www.wildhillbotanicals.com 3.

Laurel Whole Plant Organics Honey Berry Enzyme Mask www.laurelskin.com 4.

Wedderspoon Organic Manuka Honey Night Cream With Bee Venom www.wedderspoon.ca

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fresh & new 1 ESSIE

Treat Love & Colour Nail Care

Essie’s new collection features beautiful, sheer colours including white, lavender, and pink in a one-step formula that does not require a base or top coat. This multi-benefit treatment contains collagen and camellia leaf extracts, which provides 60% less nail peeling and 35% less nail breakage in just one week. With immediate, long-term benefits for brittle nails, the visually brightening colours provide a fresh manicure. www.essie.ca

3 JANE IREDALE

In Touch Cream Blush in Candid The warm, rosy shade, Candid, from Jane Iredale’s In Touch collection, strives for a natural radiance and a soft, dewy look with its moist texture. The cream-to-powder stick is made with macadamia esters to hydrate and soothe along with beeswax to give antimicrobial protection. Its multi-functional purpose can be worn alone, under a powder blush or over top of the eyes, lips and cheeks. www.janeiredale.com

2 PROVINCE APOTHECARY

Radiant Body Oil

Province Apothecary’s Radiant Body Oil contains organic argan kernel oil, black cumin seed oil, as well as geranium, clary sage, lavender and frankincense essential oils. The body oil is quickly absorbed by the skin to nourish and soften effectively. Radiant Body Oil works to boost cellular circulation and gently detoxify the body, as well as invigorate the senses with its pleasant fragrance. www.provinceapothecary.com

4 ÉMINENCE ORGANIC SKIN CARE

Microgreens Detox Collection

Éminence Organic Skin Care’s new collection is created with superfood microgreens that prevent pollutants from damaging the skin. The Stone Crop Cleansing Oil, Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant and the Lotus Detoxifying Overnight Treatment contain the active ingredient detoxophane, derived from Swiss Cress sprouts, which protects skin against free radicals. The cleansing oil is a non-greasy solution to dissolving and removing impurities from clogged pores. The Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant uses stone crop and nutrient-rich microgreens to soften and invigorate, while the Lotus Detoxifying Overnight Treatment protects cells from future environmental pollutants and infuses vitamins and minerals into the skin during sleep. www.eminenceorganics.com/ca

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fresh & new 5 BABO BOTANICALS

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Super Shield Sport Stick Babo Botanical’s natural sunscreen contains zinc oxide, which is highly effective in blocking UVA, UVB and UVC rays. The Super Shield Sport Stick uses non-nano zinc which means the particles are too large to penetrate skin and pass into the bloodstream. Part of Babo Botanicals’ Safe Sun Care Collection, which has been rated #1 in safety by the U.S. Environmental Working Group, the Super Shield Sport Stick contains an organic shea butter, avocado and jojoba oils compound, and is packed with antioxidants and vitamins.

The sunscreen is fragrance-free, has a smooth glide-on application and rubs in clear. www.babobotanicals.com

NEOCORIUM

All Natural EGF & Stem Cell Facial Treatment The NeoCorium anti-aging facial treatment is a proprietary blend of concentrated epidermal growth factors, transforming growth factors and stem cells that aid in repairing damage and age-compromised skin. The Derma Carrier is mixed with the Stem Cell Growth Factor Concentrate to create a medi-spa level skin care solution. The NeoCorium EGF Stem Cell Facial Treatment contains stem cell proteins, fibroblast growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, emu oil, jojoba oil and lavender oil. www.neocorium.com

7 ORGANICSCEUTICALS

Eye Treat

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Organicsceuticals’ new eye treatment was specially formulated to assist with actively treating the delicate skin around the eyes.

The product hydrates the skin around the eye, helping to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Eye Treat contains vitamin C, Atlantic kelp extract, rosehip oil, and snowflake flower bulb extract. The product also contains ribose, a natural cellular energiser derived from sugar which helps improve skin elasticity and brighten the complexion. Eye Treat is recommended for normal, mature and dry skin types. www.organicspa.com.au

MAKES SCENTS

Coco Mojito Body Scrub Like a delicious cocktail on the beach, Make Scents’ Coco Mojito Body Scrub hydrates and exfoliates skin with a mixture of organic cane juice, lime peel, peppermint leaves, and organic raw coconut. The scrub also contains lime essential oil that acts as an astringent to tighten and firm skin. The Coco Mojito Body Scrub has high levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols which help slow the formation of wrinkles. www.makescentsspaline.com

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fresh & new 10 9 SPARITUAL

Passionfruit Agave Nourishing Oil for Body + Hair SpaRitual’s Passionfruit Agave Nourishing Oil for Body + Hair contains organic sunflower and sesame oils, which provide antioxidants and moisture to soften the body and hair. With its three simple steps, a weekly scalp massage leaves hair hydrated and frizz-free. Enjoy a night in with this treatment to lower stress, stimulate body flow and energize the body. www.sparitual.com

DIEGO DALLA PALMA

Icon Time

Diego Dalla Palma’s new Icon Time treatment line was designed to counteract the biological ageing of the skin. The treatment system consists of three facials that employ the anti-aging benefits of colloidal silver, platinum, and gold.

Silver micro-dust fights skin irritation and fortifies the epidermal barrier, while a peptide complex containing colloidal gold and platinum stimulates the formation of new collagen and rebalances and preserves the extracellular matrix of the dermis for firmer, younger-looking skin. Icon Time’s active ingredient 51+3 Hyalu Complex contains a strengthened quantity of amino acids that support the production of the structural components of the skin. en.diegodallapalmapro.com

Body MINd WEllNEss sPA EVENts led by Intuitive Lifestyle Expert Cathleen Miller Are you seeking the next level of wellness experience for your spa? Internationally acclaimed Intuitive Practitioner Cathleen Miller has created and led body-mind wellness programs (including top Conde Nast destination resort spas) since 2007.

Available for on location guest expert medical intuitive private sessions, group spa party events & wellness retreats internationally. Enjoy new revenue by adding exclusive guest expert service offerings in spa or via distance, through new client referral income. Visit site to discover how Cathleen’s unique conscious wellness offerings can expand and enlighten your spa.

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spa star

BRUCE KRAHN

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ississauga, Ont.-based celebrity personal trainer Bruce Krahn is all about pairing exercise with nutrition to help his clients meet their weight loss goals. Krahn has always had a passion for fitness. He began working out at age 15 and started training his first clients in university, in the late 1980s.

“People were asking me questions and I thought, ‘Why don’t I at least try to get paid for it?’” he says. Fast forward several decades and Krahn has found success as a personal trainer, nutritional counselor, health speaker, and bestselling author of The Fat Fighter Diet and his newest book, Trouble Spot Fat Loss.

What’s unique about the lifestyle you’re espousing in your books?

The Fat Fighter Diet is unique in that it’s very holistic. It’s not just focused on the reduction of calories, which of course is extremely important when you’re trying to lose body fat, it’s also focused on the health aspects of the foods you’re choosing, and the psychological aspects of it. Losing weight is difficult and that battle is lost in your mind long before you lose it in the kitchen and the gym. And then of course there’s the nutritional component and the exercise component.

What expertise do you bring to your work, besides your fitness background?

I have multiple certifications in training and then I have the 20-plus years of experience and the research of writing two books. I’ve lectured at a couple of different universities. It’s been an interesting journey. The information is out there but you have to dig through so much hype and misinformation to get to the nuggets of truth, because there’s so much marketing speak in everything, in this industry in particular.

What does holistic health mean to you?

An all-encompassing approach; something that’s not just focused on one aspect of fitness. A lot of folks think that if you’re working out, that should be enough. Why should I worry about what I eat, I’m exercising five days a week, I should have license to eat whatever I choose. And then there are others who just focus on nutrition and completely neglect exercise. And then there are a huge number of people who completely ignore the stress and psychological aspects to it, and how that affects us hormonally. You have to look at the body as a whole.

What is the number one mistake people make when they’re trying to lose weight?

It depends so much on the individual but from a nutritional standpoint, it’s neglecting the number one law of thermodynamics and weight loss, and that is that you must be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. Period. End of conversation. That being said, all foods and all calories are not created equally. A diet consisting of 2,000 calories worth of chocolate bars and pop will produce a different result than 2,000 calories worth of rice, chicken, vegetables, and avocados. There’s a huge difference from a hormonal standpoint because the body is not a calorimeter, it’s not a machine.

What is one thing you do to treat yourself?

For me, my daily indulgence is dark chocolate. I eat a lot of it; it’s 90 per cent cocoa and that with my coffee is like heaven. I love it. I think it’s important that once a week you kind of let go and do what you want from a dietary standpoint, while still having a modicum of responsibility. www. s pa inc .c a

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HYDRATION! At BCL, we believe that everyone deserves a healthier and happier lifestyle. We passionately design breakthrough products for different skin types and conditions using all natural and uniquely powerful Certified Organic Ingredients.

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