What is the definition of insanity? Insanity has been described as doing the same thing day after day after day, and expecting different results. If déjà vu nail services are about to drive you to the brink of insanity, let me to introduce you to Spa Pantry.
Spa Pantry stops the madness by bringing creativity to nail professionals' services, making them fresh and new. You can create signature, seasonal, and custom treatments based on your clients' needs with Spa Pantry. Your basic manicure and pedicure steps stay the same, but Spa Pantry adds the WOW factor and saves you money in the long run.
Here's an example: Start with one of Spa Pantry's unfragranced bases, like whipped butters, botanical oils, or oil-based gels for massage, and add an exfoliating agent, like sugar or pumice, to create a customized scrub. Spa Pantry has Milk Powder, Egg White Powder, or Honey Powder (just to mention a few) that will enhance the treatments' benefits. And ESS® essential oils can be used to create the perfect aromatherapy experience.
So how does this work with your mani/pedi menu? Just follow 3 simple steps to create the WOW factor for your nail services:
- Develop a theme
- List the elements of a theme
- Turn the elements of the theme into an experience you can apply to both the spa treatment area and your treatment products.
Here's How I Develop a Theme & List Its Elements
I find it's easiest to develop themes based on my personal experiences, like vacations. Some of the themes I've used include: escapes, holidays, vacation spots, sensual experiences, food-oriented events, and activities/sports.
Once I know what the theme of my experience will be, I list the elements of that theme and begin to build my experience. For instance, one of my favorite escapes is breakfast in bed. So what would the elements be for "Breakfast in Bed?"
- Orange juice
- Milk
- Coffee
- Oatmeal
- Grapefruit
- Eggs and bacon
- Bedding/blanket
You can list many more elements, if you choose.
Creating the Experience
After listing the elements of the experience, turn those elements into the total spa experience. Use the elements to enhance your spa treatment area, and then employ them to develop the products to be used in your treatment.
If you have the space and the ability to change up your treatment area, it will make your clients' whole experience complete. Just be sure to have the area already set-up before you bring your client in.
For "Breakfast in Bed," I kept it very simple and cost effective. I used a lounge chair/camping chair, like the chairs that come in a bag. I set it up in a different area of the spa to create a unique environment, and then I covered the chair with a fleece blanket. I could have also used a thick cotton sheet and secured the sides to be fitted. I placed a sheet and blanket over the chair and folded them back to look like turn down service in a hotel. Pillows are optional for this experience, but a portable foot spa would be used, so I set that up and prepared to serve coffee and pastries or fruit.
Next, create the treatment products to be used in your spa experience. There are four basic steps to most treatments.
- Soak or cleanse
- Scrub or exfoliate
- Mud, mask, or wrap
Think about it... When you buy a manicure or pedicure kit, it usually comes with a product to soak, another to exfoliate, one that is a mask, and a cream or lotion that will moisturize. Keeping these 4 simple steps in mind makes it very easy to create the products for your spa experience.
So let's look at the treatment products I created for "Breakfast in Bed."
- Milk Bath Soak
- Coffee Scrub
- Egg White Clay Mask
- Coconut Orange Massage Cream
These products were created based on the elements I listed above. Now here is the best part: Yes, the products worked well with my theme; however, they each also benefited my clients during their treatments.
Foot Soak = Milk Bath Soak. Milk is a natural AHA, so while the client was soaking, Milk Powder helped soften skin and calluses.
Exfoliate/Scrub = Coffee in Whipped Coconut Butter. Have you ever had a client with terrible foot odor? Coffee is an odor eliminator and the fine grind of the coffee helped to reduce calluses.
Mask = Egg White Powder and White Clay. Egg White Powder worked well for the theme; however it didn't provide a lot of benefit in the foot mask. But if I had created an anti-aging hand mask, the Egg White Powder would have helped tighten and tone the skin. White Clay, also known as Kaolin Clay, is used in many foot masks; it is usually listed in the first 4 ingredients.
Moisturizer = Coconut Orange Massage Cream. I used Sweet Orange Essential Oil for its stimulating and rejuvenation properties and Whipped Coconut Butter for its moisturizing and hydrating properties.
As you can see, creating signature treatments or customizing treatments based on your clients' needs is very simple and does create great spa experiences. If you are just getting started, consider purchasing the Spa Pantry Cookbook for more inspiration. It includes an in depth reference section for ingredients, as well as complete treatment/experience recipes for body treatments, facials, hydrotherapy, manicures, pedicures, and hair and scalp treatments, as well as great spa treatment packages. (If you are looking for "Breakfast in Bed" in the Spa Pantry Cookbook, it is called, "Queen for a Day Manicure & Pedicure.")
The possibilities are endless with Spa Pantry. You can offer a new, exciting experience every month and your clients will love being involved in your creativity. Spa Pantry can help get you get there, but the real WOW factor will come from you and your excitement. So enjoy creating your spa experiences!