Archive for September, 2009
Anna and Fenia launch the Buty Blog
This month Buty editors, Anna and Fenia launch the Buty Blog with a topic that many salon owners and therapists struggle with every year, The Slow Months. Our experienced practitioners do straight talking therapy on how to navigate this tricky period when the beauty business is a bit slower than usual; why this is the case and how to make the best use of time to achieve optimum productivity in this period of your therapist career.
Anna: The slow months usually fall to August, purely as it is the time when people are going away, travelling abroad on their hols and in September it can be a bit slow as they only just come back from their travels at this time…….
Fenia: ….September is also the time when the kids are going back to school, so people take time to get back into their normal lifestyle routine.
Anna: But then January is also quiet…again this is usually just after the peak times which would be Xmas and New Year – when everyone indulges like crazy…then things go quiet over January just after the New Year.
Fenia: And just before Easter time also…..
Fenia: It can be hard for therapists starting out during these quiet times but salons tend to tighten up on recruitment here. Depending on your circumstances, for example, if you have a job already but looking to break into beauty then I would recommend to wait until October to look for work because I know that is when many positions are available and salons will start to get a little busier. If you are unemployed then you might as well look at every opportunity in the industry, but I would advise against just taking on any job that comes your way. It is hard to find a good salon to work for; you have to be happy with the environment and your working conditions and be passionate about your role as then you will become more productive.
For example from my own experience I was almost desperate to get into the beauty industry when I started out. I was just starting out and finally found work. My first impression was that I didn’t feel needed there and I realised I couldn’t develop my skills or experience. The standards were pretty poor and I realised I was not getting the progression I needed.
Anna: You definitely need to be in a place where the standards are quite high. You know… the salon needs to be clean and good customer service needs to be apparent. In this industry, the skill and knowledge requirements change every year and you need to be in a place which is on the ball and can incorporate this. Otherwise, you could just end up as a waxing therapist.
Anna: During the months when we are not so busy, we give our therapists the opportunity, for example, to go onto training courses to enhance their skills and knowledge about what is happening in the market. We wouldn’t have had a chance during the summer period as we needed everyone at work.
Fenia: Also during this time, we offer promotional incentives to clients and also reward our existing clients. We want to show our clients they are appreciated so we give discounts and we also bring in new therapies or a treatment focus such as Hot Stone Therapy.
Anna: It is also a chance to do more cross selling, whether that is a product or a different treatment to boost salon income. We are able to spend more time with the clients and focus on their individual needs which can change from time to time.
Therapists will now be able to log online to get the expert advice from a new blog initiative, The Buty Guru. Set up by a leading brand of salons called Buty Salon, the site was created to help a broad range of professional therapists from those starting out within the beauty industry to small beauty business owners.
Practical tips will be updated twice monthly by therapist editors, Fenia Sukiennik and Ana Depczynska (originally Polish) based at the Buty Salon’s two premises – Hammersmith and Fulham. The salon has a 12 year reputation for training and cultivating quality beauty practitioners in the industry. Salon manager, Fenia has worked across a number of salons across the UK and Ireland before working her way up to her current role. She often gives the salon’s new therapists guidance and training during their first 12 months and has cultivated a loyal client following since her appointment.
Buty Salon assistant manager, Ana says “Over the years I watched a pattern of the general qualities needed to make a salon a success which therapists don’t necessarily learn until years down the line when they have built up experience. Our Guru blog will help to bring these issues to the forefront”.
The gurus will offer their experience and advice through articles and a section dedicated to answering reader’s questions and queries.
Buty Guru Blog Launches to help Fellow Therapists, “Although therapists have good training from respected beauty colleges we tend to find that there are still major gaps in their skills and therefore need further training on-site. We hope that the Buty Guru Blog will help to share and swap experiences and the tips a therapist needs to know to advance his/her career,” says therapist editor, Ana.
ACNE: Regardless of skin type and lifestyle, acne is one of the most common and stubborn skin complaints effecting around 80% of us at some point in our lives. It’s primarily caused by a family of hormones called androgens which cause blocked pores and lead to overactive sebum production. With bacteria and sebum trapped inside pores the skin becomes inflamed causing spots which are commonly situated on face, neck, back and chest. Acne can make life a misery for some men, women and young adults, but happily, today’s modern advances in skincare means that there are now options out there to dramatically improve spots and blemishes.
IPL ACNE TREATMENT: The therapist uses a hand held device which emits intense yellow, green and red light in a series of short pulses on the area to be treated. Yellow/green light destroys the acne causing bacteria in the skin while the red light directly targets overactive sebaceous glands. Heat from the light causes shrinkage of inflamed sebaceous glands, preventing over production of oil and also stimulates collagen, boosting the skin’s healing process and improving skin tone.
Any skincare expert will tell you that it isn’t only what you do on the outside to your skin that determines its condition; it also has a lot to do with how well you treat your body as a whole: what you eat and drink, how much exercise you take, your stress levels. In fact, everything we do on a daily basis has a major effect on our complexion. An holistic (whole body and mind) approach to looking after your skin will enhance a good skincare routine and ensure you look and feel fabulous inside and out. Top London beauty therapist and owner of The Buty Salons in Hammersmith and Fulham, Sam Wimalaweera, shares her advice for looking and feeling fantastic:
- A healthy diet is essential to make sure your skin is getting all the nutrients it needs to look radiant. Every day try to include plenty of juicy, sweet fruits and fresh vegetables which are rich in antioxidants to protect skin from damaging free radicals which are reactive oxygen based chemicals linked to ageing and disease.
- Flush away skin clogging toxins by drinking 8 glasses of water a day.
- Don’t avoid good fats in your diet. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), found in foods such as oily fish like tuna and mackerel, walnuts, pumpkin and flax seeds and dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli can help keep the skin lubricated and improve dry, flaky skin and scalp.
- Beauty sleep isn’t a myth! Aim to snooze for 8 hours a night as it’s during this time that the skin effectively repairs itself. Not enough sleep leads to bags and dark circles under the eyes and lacklustre skin.
- Stress is one of the bodies biggest enemies which means it can wreak havoc on your skin. Avoid it as best you can by incorporating some relaxation into your day with gentle yoga, a mind-clearing walk or pilates. Meditation, a warm aromatherapy bath and massage can all bring big beauty benefits.
- Limiting sun exposure will definitely help slow down the ageing process. Make sure you wear a high SPF when you’re in the sun, regardless of your skin colour and stay out of the sun at its hottest, between 12-3.
For all your Facial Treatments needs.
Those little skincare gems to add to your routine and give your complexion the winning edge:
A good basic skincare routine of cleansing and moisturising is the beginning to a wonderful complexion, but there are times when your skin needs a little extra oomph. A new boyfriend to impress? A school reunion to attend? For those occasions when you want to pull out all the stops, add these little skincare beauties to your regular routine and you’ll be reaping the benefits in no time.
- Applying a face mask once a week will keep skin in good condition, especially if it contains a cocktail of Essential Oils and Fruit Extracts to purify dull skin. Decleor Radiance Revealing Peel-Off Mask, £25.50, will leave you looking radiant.
- A fabulous eye cream is a vital addition to your skincare routine. Decleor Relaxing Eye Cream, £35.50, uses a selection of plant active ingredients to get to work on dark circles and wrinkles. Tap it on gently around the eye area twice a day with your ring finger to pep up a sluggish circulation.
- All skin types benefit from a skin reviver such as Decleor Natural Exfoliating Cream, £24.50. Formulated to gently absorb and eliminate impurities, it helps stimulate the cellular renewal process and skin takes on a healthy glow
For all you Facial Treatments needs click here.