LENA BLOG

The following is taken from a post on my blogsite for professionals: Help for Aestheticians: Starting a Business . This article , Client Information Charts —Part II , has some good information in it that I thought you’d enjoy reading . P erhaps some of you have wondered why I asked so many questions on your initial visit with me, and now you ’ ll find out why. This article goes over the many questions that I ask a first-time client during the intake phase of the treatment before I give the hands-on facial. As you will see, these questions help me better understand a new client’s skin—even before I have seen it up close. Here is the article from Help for Aestheticians to explain why I ask so many questions: The following was written back in 1990, before I had published my first book, Timeless Skin . I was gathering information to write a book for aestheticians that never made it into book form. Much of the content I have prepared for this blog [ Help for Aesthetic...

Does the facial salon you go to use machines? Machines are very common, and below I have listed those most often used in facials. The salon you go to may employ all or none of them. Keep in mind machines lack the sensitivity of human contact. Studies show the tremendous healing benefits of touch. It calms the nervous system, and gives you, the client, a sense of connection to the aesthetician. If machines are used every step of the way, I’d think twice before getting a facial at that salon. That is just my opinion. My preference is to make educating my client the number one purpose of the facial, along with utilizing the soothing touch of massage throughout my treatments. If you happen to like machines, by all means—go for it! Steam machine. This is probably the most widely used piece of machinery. Almost every facial offers steam at least once, and in some cases several times throughout a skin care treatment. The mist coming from the arm of the machine superfici...

I wish I could write that I just had a great facial given by a qualified aesthetician who I would go back to because it was that good. And, I can’t say any of that. I’ll give you a blow by blow of my skin care experience. I hope it helps you understand what to look for when you get a facial treatment. When I go to get facials, I rarely if ever let the aesthetician know I, too, am an aesthetician. Why? I don’t want to talk shop. It’s as simple as that. Also it gives me a more realistic view of how she works with the average client. Would she do things differently if she knew I was in her field? That I don’t know; maybe not. Regardless, for me it just makes things easier if I stay silent about my vocation. I also don’t usually tell her I don’t want something done (like steam on my face) even though as an aesthetician I disagree with its use. I just let her do what she normally does, giving me a good idea of what really goes on in her facials. Before I get i...

Finding a good professional facial involves two key elements. First, you need to find a qualified and experienced aesthetician (a person licensed to perform facials). Then you want to find someone who uses quality products . Both the aesthetician and the product need to be good for the facial to be worth your time and money. You may have to go through some trial and error before you find the perfect facial for you. The easiest way to find someone who is good at her craft is through a friend’s referral . You want suggestions from someone who has had a lot of facials, a person whose opinion you respect. If your friends don’t get them, ask if someone they know can steer you to a good place for a facial. If you’ve just moved to a new town, ask everyone you meet for a referral, and if the same name keeps coming up, you can start there. (Prior to my books being published, my entire business was built from referrals. It’s the best advertising there is.) If you can’t get a referral...