NATURAL SKIN CARE REMEDIES – WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?

Hello There ,

There are many substances in our kitchen cupboards that can be used to heal and mend our afflictions.  I grew up with a parents who were gun-ho about “L’ natural.”  One was into massive amounts of physical exercise and fresh air on a daily basis and the other was simultaneously stirring the pots in our kitchen making all kinds of homemade skin concoctions which she proudly displayed in decorative bottles on her dressing table.

In my early days of my aesthetic practice I made all my own treatment preparations literally from scratch. I spent the good majority of my free time-sharing my recipes with my clients who delighted in coming back and giving me reports on the efficacy of the formulations they were able to conjure up on their own.  I sometimes combined essential oils into my mixtures which took some in-depth research so that I did not produce a toxic product in my zealous efforts to be highly creative.  I decided to share what I was doing and brought some of my therapeutic remedies into my treatment room to include in my facials.  I also had an herbal bar where I introduced aesthetic herbs to my clients sometimes as a reprieve for them to counterbalance the pre-formulated cosmetic products that I dispensed to them as home care regimens.

I knew in the world of alternative medicine a herbalist is considered a herb doctor.  I visited Chinatown and learned from the herbalists who grew and harvested their own collection of aromatic herbs, which they dried and sold in their much frequented retail shops.  I listen to their explanations as to which ones were considered to have medicinal properties and would be a nice addendum something extraordinary to accompany the commercial skin care formulations I was merchandising.  They made a great accent gesture to the traditional product recommendations that were usually suggested by an aesthetic expert at the end of a skin care session.  Word quickly spread and my clientele grew with this practice.

Recommended Reading –

Spiritual Focused Natural Healing Alternatives

http://www.pathlights.com/nr_encyclopedia/

Herbal Therapy for Boils

http://www.ehow.com/how_4525157_get-rid-boils-naturally.html

Skin Care Recipes and Remedies

http://www.skin-care-recipes-and-remedies.com/home-remedies.html

Michael Delong’s Book on Clean Cures – The Art of Zen Curing

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=Michael+Dejong+Book+on+Clean+Cures+%E2%80%93+The+Art+of+Zen+Curing&cid=2935596637304093004&ei=3ZQ4TJ34DpbcyAW7xe2CDg&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p

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AROMATIC SCENTS OF SUCCESS

Hello There,

There are few things as psychological and therapeutic as fragrances.  Some scents are pleasant while others are offensive.  In our aesthetic environments we use scented fragrances to create feelings of coziness and warmth – basically, overall, inviting atmospheres.  We also use various fragrances for odor control as masking agents in situations where there are lingering musty smells. 

Selecting the right scent for an aesthetic facility is difficult because of the different preferences and sensitivity level of each and every individual.  Relying on one fragrance may not the best solution unless, of course, it is a signature scent in which case it would support the entire theme of the aesthetic establishment.  For example: a clinical fragrance might smell fresh like clean linen to conjure up imaginative images of cleanliness or eucalyptus, a medicinal scent (an aroma that is extracted from leaves of an evergreen tree) whereas, a Victorian salon might be more inviting if essential rose oil were added to a potpourri boiler with a scented candle underneath to fill the reception area with a romantic rose-filled fragrance and eliminate offensive odors.

Scents can also be restorative.  I used to like to spritz my facial table sheets with a lavender or lilac scent.  On those dreary, overcast, snowy laden days, it reminded my clients of springtime, bouquets of flowers, clean and clear air and, warm, soothing sunshine.  Another inconspicuous way to add a scent to your treatment room is to put a few drops of essential oil extracts on some cotton balls and tuck them into the various corners of the room.  An open vase on a counter top with earthy, natural scent works nicely too for a checkout desk or, we can add a favorite scent to a light bulb to fill the entire facility with a pleasant lingering fragrance.  We can also use scented candles (such as the Eco-Friendly Soy Candle), scented soaps and oil lamps.  It is important to note however, that citrus scents don’t last as long as muskier options.  Keep in mind that no matter what scents you eventually select, that fragrances have weight. There are those derived from raw materials—jasmine, rose and gardenia which are appreciated more by women because they are lighter in weight, in contrast, men prefer the more aromatic herbs as scents, such as lavender and sage because they are a bit heavier and more robust.

Copyright ©2010 All right reserved – Victoria L. Rayner

 Spa Fragrance Descriptions

http://www.handmadeathomestead.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=6

 Homemade Freshener Recipes

Make your own fresheners. In a spray bottle filled with water, add about 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

More Homemade Air Fresheners

http://www.essortment.com/all/homemadeairfre_rlbe.htm

Video

Essential oil fragrances for Reducing Generalized Anxiety Disorder

http://www.livestrong.com/video/3595-use-essential-oils-anxiety/

Dancing w/ Scents

 http://www.healingfragrances.net/revised1.htm

Complete Essential Oil Menu

http://www.silkyscents.com/lav_russia.htm#Top

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AESTHETIC THERAPY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Hello Everyone,

A good many providers of therapeutic care who have a long history of working with persons with disabilities, recognize the promise of what aesthetic treatments offer. They see how beauty as art can be used as a form of liberating self-expression.   They believe that aesthetics can provide a means by which persons with physical limitations can move beyond themselves.   The idea that the study of aesthetic elements can be both enriching and beneficial is an important realization for treatment providers of such services.

Aesthetic approaches help to stimulate creative potential in people.   It is a way to change the perception of persons who because of a medical condition or a traumatic accident are labeled as people to be pitied. In this manner aesthetic approaches are of primary importance as a form of self-directed artistic therapy. 

Aesthetics provide numerous venues in which a person with a disability can make their outer presentation an act of creation that is extremely attractive to others and better yet, emotionally fulfilling.  Thus aesthetics in this sense becomes a catalyst for better awareness of one’s unique talents and artistic abilities. 

When a person who is challenged with a disability appears stylishly groomed and highly confident in public, observers are more likely to identify them by their strengths and not by their weaknesses.   Looking well put together prevents strangers from perceiving them as just persons with physical limitations.  In truth, it makes them much more appreciated for their efforts to make the most of themselves regardless of their restrictions.

If properly thought out and structured, providers of aesthetic care services can successfully transfer their skills to individuals with disabilities.  In doing so, they can give them a blueprint to help break down the barriers between themselves and their outside worlds.  What they learn about image development can assist them in gaining new confidence and by placing them more in the mainstream so they feel less like outsiders. When a person with a disability looks and feels more like everyone else they have a better potential for more pleasing socializing experiences.    

Copyright©2010 All right reserved – Victoria L. Rayner

More Commentary on the Subject

http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/style

 Shaping Up to Look Good

http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/style/shaping-up-to-look-good/

­Books

Fashion for Disabled People – Nellie Thorton

 Videos

Greater Needs – Adaptive Clothing for Seniors  / Multiple Sclerosis

http://www.silverts.com/show.cfm/video

http://www.silverts.com/shop-by-need/

http://www.silverts.com/multiple-sclerosis-ms-clothing/

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GAINING THE TRUST AND COMMITMENT OF OUR CLIENTS

A loyal client is the most important asset of any aesthetic business operation.  The way we endear our clients / patients to us is by making it clear to them that they can depend on us.  Our clientele‘s needs can be best defined by placing them in the following four categories (1) emotional needs (2) intellectual needs (3) physical needs (4) economic needs. 

Our client’s / patient’s emotional needs can best be met by allowing them the opportunity to express their priorities and listening with an empathetic ear as they explain their aesthetic challenges to us.  Acknowledging their perspective and showing that we can identify with their concerns indicates that we truly want to be of help. Our sensitivity to their specific issues can make a world of difference. This is especially true for individuals whose priorities may have been previously overlooked in the past.  When our clients feel good about themselves and about the way they look, they experience fewer negative emotions and more positive ones.

Our client’s / patient’s intellectual needs are worthy of special consideration because frequently, they come to us with misconceptions about their conditions or confusion that relates to the appropriate use of a product or a device.  Assisting them with greater clarification and a better understanding of our treatments increases our creditability.  

Our client’s / patients physical needs always take top priority.  There is no question that we must be vigilant in remaining up to date with our industry knowledge. Keeping ourselves abreast of new devices and products indicates our intention to offer the very latest technology and therapeutic approaches as part of our treatment care.  

Lastly, we must consider the economic needs of our clients and patients and tailor their treatment plans accordingly.  If they cannot afford the home care formulations we recommend then they will not follow-through with their aesthetic regimens that we have assigned to them.   

Additional Ways to Inspire Our Clients – By What We Say

•  “You should be really proud of your diligence and how hard you have worked to get this great result”
• “I am so pleased to have you as a client”
• “I totally appreciate what you must have gone through. Tell me about it.”
• “We have many products here. Let’s find something that will work for you in your price range so we can keep you within the boundaries of your budget”

Copyright©2010 All right reserved – Victoria L. Rayner

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