News

  • Dr. Diana Howard’s Visit to the Middle East!

    Last week I had the distinct pleasure of being an invited lecturer at the 2nd annual Middle East Congress in Dubai. And what an event it was! Perhaps more important than the event itself (and all of the fabulous information that was shared with the attendees) was the impression that they made on me. What a wonderful group of skin therapists! We had male and female guests from UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Kuwait and Iran. These countries are very different from where many of us reside, yet I couldn’t help but notice they had the same questions, issues and dreams about their businesses as their skin therapist counterparts from around the world.

    I was especially impressed with the group of 65 (primarily women) from Pakistan. At first it was their colorful, traditional Salwar kameez attire that caught my attention! Then, upon speaking with many of them individually, I was taken not only by their dedication and commitment to our industry, but their personal stories of how skin care transcends beyond the business and helps make a difference in others’ lives.

    This concept resonated with me because in my 31 years in this industry, I know all too well that it’s not the scientific lectures or the products that I help to develop that gives me a sense of personal satisfaction. Rather, it’s the one-on-one moments where skin therapists convey to me how Dermalogica and The International Dermal Institute have helped them in their professional businesses. It has helped them to be more successful, and in many instances their success has ensured that they can put food on their family’s table and pay for their children’s education. When I hear how many of these women themselves are now committed to helping others in their community, it gives me great pride to be part of this industry.

    In particular, one delightful woman stands out in my mind. Ms. Nighat Misbah is a successful business woman responsible for 30 skin treatment centers in Pakistan, and she has also dedicated herself to a cause that is incomprehensible to most of us. In Pakistan, many women are subject to having acid thrown in their faces, or being doused in kerosene and set afire, if they scorn their boyfriends/husbands or bring shame to their family. This horrific crime leaves these women disfigured and scarred for life. Ms. Misbah has joined forces with her sister to form the Depilex Smileagain Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps these victims with the medical recovery process, then helps train these women in a trade or skill, empowering them on the journey of rebuilding their lives. Ms. Misbah is using her career as a professional skin therapist to give a hand up to women who are desperately in need. The work and help that this organization provides is nothing short of heroic and today they have successfully helped over 400 women! I urge you to look at their website: www.depilexsmileagain.com/zakat.htm

    I couldn’t help but appreciate the irony of the title of my presentation at this Congress: Zero to Hero. I talked about how there are heroes amongst us and that heroes take all shapes and forms, including education and products that raised the bar in an industry such as ours. Ms. Misbah is truly a hero to many, and I applaud her for her amazing work with women in her country. It also reminds me that each and every one of us can make a difference. At Dermalogica, the campaign with joinFITE is a simple way that all of us can give a hand up to women worldwide. The amazing thing is that it’s at no cost to you! Simply encourage clients who purchase joinFITE products to log on to joinFITE.org and enter the unique code, found on the product package. Once your clients unlock the code, Dermalogica donates the funds on their behalf. It couldn’t be any simpler, and yet it can make a difference for a woman entrepreneur, who just needs a helping hand.

    I look forward to my return visit to the Middle East, and maybe even a visit to Pakistan to see my new friends.

  • Roses are Red… and Great for Your Skin!

    I have a favorite cream colored, climbing rose in my garden that, last summer so generous in its bounty, gave me three rounds of fresh scented blooms and many evenings of pleasure seated beneath it engrossed in a good book. The fragrance of Rose evokes images of warm summer days in English country gardens, but this beautiful flower holds more great benefits than just its fragrance.

    The 17th-century English physician Culpeper wrote that red roses strengthen the heart. He may have been referring to a physical action, but anyone who has inhaled fresh roses or their essential oil knows the aroma strengthens the heart spiritually and emotionally as well. Used in medicines, for perfume and in culinary creations, the rose holds many talents but not least in its long standing respected use in skin care products.

    Both the flower and the hip provide an excellent source of Vitamin C, Beta Carotene and Lycopene, all of which are important antioxidants to fight aging and regenerate healthy skin cells. Rich in essential fatty acids, this lightweight oil also helps to restore an impaired skin barrier caused by aging, stress, incorrect product use and dry environments. Historically reported to be used for skin healing, eczema and scarring, Rose Hip contains natural Retinoic Acid constituents that will again stimulate repair and regeneration. Best applied overnight in a pre-blended serum, a dry and itchy skin will be left feeling soft and luminous by morning. The benefits of the humble rose date back many hundreds of years. Long may it continue to soothe our senses and repair and rejuvenate our skins, giving us such joy in our gardens.

  • Show the Love for Valentine’s Day

    Heather HickmanWhether you have already been stung by cupid, are still waiting for the first arrow to strike, or have spent the past year plotting the demise of that pesky cherub, there is no escaping the fact that it’s nearly Valentine’s Day.

    I’m a big fan of the Japanese version of Valentine’s Day. On February 14th it is only the women that give gifts (traditionally chocolate) and then on March 14th there is “White Day” where the men give more impressive gifts like, ooh, I don’t know… Louis Vuitton bags and Gucci shoes… genius, right?

    Anyhow, I digress… regardless of your feelings on the matter, Valentine’s Day is BIG business, over $15 billion last year in the US alone, and my assumption is that you would like a piece of the heart shaped pie, yes?

    Yet, much like the rules of dating, there are rules for Valentine’s Day promotions:

    Rule 1: Remember your brand
    When planning any type of promotion or event, you must start by ensuring you do not deviate too far from your brand image. It can be tempting to go overboard with hearts and candy, but remember the best way to sustain business is not to position yourself as a “pampering treat,” but rather a health conscious necessity. Keep it simple and keep it branded!

    Rule 2: Think big picture
    Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for treatment promotions to gain new clients, but the key is to retain them. Look at introducing treatment promotions for February that have an incentive attached to rebook for a follow up treatment in March.

     

    Rule 3: Climb outside of the box
    Gift Certificate promotions are great, but maybe it’s time to get a little more creative to stand out from the crowd? How about a couple’s workshop on foot or shoulder massage techniques? Charge a workshop fee that is redeemable against product purchases or treatment bookings made on the night of the event, (remember, you need to gain AND retain them).

    Rule 4: Don’t discriminate
    The singletons need love too… target your single clients through direct email and your social media outlets and encourage them to bring an unattached friend to your “Single and Sensational” event. Incorporate skin lessons and short targeted treatments like eye rescue or lip renewal. Don’t forget to make it fun; maybe have some music, a healthy cocktail (remember your brand) and a goodie bag with an incentive to come back and book a full treatment with you.

    Rule 5: Share the love!
    Valentine’s Day is all about showing some love, so how about sharing it? Charge a registration fee for any event or promotion you introduce this month and donate the proceeds to your favorite non-profit organization; embedded generosity goes a long way… even with that persistent cupid!

  • Falling in Love Again

    Annet King

    Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been out and about sharing with the media, fellow skin therapists, undergraduates and our own incredible instructors. Throughout all of these interactions we have chatted about the magnificent organ that is the skin, the literal “handmade craft” that is skin care and the potent, emotional and physical connection we have through touch. All great stuff!  As a (somewhat bizarrely obsessed to some) Skin Therapist and Educator, I relish all that is skin – the challenges, the diversity of 35 beautiful shades of color, the countless anomalies that it can present, it goes on. There isn’t a wart, a cyst, café o’lait lentigo or crop of keratosis that I don’t get very excited about; in fact sometimes I have to stop myself from reaching out to have a quick feel of the skin of a complete stranger. Not advised while in the grocery checkout line.

    So while preoccupied with the day to day “business” of our profession of capturing and securing clients, prescribing pustule potions and tweeting about what we do, we might just start to treat the skin like our partners after 10 years of marriage and overlook all of its magical wonders.

    So beyond protecting us, regulating temperature and helping us to communicate, here are eight other reminders of why we love skin:

    • We’d evaporate into thin air without it.
    • Dead skin accounts for about a billion tons of dust in the atmosphere.
    • In 30 minutes, the average body gives off enough heat (combined) to bring a half gallon of water to boil.
    • The sense of touch is more sensitive among women than men because our fingers are smaller.
    • There are 2,500 nerve receptors per square centimeter in the human hand.
    • Goose bumps appear when it is cold or we experience a strong emotional reaction such as fear, nostalgia, pleasure, awe, admiration, or sexual arousal.
    • The most sensitive areas of your body are your hands, lips, face, neck, tongue, fingertips and feet.
    •  We can live without seeing or hearing—in fact, without any of our other senses. But babies born without effective nerve connections between skin and brain can fail to thrive and may even die.

    If you need some more inspiration and want to learn about some of the significant studies around touch and the impact of our work check out these two great resources:

    http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research/

    http://www.spaevidence.com/spaevidence

    XOXO,
    Skin Lover

  • Lip and Hand Treatments for Winter!

    Bettina ZammertIt could be so nice: relaxing walks through romantic snow-covered landscapes, and cozy evenings at home in front of a crackling fire. If only it weren’t for your tight, itchy skin – you’ve even had to stop wearing your favorite winter sweater with the lovely big roll neck because all of a sudden it has started to scratch!
    Constantly changing between the freezing cold and dry heating air is a real trial for the skin. As the thermometer drops, the skin slows down its oil production – and sadly this also applies to skin that was not producing enough lipids before. Often, extremely dry skin also has a restricted skin barrier, which in turn increases the skin’s sensitivity.

    In this case your customer will need your help – and you might have to change his recommended products to ones with higher lipid content. And during the professional treatment, don’t forget the areas of the body that are particularly sensitive and permanently exposed to the weather. A helpful hint: offer a special lip and/or hand treatment in winter. Start by exfoliating (use a very gentle product on the lips), then apply a moisturizing serum and a mask on top. If you like, you can perform a few massage or lymphatic drainage movements while the mask is working. At the end of the treatment, be sure to remember the finishing moisturizer, and recommend the appropriate special products for treating winter-dry skin to the customer.

    And then it won’t be long before your clients (and their skin) are enjoying the crisp, cold winter weather again!

  • Ingredient Focus: Cross-linked Hyaluronic Acid

    Dr Claudia AguirreSome ingredients pack a punch. And others are created to pack an even bigger punch. When science steps in to enhance a material, the results can be beautiful. This is the case with Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic Acid, also known as Sodium Hyaluronate, is a sugar of the glycosaminoglycan family. Glycosaminoglycans, or GAGs, are substances that hold water in the skin and are our skin’s natural moisturizers. These work much better than some occlusive moisturizers like petrolatum, which artificially slow the loss of moisture from skin and give the skin a temporary appearance of plumpness and fullness. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) has been the standard for many years as the leading ingredient to hydrate thirsty skin.

    Now we have advanced technology to build upon the benefits of HA and produce an ingredient that has been shown to be far superior to HA in hydrating the skin. Enter cross-linked Hyaluronic Acid. Just as linking chains together makes a stronger structure, linking HA together forms a super hydrating net over the skin and delivers water to parched skin over time. Hyaluronic Acid is known to have an amazing water-binding capacity, making it ideal for skin hydration. Now cross-linked HA has fifty times the water-binding capacity of natural HA! And that means skin is continuously hydrated, plump and healthy. Even after 24hrs, this cross-linked HA holds five times as much moisture in the stratum corneum as standard HA. Studies have also shown that cross-linked HA is a superb free radical scavenger, so you can protect skin while keeping it hydrated. This is key for healthy, supple skin. Dehydration is perhaps the start of many skin conditions, including irritation and sensitivity. So be on the lookout for this enhanced version of Hyaluronic Acid for an ingredient that’s sure to keep the water running!

  • Hip, Hop to Health in 2012!

    Annet KingIf you are like the majority of the global population, one of your resolutions is to be healthier in 2012. You can’t escape the “get healthy” message with governments encouraging us to take more responsibility, and now with over 38 hospitals in the U.S offering complimentary alternative medicine programs like massage and acupuncture to patients, even the medical community has woken up to the notion that “wellbeing” can’t be found in a pill! So whether it’s rock climber strength, a hip hop dancer’s moves, or, like a third of resolvers, overall weight loss that you seek, now is the time to establish a new mindset and some healthful habits.

    Here are a few basic tips:

    • Drink: Water flushes toxins out of vital organs and carries nutrients to your cells. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired. The Institute of Medicine determined that adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) a day. For women it’s 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) a day. If you’re in humid environments, you exercise, breastfeed, or drink caffeinated beverages, your water intake needs be increased.

    • Keep it clean: The most successful diets are those that are not too restrictive and complicated. Maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure. I’m a big fan of the “eat clean” rule of no pre-packaged, sodium or sugar packed, reconstituted food – if it doesn’t come from nature, don’t eat or drink it!

    • Eat: To optimize metabolism and energy do NOT skip meals, and your mom was right about breakfast being the most important! Fruit, vegetables, grains, and legumes (foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol) should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat, poultry, and fish.

    • Unwind: The stress, sleep and weight relationship is strongly connected. Build in stress relieving treatments, exercise and stress reduction techniques into your daily routine. Taking even just five minutes a day to focus on your breathing and clear your mind really helps!

    • Move: Find what exercise discipline works for you, from hiking with Fido to joining a roller derby team to tap dancing your way to the top – you won’t do it unless you like it! Fun and enjoyment can be found together while breaking a sweat.

  • You’re the Master

    In the new year, people often make resolutions. “This is the year,” we often tell ourselves, “for a big change!”

    Perhaps the most common NYR: to find a new job. A better job. Or just a job. Of course, in our current economy, this resolution may be somewhat tempered by the cold reality of less hiring. Still, employees may aspire to something… better.

    It’s easy to conclude that the problem may be your employer. Just as there is no perfect mate or perfect marriage, there is no perfect workplace, and there is no perfect boss. If you can land another offer, it’s possible that a different job and a different company culture may suit you better—in which case, go for it, congratulations, and I wish you every success!

    But here’s my news flash for the New Year: creating your own greater job-satisfaction may be possible right where you are. It requires that you see yourself differently, and see your job differently. When you do this, it is possible that you will create different results in the corporate culture around you.

    A woman I know, a writer, spent many years working in ad agencies and PR agencies. She described feeling like a large, agile, trained, captive killer whale at a place like Sea World. “I live in a cement pond and perform tricks for food,” she told me one day over a martini or two.

    You may know how this story ends, as these stories always end: the trained killer whale bit her trainer in two. Bad whale.

    This is the problem with how most of us think of our jobs. We are conditioned to seek external rewards and incentives.

    But get this: Dan Pink, author of four best-selling books on motivation, says “Tangible rewards tend to have a substantially negative effect on intrinsic motivation.” Money, in particular, he says, tends to de-motivate. It’s never enough.

    In fact, Pink says “meaning is the new money.” What people really need in order to achieve and succeed is a sense of connection to something beyond self-interest. Something more meaningful.

    In 2012, try looking at your work with new eyes. The word that’s got my mind buzzing is “autotelic,” meaning that the activity is its own reward, and the goal is self-fulfilling.

    We’ve all had the experience of having our restaurant meal served by someone who genuinely seems to take joy in bringing us our food. Sure, this inspires us to tip well. But the truth is, people who love their work aren’t doing it for the tips.

    We’ve all felt the difference of being greeted and assisted by a customer service person who genuinely addresses our concerns, attentively and effectively. Their task may sound like a nightmare job: handling our luggage at the airport, or working at the DMV. Again, this is because whoever that person is finds some intrinsic pay-off in the job itself. These people work with pride, and a sense of joy.

    Do you?

    If you’re disconnected from your job, it’s human nature to say that this is because it’s not a good job. So, you play Farmville instead of working. You re-tweet and text and FB instead of working. Maybe you, oops, how did that get there?, may even find yourself slipping some office supplies into your gym bag. You paste magazine photos of beaches inside the drawer of your desk, thinking, Some day, some day.

    Some day is now. You may be experiencing disconnection, and dissatisfaction, because you’re waiting for rewards, like my friend Shamu, waiting for a fish to be tossed to her from the side of her sad cement pond.

    Find your meaning now. Where is it? The answer may surprise you.

  • Get Pushy

    It’s a brand-new year, and the best way to keep that feeling of urgent, alive freshness and newness is to push yourself. Start by setting some goals for your business, beginning with education.

    I always say that everything of any consequence happens outside our comfort-zone. The worst thing about being on auto-pilot is not that it’s boring; it’s actually dangerous to your business. By doing things the way we’ve always done them, we put ourselves at risk. This may surprise you, because “standard operating procedure,” and “business as usual” feel so safe.

    Why is the comfort-zone dangerous? Because it makes us lazy. We lose our speed and agility, which means we cannot respond to opportunities (or threats). It might be okay to become soft and slow if the world around us were not constantly changing. But it is.

    So as a professional, it’s essential to constantly question and challenge how you do things. It’s great if everything is working for you right now. The best way to continue your success, though, is not by standing still. Start by reading every word of the IDI newsletter, which will be coming your way every six weeks. It’s sizzling with ideas, breakthroughs and breaking news. To ensure you receive this newsletter, sign up for our email list here: http://dermalinstitute.com/us/contact/email_signup.html

    Next, attend an IDI class. For more than 25 years, IDI has defined what it means to be a modern skin care professional. One area in particular where many skin therapists need development is the business of our business — in other words, how to position, organize and operate your business from a financial standpoint, and how to successfully market your business. Retailing in particular is an area where lots of therapists need help. Check out what IDI has to offer in these key areas, and be sure to take full advantage of our Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/Dermalinstitute), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/dermalinstitute) and other tools.

    And, the most important push to make in 2012 is the push outside the sphere of your own self-interest. This is true of all of us. We all create a nice, safe, warm little bubble for ourselves, and we tend to get stuck there.

    Push beyond the bubble to engage with others, meaning others in need. One year ago, I created joinFITE, a global initiative to empower 25,000 women entrepreneurs worldwide. The experience has been and continues to be astonishing, for everyone involved. I invite you to join us.

    Or, choose something else. There may be another local, national or international cause which feels urgent and vital to you and your customers. What’s most important is that the cause you select connects your business with your community. Whether this cause is offering shampoos and haircuts to homeless people, rescuing abandoned pit-bulls, or planting an organic vegetable garden in the heart of the inner city, do it because it makes your heart skip a beat, and it makes you want to do more.

    Then push it.

  • A New Year’s Resolution for the Healthiest of Skin!

    With the holiday and New Year celebrations taking their toll on our skins, now is the time to talk damage recovery with your clients. Here’s to a New Year’s resolution for the healthiest of skins!

    1. When your clients look in the mirror and their skin is shouting “I’m tired!” give it a great pick-me-up by using a skin brightening microfoliation containing Rice Bran Powder, which will create a fantastic luminosity to the skin. Follow with a 10 minute “super skin feed” using a multivitamin face masque. Once the masque is removed, apply a skin firming booster. The organic silicones in this type of product act like an invisible “support tight” over the skin and the mesh-like base also creates a super canvas for a great make-up application.

    2. Since alcohol is so dehydrating to the body and makes the skin more sensitized, make sure your clients carry a calming mist in their bag. This will not only add much needed hydration to the skin’s surface but it will also calm and reduce the redness. It can be easily spritzed over make-up.

    3. When nights out become mornings after and skin looks dry and dull, treat it to an overnight, oil-based serum to replenish lost lipids and moisture and rebuild collagen. Apply in the evening and let the essential oils work with the body’s own circadian rhythms to leave skin silky soft and luminous.

    4. How to handle the tell-tale dark circles around the eyes? In Chinese medicine, shadows under eyes are indicative of stress on the kidneys and liver (which makes sense after lots of parties and late nights). You can’t instantly get rid of dark circles, but helping the body detox, rest and revitalize through good nutrition and exercise will all help greatly. For a temporary quick fix, use products that contain anti-inflammatories and optical light diffusers, which are often combined in a light concealer make-up base and act as a multitude of ‘microscopic mirrors’ that deflect the light and decrease shadow lines.

    I wish you a happy and wonderful New Year!

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