Nov 2021, Spa

The Art of Tuning In

November 1, 2021 | by Angela Caglia

How to go from a good facial service to an unforgettable experience

I’ve been an esthetician for 27 years. That said, I’ve learned how to be a great esthetician only in the past 10 years. I’m going to share with you what I have learned and how I made the switch from good to great. Let me start with an example of a facial I had this past weekend at a top resort for my birthday. I rarely get facials only because I’m thinking too much about work if I do, so this was a rare occasion.

For starters, I didn’t want her to know who I was because nobody likes to give an esthetician a facial it can make you a little nervous. Especially one like me who regularly works on celebrities like Barbra Streisand, Helena Christensen, Sting, and Minnie Driver on a regular basis. So I kept my mouth shut except for asking one question. I asked how long she had been an esthetician. She said 10 years. So I figured I was in good hands.

She was good but far from great. Her movements and changes felt as though I was a car going through a car wash. It felt like she wasn’t connected. Anyone can apply products. She pushed in her sponges too hard on my face to wipe and it was abrupt. It felt like they came out of nowhere and they were very granular and she pushed them into my face quickly.

“Tuning into your intuition can create a more meaningful transformation in the way your client feels, allowing them to radiate beyond the skin.”

This moves on to my next point, energy. Every move you do is an energy and felt by the client. Think about it, they are inches away from your face and hands in a vulnerable position lying down with their eyes shut in a room in a robe with no window and dim lights.

I want you to make it your goal to get in their head. You want to utterly transport them into another realm.

I started my career at 18 working at a Five Star, high-end restaurant as a hostess and later manager. It was there I learned the art of Five Star service. This I believe has helped me in my esthetic career. You have to put the customer or client first. They have to be given white-glove service from the moment you meet them.

The esthetician at the Five Star spa did but it didn’t feel authentic. I didn’t feel her energy when we met or during the facial. My skin looked great after but my experience was far from great. Isn’t that a huge part? Yes, it is in my opinion the most important part. So you may be wondering how do I create an unforgettable facial experience? It’s simple. It’s about being laser-focused on everything about your client.

When you meet smile and look them in the eye. Ask about their skincare concerns and actually listen with an empathetic ear. At the end of the facial tell them what you did to address these concerns during the treatment and what you recommend for products to help.

Be on a mission to make them want to fall asleep during your facial. The biggest compliment to me is when a client falls asleep. Give a soothing touch, soothing voice, soothing music, and use soothing tools. I love the energy of my Rose Quartz crystals to emit loving energy and also calm inflammation and stimulate blood flow. If I have a hydration mask on, I will also massage for a few minutes over the creamy mask so they feel my energy.

I don’t follow a protocol ever. It changes with each client. Some of the best ideas come while doing and being inspired at that moment. For example, today in the treatment room I dipped my Rose Quartz tools in hot water to create hot stones. This just felt right because I was in the zone. I also grabbed the tuning fork I normally use to clear the energy of the crystals to clear the energy of my client. I placed it above her and tapped.

After the facial, she told me (she was a new client) how she felt transported. She was visibly shaking after being shocked at how she felt a release through the top of her head during the facial. She rebooked and gave me a hug after. To me, this meant more than when I asked her to look in the mirror and she was blown away by her glowing skin.

Tuning into your intuition can create a more meaningful transformation in the way your client feels, allowing them to radiate beyond the skin. Here are a few more of my favorite tips in the treatment room.

When you pull over the magnifying light the client feels very insecure and vulnerable. Start always with a compliment about their skin. Find one! For example, you have a beautiful tone to your skin. Then ask what their concerns are— it’s their concerns that need to be addressed. For example, If they are concerned about fine lines and wrinkles don’t tell them they have really large pores and make them feel insecure. Just quietly work on their pores. too. After talking about what you were able to accomplish during the treatment, mention tightening and cleaning her pores.

Don’t talk about your personal life unless asked. They are paying per minute for your expertise not what you think about a new restaurant.

Softly tell them what you are doing as you do it and let them know if the mask will feel cold, the towel warm, and that the peel may sting.
Empower them. Make them feel beautiful and confident. Make them feel cared for and special because they are. They chose you.

Never push products. Just suggest and name their features and benefits. Tell them to finish what they are using and then buy. You will gain trust and loyalty.
The best way to build is through their referrals. Offer a product if they refer a client to you or if they refer three, their next facial is free.