Media Opportunities for Le Petit Spa

Last week, we were asked at the last minute to be on Breakfast TV with CITYTV. I thought to myself - "Yes, of course!" It turned out well but I did not have any control over the segment and had to wait two hours so I was not as quick on my feet as I normally am. I was told it was very good but felt a bit deflated about it. Now I feel guilty typing this admission but when you get free publicity, that is the case. You do not have control over what happens and you need to roll with it. Our televised episode is on Youtube under http://www.youtube.com/user/petitspamarketing

Then there is print media opportunities which often you can contribute commentary and provide photos (most of the time). It all depends on who it is, what the article is about and if you are being featured, critiqued or evaluated. It can be terrifying but usually we know if media are coming in. We have discovered after the fact and it has worked out for us because consistency is so important to us. Blind visits become more common as you become more popular.

Winning awards is another way to get media exposure especially when you win FIRST PLACE! I am very competitive by nature so I like a good competition. You need to understand what awards are available for your industry. We have annual customer voting competitions by the Vancouver Courier, The Georgia Straight and The Westender for Best Day Spa category as well as Best Bikini Wax, Best Facial and Best Massage. Best bikini wax is next on my list to win; we do an enormous amount of waxing and we do it well so watch out Linda's for 2009!

We win every year in Best Day Spa as one of the top 3 Day Spa's in Vancouver. Sometimes I don't think I toot my horn enough as people are always surprised when I mention it. Like I said, unless you win #1, then it means less. We have won #1 once...it drives me crazy. It's very difficult to sustain momentum over the year and I am constantly doing marketing to ensure brand awareness but ultimately you need enough customers who come to our spa, have an extremely positive experience and vote for us in the end. So what I'm saying is that now the pressure is on to keep winning. It's getting harder every year now because we are no longer "the new spa in town" that people stumble upon and we can easily impress; instead we are "one of the top 3 day spa's in Vancouver" and we had better do it right and consistently every visit.

Basically, my point is that I am grateful for any media opportunities and the awards keep us on our toes.

Thank you Vancouver media for giving my business exposure,

Nancy

Waxing Advice to Get Through the Summer from Le Petit Spa

Waxing is probably the oldest form of hair removal; proof of this dates back to 3000 B.C!. Back then, they used a paste of arsenic trisulphide, cement and starch to remove unwanted body hair…yuck! Let’s not think about the places they would have had to apply that disgusting concoction…

Instead let’s be thankful that we live in the time we do and the fact that waxing has advanced a lot since then! Compared to shaving, waxing is a far better method of hair removal for both your skin and pocket book, and here’s why:

1. Results last longer with waxing - no need to shave the next day, or the day after that…or the day after that! (you get the point?) And your skin is left silky smooth for longer as well as waxing exfoliates the outer most layer of your skin.

2. No need to buy razor cartridges - What would you rather spend your money on? A Bikini wax that costs $22 and lasts up to 4 weeks? Or a pack of razors that cost about $20 (for 10 at londondrugs.ca) and you need to throw them out every two or three shaves?

3. Cut off the supply! - Did you know that when receiving waxing treatments, your hair may never grow back? This is because when the hair is removed from the hair follicle the blood supply for that hair can be damaged. But don’t worry! This won’t cause any harm to you but that moustache you wax every two weeks may just stop visiting for a while…

Did you know? That all forms of hair removal - waxing, laser, deploratories - are not permanent? Your hair growth cycle is about every 7 years, so even if that laser treatment does work now, in 3 months, 2 years or in 7 years, you may start to see hair grow back depending on which stage of hair growth you were in when you had the treatments.

4. Razor burn - For all of you that experience razor burn or irritation bumps from shaving every day (like me!) waxing may be just the relief your skin is asking for. Waxing is a fast form of hair removal, and the wax used is for sensitive skin - one quick pull of the cotton strip and your body is seductively smooth and irritation free!

Waxing is generally a safe method of hair removal for everyone, but there are some circumstances where you should perhaps wait or postpone your waxing service:

1. Sun burned skin - do not even think about keeping that waxing appointment. If waxed when experiencing a sun burn your skin will not only blister from having warm wax applied - it would probably come off as well! Wait at least a week (or more if your burn is really bad) before coming back for your waxing appointment.

2. Skin Thinning Treatments - If you have had any laser resurfacing, been using Retinol A, have had a glycolic facial or chemical peel where the top layer of skin has been removed, stay clear of any facial waxing and/or threading until your skin has regenerated itself. Waxing would cause further irritation, scarring or peeling.

3. Tanning Bed Addicts - If you must MUST tan in a tanning salon, wait 48 hours after your waxing service to tan and do not tan 48 hours before your waxing appointment. Tanned skin is dry, “microwaved skin”; if you receive waxing treatments immeadiately after tanning you risk the chance of scarring, your skin peeling and ending up with areas of sensitive, raw skin.

4. Medication - A lot of teen girls these days are taking oral medication (like acutane) for acne. Acutane not only dries your body up from the inside out, it thins your skin which is why it is so effective against acne. Do not have waxing treatments while using any medication that thins skin (ask your doctor if you are unsure!)

After your waxing treatment, your esthetician should go over a few basic home care recommendations for you to keep your skin irritation free:

1. Hot showers or baths are a no no for 24 hours after your waxing treatment. Hot water may cause irritation or stinging if your skin is sensitive. If you must have a bath or shower, have a luke warm one. This includes hot tubs, swimming pools (chlorine) and the ocean (salt) as well!

2. No Tanning - in tanning salons and the sun for 48 hours after please!

3. Do not apply heavy lotions with perfume to waxed areas, and no deodorant for 12 hours after waxing your underarms.

4. If you have had facial waxing, wear a sunscreen when outside and try to avoid direct sunlight for 24 hours.

5. The next morning when you get into the shower or bath exfoliate waxed areas to prevent ingrown hairs and any post-waxing bumps that can form (these are caused when sweat or other irritants irritate the newly bare hair follicles, exfoliating your skin will prevent this irritation). Exfoliate lightly! No need to scrub the skin.

6. Should irritation develop - apply a soothing post wax lotion. I recommend Le Petit Spa’s Tea Tree Lotion. Tea tree has been used for centuries as it has powerful antiseptic properties to keep the hair follicle clear of infection, and it also calms redness and irritation. But don’t leave the spa without picking one up - we can’t seem to keep it on the shelf long enough!.

Lotions with calendula, aloe and chamomile will also help calm irritated and red skin - just make sure the fragrance is natural and not perfume as this will cause further irritation.

Estheticians at Le Petit Spa apply our Tea Tree lotion to each client after every hair removal service at Le Petit Spa, check out our variety of waxing services, we boast the best Brazilian in Vancouver…

For waxing cliental looking for the best value in Vancouver on day spa waxing services our Waxing Wednesday promotion is sure to hit the spot!

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to be among the first to know about our monthly service promotions, our featured daily promotion and new product or spa service launches…have beauty questions? What about spa related questions? Email me with your questions and I’ll send an answer in an email and post the answer in a future edition of this blog!

Spa Services for a Perfect Valentines Day

Ever noticed how when every thing is perfect…your nails, hair, makeup…outfit, it’s a lot easier to get in the mood?

Looking for a way to get everything perfect this Valentines Day? I know I am!

Waxing (particularly Brazilian), eyelash extensions and facials are on my top priority list to get my confident sex-kitten attitude for Valentines Day, and where else would I go except Le Petit Spa…did you know their Brazilian wax service was talked about on Oprah?

Here’s which services I’m having to get in “perfect shape” for my hot date Valentines Day!:

1. Eyelash Extensions: I’m a natural redhead; mascara has been my best friend since my early teens. To accent my eyes, I’m going for the dramatic look, think “Bambi”…I’ll have heads turning.

2. Double Peeling Glycolic Facial: I’m due for a facial, big time! I need exfoliation and to refine my skin texture so my mineral makeup goes on flawlessly. I love the pure Vitamin C masque that is applied during this facial as well, it’s a wakeup call for both my senses and my skin.

3. Detox Seaweed Body Wrap: My boyfriend absolutely loves when I have body wraps. I come home with the silkiest, most smooth skin you’ll ever feel, plus, I’ve just done something great for my body; I feel my most confident when my whole body is perfectly hydrated and seductively smooth.

4. Last but not least…the Brazilian: It’s a well known fact: When you have less- hair-down-there you’re more confident outside and inside the bedroom. Le Petit Spa boasts that they have the best Brazilian in Vancouver, and being voted in the top three day spas three years in a row, I can’t help but agree!

After all is said and done, I’ll feel and look my absolute best to spend a romantic night with my significant other. And for him? I’ve purchased a Gift Card for a Phytomer Men’s facial which I’m sure he’ll appreciate!

Sign up for Le Petit Spa’s monthly newsletter to be the first to know about in-spa promotions, monthly service promotions and gift with purchases…or email me with your spa service or beauty questions and look for your answer in a future blog!

Le Petit Spa - Brazilian, French or Regular Bikini waxing services

The difference between regular, French and Brazilian waxing services.

The most common question that is asked at spas when talking “waxing” is: What’s the difference between regular, French and Brazilian waxing services?

Below, the mystery of all the bikini waxes out there is answered!

1. Regular Bikini Wax: Often for beginners, or for vacations where your bathing suit is going to be your main – stay outfit, the regular bikini wax removes hair that can be seen outside of the panty line.

2. French Bikini Wax: For the intermediate bikini waxer who may want to move on to the next phase of hair removal in this area. The French bikini wax removes the hair that can be seen outside of the panty line and moves about an inch inward into the panty line.

3. Brazilian Bikini Wax: For the most advanced waxer; this service is for the bold! Perfect for honeymoons, skimpy lingerie or bathing suits, or anyone desiring a, um, “hairless derriere” this service removes every, yes EVERY hair from the front to the back. Nothing is left behind in this service except the cleanest possible feeling and the softest skin you will ever have in this area!


These services run anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes depending on how far you decide to go!

The knowledgeable estheticians at Le Petit Spa will walk you through each step of the way, making sure that you are comfortable and confident in the choice that you have made.

Looking for the best waxing services in Vancouver?

Check out our daily promotion, "Waxing Wednesday’s” or click here to make an appointment for the best Brazilian wax in Vancouver!

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to be the first to know about monthly service promotions, in-spa gift-with-purchases, weekly service promotions and special events, or email me with a beauty question and look for your answer in a future blog!

Waxing

Waxing is a great hair removal tool for both men and women; it removes hair at the root and causes it to grow back much slower than shaving. In comparison to the sharp, coarse re-growth caused by shaving, new hair growth after waxing comes in softer and fine and in some cases may never grow back. Waxing exfoliates the upper layer of the skin leaving it soft and silky with results lasting anywhere form 2-4 weeks. Visit www.lepetitspa.ca for more information.

The "Cure-All" Household Lotion

Q: Tea tree oil seems to be everywhere these days! What's the hype about?

A: A once hard-to-find ingredient in North America, tea tree oil has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity due to its highly effective and incredibly soothing properties. Discovered centuries ago by Australian Aborigines, tea tree oil is derived from a tree that is only grown in Australia, the Melaleuca alternifolia. The active ingredient in the oil is terpinen-4-ol, which fights harmful bacteria and fungi and is also effective in preventing and fighting infection in cuts, scrapes, insect bites and stings, as well as soothing sunburns, razor burn and freshly waxed or irritated skin. Tea tree oil blends rapidly and easily with the skin's own oils. In the process, the oil alters the chemical barrier of the skin, making it less hospitable to the growth of fungi and other organisms. In these ways, tea tree oil not only lessens the chance of infection, it also promotes healing and reduces the likelihood of scarring. Clearly the benefits of this multi-purpose ingredient cannot be overstated and have made it a product that is indispensable to households. Visit www.lepetitspa for more information, or better yet, visit the spa to test our very own
'le petit spa Tea Tree Soothing Lotion'!

Prone to Ingrown hairs?

Q: Although I love the results of waxing, I am prone to ingrown hairs. What can I do to prevent them?

A: Ingrown hairs are an unsightly and uncomfortable result of hair removal that can be effectively minimized. Daily exfoliation is of paramount importance to allow for the removal of dead skin cells and to ensure that the new hair is able to grow in the correct direction. You should, however, avoid exfoilating on the same day that you were waxed as the skin is particularly sensitive during this time. Another way to combat ingrown hairs and razor burn/ bumps associated from shaving or waxing is to use a glycolic acid based formula such as PFB Vanish. A unique, roll-on gel, PFB Vanish gently exfoliates skin cells to "lift ingrown hairs" above the skin line reducing swelling and redness due to irritation. Countless le petit spa customers swear by this highly effective product. Visit www.lepetitspa.ca for more information.

The Benefits of Brazilian Bikini Waxes

With summer and swimsuit season finally in full swing, it's no wonder that brazilian bikini waxes are all the rage- from their rapid increase in popularity in spas across North America, to the continual references made by the media to this service, ( including several segements on the Oprah Winfrey show!) brazilian bikini waxes have never been more popular. This waxing service is more than just a passing trend, and is here to stay- for good reason. Waxing is the most hygenic and thorough method of hair removal in this sensitive area. Unlike shaving or the use of depilatories, waxing leaves a smooth, bump-free surface by not allowing any shadow of the hair follicle. The hair grows back dramatically softer and with less irritation or itching. As well, it grows back at a much slower rate, which is usually about three to five weeks. Although women tend to choose waxing for their own benefit (and convenience during bikini season!), their partners are usually quick to voice their approval! There is some discomfort involved in brazilian waxes, however an experienced esthetician who uses high quality professional wax and the proper techniques will greatly minimize pain. The application of a soothing tea tree oil lotion after the service is also very helpful. Regular brazilian bikini waxes are much less painful and result in the regrowth of finer hairs. For most people, the benefits of this service far outweigh the discomfort! Visit www.lepetitspa.ca for more information on brazilian bikini waxes