In the know: Guinot

What can I do to stress the importance of a good cleansing and exfoliating regime to clients?

In this day and age, when we live with such high pollution levels as well as contending with the effects of stress on the skin, cleansing and exfoliation is just as important as drinking plenty of water.

Educating your clients on the value of cleansing and exfoliating as part of their daily routine is a vital step in helping them look after their skin.

It’s great if they include serums and masks in their skincare routine too but if the skin hasn’t been cleansed properly, the subsequently applied products will not be able to work to maximum effect.

Cleansing doesn’t need to be an arduous task, which is why consultations are so important, as they give you the opportunity to enquire about the client’s lifestyle and product preferences.

If they lead a very busy life with work and family responsibilities, they will not appreciate a three-step cleansing routine twice a day. Make sure your therapists demonstrate the ease of the cleansing routine and explain how the products will fit into their lifestyle: this will show that you are able to meet the client’s objectives and help build rapport between client and therapist.

Exfoliation is the best way to enhance the skin’s health and glow, especially for those concerned with ageing, as it will remove the dead skin cells that can become trapped in fine lines and wrinkles and cause build-up; making the skin appear older than it is.

The skin has its natural 28-30-day cycle of regeneration, which can be enhanced by exfoliating once or twice a week, at the most. Explain to your clients that by doing this, they will be removing dead skin cells that could be hindering their daily moisturiser from being effective by absorbing most of the benefits.

If the client can perfect their cleansing routine, any treatments and products will work more effectively and they’ll achieve their desired results quicker.

Alicia Haynes is training development manager for Guinot UK. Haynes, who has been in the beauty industry for 17 years, has held a wide range of positions within the sector, including spa therapist and spa manager roles. She has extensive experience of working internationally and developing spas and high-end salons pre-opening