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Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 9 your niche Mobile Estheticians Bringing spa services to clients' homes by Rebecca Jones It was nearly midnight when Bobbie Mayfi eld's phone rang. On the other end was a frantic client who had attempted to do her own bikini waxing at home and needed help�immediately. "She had glued herself to the bathtub with the wax," recalls Mayfi eld, a Fort Worth, Texas, esthetician with 12 years of experience. Fortunately, the client's cell phone was nearby. Mayfi eld got there within 20 minutes. "It took me until 2 a.m. to get her unstuck," she says. Just another day (or night) in the life of a mobile esthetician. Estheticians who live in areas where mobile spa businesses are legal are increasingly taking advantage of this niche. Some, like Mayfi eld, offer a full line of spa services to clients who prefer to receive those services in the comfort of their own homes (even when they're not glued to the tub). Others, like Amber Murray of Ahhh Mobile Spa in Denver, Colorado, specialize in parties, providing multiple clients with quick and simple services, often with fi ne food as part of the package. Party Time "It's a very, very fun way to work," says Murray, who launched her company six years ago. "It's fl exible. You meet fun people and you make great connections." Murray and her team of estheticians and massage therapists set up shop at baby showers, bachelorette parties, homecoming and prom events, and even children's birthday parties. Keeping each service short and simple is the key. "When I fi rst started, I offered intricate facials, manicures, and pedicures," Murray says. "But I realized those things weren't as much in demand for a mobile business. For me, it wasn't worth the time and money. Now I do mini-treatments, the light side of things." For a typical Ahhh Mobile Spa event, the client will book one, two, three, or more types of service. A separate station is set up at the party for each service and Murray brings as many service providers as needed. "Someone will do massage, someone will do nails, someone will do facials—quick 20-minute treatments per person." She charges, on average, $65 per station, per hour. For younger clients, Murray offers Princess Parties, featuring stations for hairstyling, hair tinsel, lip gloss kits, makeup, manicures, and pedicures. Music and décor is planned to delight young girls. These events are booked at $35–$45 per girl, with a six-girl minimum. Bring Extra Everything Whether providing quick-and-easy party services or an in-home individual treatment, preparation is the key to success. "You meet fun people and you make great connections." —Amber Murray, Ahhh Mobile Spa "I bring extra sheets, extra face covers, extra everything," Mayfi eld says. "My packing may be overkill, but if a client says, 'Oh, I'd like my eyelashes done, too,' I can say, 'OK, I can do that right now,' versus 'Well, I can come back another time and do that.'" Experience has also taught her to get things in writing and to phone ahead to make sure the client is at home and expecting her. Personal safety must be kept in mind when visiting the homes of strangers, so most of Mayfi eld's clients are referred to her by people she trusts. The mobile spa business has advantages for both the client and the esthetician. "There's a lot less overhead, so we can charge less," Murray says. "And you choose your hours. I have a lot more fl exibility than if I had a storefront." Rebecca Jones is a longtime newspaper reporter and freelance writer based in Denver, Colorado. Contact her at killarneyrose@comcast.net.