Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1526870
64 ASCP Skin Deep Autumn 2024 During facial treatments, the practitioner's touch can be therapeutic, which can result in relaxation, stress relief, and a feeling of rejuvenation. The client's preferences are additional key factors that will decide the balance between technology and the practitioner's touch. Some people may prefer the advancement and accuracy of technology-based treatments, while others would put the empathy and support of human contact with the practitioner as their priority. Skin care professionals who skillfully combine both approaches could create personalized solutions to satisfy their client's needs and preferences, granting better treatment outcomes and a higher degree of satisfaction. This fusion of technology and the practitioner's touch is a complementary method that uses the best of both components to provide a complete skin care service. HOW CAN TOUCH ENHANCE THE CLIENT'S EXPERIENCE? Technology is great but it shouldn't be the only way you deliver results. Incorporating more elements of touch in your spa services can improve the overall client experience, making it a more immersive and therapeutic journey that is not limited to skin care treatment only. Adding a massage technique to facials is an effective way to achieve this immersive and therapeutic experience. In a facial massage, the soft manipulation of facial muscles not only improves blood circulation and lymphatic drainage but also aids in product absorption. The active ingredients in skin care formulations can penetrate deeper into the skin, which in turn enhances their effectiveness and provides visible results. Besides the physiological effects of facial massage, clients enter a state of relaxation and stress reduction, experiencing a sense of peace. (Read more in "Mastering the Facial Massage," page 68, ASCP Skin Deep Spring 2023.) Using hand and foot massage techniques in spa treatments is also very effective because it's a natural way to release tension and promote a sense of wellness and rejuvenation. Clients can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of massage while getting one-on-one care and attention to these often neglected areas. Personalized, touch-based rituals play an essential role in preserving the sensory aspect of skin care routines. For instance, strokes that are slightly forceful when applied during cleansing could help in removing dirt and preparing the skin for treatment. This sort of motion also has a comforting and soothing effect. You can tailor these rituals according to the client's preferences, using methods that will make the client feel relaxed and enrich their overall spa experience. Slightly warming a mask before or using the warmth of fingertips to warm the mask while using it, also known as masking with touch, can significantly Unlike a machine, human touch can provide a more holistic experience that caters to the emotional and psychological needs of the customers.