Being an honest entrepreneur, I make sure I test and trial absolutely everything before I market and promise results. Many in our industry are in it to make a quick buck, and take short cuts or are gullible and believe any sales pitch thrown at them. Lots of distributors take short cuts too, and many of them don’t even know the product they represent and sell. It's sad but true, and this is one of the areas in which our industry falls short.
In the world of aesthetics, fads are not profitable, and instead can bankrupt a business.
It's about keeping your finger on the pulse and keeping abreast of new developments, reading and investigating. When I say investigating, I mean taking the time to try, test and inspect everthing out there. And there's a lot!
In business, longevity is key, and the trick is to find a trend that is going to last.
This is one of my favourite trends that I believe has longevity. I’m seeing a lot of industries offer bespoke everything; even NetFlorist has a personalised range of gifts. I am a huge fan of personalising beauty. One size does not fit all because each and every single one of us is different. What works for one teenager won't work for another, and what one 50-year-old lady may need is not what the rest of 50-year-old women need. It's rare that a multitude of problems can be solved with one solution.
I have implemented this trend in Beauceuticals, our new skincare range. Our therapists are able to tailor-make day creams, night creams and serums according to clients' skin, and offer bespoke courses of different technology treatments according to clients' concerns.
Being fit and exercising has become trendy. It's no wonder that everything around staying fit has started trending too. Whilst overseas, I saw many active skincare ranges. At first, I thought it was gimmicky and was convinced it wouldn't last long, but these products starting to pop up in different brands, targeting exercise-specific concerns like clogged pores and redness.
There's breathable make-up, sweat resistant brow and eyeliner, mascara, and lip and cheek palettes that promise not to clog pores. I'm skeptical, so we're going to have to see where this trend lands up.
Cannabis, as we know, is stress-reducing and pain-relieving. We also know that inflammation is the root cause of many skin conditions, from acne to rosacea. Because of cannabinoids’ anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, using it can reduce puffiness, swelling and even pain.
It's considered an all-in-one solution' and it's is definitely here to stay. I think that if you get the correct products, you can benefit from all the wonders that cannabis has to offer. In saying this, just make sure you look for whole plant extract on the packaging to confirm that what you’re using isn’t simply capitalising on the buzz around the ingredient.
My advice to anyone in our industry or anyone wanting to enter the industry is to take your time before investing in anything. Do your homework. If you are a 'steady Eddie' personality type, join a franchise that has a proven track record and a brand name that is respected so that you can work with people who have experience in the industry.
Not everyone is cut out to be a franchise owner. You need to be someone who is happy to take calculated risks and have faith in the brand and system you are investing in. You need to be ok with rules. Franchising is all about following a blueprint in order to copy and paste a successful recipe. The value of being part of a group and benefiting from their costly lessons and monthly support will outweigh the franchise fees. There is strength in numbers.
These are just a few of the many industry trends. There's a lot of noise in the aesthetic industry and being an entrepreneur in this industry is not for sissies. You can invest in devices that are trending today and tomorrow they are replaced by something smaller and better. You can stock a product that can land up giving you and your business a bad name.
Your reputation is the most important element in the beauty and grooming business. Word of mouth can make or break you.
