Facial Masks have always been one of the favorites for estheticians, but now have become the favorite for clients too. The love of facial masking is spreading across genders, age groups and skin types. They are becoming known as the “great skin boosters,” adding to many self-care routines across the globe. Are the professional spas and treatment rooms taking full advantage of this trend? Are estheticians using, retailing, and marketing as the educating experts and sources of these products? Masks are not only great for the skin, but great for business. Facial masks can be an effective way to deliver an intensive burst of nourishing and therapeutic ingredients to the skin in a highly concentrated form.
Facial masks can have the immediate effect that people are looking for, it can give a boost or glow for a special event, an interim treatment for other services or just as a skin booster to add any skin care routine.
What Type of Mask Should be Retailed?
There are so many types of masks out there that it can be overwhelming to the client. Any consumer can be duped by shiny packages and unfulfilled promises of the packaging of mass-marketed masks. That is why it is the duty of estheticians to share their knowledge and education with clients on which type of masks to use for skin type, skin concern or personal skin care issues or goals. Estheticians have the difficult job of sorting through all the social media trends, influencer recommendations and incorrect skin philosophies out there to promote healthy skin choices for clientele. What estheticians offer in their treatment room and on retail shelves really is pertinent in this current trend of at-home masking.
What masks can be offered to clients on retail shelves? All of them. There is a mask for everyone and every skin type from acne, oil control, pro-aging, hydration, hyperpigmentation, sensitive, dryness, dullness, dehydration, and general skin health. The more variety that is offered in the treatment room and on the retail shelves, the more options clients have to purchase these products. Sheet masks, the most popular and the star of any masking routine, will work for most skin types. The popularity stems from the fact that many contain hyaluronic serums, ceramides, and antioxidants, which through the mask itself, penetrate into the skin. Mud, clay, charcoal, cream, gel, exfoliating, enzyme, peel off, and overnight masks can also make great retail items.
Related: Making Money With Masks
The Money Maker…Retailing Masks
There is a major benefit to the trend of masking in the spa: increased income. Estheticians can bring extra retail sales in just by carrying, demonstrating and recommending masks to their clients. This can be a huge income builder at different seasonal times of the year. Left behind is the craziness of the holidays, but everyone is looking for unique gifts for friends and family, no matter what time of year. Creating a “Skin Boosting Section” in the spa can really enhance and market the masks available. Making quick and easy purchases outside the clients’ regular skin care purchases is a fantastic way to increase revenue.
Each skin concern should be represented on retail shelves to interest diverse types of clienteles to want to purchase. Offering masks that focus on acne, purifying, oil control, detoxing and cleansing the skin entice that type of client. There are many clients that would love masks full of antioxidants, peptides and ingredients to focus on reducing the signs of aging. Of course, if cost is a factor, then everyone needs hydration, moisturization and vitamins for their skin, and those types of masks should also be offered also.
There are also specific masks that can be used for the eyes, lips, decolletage, neck and hands. These types of masks are usually made of silicone patches and used for specific regions of the face and body. These targeted smaller masks are usually inexpensive and can fit any budget for the esthetician or client. These little to-go style masks also make great add-ons and gifts, since the ingredients are usually targeted for general skin health, making them very universal.
Hooking Clients on Facial Masks
Showcasing the fun and benefits of masking will hook any client. Giving clients the education needed, displaying visible results, discussing the importance of self-care and the desire for good skin health is the easy part. Masks are fun, not usually complicated, and clients can see results immediately from using them, making them a big seller. Self-care is also growing in beauty communities. People love simple, high quality, result driven products to use for themselves or gifts to others. Masks are also quick fixes for clients with stressful jobs, who travel frequently, who vacation, and can be used in between facial visits. There is truly a mask out there for everyone.
Making suggestions to clients will do nothing but boost retail sales and spa revenue. When clients ask, “Why do I need a mask?” have suggestions ready. When is the best time to reach for a facial mask? My examples include an at-home spa day, binge watching a favorite show, during meditation, during a bubble bath, relaxing to a glass of wine, during or after a flight, after the sun, after an outdoor excursion, before or after a night out, when stress gets too high, during a zoom meeting, before bed or on the weekends.
How Can Social Media Boost Mask Retail?
Social media is the new marketing board for beauty businesses. Beauty brands were among the first to believe in the power of social influence and made it a central part of their marketing strategy, making this a powerful tool to attract new clientele and increase retail sales.
Many spas, solo estheticians, schools, and skin care lines have capitalized on the popularity of social media platforms and have brought their shops to consumers. Most direct users to the actual business website and that is where they purchase. Many estheticians and spas have emerged that take orders directly from social media and accept online payments.
Demonstration is the key to success. One of the most successful social media content strategies for beauty brands is to create “how-to” content and tutorial videos. Informative content like tips, tricks, or skin care/makeup routines can be used. All of these provide much sought-after, useful information to existing or potential clients. Besides, recommendations and reviews from fellow clients or personal circles are often the ones that influence us the most.
This is a perfect opportunity to showcase facial masking. Displaying techniques, benefits and necessity of masks can certainly be highlighted and promoted on social media. Plus, they always look great, and they catch people’s attention. It is simple to ask to post clients enjoying masks in the treatment room or at home. It makes for great social media marketing leading to increased retail sales. Changing monthly marketing regarding different masks available will increase sales on a monthly and seasonal basis.
Masking for the Win!
Again, facial masks are beneficial for ANY client with ANY skin care concern. They are complementary to ANY daily skin care routine, giving the skin a turbo-boost of what it needs. They are inexpensive, fun, effective, easy to market and give the consumer an added skin care product to their daily routine. Demonstrating masks in the treatment room and on social media, while having them available for retail sale, will only increase client awareness, interest, loyalty and increase revenue monthly. This makes masking a win for everyone.
Shawna Rocha is the owner of Awaken Day Spa in California and Washington. She loves helping clients with compromised and sensitive skin. Since becoming an esthetician, Rocha completed multiple advanced courses in Oncology Esthetics and Immuno-Esthetics, and she specialized in training in sensitive skin and holistic therapies. She holds several certifications, including one in NCEA and has become the director of education for Hale and Hush Skincare.
