World spa&wellness

SKINCARE
Addressing emotions
“Stress, poor
sleep and anxiety
are a sad reality
of our time but
people are
aware of it and
want to take
control”
stress and conditions such as anxiety and
sleep deprivation. We’re finding it harder to
switch off than ever before and it’s impacting
how we feel,” says Sue Harmsworth, founder
of Espa.
The Health and Safety Executive in the UK
reported that there were 488,000 cases of
work-related stress in the UK between 2015
and 2016, a rate of 1,510 per 100,000 workers.
“Everyone thinks they should be coping and
there’s this almost embarrassment about
not being able to, but the more we say to the
client ‘It’s OK to be stressed’ the better,”
explains Noella Gabriel, co-founder and
managing director at Elemis. “The challenge
for us as therapists is that clients may all
have the same stress put on them but
everyone will manifest it differently, whether
that be broken sleep, acne or premature
ageing, which makes it complicated to treat.”
Rapid heartbeat, accelerated breathing
and an inability to focus on any one thing
are all common side effects of stress but
people can hold it differently, so you need to
create body treatments and packages that
are bespoke to the client’s needs. As always,
consultations are crucial to getting it right.
“A guest who is stressed will have a lot of
wind and energy within them, so they’re
usually fast-paced, think quickly and will
just want to get on with it,” explains Cortny
McCathie, UK national training manager at
Comfort Zone. “Ask them to sit, and use
calming body language when talking to
them to help them slow down. Only then
should you dig a little deeper into their
individual story. If they have tension
caused by stress, get them to show you
where and explain how often, while being
compassionate.”
Whatever treatment you deliver, essential
oils are great for helping someone de-stress
because they’re scientifically proven to be
able to change our mood – “it’s commonly
known that citrus and peppermint oils are
good for lifting the spirits while floral and
woody scents, such as rose, geranium,
lavender and cedar wood, are best for
grounding,” adds McCathie.
Sleep on it
It’s also worthwhile asking the client which
oil appeals to them to give them a more
personalised service, and don’t forget to put
a greater focus on breathing exercises in
treatments, as breathing deeply helps slow
down the heart rate and flush toxins from
the brain. Deep-tissue massages are good
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World Spa & Wellness | July/August 2017