Published: Feb 11, 2009

An anti-aging treatment takes clients away while giving them the results they crave.

Make-up by: Anna Piekunko
Photography by: Akin Girav
Hair by: Danielle Roller

When Denyse Peterson moved from Miami, Florida to a small town outside Chicago, Illinois called Crystal Lake, she saw an opportunity. Not being able to find an adequate salon in the town led her and a partner to eventually open Distinction Salon and Day Spa in 2003 in downtown Crystal Lake. Five years later, it remains a success, especially on the spa side. Since opening, the spa has only carried the Sothys line, and the products have proven so popular that the retail-to-service sales are greater on the spa side than the salon side, says Peterson. Part of that success is attributable to the company and the line itself. Peterson says Sothys has partnered with them from the very beginning, working hand in hand—even helping at a spa event last fall to help launch new body lines, Orient Essence and Secrets de Sothys. The line has also been good for the type of clients the spa brings in. “The clientele we draw expect results,” says Peterson. “Sothys stays on top of the market, they know what the trends are and their customer service is great.”

The spa staff has worked equally hard on their end, with a focus on educating clients on the products and treatments and providing them with samples to take home. “We sell more facial products than anything and we get a lot of repeat business,” says Peterson. “There would typically be some resistance to the prices, but once they are educated and see the results, there is no price limit.”
Part of the draw for clients is also the serene atmosphere of Distinction, especially on the spa side. Walking through the threshold that leads to the two treatment rooms and spa lounge, clients are immediately whisked out of the Midwest and straight into the warmth of a foreign and exotic locale. The colors in the spa pick up some of the same warm reds from the salon side, but flickering candles, a fountain in the corner of the lounge and hand-painted murals in each room and in the lounge complete the relaxing effect. For a day spa, Distinction offers up the best of both worlds: results clients can see, plus a warm, relaxing treatment experience.

Info

Therapist: Anna Piekunko
Spa: Distinction Salon and Spa, Crystal Lake, IL
Products: Sothys
Snapshot: A multi-sensorial treatment to restore radiance and youthfulness while fighting the signs of aging.
Contraindications: none
Duration: 120 minutes
Price: $170 - $220 recommended pricing

Recommended Home Care:
Morning: Normalizing Beauty Milk, Normalizing Lotion, Global Anti-Aging De-Stressing Serum, Secrets de Sothys Global Anti-Aging De-Stressing Cream;
Night: Normalizing Beauty Milk, Normalizing Lotion, Global Anti-Aging De-Stressing Serum, Noctuelle Night Cream
 

Ingredients Insider

The core of the new Secrets de Sothys treatment relies on the belief that for skin care to be effective, it must be holistic and treat all five senses. To maximize wellbeing, the treatment appeals to each in these ways:

Hearing: Custom music is in-sync with the massage movements.
Taste: Clients are offered a custom-blended tea for post-treatment relaxation.
Sight: The room is set-up in a specific way to appeal to the client.
Touch: The products were developed to feel like luxury textiles: velvet, satin and cashmere.
Smell: The service utilizes two fragrance notes created specifically for the treatment. The head note is relaxing and reduces stress, while the heart note is suggestive of happiness and helps soothe the mind.

How-To

1. Have client lie face down. Perform Awakening Prelude massage movements for five minutes on the back, over draping to get client comfortable with touch.

2. Using pre-warmed Marula Oil and Bi-Phasic Sparkling Philter, perform Body Digi-Esthétique massage movements on the back of the body, then front of the body.

3. Remove eye make-up with Biphased Make-up Remover on two cotton pads over the eyes. Wipe over the upper eyelids and brows. Place two half pads under the eyes and wipe down lashes with cotton swabs to remove mascara.

4. With circular movements, apply Crystal Make-up Removing Balm to the neck, chin, cheeks and forehead. Perform circular movements for one minute. Remove with a warm towel.

5. Using two tissues, folded according to the Sothys method, apply warmed Evanescent Milky Lotion, starting with eye contours, forehead, cheeks, oval of the face, neck and décolleté.

6. To exfoliate, apply Pearl and Water Lily Precious Scrub to the face and neck with outward circular movements. Cover face and neck two to three times, then leave for five minutes, and perform massage on back of neck and shoulders. Massage excess of scrub for one minute, then emulsify with water and remove with moist wipes.

7. Using Digi-Esthétique Voluptuous Modelling, perform a relaxing face, neck and shoulder massage for 15 minutes.

8. Apply Instant Smoothing Gel to the face and neck. Then place eye pads over the eyes, and lay a pre-cut piece of gauze over the face and neck.

9. Place eye pads over the eyes, then lay a pre-cut piece of gauze over the face and neck.

10. Test the temperature of the Metamorphosis Mask on your wrist, then with a brush, apply all the mask on top of the gauze.

11. Perform a hand massage using the remaining Marula Oil and Bi-Phasic Sparkling Philter. After the mask has been on for 15 minutes, remove the gauze and massage excess product for one minute. Remove with a warm towel.

12. To finish, apply Wrinkle Filling Serum with light, stroking movements over the face and neck.

 

 

 

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