Published: Mar 2, 2009
By Melissa Hill

I’m delighted to be the first to welcome you to InsidetheSpa.com!

This site is the result of months of research, meetings and interviews with you—the estheticians, the therapists, the owners and managers who drive this industry—on what you want in a website. Over and over again, you told us that two of the top reasons you go to the internet are to search for new products and new ingredients. You also told us you primarily start your search by going to Google, typing in what you’re looking for, and then sifting through the hundreds of links.

We’re making searching for products much easier for you. Go to the bar on the right and you're be able to browse through links and search for products based on either the type of product you're looking for, i.e. a cleanser, or the type of condition you are trying to treat, i.e. acne. You'll be able to find information about the product, like key ingredients, pictures and links to the company for additional details. You can also search by keyword at the top of the site, which will pull not only products, but articles and blog posts related to what you're looking for.

The best part is that this database of products will be changing all the time, with more products added on a twice-weekly basis. To  stay on top of the latest products, ingredients and trends, sign up for our e-mail newsletters.

I'll also be updating this blog twice a week with my favorite ingredient and product picks. Whenever anything interesting and newsworthy crosses my desk, I'll be sharing it with you. Feel free to help me out by sharing what you're seeing and hearing in the spa. If you've got a great product you're using, I'd love to hear about it.

Some other great features are on the site, too. If you miss your how-to cards from the magazine, be sure to check out Service Summaries, where you'll find an archive of past how-to cards. If you loved each issues' In the Room story, go to How-Tos to find all your favorites. You can browse the Articles section for more great articles on skin care and the spa. These are just some of the great features you'll find on the site - and there is more to come!

I'd love to hear what you think about the new site. Send your questions, comments and suggestions to me at mhill@vancepublishing.com. I look forward to hearing from you!