Your one-stop, source of information and resources regarding: Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty, Well-being and Wellness (with a focus on the Philippines)
by
Eunice
To start a year with smile and fun, I would like to share with you some jokes (during the past years) that were emailed to me, shared to me, sent to me or found online:
Have a blessed New Year to one and all!!
JOKES AND HUMOR
THE WEAKEST LINK" PINOY-STYLE
Host: What "N" (narra) is the national tree of the Philippines?
Contestant: Niyog?
Host: Mas matigas pa diyan.
Contestant: (in a strong-sounding voice) NIYOG!!!
-----
Host: Saan "B" (Bagumbayan) binaril si Jose Rizal?
Contestant: Sa back?
Host: O sige, puwede rin na ang simula ay letter "L" (Luneta).
Contestant: Likod?
Host: Hindi pa rin. Para mas madali, "R.P." ang initials ng modern
name nito (Rizal Park).
Contestant: Rear Part? (Susme! Likod pa rin yun!)
-------
Host: Anong "L" (Lifeguard) ang tawag sa tao na sumasagip sa iyo pag ikaw ay nalulunod?
Contestant: Lifebuoy?
Host: Hindi, pero kahawig nga ng pangalan ng sabon ang pangalan ng
taong ito.
Contestant : Safeguard?
Host: Hindi, pagsamahin mo yung dalawang sagot mo.
Contestant: Safe Buoy?
Host: Hindi siya "boy" at matipuno nga ang kaniyang katawan.
Contestant: Oh, si Mr.Clean!
--------------------------------------
Host: Anong "S" (Salbabida) ang ginagamit na flotation device sa dagat upang hindi ka malunod?
Contestant: Sirena?
Host: Hindi! Hindi ito babae.
Contestant: Siyokoy?
Host: Hindi ito lalake.
Contestant: Siyoke?
-------------------------
Host: What "S" (Sampaguita) is the national flower of the Philippines?
Contestant: Sunflower?
Host: Hindi. Binebenta ito sa kalye.
Contestant: Stork?
Host: Hindi. Bulaklak sabi eh.
Contestant: Sitsarong bulaklak?
Host: Hindi pa rin. It ends with a letter "A".
Contestant: Sitsarong bulaklak na may sukA?
Host: Oh, para madali, uulitin ko ang clues at dadagdagan ko pa! Ano ang pangalan ng bulaklak na nagsisimula sa "S", nagtata! ! pos sa letrang "A", at kapangalan ng isang sikat na singer?
Host: Sino ang national hero na naka-picture sa 500Peso bill? Clue: may initials na N.A. (Ninoy Aquino)
Contestant: N-ora A-unor?
Host: Hindi. Ang pangalan niya ay nage-end sa "Y".
Contestant: GuY Aunor?
Host: Hindi. Dati siyang Senador.
Contestant: Si Former Senator Guy Aunor?
Host: Hindi. Patay na siya.
Contestant: ANO??!! PATAY NA SI NORA AUNOR???!!!
--------------------------------------------
Old Chinese in death bed:
"Akyen junior 'ndyan ba?" "Dito po!"
"Akyen panganay 'ndyan ba?"
"Dito po!"
"Akyen daughtel 'ndyan ba?"
"Dito po!"
"Akyen asawa 'ndyan ba?" "Dito din honey!"
"Walahiya! Dito kayo lahat! Wala tao tindahan!"
Ito na lang ang bilhin mo signatures na signatures ang dating.
CK--------Cavite Kamiseta.
YSL-------Yari Sa Laguna.
UCB-------Under the Coconut tree in Baclaran.
DKNY------Divisoria Kanto Ng Ylaya.
At pag suot mo tong mga to pre, pang GQ model ang dating mo sa magazines:
GQ------ Galing Quiapo ----------
As we get older,
we are richer
Silver hair
Gold tooth
Stones in kidney
Oil in pace
Gas in tian
Careful daw at baka makidnap!
Chinese names for those born during new year
At Midnight Andy Lim
At Wedlock Tina Go
By Swindler Lino Co
Fat Boy Bob Uy
Different Eva Yan
A Rhose, by Any Other Name
By Matthew Sutherland
"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches" --(Proverbs 22:1)
WHEN I arrived in the Philippines from the UK six years ago, one of the first cultural differences to strike me was names. The subject has provided a continuing source of amazement and amusement ever since.
The first unusual thing, from an English perspective, is that everyone here has a nickname. In the staid and boring United Kingdom, we have nicknames in kindergarten, but when we move into adulthood we tend, I am glad to say, to lose them.
The second thing that struck me is that Philippine names for both girls and boys tend to be what we in the UK would regard as overbearingly cutesyfor anyone over about five. "Fifty-five-year-olds with names that sound like five-year-olds", as one colleague put it. Where I come from, a boy with a nickname like Boy Blue or Honey Boy would be beaten to death at school by pre-adolescent bullies, and never make it to adulthood. So, probably, would girls with names like Babes, Lovely, Precious, Peachy or Apples. Yuk, ech ech. Here, however, no one bats an eyelid.
Then I noticed how many people have what I have come to call "door-bell names". These are nicknames that sound like - well, door-bells. There are millions of them. Bing, Bong, Ding, and Dong are some of the more common. They can be, and frequently are, used in even more door-bell-like combinations such as Bing-Bong, Ding-Dong, Ting-Ting, and so on. Even our newly-appointed chief of police has a doorbell name - Ping. None of these door-bell names exist where I come from, and hence sound unusually amusing to my untutored foreign ear. Someone once told me that one of the Bings, when asked why he was called Bing, replied "because my brother is called Bong". Faultless logic. Dong, of course, is a particularly funny one for me, as where I come from "dong" is a slang word for... well, perhaps "talong" is the best Tagalog equivalent.
Repeating names was another novelty to me, having never before encountered people with names like Len-Len, Let-Let,Mai-Mai, or Ning-Ning. The secretary I inherited on my arrival had an unusual one: Leck-Leck. Such names are then frequently further refined by using the "squared" symbol, as in Len2 or Mai2. This had me very confused for a while.
Then there is the trend for parents to stick to a theme when naming their children. This can be as simple as making them all begin with the same letter, as in Jun, Jimmy, Janice, and Joy. More imaginative parents shoot for more sophisticated forms of assonance or rhyme, as in Biboy,Boboy, Buboy, Baboy (notice the names get worse the more kids there are -- best to be born early or you could end up being a Baboy).
Even better, parents can create whole families of, say, desserts (Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Honey Pie) or flowers (Rose, Daffodil, Tulip). The main advantage of such combinations is that they look great painted across your trunk if you're a cab driver.
That's another thing I'd never seen before coming to Manila - taxis with the driver's kids' names on the trunk.
Another whole eye-opening field for the foreign visitor is the phenomenon of the "composite" name. This includes names like Jejomar (for Jesus, Joseph and Mary), and the remarkable Luzviminda (for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, believe it or not). That's a bit like me being called something like "Engscowani" (for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Between you and me, I'm glad I'm not.
And how could I forget to mention the fabulous concept of the randomly-inserted letter 'h'. Quite what this device is supposed to achieve, I have not yet figured out, but I think it is designed to give a touch of class to an otherwise only averagely weird name. It results in creations like Jhun, Lhenn, Ghemma, and Jhimmy. Or how about Jhun-Jhun (Jhun2)?
There is also a whole separate field of name games -- those where the parents have exhibited a creative sense of humor on purpose. I once had my house in London painted by a Czechoslovakian decorator by the name of Peter Peter. I could never figure out if his parents had a fantastic sense of humor or no imagination at all -- it had to be one or the other. But here in the Philippines, wonderful imagination and humor is often applied to the naming process, particularly, it seems, in the Chinese community. My favourites include Bach Johann Sebastian; Edgar Allan Pe; Jonathan Livingston Sy; Magic Chiongson, Chica Go, and my girlfriend's very own sister, Van Go. I am assured these are real people, although I've only met two of them. I hope they don't mind being mentioned here.
How boring to come from a country like the UK full of people with names like John Smith. How wonderful to come from a country where imagination and exoticism rule the world of names. Even the towns here have weird names; my favorite is the unbelieveably-named town of Sexmoan (ironically close to Olongapo and Angeles).
Where else in the world could that really be true? Where else in the world could the head of the Church really be called Cardinal Sin? Where else in the world could Angel, Gigi and Mandy be grown-up men? Where else could you go through adultlife unembarrassed and unassailed with a name like Mosquito, or Pepper, or Honey Boy?
Where else but the Philippines!
English Translations of Filipino Names
NEW! Remigio Batungbacal
Remington Steel
NEW! Bienvenido Jurado
Ben Hur
NEW! Federico Hagibis
Federal Express
Eleoterio Ignacio
Electronic Ignition
Casimiro Bukaykay
Cashmir Bouquet
Rogelio Dagdag
Roger Moore
Topacio Mamaril
Top Gun
Restituto Pruto
Tutti Frutti
Samuel Tampipi
Sam Sonite
Veneracion De Asis
Venereal Disease
Francisco Portero
Frank Furter
Diosdado Durante
Deo Dorant
A man dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates.
St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay" the man says, "I attended church every Sunday" "That's good, says St. Peter, " that's worth two points"
"Two points?" he says. "Well, I gave 10% of all my earnings to the church" "Well, let's see," answers Peter, "that's worth another 2 points. Did you do anything else?"
"Two points? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans." "Fantastic, that's certainly worth a point, " he says.
"hmmm...," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart." "That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"THREE POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!"
There once was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money and he wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth with him.
An angel hears his plea and appears to him. "Sorry, but you can't
take your wealth with you." The man implores the angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules.
The man continues to pray that his wealth could follow him. The angel reappears and informs the man that God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed.
Soon afterward the man dies and shows up at the Gates of Heaven to
greet St. Peter. St. Peter seeing the suitcase says, "Hold on, you
can't bring that in here!"
But, the man explains to St. Peter that he has permission and asks him to verify his story with the Lord. Sure enough, St. Peter checks and comes back saying, "You're right. You are allowed one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check its contents before letting it through."
St. Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items that the man found too precious to leave behind and exclaims, "You brought
pavement?!!!"
One day while walking down the street a highly successful executive woman was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself. "Welcome to Heaven," said St.Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we've never once had an executive make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in." said the woman.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in."
"Actually, I think I've made up my mind...I prefer to stay in Heaven", said the woman.
"Sorry, we have rules..." And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were all dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kinda cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved good- bye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her. "Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said.
So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and
playing the harp and singing. She had a great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.
"So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven.
Now you must choose your eternity," he said.
The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."
So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland
covered in garbage and Filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks. The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her. "I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."
The Devil looked at her and smiled. "Yesterday we were recruiting you; today you're staff."
Everybody on earth dies and goes to heaven. God comes and says "I want the men to make two lines. One line for the men that dominated their women on earth and the other line for the men that were whipped by their women. Also, I want all the women to go with St Peter."
Said and done, the next time God looks the women are gone and there are two lines. The line of the men that were whipped was 100 miles long, on the line of men that dominated women there was only one man.
God got mad and said. "You men should be ashamed of yourselves. I
created you in my image, and you were all whipped by your mates. Look at the only one of my sons that stood up and made me proud, Learn from him!" Tell them my son how did you manage to be the only one on that line?
The man said, "I don't know. My wife told me to stand here."
----------------------------------------
A priest and a taxi driver both died and went to heaven. St. Peter
was at the Pearly gates waiting for them.
'Come with me', said St. Peter to the taxi driver.
The taxi driver did as he was told and followed St. Peter to a
mansion. It had anything you could imagine from a bowling alley to an Olympic size pool.
'Wow, thank you', said the taxi driver.
Next, St. Peter led the priest to a rugged old shack with a bunk
bed and a little old television set.
'Wait, I think you are a little mixed up', said the priest.
'Shouldn't I be the one who gets the mansion? After all I was a priest, went to church every day, and preached God's word.'
'Yes, that's true. But during your sermons people slept. When the
taxi driver drove, everyone prayed.'
Click this link to see a cool new year e-card (sent to me by Roger David...Thanks Roger!)
Murad Center @ Rustan's Makati (A Spa Connoiser's Review)
November 05, 2010- After several sessions since my first visit in May here at Murad Makati and the results that I had since then was "hiyang" to my skin and noticed that I had less comedones (white heads), I bought a package for AHA Intensive worth 3,900 which is good for 4 facial treatments and a facial diamond peel session worth 1,700 Pesos. Today, I get to finish all my package. Salamat naman as I have to travel two hours before getting here in Makati everytime I would have a facial. As always, I was in the able hands of Tess and here is what I like about Tess:
1. She executes the best European type of facial I have ever had. (For those of you wondering what a European facial is read my blog below.)
2. She doesn't forget any facial technique. After going under the same facial treatments over and over again, I get to memorize the steps already. This is the advantage of having to work on one product only. In this case, products of Dr. Murad. When I was working as a spa and facial therapist, we get to be bombarded with a host of product brands with different techniques and different applications, hindi mo na tuloy alam kung yung techniques na ginagamit mo eh tama pa ba dun sa produkto. You get confused because of the different techniques: one brand will have more than twenty techniques for a specific product line. Example a spa carries two brands (some spas even carry as much as five or more brands): Brand A has a product line for anti-aging which has a set of techniques for facial massage. Brand A also has a product line naman for pimple treatments again, having similar facial techniques for anti-aging but also has some differences. While Brand B carries five (or more) product lines: for men, for anti-aging, for pimple and problematic skin, for bleaching/whitening and for body treatments. All these have different facial techniques and applications. If you are a novice and you only have a short span to memorize, marami kang makakalimutan or maida-dagdag not Tess, she knows what to do and does it with flair.
3. Tess gives me samples of products for me to try. Today, I bought several products to take home with me for maintenance. I will edit this blog so I can get to review them as well.
4. She discusses the purpose of each product she applies which is already a given since they carry only Murad products.
5. She gives my lip a boost with the application of lip care product after every facial which I love because it tastes and smells like strawberries. It also instantly moisturizes a chapped lip like mine.
So there you go my latest blog about Murad in Rustan's, Makati.
May 16, 2010- After my two-hour long spa time at Island spa (yes, and I am still held hostage --happily---hehehe--- in this beauty and relaxation level of Rustan's) still at the 5th level of Rustan's) I still have an hour more to spare (1 hour and fifteen minutes to be exact) since Island spa does not have any facial and beauty treatments on their menu, the staff told me that I can hop off to the Murad Center just right in front of them. So, off I went. Facial therapies are a NEED for me not some want or just my bling-bling thing. I will tell you why in a bit.
Location and Ambiance
Again if you are coming from the Greenbelt area, the location is quite difficult to find (no wonder I can only see a few people coming upstairs). It's just right in front of the coffee shop. Upon entering, on your left will be the reception area and to the right is the lounge area. The whole facade of the place befits a medical spa facility (good for branding and the type of client they want to attract) with most of their retail products available for sale displayed at the lounge area which has a small sala/receiving area. No distinct smell or any background sound at all. This place is not a full service spa but a skin, face and beauty center.
Hygiene, Cleanliness and Sanitation
Upon first glance, you will notice that the place is impeccably clean but the room which was where I have been given my facial, was dimly lit so I have not way of telling if the place was the same. Their changing area was also clean. My locker has a big robe and slippers.
Menu of Services
They have facial and body treatment services. Sorry for those wanting to have a massage and a facial therapy in just one roof, this is a beauty center not a full service spa. So here are some of their services:
For facial treatments they have the following:
The least expensive which is 900 pesos (approximately $18) is Classical Facial-30 minutes- a customized cleansing treatment with mask and moisturizing treatment.
The staff assessed my skin/face and recommended an AHA Intensive facial (60 minutes)- so I obliged- this facial uses AHA in this case, it's glycolic acid, very good choice for my skin type because even if I do not have pimples or acne, I have white heads (comedones) and this really bothers me and the primary reason I have to make facial therapies one of my regimen. This costs 1,900 Pesos (approximately U$D38).
Vitamin C infusion Facial- 60 minutes- this costs 1,700 pesos (approximtely U$D 34) -to restore elasticity, firmness and hydration and even skin tone using pure Vitamin C.
Resurgence Renewal Facial- 60 minutes- costs 2,400 pesos (approximately U$D 48)- for hormonal aging skin, menopausal and peri-menopausal skin.
Clarifying enzyme facial- 60 minutes- costs 1,700 Pesos (approximately U$D 34)- ideal for oily and acne prone skin using papaya and pineapple natural fruit enzymes to dissolve these impurities.
Diamond Peel starts at 1,700 Pesos for the face (approximately U$D34) and 1,700 Pesos (approximately U$D 34) for full neck and decollete.
For "bacne" beakouts they have a clarifying enzyme back treatment- 60 minutes- for 1,800 pesos (approximately 35U$D). So if you plan to go backless in one of the formal occasions that you will go to, visit Murad for this treatment at least several days or months before the ocassion depending on the severity of your "bacne" breakouts.
For those wanting to firm and tone their body, they have Vitamin C Firm and Tone Half body treatment- 60 minutes- for 2,200 pesos (approximately U$D 44)
If I were near, I would avail of their packages:
3 Facial treatments for just 3,800 Pesos giving you a savings of 2,100 pesos from the regular price of 5,700 pesos and they have other treatment packages which you can inquire about when you call.
Price-wise, the Murad Center has reasonable price figures (as compared with US-price standards) but for others it might be ridiculously expensive, but Murad is a huge name so I suppose that's a given. If you can afford the price tag, or just want an occasional treat, I think as my first impression, they are doing a service more than average. I think you do have to make the decision if you want quality at a price. Murad offers quality products and a more than average service, but you have to be willing to pay for them.
They accept credit cards for payment which is a good thing.
Retail and Products
Dr. Murad believes in an inclusive approach and following the 3-step Murad method, I would be incorporating topical, internal and emotional care into my lifestyle. So, if I were to take home products, I would take home the following and try them out:
Topical- AHA cream- which has to be left on the face for 10 minutes- but as unique as my face is- I think I need more than 20 minutes for this....hehehe...maybe one of these days I will experiment with their products. Later will tell you why I need 20 minutes to start with.
Internal- Youth Builder dietary supplement- costs around 4,500 pesos (U$D 90) good for 30 days already.
Staff and Decorum
When I arrived, the reception was manned by a male but when he greeted me and I asked him about the facial he excused himself and disappeared into the back door and a lady entertained me instead. The lady staff (sorry as related earlier I chose to lay my pen and just rest and enjoy my spa-ing time without having to think about writing a consumer's review through my blog so I was not able to get the name of the esthetician) was accommodating naman and I tried to converse with her during my session and asked questions. She is not pushy with products and well-versed when it comes to what the products are for.
Session and Techniques
The staff ushered me to a changing/locker area and since I am (again) the only one inside the spa, I get to enjoy the facility all by myself. The changing facility has at least 8-14 lockers with keys. There is a facial tube dress inside, so you have to change because the facial therapy includes the shoulders and chest area. There are also toiletries inside like a hair gel, a comb/hair brush and a hair spray.
The AHA intensive facial I tried is a type of European facial. You might wonder what is a European facial? This is a type of facial treatment which begins with deep cleansing, steam, exfoliation, and facial massage of the face, shoulders, and chest area, followed by special mask that hydrates the skin. One thing I like about this facial is that she also applied lip balm on my lips at the end of the facial. Aside from the skin treatments, you get soothing massages on your temples, scalp, neck and shoulders.
My skin was noticeably smooth, even-toned and radiant for days until now - and it's been more than 7 days!. Actually, I think I will be trying some of their products when I come back. This is the main reason why I need to have regular facials because I have to maintain a smooth complexion (not the usual smooth complexion) and I am bothered whenever I can feel that I already have rough skin because of white heads (comedones). I tried glycolic acid peels- but it works only temporarily. I have a lot of these white heads or comedones that its like having mustache on my skin.... and I still am on the hunt for the right product for me. So far, have found none as effective as the products were at Murad.
The products (not the facial techniques or the spa ritual) has exceeded all the other places I have gone for my facials- both relatively cheap and super expensive. Not that the spa or the staff is average, it's just that the facial techniques used and the ritual is common and a given. I hope the spa or facial owners will learn from these types of establishments and get some ideas from them. Although I have to say that it's kinda weird because during the steam and application of the AHA, I expected the facialist (or aesthetician) to use this time to give me a back, neck, and shoulder massage, or a hand massage- but in this case, it did not happen. Maybe, it's not part of the ritual?
I also highly recommend this AHA Intensive facial for those who have the same skin problems that I have. I love the scents of their products- not overly scented but has a nice smelling scent for the AHA and for the cleansers.
I was also in a hurry so this might be the reason why the staff did not ask me for any hot tea or any herbal tea at all....or since they are a medical spa facility, they also do not include that?
Overall rating, because of the superb products, I will give Murad Center @ Rustan's an 85%. I will definitely try out other services and take home some products when I come back
Address/Contact Numbers/Other Information
Location: Murad Center
5th Level Rustan's Ayala Center
Makati city
Phone Number 8161806
Rustan Cosmetics Division
2nd Floor, OPPEN Building
349 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue
Makati City 1225, Philippines ctarriola@rustans.com.ph
P: 00632.895.7140
F: 00632.890.9793
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3. You can order an e-book copy through my blog at http://www.yunesa.blogspot.com/ at $19.95
4. You can also get a copy from National Bookstores nationwide at P799Pesos
5. For locals only, you can order it from me at local discounted rates with free delivery at 900Pesos (via LBC or FEDEX Air 21. Anywhere in the Philippines. Please allow 1-5 working days
If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.
This review was written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/ or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com
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Travel, Trips and Tours for Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness Enthusiasts
Hay naku summer na naman. And since it's time again to wander around, did you know that the Philippines has a FREE travel and lifestyle magazine distributed around different airports in Manila, Cebu, Clark, in different call centers, some hotels and resorts and coffee shops in the Philippines? With tips on where to go and what to do, this magazine revolutionizes the way Filipinos travel and is defnitely your handy ultimate tour guide on travel. Yes, and that magazine I am referring to is (drum roll please....hehe) Juan Philippines magazine.
The latest issue of this magazine featured your spa, massage therapy and wellness guide and consultant in an article focusing on Gift Guide for the Wellness Enthusiast. Although its for Valentine's day, you can get tips on getting gifts for your loved ones anytime of the year.
When buying a unique and special gift for our loved ones we are using up all our creativity and resources to do so. If money is tight, every peso counts so there is no such thing as “cheap”, if you have really thought about it, no matter what the cost, then that’s what matters. Material gifts are not that only things that you can give so before buying something, listen to clues on what he/she really wants. Instead of the usual chocolates, you can mix and match any two or three of these items depending on your budget. So, here’s a list of gift ideas for wellness enthusiasts.
1. Spa-rties or Spa Parties- contact a Licensed Massage Therapist or a nearby spa and inquire if they can accommodate two people at the same time and if it’s a group date then they should be able to come up with a themed spa party occasion. For a more specialized and less expensive treat and you have space at home, you can host a spa party right at your own home. Just buy some robes and slippers, scented candles, massage oils or manicure and/or pedicure set- call a home spa or home massage service or hire somebody in your neighborhood to give you and your loved one a massage and a foot spa with manicure and pedicure. Compose a romantic poem in a Valentine’s card and insert a spa gift certificate. If he/she loves chocolates, take them to a spa that offers chocolate scrubs and treatments.
2. Wellness Travel- Go out and have fun! If that means, just taking them for a bowling time or a fitness center or perhaps you can take your loved one/s to an organic farm and a healthy culinary tour. Recreate your first date or the time when you told each other the three magical words, “I love you”; Walk, dive or schedule an overnight trip to a romantic resort spa outside of town. Take a trip down a rural area and experience authentic bamboo massage, sea shell massage, Dagdagay or our very own Hilot.
3. Palate Trip- Treat your loved ones for a food trip to a spa gourmet, a vegan restaurant or arrange a cooking time to cook low carb, vegan food and delicacies. Inquire from culinary schools if they offer short classes on vegetarian cuisine and cooking demonstrations then enroll both of you as part of your bonding time. Learn and have fun together learning a new recipe.
4. Delights at home- Dress up your bedroom like a spa with fresh petals of roses on the tub or on the floor, a mini water fountain, lighted aromatherapy candles and a waiting massage therapist to perform massage for both of you. Arrange your ordinary kitchen to look something like a healthy spa nook/kitchen with herbs, gourmet food and green and leafy vegetables on the refrigerator and fresh fruits and edible flowers on the dinner table. Make a healthy midnight snack that you can both devour. Make it as appealing to the sight as can be.
5. Gifts and tokens- Buy foot spa gift set, a pet, a plant like a bonsai, buy seeds for an herb garden or Zen garden containing white sand, etched stones and candles; Vegan cook books, fitness and exercise CD’s/DVD’s, spa music CD’s or relaxing CD’s, instructional books on health and beauty, Gift basket like a Spa kit/Bath basket containing bath towel, aromatherapy oils, massage oils, organic soaps, body scrubs, edible flowers, etc.
All in all, any present whatever the amount is all about thought, attention and love. Appreciate what is there and love them for it! ======================================================= They are also still accepting entries (until March 22, 2010) for "Send us your best BEACH photo/s (can be wackiest, funniest,sexiest, etc.) and win an overnight stay at Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Cavite and also get a chance to have the photo featured in our Parting Shot section. Email those photos to juanphilippines@gmail.com now!"
If you want to display the these FREE magazines in your establishment or have your hotel, resort, spa, massage clinic or wellness center featured please email me yunesa@yahoo.com so I can give you their contact details.
Get to know our wonderful country, promote healthy living and a wellnessness lifestyle. If you also have time to travel and tour with us and experience indigenous therapies, for Filipino therapies and wellness travel, email me (also) so I can send you schedules and details - yunesa@yahoo.com
Let us continue to work hand in hand with our fellow Filipinos to present our country as one of the best places to visit in the world because we really have a lot to offer.
Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness Questions and Answers
By
Eunice Estipona
(For those who would like to download a FREE copy see below for details)
Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness Questions and Answers
By
Eunice Estipona
For my first blog for 2010, I am compiling here a few of the questions, which have been emailed to me through the years regarding the practice, the profession and business on spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness. Someone once asked me why are you wasting your time answering questions from strangers online? I believe that we become accountable for people other than ourselves. If we all can help one person a day and stop thinking about what is in it for me or what am I getting out of this o ano bang makukuha ko dito? I believe that the world would be a bit better to live in. In answering these questions, I also believe that anyone, including myself does not have a monopoly of knowledge nor I do not consider any question as irrelevant, there is nothing small about asking. I do not have all the answers so why am I doing this if not for the fame or the money? It’s because I have seen that Filipinos have big ideas, I see huge potential on what we can do only if we can be guided and I feel we have larger than life expectations. I wanted to promote the spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness industry and other allied industries and support them by raising awareness and spreading the message of wellness and well-being not only physically but in our everyday lives as well.
From here on also, I will be combining both Tagalog and English in all my blogs, for those of you who needs a full-length English version, please do not hesitate to email me at yunesa@yahoo.com
Naalala ko ang isang kuwento tungkol sa isang daga. Hayaan niyo po akong mag kuwento sandali.
May isang daga na nakakita ng crack sa wall at nakita niya na ang magsasaka at ang kanyang asawa na nagbubukas ng package.
“Humm....... ano kayang pagkain ang nasa loob nun?” Tanong ng daga sa sarili. At nung nilabas na ng magsasaka ang laman ng package nakita niyang mousetrap pala ito. Siyempre natakot at nalungkot ang daga. Kaya pag dating niya sa farmyard ng magsasaka sinabi niya sa lahat ng mga animals doon na may mousetrap sa loob ng bahay. Ang sabi ng manok, “Mr. Mouse, alam mo malaking issue yan sa iyo pero para sa akin, wala akong pakialam. Para naman sa mga mouse ang mouse trap hindi para sa aming manok.” Pagkatapos ang daga ay pumunta sa baboy at sinabi rin niyang may mousetrap nga sa loob ng bahay. Ang sabi naman ng baboy, “I am sorry little daging. Wala akong magagawa diyan. Huwag kang mag alala, isasama kita sa prayers ko” pagkatapos noon ay umalis na ang baboy. Kayat si daga ay pumunta sa baka at sinabing may mousetrap sa loob ng bahay ng farmer. At ang tugon naman ng baka ay: “Naku Pasensiya ka na. Hindi ako puwedeng makialam diyan” kaya’t malungkot na umuwi ang daga sa kaniyang silong at nagtago.
Nang gabi ring yun may narinig ang lahat na malakas na lagapak ng mousetrap at diyata’t nakahuli na ito ng kaniyang bitag? Kaya’t dali-daling pumunta ang asawa ng farmer sa mousetrap na nakitang ang nahuli pala ay napakalaking ahas. Dahil sa ang buntot lamang ng ahas ang naipit ng mousetrap nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na matuka ng ahas ang asawa ng farmer at dahil doon dinala ng madalian ng farmer ang kaniyang asawa sa ospital. Pagkagaling sa ospital habang nagpapagaling ang kanyang asawa naisipan ng farmer na ipagluto ang kaniyang asawa ng tinolang manok sapagkat maganda itong pang-palakas at pampatibay ng resistensiya. Pagdakay kinuha ng farmer ang kaniyang bolo at pumunta sa farm at kinatay ang manok para sa isang masarap na nilagang manok. Pero pagkaraan ng isang araw wala pa ring pagbabago ang kondisyon ng kaniyang asawa so maraming nagpunta na mga kapit-bahay para tumulong kaya’t pumunta ulit itong farmer sa kanyang farm para pumatay ng baboy para gawing lechon para i-serve sa mga kapit-bahay at yung iba naman ay ginawang nilagang baboy sa kaniyang misis. Ngunit lalong lumala ang kondisyon ng kanyang asawa at pagkaraan ng ilang araw ay namatay na ito. Kaya’t sa dami ng nakiramay, pinapatay niya ang baka para gawing lechong baka at ang iba naman at pocherong baka para mai-hain sa mga bisita at kamag-anak na nakiramay sa burol at libing ng kaniyang asawa. Habang si daga naman ay lungkot na lungkot sa mga kaganapang nangyari na dahil lamang sa mousetrap.
So what’s the moral lesson of the story? Hindi naapektuhan si daga di ba? So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and you think it doesn't concern you, remember ---When one of us is needs help and threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. Pag hindi maganda ang nangyayari sa isang sector ng industry ng spa, massage therapy, beauty or wellness, it affects us all. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage and help one another. Hindi tayo dapat magkibit balikat at magsabing, hindi tayo apektado dahil in the long run maapektuhan din tayo.
So even if we do not gain any financial or worldly wealth helping people (online or offline), we still do not know the extent of effect that has happened to someone else’s life. All we need is more time to consider others more than we consider ourselves.
So, without further ado, here now are a few of the questions and answers which I took the liberty of compiling, editing some grammatical errors and in order to protect their identity, I chose not to publish nor include their email addresses:
I. What is the shelf-life of massage oils before they become stale or unusable?
Actually it depends on a lot of factors, the truth is that 'aromatherapy' and essential oils are not the same as milk or bread, which follow a predictable and rapid path toward spoiling over a known period of time. The shelf life of a natural oil or essential oil are governed by its chemical stability, and anything that interferes with this stability will cause the oil to start the slow process of deterioration. It would vary depending on many external factors like the climate, the bottle from which it is stored and therefore it’s very difficult to predict the exact “shelf-life” But given an (almost) ideal temperature and humidity conditions, oils have a short shelf-life and the general rule is about one year.
II. I have been in business for 5yrs. I have great clientele base and continue to stay busy in the US and Europe. My question is with the recession here in the Philippines, what would be the best marketing venues to address? I am in 2 different phone books and on the internet. Please let me know what more i can do. As some marketing tactics I adopted and learned in America are not applicable here.
Eunice answered:
Thank you for an interesting question. But before I discuss ways to help you, I would like to ask you this: how many of your client base are still active (regular) clients of yours to date? Remember the 80/20 Rule. 80% of your business (sales) comes from 20% of your clients. So it will be more expensive for you to acquire new clients than to retain the ones you have. Compute first how much do you need a month in order to survive or make a living doing what you love to do. If your client base is not enough, you need to find ways of reaching your target market. Focus on them. Example, if you specialize in Hilot, you will have a better chance of offering it to Hotels without spas, Asian and Foreign business communities, groups and forums. Get in touch with the Presidents (or whoever is the deciding person) of these organizations and offer your services and sell your gift certificates in bulk. For your current client base, you can offer incentives and perhaps small gift items (free sea shell necklaces, key chains, ballpens, etc.- all with your logo or name and contact details on it to create branding) for those clients who has been with you through these years. Also some gifts does not have to be directly related with your business. Example, your clients would appreciate it if you can give them a gift voucher if they shop in a health store for Valentines or their birthday, you can also give a promotional free fitness hour at the gym which you can coordinate with the gym owner/manager without you having to pay for it.
These are just some of the ways, but I am sure there are a lot of ways out there.
You can join our upcoming meetups so we can also help you promote your services as well.
Hope this helps a little.
Peace,
Eunice
III. What are the financial benefits or costs of opening up a franchise spa in Asia rather than from starting from scratch and building your own spa from ground up? Is it easier to talk to the banks for a franchise there in your region? Thank you.
IV. Would you recommend franchising a well known spa or to just start a spa on our own. I have recently spoke to one franchisor and it looks like a good proposal. I was wondering what your thoughts are.
My answer to these two questions are quite similar:
Eunice replies:
Thank you for your questions and queries are all helpful.
The investment of the franchise depends on the perceived “value” or branding already made by the parent company. It will also depend on the menu of services (the more comprehensive their services = the more complex the spa operations = the more expensive the franchise fee), the area/location/country or locality. Rough estimate ranges anywhere from 1 Million Pesos to as much as 5 Million pesos with or without royalty and after sales support services. In order to attract more franchises with less capital requirements, some franchise today offer only focused services like massage therapies only, tanning, yoga or beauty regimens where the franchise fee will fall down to around 50,000 pesos and above. You will also have to consider the minimum liquid required capital which is around 40-50% of the franchise fee. You also have to consider what area are they open for franchising baka naman may name nga wala namang tao kasi sa dami ng competition within the area that you are interested in and thus will affect your ROI. There is also some minimum net worth requirement or capital requirement. Please also inspect, their franchise support system (which is very vital to both you and the parent’s company) kailangan matatag ang support system. Siyempore yung mag o-offer ng franchise will tell you all the good things you need to hear but you have to inspect. Trust but verify. Due diligence baga. Sometimes, it is safe to say that if you do not know anything regarding spa management and operations: the least financial risk, is to own a franchise BUT (the big but) there are also things that you should consider. Some useful documents you should inspect are:
Company policy manuals
SOP/Work Procedures Manual/Corporate Handbook
Customer agreements
Current by laws and articles of incorporation
Tax returns
Etc. (at marami pang iba)
A few PROS of owning a franchise:
You already have the system built ready, ROI is almost always (nearly) achievable in the time-frame the parent company designated as long as you stick with their principles, loans are also easier to get for a franchise depending on the bank and branch policies, you will also benefit from years of research, study and experience handed down to you through your franchise agreement.
A few CONS of owning a franchise:
You will not have the individuality, you will get stuck with the company policies and protocols, you will shell out a royalty at kung walang royalty wala ring support system ang parent company while if you have your own spa, build on its business, as years come by and expand- in the end-you might be the one franchising your idea of the spa. People will be the one paying for your franchise. The bottom line is, whatever you prefer to do, it should be in alignment with what you would like to be doing 3, 5 or 10 years from now.
Assess yourself personally, would you rather own and operate your own brand which is more difficult especially during the start-up phase? Or operate your business using other people’s idea? Or will your financial goals be met by owning a franchise or selling your own franchise?
Whatever it is, it should be all aligned to your personal goals (aside from financial goals)
Hope this answers both your questions. Be well.
Eunice
V. Ako po ay taga Albay but our friend's spa is in Naga. I have done trainings for them, but we need help in spa management and operations because spas here are under-cutting our prices, papano ba talaga ang proper pricing ng services namin?
This, is an excellent question, and I am sure marami din may ganitong katanungan so with the asker’s permission, again I posted it here. Hopefully, more people will learn and participate in.
Cultural and regional differences will always affect business, no matter what industry you are in. The spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness industry, in all corners of the world, is still considered luxury services, and are not considered (yet) health care services. Although thanks to spas that are committed to holistic and healing services, we are moving more that way- now more than ever before. However, if we are to be realistic- it will never be that way completely and therefore as spa owners vis-Ã -vis spa managers/supervisors- you will always be concerned with capitalism, profit margins and competitive position.
Over and under pricing can be a death trap for a new spa. Kaya nga lagi kong sinasabi HUWAG na HUWAG magkiki-pag price war because there will always be someone who will definitely go lower than what you are offering. Pag nag under price ka, you are setting your value to your clients/prospective clients agad regarding your quality and are setting a serious precedence that maybe difficult to correct in the short term. Pag nag over price ka naman, you will not have the business volume you need to survive-ultimately losing potential clients to your competitors. So anong dapat mong gawin?
To price properly, you should look at the following factors:
Case #1. What does it cost you to provide your service? (this will include the labor/wage/pay, supplies na ginamit para maibigay yung tamang serbisyo, the facility percentage cost –kung may ginamit bang equipment, etc.- at yung operational cost mo)
Just to give you a rough estimate, kung papano mag pricing:
Case #1 If your aromatherapy massage oil costs 3,000 pesos per liter (you need at least 20 - 25 ml per person so sa 1 liter, pag 20 ml ang ginagamit mong baseline you will have 50 persons sa isang litro and pag 25 ml naman ang basehan mo you will have 40 persons na gagamit sa 1 liter)
kapag 20 ml ginamit mo the product cost per massage is = 60 Pesos
kapag 25 ml naman ginamit mo the product cost per massage is = 75 Pesos
Eh product costing pa lang yan ha? Eh , magkano ang bayad sa therapist per day? If the minimum wage today in Manila, is…sabihin na nating, 350 pesos (net). And the average number of clients one therapist have in a day is sabihin na nating 3 (variable figure), therefore, you are paying your therapist 116.66 or to round it off 117 pesos per client.
So, 117 Pesos (labor cost) + 75 pesos (Cost of Goods/Product cost) = 192 Pesos per one hour massage
Therefore, 192.00 pesos ang ginagastos mo sa labor and products na ginagamit for 1 client in an hour of massage.
Eh hindi pa kasama yung operational cost mo diyan…so tell me, if you are charging just 250 pesos sa isang massage therapy service mo may kinita ka ba?
One has to give-in, mag su-suffer ang staff dahil ma u-undermine yung skills nila. Most probably sila ang babawasan mo ng sweldo (which should never be the case) or siyempre ang gagawin mo imbes na true aromatherapy oil ang gagamitin mo mineral oil na lang para maka tipid, at i-a-advertise mo pa rin na aromatherapy yun kahit hindi na kasi mabango naman. I hope you got my point. The important thing to know in pricing ALWAYS, is how much does it cost YOU (as a business owner) to deliver your service. Ito ang dapat na unang-una mong basehan. Not your competitor.
Case #2 As a trainer, I have encountered quite some few questions papano daw ba mag price ng service ang training:
As a side note, in my opinion Starbuck’s Coffee prices are too high but people are still in there fully willing to pay for what they want. They can certainly buy a cup of coffee more cheaply, but not Starbuck’s coffee. And people want their coffee. It’s the value you give to your guests/clients, not the price that is relevant.
Pero, just the same, mag costing dapat….like yung fare/gasoline mo, yung materials na gagamitin mo like manuals, rent sa building or office mo, certificates (if you will be issuing one), the duration, yung per hour na halaga mo as a professional at marami pang iba. Most of the time (hindi naman lahat), pag mahal ang binayad sa training mas maganda ang training kaysa yung maliit or walang investment. Kaya nga pag sa ibang bansa nag aral ang isang tao di ba parang wow…sikat…kasi nga alam natin na mahal yun at may value. Kasi pag walang investment on the student’s part, they will not give any importance dun sa tinuro mo, kaya yung perception natin sa industry ay mababa kasi tayo rin ang may kasalanan binababa natin masyado ang ating halaga at yung halaga natin sa profession mababa rin…..”so after ng training, mag ca-call center na lang ang mga estudyanteng natapos sa training kasi maliit naman pala ang kita dito sa industriya natin. Hindi makakabuhay. Diba? Kawawa naman.”
Bottomline is, NEVER GO INTO PRICE WAR, ASSESS FIRST YOUR FINANCIAL OPERATIONS before putting the figure of your price into your flyers and brochures, etc. So when we price, we price fair otherwise everyone in this industry will suffer.
As I would like to stress, again, the value we give to our services, reflects the value we give to our services and the industry as a whole.
2. Also you have to consider, based on your spa’s/wellness center’s/massage clinic’s financial goals for that month, quarter or year- ang question na dapat mong sagutin is- what percentage of your net revenue do you need to achieve on each service? Meron ka bang monthly budget na sinusunod? Kung wala…eh may problema tayo…dapat meron. Just get in touch with me so I can give you details.
3. What are your competitors charging for the same service? But this does not mean na dapat ka talagang gumaya sa price nila. This is just for comparison lang. If your competitors are offering free services, whenever I ask those who would consult me if it is effective, I ask them to do one simple thing for me: prove it by documents. Show me through client/financial records just how effective the service giveaway campaign has been. So far no one has been able (or willing) to do it. This huge and expensive assumption will most certainly consume time, products, and labor—all in addition to whatever marketing dollars you’re shelling out. And a darker problem usually develops in this type of business promotion: resentment on the part of employees who are forced to perform “free” services. I’ve almost never visited a spa where management and employees agree on the personal obligation or value of complimentary services. Employees often feel taken advantaged of or devalued as professionals when their talents can be doled out to the public like cheese samples in a supermarket. How good could a massage or facial be when performed by a technician who is unhappy about having to do it? The message will come across to your prospective client. Of course, there are probono services that we should offer to help others but, what we are talking about here is the business side.
The conclusion here is: Compare but set your own pricing that is commensurate to your target market and the value you give them. Even if your price is slightly higher, yet your services are better, clients will still flock to you. Know your market, know your business. Do not underprice and never overprice.
4. Once you have a comparison list of competitor pricing, how does your service compare? If you are charging more, is it warranted? Ano ang mas espesyal sa iyo kaysa sa iba? What is so unique about your massage clinic or spa that people will want to try your services out? If you are charging less find out also why. How did you come up with your service price?
Since it is January, at the start of this year, if you find yourself in a similar situation it might be a good time to make some important changes in the structure of your spa/ massage clinic or wellness business. I have a lot of things in mind pa…but I do not want to trouble you with details. I have a business worksheets CD which will help you in documenting financials and other CD's that will educate you just let me know so I can give you details. Hope to see you in our meetups so you can learn there.
Thank you and hope this helps a little.
Peace,
Eunice
VI. Noisy/ Boisterous Client?
Question:
I had some customer who like to converse to our massage therapist in the room (our room are separated by curtains, I believe that's how all massage shops are here in California), but i feel that they are also disturbing other clients next to them. I feel like telling the client to lower his voice or only converse on what the massage therapist practice. I don't know what to do or how to prevent it. Should there be step taken before the massage is performed? I really don't know what to do.
Eunice’s Answer:
Thanks again for a brilliant question.
Questions and conversations cannot be TOTALLY avoided, the therapist should be able to answer directly, succinctly and (gently) in a small tone of voice so if and when the client responds they will also mimic her/him replying in a soft tone of voice.
Also, if the client/guest is really talkative (as it is in a few cases), normally this is what I say, I would gently tell the client to "sir/ma'am ______. Don't worry I will attend to all your concerns/questions after our session at the reception area, in the meantime please try to relax so you can enjoy what you paid for" Then the therapist/practitioner can shut up. Except if the client has some urgent things to say. Or you as a therapist, have some clarifications to reply to.
Also, you can post or display a reminder/ note at the reception area, something like (you can edit them as you wish):
The spa is a place for solitude and haven (or serenity) for others, please be considerate of others using the premises. We would appreciate it if you would turn your mobile phones off or in a silent mode and lowering your voice. Thank you.
While waiting in the reception area, please turn off your cell phones or pagers and remain as quiet as possible. Massage requires that the practitioner and the client be able to focus on the massage. Noise is kept to a minimum so as to not disrupt this focus and concentration. Thank you for your cooperation.
I hope this helps a little.
Eunice
PS- I also noticed that you call them your customers instead of guests/ clients/ patrons. Perhaps we can use a more politically correct term: like guests/ clients/ patrons or patients (if in a medical spa facility).
VII. I was recently emailed a question regarding lamig and hilot. I would like to share this because this has often been the subject of dicussion among the circle of professionals/ practitioners in the field of massage. Hope we could all learn from.
Hopefully we can generate some replies too.
I took the liberty of excluding the questioner's name for his privacy. Let us just call him Mr. D:
Questioner: Mr. D
Category: Massage
Private: No
Subject: Lamig at Hangin
Question:
I know your familiar with "Lamig" and "Hangin" terms, madalas kong naririnig yan sa mga nagmamasahe specially here in the Philippines, marami daw nyan sa likod lalo na pag masakit ang likod mo. Pero others said to me hindi daw ito scientific, pinauso lang daw ito ng mga manghihilot, Now, i want to know what could be the best explanation to this at saan ba ito nagsimula, is this right or wrong? I want to know the truth, masyado na kasing kumalat ito sa larangan ng pagmamasahe.
Answer:
Hello D,
Thank you for your question.
In medical term it’s called nodules pero sa ating mga katutubong "hilot" (noun) or "manghihilot", its "lamig". Walang kaso dun wag na lang nating pag awayin ang science at traditional therapies. Both are correct in their own language dictums. Western term kasi ang nodules while eastern term ang lamig. At hindi lang kasi alam ng ating mga sinaunang mga Hilot kung paano i-explain yung origin or etymology nung words kaya parang hindi tamang gamitin ang word na lamig. But it is traditionally validated.
There are a lot of possible causes of nodules or lamig but I will just discuss yung common in relation to massage, it maybe a combination of any of the following:
1. too much stress on the muscles
2. exposure to hot and cold temperatures within short time intervals (yung bang galing ka sa init eh di siyempre open yung pores mo and then bigla kang ma-e-expose sa cold temperature (like an air-con room) papasok sa open pores yung cold air and it will be trapped inside.
3. Muscle soreness
4. Body fatigue
These are just a few but hope this helps a little.
Just let me know if there is anything more that I can help you with.
Peace,
Eunice
yunesa@yahoo.com
VIII. I recently received another question from one of our meetup friends and would like to share with all of you, below is the query:
Eunice , what is the customary tip sa Pinas for spa, last time we went my aunt castigated me, she was annoyed when i gave the therapist $20
Below was my reply to him which was edited a little (let us just call him Mr. J, to protect his privacy):
Hello Mr. J,
You have a very good question.
TIPS is an acronym for "To Insure Prompt Service" or sometimes referred to as gratuity. Your question is how much in the Philippines is an acceptable tip. It depends on the industry (because we also tip waiters, cab drivers, airport helpers, even our laundry ladies, etc) but below is my personal gratuity giving guide for any spa, massage clinic, wellness centers and similar establishments:
No gratuity for terrible service
20 to 50 pesos (approximately 1$) is cheap; only for service that is so-so
100pesos (approximately 2$) is fine ; for good service
200 pesos (approximately 4$) is wonderful; for above standard service
500 pesos (approximately 10$) is exemplary; for way above the average service
1,000pesos and up (approximately 20$) is great generosity; for highly commendable service
Of course in other countries, this might sound very minimal (as tips are generally 15 to 20% of the service price so if the service price is 50$, a client is expected to give 10$ at minimum) but then again you are asking about the Philippines. So what am I trying to arrive here then? My bottom line here is whether you are in the Philippines or anywhere else in the world for that matter, give whatever you are comfortable giving, give within your means and give out of the abundance of your heart to give. It is not the amount actually, but our attitude about giving.
Hope this helps a little.
Peace,
Eunice
IX. Ano po ba ang magiging hit na mga spa trends for the Philippine for the next two years ahead?
When it comes to being eco-friendly I think more and more spas will go for locally made products- the nearer you are to your market the better; as we all know, we are consuming more fuel and more energy purchasing imported goods than locally sourced out ones. So, less and less consumers will choose imported items. So move over imported items...
When it comes to branding- more and more people will also be mindful of how these “branded” companies treat their human resources, labor and the like. Before buying, consumers would feel good regarding buying from companies who comply with fair trade and labor. So it will be good for these branded companies to partner with socially responsible organizations within their region and outside of their respective countries. Although I think employment possibilities for Asians will tremendously increase due to an increase in demand for skilled labor in this field. The business of personalization in branding will also be a good niche.
When it comes to marketing trends and mindful spending, more and more people will recommend ONLY people they know, yung bagang alam nila yung product/service that they have tried themselves or they know the owners first -hand. People who they can associate with at levels they can afford. Ibig sabihin magiging less and less ang anonymous-ness ng isang product/service. Personalization is the key to being closer to your focused segment and be able to survive financially.
Learning labs will take a lot of shapes and forms and will also blossom into mentorships, advisory committees and groups, it might converge with the academe in the spa and wellness industry reaching more and more individuals. Maybe a learning kitchen? spa travels and escapades? online spa? perhaps the establishment of more libraries and museums which will be geared towards the past, the present and the future of this industry. The hunger for more knowledge and insider’s advice and information will definitely push for a compendium of human knowledge regarding the field of spa, massage, bodyworks, wellness, etc. whether this be digital or otherwise and will occur at an overwhelming pace and intensity.
More and more convergences and divergences will be at the forefront of our industry where those who wants to stay in business will be pushed to excel, do more for others and at the same time be economically viable. - yunesa@yahoo.com
X. I have recently received a question which I think we can all learn from so I am taking the liberty of posting it here, let us just call her Ms. B, below is her question:
Subject: Free Blowjobs
Question:
I'm a 24 year old woman and I'm a massage therapist. Although no one else knows about this, I have been giving free blowjobs to all of my male clients. Since I first gave one of my male clients a blowjob, I have been giving them to every male client that I massage. I ask the man if I can please suck his dick and that I'll do it for free. If the man says no, I tell him that I'll actually pay him money to suck his dick (I've done this several times). If he still says no, I tell him to please not tell anyone else that I offered giving him a free blowjob. If the man says yes, then I take off all his clothes and I take off all my clothes and I suck his dick until he ejaculates. After I swallow all of his cum, we put our clothes back on and that's my usual massage with a male client. I thought about if I should become some sort of sex worker but I don't wanna become a prostitute because I don't give free blowjobs for the money. I do it because I love sucking dicks and I love the smell and taste of them. And I don't have a boyfriend so I'm not cheating on anyone! I give free blowjobs to any and every male client who'll let me because I'm the type of woman who thinks that all men are hot, some are just hotter than the others. So, I'd suck off any guy. I wanna continue giving free blowjobs to every male client I get but I'm worried about what will happen if I get caught. I work at a nursing home (but I give massages in a room with lockable doors) and every man there knows that I give free blowjobs. They wink at me and I wink back and I have a sexual relationship with almost every man at the nursing home (I say almost because some men have not allowed me to suck their dicks but assured me that they won't tell anyone). Anyways, I'm pretty sure that all the men know that I'm not interested in being in a serious relationship with them. I just wanna suck their dicks and continue doing what I do. If I somehow get caught for giving free blowjobs, I know that I'll obviously get fired, but do you know if I'll go to jail for anything I've done? I've never been arrested for anything before and I don't think it's likely that I'll get caught for giving free blowjobs but I just really wanna know if I'll go to jail for something like that!
Hello Ms. B,
First, please be informed that I will in no way, judge you for what you do and what your beliefs are. So I will answer your concerns in the most caring, logical and professional manner, as I believe every individual deserves dignity and respect.
Second, I think you should re-consider doing it at the expense or under the disguise of massage therapy. Massage therapy is a decent profession NOT a perverted way of sexualizing a relationship. Technically, you are not allowed to use massage therapist as a title if you are doing something sexual other than therapeutic massage. It makes the industry look tainted and cheap. This will also hurt a lot of people trying to make a decent living out of it. With your description you are not doing massage at all. You neither mentioned about nodules, nor effleurage, petrrissage and the like.
Third, if they pay you for a massage then give them massage NOT and NEVER b__________ the one you are giving.
Fourth, what about female clients? Will you refuse massage to them even if they need it?
Fifth, not only will you lose your job but it depends on the state or country, you will be dis-barred from associations and stripped of your professional license (if you have one)...you will certainly go to jail.
Sixth, if I may add, sex should not be viewed as ugly. Sex is not about using people but as a way of showing that two people's union in love and respect sharing their body and their lives together. Sex without those is empty. After the pleasure now what? It should have a deeper meaning, deeper than reaching one's orgasm. Sex is created by God to be pleasureable so that we can enjoy it with the right person at the right time and the right place. It is not to be given to just anybody nor practiced with fear at the back of our minds because we might get caught. All in all sex is completely fulfilling if done in God's perspectives. I hope you will come to realize that. You are an honorable person, do not degrade yourself by offering b______. Men will think that you are a whore or a prostitute and as you said you don't like that. If you really don't like that at all, then stop what you are doing. It hurts you in the process and it hurts us all in the industry.
Seventh, last but not the least, I would like to invite you to read, download and print for FREE my article regarding Massage and Sexual Advances:
hi i've been going for thai massage in a reputable place. The asian masseuse covers me properly and i am never exposed, always covered well with a towel. She leaves the room when i am changing.
But there is an instance in the massage, when i am on my back, facing front. She will PRESS and HOLD on my upper thigh just near my Genital/testicles,(while the towel is covering me) and then she releases and presses again in that area, then she moves/shakes that area while pressing it which causes my genitals to bounce around abit. This is done for couple of minutes, the genital itself is never touched.
It feels relaxing, but i was wondering if this was something legit is she trying to excite me, or is it a normal part of thai massage? The fact she's pressing/massaging close to that area.
im new to thai massage so i'm asking , i've tried other types and didn't involve such technique.
Eunice’s answer:
Thai Massage involves more stretching and range of motion techniques rather than pressing muscles and NO, its not normal but then again, if at any time, you feel uncomfortable, you are free to tell your therapist.
Also, people should consider massage as a wholesome and healthy treat NOT some profession that involves some hanky panky. Thanks to the many day spas and legitimate massage clinics and massage therapists that conduct their business professionally, eventually, the notion that massage and sexual acitivity is one and the same- will disintegrate. Hopefully, the public should be aware that although massage is intimate, it is not intended to satisfy someone's sexual apetite.
You can also read the article about Massage and Sex at this link: http://yunesa.blogspot.com/2009/02/preventing-or-avoiding-sexual-advances.html
XII. Can you suggest me some spa treatments, in particular for man ? I going to a spa next week and I need some suggestions. Manicure, pedicure, body scrub, body wrap, face treatments or whatever you think is good. What do you think ? Thanks.
If its your first time, try a Massage like Swedish Massage and Facial Therapy for Gentlemen.
XIII. What career? Spa therapy or Web developer?
I can't decide and I have two months to make a decision. I don't have any prior experience with spa therapy, but I've kept it as an option because it could get me into the work force easier. Plus, I learn about muscles, I can get healthy (being in shape is a requirement) also flexible hours. However, I am a male and it's more female dominated. My other option would be web developer/ or computer information sciences, which I'd go to community college for. I can't make up my mind. I'm 21 and I'm tired of living with my parents. I want to get out on my own.
Eunice replied:
Read books and articles regarding both careers. There are spa therapy career guides out there. Also, know what is really your passion and get into it. Follow your heart...
XIV. Do Spa microdermabrasions work?
So, im thinking about getting a spa microdermabrasion because i want to get rid of my acne scars do they actually work? And how much is it per session? And does it hurt
Eunice replied:
Depending on the depth of your scar, normally, it works if done on a regular basis (at least once or twice a month depending on your type of skin). The intensity of the treatment will also depend on the suction and abrasion procedure but generally it will only be a mild scouring of your dead skin cells. Precautionary measures should also be stated like: you should not be menstruating during the session, you should not expose yourself to sun and its rays after the procedure, if irritation occurs there should be a first aid cream to be given, if your skin feels tight afterwards use ice cold water to rinse your face and apply ice, etc.
Go to a professional and trusted medical spa/professional.
XV. Questions about massage?
1- were do they massage
2-what happens if you get and erection and you lying on your stomach that doesn't sound terribly comfortable
Eunice replies:
First, professional massage therapy only massages on areas like muscles, joints and not on private areas. Gluteal work or butt massage may also be included depending on the type of massage BUT even if gluteal techniques are used, you will still be draped properly. If this makes you feel uncomfotable you can ask your therapist not to include this. Massage therapists concentrate on areas that needs kneading to relieve pain and soar muscles and not on sensual areas so there will be a slim chance of feeling sensually aroused. But if you get an erection, professional massage therapists and technicians are trained to handle this properly. They will not feel awkward but will instead make you feel that its normal. Nothing persomal because sometimes its a physiological effect to relaxation BUT even if this is a valid reason- at any time- you can ask your therapist not to include certain areas you feel will not be comfortable with you.
Massage in itself is a pleasurable experience but not intended to sexually gratify a person.
You can also read these articles to help you in getting acquianted with massage therapy:
Do you want to know the right type of massage for you? Do you you want to know the common types of massage and how it is practiced? This article will give you the glimpse of massage therapies:
Are you tired of putting up with sexually charged clients? Do you know how to handle sexual harrassment in the spa and massage therapy setting? Then this article will definitely help you:
Preventing/ Avoiding Sexual Advances during a Spa or Massage
XVI. My 11 year old cousin wants to have a Spa themed party for her 12th birthday. Her mom and I have decided for a party person to come to her house and give the kids spa treatments. It is going to be a sleepover party and 8 children (including the birthday girl) are going. It is in December and we are having it in her basement. I have a few questions. Firstly, What games/activities/crafts can they do? Also, where can you buy cheap robes and slippers for the kids? I do live in Ontario, so Canadian stores/websites will be helpful. Thank you:) Also any other ideas would be helpful too.
Eunice replies:
Spa themed party might include:
Healthy cooking and demonstration
Back massage for 15-20 minutes each
Hair grooming sessions with the kids
Aromatherapy conconctions (just choose which oils are less harmful for the kids)
Choose a teacher who is lively, similar to a clown (?)
Visit an spa or massage place or schools for spa,massage or wellness and inquire if they can provide spa parties or spa-rties for kids.
Disposable slippers are a better choice.
Robes which can be taken home as their memorabilia or perhaps there are stores that can rent out robes for the occasion.
XVII. I received my first swedish massage last week and it went a little strange. The massgae therapist recomended that I be nude under the draping which wasn't a big deal being that it is common. What I felt was awkward was that about midway through the massage while lying on my stomach, he lifted the draping all the way up to the small of my back leaving my behind completely exposed. He then "really" massages my behind for a good five minutes. It did feel very good but they way he was doing it and the time he spent there made it seem unusual. I didn't say anything not knowing what to expect. Other than that it went well. Thoughts?
Eunice replies:
If you feel anything unusal and you feel uncomfortable with it please let the therapist know and be heard. They are professionals and they will ensure that your preferences will be honored.
There are certain massage therapies that includes butt massage but there are also some Swedish massage techniques that does not include the butt (or the gluteal area).
The bottomline here is your comfort and if anything makes you uneasy or taken advataged of then feel free to voice your concern.
XVIII. Hello. I'm very confused on what I want to do. Im a single mom and do not have a lot of time. I'm thinking about getting a degree in web design, it would take 2 years and I really don't like living in Seattle..so I'm dreading having to stay here for two more years or more. Another alternative for the time being I was thinking about is massage school. It pays very well about $60-$160 an hour and it's only a 9 month program. I've always been told I should be one. I just need to make money now..tired of struggling, but I'm more tired of living here. I'm used to sunny Florida and I moved here a year ago and I'm not liking it. Anyway, so if I can have some input on my decision that would be great. I do want to eventually pursue graphic or web design, but I need a job that is flexible and that pays in order to pursue my dreams. Thanks!
Eunice replied:
The answer lies into what would you love to do three, five or ten years from now. Being a massage therapist is also an expensive career. Would you still like working on people or perhaps put up your own massage center or even a spa? do not base your decision now on money alone. Money will come as a bonus when you enjoy first what you do.
I suggest you do a research on job outlook for both sectors: massage and web design. Which would you enjoy doing in the long-run? before plunging into any of these fields talk also to people who are already working in the area that you are interested in. Ask for advice from your close friends and family. They know you the best, so they might be able to give you an insight. Know the pros and the cons for each field.
My sister , who is naturally inclined to beauty and cosmetology, entered the field of massage- after awhile she get bored and I told her that instead of focusing on massage she should have focused on aesthetics (facials and body therapies, etc) and has shifted her focus from massage to aesthetics.
Research on your other options as well.
Last but not the least, pray that you will choose a field that is very much suited to your interests, your talents, your financial goals and being "you"...because you are unique
XIX. Does anyone have any insight on what specific questions would be asked during an interview for either or both of the above positions? My wife is really excited about her interview with a career training school and wants to be as prepared as possible.
Eunice replied:
1. number of years in the spa industry.
2. challenges you encountered on the job and how you handled it.
3. your career background- be able to discuss your previous employment experience
4. as an instructor, what do you love teaching? how patient are you?
5. expectations and salary requirements
here is also a link that can help her answer some questions: http://yunesa.blogspot.com/2009/02/suggested-interview-questions-and.html
XX. What are your opinions on Kids Spa?
Eunice replied:
It would be a great business idea.
Great place where kids can learn about wellness and taking care of their bodies as early as they can.
Fun place.
Good place to leave the kids- while you go have your spa treatment at the same place or some place else.
Trends show that younger and younger generations are going to spas. So it would be another good opportunity for investors.
XXI. My father put this profession sort of down this one lady told me massage therapy was looked at as a dirty job! and not only that my father told me his friend said that this lady was doing massage therapy and he proceeded to laugh and said it was a dirty job as well! my father smirked and said well just research it and I kind of felt discouraged is massage therapy really a dirty intimate job with lots of negative in it or is it a rewarding career? I don't know I seen the curriculum for massage therapy and it seemed to me that it looked very interesting and inspiring and I would love to help my family with all of there backs? soo should I feel down about this or what give me some suggestions you guys before i go ahead and plunge some money and go to school helpppppp!
Eunice replies:
Gone are the days that massage therapy is viewed as something just for sex or pleasure. It is now being integrated into health and wellness as a whole. Its a noble profession but of course, it has its bad image so we have to professionalize it. It's not a dirty job. Any work can be dirty if you will use it to harm people. Even a doctor can be dirty if they do not stick to their oath. Massage therapist should not be looked down because its an life honoring job. It's also lucrative and interesting. Wait till you see the curriculum which will include: Anatomy and Physiology, CPR and First Aid, Microbiology, Parasitoloy and Virology, etc. It is not easy, but its worth it. Go to a respectable and reputable spa or massage therapy center and observe carefully what the therapists do. It will give you a glimpse of how they work. You can also buy a book by Steve Capellini entitled Massage Therapy Career Guide.
XXII. Hi, I want to become a massage therapist in the future and I had some questions for you.
1. What college did you go to and why?
2. What classes did you take that allowed you to become a massage therapist? Were they hard?
3. Where are you currently working?
4. Do you enjoy being a massage therapist?
5. How much is your salary?
6. How many years did you attend college?
7. Is it easy to find a job as a massage therapist?
Number 6 is optional because some people feel sensitive about talking about that with a total stranger.
Thank you for your time!
Eunice replied:
I started out as a massage therapist. I will try to answer your questions one by one:
1. What college did you go to and why? Actually, it depends where would you like to concentrate: massage only or spa therapies also. I attended some of my massage modalities in Thailand. Its cheaper there instead of enrolling in the US at the same time, I think when learning about Thai massage, I would rather learn it from a Thai and when I want to learn Balinese massage- go to Bali, Indonesia, when you want to learn hilot- you come here in the Philippines. It really depends on the type of massage or spa therapy that you would like to concentrate on.
2. What classes did you take that allowed you to become a massage therapist? Were they hard? Expect that, most of your subjects will be about health and science subjects like: Anatomy and Physiology, Hygiene and Sanitation, Microbiology and Parasitology, First aid, etc. You have to check the state law what are required in your state as well as check the school's curriculum. If you are interested in a school, visit them and learn more about what subjects and workshops/seminars they offer.
3. Where are you currently working? I am now currently working as a spa consultant and wellness speaker
4. Do you enjoy being a massage therapist? Yes. Actually, it depends on your inclination, there is nothing wrong with being a massage therapist but my interest is more into coaching, mentoring, teaching and stuffs like that so I decided to put up my own consulting firm.
5. How much is your salary? It depends also on where you would like to work. Is it a cruise ship, resort spa or private practice? Generally, you should be making 1USD per minute of your work.
6. How many years did you attend college? Before entering the wellness field, I was a medical technologist (4 years in college) but it also depends. In most states, you will need anywhere from 200-500 hours, even 1,000 hours. Know your state laws regarding massage therapy.
7. Is it easy to find a job as a massage therapist? yes and no-depends on your qualifications and your location or the location you want to work.
My last advice would be- in a form of a question- what would you love doing even if you were not paid, you will still pursue that dream role?
Answer that and you will have your dream career.
Peace be with you
yunesa@yahoo.com
XXIII. I have gone for several massages before, and I wonder if it is always necessary for the towel to be on? I always wear briefs or shorts on anyway, and I find the towel often to be too warm or a nuisance. I guess my question is: does the towel always needs be on, or is it for the dignity of the patient?
Thanks
Eunice answered:
Most massage therapies require towels and drapes. Its generally used for propriety purposes. That is the reason why spas that I recently have put up, instead of towels (which are thick and warm) if you are in a venue or climate that is already warm in itself, we have improvised something like a "sarong" or a massage cloth, which is cool to touch. Also, if you can request your massage therapist to take the towel off and it is not against their policies, you can have it your way.
XXIV. lately, i have been thinking about going to get a massage but i am not really sure what kind i should get. i am just wanting something that will be really relaxing and make me feel refreshed afterwards. which kind do you think i should get? also i was wondering if draping is required while receiving a massage. i dont know if the rules vary by country or state, or at all; i live in texas though. i would prefer to not be covered. would that be weird to ask for in a massage? one more thing....what should i do in the event of an erection? should i tell the therapist or keep it to myself? thanks for you help.
Eunice answered:
Hi Aaron,
Thank you for your question. Different States/countries have different regulations in massage but normally you will be covered during the whole session except the parts that are being worked on. So expect to be draped but not to the point of being uncomfortable. Tell your massage therapist your preferences so they can adjust, if possible.
If its your first time, I would suggest you try a Swedish type of massage, if after the session you feel that you need a stronger and heavy prssured type then that is the time you experiement on other forms of massage or bodywork.
As a norm, you should NOT have any erection during a massage therapy BUT there are certin ocassions that we, as therapists, encounter that. In this event, just ignore it. We as therapists, consider that, nothing sensual but its the body's physiological reaction. Massage therapy is purely for therapeutic purposes thus the word "therapy". Gone are the days that it is viewed as something only for red light districts. Thus, the proliferation of credible spas.
If I may add, you can also ask for the menu of services at the reception area of the massage center or spa and ask them what they would like to recommend as sometimes they have other name other than what is generically called Swedish massage.
Anyway, hope you'll get to enjoy the session and feel rejuvenated afterwards. Let me know if there are other things I can help you with or to give me some feedback on your session.
Spa-fully,
Eunice
XXV. Hello,
I am studying an ITEC in Anatomy & Physiology and Holistic Massage and am about to start my first case study. I have been practising on family and friends for the last 3 months since I began the course and in that time some interesting questions have arisen. One of them being from a friend who has a ten month old baby and recently asked me how the expulsion of toxins throughout the body during massage might effect her breast milk in any way? She was slightly concerned about it as she is a very conscientious mother. I wondered if you might have any knowledge about this?
Thanks for your help
Catherine
Eunice replied:
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for your query and congratulations on choosing massage therapy as your career.
Regarding your question, Massage Therapy/Aromatherapy generally expel toxins through the skin and urine (kidneys). I do not think it will in anyway affect breast feeding as the mammary glands (breasts) are not an excretory organ.
The first informational blog regarding spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness with a focus on the Philippines. Eunice’s blog and updates are found in this link www.yunesa.blogspot.com
Some articles written by Eunice, which you can view, read, download and print for FREE. Just click on the links:
Is the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry included in the Top Businesses to start in these times of global financial challenges? Find out in this article so you can adopt and perhaps change your business into profitable ones:
Top Businesses to Start in Uncertain Times/Sluggish Economy
If you are an employer these are the things you should ask, or if you are a prospective applicant, job seeker or someone who interviews people, this article can help you answer and ask/probe questions:
Do you want to know the right type of massage for you? Do you you want to know the common types of massage and how it is practiced? This article will give you the glimpse of massage therapies locally and abroad:
Do you want to know how much capital you need to start your own spa, massage clinic or wellness center? Do you want to know what it is like being a spa owner? Do you want to be (really) prepared before you shell out money into putting up your own spa, massage clinic or wellness center? Do you want to know what steps you have to take before putting up your own business in this field?
How to Start, Begin or Open a Spa, Massage Clinic or Wellness Center
Are you tired of putting up with sexually charged clients? Do you know how to handle sexual harassment in the spa and massage therapy setting? Then this article will definitely help you:
Preventing/ Avoiding Sexual Advances during a Spa or Massage
Rules and Regulations on How to Become a Licensed Massage Therapist in the Philippines through the help of the Department of Health, here is the new update:
How to Be a Licensed Massage Therapist in the Philippines
The most comprehensive resource and information guide on the list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. The First Book on Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Book and Career Guide
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book (this has the most comprehensive list of training centers in the Philippines and abroad with tips from professionals and employment opportunities, legal laws and regulations, list of employment agencies, how to choose a trainer, and information that you need in order to succeed in this industry and before you shell out money for your tuition or training, there are a lot of ways you can grab a copy of this valuable information para hindi ka mag sayang ng time and money enrolling in trainings you do not even need. This book will give you the information to start right in the industry with secrets you should know and being able to find your rainbow in the wonderful world of massage, spa and wellness.
1. You can order it online via www.Amazon.com at 34.95$
2. You can order it via a Kindle device at $7.99
3. You can order an e-book copy through my blog at www.yunesa.blogspot.com at $19.95
4. You can also get a copy from National Bookstores nationwide at P799Pesos
5. For locals only, you can order it from me at local discounted rates with free delivery at 900Pesos (via LBC or FEDEX Air 21. Anywhere in the Philippines. Please allow 1-5 working days
If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.
Also, CD's included in the kit for spa management, practice and operations available:
The Spa and Wellness Business- Understanding the Basics (PowerPoint format)
Seven Deadly Mistakes to Avoid as a Spa Owner and Practitioner in the Spa Wellness Business (PowerPoint format)
Spa, Massage and Facial Therapies 101 (The Basics) (PowerPoint format)
Business Worksheets for Spa and Massage Business in the Philippines (Excel and Word format/program includes all the financial worksheets you need in computing for your operational cost, etc.)
This article is written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from www.Amazon.com or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.
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