So why develop a spa range? It seems obvious to me, but may well not be so to anyone else so let me explain. A spa treatment has to be really good. It is applied by a skilled technician directly on to a paying customer. If it is in any way substandard, it will be noticed very quickly. You just have to meet the expectations of the end users or you will be getting the worst kind of feedback very rapidly.
But just doing the job isn’t enough. It has to be luxurious. Going to a spa isn’t for most people a routine experience. It is an occasional treat. It might even be a once in a lifetime treat. Either way it costs a lot of money, requires a lot of time and it really has to be memorable. And memorable for the right reasons.
This means that everything about the product has to be right. It has to look good. It has to smell good. It has to do what it says it does. And on top of that, it has to be something you can talk about. It needs a story, a narrative, a distinguishing feature that makes it stand out.
So all in all a spa product is the ultimate test of the formulator’s skill. This isn’t meeting a cost objective and achieving a brief to satisfy a retail chain. This has to be a work of art.
And then there is the question of what exactly a spa product actually is. It doesn’t have to fall into a neat category to allow it to be stacked on a supermarket shelf. If can literally be any form that serves its purpose. It can be a body lotion, or a body oil. If can be a clay. It can be a piece of clothe infused with a liquid. There really is no set of rules about what a spa product is made of or from. The only criteria is that it should delight the person who uses it and make them feel good afterwards.
So all in all, a spa range is the challenge I really want to tackle now. It will require all my skill, all my imagination and force me to focus and concentrate on what I am doing like I have never done before.
Exciting project Colin – the spa world really is very inventive and progressive with what they are offering their guests these days.
Don’t forget to ask the therapist what they like and want in order to help them give the ultimate spa experience – as they are the people who very often make or break how well the range performs. If they believe – the product journey becomes a whole lot easier for the company.
A beautiful results driven product coupled with a therapy protocol that not only the client enjoys but also the therapist likes to perform – really makes the brand stand out.
I look forward to hearing about your own spa range Colin. I am still scared to visit a spa for treatment a year after my major run in with Isothiazolinone mix – skin on my face still hasn’t stabilised and I’d really like to be able to enjoy some spa treatment again. Best wishes with your project!