All About Autoclaves

Thank You to all who participated in our survey regarding Autoclaves.

We received some very interesting and some excellent questions. Your concerns are valid and i’m thrilled that so many of you understand….it isn’t just about the autoclave keeping your clients safe….its the proper care, the proper use and the proper maintenance of these machines.

Having great tools is useful, but knowing how to properly use them is key.I was hoping to share with you the three (3) different options that Centre for Beauty will be offering in Autoclaves. However, i’m not happy with the pricing the Mfg. is offering. I understand the struggle it can be to invest in a piece of equipment. Therefore, it’s non-negotiable. I need the best price to make affordable options for you, my clients.

So hang tight. I’ll be back soon with pricing information. In the meantime, we need to Educate ourselves on what these machines are all about. Because of the tremendous amount of responses I received from my survey of last week, i’m able to get to the true guts of what we need to know.Here are some of the great questions which I 100% agree need to be addressed when considering purchasing and autoclave;

Are they required in our Salons in the US?
Why do we need one?
What is the maintenance/upkeep involved
How are they cleaned?
What’s the proper testing for continued accuracy?
How man times can they be used per day?
How many implements per unit can be placed?
Placement of pouches?

There’s questions within these questions which we will cover. Read on for more further detail.

To begin with, in most States they are not required in our Salons. However, I would highly recommend you check with your own State Board. I can only speak for Florida…..they are not required.

Then…why do we need one? Well, simply put, using an autoclave is the highest level of sterilization and Step 3 of our 3 Step program to full and proper disinfection. 1) Cleaning 2) Disinfection 3) Sterilization. We don’t need one, but if you really want to step up your game and be the best you can be….get an autoclave.

However, unless you are using it properly and testing it regularly then it’s only about looks.

In addition, if you work in a clinical atmosphere, you shouldn’t even ask this question. If you market yourself as a Safe Salon, a Clinical Salon…..you need to go full force with an Autoclave.

Personally, if I were a Salon owner with many Technicians. I would want to protect myself, my Business and my clients. I wouldn’t want to take the chance that all my Tech’s are cleaning and disinfecting properly. I didn’t have one in my Salon “unfortunately” however, we didn’t know then what we know now. And we all know with the rise of Diebeties and many other immune compromised illnesses, we need to go over and above what we are typically use to doing. When it comes to maintenance, cleaning and testing, each Mfg’s machine will have it’s own standardized protocol. However, I do know the unit has to be tested monthly to make sure it has no leaks, the heating or steaming unit and working properly and it’s sterilizing to the highest degree which, is what you should expect. In short, the monthly testing confirms the machine is killing the bacteria you expect to kill.

If you already have an autoclave, I highly recommend you get the details of your required maintenance for your specific unit. If you aren’t sending in monthly test strips, getting your reports and logging the information…it’s all for show.

Once Centre for Beauty announces what we will be offering, we will have information on each unit along with test strips required for testing.

When it comes to pouches per unit and placement, this also is conducive to the autoclave you may presently have. Check with your Mfg. or supplier if you don’t know the answer.

Centre for Beauty will have this information available once we make our final decision on the units we will endorse. To the best of my knowledge, usage per day is continuous. If you think about these units being used in the Medical field, they go all day long. However, with that being said there will be a huge different in longevity in a $1000.00 unit compared to a $5000.00 unit.

How much you may want to spend is a choice. You can spend less and have to replace more often or you can go for the gusto right from the start. Neither is right nor wrong.

I’ve been asked about financing. Yes, Centre for Beauty partnered with Paypal Smart Incentives for financing options. Once we solidify our choices and get them on our website, you will have the option to pay in full or pay over a period of time.

Stay within your budget. Just remember, you aren’t just investing in your Business, you are investing in saving lives

CJ Murray, President

Centre for Beauty Salon Supply

My View of Nails Magazine Foot Forward Sumit

Centre for Beauty is a Distributor “All About Feet”. So, when Nails Magazine contacted me about exhibiting, it would have been literally stupid for me to say no.

I would have welcomed the opportunity to present with my two(2) main brands…LCN and FOOTLOGIX but, these Mfg’s opted to present themselves.

To say I was not happy about that, would be an understatement. Not to mention, the location of the Summit was literally in my back yard. However, as wrong as I think it is that our Nail Mfg’s sell direct to Distributor clients, my Business brain can admit, I understand (a little).

With that being said, the fact they were presenting individually at the summit, forced me to think “outside the box” and present with other products that I represent. This concluded with a theme of Disinfection which, I have never done at any Trade Show. Things happen for a reason!

The Summit itself was amazing. Imagine this….a group of focused Professionals meeting in one(1) place for exactly the same reason….FEET!

Nails Magazine did a great job on the format. The meet and great on the first night was mind blowing. Attendees were able to enjoy each other, but had the opportunity to meet the perspective exhibitors. Sort of a work and play at the same time.

As exhibitors, we were able to share our Education with attendees in a more intimate environment. Don’t get me wrong….we still had lines of people wanting to get to us. However, the difference was that everyone around us was really interested in the same thing. Unlike a typical trade show where you have an assortment of licensed Professionals, all interested in something different.

I was in my glory…..all I had to talk about was FEET!

The 2nd day was filled with Education for the attendees. No added fee, all inclusive in the entry fee. The Education was focused on everything Feet. We had Dr’s of Podiatry, Nail Technicians who built their Business on feet, Dry pedicures, Nail Technicians who work in Podiatry offices or in referral with. There was education on toenail reconstruction, toenail correction and how to market that Business….and so much more. Education which for the most part was NOT specific product related, although I did hear we had a couple at the end that sounded more like a sales pitch then an Educational presentation.

When the day of Education was happening, there were 15 minute breaks which allowed the attendees to come back to us exhibitors, and….if they wanted to they could come talk to you when everyone else was in the classroom. For me personally, it never stopped. I loved it!

The third day was optional. There were specific classes held on specific topics. Some were included in the entry fee and some had an additional charge. Either way, they were optional and they were ALL booked. In fact, many of the attendees were very disappointed they couldn’t get entry into the classroom because they had all reached their limit.

I hope Nails Magazine offers this again next year. Centre for Beauty will be there for sure.

I’m going to offer up a few tips for those of you who may consider attending;

DO IT! In my 30 years of Business, this was great because it was so focused. You could never receive the amount of Education you received at this event, for the price. It was well worth it.
DON’T WAIT! If you pre-register, you get a discounted price.
SIGN UP FOR CLASSES! RIGHT AWAY! This is huge. So many wait till the last minute. It’s a problem in our industry. Consequently you either can’t get in because it’s completely full or the classes end up being cancelled.
GOT A TOPIC? Email me cj@centreforbeauty.com if there is an educational topic you would like to hear about. I’ll pass the information onto Nails Magazine. I’m sure they won’t mind.

I hope to see you all there in 2019!

The the use of single use implements can be profitable!

If you had asked me 30 years ago about using single use implements in my Foot Care service, I would have thought you were nuts.

Not only would I respond with an affirmative “What….do I look like a Dr’s office?”, I would also have said the cost for me to do this would be obnoxious.

Here we are 30 years later, and so much has changed. We have MediNails, we have Medi Pedi, we have Clinical Spas, we have Spas in Dr’s offices……..just to name a few.

Let’s not forget, we have 85% of our population with foot or foot related problems. We have lack of insurance for our elderly forcing them to come to our Salons for toenail trimming and we have Cancer clients, clients with high blood pressure, clients with auto immune diseases, clients with open skin etc. etc. etc.

So when you ask the question about using single use implements….

cost vs profit…..let’s take a look.

To begin with, let’s analyze the cost.

I receive a lot of comments on pricing of tools. We pay upwards of $94.00 for a callus bit, $30.00 for a nail debriment bit, $5.00 for a cuticle bit and anywhere between $18.00 and $75.00 for tools like curettes, toenail nippers etc.

Unfortunately, I also receive a lot of calls that clients have dropped their tools and implements (and they broke). I receive calls they rust (which they shouldn’t, but do). And, I receive a lot of calls that the springs break.

What happens? These tools are our life, we have to replace them.

The question is, how do we recoup the cost of our tools and implements in our Foot Care service. You can’t. We hope it’s a 1X cost, but in most cases…it is not.

When we are considering the cost (and value) of a single use implement, there is more to consider then just cost.

Inexpensive. Due to the inexpensive cost of single use tools, you CAN incorporate the cost into your service *see below
Your image. Image is huge and perceived value is even bigger.
Different. The sub standard Salon down the street is NOT using single use implements.
Sanitary. Can you imagine a tag line “we use single use implements in all our Foot Care services”

When it comes to the cost involved, we are literally talking $2.12 – $5.78 depending on the tool you use.

You can easily increase your Foot Care service to cover the cost of the implement. I hardly doubt any client would argue over this.
If you do increase your cost, you have the option of saving that implement for your client. Many of you use packets for files and toe separators….is this any different?
You also have the option of giving it to your client after the service. With this, you can offer the option to your client and collect another $5.00.

In addition, when it comes to proper or improper sanitary procedures, can you be sure every technician in your facility is properly disinfecting?

Is the cost of a client getting an infection from a dirty implement less than $5.00? Of course not. Single use implements are the answer to many many in-salon challenges.

It may not be the answer for all, but it sure is a good answer

Our Industry is changing. Our clients are more aware of the concerns within our Beauty Salons and Spas which can directly affect them.

We aren’t the Medical Profession. However, we are often the first responders. If we want our clients to take us more seriously, we have to continuously take steps to protect them…..to protect us.

Centre for Beauty is offering a 3 piece set of single use implements to the first 10 clients who respond to this article.

Nipper, Cuticle bit, Callus/toenail reducer bit

If you would like to try for yourself and see the quality, reach out to me at cj@centreforbeauty.com. Type in the email FREE single use implements

CJ Murray

Centre for Beauty Salon Supply

Specialized Foot Care

In continuance of my discussion regarding Pedicuring with Cancer clients, I continue to receive emails with comments and suggestions based on my clients personal experiences.

I am reminded how we live in a world with so many immune compromised people. How those of us who have never had a health scare, can’t even begin to relate to the day to day challenges someone with health concerns experience.

The feedback I have received have been personal. They have been real. They have put more fire in me to continue my quest in helping our Industry to understand the importance of proper procedures in the Pedicure chair and the follow through with proper cleaning and disinfection procedures.

One of the comments I received struck me quite personally. “never underestimate the value of an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on or arms to gently hold someone……support can come in so may ways.

This statement came again from my colleague and friend Reggie Stephens. He goes on to say, the Professional which a Cancer patient is seeing (Cosmetologist, Foot Care Specialist, Massage Therapist ect.) may be the only people touching them in a gentle manner. That touch can bring untold amounts of joy to someone dealing with Cancer.

It makes me think of all the kind comments and offers of prayer for what my family and I are going through right now regarding my Dad. I wasn’t reaching out for sympathy, but the overwhelming support I have received has touched me and brought joy to my heart in so may ways.

Reggie also shared with me that Cancer clients (most of) don’t want to stand out. Modifying your services based on your individual client is better then developing a whole new service specifically for Cancer patients.

That statement follows my exact thoughts on what I have shared in many past blogs that our Foot Care service should really begin with the consultation “via our reception desk”. Not every client is created equal. It is imperative to know what we are dealing with before the client sits in our chair.

We don’t want to advertise we “service cancer patients”, we want to advertise, we tailor our Foot Care services based on each individual client”. Special need clients will appreciate the fact that a Technician is Educated and Qualified to identify the needs of their specific care.

I reached out to the “Oncology Spa Solutions” Company which specializes in caring for special needs clients. I’m hoping to add this class to my venue at Centre for Beauty Salon Supply. In preparing for where I want my Company to go, OSS fits perfectly into the Education I wish to share with you.

In a couple of weeks we are presenting at the Nails Magazine Foot Forward Summit. Centre for Beauty is presenting specialty products such as Safe and Proper Disinfection, Safe and Proper tools and Solutions for every day problems for every day feet. Once we present through the Summit, we will share with those of you who aren’t attending the direction we feel Foot Care needs to go.

This direction is not expensive, it’s not time consuming and it’s not rocket science, it’s simple common sense. It’s taking your Salon to the next level and showing your clients you truly care. I hope to help YOU help your clients.

If you are looking to begin the practice of “specialized” Foot Care, here are a few thoughts and/or suggestions for you to consider.

Does your client consultation begin at the reception greeting?
Is your client consultation thorough?
Are your sanitary procedures sub standard? Do you do what you have to do to pass, or do you take it to the next level?
Do you really know the guts of caring for an immune compromised client?

Education in our industry, or any industry is huge. However, if this is the route you want to go I suggest you get specialized Education. Step out of the box of Education within our Industry and seek Professionals in the Medical field who can help.

These forms of Education ain’t cheap, and they shouldn’t be. In the long run though, this type of Education can not only save someones life…..it can change yours.

I’m excited to share that Centre for Beauty has been working all year on taking our own steps for a better, safer Industry. We have either added or are adding

Sterilizing pouches for Autoclaves
Autoclaves
Single use implements and burs
Medical grade tools
Tailored Education
and more!

10 years ago when I started Centre for Beauty”All About Feet”, I knew the direction our Industry was heading. I knew it was just a matter of time when products in relation to feet would be popular. I knew it was a matter of time when Companies like Nails Magazine would jump on the bandwagon and develop Summits in relation to “Feet” only. I knew my competition would grow.

I’m here to tell you now…..specialized Foot Care is on it’s way. I hope you join me in making it the best it can be.

CJ Murray, President

Centre for Beauty Salon Supply

Archives for August 2018

All About Autoclaves

My View of Nails Magazine Foot Forward Sumit

The the use of single use implements can be profitable!

Specialized Foot Care