The benefits of a hot stone massage include: improved sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, boosted immunity, relieves symptoms of autoimmune diseases, amongst many more. The heat of the stones can soothe tense muscles and alleviate pain, while also decreasing the effects of cancer symptoms. This is an essential treatment in any holistic salon or spa. A therapist can charge ยฃ60-ยฃ75 per hour for this type of luxury treatment.
Updated 8th April 2025
Derived from Eastern medicine practices, Holistic treatments are non-invasive therapies which aim to treat underlying issues. They work on creating harmony within in the body through connection with energy points or meridian lines to work on overall health and well being. They compliment the western approach of medicine by offering an additional method for relaxation and stress relief which can benefit a variety of clients. One of the most popular Holistic treatments is Reflexology. In today’s blog we’re going to put a spotlight on this ancient treatment giving you and insights into the benefits and practices.
The body systems are represented on the feet a good way to learn this areas is to see the two feet together as a mirror for the body. For example, the brain reflex is found on the top of the big toe, the spine runs from the big toe down to the heel on each foot. The right foot governs right-hand side of body, left foot governs left-hand side of the body. The image below details the organs and where they are found.
Running a profitable beauty business can be a rewarding yet daunting task! there are so many things to think about when running your own business. This can be challenging when the majority of your day is focussed on delivering treatments. If you’re struggling to find the time to generate new ideas for boosting income you’ve come to the right place! We’ve collated some of our best advice for therapists to maximise profits.
Increase your client base
Whether you are just starting up or have been going a while there may be opportunities to grow your client base. There’s the obvious promotional platforms such as social media/ local magazines, however many marketing experts agree that the networking is an avenue that can be the most beneficial when targeting new clients. For example, there may be the option to have a mutually beneficial partnership with local businesses in your area that compliment the work you do such as Bridal shops or Hairdressers. A ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ scenario of promoting each others businesses can boost both businesses profits. If you already have a loyal client base, you can also enrol the support of these clients to grow. Offering refer a friend rewards or hosting launch events within the salon whereby clients can bring a friend/family member along. These events work well along side the launch of a new treatment or product where you can offer taster treatments/demonstrations/product trials or spread out at various times of the year to mark events i.e Valentines day/Christmas.
Increase spend per visitย
If you’re serious about increasing your profit then one clear winning strategy is to encourage your client to spend more when they are with you. Use each treatment booking to your advantage to promote the add on services and retail that you offer within the salon. This doesn’t have to be a hard sell as remember your client is there for a reason, they may have come in to get amazing lashes.. their lashes will stay amazing for longer if they use a lash shampoo between infills! If you’re not retailing product in your salon you’re not only limiting your revenue but you may also be disadvantaging your client by not providing them with a full service which includes education and aftercare on how to maintain their treatment at home.
When up-selling services, consider the treatments that compliment each other the most. This could be adding additional massage onto treatments, adding additional LED therapy onto facials or tinting with Lash extension services. Also consider the benefits of courses of treatments, offering incentives can be an easy way to reward clients for booking courses such as by 6 get one free.
Top tips for retailing product:
Review your treatment menu
A lot can be said for less is more, its important to focus on what you do and do it well vs offering too many services. Think about your niche and what makes you different, why should your clients come to you? It’s these unique differences that you should be promoting at every available opportunity. It may also be time to consider your pricing, when was the last time you increased your prices? Complete some market research into your local area to ensure you remain competitive and avoid underselling your skills!
Accreditation simply refers to if the course is recognised and validated by an external awarding or industry recognised body who will check the quality of the training course and provider to ensure they are meeting a good standard of delivery and are suffcient in content to enable the student to succesfully learn the treatment skills and go on to safely practice the treatments in the industry upon completion. Many new beauty training companies popping up claim to be accredited, however they are often registered on with a CPD register service which just validates how many hours the course entails, it doesnโt necessarily ensure any quality of course or standard of delivery. Without the right accreditation you may end up with a certificate that is not recognised by professionals in the beauty industry meaning you may not be able to gain insurance, to buy products from professional sources and therefore you may not end up being able to work with clients and to earn. Rest assured, all courses offered by The Beauty Academy are accredited with recognised beauty industry bodies and accrediting partners. We offer qualifications through VTCT who regularly inspect our training centres and provision to ensure the highest standards are being delivered for our classroom courses. All Classroom Courses and Virtual Academy (Live online training) are accredited by Associated Beauty Therapists (ABT). All of our self-paced Online Courses (delivered through our Online Student Portal) are accredited by International Practioners of Holistic Medicine (IPHM). These means the certificates you achieve will be recognised and valued by those in the industry and allow you to actually earn as a beauty professional.
Many training companies are secretive about who their Online courses are insurable with, simply saying โyes with many providersโ but cagey on who. Unfortunately this may then result in your achieving a certificate for a treatment which you then cannot either add to your existing beauty insurance policy or to acquire new insurance to cover, therefore being unable to offer the service. All courses offer by The Beauty Academy are recognised by the industry leading insurers including Balens, ABT, IPHM, Insync & Radius insurance among many others. This means you can absolutely obtain beauty liability insurance to cover you as a professional therapist upon completion of your course(s) to enable you to actually begin working and earning from your treatments and reaping the rewards of your hard work and investment in the courses.
We are open and honest about our courses, what career routes they can lead to and in helping to guide you to the best path for you. If youโre unsure of the best start, weโll always advise you to start with the cheaper option such as our Online Courses which start at ยฃ99 to allow you to try out the training and treatments, make sure it is right before you but potentially upgrading to a larger course package or qualification option such as VTCT awards. We want you to be on the best training option for you, whether that is face to face training or online courses. And what is more, weโre here for you throughout your studies and beyond. Our expert Support Team can answer any questions you may have whether about insurance, products, treatment step by steps and more. We fully support your progress towards an exciting new career in beauty.
We have been offering private beauty training since 1990, weโre the original and we believe the best. We are one of the largest providers of beauty training in the UK with 10 exclusive, permanent training centres across England. We offer payment plans to help spread the cost and all courses can be booked securely over the telephone with an Advisor or through our website 24/7.
Lash lifting shields are usually created from flexible silicone shields created with a special shape to sit comfortably on the upper eye lid purposely for lash lift treatments. Lash lift treatments work a llittle like the lash perming treatments of the past, except rather than creating curly, fluffy lashes; the aim is to instead lift lashes to create the illusion of greater lash length with a soft curl upwards for a youthful, open-eyed look.
Lash shields are usually available in various sizes from small, medium up to large with some brands offering sizes in-between to give a more tailored fit for your clients.
Selecting the correct lash shield size is essential to achieving the perfect lifted result your clients desire. Too large a shield and the lashes may not lift, too small and the lashes may become too deeply curled or the ends of lashes may be distorted in shape with a kink. Usually the smaller the shield size, to greater the lift and the more dramatic the result. That said, achieving the result is down to ensuring the clientโs natural lashes sit correcty on the lash shield working with their natural lash length to help determine the most suitable shield size.
When sizing up the shield, it helps to first apply an under eye pad and secure lower lashes down out the way. Then measure the shield up against the natural lashes before you get to applying adhesive.
Hold the clean shield against the upper lashes and look at how far up the natural lashes will sit on the shield. Youโre ideally aiming for the natural lashes to reach all the way across the shield to the top of the shield but you donโt want lashes poking off the end.
If lashes are too long for the shield, go up a size. If lashes are only sitting halfway up the shield, go down a shield size. As a general rule of thumb, most clients will use either a small or medium shield as most clients have natural lashes around 8-11mm in maximum length. Most clientโs also want the most dramatic of results which are usually yielded by a smaller shield size, although you should discuss this fully with your client to ensure you understand their expectations of treatment.
It certainly takes time and practice to perfect applying the lash shields. You want to get them as close to the lash line (it might almost feel like youโre on top of the lashes but with the adhesive when you pull them up youโll get used to seeing the gentle pull lifting them up and over the shield so lashes wonโt be trapped). It can take up to 10-20 sets before you feel totally confident with the application of the shields, feeling all fingers and thumbs at first.
A good tip is to curl your hands and gently nudge your client at the temples using your gathered knuckles each time you โgo onโ to work on your clients eyes so they donโt jump everytime you come on and off as they will have their eyes closed throughout and it can help application of the shields if they are a little nervous.
Often clients are nervous on their first treatment also and youโll find it much easier to apply on their follow up treatments as they start to feel more relaxed as they get familiar with the treatment process. It is worth practising application of shields just on friends and family (without necessarily then doing the full treatment), just to get the hang of it.
The lashes have a kink of the ends of the lashes
You have used too small a lash shield. Next time size up to the next shield size or if you want a tighter lift still, donโt apply the product all the way to the ends of the lashes although this wonโt allow the lashes to curl back inwards to give a more natural lash shape, so bear that in mind for those clients with larger, more prominent eyes where the ends of lashes are more naturally more apparent and on show.
The lashes have gone frizzy or too deeply curled
This could suggest the lashes are overprocessed. This can occur when not all of the lash lift product has been removed so essentially the lashes continue to process lifting somewhat beyond the initial treatment (usually up until the client fully washes their face or until all product has processed). it can also occur when the development time was too long either in error or for the clientโs lashes due to poor lash condition or having a previous lash lift/perm treatment too recently. It can also occur if you use too small a shield giving too tight a curl for the result the client expressed they desired. Some clientโs want a more natural looking lift (more like a J curl if you think in terms of false lash shapes) so may be better with a medium or large shield depending on their natural lash length. Size up to the next lash shield size next time.
The lashes havenโt lifted
This can occur for several reasons. It may be that if you removed eye make up before the treatment, that lashes were too wet and so the product could not work correctly to break down the bonds holding the natural lash shape. It may be that you removed the products too soon stopping them from processing correctly or it may be that the lash shield size selected was too large, size down next time.
The lash shield lifts up at the corners
You may need to trim the lash shield at the outer corner side to achieve a better fit for your client. You might also like to consider use of a small amount of micro-pore tape to help hold the shield down better but ensuring none of the lashes are trapped in the tape, of course!
The shield is slipping
You might like to consider using a small strip of micro-pore tape along the lash line on the upper lid as the shield adheres much better to the tape rather than skin for some clients. It is makes it much easier to clean up following treatment as you donโt need to worry about removing lash adhesive from the clientโs upper eye lid skin, it will come away simply when you remove the small strip of tape. You can also use two small strips of micro-pore tape applied vertically to help โliftโ and hold any looser skin on the eye lid such as for mature clients making it much easier to get the shield positioned on the lash line.
The client doesnโt like the result
Communication is the key both before and after the treatment. Most disatisfaction comes from clientโs not understanding the realistic treatment outcome for their own lashes so always take time to have a thorough consultation and to visually and manually assess your clientโs natural lashes prior to treatment. You must manage a clientโs expectations of the treatment and how long results will last. Ensure they are well versed in the correct homecare before they leave you to avoid lash mishaps after treatment or short longevity to the results.
If the lift is too strong, unfortunately clients just have to wait for this to drop naturally although allowing lashes to get wet earlier than the recommended so for the client to take a shower after the treatment. This may help restore the original keratin bonds of the lash hairs to reverse or reduce the treatment result, although this is not guaranteed. Lash results that are too strong are usually due to issues of overprocessing of lashes or too small a lash shield used, all things you can note on their record card and ensure you consider for any future treatment.
Use of lash serums or castor oil are great to help nourish the lashes, maintain results, help restore natural keratin bonds s the result drops more naturally and improve the lash condition ahead of any future treatments also.
First published 7th January 2021. Updated 3rd August 2023.
Online demand for beauty products has surged in 2020 and Mintel predicts that value sales of beauty/grooming products through online sales will rise 24% to ยฃ1.9 billion in 2020. The beauty sector in general, has been predicted to grow by up to 21.1% up to 2022, thatโs a huge number of beauty products being bought and treatments being delivered every single day and a huge amount of money being earnt by therapists all over the UK. With unprecented times seen in 2020 through the COVID pandemic and sadly some industries failing to bounce back, it is not surprising many people are looking for other career options and perhaps to follow long-held dreams of working in beauty.
Technology has evolved massively within the last 5 years with aesthetics being one of the largest growing sectors and with money being tighter for many, clients are also keen on treatments that give long lasting or multi tasking results allowing them to save time or money in other areas of their beauty regimes such as tinting, lash lifting (in place of extensions), spray tanning and facials like microdermabrasion giving flawless results that help reduce the need for daily make up application.
Lockdown also saw a huge number of clients getting into DIY beauty at home (and seeing some disasters unfortunately) that made them both appreciate the benefits of a professional but the perks of mobile treatments, with many clients still not feeling fully comfortable returning to salons as yet despite Covid-secure measures. This is great news for those starting out, helping to keep overheads down on premises or renting a room, mobile working also allows you to have flexible working hours or maximise your earnings working just part time around other employment.
Beauty can be broken down into reasonably separate treatment sectors:
Most beauty therapists will specialise in one or two of these areas of beauty, possibly offering the odd add-on treatment as demanded by their unique client base so picking the sector which most sparks your passion is the best starting point. Think about treatments you regularly receive already or beauty products that you canโt live without โ bring this passion into your work and share it with others, all while earning a living.
Think about how you want to train โ do you prefer the idea of face to face courses, is that practical for you in terms of travel, childcare, work shifts etc.? We offer courses 6 days a week across 10 centres so there is likely to be training dates that work for you. These courses are fast track, typically delivered in 1 day so ideal for those who work long hours where longer term study may be tricky. Prefer to take more time over your learning, studying online at your own pace? It might be that our accredited online courses or Virtual Academy training is better suited to your needs โ no attendance of the centre is required for these so they are great for those with caring commitments or who live too far from a centre. Our online courses are also budget friendly and accessible, starting at just ยฃ99 each. Classroom courses start from only ยฃ129.
Think about what is popular in your area โ are there already a huge amount of lash technicians operating in your local area? Maybe you live round the corner from 2 or 3 nail bars. Remember there will always be business for a highly trained technician and other businesses simply signify there is demand but take your competition into consideration when deciding which treatments you start out with learning. Also think about your start-up costs in terms of kit and marketing. Online marketing through social media is free beyond your time and often very effective. A website is also a great investment, even just a free website building platform to get you started with an online presence. Youโll also need to think about where youโll work. Do you have a spare room at home or are you going to work mobile in which case youโll need a reliable car? Factor in any considerations like getting agreement from your landlord to work from home if renting or adding on use for work purposes on your car insurance policy.
Start realistically โ book courses to learn one treatment you will specialise in to begin with or consider a package of suitable linked treatments that will allow you to offer popular treatment packages to clients to boost your earnings. Our Multi Buy Course Packages have all been carefully selected as treatments that work well as a business start-up opportunity and save you money on training in the long run also, versus booking each course individually. Remember we offer payment options to help spread the cost, including 0% credit through PayPal Credit on balances over ยฃ99.
Most students complete within 4-6 months, studying on a part time basis at home beyond their initial training days, learning around other commitments. All students have up to 12 months to complete the qualification, should you need to learn at a slower pace.
Full access to our expert in-house Support team by phone or email throughout. We offer the most flexible, fast track way to achieve your VTCT beauty qualification and start your new career, ideal for those who need to learn around their existing work or commitments such as childcare that make attendance of year long face to face courses unsuitable for their needs. Most learners are aged 25 or over, as those looking to either change career or start something new; although their are no age limits.
Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT) is a specialist awarding and assessment organisation offering vocational and technical qualifications in a range of service sectors. With more than 2,000 approved centres worldwide, VTCT has an ever-expanding list of centres throughout the UK and Ireland, with a growing international presence. VTCT have been providing qualifications since 1962 and in 2016 expanded to take over iTEC adding to its specialist worldwide training offer.
If you are looking to embark upon a new career in beauty therapy or take your existing role in beauty further, VTCT qualifications will set you ahead of the competition and open up a wealth of career opportunities whether that is employed in the salon, spa, nail bar, cruise liner, opening your own salon or working as a beauty trainer in a further education college or for private beauty training provider.
Achieving a prestigious and internationally recognised VTCT Qualifications will demonstrate you have an assessed high standard of competence within your treatment skills; giving both employers, insurers, industry bodies, advanced training providers & potential clients confidence within your abilities as a beauty professional.
We offer a full range of VTCT awards in Beauty Therapy and also VTCT Level 3 Award in Education & Training for those looking to take their beauty career into a teaching capacity. We offer Level 2 qualifications ideal for complete beginners, along with Level 3 in Nail Technology and Massage Therapy which are advanced awards which can also be started as a complete beginner. We have single unit qualifications in individual treatments such as Facial Skincare for those wanting to specialise in a specific treatment, although we generally recommend the full Level 2 or 3 Diploma courses for those looking to gain an all-rounder set of skills most sought by employers within the beauty sector. Discover our VTCT courses by clicking below or for more guidance on the best course for you, select one of the options below to get in touch. All VTCT qualifications can be booked securely through our website or by calling our team on Freephone 0800 999 2277.
The vast majority of our students achieve their VTCT qualification within 4-6 months and upon completion, enter the beauty industry either on an employed basis within a salon or spa, or start their own beauty business. We often have students who travel the world while working in beauty, working aboard cruise liners offering luxurious spa treatments. Many students enter professional competitions and gain recognition within the industry for their high level skills and flair for beauty. Once you have a VTCT Level 2 and/or Level 3 in beauty, you can then go onto learn further beauty treatments to expand your knowledge and boost your opportunities or could even take the VTCT Level 3 Award in Education & Training to begin offering beauty training courses yourself, work for a further education college or as a trainer for a private beauty training company to share your knowledge and inspire a passion for beauty in others. Click below to read the success story of one of our past students. You can see also Reviews from past students to assure you of the quality of our training.
We get asked this question all the time as so many are dubious about trying something new for them, but once they discover the benefits of online training they go from course to course expanding their learning with complete confidence. Our courses are written by experienced beauty industry professionals in an easy to follow style. From high quality training videos to detailed step by steps in course manuals. You also have full access to our expert in-house Support Team for any questions along the way.
Online courses with The Beauty Academy allow you to achieve a recognised, accredited beauty qualification that enables you to get insured and start your new beauty career.
At The Beauty Academy we offer two options for Online Study, both provide an accredited certificate on completion;
Our courses are accredited for insurance purposes. Courses accredited by IPHM are accepted by their recommended insurers for work in the UK, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, parts of the USA, & most of Europe. ABT offer insurance for therapists primarily working in the UK and temporarily overseas (except USA/Canada). This means upon completion of your online course(s) you can successfully begin working either from home or mobile offering your treatments and begin earning, once insured.
The requirements of individual salons / employers / local council licensing will vary. Generally speaking most students entering the beauty industry will do so to be able to start their own business working from home or mobile as this is often the most lucrative way to work in the industry with uncapped earning potential. Online courses may enable you to gain work in a salon either employed or more likely on a self-employed basis as the certificate is accredited, however for those such as college leavers looking to qualify to gain full time salon employment, you may wish to consider more formal options of training such as VTCT Qualifications.
Click below to explore the training options, whether Online Courses or Virtual Academy Courses. We offer Multi Buy Packages which are carefully selected course combinations, put together to give you the best business start-up opportunity with treatments that sell to clients well as a package. These allow you to save money booking courses individually and get you started quickly on the path to your new beauty career! Book securely through our website when ready. Alternatively, if you canโt see what youโre looking for or donโt know where to start; why not give our friendly team a call on Freephone 0800 999 2277 and they can chat you through any queries and point you in the right direction!
Sculpting with acrylic is a method of creating nail extensions using โnail formsโ as a platform to create the tip. This is then layered with acrylic to create a strong but tip-free extension. Traditional acrylic extension involves the use of plastic false tips & glue, overlaid with acrylic on top to give the extension strength. The sculpting technique can be kinder to natural nails as there is no glue, no tip is needed with a sculpted enhancement.
How long do sculpted nails last?
2-3 Weeks
An electric file (formerly called a โdrillโ) is a tool used by nail technicians to speed up, streamline, or make easier some nail services. The electric file allows nail technicians to file or finish areas of the nail that are hard to reach (for example, under the free edge of a newly created sculpted nail)
Are electric nail files safe?
As long as itโs done properly and with the right tools, an electric file on the natural nail can be just as safe as a regular nail file. They can be used to gently push back the cuticle, exposing any dead excess skin which can be more comfortable than use of cuticle pushers.
Itโs the tech, not the tool.
E-files often get a bad rep. When we see pictures of rings of fire, nail plate burns, and injured skin we assume itโs the evil e-file at work. In truth, an e-file really canโt do any damage without a nail tech wielding it. The big question is how can nail techs learn to use an e-file properly? Well, itโs much like learning to drive a car. It takes proper instruction through an accredited course and careful practice. Youโre going to have an accident here and there, especially in the beginning, but the goal is to learn and improve.
It is surprising to hear how many nail techs are not fully aware of e-filing and how it works. E-Filing is use of an electric nail file to speed up the time taken working on nail extensions. It can be used on both acrylic and UV Gel nail extensions to help finish and refine the product, to help with speeding up a maintenance or removal treatment such as to reduce the length of the extensions, take our excess bulk when rebalancing and to help with product removal (usually alongside use of acetone soaking). Experienced nail techs may also use an electrical file on natural nail plates (often called a Russian manicure), although specialist advanced training is required for this and not all insurers will cover this.
E-Filing helps to reduce the amount of manual filing required to speed up your treatments, give more even finish for better quality nail results and can help to reduce the risk to the nail technician long term of an RSI (repetitive strain injury) or aggravating of conditions like Carpal tunnel or arthritis. Quicker treatments allows you to fit in more clients so boost profitability but is also great for time pressured clients, who often want a quick and effective treatment.
We offer courses in E-Filing which can be completed through our Online Student Portal and are accredited by IPHM. The course teaches you to utilise an electric nail file when working on acrylic or hard gel nail extensions. We do not cover use on a natural nails as most clients prefer use of manual files on natural nails for a safer, more comfortable treatment. We will also soon be launching a Classroom based training option. The E-Filing courses are suitable for anyone who has completed a recognised training course in Acrylic or UV Gel Nail Extensions and ideally also within Manicure & Pedicure. If you are looking to train within these skills also, you may wish to look at our Online Nail Training course packages, Virtual Academy Nail Courses or Classroom based training. The courses are suitable for those recently qualified or who have been working within nails for some time.
Incorporating E-Filing into your nail skills will be invaluable, especially once rushed off your feet post-lockdown. You will be able to;
Most clients are now familiar with these โ simply put youโll be applying one false lash to one natural lash to extend the lash length and give greater lash definition.
Many clients confuse the effects of these with strip lashes or even classics. Youโll be applying anything from 2-6 false lashes to one natural lash, applied by picking these up to form a fan of lashes. Give natural lashes more volume (thickness) and length for a more dramatic lash look.
A way of combining both the classic and Russian volume techniques to achieve a dramatic but structured and defined look to the lashes. You will set up a framework to work within which to extend the natural lashes by applying the classic individual extension technique to every 3-4 natural lashes along the lash line. You then apply fans of Russian volume lashes between these individual lashes to boost volume.
Working on the natural lashes only, with no false lashes applied. A way of lifting and opening the eye area by straightening and lifting the natural lashes to give the appearance of greater natural length. Tinting darkens the lashes from root to tip giving further enhancement in the appearance of lash length. Also gives superb definition but without the commitment of having to maintain false lashes i.e. infills. Also great for those unsuitable for lash extensions e.g. those allergic to lash adhesive, who swim regularly etc.
Temporary lashes applied using a temporary lash adhesive (different to that used for lash extensions). Typically last from 1-7 days and are easy to remove. Applied either as small bunches of false lashes attached to a bulb (flare) or as a full or part strip of false lashes. Great for those who want to enhance the benefits of a make up treatment for example, for special occasions and canโt or donโt want to commit to long term care or cost of lash extensions. Another good option also for those with more sensitive eyes.
Often confused with Russian volume lashes, these give a quick but effective lash extension treatment but are applied using pre-made lash fans rather than using individual lashes applied as a fan which the lash tech must form. Speeds up the treatment allowing you to charge less and fit in more clients, shorter time on the treatment bed needed for clients and no infills (simply remove and apply a new full set each time). Great for those who want a dramatic lash look without the cost of a premium lash service such as Russian volume or hybrid lashes.
The Beauty Academy are excited to offer training options within all of these in-demand lash treatments ranging from accredited fast track 1 day courses up to recognised online courses allowing you to learn from home, online at your own pace. Discover our courses TODAY and begin earning up to ยฃ50 an hour!