Spa Executive | Issue 8 | July 2019

ISSUE #08 JULY 2019
SPA EXECUTIVE
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
TECHNOLOGY
MANAGEMENT
7 strategies for turning
an underperforming
employee into a star
BUSINESS
The most relaxing
music in the world
according to science
Virtual Reality
massage centre to
open in Los Angeles
Jeremy
McCarthy
MANDARIN ORIENTAL'S
TECHNOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A VISIONARY

PUBLISHER
Roger Sholanki
EDITOR
Elizabeth Bromstein
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Basheer Mohamed
DESIGNER
Shajee Aijazi
Note from the Publisher
The intersection of technology and wellness is an exciting place to be right now. From consumer
genomics to wearables to AI and robotics, the lines between what is “real” and what is digital are
increasingly unclear.
This month, skincare brand SK-II introduced its new brand ambassador, a digital avatar named
YUMI, who will interact with SK-II customers and offer skincare advice. The attempt to create a
digital human influencer isn’t new. YUMI follows in the footsteps of faux humans Lil Miquela and
Shudu, who already boast mass Instagram followings. But as a skincare consultant
without…well…skin, YUMI represents a fascinating bridge between real and virtual worlds. Will
we soon see more avatars, moving from skincare into wellness, guiding us on how to care for
our bodies when they, themselves, have none? It seems inevitable.
We also see some of this Real World/VR crossover with the opening of Esqapes, a VR massage
center set to open in Los Angeles this summer, where guests will receive automated massages
while immersed in virtual environments.
While all of this is exciting, when it comes to the amount of time we spend immersed in
technology while hooked to our devices, we can always take a more critical look.
The impact of this immersion on our mental health and wellbeing is one of the chief concerns of
Jeremy McCarthy, Group Director of Spa & Wellness for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. In 2016,
with his direction, Mandarin Oriental launched its Digital Wellness Initiative, a program designed
to help guests find new ways to manage their relationship with technology.
Mr. McCarthy, who is in our cover Spotlight this issue, told us, “Technology will have the largest
impact on human wellbeing, positive and negative, for the foreseeable future. Anyone who is
working on wellbeing should be thinking about the role of technology.”
I couldn’t agree more. It’s amazing, and maybe a little bit terrifying – and this is clearly only the
beginning.
The online magazine for Spa
Executives, featuring news
and exclusive interviews.
I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Roger Sholanki, CEO
Book4Time

Contents
July 2019 Volume 8
3
NEWS
Discovery in the soil puts
researchers one step closer to
developing a stress vaccine
19
4
TRENDS
The new face of skincare brand
SK-II is YUMI, a digital avatar
5
MANAGEMENT
7 strategies for turning an
underperforming employee into
a star
7
SPOTLIGHT
Mandarin Oriental's Jeremy
McCarthy on technology,
psychology, and what it means
to be a visionary
7
11
13
BUSINESS
The most relaxing music in the
world according to science
FEATURE
Is wellness too exclusive? and
what should we be doing about
that?
17
TECHNOLOGY
Virtual Reality massage centre
to open in Los Angeles
17 5
19
GROWTH
The Luxury Collection
introduces the Spa at Langley
after multi-million dollar
renovation of historic building

Lowry has reportedly published numerous
studies demonstrating a link between
exposure to healthy bacteria and mental
health. One of these showed that children
raised in rural settings, surrounded by
animals and dust containing bacteria, have
more stress-resilient immune systems as
adults than pet-free city dwellers. They may
also be at lower risk of mental illness.
Discovery in the soil puts
researchers one step closer
to developing a stress vaccine
Researchers are one step closer to
The theory has since evolved to suggest that
developing a “stress vaccine.”
the problem is not actually a lack of exposure
to disease-causing germs, but rather to
A team at the University of Colorado Boulder
beneficial microbes in soil and the
has identified an anti-inflammatory fat in a
environment that have been dubbed “old
soil-dwelling bacterium that may explain how
friends.” Now that most of us no longer live
the bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae,
and work in close contact with nature as we
benefits health and reduces stress-related
once did, and the use of antibacterial and
illness. The discovery has been published in
disinfectants is so common, we are not
the journal Psychopharmacology.
exposed to these microbes that were part of
"We think there is a special sauce driving the our lives for millennia. The theory suggests
protective effects in this bacterium, and this that this takes an affect on mental health as
fat is one of the main ingredients in that
well as physical.
special sauce," said senior author and
"The idea is that as humans have moved
Integrative Physiology Professor, Christopher
away from farms and an agricultural or
Lowry, in a statement found on Science Daily.
hunter-gatherer existence into cities, we have
The findings build on the “hygiene
lost contact with organisms that served to
hypothesis,” a term coined in 1989 by British regulate our immune system and suppress
scientist David Strachan. Strachan’s theory inappropriate inflammation," said Lowry. "That
suggested that a lack of exposure to
has put us at higher risk for inflammatory
microorganisms in childhood, due to the disease and stress-related psychiatric
sterility of the modern world, is resulting in disorders."
impaired immune function and higher rates of
Another of Lowry’s studies showed that
giving mice injections of M. vaccae before a
stressful event could prevent a "PTSD-like"
syndrome and stress-induced illness in the
rodents.
"We knew it worked, but we didn't know
why," said Lowry. "This new paper helps
clarify that."
The discovery puts Lowry closer to his goal
of developing a "stress vaccine" from M.
vaccae, which could be given to soldiers, first
responders, and other people in high-stress
jobs to help them fend off the detrimental
effects of stress.
The findings give weight to predictions made
by Marc Cohen, Professor of Health Sciences
in the School of Health and Biomedical
Sciences, RMIT University in Melbourne.
Cohen stated for a recent report on wellness
trends that “the war on microbes is coming to
an end.” He predicted that we will come to
greater understanding of bacteria as vital for
health, and that we will see greater emphasis
on microbial ecosystems and the benefits of
contact with healthy soils, “and the use of
stool transplants for a range of medical
conditions.” He also predicted that we will
see microbial-based personal care products
and microbial-based water treatments.
allergies and asthma.
03 | Spa Executive News

esource to those who interact with her.
Customers will immediately notice how easy
the Soul Machines digital humans are to
converse with and relate to once they spend
time interacting with YUMI.”
Sandeep Seth, SK-II’s Chief Executive Officer,
said, “YUMI is more than a digital influencer.
She is a digital human capable of interacting
and engaging in ways technology hasn’t
been able to do until now.
"YUMI personifies our goal to combine
The new face of skincare
brand SK-II is YUMI, a
digital avatar
technology and creativity to benefit
customers. She provides the warmth and
connection of human touch in the form of a
digital experience to make the overall
skincare experience at home and in store
more enjoyable and compelling. We’re
looking forward to customers being able to
turn to her for skincare and beauty questions
The new face of P&G’s skincare brand SK-II is
an autonomously animated digital avatar
named YUMI.
SK-II, which is based in Japan, announced at
the Cannes Lions International Festival of
Creativity that it will be partnering with AI tech
company Soul Machines to create YUMI, who
will interact with consumers and provide
beauty and skincare advice.
According to a press release, “YUMI is an
integral part of SK-II’s ongoing transformation
journey to connect with a new generation of
consumers who are yearning for more
meaningful experiences with the brands they
know and trust.” YUMI can interact much like
a human would and will not only provide
beauty advice but also help consumers
better understand their skin and “guide them
on their journey to skin transformation with
PITERA Essence” (PITERA is the
yeast-derived ingredient upon which the SK-II
line is based).
Soul Machines is a high-tech company of AI
researchers, neuroscientists, psychologists,
and artists re-imagining how people connect
with machines. The company creates lifelike,
emotionally responsive, artificial humans with
personality and character that allow
machines to talk to us face-to-face. Soul
Machines’ vision is to “humanize artificial
intelligence to better humanity.” The company
has created digital humans for Autodesk,
Mercedes Benz, and the Royal Bank of
Scotland.
“We are thrilled to work with innovative
companies and brands like Procter & Gamble
and SK-II, who are embracing technology to
humanize brands at scale,” said Greg Cross,
co-founder and Chief Business Officer of
Soul Machines. “YUMI will become a trusted
at any time of the day or night.”
According to Fast Company, YUMI is based
on a real person, but SK-II has not provided
details about that person. Soul Machines
could reportedly have built a digital human
entirely from scratch, but there was concern
that she might not feel authentic.
“We wanted to make Yumi as lifelike as
possible,” Fast Company quotes Sandeep
Seth as saying. While she is starting out
based on someone else, YUMI will develop
her own personality and movements over
time.
YUMI isn’t the first digital influencer. You
might already be familiar with Lil Miquela and
Shudu. Both of these are digital creations
with 1.6 million and 177,000 Instagram
followers, respectively.
Will advances in technology never cease?
Trends
Spa Executive | 04

7STRATEGIES FOR TURNING
AN UNDERPERFORMING
EMPLOYEE INTO A STAR
Every spa manager finds themselves dealing with an
underperforming employee from time to time.
If you have an underperforming employee on your
team, the issue is not going to fix itself. And your
choices are limited: leave things as they are, let the
person go, or get in there yourself and turn things
around. The third option is usually your best bet, as
the cost of replacing an employee can be exorbitant,
as can the cost of an underperformer. This means
you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and
invest some time and effort into your team member.
Here are seven strategies for turning an
underperforming employee into a star.
1
Set clear goals
People can’t deliver on goals and targets if they
don’t know what those targets are. You might think
you have communicated these goals clearly, but do
a double check to make sure this is the case. Ask
your employees to tell you what your company’s
goals are. If they don’t know, that’s a problem right
there.
2
Identify the problem
Once you have made your commitment to helping
someone improve, figure out exactly where the
specific issue lies. Is it an issue with customer
interactions, retail sales, or something else? Once
you know where to start and on what to focus, you
can move forward.
3
Reward achievements
Employers often forget to reward achievements, and
only communicate when things are unsatisfactory.
Or they only reward top performers, which can
mean singling out and praising the same people
over and over again, and ignoring everyone else,
which is disheartening. When an employee does
something well, and when they improve, be sure to
point it out, even if they aren’t doing “as well as”
some others. Be generous with praise.
05 | Spa Executive Management

4
Communicate constantly
Businesses often give a once- or
twice-a-year employee performance review, if
they give any at all. This is ineffective.
Communication about accomplishments,
goals, and missed targets should be constant
and ongoing. People don’t just grow and
learn once a year. We do that daily. Boost
your employee’s performance through taking
the time to communicate – always.
5
Encourage a sense of ownership
People are more likely to work hard when
they feel that they are instrumental to a larger
success. Involve spa employees in the
decision making process and make sure they
understand that they are part of something
bigger than themselves. It can be easy to
only involve star performers in this way, but
underperformers need to be involved too. Be
sure to show how their successes become
everyone’s successes.
6
Recognize the employee’s
strengths
Sometimes we expect too much of people.
It’s possible that an employee is an excellent
massage therapist or service provider, but
not all that comfortable with upselling. And
sometimes that’s OK, because the value they
bring as a service provider is great, and many
customers resent being sold to. (Yes, no
matter how smooth you think you are, people
still know when you’re trying to sell them
something, and some people absolutely hate
that.) They might, indeed, be choosing that
provider specifically for that reason. The
expectation that someone be all things as an
employee is often unreasonable.
7
Re-examine your definition of a
“star”
Sometimes a person’s value goes
unrecognized because they’re being
measured in the wrong way. Managers are
often blinded by their own ideas of what it
means to be successful, but it isn’t always
about meeting sales targets or most
treatments given. Success can mean
creating great customer experience, bringing
valuable ideas to the table, recruiting talented
friends, raising brand awareness on social
media, contributing to a happy and healthy
work environment – and much else. Be sure
to take a thoughtful look at the team member
in question and ask yourself if they’re not
bringing value that you’re just not seeing.
On the other hand, sometimes an
underperformer is just that: an
underperformer. And if things aren’t going to
improve you might have to re-examine their
role at your company. But in many cases,
people will rise to the level of the confidence
you place in them.
When you show someone that you believe in
them, they will often prove you right to do so.
Management
Spa Executive | 06

Jeremy
McCarthy
MANDARIN ORIENTAL'S
ON TECHNOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A VISIONARY
Jeremy McCarthy is the Group Director of
Spa & Wellness for Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Group, and a renowned and respected
trailblazer of innovative concepts in spa and
wellness.
In his role, Mr. McCarthy is responsible for
leading Mandarin Oriental Group’s acclaimed
luxury spa division and guest and colleague
wellness programs. He has more than 25
years of experience operating luxury spas in
resort and hotel properties, and holds a
Master of Applied Positive Psychology
degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
He is the author of the book The Psychology
of Spas & Wellbeing.
One of Mr. McCarthy’s primary interests is
the impact on wellbeing of our constant
connection to technology. In 2016, he
launched Mandarin Oriental’s Digital Wellness
initiative, a program to help guests manage
their relationship with those technologies. He
is also the chair of the Digital Wellness
Initiative for the Global Wellness Institute.
Earlier this year it was announced that the
International SPA Association (ISPA) will
present Jeremy McCarthy with the 2019 ISPA
Visionary Award at the ISPA Conference &
Expo taking place in September.
For this month's spotlight we spoke to
Jeremy McCarthy about the psychological
impact of spas, our relationship with
technology, and what it means to be a
“visionary.”
You have talked about visiting a spa as
having a potentially profound
psychological impact. Can you talk a bit
about the spa as a psychological
experience?
My academic background is in psychology
and I wrote my thesis (which I later published
as a book) on The Psychology of Spas &
Wellbeing. My theory is that the greatest
impact of the spa experience doesn’t come
from the specific techniques and products
that are used in a treatment. It comes from
the more psychological aspects of the
experience, such as being separated from
technology, having time for your mind to
settle in silence, and experiencing the
nurturing touch of another human being.
These are the true luxuries of the modern
age.
Does the industry pay enough attention
to this aspect?
It is a bit of a paradox because on the one
hand, the spa industry defines itself around
offering experiences that enhance wellbeing
across mind, body, and spirit. But on the
other hand, when you read about spas you
mostly see descriptions of the physical
aspects of the experience: the facilities, the
ingredients in the products, the treatment
techniques, etc. So in one sense, a strength
07 | Spa Executive Spotlight

of the spa industry is that we are more
holistic than other healing industries, but even
in the spa industry, we could focus more on
these aspects.
How can the spa and wellness sector do
better?
When I went back to school to study applied
positive psychology, a lot of people assumed
that meant I was leaving the spa industry. But
I think the study and application of
psychology (and especially positive
psychology) can make a huge impact on how
we think about the spa experience. Viewing
the spa business through this lens helps us to
create experiences that go beyond
pampering to elevate mood, instill
mindfulness, and even create a deeper sense
of meaning.
One of your major interests is the impact
of technology on wellbeing, and the role
the spa plays in this. (And the spa-going
public agrees with you that spas should
be a tech-free space according to the
latest ISPA report.) Can you share some
thoughts on this relationship?
Technology will have the largest impact on
human wellbeing, positive and negative, for
the foreseeable future. Anyone who is
working on wellbeing should be thinking
about the role of technology. I co-authored a
whitepaper on Wellness in the Age of the
Smartphone, which is available on the Global
Wellness Institute website that outlines the
impact of technology on wellness.
The problem with technology is not that it is
bad, it’s that it’s too good. It is so good that
we end up making sacrifices in other areas of
our life. Our paper outlined some of those
sacrifices on things like sleep, social
relationships, physical movement, safety,
Spotlight
Spa Executive | 08

technology takes away more and more jobs
from other sectors, the spa staffing problem
will solve itself.
What are you most excited about in spa
and wellness right now?
productivity and mental wellbeing.
You recently received the ISPA Visionary
award. What does that mean to you?
This means so much to me. From a
professional standpoint, I feel like I have
literally grown up within the ISPA community
as it is an organization that has been by my
side for the past two decades or more. To
receive this recognition from a community
that has been such a deep part of my life for
so many years really touches and inspires
me.
What does it take to be a “visionary” in
this industry?
There was a time, very early in my career,
when I first met Peter Greenberg, who at the
time was the Travel Correspondent for Good
Morning America. I asked him how I could
get my spa on television. “Getting your spa
on TV is simple,” he said. “All you have to do
is do something no one else is doing or do
something better than everyone else is
doing.”
He made it sound so easy, but I quickly
realized that even though I was working at a
very nice luxury spa, we were really doing all
the same stuff that everyone else was doing.
For the rest of my career, I have always taken
that advice to heart and tried to do things
better or differently than everyone else.
What is the biggest challenge facing spa
and wellness right now? (Besides
staffing)
The biggest challenge is monetizing wellness.
We often blame the health care industry for
being too focused on sickness care and not
enough on wellness or prevention. But
sickness care is much easier to sell. It is
human nature to be driven more by the
urgency of what is going wrong than to think
proactively about the future benefits of a
wellness lifestyle.
What is a solution to that problem, if you
have one?
There are no easy solutions, but I think the
key is to not necessarily think of wellness as
something that has to appeal to a mass
market. Not everyone will invest in their own
wellness and those who do will do so in a
very personal and individualized way. So for
me the wellness industry is about catering to
small, selective niches, rather than trying to
drive broad appeal. There are still a lot of
markets that the wellness industry has
ignored. Greater business success will come
from greater diversification and specialization
across the industry.
Do you have any great ideas for solving
the spa staffing problem?
It’s true this is a big challenge now. But
massage therapist is often listed at the top of
lists of jobs that cannot be replaced by AI. As
I am most excited about the wellness
knowledge that is getting to kids today. My
kids, at seven and nine years old, know more
about things like yoga, mindfulness,
meditation, and wellness than I knew when I
was in my 20s. This next generation will have
a huge head start on us in terms of
understanding human wellbeing.
What are you excited about at Mandarin
Oriental?
This year, Mandarin Oriental celebrates the
10-year anniversary of some of our signature
spa products and treatments inspired by
aromatherapy and Traditional Chinese
Medicine. Ten years ago, we were one of the
only urban hotel brands to really put spa and
wellness at the core of everything that we do.
Today, it is hard to think of any major hotel
brand who wouldn’t say that wellness is a
core part of their offering.
This raises the bar for the industry and
challenges us to continue reimagining our
own wellness offerings. This past year, we
launched Mindful Meetings bringing wellness
into the meetings space and creating
meetings offerings that are energizing rather
than draining. We’ve seen the impact on
productivity, even in our own internal
meetings, and are very excited about the
intersection between work and wellness.
09 | Spa Executive Spotlight

Spa Executive
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
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The most relaxing music in the
world according to science
Music makes a big difference in your spa environment,
and can have a positive effect on business.
According to a study by Music Works
(via Mall Audio):
One third of customers are willing to
pay 5% more in businesses that play
music.
74% of employees enjoy going to
work more when music is played,
and a third are less likely to take time
off sick.
More than half of customers spend
more time in a shop that plays music.
81% of people prefer hair salons that
play music.
Playing music in waiting rooms
makes over three quarters of people
more relaxed.
The type of music you play in your spa also
matters, as the goal in this case is to inspire a
state of relaxation and wellbeing. Sound, as
we know, can potentially have a profound
effect on mood.
Induce a state of relaxation with spa
music
How to achieve this? Many spas will just play
the same new age music or soundscape for
all guests, but this is not ideal. There are
people who absolutely despise the music
played in spas, and we have had
conversations with some who say the one
thing they hate about going for a massage is
the new age music.
When possible, it’s a better idea to give
guests a choice of what they would like to
listen to. This is a key element of elevating the
guest experience.
If you’ve been running a spa for a while, you
also know what works for you. Customer
preference, personal experience, and
scientific research are all elements to keep in
mind when choosing the right sonic
environment for your spa. And there are, of
course, numerous consultancies that will help
you choose the right music for your space.
What sort of music induces a state of
relaxation?
A recent UK survey has ranked the 30 most
calming songs, according to people living in
the UK, and the results are interesting.
According to 2,000 people interviewed by
Smooth Radio, in partnership with
homeopathic company Rescue Remedy, the
most relaxing song is Louis Armstrong’s
“What A Wonderful World,” followed by the
Beatles’ “Let It Be,” and Elton John and
Bernie Taupin’s “Your Song.”
11 | Spa Executive Business

Fifty per cent of British adults believe listening
to songs helps them to feel “less worried,”
and respondents also said it made them feel
“positive,” “motivated,” and “happy.”
“Weightless” is eight minutes long and
features guitar, piano, and electronic samples
of natural soundscapes overlayed with
chants. It contains a sustaining rhythm that
THE TOP 10 MOST RELAXING TRACKS
ACCORDING TO A 2019 STUDY
(CONDUCTED BY SMOOTH RADIO AND RESCUE REMEDY)
The full list of the top 30 most relaxing songs
is at the end of this article. Most of them are
not going to be a fit for most spa
atmospheres - but it's valuable to know what
people say relaxes them and makes them
starts at 60 beats per minute and gradually
slows to around 50.
Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy
of Sound Therapy, said Marconi Union used
scientific theory to make the "perfect relaxing
1
2
3
4
What A Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong
Let It Be, The Beatles
Your Song, Elton John
Someone Like You, Adele
feel "positive."
song," employing principles that have been
5
Hello, Adele
The most relaxing music ever is a song
by a band called Marconi Union.
shown to have calming effects. She explained
that a person’s heart rate will gradually slow
to match the pulse of the track, which leads
6
7
Fix You, Coldplay
I Say A Little Prayer, Aretha Franklin
Those findings may suggest that, similar to
to a fall in blood pressure.
8
Orinoco Flow, Enya
scent, people create associations with music
9
Morning Has Broken, Cat Stevens
and find certain pieces relaxing or calming as
a result of those associations. There are,
however, certain sonic elements said to
THE TOP 10 MOST RELAXING TRACKS
ACCORDING TO A 2011 STUDY
(CONDUCTED BY MINDLAB)
10
11
Beautiful Day, U2
White Flag, Dido
induce a state of calm. These include a drone
and a slow pulse – elements consistently
found in new age music.
Separate research conducted in 2011 found
that the “most relaxing tune ever” was a track
called “Weightless” by Manchester trio
Marconi Union. The British band worked with
sound therapists to create the track, and it is
said to be so effective at inducing sleep "it
should not be listened to while driving."
At the time, the UK Telegraph reported that
the song contained carefully arranged
harmonies, rhythms and bass lines to help
slow the heart rate, reduce blood pressure,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Weightless, Marconi Union
Electra, Airstream
Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix), DJ Shah
Watermark, Enya
Strawberry Swing, Coldplay
Please Don't Go, Barcelona
Pure Shores, All Saints
Someone Like You, Adele
Canzonetta Sull'aria, Mozart
We Can Fly, Cafe Del Mar
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Somewhere Only We Know, Keane
Thinking Out Loud, Ed Sheeran
Lay, Lady Lay, Bob Dylan
Peaceful Easy Feeling, Eagles
Come Away With Me, Norah Jones
Don't Worry Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin
The Scientist, Coldplay
America, Simon And Garfunkel
I'll Be There, The Jackson 5
Babylon, David Gray
She Will Be Loved, Maroon 5
Lay Me Down, Sam Smith
and lower levels of the stress hormone
cortisol. The song was also said to slow
breathing and reduce brain activity, and tests
found it to be more effective at inducing
relaxation than songs by Enya, Mozart and
Coldplay. Subjects experienced a 65%
reduction in overall anxiety at a level 35%
lower than their usual resting rates.
People create
associations with
music and find
certain pieces
relaxing or calming
as a result of those
associations
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Nine Million Bicycles, Katie Melua
The A Team, Ed Sheeran
Pure Shores, All Saints
Smile, Lily Allen
Don't Know Why, Norah Jones
Put Your Records On, Corrine Bailey Rae
Summertime Sadness, Lana Del Rey
Business
Spa Executive | 12

13 | Spa Executive Feature

Is wellness too exclusive?
and what should we be
doing about that?
Wellness in the western world has been facing a bit of
a backlash lately for what people are calling a lack of
diversity and accessibility. So we’re asking (again) is
this industry as inclusive as it could be? And, if not,
how are we addressing what many see as a problem?
The world of wellness as “filled with
overpriced products and services that
unfortunately tend to exclude most people,
whether racially or socioeconomically,” as
Skift put it in April, 2019, has been getting
some media attention lately.
In 2018, Self Magazine called wellness an
industry with a “race problem” that “caters
almost exclusively to white, wealthy people,”
and an author on Essence.com lamented
that, “We [women of color] remain
underrepresented in the wellness space with
few brands highlighting diversity, and even
fewer speaking to us about our specific
challenges.” Meanwhile, an author on
Fashionista wrote about the “dark reality” of a
wellness movement that relies on
“narrow-minded, exclusionary practices,”
adding that, “the marketing and branding
many wellness companies rely on have
become so eerily homogenous that it can, at
times, be difficult to distinguish one brand
from another. The same can often be said of
their clientele.”
Of course, when we talk about spa and
wellness, we’re also often talking about
beauty and skincare. So, it’s probably no
surprise that the Guardian recently asked
“Why is the skin care industry still ignoring
people of colour?” and stated that “Imagery
still plays a huge role in equating whiteness
with wellness, with spa websites dominated
by young, thin, white women.” (This may not
reflect the entire industry, depending on local
majority populations.)
And in our final example (though this is by no
means all that’s out there), in a 2016 article
for The Establishment, titled “How The
Wellness Movement Ostracizes Women Of
Color,” British Lebanese author Salma
Haidrani wrote simply, “Women of color like
me aren’t just invisible in health and wellness.
We’re not welcome. Women’s health, it
appears, is assumed to be the sole preserve
of white women.”
Is this the image that the spa and wellness
industry wants to embody? Particularly in a
global society where many are turning away
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from elitism and exclusivity and towards
inclusivity and unpretentiousness (a quashing
of the ego being one of the central tenets of
true wellbeing)?
It’s something that Spa Executive touched on
when we interviewed Patrick Huey of
Montage for our April, 2019, cover spotlight.
Huey said in that interview:
“The impact of a lack of diversity is felt on the
bottom line. The more inclusive we become
as an industry, the more consumers will make
what we do a necessary part of their lives.
This creates longevity and expansive financial
relevance for our industry. I also think beyond
just dollars and profits, if we truly believe in
the work that we do, why should we not want
as many people as possible to reap the
benefits of taking care of themselves?”
Continuing on this theme, we spoke with
three industry insiders for some perspective
on why and how spa and wellness industry
insiders are addressing the issues of diversity
and accessibility in spa and wellness.
Harriet Kilikita is an associate lifestyle
editor at trend forecasting company
WGSN. WGSN employs over 250 trend
forecasters and data scientists globally
to help businesses stay relevant and
find growth opportunities. We reached
out to Harriet Kilikita to ask if the people
at WGSN were seeing a backlash
against the exclusivity and
inaccessibility of wellness. And what
direction they predict the industry will
move in the near future.
“We are certainly starting to see a backlash
against wellness as a privileged, exclusive
industry with a movement towards a more
inclusive, accessible feel. Consumers are
starting to question why they should need to
buy an expensive yoga mat or be part of an
exclusive wellness club to improve their
wellbeing, when many of the practices can
be done for free and are just as effective.
“Consumers also want to be able to see
people they can relate to in the wellness
industry, and be part of a community rather
than feeling alienated by unachievable levels
of perfection.
“Fashion, fitness and beauty are all moving
towards being more diverse and more
inclusive, and we are starting to see wellness
take this direction as well. Wellness is
becoming more community-minded, with the
emergence of new groups that encourage
people to come together in inclusive spaces.
“For example, inspirational women of colour
are running events to open up yoga and
meditation: events by Houston-based duo
2Dope Yogis and yoga teacher TrapYogaBae
mix yoga with trap music for a party
atmosphere where everyone can get
involved. Consumers are also doing their
own wellness practices in the home for a
cheaper and more relaxed approach to
wellbeing, whether that’s spa-inspired sheet
face masks, fitness tutorials from YouTube or
using a meditation app each morning.
“The wellness industry needs to be aware
that everyone wants to see themselves
reflected in wellness, and that an inclusive
attitude will be key. To feel authentic, this will
need to go beyond tokenism to be a truly
open approach that represents and caters to
a wide range of consumers across branding,
spaces and communications. At-home
wellness kits, fitness equipment and free
apps will also continue to be key as
consumers look for a more accessible way to
bring a sense of wellbeing into the comfort of
their own homes.”
Shari Auth, is a leading holistic health
practitioner in New York, and an
acupuncturist and board certified
herbalist. She is the founder of WTHN, a
healing centre offering acupuncture and
other Traditional Chinese Medicine
treatments. The goal of WTHN is to
empower the consumer to make the
right choices for their health through
educating and using accessible
language. And to make these treatments
accessible to everyone. We asked Shari
Auth about why and how she is making
wellness more inclusive.
“In several ways, the wellness industry has
become too exclusive. Many wellness
services and products are expensive and not
widely known to the average person.
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“Unfortunately, the wellness industry has a
history of being inaccessible due to price
point, so that the majority of its consumers
are a niche, wealthy population that can
afford to spend high prices for products and
services that are truly beneficial for all people.
Wellness has also been viewed as an
accessory to one’s life, rather than an integral
part of it, and it seems as though many
companies have capitalized on creating
brands targeted toward this demographic
rather than making wellness affordable and
accessible to all and helping to reposition
wellness as a necessary good for everyone.
“As our country faces more and more health
crises, it’s important to position “wellness,” in
its many forms, as a valuable tool for
preventative healthcare and as a respectable
healing modality. The more we encourage
people to take up wellness practices, the
more our society will be well. When we
exclude certain groups or demographics, or
make wellness a commodity, we are
excluding everyone from benefitting from the
amazing powers that wellness has to offer,
whether it be to decrease anxiety or to heal
disease.
“WTHN’s philosophy is to democratize
natural healing and wellness by providing
effective, easy to understand acupuncture
treatments and all organic herbal medicine at
an affordable price point . We also make
things convenient, which is a huge factor
when considering accessibility. WTHN also
has created an affordable membership model
and herbal medicine subscription model,
which is unique in the natural healing space.
This affordability and convenience
encourages clients to be able to incorporate
consistency into their wellness routines. “
When we exclude
certain groups or
demographics, or make
wellness a commodity,
we are excluding
everyone from
benefitting from the
amazing powers that
wellness has to offer.
- Shari Auth
Micah Jackson is the founder of
Esqapes, a Virtual Reality massage
center set to open in Los Angeles. The
goal of Esqapes is to provide guests
with a unique way to relax and take a
break from the routines, responsibilities
and daily issues that can cause anxiety
and stress. And one of the founding
principles is to maintain a diverse staff
at every location and at all times. No
Esqapes location will be run by people
of a single gender or a singular race. We
asked Jackson to about why this is
important and the larger issues he is
trying address.
“In many regards I agree that spas
traditionally are perceived as either being a
bit posh and not accessible for people who
can’t afford $150 or more, or conversely,
there is a negative perception related to
small, independent spas. Some people view
the massage business in the local strip mall
as a not so trustworthy establishment. Many
people don’t feel comfortable visiting those
smaller spas for a variety of reasons, but this
comes down to perception and whether or
not they will feel comfortable inside.”
“There’s a whole other issue in the black
community around not feeling comfortable at
a spa because you typically need to remove
your clothes and it involves sharing intimate
spaces (sauna, hot tub, etc.) with strangers
who are most likely white. This is a big
deterrent for many African Americans who
may have never been to a spa and won’t
consider going because of the social hurdle
associated with it.
“Like many aspects of our society, diversity is
an important factor when trying to make
people feel welcome and comfortable. This is
especially crucial for businesses that provide
wellness services. If a business category has
a perceived ‘this isn’t for me’ stigma, it will
likely limit the potential customer base.
“My goal with Esqapes is to offer relaxation to
all, but more importantly remove as many
barriers to entry as possible. We truly want all
points of view to grow the business and for all
guests to feel welcome.”
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Virtual reality massage center
to open in Los Angeles
Esqapes, the world's first "virtual reality
massage center" is set to open in Los
Angeles in July, 2019.
Esqapes combines automated massages
with proprietary and exclusive virtual
environments that have been specifically
designed to help users de-stress and "leave
the real word behind."
Like a “mini-vacation,” each uniquely tailored
experience promises to transport a guest’s
mind and body to another place.
"Each Esqapes environment is designed to
tantalize the senses and help guests shed the
stresses of daily life. They are living breathing
worlds that users will have completely to
themselves," says a media release.
“The goal of Esqapes is to provide guests
with a unique way to relax and take a break
from the routines, responsibilities and daily
issues that can cause anxiety and stress,”
said Micah Jackson, creator of Esqapes.
“Esqapes is using VR in ways unlike any other
company, which is to de-stress and help
people relax. With a combination of
proprietary software, hardware and traditional
wellness practices, Esqapes is offering the
spa of the future, today!”
When Esqapes launches, guests will be able
to choose from 10 different experiences
ranging from a tropical koi pond at an ocean
front resort, to a luxurious cabin in a
snow-covered wonderland, complete with a
crackling fireplace.
In 2018, he began to experiment with
transporting people to beautiful places
through virtual reality experiences and ways
to further immerse the viewer in these
settings -- and Esqapes was born.
Jackson is also hoping to become a pioneer
in the VR industry, and "clear a path for other
VR creators of color to follow."
One of the founding principles of Esqapes
virtual reality massage centers is to maintain
a diverse staff at every location and at all
times. No location will be run by people of a
single gender or a single race.
Jackson says, "We truly want all points of
view to grow the business and for all guests
to feel welcome."
These environments involve beautifully
crafted visuals and carefully curated
fragrances that complement the chosen
setting and "gently glide across the room,"
carried by cool or warm breezes.
Jackson has a long history of interactive
design and innovation, with a professional
career that spans nearly 20 years working for
AOL, Yahoo, and Disney. In 2017 he resigned
from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to
pursue his new passion for virtual reality.
These comments overlap onto the topic of
diversity and accessibility in the wellness
industry, something we spoke about with
Patrick Huey of Montage and are addressing
further this month at Spa Executive.
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The Luxury Collection introduces
The Spa at Langley after multi-million
dollar renovation of historic building
The Luxury Collection, part of Marriott
International Inc., has opened The Langley, A
Luxury Collection Hotel, Buckinghamshire.
The hotel is located just outside of London in
the heart of Buckinghamshire’s Langley Park,
The Langley offers 41 luxury bedrooms in two
buildings. On of these is Langley Park House,
the historic former hunting lodge of the third
Duke of Marlborough, and the other is an
adjacent 18th century Brew House. The
property is opening for the first time as a
hotel after an extensive six-year, multi-million
dollar renovation.
“Buckinghamshire is a picturesque county full
of rolling green hills and stunning gardens,
grand castles, and quaint towns with rich
history.” said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand
Leader, The Luxury Collection, in a media
release. “The Langley is yet another stunning
example of The Luxury Collection’s
commitment to restoring historic icons across
the globe, and our guests will deeply connect
with our first hotel in this remarkable
destination respite just outside the buzzing
city of London.”
Built between 1756 and 1760, the main
Langley Park House is a grand Palladian
mansion. This is where you will find The
Langley’s most opulent accommodations,
including the exclusive, three-bedroom Duke
of Marlborough Suite, which offers
unparalleled views of the park and its lake.
The Brew House has functioned as a stable,
a clock tower, and a brewery, and now offers
comfortable residential rooms and suites,
The Langley Spa
The 1,600 square-metre Langley Spa
combines “striking design elements with
world-class facilities,” including vitality pools,
hammams, juniper-wood sauna with pink
Himalayan salt walls, amethyst steam room
and 16-metre marble-lined indoor swimming
pool. There are also several relaxation
spaces, a manicure and pedicure studio, a
hair salon, and a Spa Lounge serving
nutritious snacks and cold-pressed juices. An
outdoor swimming pool sits beside the banks
of Langley Lake.
The Langley gym was developed in
partnership with celebrity trainer Matt
Roberts and offers bespoke one-on-one
personal training. Guests may also undergo
comprehensive health diagnostics using
3D-printed figurines to illustrate bodily
progression.
Spa treatments and services are created in
partnership with Sisley and tailored to
individual needs.
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Menu standouts include:
The Langley Signature Hammam Ritual
A Moroccan Hammam experience that begins with a
black soap cleanse followed by a wash in
“nutrient-infused” waters. This treatment involves full
body exfoliation, a rassoul honey envelopment, a hair
wash with Moroccan rassoul clay, and argan oil
drizzled onto the scalp “for a spine-tingling head
massage and conditioning hair treatment.”
The Langley Signature Massage
A nod to the former Duke and Duchess of
Marlborough, this treatment is inspired by the beauty
secrets of royalty throughout the ages. The massage
combines 23-carat gold, caviar, Champagne, and
pearl, blended with rich, precious oils – “all helping to
smooth and nourish, improving luminosity and skin
elasticity.”
The menu also includes a
selection of “journeys” that
include the following:
Journey To Darjeeling
An experience “inspired by the foothills of the
Himalayas, where La Sultane de Saba sources fresh,
green tea leaves.” This treatment includes an
invigorating salt and oil scrub enhanced with ginger, a
shea butter massage using hot and cold ceramic
poultices, a green tea wrap and a soothing scalp
massage. The experience finishes with “a spirit-lifting
green tea body lotion, leaving skin butter-soft and the
body energized and detoxified.”
Journey Of Delight
This treatment promises to indulge the senses with an
aromatic blend, evocative of citrus groves and “the
precious treasures of argan trees.” Orange blossom is
combined with organic argan oil in a “candle
massage”, drizzled from top-to-toe, combined with
firm Swedish-style massage. The journey continues
with a facial using silk cocoons for their “amazing
pore-refining and anti-ageing benefits.”
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