Most skincare aficionados love receiving facials, love the aesthetician who performed the service, and love how good their skin looks and feels after the service. However, those warm fuzzy feelings often fade when, at the end of the service, the aesthetician tries to sell the client products. These are often the same clients who complain that their skin only looks good for a couple of days after the facial, then it goes back to breaking out, fine lines are as visible as they were before the service, etc.
The same issue happens in the heath coaching setting. Clients look forward to being able to express their health frustrations to a coach who is 100% present for them, in a safe, judgment-free zone during their session. They love that they leave the session feeling validated and inspired, with specific action steps to follow, promising to email to check in with progress until their next scheduled session. And then the next session comes, without the coach having received a single email from the client–and when asked how the diet and lifestyle recommendations went, the client responds with silence. Or excuses.
This is really baffling. If someone goes to a doctor or hospital to treat an ailment, and they are given a medication to take or special diet to follow, they do that without question, right? Because they know that if they don’t follow the doctor’s instructions, the ailment will not go away (or it will get a lot worse).
Why is the same due diligence not followed for home-care recommendations?
It’s just as important to follow an aesthetician’s or health coach’s instructions as it is to follow a doctor’s.
While part of an aesthetician’s job is to sell you products, the products they recommend were selected for a specific reason. They were selected because they will maximize the results of the treatment the client just received, and help maintain these results in the long run.
In some cases, an aesthetician will recommend a specific regimen before the client receives a certain treatment like certain forms of exfoliation, so the skin is properly prepared for the actual treatment. Without proper preparation before the treatment, the treatment may not be as effective. If someone makes the decision to go to an aesthetician, it is because they want to see an improvement in their skin.
To get results when working with a health coach, it is 100% necessary for the client to commit fully to the journey, especially if there’s a cleanse or elimination diet, or specific protocol to follow to achieve the desired results. While avoiding certain foods, taking supplements, going to bed early, exercising more, etc might be challenging; the recommendations were made to help the client achieve the results the client said they wanted.
Home-care is the client’s responsibility
The aesthetican will do their part by deep cleansing, exfoliating, massaging, and treating the skin with the professional equipment and products at the salon or spa.
The health coach will do their job by showing up for the client, holding safe space, asking thought provoking questions, and helping the client set goals and stay accountable in order to reach those goals.
This is only half of the journey. The other half is up to the client. The client’s job is to listen to the skincare and product education your aesthetician provides you with, take the products home and use them as directed. If working with a health coach, the client’s job is to take the time to follow the diet and lifestyle recommendations, report back to the coach with questions and progress, and do the homework (journaling, a reading assignment, guided visualization, etc).
Proper home-care can make all the difference in whether or not someone actually achieves their skin and health goals.
What can the practitioner do to help the client follow home-care recommendations?
Set clear expectations and stick to them. Some of the most successful aestheticians and health coaches will “fire” clients who do not follow the recommended home-care regimens. Some may still work with the client, but will require them to sign a waiver that states that they have been told about the importance of proper home-care, and that it is their own decision to ignore the advice; and by doing so, they are compromising the effectiveness of the treatment or protocol.
Encourage an accountability partner or “study buddy, or offer a private support group for your clients. It can be helpful for clients to buddy up with another client who’s working with the same practitioner, because they are going through similar journeys. Sometimes being on a health journey can feel isolating, as friends and family members might not understand. Having the ability to experience skin or health transformation alongside people who are on similar paths can be highly enriching.
If a client is not complying with home-care recommendations, find out why. Don’t just assume the client is stubborn, or is making excuses (the no time, no money excuse is likely to come up). People always find time and money for what they value–if they aren’t following through, getting to the underlying reason might require additional coaching and consultation. But don’t give up!
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Do your clients struggle with following home-care recommendations?
Do your clients struggle with following home-care recommendations?How do you help them through that? Please share in the comments below!