I am not totally against corporations. There are some things that corporate stores and restaurants better provide. Often corporations can get us better pricing on items we need and that’s great, so we don’t want large corporations to go away, but small businesses are equally important to our economic balance.

Since I did not major in Economics, I will not pretend to get into that subject too deeply, however one doesn’t need to have that much knowledge in order to recognize the importance of thriving small businesses and local economy. Seeing too many abandoned storefronts and empty buildings in a neighborhood is never a good thing. The 3/50 Project recognizes how easily we can all help support our local economy by making sure that each month spend at least a total of $50.00 divided between at least three local businesses that we would hate to see disappear. If more people do this, the better it will be for local economy and small business.

I truly appreciate when someone I know points me in the direction of a small-business owner that specializes in things I might be interested in buying. I have found myself often doing that, even for some products I don’t want to see disappear. I joke about the fact that I advertise things for free sometimes. Really if something is great, how are you going to keep it to yourself?

In comparison to other companies that specialize in spa supplies, I guess you could say The Spa Exchange is a small business. We do our best to please all of our customers. The business that only orders every once in awhile is just as important as the business that orders weekly. We welcome new customers, whether their spa, salon or massage business is large or small, and we will embrace growing as our business grows. We will probably never be as big as the large corporate suppliers, but our sincere interest in providing customer service and being the best supplier to our customers will always remain our goal.

The Spa Exchange
Cheylenna Salter – Regional Sales Manager

These products are not to be confused with the Bath & Body products that frequent malls all across America and Canada. I’m writing about reasonably priced organic products that are made to be used MT professionals and people who are interested in the benefits that can result from their use.

Who doesn’t like a great massage? Professional massages are on my Top 10 list of Necessary Extras. One per week seems to be the common deal for many people who get massages, but I’d rather be getting at least two or three a week like it used to be in the days of my fond memories. In this economy, it’s a challenge for many of us to get our “necessary extras”, so when we are able to indulge in a nice healthy massage, we should be able to have the best.

No doubt, massages are said to be good for our health. Organic Bath & Body makes a variety of product choices that should raise the satisfaction levels of both the MT and their clients, no matter what modality is used. Not only do the products offer high quality blends of organic ingredients that provide “perfect glide” and “optimum skin nutrition”, they contain no nut oils, (Those of you who know people with nut allergies know how GREAT that is) and they are water dispersible (that means easy laundering).

Why haven’t Organic Bath & Body taken the #1 spot over Biotone? The best answer I can think of is that most of those instructors out there teaching at massage schools are trapped in a loop from the past, they say what they know, automatically telling massage students what product to use. I’m not up to believing in a conspiracy theory such as they get payoffs from the company to endorse a product that is so highly overpriced. I do believe the price of Biotone is directly related to its popular name. Biotone used to be the main professional massage product out there; past tense and old news. I talk to many MT professionals out there who prefer using other products over Biotone. Now more than ever, price points are extremely important. There is no reason to buy a product for name value alone, when there is another product out there offering way better price points, like-ingredients (or better), and botanical quality.

For barbers and other hair removal professionals, I recommend including Organic Bath & Body Skin Solutions. This product is amazingly effective with ingrown hairs (hair bumps, razor bumps, aka Psuedo Folliculitis Barbae) and skin irritations that can occur with shaving, waxing or laser hair removal. It can also help with acne. It’s non-alcohol, so there is no sting. The ingredients include botanical extracts of Burdock, Echinacea, Dandelion, Sage, MSM, salicylic acid and certified organic Aloe Vera. It soothes, cleanses and helps heal. It can even help fight against bacterial build-up and resulting infections.

Organic Bath & Body offers:

Organic Massage & Body Cream

Organic Massage & Body Lotion

Organic Massage & Body Oil

Restructuring Massage & Body Cream

Balancing Massage & Body Oil

Dual Purpose Massage & Body Cream

Deep Tissue Massage & Body Lotion

Therapeutic Herbal Muscle Calm

Foot & Leg Butter

Always Kleen Detergent

(And for spa services)

Skin Solutions

French Green Clay and Algae

Blue Green Algae and Seaweed Gel

Almost all Organic Bath & Body products are in the Top 100 products at The Spa Exchange.

My favorite Organic Bath & Body products are the Therapeutic Muscle Calm and the Foot & Leg Butter, which include MSM, Capsicum, Boswellia, Olive Oil and more, components to help fight against inflammation, reduce muscle aches and improve circulation.

I keep telling people to never underestimate the power of retail. Organic Bath & Body retail products are also a great addition for clients. As much as a daily or every other day visit to our favorite massage therapist, esthetician, or barber would be preferred, it’s not usually possible and we don’t want to miss the benefits these products can offer on a day-to-day level. We want to feel fantastic every day. The Spa Exchange offers these products to professionals in professional use and retail quantities.

If you’re not finding Organic Bath & Body products at your favorite place to be pampered, ask them “Why?” Better yet, just tell them to give us a call or visit our web site. Knowing that it’s almost a travesty for people to be without Organic Bath & Body, we’ll slide it out to the little brown truck as quickly as we can, so it will be available for you as soon as possible. If you (or your service professional) are a preferred customer of The Spa Exchange and order before noon, we’ll make sure any of our Top 100 products go out the same day.

Make it a great day,

Cheylenna PJ Salter
Regional Sales Manager
The Spa Exchange

SpaRitual Believe Spring Collection

Why do spring breaks start before the official day of spring?

We “spring ahead” into Daylight Savings Time before March 21^st and we feel that urgency of spring fever. Here in Minnesota, the snow that’s been here since December just finally went away and the first day we hit 59 degrees, some people I know were already seriously thinking about their tans. It’s time to think about pedicures, a new spring ‘do and the fresh nail colors that go with. SpaRitual has so many lovely shades and kinds of nail lacquer, it’s a fun challenge to decide on choosing colors… It’s comforting to know it’s now fashionable to wear a different color on your toes than what is on your hands.

SpaRitual vegan products are what a woman really needs in the ultimate day spa experience. Give me a soak in Harmony Soak Tonic with Italian Mandarin essential oil (it energizes the sacral chakra) and Instinctual Organic Bath Salts (with organic ginger essential oil to balance the root chakra and energize the mind and body), and the full mani-pedi treat with SpaRitual nail elixirs. Can’t forget to mention SpaRitual has the best French Manicure colors in their Airy Sopranos Suite.

All of the best day spas should not only professionally use SpaRitual vegan products for hands, feet & body,  but the products are irresistible for retail. The most difficult thing about a customer buying SpaRitual is choosing which scents, which colors. I need to have the Infinitely Loving Oil. Close Your Eyes lotions and Instinctual lotions both have lovely scents and are SO soothing. I must have the Cutie Cocktail pen and a bottle of Fluent Lacquer Remover. Who ever heard of pleasantly scented polish removers? Have you seen the new Believe Spring 2010 Collection of nail lacquers? No need to get lost down the rabbit hole with Alice. Mmmm, maybe can I have one of each? Honey, can I have the checkbook? (I have it.)

The Spa Exchange is the exclusive Minnesota distributor for SpaRitual products. Don’t worry, whether you’re inside or outside Minnesota and you don’t yet have SpaRitual at your salon or spa, we are here with friendly customer support, to help you with your SpaRitual and other day spa needs.

Happy Springtime,

The Spa Exchange
Cheylenna Salter – Regional Sales Manager