Alumni Spotlight: Kalliopi Perceli, Esthetician at Sage Day Spa

Kaliopi is standing in her graduation gown, and another image is of her giving a client a facial.

Alumni Spotlight on esthetics grad, Kalliopi Perceli! She is an empathetic and hardworking individual whose educational journey was driven by a love for skincare and a desire to grow her knowledge in the field. The most valuable lesson she learned at CV is the importance of helping others feel their best. Creating a warm and judgment-free environment is important for any client-facing role, but it is crucial as an esthetician. Honing her interpersonal skills has been vital for Kalliopi’s growth and success in the skincare industry, and she now confidently pampers clients at Sage Day Spa in Connecticut! Her advice to new graduates is to be patient while searching for jobs, and to never stop learning – continuously improving your craft is key to becoming a desired esthetician!

What specialty(s) did you study during your time at CV? Esthetics. My specialties are facials, waxing and makeup but I mainly focus on facials, back facials and waxing!
What year did you graduate? I graduated in April of 2022!
What are you doing now? I am a member of Sage Day Spa LLC in Seymour CT.
What was your journey like to get to your current role? My journey has been incredible! I work with two wonderful people, and I meet so many new people who really enjoy getting their services done by me!
What was your favorite part about your time as a CV student? I really loved CV! I love that I got to learn all the things I have learned! I love that it was my introduction to entering the beauty industry! I am grateful for everyone I met at CV, from teachers to classmates! Lastly, I am honored that I had the chance to work with CV products and find out how great and simple they are to use!
What is something you learned during your time at CV that has stuck with you today? The thing that I still keep from my times in CV is that you should never judge someone because you never know what they have been through or even what they are going through and that we should try our best to make them feel their best!
Do you have any advice for someone who is considering a beauty education? My advice for someone considering getting into the beauty industry is to be patient, listen to what people say, and be very gentle in every way possible. Never make your clients feel like they are either rushed during a service or that they are being judged; always keep in mind how you would feel!
Do you have any wise words for students who are about to graduate and look for their first professional job in the industry? Remember that it’s not the easiest thing to start from scratch. They will have to be very focused on their studies now that they are still in school because when it’s time to get a job, they will need to be prepared because there are so many professionals with much more experience!
Which CV products are always in your Inventory or shelf? My top products are the Cherry Mask (#1) because it is super hydrating and works for all skin types! Coming in on number 2 is Body Satin because it has such a smooth and hydrating feeling to it! Last but not least is 5.5 pH TONER because it is great for everyone! These are my top 3 products but I love all CV products that are out there!

Our ultimate goal is to provide our students with a strong foundation upon which to grow a flourishing career. Marina Valmy, our leader, calls this a “root system,” and it’s why our success as educators is embodied by the successes of our alumni. To celebrate this, we feature the achievements of our fabulous graduates in our Alumni Spotlight series. Each Spotlight showcases an interview with a Christine Valmy graduate about their educational and professional journeys.

As part of our educational philosophy, we aim to provide thought leadership on topics relevant to industry professionals and those with a passion for beauty. Click here to visit our Educated Insights homepage to learn trends, tutorials, industry news, and tips for at-home care and spa treatments.

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Reopening Your Salon or Spa

After the traumatic year we’ve all had, we know there is going to be high demand for pampering spa and salon services as soon as they are offered! But as locations begin to reopen, more and more questions arise about how we are going to keep ourselves and each other safe, while also getting back to business. There is no one right answer for everyone, and we will have to learn from – and lean on – each other throughout the process. However, there are regulations and best practices to inform our decisions. To help you facilitate a successful reopening, we’ve gathered guidelines and materials from trustworthy sources and compiled them here.

NYS GUIDELINES FOR PERSONAL CARE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES

As of September 3rd, New York State has reopened facial services! To view the most recent Guidelines for Personal Care Services, click here.

This PDF contains the full list of mandatory and recommended precautions for businesses to take when they reopen. Most of you are likely aware of what is required, so we’ve highlighted some suggested best practices that you may have overlooked. However, we highly recommend reading through the entire PDF to see which bullets apply to your business.

If you are a business that offers nail services – consider removing nail polish bottles or other shared items from displays, or place them in a protected location, prevent multiple customers handling the same item.
If you offer waxing services – Consider separating wax into clean single-use containers that it can be easily discarded after each client.
Get rid of or reduce cancellation fees so that clients are encouraged to stay home if they feel sick.
If you sell products in your business, limit customer contact with products prior to purchase.
Encourage customers to pay ahead or use touchless payment options when possible.

RESOURCES FOR REOPENING

The American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) created a Guide to Reopening that includes:
- A Reopening Toolkit with relevant links to certification courses, as well as other toolkits and guides.
- Links to Reopening and Sanitization information from sources including the CDC and U.S. Department of Labor.
The International Spa Association (iSPA) also came out with their own Spa Reopening Toolkit that contains links to various resources including:
- Manuals for sanitization standards, a reopening checklist, management tips, and much more.
- Templates for signs or visuals related to social distancing, sanitization, etc.
- Videos from industry experts
MindBody has a COVID-19 Resources Page that includes:
- Templates for business communications that you may need.
- Blog posts, webinars and infographics on various topics focused on helping your business navigate these times.
- Case studies on businesses across the country that have figured out how to successfully reopen.

Since the beginning of March, personal care businesses and workers have constantly had to adapt and reinvent themselves. It’s taken hard work, dedication and perseverance, and we could not be more proud of the beauty community as a whole for making it to this milestone! It’s been a long journey, and we still have a while to go before this is behind us, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel as spas and salons begin to do what they do best again – make clients happy.

We have been updating our Coronavirus landing page as we learn more about the timeline for offering services

As part of our educational philosophy, we aim to provide thought leadership on topics relevant to industry professionals and those with a passion for beauty. Click here to visit our Educated Insights homepage to learn trends, tutorials, industry news, and tips for at-home care and spa treatments.

Some of the links on this page refer to sources outside of our website. The responsibility for the content of linked URLs is solely that of the owners of the linked pages.

Our Expert Instructor Chats About Esthetics

Listen in as SpaSOS ‘s Sherrie Tennessee and Christine Valmy instructor, Despina Freimanis, discuss the evolving beauty industry and how to launch a career in skin care!

Visit Well World TV’s Youtube channel for this and other wellness-related content.

Some of the links on this page refer to sources outside of our website. The responsibility for the content of linked URLs is solely that of the owners of the linked pages.

The Spa Industry’s Record-Breaking Year

In the last decade, the Spa Industry has been thriving. According to the 2019 Spa Industry Study, conducted by ISPA and PWC, the Spa Industry saw an increase across all key performance metrics for the ninth year in a row. In 2018, the industry once again set records in total revenue, spa visits, spa locations, revenue per visit and total employees.

Some key takeaways from this study are:

Spa revenues increased by 4.7 percent, growing from $17.5 billion in 2017 to $18.3 billion in 2018
Spa visits reached 190 million, a 1.6 percent increase
The number of spa locations rose to 22,160 in 2018 from 21,770 in 2017
Revenue per visit grew to $96.50, a 3 percent increase from 2017
The average revenue per spa establishment reached the highest its been since 2001, reaching a record $826,000

With the industry on the rise, the total number of employees expanded to 377,900 as of May 2019. There has never been a better time to get a quality education and open the door to new opportunities within the field of beauty. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this promising industry.

Some of the links on this page refer to sources outside of our website. The responsibility for the content of linked URLs is solely that of the owners of the linked pages.