Service enhancements and add-ons are a great way to for both spas and clients to get the most value out of their treatment sessions. We spoke to industry experts to learn more about popular enhancement options, the benefits of enhancements and ways your spa can promote service enhancements and add-ons.

What enhancements are most popular with your clientele?

Trudy Smith, spa operator and director of education, Universal Companies: Cupping is a very popular service enhancement; specifically, lip plumping is an easy add-on after a facial and guests love the results! I recommend silicone cups like those from Bellabaci, which are hand-squeezable (no pumps or heat) and can be used on the body or face.

Another nice enhancement is aromatherapy. Essential oils can be customized for each client and mingled with an unscented massage lotion, cream or oil. At the end of a service, add a few drops into a warm, moist towel and wrap the face so your guest can enjoy inhalation.

Kinesiology tape offers an opportunity to extend healing after a massage. You’ll want pre-cut strips to make application easy. SpiderTech offers these, and therapists can also use them for postural, wrist, arm or thumb support.

Felicia Brown, LMBT, massage, spa and wellness expert and consultant: Popular add-on services include stretching, hot stones, hot bamboo, cupping, lymphatic drainage, Theragun and mechanical massagers, hot towels, gua sha, salt therapy, light therapy, thermal body wraps or mats, EFT, guided meditation/visualization and sound therapy.

Kathleen Hamilton, regional esthetics director, Woodhouse Spa: Our most popular enhancements are the Babor Ampoules. These ampoules can be used in a variety of ways, from boosting hydration to calming stress, nourishing stripped skin or even adding extra collagen—who doesn’t need a boost of collagen these days? These are simple enhancements that can be incorporated into any of our facials, based on any individual needs the client may have on that particular day. The ampoules are also a simple way to introduce products to our clients for home care, where they can extend the treatment at their leisure!

Verena Lasvigne-Fox, senior spa director, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center: Our collagen hand and foot treatments and yoga balm are most popular with our guests. The collagen hand and foot treatment is infused with vegan collagen, argan oil and shea butter to provide deep hydration and nourish extra dry skin. The yoga balm enhancement is an organic essential healing blend that can be used to spot treat tense muscles, reduce joint and muscle inflammation, and improve blood flow during massage treatments.

We have six enhancements that can be added to any of our treatments, and three for our facials, including light therapy, extractions and microdermabrasion. We plan to bring back the Knesko Collagen Mask and the gua sha for glowing skin, which offers highly restorative lifting and smoothing and can even be used to relieve muscle and joint pain.

How do enhancements complement wellness offerings?

Hamilton: We offer some more corrective enhancements, such as microcurrent and gua sha treatments. The microcurrent is similar to hitting the gym to lift weights, but for facial muscles. Gua sha is similar to the pre-stretch one would do at the gym, promoting circulation to warm up the facial muscles for a better workout. Although each can be incorporated individually into any facial, we use them together in our Signature Sculpt Facial for a more in-depth and corrective treatment.

Lasvigne-Fox: They are a great way to achieve additional benefits, especially when some guests only have time for a 60-minute treatment as opposed to a 90-minute one. This winter, we introduced a hydrating and deeply moisturizing Winter Glow Facial using QMS Medicosmetics products. The treatment includes a complimentary TheraFace enhancement and a beauty collagen SkinTe drink that helps reduce tension, relax facial muscles and rejuvenate,leaving skin visibly smoother and more radiant.

Our Collagen Renewal Facial is often complemented by the Ageless Beauty Wand enhancement. The beauty wand is used to massage skin and deliver microcurrent to tighten, improve circulation and diminish fine lines and wrinkles.

How are you promoting your treatment enhancements?

Brown: A growing trend I’ve noticed is including the cost of add-ons within the price of the service. Clients pay a higher price for the service up front but don’t incur incremental charges for hot stones or a topical pain reliever added to a massage therapy session, for example, or adding cupping or custom ampoules to a facial. This allows service providers to use whatever tools or products are needed without clients feeling nickeled and dimed. Whatever add-ons are used, it is important to discuss the possible use of them with clients before the session so they can choose to opt out.

Lasvigne-Fox: At the beginning of each treatment, guests are given the opportunity to choose from a selection of enhancements. The esthetician has a deep understanding of the enhancements offered and can explain the benefits for each one, recommending suitable options for guests based on their wellness goals for the session. Enhancements are also listed on our website so guests can select ahead of time.

Hamilton: We promote enhancements in three ways. When booking online, our system introduces a specific enhancement that complements the treatment the guest wishes to book. For instance, when a client wants to book an Age Defying facial, the system will ask if they want to add a collagen ampoule.

We also have menus in the treatment rooms and quiet areas for guests’ perusal, and to introduce the idea of an enhancement to any treatment. Lastly, our estheticians are really focused on the consultation, listening to the client’s needs and wants, then educating them about how a specific enhancement can help them achieve their treatment goals.