MAY 2026 MONTHLY BLOG
By Laura Hunnewell
This is not about changing protocols—it’s about enhancing the moments that already exist within a treatment. Clients may not always remember every step of a facial, but they always remember how it made them feel. Incorporating tools is a super way to boost client satisfaction and make our jobs a little more fun!
Between the endless products claiming to lift, firm, or reduce acne, and those promising manual lymphatic drainage, the options can be overwhelming. Do you find yourself buying dozens of tools just to try them on yourself, wondering which ones really work? You never want to sell your client something that doesn’t deliver results.
With more tools being promoted directly to consumers by influencers who lack educational backgrounds, it is best to let them handle the trends. We focus on what we do best: educating our clients on the correct way to use tools on the face and neck and providing professional training through our Hale and Hush specialized classes.
We work in this industry because we love skin. We have put in the hours to ensure our focus remains on spreading factual knowledge rather than chasing fads. Small enhancements—such as scalp, foot, arm, or facial tool massage—provide essential benefits:
While we use aromatherapy to heal, we must remember that scent is one of our strongest links to memory and the nervous system. What feels grounding to one person might feel intrusive or even triggering to another.
To ensure the environment remains a comforting space, it is essential to include a section on your treatment intake form specifically for scent preferences. Ask your clients about scent dislikes, emotional triggers, or sensitivities to incense. Checking these details allows you to prep the room—or clear it—so they aren’t met with a burning candle or a scent that nauseates them, or a diffused oil that compromises their ability to “let go.”
I received my esthetics education at the Aveda Institute, where they focused a large portion of training on facial and scalp massage. I still remember the scalp sequence all these years later! It continues to be one of my favorite things to do during masking time.
If you can’t recall your initial training, there are plenty of advanced classes available. But, since our focus here is on tools, consider a gentle combing tool. It may feel like you are simply combing hair, but it surprisingly puts the client into a dream-like state. I first experienced this in Europe while recovering from a cranial surgery where I couldn’t be touched at the base of my skull. The simple motion around the crown was so relaxing I found myself in a state of bliss.
I use the Dermathod Miola Gua Sha Tool and they are easy to clean. Simply wash with mild soap and water and wipe down 70% isopropyl alcohol.
During longer masks or LED sessions, a foot massage with Hale & Hush Remedy Rehab Oil is a great option to provide a grounding sensation, improve circulation and make the treatment feel fully immersive.
Slow, intentional strokes are key and I always recommend wearing gloves when working on the feet. Sometimes I spend extra time working on the toes or simplify the massage process with an extra-large Kansa wand. If you want to warm it up, place it in the hot towel cabinet for a few minutes wrapped in a dry towel. Add a few drops or pumps of our oil to the copper top of the wand and massage the feet—it feels incredible.
Safety Note: Always test the wand on your arm or wrist first! The copper can get very hot. The skin on the bottoms of the feet can also be very sensitive to touch. Make sure you have hot towels ready for oil removal, so the client doesn’t slip when standing up.
I
Using warmed hands or a Kansa Wand from the towel cabinet adds a deep sense of relaxation. Apply your oil of choice (again I recommend our Remedy Rehab Oil) and spend some extra time on the forearms as we tend to hold a lot of tension there. I like to use the Kansa Wand on the palms. It feels so relaxing.
Safety Note: Always test the wand on yourself first. The palm is incredibly sensitive. I have a high pain tolerance, but my palm tattoo hurt worse than labor!
Gentle pressure is key. Remember, the lymphatic system lives just under the epidermis, so we don’t need heavy hands. Remedy Rehab Oil provides the perfect support for sculpting without excessive slip; you can also mix it with Hush Hydrate for a custom glide.
Mushroom Massage Tools
Our weighted mushroom massagers do the work for you. Using two allows you to cover both sides of the face simultaneously.
Gua Sha for Firmness
Facial Rollers
Rollers are the perfect easy solution for calming redness and finishing a service. Move upward and outward to enhance circulation and reduce lingering tension.
We’re also big fans of Ice Dice! Their compact packaging makes them the ultimate travel companion. Between the eye-catching colors and effortless functionality, they practically sell themselves. I always keep a set in my studio refrigerator for treatments and one at home to relax at night. You can hold them easily in your hands, turn them for under eye and brow massage and use the flat surface to glide over the face and down the neck. As mentioned before, always focus on opening those lymphatic channels on the neck first before working the face. The brand is woman-owned by a founder who is deeply passionate about natural and functional ways to care for your skin.
Chill Mode uses a cooling touch to depuff eyes, reduce oil, and help clear up acne while soothing inflammation from sunburns or bites and smoothing out wrinkles for a healthy glow. When you’re ready to unwind, Relax Mode uses gentle warmth to assist with circulation, making your facial massage more comforting and melting away stress and tension in your muscles.
Travel & Care: Clean with warm, soapy water and dry with a soft cloth. Since the surface is non-porous, there’s no need for harsh scrubbing. Keep them in their case to maintain your routine on your next trip.
Safety Note: Stick to chilled or warm temperatures. To protect your skin, never freeze the cubes or use boiling or hot water.
Confidence in your touch is more impactful than over-explaining science. Make each routine your own through practice—use a friend for honest feedback on your pressure and flow.
When describing your movements, keep it brief and benefit-focused:
While we utilize these techniques during a facial, always distinguish them from specialized clinical work.
Pro Tip: Ensure you frame these movements as supporting lymphatic flow within the context of a professional facial, rather than characterizing the service as a dedicated Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) treatment.
This week, try incorporating just one enhancement into your services. Don’t feel pressured to do them all at once! Offer a choice between a foot, hand/arm, or scalp enhancement. There is no need to do everything during one facial!
Once you are comfortable, pick one facial tool to incorporate each week and see how it unfolds:
Notice how your clients respond. I like to follow up the next day with a simple email asking how their skin looks and feels. Often, clients will respond with touching feedback—this is the perfect moment to ask for permission to use their words as a testimonial on your website.
Pro Tip: If you are retailing these tools, send that follow-up email to ask if they have any questions about using their tools at home. I often ask them to bring them in during their next facial if they need a quick lesson.
Our treatment rooms are more than just spaces for deep cleansing and facial rejuvenation. They are sanctuaries. When we bring a tool into the room, we add an intention.
Whether it is the weighted comfort of Hale & Hush Mushroom Massagers or the surprising chill of Beauty Done Right’s Ice Dice, these tools act as an extension of our hands. They allow us to provide a level of care that a product alone simply cannot achieve.
– Bianca Edwards
