My Actiderm journey part 2

Hi everyone

So as you know from previous posts I work for a direct sales company called Actiderm as part of my beauty business. As I have had a chance to try out a fair amount of their products I do now have some firm winners within the line and some definite misses. This may be down to my particular skin type but also to do with value for money. I thought I'd share with you where I am currently the products that are absolute wins for me and any direct sales problems I have and am facing and where I plan to go with direct sales within my business.

As far as working with Actiderm and I'm not sure how this runs with other direct sales companies but it was sold to me as no minimums, no pressure just earn at your own pace. Now I found out very quickly that the higher up line you get the pushier they are about you stretching your personal targets, I totally understand they are in it for the money the more you earn the more they earn I get that but training became very focused on recruitment and high sales figures, I own my own business as well as parenting 3 children so getting out to sell, sell, sell is difficult. When I explained that my area is hard to generate sales their answer was move out of your area now for me what is the point I want an extra couple of hundred per month if I'm travelling to pamper events that costs me more in fuel pushing costs up and return down another issue. Last major issue is that due to yet another rebranding the packaging is changing, products and sizes are changing therefore stock levels have somewhat depleted leaving me at a place where the products that gain the most sales for me are constantly out of stock. Selling a product to someone for the sake of sales is not working smart it will put people off. I really hope this issue is resolved in September as promised or I will totally loose my client base altogether.

With the negatives out of the way I will talk you through my hero products from the line and the products that don't quite hit the mark for me.

I have fairly normal skin, in the summer slight combo on the oily side but in the winter slightly dehydrated so my skincare changes slightly according to time of year.

SKIN CARE

My first hit is with the detox purifying mask retailing at £16.50, for me worth every penny it uses that ionic clay type of thing to extract impurities and I also use as a spot treatment to dry up active breakouts, great for congested skin due to acne or hormonal breakouts. Eye and lip contour concentrate is one of the best eye creams I have ever used seeing results in as little as 2 weeks, who can argue with that, great for mature skin or to prevent the first signs of ageing at £23.50 for 3 months supply I'm not complaining. Collagen concentrate is great under your chosen moisturiser and just boosts skins texture there are better serums but it is a good one for those new to skincare, all serums are £23.50 which is good value in my opinion. Concentrated Hyaluronic serum can be used as a moisturiser for younger skins but as a boost if you are feeling dry, my husband utterly loves this product. Fresh start mask is the best product ever for uneven skin, a 15% glycolic is stronger than on the high street so is effective at giving your skin a renewed appearance after the first session. In my opinion the cleansers are overpriced for what they are you can get better at the chemist, the face creams with the exception of collagen night cream and no tox are very rich and even those need to be used sparingly.

BODY

The body scrub is nice, it could be to harsh for delicate skins and in terms of value it is only £10.50 but you receive only 150ml of product where if you buy something like soap and glory you get much more product for your money, however for at home pedicures this stuff is fabulous especially when your feet are tired from wearing flip flops all summer. Lipo sculpting wraps are an utter win they really work well and I have purchased many for myself the fluid doubles up as an anti cellulite body lotion. All of the body lotions are really nice, they are priced well and a little goes a long way they are very light in texture and due to the technology throughout the whole line they really work.

MAKEUP

I will start with base the two foundations are ok, I'd say they are more suited to dry skins as they are very rich and application is hard work, from a makeup artist point of view not great but for a night out the HD foundation is very full and flawless so fab for a night out or bridal so long as you set it with a powder at £20 I'm sure you can get better on the high street for every day use but for a full coverage night look it's good . Concealer, just yes, I love it, covers dark circles, blemishes, melasma, it's just so good I can't get enough £16.50 well spent. The powder products are the winners for me, I feel like they stay all day, the colour ranges are fab and they blend like a dream, the eye shadows need a primer base, and the bronzer has a slight shimmer across them so not ideal to contour but otherwise beautiful, the winning powder product is hands down the highlight powder its stunning. The creme lipsticks are lovely, lip liner nice and gloss is ok a bit overpriced for what they are but a nice addition to your makeup collection, eyebrow wax should be in everyone's makeup bag and the gel liner is great, I'd steer clear from the mascara and the  creme to powder shadow I think they are a waste of money in my opinion. A great way to buy the powder product is in the palettes a double saves you £3 and a triple saves you £3.40 plus you get them in a nicely packaged palette.

As I am running a busy at home/mobile salon I am interested in more direct sales as an opportunity to really connect with my clients, there are gaps in the Actiderm line that can be not only filled with my salon brand but with other direct sales products so I have joined another one this morning. I will blog about my first impressions very soon along with my direct sales journey. I really hope that the stock problem is rectified when the packaging is launched because this will make sales easier as well as the fact that I have decided to sell mostly online hosting virtual parties via Facebook. More on how this goes when I have figured out my routine.

I really hope this was somewhat incite full to some of you at least.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

Dont be a busy fool !!

Hi everyone

I don't know about anyone else in the mobile sector but I have a fair amount of business through the summer holidays. This consist of regular waxers, tanning and people wanting to spend real time and money on some proper pampering.
I've not run a single new offer through the holidays and have still been ticking over very nicely.

I plan on running a back to school offer but just on 2 treatments and if experience is anything to go by giving something for free rather than lots of treatments all with money off will bring you much more returning business.

Then there are the wide eyed, selfie loving, everybody's friend therapists that are breaking their backs cutting prices on all treatments to fill their diarys with customers wanting a bargains that either won't come back or will only come back if the price is right. Yes they are busy but they are not recouping enough money on gel manicures or facials essentially leaving them out of pocket therefor being busy fools.

Example :- Buy an express mani/pedi priced at £22 for both + £5 for gel polish( minimal products are used in these treatments and take no longer than 30 mins each) and get a free full body massage worth £39, again very little outlay in terms of costing but the client receives a free treatment saving them money. You use your brain with these clients, if using gel polish there is possibilities for rebook for removal and reapplication, reccomending regular back neck and shoulder massage means a returning customer, the possibilities are endless.
If there is a full menu with 10 or 20% off there is a lot of choice  which puts people off and you appear cheap, there is nothing wrong with a bargain but bargain hunters will look for someone cheaper than you and most of the time are full of complaints. Getting too familiar with your clients can be a bad idea too and may lead to some major puss taking on their behalf, we all know someone who says "my friend is a hairdresser and does it cheap/for free" don't fill your diary with people who aren't willing to pay full price, offering free treatments in return for reviews and reccomendation is a great idea if you are select but other than that keep the offers clean crisp and guenuine.

No one wants to be a busy fool so think about what you are doing and planning, the business will come to you, and when every Tom dick and Harry is offering the same thing at rock bottom prices and a fully booked just think to yourself it's not sustainable, build yourself a viable business not a value business.

We've all been there thinking how do they do it and if you look at the truth behind it all they can't !!

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

The Beautiful people

Hi everyone

I hope this post finds you well.

I have had a lot to deal with of late some good some bad, my dear Nan passed away. I had a birthday, my son had a birthday, my sister got married and in amongst it all I felt like I was a bit lost, I still do if I'm honest. So while my little boy is restring his sore head (he cracked it open at my sisters wedding reception, that's another story) I thought I'd get cracking with some of the things that have been on my mind lately.

Even tho this has a bit of a funny title all will become apparent, I hope......

So at the end of the school year my eldest daughter asks if she can get her nose pierced and dye her hair pink. Now I like to think I'm fairely open minded as a parent, I was 18 myself when my daughter was born and I remember very vividly thinking my mum knew nothing about being a teen. Being a teen in the 90's grunge era too we were all full of angst. I digress, I have no problem with this at all so long as the hair returns to a natural colour before school starts in September and the nose stud is not an issue, my little one having an answer for everything insists she can get a clear stud and the dye will wash out, this is all fine by me and I reiterate the fact I will not pay to have it rectified, her hair her nose, if she is old enough to have these things done she can take responsibility.

I have a point I swear......

My husband and I take her for the piercing and to buy hair dye, when it is done she looks beautiful. We do a stupid face selfie and I announce to the FB world my teenager is quite normal after all.the picture received nothing but negative comments, "what a mongy face" "why would you put that pic on FB" "omg what a picture" My initial reaction was anger, why would you write such horrid comments on a picture of a child clearly pulling a stupid face, what nasty people I have the displeasure to know, then when I thought about it all of these people put pictures of themselves and their children on FB that are fully made up, pouting faces, posing in their best clothes selfies. I HATE THESE PICTURES what are you teaching your kids people, only posing, made up pictures are acceptable, I don't comment on any of them because I believe to each his own but I do question why I joined the beauty industry if this is what we are creating. Then I took a long hard look at my daughter and took inspiration from her and remembered why I love the beauty industry. I love anything that makes you feel good about yourself, whether it be natural beauty or faked from top to toe if that's what makes you feel great then I'm happy, I want my clients to be left feeling like the best version of themselves no matter what.

We all judge, we are human its natural, some people need a good dose of judging. When it comes to beauty anything goes and for the most part it can be washed off and put on completely different the next day. I love the 60's at the moment, my daughter is going for a classier grunge look, the majority are going for pouty selfies but we're all different and I love it.

I'm not angry at the comments anymore, I don't feel the need to say nasty things about others even if I don't like what they do, say, think or how they dress. I'm secure in my own skin and love playing with makeup, hair and nails to change things up.

We are all beautiful people.

Lots of love

Mrs G XXX