Course Guide: Manufacturing and Selling of Spa Products

          Welcome to MSSP 101- Manufacturing and Selling of Spa Products!

          Most of us are aware that we now live in very stressful times. It takes a lot more of our energy to be able to earn our keep and pursue our dreams. Our economy is barely surviving and our country’s political climate doesn’t help at all. At the end of the day, can we say that we’re happy and satisfied? Was a day’s hard work worth whatever it is that we are living for? Maybe yes. Maybe not.

          In the midst of all this, many of us still think of better ways to cope with life’s hardships. Many of us still yearn to be able to have that dream vacation, that dream career, money in the bank, a business perhaps, something that will inspire us to move on and continue striving for success and be better people. And so we work hard, day in and day out, hoping that someday, we get to live the life that we want —- stress-free and happy.

          At present, there are already many available ways to cope with “this thing called life”. We just need to be sensitive enough to our desires and look for the answers to our problems around us. Most of the time, the solution is already right in front of us but we just fail to see it due to our sense of complacency and lack of motivation. But this can change anytime as long as we want it to. It all depends on us, how we view our life in general and how soon we can start making a difference. Let me do my share, if only I can catch your attention.

           One of the emerging industries today that cater to the needs of the stressed consumers is beauty spas and salons. However, only the upper middle class and above can usually afford them. Not everyone can, most especially the working middle and lower class who are the ones bombarded with daily stress of family life and work, due to the dwindling economy of our country. People would rather buy food and other necessities for their families rather than go to the spa for an expensive relaxation treatment.

           However, it is the same emergence of the spa trend that pushed the creative minds of some of these ordinary people to create an alternative to the expensive spa treatment. Thus, this course on the Manufacturing and Selling of Natural Spa Products is created. With this, you will learn how to source out affordable natural ingredients and use them to concoct similar natural spa products sold expensively at premier spas and salons around the metro and bring this luxurious ambience right at your and your customer’s home. This way, you not only earn but you also get to share the secrets of physical beauty to those around you, at a very fair market price. Once you get used to the so-called tricks of the trade, you can opt to expand your horizons by selling them to selected resorts and even selling them commercially. The adventure in this business is endless. Initially, you just have to be interested and passionate enough to be able to develop and pursue it.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

           In summary, this course deals with the nitty-gritty details of concocting natural spa products right at your own home — from knowing what types of natural ingredients to use, to looking for a supplier, buying mixing ware and utensils, creatively packaging your finished spa products and selling them to your target niche market (e.g. 18-40 year old women of the higher and middle income bracket as your primary target market and lower middle income bracket as your prospective retailers) and even offering them to some key beach and spa resorts in the country for better profit. This way, you as students are also able to learn how to travel on a budget and mix business with pleasure at the same time. After all, what’s the worth of all your hard work if you won’t be able to derive pleasure from it too, right?

          Consequently, this course is all about letting your creative juices flow and letting your love for beauty emanate through your finished products and level of income or profit. You must be at least in college level, either working part-time or full time, are having financial difficulties but are aggressive, outgoing and are willing to learn, who are interested in sales, marketing, traveling and beauty products and are motivated enough to augment your family income. You are expected to be computer-literate, physically active, and have a little knowledge about the trend of spa products these days. The more creative, flexible, hardworking and focused you are, the more you will be able to learn and earn from this course/experience. Moreover, you are also able to offer hope to others who are yearning to be more confident and beautiful about themselves. Because skin-deep beauty also triggers happy and confident feelings about oneself and therefore bring about a more beautiful, relaxed and peaceful you inside and out. Not only that. Considering that we live in very financially troubled times and people have been more stressed than ever as proven by numerous studies worldwide, the affordable natural spa products will help other people experience the luxury of spa that they have been yearning for, right at their own home! At the end of the day, you can say that it’s a win-win situation after all!

          The theoretical part is fairly easy to learn. Most of the topics will be discussed online. Each module will take about two weeks to discuss and you as students must participate by posting your comments, questions, clarifications and learning at least twice a week. Please be guided by the given schedule at the end of this introduction.

          The practical applications on the other hand, need a bit more patience and hard work in order to perfect your concoction techniques. There will be a face-to-face session for this where you will be expected to apply what you have learned and concoct at least 3 spa products of your choice. You are also expected to practice your own concoctions in the convenience of your own home and report back your experience and the result of your finished products on our discussion board.

          Good luck and don’t forget to have fun!

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After going through this course, the students will:

·         Understand the trend of the use of spa products in this modern times and its financial importance as well;

·         Understand and be familiar with the importance of using natural ingredients to enhance one’s physical beauty, well-being and consequently help improve self-confidence;

·         Be able to concoct, package, market and sell their own natural beauty products at a fair market price in order to gain profit and help augment their income; and

·         Appreciate the value of budget traveling and how to incorporate it in their business to further boost their product sales as well as their well-being.

PREREQUISITES

          This course is for those who are at either working part-time or full time, are having financial difficulties but are aggressive, outgoing and are willing to learn, who are interested in sales, marketing, traveling and beauty products and are motivated enough to augment their family income. I expect them to be computer-literate, physically active, and have a little knowledge about the trend of spa products these days.

          To be admitted, applicants must:

1. Be at least in college level;
2. Have basic computer knowledge and Internet skills (word processing, excel, PowerPoint, emailing, surfing the Internet);
3. Have available computer and internet connection they can use to attend online discussions;
4. Can shell out at least P5000 as capital investment.

ONLINE REFERENCES FOR LESSON A

            Read the online articles and familiarize yourself with the spa trends worldwide. What is the general trend? Basically, why do more and more people get hooked with the “spa”? Also, get to know the natural/organic/chemical ingredients used in manufacturing spa products and be able to use them later on when you concoct your own beauty spa product.

Spa Finder Offers Sneak Preview of Spa Trends to Watch in 2005. Retrieved July 14, 2005, from                  http://www.soap-wire.com/2004/12/spa_finder_offe.html

European Consumers Go Natural.  Retrieved June 20, 2005, from             

http://www.soap-wire.com/2005/06/european_consum.html

Top 10 Beauty Trends. Retrieved July 5, 2005, from                                                                       http://www.soap-wire.com/2005/01/top_10_beauty_t.html

Raw Materials Enhancing the Success of Wellness Products. Retrieved August 1, 2005, from http://www.soap-wire.com/forecasts_trends/

The Tropical Spa Experience. Retrieved June 17, 2005, from

http://www.99bali.com/spa/thestory/tropicalspa_experience/index.html

Natural /Organic Ingredients. Retrieved July 10, 2005, from

http://www.99bali.com/spa/thestory/spa_ingredients/index.html

A Green Machine; the Growing Demand for Natural Products. Retrieved July 8, 2005, from

http://www.happi.com/current/Jan042.htm

COURSE TIMELINE

I. THEORETICAL ASPECT (Weeks 1-6)

A. Emergence of Spa Products Today (Weeks 1 and 2)

1. Natural Spa Products
2. Organic Spa Products
3. Chemical/Synthetic Spa Products

*** Submission of Midterm Project (Week 7)***

II.PRACTICAL ASPECT

4. Possible Resorts in the Philippines (Week 18)
4.1 Boracay
4.2 Coron, Palawan
4.3 Tagaytay
4.4 Pagudpud
4.5 Puerto Galera
4.6 Nasugbu
4.7 Cebu
4.8 Dumaguete
4.9 Bohol
4.10 Camiguin
4.11 Siargao

*** Preparation For The Class Bazaar (Week 19)***

*** Class Bazaar (Week 20)***

PROJECTS

Midterms

          The students are expected to prepare their own recipe book for all the spa products that they studied and also make at least two (2) novelty spa product recipes incorporating everything they learned from LESSONS A-C. Submission is on July 29, 2006. Please see the prescribed format below for reference.

Format for the Midterm Project:

-You may use any type of paper, colored or plain.

-You may use any font of any color.

-Write your recipe book title on the cover page.

-Write your name and section at the lower right corner of the first page.

-Place the page number at the center of your footer beginning at the Introduction page.

-Indicate the amount of capital for each recipe and the suggested selling price of each product.

-Follow this framework:

          I.    Cover Page  

          II.   Name and Section Page

          III.  Introduction

          IV.  Acknowledgments

          V.   Table of Contents

          VI.  Face Spa Recipes

          VII. Body Spa Recipes

          VIII.Hand Spa Recipes

          IX.  Foot Spa Recipes

          X.   Novelty Spa Items

          XI.  Glossary of Natural Ingredients

-There’s no limit to the number of pages. Be as creative and colorful as you can be!

- The grading system for this project is as follow:

          Completeness of Ingredients              20%

          Correctness of Procedures                 20%

          Uniqueness of Packaging                    20%

          Fair Pricing                                       20%

          Overall Impact of the Recipe Book       20%

          TOTAL                                             100%

Finals

          The class will be divided into four groups. Each group is expected to present four (4) spa packages (Face, Body, Hands, and Feet) and their novelty products in a class bazaar on October 26-27, 2006. Venue will be announced later. The group with the most profit will gain additional points in their final grade.

CONTACT INFORMATION

          If you have any concern about this course that you would like to discuss with me personally, you may contact me at the following:

          Mobile #       -        09189270950

          Landline       -        4539145

          Email           -        jenjuan_1999@yahoo.com