To lay out a solid roadmap for further success in 2026, Shiri Sarfati, chief marketing officer at Repêchage, and guest speaker Liana Davydov, founder, New York City influencer Lida Beauty Share spa business insights in masterclass, Success starts with smart marketing. Here we provide the key takeaways from this information session, packed with the latest statistics and information on customer preferences and marketing insights to inspire and inform your spa business.
Are you a radiant person?
As spa owners and estheticians, our biggest concern is often making our clients' skin glow, but what does it take to be a successful business owner? Say, by becoming a luminary Shiri Sarfati.
The landscape of spa enthusiasts (your key market segment) is always changing. The most important factor in business success is becoming a leading expert in your field and understanding your market.
For example, more and more men are visiting spas for skin care, health promotion and overall wellness. Research shows that the number of men booking spa treatments has increased by 346% since 2018. We found that this involves a younger generation of men who are developing better skin care habits with their partners. What are we doing to deliver this message in this part of the spa?
The really exciting news is that 54% of spa goers have had a facial in the past 12 months (ISPA 2025). This is a segment growing by over 50% and bodes well for your facial business.
96% of active spa enthusiasts purchase an annual subscription (ISPA 2024).
How can we get customers in our door often, not just on birthdays or special occasions?
Spa or salon membership: Sarfati and Davydov point out that, especially for younger generations, membership is a viable way to attract loyalty. Like gym memberships, this generation understands they need to spend a little to save up and become repeat customers to not lose points. This allows clients to stick with the three- to four-week regimen and build loyalty.
Become an expert: Fully understand natural and preventive ingredients and functions. Young people are better educated and often more aware of the ingredients in the products they use, as well as the long-term effects of certain chemicals on their health.
However, while they are more savvy, their education may be a bit scattered as the source of this education may not be optimal. As a licensed professional, it’s important to become an expert at cutting through the noise your clients hear on social media. Learn about all the new treatments that are happening so you can look beyond fads and trends and truly provide expert advice on them.
Meet their needs and focus on WOW! :
“Remember, it’s about the whole experience, not just the facial,” says Lydia Sarfati.
Cleanliness: From the moment they walk through the spa door, they assess the cleanliness and hygiene of the space and if it’s not clean, they walk out the door.
Decoration: How are your products presented? What did the receptionist sound like and how were you welcomed? Shiri Sarfati noted, “Every time I go to Liana’s spa, she takes great care of the customer service team, the people who greet customers, serve them matcha or coffee, Even a little champagne, whatever satisfies their needs. The appearance of the environment is always top notch and always clean, this is what will keep your customers coming back for more. “
By visiting her clients' homes, Davydov knows what her clients like and what they have in their homes. She replicates this in her spa so that when they come to her spa, they feel like they are entering their own home. It felt sublime—and that was exactly who her clientele was.
“You need to understand that if you're an existing spa or the sole owner of a room that you're renting, sometimes you can't really create the entire vision, but I'm a firm believer that you can find things that create energy and atmosphere,” Davydov said. “So whether it's lighting up Candle, Music, the blankets that you use, our spa beds come with heated blankets, we make sure the room is really comfortable and warm, the lighting is right, the music is right, just add little things like pictures or gadgets from Amazon. It’s not always about spending a lot of money, it’s about creating an environment. I'm also a big believer in mirrors because if there's a mirror they're more likely to take a selfie and then post it and then whatever spa or beautician I see you get “I just had the best experience ever”.
Who are your customers?
First, it’s important to fully understand your target customers and then make sure you’re tailoring them to their every need and feeling.
Baby Boomers (1946-1964) 70 million
Over 80% of demographics rely on word-of-mouth as a primary source of recommendations, but Baby Boomers rely most heavily on it. This generation trusts their friends, colleagues, and colleagues to find out everything from the best places to eat in their area to where to get the best facials.
Baby boomers focus on value rather than cost, so offer high-value services and value-added promotions rather than discount promotions.
Education is key, so make sure your employees are well-versed in your product’s ingredient profile and functionality. If you don't know the answer right away, follow up so they know you're valuable to them.
This crowd goes to spas to relax and enjoy the quiet, so make sure your space is comfortable, luxurious, and quiet, as mentioned above.
To fight the signs of aging, Vita Cura® treatments and collect.
Generation X (1965-1980) 65 million
This generation has the highest spending power, especially when it comes to health, therapy, retail and gift cards.
Their focus is on anti-aging and skin care. They value self-care and mental health, and prefer proven methods over popular fads.
Their loyalty is high, so once you capture that customer and convince them with incredible treatments and products, 67% of them are likely to continue using their spa and the treatments and services they enjoyed with you.
However, they do like to keep it simple. this Repêchage three peptide series is the perfect solution for this population, showing results with a simple routine
Millennials (1980-1996) 74 million
Millennials are the largest segment of the population today. For them, keep it simple and mobile-friendly. It is within this group that we see an increase in male spa visitors, accounting for nearly half (49%) of spa visitors,
Creating bespoke services and products and focusing on holistic wellness that addresses both physical and mental health is key.
Millennials also go to spas to have fun. Partnering with other venues or hosting fun social wellness events within the spa to add to the social experience is key.
Generation Z (1997-2010): 70 million
Gen Z is the most mobile-reliant consumer. They do want spa treatments for health and wellness reasons and self-care is a priority, but they want to see results. They take photos after treatment – they want to post about it and show the results.
This generation is really blurring the lines between beauty and health, so they may want to see facials incorporated into some form of conditioning or anti-aging skin care. This is where experience-driven immersive, Instagram and social campaigns can drive traffic to your business. Combining facials with exercise, yoga meditation and even cold baths creates an immersive experience for them.
This generation is becoming increasingly accustomed to spa subscriptions. Be sure to create a subscription plan to capture this important demographic.
This population benefits from a variety of skincare ranges based on the individual needs of their skin, and particularly benefits from seaweed-based holistic skincare products such as Hydra Blue® Seriesand brighten Biolight® Series.
Alpha Generation (2010-2024) 50 million
These are your kids, also known as Sephora Kids. 53% can define what nicotinamide is!
The next generation has a huge impact on household spending habits. They are highly exposed to digital and have become savvy consumers, gravitating towards premium, aspirational brands. We will spend the longest time with Generation Alpha. They will be a very critical generation in the next few years. Ensure safe, age-appropriate products are marketed to this group to meet their developmental needs,
Their parents are looking for digital detox experiences for them to get them away from electronic devices, which we know can cause extreme stress.
This is where Mom and Me therapy really comes into play. Easter Tournament introduced fusion facial It is for this reason that age-appropriate ingredients for people aged 8 to 80 were launched a few years ago. this T zone series It is also beneficial for this customer.
Implementing the latest marketing strategies is the key to business success in 2026. You can view the entire course here for more information and inspiration. For more business building masterclasses, visit lydiasarfati.com for the following courses: How to turn your salon into a profit center and The Art of Recommendation.
Learn from Lydia Sarfati For your own step-by-step approach to creating and sustaining a successful business in a changing world, read on Success is within reach: How to succeed in the skin care industry.
Be sure to follow Shiri Sarfati @shirisarfati and Liana Davydov @lidavbeauty.
