+ Read the transcript here

Chelsea: Alright. So let's take that back. As far as practice is concerned, when you're looking to start offering a new service, then you do want to practice for it, right? And so what I would recommend is reaching out. You can reach out to, like, those friends or family members who have someone who is, like in this example with prenatal henna, reach out and see if you can find friends, your own friends or friends of the family or mutual friends and you can offer a discount for you to offer them the service. Um, or you can, um, just do it for tips. You can, like, just so that you have the practice down.

When you're doing something like prenatal henna it does take a little bit of a different skill. Um, and so you definitely- that's not a situation, like prenatal henna, henna crowns, even bridal, definitely bridal henna, these are things that you- anytime you're dealing with a specialty service, these are things that you want to only offer once you've done them at least once, right? So offering them as a service, um, you definitely want to have experienced that first in some capacity because it requires a little bit of a different, um, not skill set, but like, the way that you think about the work that you're doing is going to be a little bit different. So, um, in this case, I would, I would look for a different, um, a different, like, someone who I could do the work on.

Could you use a balloon rather than a belly to practice on? You could. I've heard of artists doing that, um, using a balloon. I've heard of people like putting a balloon on a chair, putting a balloon on a wall. A wall is a little bit weird to me, but a chair would make sense. Um, even, you know, the- so I've got kids, I don't even know, like, those big bouncy balls that you can get at like a department store for like, like $2 or $3? You know what I'm talking about? They're like the light rubber balls. Those ones would work perfectly. Um, if you wanted to play on a round surface. Oh my gosh, I am so [inaudible] Okay. If you wanted to practice on a round surface that would probably be what I would recommend over a balloon. Um, but you certainly can.

For me, I remember the first belly that I did, um, I just- I offered it for a discount. It was someone who, she wanted to get it done. I want to do it for once so that I could have pictures. And so I offered her, I don't even remember, this was so many years ago. Um, but I offered her a discount and then that's what she chose to- like, she took me up on it and it was perfect. So, um, you can try that.

Now, um, it ca- it normally takes a long time at first couple of times that you're doing any sort of specialty service because it's your first time working on a different part of the body and like, whatever. And so expect that and let your client know that up front, um, in practice part. But as for the second part, how to go about building the service. So once you've had experience offering the service, then uh, you definitely can, um, like, I know that she said it to joke, to visit the OB-GYN's office, but I would do that. In fact, I have done that. Like, you- one of the best things that you can have in your business is professional contacts. Knowing how to network with other professionals is, like, it is the way to go. If you do not do it you will sell yourself short because you're only one person. And so you can do as much marketing, as much advertising as possible. But the truth is, you have to employ other angles to get your- you know, to get word about your business out there.

And so what I would recommend if I were in your shoes and wanting to start this, um, you know, kind of kick off this new service, I would stop at the OB-GYN's office with really nice, like, um, not a business card. I wouldn't take just the business card, but, um, an OB-GYN is, like, the midwife. I don't know what they call it in the UK. Uh, but like your perinatal specialists. So you could go to your midwife or to your OB. Um, but I wouldn't take just a- I would probably take a few business cards, but that wouldn't be what I would base it on or what I would take the most stuff. I would take, um, little car- not even- I mean, you could take like a rack card. You know, the rack cards are like long and they're like this or you could take postcards and just have them printed out really nicely when you go to the- um, when you get the postcard done, like, have a really nice image on the front of the work that you did on whatever that first client or person was, right? And then, um, and have just your contact information. So almost treat it like a business card. Um, but with their-a nice, a really a nice image on it. And I would, I would drop that one, um, I would drop that one off at, uh, the OB-GYN's office.

I would contact any local midwives and share your information with them. I would contact local doulas and share your information with them. I- like, this is where you build your professional network, so you have to get out of your comfort zone and go talk to those people. And this is the same across the board. So it's not like, oh, just if you were doing prenatal henna and you wanted to kick off the service that this was what you would do. It's the same if you're wanting to do more bridal henna then you need to get in contact with wedding photographers and event planners, wedding planners, uh, wedding, what are they called? The rental, wedding rental people. The, um- like, all of these people. All of these people that are working within your circle, um, who are serving the same type of client. Those are the people that you need to know because then they're going to hear questions about this thing and you're going be the first person to come to mind because you took the time to reach out to them and to make yourself known. So this is what, um, this is what I would recommend any time you're trying to offer any new service and any service at all.

There's a lot, there's a lot of science behind mixing henna and there are a lot of different ways that you can do it. The short answer is that, um, when you're working with making henna there are a couple of things that you have to have. You have to have a liquid. You want it to be mildly acidic. You don't have to have sugar, but it's recommended that you have sugar. Um, the amount of sugar is going to depend on, um, your climate, where you work, where you will be doing the work. Um, you'll want to have fresh, natural henna powder that's at least, at least, triple sifted. If you can have a powder that's five times sifted, that's even better. But triple sifted is good. And um, and then, um, most times nowadays people will add also essential oils to your paste.

You don't have to use essential oils in your paste, but you can. Um, and so you definitely want to use essential oil that is of good quality, that is safe for your clients to use. Lavender tea tree, um, and cajeput are my favorites. I don't really recommend eucalyptus though many people do use it. If you choose to use eucalyptus, I encourage you to only use Australian eucalyptus. There are hundreds of different types of eucalyptus and the production of eucalyptus essential oil is not regulated and many of the places where it's made, where it's distilled. And so, um, but in Australia there is regulation around the use of essential oils, the production of eucalyptus essential oil. And so, um, Australian essential oil, Australian eucalyptus essential oils specifically is, um, safe is safe for use. But, um, many times essential oil- the eucalyptus essential oils that are produced elsewhere, um, tend to be cut with something else more often than not. It's something like a turpentine. So it's just- it's not safe for use. It's not good quality.

Um, and then of course if you have specific questions about mixing henna or if you want to take a course on mixing henna, I have a course for that that I can point you to that's really, really, really, really good. It will take you through the history of henna, the science of henna, the chemistry behind it, henna safety, the works. So, absolutely.

If they're working in my booth then my cards are what are going out. If I'm working in their booth then I'm giving their cards out.

The short answer is, if you feel like you've lost your henna mojo, then the best way to get it back is to just do the work. So in that case, you can grab a practice board, you can grab some paper, you can grab your own skin or someone else's skin, like, get voluntary skin please, but do- but, work, work, put your hands to work and start to start to create. The more you create, the more creativity you gain. So if you feel like you're in a rut, get out there and do more practice. Do more creating so that it can come back and you can kind of, like, recharge that battery.