In Tune with the Market: Bellus Academy Creates CBD Curriculum

By Lynelle Lynch, Owner, Bellus Academy

As anyone who has lived through the past 18 months can attest, change and disruption often precede periods of intense growth. As of this writing, the U.S. economy is roaring back from the unprecedented disruptions posed by the pandemic and we’re seeing growth and reinvestment rebound. This rapid rebound is also accompanied by epic changes in the market that will influence our work as educators – from how products are formulated to how services are delivered. Similarly, career education is changing in ways that range from remote and hybrid learning models to new programs and curriculums that address emerging trends in the marketplace. Beauty and wellness education is a great example of how market trends are shaping new programs.

A pandemic pause leads to a new program

During the pandemic pause when salons and spas were closed, the team at Bellus Academy leveraged the moment to think about how our academy could be different moving forward and how we could support students in the new-normal once the pandemic waned. We did a lot of reading, a lot of research and a whole lot of ZOOM-ing to connect with other leaders in education and beyond.

Within the beauty and wellness sector, we saw a surge in self-care during the pandemic. This trend became visible early on and wasn’t limited to humorous bad haircut videos.

The connection between self-care and mental well-being can be seen in a June 2020 report noting that 80% of Americans intended to practice more self-care post-pandemic¹. As the pandemic ebbs, this trend is influencing treatment and therapeutic protocols as well as the products used to deliver spa treatments.

From alternative to mainstream

All of this inquiry revealed that cannabis – specifically CBD treatments – will play a major role in self-care, in the economy and in the future of beauty and wellness. What was once considered an alternative ingredient – part of the “wild west” – has become part of mainstream services and retail sales at some of the nation’s most elite destination spas such as Admirals Cove, Kiawah Island, Cherokee Country Club, The Landings, and Whistling Straights. And on the retail front, CBD products are no longer relegated to fringe shops but sold in prestigious outlets including Saks Fifth Avenue² and Nieman Marcus³. As a natural ingredient cannabis is increasingly included in CBD spa treatments that promote stress-relief, focus, and pain relief. Reports by institutions and media such as the International Spa Association, Medical News Today and Dermatology Times suggest that CBD will be an integral component on spa and salon menus in the future.

With so much demand, what is CBD oil and what benefits⁴ does it deliver when integrated into facials and massage therapy treatments? As a natural compound, cannabidiol is produced in cannabis plants and is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. Following extraction from cannabis plants and subsequent treatment with steam or other processing protocols, CBD is mixed with various carrier oils and ingredients to create oils, lotions, creams, masks, serums, bath salts and other products used in a facial or massage therapy⁵ treatment.

The research Bellus Academy conducted during the pandemic, suggested that this mainstream moment was an opportune time to launch CBD treatments into our curriculum and in our student salon. However, the research also led to new questions about how best to connect the market trend and industry’s use of CBD treatments into education.

A special concern for the team at Bellus Academy was ensuring that our students had accurate, timely and science-based information relevant to massage therapy and esthetic applications for CBD.

To answer these questions, we considered:

• How could Bellus Academy equip students to understand the science behind CBD treatments and how to integrate that science into a treatment protocol?
• From an ingredient perspective, what information did students need in order to confidently recommend a CBD product to their clients?
• How could we rise above the disinformation in the marketplace regarding CBD and its applications?
• How could we train educators who oversee CBD treatments in our student salon?

A curriculum is born with expert support

In the absence of an existing CBD curriculum and as regulatory agencies currently offer only guidelines for CBD product manufacturers, Bellus Academy worked with Joanne Berry, one of the world’s premier spa authorities to develop a proprietary CBD curriculum. Berry brings a background in applying the science of innovative spa therapies to the treatment room. Earlier in her career, she helped the spa industry navigate the adaptation of aromatherapy treatments and elevate understanding of how the proper aromatherapy products and protocols could support clients’ wellbeing.

The Bellus Academy CBD curriculum was also informed by On the Green, a manufacturer of CBD products trusted by leading spas and resorts. The CBD curriculum fuses a formulator’s expertise with esthetics best practices. Launched in April 2021 as part of Bellus Academy’s esthetic education programming, the video curriculum fills a gap in the market and has been featured in outlets such as American Spa⁶.

The CBD curriculum is woven into the “Master Esthetician” program, a 900-hour advanced training program that adds 300 hours to the state board basic program. Bellus Academy students who enroll in the Master Esthetician program are interested in working in a luxury spa or a medical spa. The CBD curriculum is also included in the Massage Therapy program at Bellus Academy’s Manhattan, Kansas location.

The curriculum guides students through the benefits of CBD, how to use CBD products in treatment and basic considerations when recommending a CBD product such as its transparency, traceability and the testing behind products. The goal is to help students confidently apply and recommend CBD in the treatment room and help the client extend the benefits of the treatment post-spa.

Understanding the “why” behind the “what” is essential given the misinformation that exists in the market. Although extracts from the cannabis plant have been used throughout the centuries, the association with THC – the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, which is another component of the cannabis plant – historically challenged CBDs acceptance as a credible and safe ingredient to integrate into spa protocols. As more has been learned about CBD, and its ability to support wellbeing attributes ranging from pain to inflammation to sleep and focus, old perceptions are falling by the wayside. The CBD curriculum at Bellus Academy brings a body of knowledge regarding the endocannabinoid system and prepares students for the practical use of CBD treatments.

CBD has been recognized to support the endocannabinoid system which helps keep the body in homeostasis. It is essential for skin care professionals and massage therapists to have a core understanding of CBD products and how to effectively use them in the treatment room. When students complete the program, not only are they able to recommend and apply CBD products, but they can confidently answer common questions regarding its use. CBD continues to gain favor in skincare applications for treating skin conditions like inflammation, dryness, free radical damage, eczema, dermatitis and acne. Depending on the desired benefit, a CBD facial may aim to help the client de-stress or energize. In massage applications, CBD treatments are integrated into modalities that support effects such as relaxation, pain relief or promoting sleep. Students at Bellus Academy learn how they can help their clients optimize results from a CBD facial or massage and address common questions such as those posed below:

1. What is the quality of the CBD used in the treatment?

Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN) are two of more than 100 cannabinoids that have been identified in the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids are chemicals that have the potential to interact with a series of receptors in the human body collectively known as the endocannabinoid⁷ system. CBD is available in three types. A full-spectrum CBD is comprised of multiple extracts from the cannabis plant. These extracts may include a variety of essential oils, terpenes⁸, and other cannabinoids. A broad-spectrum CBD⁹ is made up of different compounds and cannabinoids in the plant and typically contains no THC. In contrast to full-spectrum products, CBD isolates¹⁰ contain no THC, making isolates a good choice if you cannot or do not want to ingest the active ingredient in marijuana.

2. Does the product contain THC?

While marijuana is legal for medicinal¹¹ and recreational¹² purposes in a growing number of states, it is important to consider that trace amounts of THC – the primary active ingredient in marijuana – could potentially show up in a drug test. Therefore, it is essential that the esthetician or massage therapist be knowledgeable about the ingredients used in the CBD product, whether it’s a serum, lotion, oil or other product.

3. What benefits to my body will using this product deliver?

An esthetician or massage therapist should be able to explain how the CBD product chosen can balance and help regulate the endocannabinoid system. Earlier this year, Bellus Academy¹³ introduced a curriculum¹⁴ to elevate spa education regarding the use of CBD treatments and selection of the proper terpenes, tinctures and therapies to support the client’s objectives.

Communication is essential and students gain an understanding of how health conditions – such as a client’s cancer, pregnancy or peri-menopause condition – can affect results with a given treatment. The FDA does not recommend CBD for pregnant women. Along the same lines, a client’s health status may present contraindications that influence the choice of product ingredients. CBG¹⁵ is a good example. CBG stands for cannabigerol, a plant compound that’s required for production of all the other phytocannabinoids. Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), transforms into different cannabinoids like CBD, THC, CBN, and more as plants go through the flowering cycle. CBG works to fight inflammation, pain, and nausea and works to slow the proliferation of cancer cells. It also supports a number of skincare benefits similar to those offered by CBD¹⁶.

4. How can CBD complement other spa services?

More and more practitioners trained on oncology massage¹⁷ are introducing CBD treatments into their services. Research has shown CBD can significantly reduce intraocular eye pressure caused by glaucoma. Strains high in CBG will be beneficial in treating conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and cancer. Other conditions ranging from sleep disturbances to digestion issues or stress can also influence the products recommended for facials, and massage therapies. And finally, a licensed esthetician or massage therapist should be able to provide information on at-home regimens to support the benefits of the service delivered in the spa. For example, tinctures¹⁸ or gummies can “top off the tank” and support the therapeutic benefits of the spa service. CBD can also be found in a breadth of body care products including lotions and oils for at home use.

Looking to the future – a business case for CBD

As Joanne Berry says, “CBD is not going away.” The continuing trend toward natural skin care ingredients is prompting more salons and spas to add CBD¹⁹ treatments to their service menus. Globally, the CBD skincare market²⁰ was valued at $634 million in 2018, and the International Spa Association (ISPA) 2019 Snapshot Survey found that 48% of member spas reported including CBD products in their retail offerings. As spas re-open following a global pandemic, the global CBD skincare sector is projected to soar as high as $3.48 billion in 2026. North America accounts for the largest market share (more than 40%) driven by the legalization of cannabis in Canada and many U.S. states.

Conclusion

The pandemic brought tremendous danger and great pain to our world as a truly global crisis. Yet it also brought a pause which allowed many of us in the career education space to rethink our education models and uncover opportunities to move forward in a new normal. Considering the many pivots that were made during the pandemic, I’m reminded of an insight from the Japanese language, where the word for “crisis” 危機 starts with the first character, 危 meaning “danger” and the second character 機 translating to “opportunity.”

As career educators, all of us can use moments of crisis to look for opportunities to move forward. I wish every CECU school sustained success and growth as we continue to advance education that meets the needs of a rapidly evolving employment landscape.

References

1. https://www.healio.com/news/psychiatry/20200612/80-of-americans-intend-to-regularly-practice-selfcare-after-covid19-pandemic
2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/katieshapiro/2019/05/08/saks-fifth-avenue-is-now-serving-cbd-beauty-at-new-york-city-flagships-in-house-salon/?sh=20982b527fdc
3. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neiman-marcus-debuts-high-end-cannabis-beauty-products-for-customers-300777862.html
4. https://www.americanspa.com/cbd/benefits-incorporating-cbd-your-beauty-routine
5. https://www.massagemag.com/this-is-how-cbd-massage-treatments-can-help-you-and-your-clients-127704/
6. https://www.americanspa.com/cbd/bellus-academy-launches-cbd-curriculum-elevate-spa-education?mkt_tok=Mjk0LU1RRi0wNTYAAAF84dB2EdwUJDz1PNXcZtOOdCX1-9yU8IDYbR1gXFJNvP1WSAvZHYTI6JgsNynm3bA2tINu0xbCdffYdOfGYKvs41yOAGcqgzqRpWKqygYAXOB_wha7oQ&mrkid=39242623
7. https://www.onthegreencbd.com/pages/the-endocannabinoid-system-4
8. https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/terpenes-the-flavors-of-cannabis-aromatherapy
9. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/broad-spectrum-cbd#what-it-is
10. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cbd-isolate
11. https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx
12. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/where-is-marijuana-legal-a-guide-to-marijuana-legalization
13. https://www.bellusacademy.edu/programs/poway-ca/esthetics/
14. https://www.americanspa.com/cbd/bellus-academy-launches-cbd-curriculum-elevate-spa-education?mkt_tok=Mjk0LU1RRi0wNTYAAAF84dB2EaD9YjadhKVvOZRvEePWJ8TfxAm10JmostxljOflZkhqe2BBY19uoTTRYHEF9Z_iXHAfW5HOUTJpRhaJAa1ttmFcgX8xr6JVyxLIaGvQta4lTg&mrkid=39242623
15. https://www.health.com/mind-body/cbd/best-cbg-oil
16. https://www.byrdie.com/what-is-cbg-5096225
17. https://www.massagemag.com/certification-help-work-oncology-massage-87995/
18. https://www.onthegreencbd.com/collections/tinctures
19. https://www.salontoday.com/624386/how-spas-are-incorporating-cbd-into-treatments
20. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-cbd-skin-care-market-size-projected-to-reach-3-48-billion-by-2026–301113662.html

LYNELLE LYNCH is Owner and President of Bellus Academy. Since assuming ownership of Bellus Academy in 2005, Lynelle has redefined advanced education in the cosmetology and esthetics programs, while building an academy that attracts students from around the globe.

She is a director on the boards of the International Spa Association and CIDESCO – USA, and is the founder of Beauty Changes Lives, a non-profit that has raised more than $6M in scholarships for aspiring beauty professionals. Lynelle has served on the Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU) board since 2013, serving as the Co-Chairman of the PAC, and as Treasurer.

Lynelle is the past president of the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) and continues to chair the California legislative committee and PAC. She is a founding board member

Contact Information: Lynelle Lynch // Owner and President // Bellus Academy // 858-525-2510 // Llynch@bellusacademy.edu // www.bellusacademy.edu// IG@bellusacademy.edu // BellusAcademy