Scalp massage

[JemmaBeauty]

I've recently started working from home after working in a top spa.
I've just performed a scalp massage on a lady from my village and did it exactly as I would have done at the spa; very slow and relaxing, plus heated bed & heated towels etc. She chose this treatment because she'd always wanted to try it. She didn't have any aches, pains, areas of tension, no areas to avoid and no areas to focus on etc. So I went ahead and carried out a standard routine.

At the end she said that the massage wasn't what she had expected; she had hoped it was going to be more like when she has her hair shampooed at the hairdressers. She said that I didn't "stimulate her follicles" enough and she wasn't keen on the hair stroking and pressure points. She also "didn't care for her shoulders and neck to be massaged" and would have preferred more time spent on her scalp (the shoulders and neck part made up about 7 minutes of a 30 minute treatment). She said that she'll come back if I'm able to tailor it more to her preference. I did reiterate that a scalp massage is meant to be slow and relaxing and I suggested that the Indian head maybe more to her liking but when I explained the treatment she didn't seem to like the sound of champissage, hacking, tapotement or any of the back or facial work etc etc.

I do try and tailor treatments as much as possible, but I'm just curious what others would do in this situation?
I want her to enjoy the treatment and I would like her to come back so that I can redeem myself - especially as she lives in the same small village as me, but at the same time, I know I can't create what her hairdresser does - because that's when her hair is wet with shampoo on it?!! Plus, I feel as though she is making so many changes that it would no longer be the treatment that I offer. Am I just being stubborn?

 

[pure]

I don't see why you couldn't give her a bespoke treatment, you may get a loyal client out of it.

 

[JemmaBeauty]

I don't see why you couldn't give her a bespoke treatment, you may get a loyal client out of it.

But I'm not really sure what treatment to give her though? With no shoulder or neck work, no pressure points, no stroking, nothing too gentle, but no Indian Head movements either. What do I do for 30 minutes? The only thing she said she wanted was shampoo movements. This was the first massage treatment she'd ever had, so I'm not sure she could even tell me what she'd like.

 

[RED STAR]

My guess is she want more of the petrissage/kneading type movements, and less stroking.....
As a hairdresser, I know client's love this part of a conditioning treatment.
However, this only takes a few minutes, I'm not sure I would want to stretch it out for a full half hour!

 

[TheEnglishAromatherapist]

I have also encountered clients who expected an "Indian Head Massage" to be 30 minutes of shampooing-type movements... I always tried to make sure they understood exactly what the treatment involved before booking. I guess the name is slightly misleading, in a way You can always tailor the routine to suit the client - after all, the shampooing bit is usually everyone's favourite!

 

[Staceystandeven]

If that's all she wants for 30minutes and she's willing to pay, why not? Different folks, different strokes!

 

[rachelizabeth]

I would just do as she asks! Usually whilst I'm giving any type of massage on a new client I ask for feedback as I'm going: "is this pressure ok?", "would you like me to be any firmer or lighter?" and I would also remind them they can tell me to stop or change something if at any point I do something they're not sure about...then at least you've given them the opportunity to speak up rather than waiting until the end of the treatment for them to say they didn't like it and feel unhappy.

It doesn't really matter if it's not the treatment you usually offer as long as she's happy with it and willing to pay for it. I know a lot of clients don't like the light stroking movements as they find it can make them quite tense and uncomfortable rather than relaxing. Some like to really feel the benefit, so use firmer massaging and windshield motions on the scalp for a while (imagine you're shampooing her hair if that's what she likes) and rub the temples and hairline rather than pressure pointing. Focus on massaging the back of the neck under the hairline, and massage different sections rather than the whole head all at once in order to kill some time and stretch the routine out a bit in order to fill the 30 mins.

 

[joycee8]

Hi, I would listen to the client, so I would miss out the neck and shoulders, have her either sitting in a chair like Indian head massage and give a more stimulating scalp massage or have her lying down and give her a stimulating massage. If you don't, she will go to someone who will. You are going to encounter many more clients similar to this one. Have you not come across clients like this before? It's good she is telling you, as she could easily went to the next salon I your area - good luck x

 

[JemmaBeauty]

Hi, I would listen to the client, so I would miss out the neck and shoulders, have her either sitting in a chair like Indian head massage and give a more stimulating scalp massage or have her lying down and give her a stimulating massage. If you don't, she will go to someone who will. You are going to encounter many more clients similar to this one. Have you not come across clients like this before? It's good she is telling you, as she could easily went to the next salon I your area - good luck x

Thanks for your reply. No, I've performed countless scalp massages and all have been very happy (and at triple the price where I used to work) - which is why I was taken aback I guess. I think my pride was a little bit dented. I always advise an indian head for those who prefer more of a stimulating treatment, and a scalp for more a gentle and relaxing, but as I said in my first message she didn't like the sound of indian head.
Like I said, I do really hope that she comes back so that I can provide a treatment that she loves! ...I think I'm just worried in case she doesn't.

 

[JemmaBeauty]

I would just do as she asks! Usually whilst I'm giving any type of massage on a new client I ask for feedback as I'm going: "is this pressure ok?", "would you like me to be any firmer or lighter?" and I would also remind them they can tell me to stop or change something if at any point I do something they're not sure about...then at least you've given them the opportunity to speak up rather than waiting until the end of the treatment for them to say they didn't like it and feel unhappy.

It doesn't really matter if it's not the treatment you usually offer as long as she's happy with it and willing to pay for it. I know a lot of clients don't like the light stroking movements as they find it can make them quite tense and uncomfortable rather than relaxing. Some like to really feel the benefit, so use firmer massaging and windshield motions on the scalp for a while (imagine you're shampooing her hair if that's what she likes) and rub the temples and hairline rather than pressure pointing. Focus on massaging the back of the neck under the hairline, and massage different sections rather than the whole head all at once in order to kill some time and stretch the routine out a bit in order to fill the 30 mins.

Thanks. Yes I always check whether the pressure is ok during my massages. She said that it was.
Maybe I need to youtube some new moves. The majority of the moves that I was trained in are very slow, pressure points, stroking, gliding etc. To me the opposite of this is Indian Head but she didn't like the sound of that either, which is why I was a little bit confused about what to do next time.
If shampoo is what she wants, then shampoo is what I'll do then! Ha.