Do you remember that kid in a candy store feeling?  Those huge lollipops with the colorful swirls, the biggest containers you’ve ever seen of Lemonheads and gumballs, chocolate covered…everything?  Your eyes are overwhelmed by the variety. You can’t seem to take it all in; you want everything. In your mind, you start counting your money. How much could you spend? How much could you get? What should you get? How long will it take for you to plow through all your wares?  It was a candy wonderland.

Skin, Inc.’s Face and Body Spa Expo and Conference is a skincare professional’s wonderland; a candy store for adults.  Face and Body Southeast, held every year in Atlanta, offers students and professionals the opportunity to fold themselves into a world of all things related to the industry. There were dynamic keynote speakers, such as Sandra Dubose, a patient advocate with alopecia areata, speaking on self-love and self-acceptance; and Carol Phillips, who guided participants through how to boost sales. Rows and rows of exhibitors, such as Rezenerate Nanofacial, Bio France Lab, DMK, and Cirépil provided demos, free services, and products and equipment at special show pricing. Literally, at the center of it all, The Live Stage buzzed with respected skincare pros educating attendees on everything from permanent makeup to how to confidently treat skin of color.  Meanwhile, just outside the exhibitor hall, makeup artists duked it out in The Skin Games, to take home the win for the best “beat”.

With two full days of classes offered, education was at the forefront of it all.  Impact Melanoma offered a Skinny on Skin certification course for those interested in learning how to screen for suspicious moles. Those seeking advanced education were offered classes in eight tracks: biology, massage, chemistry, self-success, med spa, waxing, facial, and making money.  Suppliers, such as Celluma, Rhonda Allison, Clinician’s Complex, and Circadia by Dr. Pugliese provided attendees with detailed education on how to treat troublesome skin conditions with the use of their products and devices. Attendees were awestruck in a standing-room-only presentation by JoElle Lee, Michelle Obama’s personal esthetician, on how to successfully treat hyperpigmentation; and furiously jotted notes as Paige Thompson shared her secrets of how to stay booked 100% of the time.

After a fulfilling day in skincare wonderland, attendees were more than happy to let their hair down at the end of the day. In celebration of Skin Inc. magazine’s 30th anniversary, attendees were treated to a special post-show reception to toast to Skin, Inc.’s success. The reception offered attendees the opportunity to continue to network and share in their show experiences, as well as snap pictures with the show photographer and show off purchases of new products and devices. Amongst attendees, quite a bit of buzz was created for next year’s show as professionals mixed and mingled, while enjoying light hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

If you missed the show this year, no worries. Face and Body Southeast is returning to Atlanta February 8-10, 2020. Next year, the expo will be partnering with the renowned Bronner Brothers Hair Show, known for its world-famous hair battles, competitions, live entertainment, and celebrity guests. To stay up-to-date on this incredible partnership, visit Face and Body Southeast online and join the mailing list. Also, don’t forget to follow the expo on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using @faceandbodyexpo.  

See you next year!