Choosing the right couch

TREATMENT COUCHES NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE, FLEXIBLE AND EASY FOR THERAPISTS TO USE. SASHA LILL DISCOVERS WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE photo: Carlton Couches As spas and salons endeavour to offer a wide variety of services and maximise treatment space, choosing the right couch can make all the difference to ensuring each room can support a changing mix of treatments – comfortable and stable enough for massage, but offering a range of positioning for facials, waxing and other body treatments. So what should you look for when buying a couch? Sarah Howells, sales and marketing director at Beautelle Therapy Equipment shares her 10 top tips: 1. Don’t stint. A common mistake is to spend more money on the aesthetics of the salon, with the couch taking back stage. Client comfort during treatment is paramount: if the couch your client is lying on for an hour (or more) is uncomfortable, she won’t come back. Look at equipment that will grow with your business by offering flexibility to encompass the full range of therapies and treatments you envisage offering – both initially and as your business develops. Buying the least expensive couch may be a false economy. Such items become shabby quickly, and will not be sufficiently robust to withstand the demands of a busy salon. If your budget is tight, then buy quality items relevant to your initial needs, and, as your business prospers, you can gradually enhance your facilities. You are offering a professional service and your investment in equipment should reflect this. 2. Warranties/guarantees. Look closely at these as many can be misleading at first glance. Many couch companies’ terms are subject to a maintenance clause to keep the warranty valid for the full-term. This can mean disruption to your business when you have to send your couch back to the company every 12 months for maintenance to keep your warranty valid. 3. Ensure you have back-up. I’m biased, but by choosing a British-made product from a reputable manufacturer, you can be confident of your couch’s quality, as well as having the technical support and back-up on hand during your couch’s life. Look for companies that offer maintenance and servicing, and have an engineer call-out service that can be with you within 48 hours. This means your business is not disrupted in the unlikely event of breakdown, and that couch parts are available in the UK. Remember, you may have to wait for replacement parts for imported equipment for anything up to nine weeks, and a third-party wholesaler may not have expert technicians on hand to repair equipment. 4. Health & Safety/CE mark. Check the equipment complies with fire regulations required by your indemnity insurance and complies with disability laws. Also, consider taking advantage of companies who are now using vinyl that has an infection-proof additive, which is effective at reducing the spread of bacteria such as E-coli and MRSA. 5. Order and delivery time. For main equipment allow at least four to six weeks for its manufacture. If you are having bespoke furniture made to special dimensions, then six weeks is the minimum. If ordered from a company offering an installation service with delivery, notify them well before the salon’s opening date to ensure on-time delivery. 6. Function. Check your couch can stand-up to the rigours of continuous use; meets all your treatment needs; and is easy for your therapists to use. If space is a premium, a single major piece of equipment can be adapted to many disciplines – for example, a couch that readily converts to a chair can be an invaluable single piece of equipment. Alternatively, where you are buying from a manufacturer, you may be able to customise widths, lengths and design to suit your own choice of dimensions. This helps immensely if you need to fit equipment into a certain shape/size room, or need a couch to accommodate a particular discipline. 7. Accessories. Further versatility may be offered where the design of a couch provides lifting leg and knee sections – with knee-support for massage and leg waxing and foot treatment. Treatment chairs will also have work-station arm attachments to allow you to carry out a manicure or hand/arm treatment while the client is seated. Likewise, couches designed to incorporate a face-cradle at the foot/or head-end allow it to be also used for massage work and make the treatment experience more comfortable for the client. To meet new requirements set down in the Disability Discrimination Act, look for electronically height-adjustable couches and tables that have a low start height (19ins) in order to allow easy wheelchair transfers. 8. Upholstery. There are many combinations of couch upholstery foam, and often price reflects this. The best upholstery consists of a layered construction, preferably with a high-density supporting layer to provide a solid foundation, topped with a cushioning layer of medium-density foam to give client comfort. The overall foam system thickness and compression qualities can vary depending on the product design – ie. a product for massage will be of a firmer construction than a chair for beauty treatments. Another option is to have a layer of anatomic memory foam padding that conforms to the shape of the body and reduces pressure, provides comfort and support, and enhances the couches performance. 9. Remember staff. The design of your treatment couch should provide for client comfort and an effective treatment, but should also afford a safe and comfortable working environment for the therapist. The working height of a couch is important as it will need to be at varying heights to suit different staff. A flexible alternative is the hydraulic or electrical couch, which can quickly and easily be adapted for individual treatments. Often, price overrides the therapist’s comfort (and their health), but this isn’t always best for your business. 10. Environment. Many wet treatment rooms require a couch with high specification, usually combined with an electronic mechanism. Some manufacturers will be able to offer you a hydraulic version of an electronic model, so you retain all the benefits of the high-performance design but without the electrical issue for your wet room. LATEST MODELS Four smooth and quiet electric motors combine to make Ellisons’ Esthetix NoveauSpa Elite electric couch the complete all-rounder. Independently controlled head-and-foot-rest, combined with total tilt and height adjustment, glide the chair into whatever position is required. Upholstery is made from a bresta cotton/PVC mix and is available in black and cream colour-ways. Dimensions: length 2040mm; width 680mm; height 570-800mm; and weight 85kg. Price: £1,775 +VAT (two-year guarantee) Tel: 0845 130 6126 Aston & Fincher’s Monolith couch is available in manual or mechanical versions (the latter has a fully mechanised silent lift system to adjust it). The multi-functional couch has an integrated face port (with optional plug) and can be used for massage, spa treatments and facials. The solid wood frame is available in several finishes, while the upholstery comes in 34 colours. An integrated storage drawer is also offered. Dimensions: length 1840mm; width 740mm; height 850mm. Price: standard £1,155 +VAT; and electric £2,700 +VAT (one-year guarantee) Tel: 0121 331 2024 REM has replaced its hydraulic couches with electric motorised ones believing this offers a much more stable working platform. According to the company, its three-piece Excel 3 Motor electric couch offers a sensible compromise between costs and a fully powered couch – powered in all axes with a simple hand-control. Available in white, it features detachable armrests. Dimensions: length 1800mm; width 750mm; height 770-900mm. Price: £750 +VAT Tel: 01282 619977 House of Famuir’s Skinmate is a three-section couch said to be ideal where ease of height-adjustment is important – the smooth electric motor allows adjustment from 580mm to 950mm. Claimed suitable for any form of massage on any size of person, it comes with face hole and plug, along with a flat-ended section to allow the therapist close access at the top-end. Contoured corners allow for ease-of-access, while the head rest can be positioned positive and negative (below the main couch level). All couches are made to order in the UK. Dimensions: length 2120mm; width 700mm. Price: £695 +VAT (three-year guarantee) Tel: 0845 450 8000. Client relaxation remains paramount with the Babyliss PRO Portable Waxing and Massage Couch (BAB8825U) – it comes with adjustable back-rest, double-padded surface, and integral face hole (includes a pillow insert). Height-adjustable for therapist comfort, this lightweight (500lbs) and portable table is strong and durable. Made from oak, it can sustain a working weight of 450lbs, the company says. With carry handle, heavy-duty nylon case (plus wheels), and carry-strap, it is easy to transport. Price: £165 +VAT Tel: 0870 513 3191 Offering the ultimate in client comfort, the Riviera (from Carlton Couches – part of The Carlton Group) is a stylish wooden, four-section couch featuring four electric motors to smoothly and silently adjust height, backrest, leg section and foot-pad position. Available in two widths, the couch has an adjustable face cradle and prone armrest support, and comes in a choice of finishes and coloured vinyl (including beech, light oak laminate or wood veneers, and coloured and leather vinyl; or bespoke). Functional extras include a large, integrated, concealed cupboard (with push-fit doors) large enough to hold a hot towel cabinet, as well as detachable push-fit door cupboards at head and foot ends for extra storage. A lifting mechanism that moves only the couch top ensures the cupboard stays stable and grounded. Dimensions: length 87ins with headrest (75ins without); width 26ins or 30ins; height 27ins to 39ins. Price: from £2,750 +VAT (excludes delivery) Tel: 01903 761100 Beautelle’s Blenheim Bench is a traditionally crafted, beechwood three-piece couch with integrated cabinet, lifting knee section, and adjustable height (24ins to 34ins). It comes with luxurious, three-inch-thick upholstery and is available in 10 standard colours (with contrasting vinyl corners) or eight alternative vinyl options, and seven lacquered wood finishes. Accessories and optional extras include: wider widths, anatomic memory foam, end cradle (with or without face hole), and a selection of mix-and-match wooden furniture. Manufactured to order, the Blenheim Bench can be made in a variety of colour-ways, configurations and dimensions. Standard dimensions: length 76ins; width 25ins. Price: £945 +VAT Tel: 0121 322 0920 The SK025 from the Salon Equipment Centre – SEC is a three-section, heavy-duty, steel construction electric couch. Features are electric height-adjustment from 530-960mm (controlled by a hand-held remote), steel ladder-back-support, and a manually adjusted foot-end. Available in various colour-ways, including two-tone options, the couch also comes with arms as an optional extra. Dimensions: length 1830mm; width 610mm. Price: £645 +VAT (includes delivery) Tel: 01455 286285 The Clodagh by Oakworks has an electrically-operated, four-section top fitted with four-inch Aero-Cel padding for client comfort. Two separate cabinet compartments beneath provide enough space for hot towel cabinet and other accoutrements. Four electrical outlets are included. Features include QuickLock face rest; removable side arm rests (that automatically adjust to the top’s position); four pre-set positions in the hand control; and foot control for height-adjustment (between 25in and 37in). The couch has a maximum working load of 625lbs/285kg, and measures 31ins wide by 72ins long. The maple base comes with custom-stain options of ivory, ebony, mahogany, cherry, fruitwood and golden. Optional locking, rolling castors make moving the couch easy. The Clodagh is available through Spa Vision. Price: £3,950 +VAT Tel: 01249 716574