FAQs
Product FAQs
Q: What is the Shell Facial system?
A: The Shell Facial system is an innovative facial that utilizes Lava Shells®, Glacial Shells™, and the pristine ingredients of the OSEA skin care line.
Q: How will my clients benefit from the Shell Facial?
A: The gentle heat of Lava Shells® is excellent for relaxing the face while Glacial Shells™ help to hydrate the skin. Together, they assist in increasing the skin’s absorption of OSEA’s anti-aging, marine-based ingredients.
Q: What are Lava Shells®?
A: Lava Shells® are the world’s first naturally self-heating massage tool, designed to allow a massage therapist, or anyone performing some type of bodywork, the ability to incorporate heat into their techniques.
Q: How do I prepare my Lava Shells®?
A: Remove Lava Gel® sachet from packaging. Fold corners loosely towards the center and place inside the shell. With one finger, flatten the sachet against the bottom of the shell. Open Activator package and pour contents into the shell. Replace cap. Set shell aside for 5 minutes for Activator to fully absorb. If there is extra liquid that has not fully absorbed after 5 minutes, remove cap and move sachet around until liquid is gone. Replace cap.
Q: How do the Lava Shells® work?
A: Our Lava Shells® use the same heating technology used in our paraffin system combined with an all-natural heat absorber called “Lava Gel®”. The Activator reacts with the natural minerals in the Lava Gel® sachet and causes an exothermic reaction, creating a relaxing heat that is absorbed into the Lava Gel™ after roughly 60 seconds, to provide continuous heat for about an hour. Once activated, a shell will continue to generate heat for up to an hour. As the shell is used, it will naturally transfer heat to the body and cool; when set aside and/or not moving on the skin, it will begin increasing in temperature. This is especially true during the first half hour after activation, when the shell is generating the most energy at the highest rate.
Q: How do I manage the heat of Lava Shells®?
A: When the shell is in use, thermal energy sinks out of it and it cools; set it aside and it continues to generate heat. Because of this, a shell should never be set-aside for more than 2-3 minutes at a time after activation. Whenever a shell is set aside, you must always test the temperature of the shell before placing it against a client’s skin again. Because your hands will be more accustomed to the heat from holding the shells often, you should check the temperature against another part of your body (wrist, inner arm, or neck – somewhere where the skin is relatively thin) before use.
Q: How hot do the shells get? Can I burn a client?
A: The Facial Blend used during the Shell Facial is a very mild heat. The Lava Charges (Lava Gel® + Activator) are engineered to produce consistent heat reactions every time. As with any heated product, all instructions must be followed carefully and should only be used by trained staff. As long as instructions for proper use are followed, however, the shells are very safe. Over the course of the facial, the shell will fluctuate normally in temperature as it is used (it will lose heat when used and will be set aside for brief periods to recharge). If the protocols included with the shells are followed correctly, the shells should never get hot enough to burn a client.
Q: How do I cool the shells if they become too hot?
A: If a shell ever becomes too hot, always be prepared to cool your shells utilizing one of the following techniques:
1. When you need to cool the shell, simply place it in a very damp and cool towel and wrap it up for 5-10 seconds, to sink the heat and reduce its temperature to a comfortable level. Once activated, do not leave a Lava Shell® unattended until it has cooled or the sachet has been removed. Always remove the sachet from the shell immediately after finishing a treatment (cool shell before removing sachet if necessary).
2. Fill a dish with cool water and simply submerge the shell into the water for 5 to 10 seconds. This will lower the temperature to a comfortable level without taking excessive heat from the shell. If too hot to handle, use a damp towel to pick up the shell and place it in the cooling dish.
Q: What are Glacial Shells™?
A: Glacial Shells™ are an innovative massage tool designed to allow a massage therapist, or anyone performing some type of bodywork, the ability to incorporate a calming, cooling sensation into their techniques.
Q: How do I prepare my Glacial Shells™?
A: Remove Glacial Gel® sachet from packaging. Fold corner loosely towards the center and place inside the shell. With one finger, flatten the sachet against the bottom of the shell. Open Activator package and pour contents into the shell. Replace cap. Set shell aside for 5 minutes for Activator to fully absorb. If there is extra liquid that has not fully absorbed after 5 minutes, remove cap and move sachet around until liquid is gone. Replace cap and place Glacial Shell™ in the freezer for a minimum of two hours to achieve the perfect cooling temperature.
Q: Can I overfill my Glacial Shell™?
A: Yes. Use only one pre-measured Glacial Activator pouch per Glacial Shell™. Overfilling the Glacial Shell™ will cause the plug to pop off and/or break the shell. After use, be sure to empty all contents from shell so that no extra liquid remains. Failure to do so may cause the shell to break when it is activated again, as the liquid amount will exceed the shell’s volume.
Q: How do Glacial Shells™ work?
A: Once activated and placed in a freezer for a minimum of 2 hours, a Glacial Shell™ will stay cool for up to an hour. As the shell is used, it will naturally absorb heat from the client’s body and cool the body.
Q: If my Glacial Shell™ becomes too warm, how I can chill it?
A: If the shell is not cold enough, simply set it aside and it will begin decreasing in temperature. The shell can also be placed on ice to maintain cooling effect. Glacial Coolers and Glacial Ice Packs are included in the Product Training Kit and additional coolers can be purchased.
Q: I noticed my Product Training Kit contains a Glacial Cooler and Glacial Ice Packs. How do I use Glacial Ice Packs?
A: After the Glacial Shell™ has been placed in the freezer for a minimum of two hours, Glacial Ice Packs can be used to help maintain the cooling effect. Simply soak packs in a sink or shallow pan for 1-3 minutes. They should be hydrated to about 3/4 inch thick. Be careful not to over soak, as the pack could split upon freezing. Freeze ice packs until solid. When kept inside the insulated Glacial Cooler, the ice packs will stay frozen for 24-36 hours. At room temperature, packs will stay frozen for 3-4 hours. After ice packs have thawed, they can be re-hydrated and re-frozen for several uses.
Q: How do I manage the coldness from the Glacial Shells™?
A: Use extreme caution with clients who are sensitive to cold. Remember, people react to cold differently, and what feels comfortable to you may be too cold for someone else. If a Glacial Shell™ feels too cool, place a thin sheet over the client’s eyes to protect them from initial chill. When using a shell that has been away from the client, ask the client if the temperature is comfortable, or instruct them at the beginning of the treatment to advise you immediately if a shell feels too cold. When you test the shell on a client, first make sure you tell them you are placing a cool shell on their skin. Then gently touch the Glacial Shell™ on the skin while moving shell. To avoid frostbite, cold therapy should not exceed 20 minutes in a stationary position at one time.
Q: Are there any areas on the face that I should avoid using the Glacial Shells™?
A: Yes. Glacial Shell should not be placed directly on the eyes.
Q: If my Glacial Shells™ become too cold, how do I warm them?
A: If a shell ever becomes too cold, always be prepared to warm your shells utilizing one of the following techniques:
1. Simply place shell in a very damp and warm towel and wrap it up for 5-10 seconds, to increase its temperature to a comfortable level. Once activated, do not leave a Glacial Shell™ unattended until it has warmed or the sachet has been removed. Always remove the sachet from the shell immediately after finishing a treatment (warm shell before removing sachet if necessary).
2. Fill a dish with warm water and simply submerge the shell into the water for 5 to 10 seconds. This will increase the temperature to a comfortable level without taking excessive coolness from the shell. If too cold to handle, use a damp towel to pick up the shell and place it in the warming dish.
Q: What are Porcelain Lava Shells® and Glacial Shells™ made from?
A: Each Porcelain Lava Shell® and Glacial Shell™ is created from a blend of real seashells and porcelain for superior quality and feel.
Q: Are the Lava/Glacial Gels® or Lava/Glacial Activators toxic?
A: Absolutely not. Lava Gel® and Glacial Gel® are composed of food-grade minerals, and neither the gel nor the activator have any toxic substances in them. They do not produce any harmful byproducts when they are combined.
Q: Why did you select the OSEA skin care line to feature in the Shell Facial system?
A: OSEA shares our philosophy in providing customers with luxury products founded on purity, quality, and effectiveness.
Q: What makes OSEA’s products so unique?
A: OSEA develops products based on ingredients, and only ingredients that immediately improve and maintain the condition of a person’s skin. OSEA skin and body care products restore skin to its highest level of health and appearance with organic, marine-based, technically advanced formulations that bring together the abundant vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids derived from earth and sea.
Q: My spa/salon has its own line of skin care products. Can I purchase the Shell Facial system without the OSEA products?
A: Of course! To accommodate spas that have their own skin care line implemented, the Shell Facial system can be purchased without the OSEA products, ensuring a full branding experience for your customers.
Service FAQs
Q: How long do Lava Shells® take to prepare and clean up?
A: Preparation and cleanup are very simple. To prepare your Lava Shell®, remove the cap, open the Lava Gel® packet and place it inside the Lava Shell®. Then, pour the Activator Solution into the shell and replace the cap. It should typically take less than a minute. Once the materials are combined, the shell takes approximately five minutes to heat up to a ready temperature and for the Activator Solution to absorb. To clean up, simply pull out the Lava Gel™ sachet and rinse the inside of the shell, then clean the outside with soap and water; it will typically take less than a minute from start to finish, then the shell is ready to use again. The sachet should be removed from the shell within a few minutes after the end of the treatment to avoid deterioration of the sachet material, so that cleanup is as easy as possible.
Q: How long do Glacial Shells™ take to prepare and clean up?
A: To prepare your Glacial Shell™, remove the cap, open the Glacial Gel™ packet and place it inside the Glacial Shell™. Then, pour the Activator Solution into the shell and replace the cap. Once the materials are combined, the Glacial Shell™ should be placed in the freezer for a minimum of two hours. To clean up, simply pull out the Glacial Gel® sachet and rinse the inside of the shell, then clean the outside with a non-abrasive soap and water. The sachet should be removed from the shell within a few minutes after the end of the treatment to avoid deterioration of the sachet materials, so that cleanup is as easy as possible. Be sure to empty the Glacial Shell™ completely.
Q: How many shells do I need to do a facial massage?
A: The number of shells you use with any given treatment depends on the treatment’s length and the amount of time during the treatment that you want to apply heat. A 35-minute facial using the Lava Shell® will use 2 shells and a 15-20 minute Glacial Shell™ massage will use 2 shells. You’ll want to determine which treatments require what amount of heat and cold therapy, and then decide how many shells to use per treatment.
Q: What kind of training is required to use the Shell Facial?
A: If you are already a Lava Shell® professional, you can begin purchasing the components of the Shell Facial a la carte. If you are new to using Lava Shells™, we require that you purchase the Shell Facial Product Training kit.
The PTK will give you the opportunity to experiment with the shells, develop your own specific protocols, and train your staff prior to incorporating this service at your facility. After you have reviewed the PTK, we require that you complete the online Lava Shell® Protocol Training Review. After your answers are submitted, we will review your responses and send a confirmation email that will allow you to begin ordering Lava Shell® products a la carte.
Company policy prohibits shipment of additional Lava Shell® products until you have satisfied the following requirements:
1. Reviewed the PTK Guide
2. Completed the submitted the online Lava Shell® Protocol Training Review
Technical FAQs
Q: How strong are the shells? Can I break them?
A: The porcelain shells are a blend of real seashells and porcelain. As such, it is very durable and can be used for deep pressure work without any worry over breaking. It is possible for them to chip or break if dropped, but if handled with appropriate care they will last indefinitely.