“It’s a great compliment when folks walk in the door and say. ‘The place smells wonderful,’ ‘says Pam Karousis, a nail tech at Nail Designs Unlimited in Cortland, Ohio. Karousis hears that a lot since she invested in a $12 electric potpourri pot and put it to work on her candle remnants.”             

“The pot is meant to hold water and dry potpourri, but I take the remains of candles that are too small to burn, put them in the pot, and just plug it in. We’ve got the best-smelling salon in town,” she says. When the scent starts to fade (after a week or two), she unplugs the pot, allows the wax to cool to a manageable state (roughly the consistency of paraffin when it’s ready to be removed from the hands), and scoops it out.

Dottie Batliner of Digrtz Hair & Nail Salon in Floyds Knobs, Ind., has also discovered an effective method to appeal to clients’ noses while creating a calming environment. “We have a small, tabletop water fountain with a candle in it By adding different essential oils to the water, I can produce different moods,” she says, Batliner finds that about 12 drops of oil every four to five hours does the trick (Her favorite oils are the pre-mixed Mood Synergies available from The Industry Source.) “If we’re using products with a lot of odor; I might add them every two to three hours.” she says. “Clients love it. My station smells clean, looks wonderful, and the sound is soothing.”

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