The Mirror's Health , Lifestyle and Fashion
CEO of SS Wellness opens up on personal grooming
It is said that irrespective of which profession you are in, you must pay attention to personal grooming. If you are well groomed, it would demonstrate your ability to take utmost care of yourself. It would create a positive impression.
Conversely, if you do not care about personal grooming, people would be wondering how you could possibly take care of the business if you cannot take proper care of yourself.
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We all know that most women love to make up before they step out of their homes just to look good and attractive.
Others love to spend a fortune on wigs, hair extensions and weaves, among others. When it comes to engaging professionals for total body treatments such as body massages, facials, hair removals, manicures and pedicures, some people don’t want to spend money on that, says Mrs Semira Seram Mohammed, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SS Wellness Spa & Salon, located at Palace Hypermarket on the Spintex Road in Accra.
• Facial treatment time at the Spa
“The spa is well known for being the ultimate women’s getaway location. However, in more recent years, most spa goers are men. From our statistics, more men love to come for total body treatments than women. The women often care about fixing nails, hair extensions, with a few demanding professional make-up. The male population has turned to doing grooming and taking care of their appearance as a means of style. Trimmed facial hair, clean cut nails and hair, you name it, men are all for it. It’s a myth that a spa is just for the ladies”, she told The Mirror.
Mrs Mohammed observed that grooming as a whole was the item for most men these days and they were heading to the spa to make it happen.
• A couple having a massage
“In the past, some people assumed massages were for women, however, now the men are frequenting it for a well deserved unwind. When you imagine how much men work and hit the gym, a massage has incredible benefits to their physique and soothes their sore muscles more than just stretching after a workout.”
According to Mrs Mohammed, personal grooming did not mean applying loads of make-up and wearing expensive clothes. It refers to cleaning and maintaining each and every body part for a pleasing appearance. “No one likes to talk to someone who is dirty and does not take care of personal hygiene and grooming.”
“Recently, I had a call from a man who wanted to book an appointment to come for facials as he had noticed sudden wrinkles. The way he was very passionate about his skin I asked for his age and he said he was 73 years old. I was very amazed that even at that age he was very concerned about having body treatments, yet those who are much younger do not even care about their skin,” she added.
Having a facial care routine was often considered a women’s thing. However, with changing trends, men of today need to have a daily facial care regimen. This helps to keep your face looking youthful, healthy, energised and vibrant.
Benefits of massaging
Touching on some of the benefits of body massage, Mrs Mohammed said in our part of the world when you say you are going for a massage, some think you are affluent. She added that, generally, people used massage for either general relaxation or wellbeing.
• Pedicure moment at the salon
“Massage therapy is used to induce a relaxation response, which lowers the heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure; boosts the immune system, and generally decreases the physical effects of stress. These days a lot of people engage in so many activities within the week, it is good to have a body massage to feel the stress drain away and let the positive effects overwhelm you. It’s not something you’ll regret,” she indicated.
About SS Wellness Spa & Salon
SS Wellness Spa & Salon is owned by Mrs Mohammed, a hotelier and Sales and Marketing person. Her last place of work was the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra where she was the Sales Director.
As a spa and massage lover herself, she conceived the idea of establishing her own wellness centre when she visited Dubai and saw a Spa located at the airport.
Fascinated by the idea, as a sales and marketing expert, she decided to do her own background checks and established her first spa at Terminal Three of the Kotoka International Airport.
• The spacious SS Wellness Spa & Salon
Unfortunately, when COVID-19 hit hard last year, the place had to be closed down when airports and ports were all locked down. “I decided to scout for a new venue and that brought us to the Spintex Branch of the Palace Hypermarket in Accra which also offers a total vexperience for clients.”
She indicated that although the Airport branch was now open, due to the global pandemic some people were a bit sceptical about going to spas and salons. However, she was quick to add that at their Spa, they had endeavoured to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19 for both clients and their team members.
“Personal interaction is critical to the beauty and wellness industry—you can’t provide beauty services, hair grooming or massages without physically touching your clients. We want our business to be a safe space for our clients. Therefore, we make sure our staff are putting cleanliness in front and at the centre for our clients while observing all the COVID-19 protocols.
SS and Wellness has various sections such as the Hair/Beauty Unit where they braid and wash hair, and fix wigs and weaves.
• Some clients love to come and get their hair done
The Personal Treatment Unit offers Swedish massage, Deep Tissue, Aroma Therapy, Hot Stone massage plus reflexology.
The Men’s Grooming section offers barbering services while the Hand/Feet section does the manicure, pedicure, nail extensions, among others.
• A man receiving beard treatment
Mrs Mohammed describes herself as a woman with many roots.
“My mum’s father is Scottish French while my dad is Lebanese and a Nigerian. My grandmother who took care of me while I was growing up is from Kpedze in the Volta Region so I speak flawless Ewe,” she said with a smile.
• Mrs Semira Seram Mohammed is the CEO of SS Wellness Spa & Salon
She had her secondary education at the Okuapeman Senior High School in the Eastern Region and had her first degree in Marketing at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). She holds an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from the University of Ghana.
For Semira, clean-looking people have one thing in common - they radiate confidence and good vibes.
“Being well groomed helps you navigate your way in social gatherings and lets you have an easier time making friends. Being confident is the foundation of a successful gent, so if you want to be confident, taking hygiene seriously is a good first step,” she stated.
