Imagine a school located in Chantilly that teaches the ohashi touch (stress relieving touch techniques), ayurvedic principles (massage treatment techniques), and Chinese diagnosis (face and body reading). No, they are not new yoga techniques, but rather part of a curriculum that teaches skin care and spa therapy.
From manual lymph drainage and European skin care to Oriental Acupressure, the International Dermal Institute (IDI) teaches anything professionals might want to know about skin and body care.
The school is one of eight in the country that offers an ongoing education in the skin-care industry. Designed for professionals already working in the field, the institute is aimed at raising the bar in skin care and spa therapy.
As new trends are introduced every year in this rapidly evolving industry, IDI develops its curriculum through an international network of researchers, professional therapists and business specialists.
“Our education is aimed at bridging the gap between basic and advanced training,” says Laura West, education manager at IDI. “Our goal is to adjust the level of training to the different internationals levels.”
The international focus of IDI comes into play when speakers from all over the world visit the institute to teach about lastone therapy, Tibetan Wellness or clinical aromatherapy. “Instead of students going to Austria, we bring instructors here,” says West.
The facility on Thunderbolt Place in Chantilly — with its magnifying lamps, hydrocollators, ultra-violet sterilizers and hydraulic treatment couches — has a high-tech, modern feel. With its two spacious class rooms, IDI can hold between 15 and 20 students per class, depending on the nature of the class.
At IDI, students can study specific areas of skin care, body and wellness, as well as earn a 100-hour advanced diploma or 300-hour honor diploma. This advanced certification does not require a specific curriculum, but rather gives students the opportunity to choose classes of their interest. However, classes are only open to certified therapists or individuals with at least two years of experience in the field.
Michelle Wallace, a student at IDI and a customer service manager for IDI’s product line Dermalogica, is going for the 300-hour honor diploma. A licensed skin care therapist herself, she has worked in the field for five years, selling Dermalogica products to professionals.
“IDI has definitely made me more knowledgeable to questions that esthetitians have, and I can assist them by referring to my own experiences in the classroom,” says Wallace. During lessons, students practice on each other so they can experience the customer's perspective and keep exercises strictly professional.
A unique characteristic of the skin care institute is its generic education — meaning that lessons and techniques are taught without an emphasis on specific products. Although IDI offers Dermalogica, these products are restricted to ‘closed classes’ with students who carry Dermalogica in their own businesses.
The curriculum at IDI also incorporates business classes that help individuals either with starting their own businesses or with taking their career to another level. Classes include Retailing in the Professional Environment, Business Strategies and Your Business Blueprint.
“Our philosophy is to empower our students, primarily women, and to give them business skills that temper their dreams with details of the business world,” says Victoria Thomas, Public Relations Manager at IDI.
“We dedicate a portion of the curriculum to business so [they] won’t be crushed by competition.”
At the International Dermal Institute, skin care is not about beauty, but about health and hygiene. “We don’t promote beauty or follow trends," says West. "At the end of the day, it is all about making skin healthier."
Classes at IDI are offered year-round and usually range from $100 to $400, with a 50 percent deposit required for all classes. IDI also offers class packages ranging from $230 to $530 and each representing a specific area of expertise. The duration of the classes is anywhere from one to five days.
IDI is located at 14030 Thunderbolt Place #100, in the Dulles Business Park off Route 50 in Chantilly. For registration and information, call 703-742-7707.