Cebu’s expanding health and wellness market has attracted a French health worker to set up a French clay spa in Cebu.
Remy Prohom, a French national who is married to a Filipina, said he invested P1 million to set up the spa where clients can try the different French clay treatment packages.
Prohom decided to set up the Beauté d’Argile Spa in Paseo One, Maria Luisa Road, Banilad, Cebu City as his way to introduce French clay to the Cebu market.
Having customers try the beauty product applied by trained therapists in a spa is the best way to market the product, said Prohom.
“The French clay is very famous in France. Every household has clay products in their homes that they use for anything for beauty and health,” said Prohom.
He said he is optimistic that his products will grow in the Cebu market especially since Cebuanos now are more conscious of their health.
His spa has four treatment rooms, a sauna and eight well trained therapists.
He said he used to be a logistician and emergency response staff for the World Health Organization (WHO) and came to the country last year for Yolanda operations.
“I realized I have been doing this since 1995. I’ve been to 60 countries and I want to focus on treating the individual through the French clay,” said Prohom.
His spa offers treatments for the hands, feet and facial using the clay for P300 to as much as P2,500 for the all-service package.
He has six kinds of clay for specific skin types like pink for sensitive skin, yellow for combination skin, red, green, azul and white clay.
Rashmi Totentino-Singh, chairman of the Hospitality and Wellness Industries Furnishers and Service Providers Association Inc., said in a recent interview that the global wellness industry will hit US$3 trillion by next year.
Department of Trade and Industry Provincial Director Nelia Navarro said that the local wellness industry has been steadily growing fueled by the rising middle class and influx of tourists.