Sandton has a new spa beauty salon
Jo-Anne Penprase recently opened her first beauty establishment, Aura Aesthetics spa in Sandton.
How did your business start?
I’ve been in the beauty and spa industry for years and have managed spa establishments including the Melrose Arch Spa and Sandton Emperor. The opportunity to open Aura Aesthetics spa came up when my husband started design work on the wellness centre at 61 Katherine Street office building and they needed a spa supplier to service tenants in the building.
Why did you choose this area to set up shop?
The corporate market is relatively untapped when it comes to professionally run upmarket spas, with mostly 
individual operators working on an ad hoc basis. I wanted to take this to the next level and create an exciting space that males and females would be drawn to and, most importantly, feel comfortable in.
How did you find your premises?
My husband was awarded the contract to design and run the wellness centre and he then approached me to set up the spa facility.
Why are the premises ideally suited to your business?
We work closely with the fitness centre and have a great working relationship with the canteen supplier – all service providers that have forged good working relationships.
What are the shop rentals/sales prices like in this area?
Sandton is quite an expensive place to set up shop. I’m lucky in that my husband has a unique offering that sees landlords and tenants benefitting, so our deal is structured a little differently from your typical tenant.
How many people visit your business each day?
It really depends on where we are in the month and how close to payday we are, but during the day our busiest time is mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Right now, we get about 10 to 15, but we haven’t launched all our services yet, so we’re expecting an increase in the new year.
Do you have any expansion plans?
Yes, once I see success in this concept, I plan to move into the corporate sector quite strongly. My husband has set up more than 30 corporate wellness facilities in leading blue-chip companies. My plan would be to then take this proven concept and implement it in these facilities. I also plan to upgrade my facilities from a standard aesthetics centre into a holistic integrated aesthetic offering that includes all elements of beauty.
Do you operate online as well?
Currently, we just have social media pages, but we plan to launch a website with an online system for bookings, product sales and services this year.
What’s your most popular product?
Our manicure treatments are most popular; however, our signature Aura Fire and Ice facials are also popular with most clients.
Aura Aesthetics
082 757 6799
facebook.com/auraaestheticscentre
Words: Denise Mhlanga | Images: Supplied
