Facial Bar Franchise Capitalizes on Wellness Boom

FACE FOUNDRIÉ Meets Growing Demand for Affordable, Accessible Skin Care

Michele Henry hadn’t predicted a wellness boom when she founded FACE FOUNDRIÉ in 2019, but she had recognized shifts in consumer attitudes that mirrored her own. She believed skin care, as a form of self-care, should not be costly and difficult to access.

In founding the facial bar franchise, the serial entrepreneur says she was solving a problem she found personally frustrating. “I was someone who cared deeply about my skin, but the existing options felt exclusionary. Medspas were expensive, ate up hours out of your day, and were built around a client who had both money and time to spare. I kept thinking, Why does getting a great facial have to feel like a luxury event? Why can’t it just be part of how I take care of myself every month, the way I go to the gym or get a haircut?”

Consumers have increasingly prioritized wellness and self-care to manage stress, stave off illness and take control of their health and well-being. Today, the global wellness economy has reached a record $6.8 trillion and is forecast to hit $9.8 trillion by 2029, according to the Global Wellness Institute, a nonprofit research organization. Wellness has surpassed other global industries including sports ($2.7 trillion), tourism ($5 trillion), the green economy ($5.1 trillion) and information technology ($5.3 trillion), the organization reports. Personal care and beauty, the largest of 11 wellness sectors identified by GWI, was valued at $1.35 trillion.

‘Health Is Wealth’

Eighty-four percent of U.S. consumers consider wellness a top or important priority in their everyday lives, according to McKinsey & Company’s Future of Wellness research. “Health is wealth for all of us – and increasingly, for organizations that operate in the thriving wellness space,” McKinsey reports.

FACE FOUNDRIÉ franchise leaders and owners agree that the wellness boom is yet to peak. They say the facial bar franchise, with its keen focus on providing an elevated and welcoming experience that’s accessible and affordable, is well positioned to meet the demand. Two groups of multi-unit franchise owners offer insights below.

Dixie Patel, FACE FOUNDRIÉ, San Antonio

Dixie Patel has witnessed the growing wellness boom firsthand as an entrepreneur and owner of a European Wax Center franchise for seven years in Texas. In seeking other opportunities in the self-care space, she zeroed in on FACE FOUNDRIÉ. Patel opened her facial bar franchise in April in San Antonio and is looking for a second FACE FOUNDRIÉ location.

Q: What attracted you to FACE FOUNDRIÉ?

DP: What appealed to me most about investing in FACE FOUNDRIÉ was the brand’s trendy, modern approach to skin care and the innovation the company continues to bring to the beauty industry. I loved that it offers affordable, efficient and results-driven facial services in a welcoming environment. I also saw a strong opportunity to bring a fresh and elevated beauty concept to the San Antonio market while building a community-focused business centered around confidence, wellness and self-care.

Q: What does the future hold for wellness franchises?

DP: The future of franchising in the wellness space looks extremely strong and is still very early in its long-term evolution. I see continued growth driven by consumers prioritizing preventive health, self-care and experience-based services over traditional retail or one-time luxury services. For operators and future franchisees, I believe the biggest shift will be toward membership-based, results-driven and technology-enhanced wellness concepts that create recurring revenue and long-term client relationships.

I believe wellness and self-care franchises are a strong investment today because consumers are prioritizing their health, confidence and overall well-being more than ever before. People are looking for convenient, affordable and results-driven services that fit into their everyday lifestyles, and brands like FACE FOUNDRIÉ meet that demand perfectly.

Alana and Brad Hohenstein, FACE FOUNDRIÉ, Madison, Wis.

Alana and Brad Hohenstein have backgrounds in the esthetics industry, skin care and wellness. She has two decades of experience primarily on the vendor side representing various medical esthetics treatments and products, most recently leading the global partnership team at Hydrafacial, a service offered by FACE FOUNDRIÉ, which is how she discovered the facial bar franchise. Brad also has almost 20 years in the esthetics, skin care and wellness sector, now serving as vice president of commercial partnerships for Candela Medical, a provider of esthetic laser and energy-based technologies.

Alana had been a FACE FOUNDRIÉ client before investing in the facial bar franchise. “During my personal fertility journey, FACE FOUNDRIÉ became a sanctuary for me. It provided the flexibility to schedule appointments without a lengthy lead time, allowing me to prioritize self-care during my treatments and leave feeling relaxed with glowing skin,” she says.

After she and Brad relocated with their two children to Wisconsin, Alana says she struggled to find professional skin care that “didn’t require booking weeks ahead or charging upward of $150. This gap in the market inspired me to bring my sanctuary to Madison (main photo and below), and the community response has been overwhelming.”

The Hohensteins opened their first location in April and are planning a second one in the Sun Prairie, Wis., area next year.

Q: Your industry backgrounds provide interesting perspectives into the wellness boom. What do you see for the future?

BH: Yes, we’ve had a front-row seat to the evolution and continued growth of the esthetics, skin care and wellness industry over the years. What was once viewed as more occasional or luxury-driven has increasingly become part of people’s everyday wellness and self-care routines.

AH: Self-care has transitioned from a luxury to a mandatory practice. In our increasingly overstimulated and fast-paced world, prioritizing personal time is essential. FACE FOUNDRIÉ’s membership model supports this by holding clients accountable to themselves for their monthly self-care. Whether through a facial, lash or brow service, our treatments provide a necessary mental break from social media, emails and daily distractions. I believe people are finally permitting themselves to focus on their well-being, recognizing that they perform better in all aspects of life when they take time for themselves. This shift is no longer just acceptable; it is essential.

Q: Do you have insights to offer anyone considering investing in a FACE FOUNDRIÉ franchise?

AH: I believe we will continue to see a rise in the wellness space with longevity and self-care being a major focus. Franchises in this space, particularly those utilizing a membership model like FACE FOUNDRIÉ, are positioned to succeed by helping clients commit to monthly self-care routines. People are giving themselves permission to focus on their well-being, recognizing that prioritizing self-care enables them to perform better in all areas of their lives.

BH: I am supremely confident the wellness and self-care franchise space will continue to grow, but that growth will also bring more competition as more brands look to capitalize on the category. The brands that will stay ahead are the ones that are already well established, continue evolving with consumer demands, and consistently deliver strong value without sacrificing the customer experience. Consumers today value trust, consistency, convenience and brand identity more than ever.

FACE FOUNDRIÉ is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the continued growth and evolution of the skin care and self-care space through its approachable model, strong brand identity as a facial bar franchise and modern customer experience. 

Visit FACE FOUNDRIÉ for details about franchise opportunities with the brand, which has grown to more than 80 units open nationwide.