Toccare: Founder Bio + Interview

Caci Di Russo is the founder of Toccare Day Spa located in the heart of Charlotte, NC. She, alongside her team, specializes in a holistic approach that nourishes the mind-body connection through non-invasive spa treatments.

With over 20 years of experience in the field, Caci inhabits a unique approach to the beauty and wellness field. Having held multiple positions throughout the beauty industry – including everything from running a front desk, managing a salon and spa, training and traveling with some of the most exclusive skin care lines on the market, and providing personalized services to her loyal clientele – Caci believes in the power of supporting her peers by sharing her knowledge of starting, running and growing her own business.

Is [owner Caci’s] Italian descent the reasoning behind the name Toccare? How else is Italian culture incorporated into the spa? We are located in a beautiful Italian villa, but Italian culture mainly factors into the name "Toccare," which means "to touch" in Italian. Our name's inspiration is three fold: first, we deeply feel that healing touch is important and essential to every day life; second, we always encourage our clients to choose their skincare routine/products by touch or how they feel on the skin, and third, we wanted to pay homage to how our clients have, in turn, touched our lives and made Toccare possible.

What initially interested [owner Caci] in skin care? How has that led you to where you are now? I started out in massage therapy school and then worked in a salon & spa where I realized the impact the client-esthetician relationship could have. From there, I went to school for esthetics and continued to focus on building a client-focused model in my work. This shows up today in Toccare's "à la carte" service offerings. We feel that no one customer is the same and each session should be customized to one's individual needs.

Toccare focuses on “self-care through skin care.” How does caring for your skin translate to caring for yourself? In today's world, we are inundated with stress, longer to-do lists and the ever-evolving demands of work, family, etc. At Toccare, we believe it is important to slow down and take time for intentional self-care, and we wanted this choice to be approachable and obtainable. The simple act of connecting back to the body, pausing in the day, and caring for your skin allows you to nourish yourself.

What types of on-trend products do you offer? Are any of your products natural/organic? All products that we offer at Toccare are either green, clean or organic. Having a standard of beauty that is non-toxic and safer for our clients is most important to us. In terms of on-trend items, we can't say enough about how helpful Vitamin C is for nourishing and restoring the skin, and we've recently been intrigued by all the deep hydration and anti-aging benefits of Niacinamide.

Toccare promises not to push products for the sake of a sale. Why is this important to include in your mission? Do you think it is something new clients value when they walk in for the first time? Since all of our services are customized to each client's current skin concerns/needs, we rely on the relationships we build with customers to understand what products they may/may not need. We are anti the "beauty graveyard" that many collect in their medicine cabinets at home. Instead, we want our clients to trust that we have their personal needs in mind and are more invested in the long-term relationship than a quick sale.

What type of skin evaluation does a new client undergo before their very first facial or hair removal service? Do you offer treatments for blemished or sensitive skin? Each client discusses their current skin concerns/needs with their esthetician, and then the service is customized to best meet them where they are at each and every appointment. We treat all skin types and don't have a standard treatment for acne or sensitive skin since each customer's concern is as unique as they are.

None of Toccare’s skin enhancements are invasive; how does this help or further heal the skin?  We wanted to focus on what we knew and do it well. A lot of people want the drastic, fast change that invasive treatments bring, but we wanted to specialize in a good, clean European facial and build a day spa around that. Also, so much of the beauty industry is focused on ways to change or improve oneself, while we strive to embrace education, self-acceptance, and self-love.

Why is it important to host some of the most experienced estheticians in Charlotte? When it comes to hiring estheticians to work with Toccare, it is important to build a team that is not only talented but believes in taking care of customers with the same purpose as I do. Each of our teammates are all deeply nurturing and giving professionals.

How does one “personalize” their massage, and how does the practitioner evaluate their wants and needs to guarantee client satisfaction? Again, developing a relationship is key, especially in communicating what one needs during body work. We have some of the most talented massage therapists who have strong intuition and a desire to regularly assess their client's needs.

What type of events do you host at the spa? Our events are ways we can give back & say "thank you" to our clients. When developing events, we think about how to provide value and how to best educate our clients. For example, twice a year we partner with North Corner Haven Farm to offer a special one-day retreat full of nature, mindfulness and wellness. In many ways, our events reinforce the connective tissue that defines Toccare's spirit.

Anything else you want to mention that we haven’t covered? It's always been important that Toccare is a place where everyone feels welcome and accepted. We understand that going to the spa is a luxury, but we want the experience to be accessible – no matter your lifestyle or budget. Additionally, we deeply believe in the impact of community and the importance of building a space where skin care professionals, clients and colleagues can share and learn as one