ABOUT THE EPISODE
Guest Destyni Tran, the owner of Azalea Spa and Salon inside L’Auberge Casino Resort, joins hosts Brady and Jillian on Louisiana’s Playground to make the case that self-care is maintenance, not luxury. She walks through what actually happens at a spa, why a massage does more than feel good, and what the viral head spa treatment is all about. It becomes a conversation about reinvesting in your own body before you are forced to play catch-up.
ABOUT THE GUEST
Destyni Tran is the owner of Azalea Spa and Salon, a brand with roots on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that has been in the beauty and wellness business since 2001. She went straight to beauty school after high school and has spent decades in an industry she describes as a trio of beauty, health, and spa, building long relationships with clients along the way.
In 2026, she brought Azalea to Lake Charles, opening inside L’Auberge Casino Resort with five departments under one roof: waxing, massages, facials, nails, and head spa, plus hair services. Now a Lake Charles resident herself, she joins the show to talk about the benefits of spa and wellness and her goal of running Azalea as a local business rather than a corporation.
ENVIE EATS
Maria’s Cocina Mexicana in Moss Bluff is a Tex-Mex restaurant that pairs the familiar staples with more authentic Mexican dishes. The table starts with three dips: a fresh cold salsa, a deeper restaurant-style warm salsa, and a black bean refried dip that rarely shows up elsewhere. The Papi Paulino’s Costillas Verdes braises pork ribs low and slow in a homemade tomatillo salsa with rice, stewed black beans, and tortillas, tender enough to fall off the bone and build into a taco. The birria elote bowl layers tender birria over creamy elote with queso fresco, cilantro, Tajin, and a drizzle of consommé, baked under melted cheese. The original is in Sulphur, with a Lake Charles location on the way.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
EPISODE 107 TRANSCRIPT
[00:00] Cold Open
Destyni Tran: Or they think that it’s only for people that want the luxurious experience. It’s completely the opposite. Majority of people that have that misconception are your average everyday working people like me and you, because we think that we don’t have time to [PENDING: add that]. We only want to do that if you’re on vacation or there’s a special occasion.
[00:22] Intro
Brady Renard: Thanks for joining us on Louisiana’s Playground Podcast, your guide to all there is to see and do and taste right here in Lake Charles. I’m Brady Renard.
Jillian Corder: That he is. And I’m Jillian Corder, and we’re excited to bring you the authentic stories and experiences from here in Lake Charles and all of Southwest Louisiana to make sure that you have all the tools that you need to explore it.
Brady Renard: I was just building anticipation. That’s what it was. We anticipate another good show for you. Episode 107, we talked to Destyni Tran, who is the owner of Azalea Spa, the new spa and salon that opened inside the doors of L’Auberge Casino. And boy, they do everything in there.
Jillian Corder: They do.
Brady Renard: And of course, we talk about the business and all that they do, but more importantly, we talk about the benefits of health and spa and what it can do for you both physically and really mentally.
Jillian Corder: Yeah, that self-care does not equal selfishness.
Brady Renard: I like that.
Jillian Corder: But it’s really taking care of yourself and your health first.
Brady Renard: So, really uncomfortable conversation for me, being that I, you know, I was kind of a newbie for the whole thing.
Jillian Corder: He doesn’t like massages and things.
Brady Renard: But we had a lot of fun.
Jillian Corder: We opened his eyes to it.
Brady Renard: And a lot to talk about there. But before we get there, we talk about the thing that’s my self-care: food. Yeah, it’s time for Envie Eats.
[01:42] Envie Eats: Maria’s Cocina Mexicana
Brady Renard: And this week, we head to Maria’s Cocina Mexicana restaurant, and it is fantastic.
Jillian Corder: It is fantastic.
Brady Renard: A couple of locations, one of which is coming to Lake Charles soon. There’s one in Sulphur. It’s the original. And then the Moss Bluff location is the one that we went to.
Jillian Corder: I’m glad there’s one coming closer to my home.
Brady Renard: And I love the Tex-Mex vibe in there and the food that they bring out. It’s very homey and comforting. I mean, I really enjoyed everything about it, from the staff to the food that they bring to the table. And I’ll say this, there is the Tex-Mex staples, but then they also have some very authentic Mexican staples there that they’ve added to the menu, and they continue to add. And so I really appreciate when restaurants want to help you broaden your horizon.
Jillian Corder: I feel like that is the case for a lot of places nowadays around here. You know, you were always able to get, like, the classic, like, Americanized Mexican food staples, like an enchilada or quesadilla, right? And I feel like there are a lot of places now that are like, no, let me get back to the root of it all and give you something from our, you know, from our home.
Brady Renard: And they start with three dips to the table. So they have a cold salsa, which is, you know, fresh, flavorful. There’s a warmer salsa.
Jillian Corder: That’s for me.
Brady Renard: Yeah, kind of a deeper tomato flavor. It’s more of that restaurant style. And then they also bring a black bean refried dip to the table. And that’s so awesome. Like, it’s rare that you have it, but it’s also so delicious. And so I liked being able to sample each of the three. And it’s a nice change of pace when you get multiple dips at the table.
Jillian Corder: Well, and you’re a dip guy.
Brady Renard: I’m a dip guy.
Jillian Corder: We’ve established on this podcast that you are a dip guy.
Brady Renard: Dip guy. I need a shirt.
Jillian Corder: Dip guy. But I like a warm salsa. And you like, usually you like a chunky...
Brady Renard: I like all of them.
Jillian Corder: Sure.
Brady Renard: I like them all.
Jillian Corder: Sure. Let’s start with what you got to eat.
Brady Renard: Okay. I got the Papi Paulino’s Costillas Verdes.
Jillian Corder: Pretty good. That was really good.
Brady Renard: Thanks. So this is how it’s described in the menu: “Juicy pork ribs. They cook low and slow in a homemade green tomatillo salsa with savory spices, and they serve it with rice, stewed black beans and some tortillas on the side.” And it’s everything that you want it to be. It’s sweet and salty. The verde is so good. We talked about it so many times. The verde tomatillo sauce is so good with a fatty pork.
Jillian Corder: Was it spicy?
Brady Renard: For me, no, but nothing’s really spicy for me. So it’s an unfair statement to ask. But it’s a tomatillo salsa, so I don’t believe it was probably really spicy to begin with. But it’s just, the fatty pork works so well with it, and it’s so good. And the black beans and rice, I put it all in the tortilla and made kind of a taco out of it. And it’s so much flavor. The meat falls off the bone. It’s just, it’s really, really good. And it’s so different than most other Tex-Mex style staples, as you were talking about earlier, the enchiladas of the world, the quesadillas of the world that most people get.
Jillian Corder: Which is fine.
Brady Renard: But I love the flavor of a good al pastor with the verde sauce, and didn’t disappoint. So good.
Jillian Corder: I got something that are two of my favorite things that I feel like were very trendy.
Brady Renard: Okay. Cheese. And, well, avocado’s pretty trendy, but that’ll kill you. She’s allergic.
Jillian Corder: I found out... This is like my Netflix documentary, on the day I found out that I was allergic to avocado. It was the worst day ever. It was. Yeah, no. Birria elote bowl. So I think both, like, a street corn all of a sudden got popular and everybody had their version of street corn, and then birria too, just very recently. I feel like it’s like, I feel like people have always had it on their menus.
Brady Renard: Thank you so much.
Jillian Corder: But I feel like all of a sudden it became really popular, that everybody started doing, like, birria tacos and birria quesadillas and whatever. So this is the birria elote bowl. So, combine two of my favorite things, meat and various cheeses, in a bowl. This, on their menu, described as “a bold, flavorful bowl of tender birria with creamy elote, queso fresco, cilantro, Tajín and drizzled with their savory consommé sauce on top.” And let me tell you...
Brady Renard: Sounds so good.
Jillian Corder: It’s a great description. It was delicious. It was everything I’ve ever wanted. It was the, so the top is covered in cheese and baked. This bowl was everything. The top was covered in cheese and completely melted over the birria, which was crazy tender. I mean, it just, like, falls apart. If you’ve never had birria before, don’t hate me. Think pulled pork, but a Spanish flavor to it, right? Consistency-wise.
Brady Renard: Sure, because it’s not pork, but yes. Or brisket.
Jillian Corder: Yeah, like a pulled brisket, a pulled, yeah, whatever. Anyways, that’s what it is. And it’s on top of corn and cheeses, and it’s so good. It’s creamy, super creamy in there. I don’t know what they’re putting in there. It’s like a heavy cream or what, but it’s so good that I ate it as a dip with chips.
Brady Renard: Sure.
Jillian Corder: And then I finished off my chips, and then I just kept going with a spoon. And it was delicious. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. And it was also one of those meals that I said, as I do every week, “Hey, I’m going to save part of this for tomorrow.” And then I continue to eat it.
Brady Renard: Never happens.
Jillian Corder: And tomorrow never comes. Tomorrow’s leftovers never happen.
Brady Renard: Yeah. There’s a new portion of the menu. Both of these items were from their newer portion, and they’re obviously hits for everyone that orders them, and for good reason. So good. And we really enjoyed it. And like I said, two current locations with a third upcoming soon in Lake Charles. So anywhere you go, it’s going to be a great meal, any of those choices.
Jillian Corder: Good stuff, man. That’s Maria’s.
[07:53] Guest Introduction
Brady Renard: From a great meal to a great guest, we welcome on Destyni Tran. She is the owner of Azalea Spa and Salon, a respected brand with more than 30 years’ experience in the beauty and wellness industry. And here this past year, in 2026, they brought Azalea to Lake Charles, opening inside L’Auberge Casino Resort. And we’re glad that they did. So today we’re talking about what it takes to build a luxury spa experience and why they chose Lake Charles to plant their next flag. Welcome to the show, Destyni.
Destyni Tran: Thank you. I’m glad to be on the show.
[08:25] Rapid Fire
Jillian Corder: So, Destyni, we normally get started here on the podcast with asking some Rapid Fire questions to let our audience know how you play in Louisiana’s Playground.
Destyni Tran: Okay.
Jillian Corder: Are you ready? And you’re new to this area. Newer to this area?
Destyni Tran: I am new, but I am also now considered a resident.
Jillian Corder: You are a resident. Okay. Okay, so here we go. First question is crawfish or gumbo?
Destyni Tran: Both.
Jillian Corder: You can’t choose. You can’t...
Destyni Tran: Pick? If I have to pick one...
Brady Renard: Have to.
Destyni Tran: Gumbo.
Jillian Corder: Okay. Good choice. That’s always Brady’s choice.
Brady Renard: What is it about gumbo?
Destyni Tran: I feel like it’s more hearty.
Brady Renard: Sure.
Destyni Tran: And it’s definitely hit home when you’re hungry, you’re tired. Crawfish is good, but it’s a lot of work.
Jillian Corder: It is a lot of work.
Brady Renard: So are you one... is there a gumbo season? Can you only have gumbo, or is it kind of year-round for you?
Destyni Tran: Year-round.
Brady Renard: Can’t argue with science.
Jillian Corder: You’re checking all the boxes for Brady right now. Okay, next up, poolside or beachside?
Destyni Tran: Beachside. Definitely 100%.
Jillian Corder: I’m a beach girl too.
Destyni Tran: I was raised on the coast, so all the fond memories of walking down on the beach at sunset with zero traffic with my father. So definitely, beach is my heart.
Jillian Corder: I love that. Okay, I’m with you on that one too. Concert or comedy show?
Destyni Tran: Ooh, that’s a tough one. I do enjoy concert, but I definitely rather do comedy.
Jillian Corder: Okay.
Destyni Tran: A good laugh is really healthy.
Jillian Corder: It is really healthy. You’re taking care of yourself, right?
Destyni Tran: Yes, 100%.
Jillian Corder: When you’re laughing. It’s a good segue into what we’re talking about today, which is taking care of ourselves.
[10:01] What Happens at a Spa
Brady Renard: Yeah. And so let’s start kind of broad. For people that... hands up, look, accountability, hands up. For people that have never really been to a spa, how do you explain what happens there and what people, ultimately, what you can give and get out of that experience?
Destyni Tran: They can get a lot of experience out of it. People have never been there, I would say they’re completely clueless. And they definitely need to try one time in their life to step foot in a spa. It has to be a must and a bucket list, you know.
The experience they can gain is very great, physically and mentally. To learn about more of the spa experience, they will learn how it benefit them physically and mentally. So when they do leave the spa, it would definitely change their perspective.
[10:51] Getting Into the Beauty Industry
Jillian Corder: And you’ve been in this industry for decades, right?
Destyni Tran: Yes.
Jillian Corder: Yeah. What first drew you to this line of work?
Destyni Tran: What first drew me was that I’ve always been interested in the beauty industry. So after I graduated high school, I went straight to beauty school. And the rest is history. I’m here now.
Jillian Corder: I think a lot of people think of, like, beauty school as, like, doing hair or makeup, but there’s so much beyond that.
Destyni Tran: Yes. Yes, there is so much more. In the beauty industry and health industry, spa industry, we are like the trio. So it goes together, just like with fashion.
Jillian Corder: Yeah. And Azalea’s been around for a long time too, right?
Destyni Tran: Yes. We’ve been established since 2001. Our flagship is in the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Brady Renard: So 25 years now of, I guess... What have you learned in that 25-year period?
Destyni Tran: A lot. Especially a lot with the clientele, the people. You build a great relationship with your everyday traffic of, you know, regular person coming in. You get to know who they are as a person.
Brady Renard: Sure.
Destyni Tran: And you get to know their lifestyle, and you become part of their life.
[12:06] What People Get Wrong About Self-Care
Brady Renard: A buzzword that’s really kind of hit in probably the last, I don’t know, 10, 15 years: self-care. Like, that is something that has become really prioritized, but it can also mean just about anything. Ultimately, what do you think people get wrong about it?
Destyni Tran: People get wrong about it is that with the word self-care, like you say, is very broad. The spa and the wellness part of it is the majority of the self-care. People tend to think that if you do better financially, their self-care is to upgrade the material, the house, the car, the accessories, and they don’t prioritize that they need to reinvest back into their body.
So when I think of self-care, I think about reinvesting back into your body, maintain your body, and it greatly help improve your body physically from the inside, outside, and also mental.
Jillian Corder: Yeah, I think a lot of people, when they hear self-care, they might think selfish, right? That taking this time to take care of yourself is somehow selfish in some way. But really, it’s the best thing you can do.
Destyni Tran: For yourself.
Jillian Corder: And for everybody around you too. If you’re feeling better, then...
Brady Renard: You’re putting the oxygen mask on to help others, right? When you’re going down, you have to put the oxygen mask on first.
Destyni Tran: Yes, definitely 100%. To me, if you can’t take care of yourself, then you’re in no position to help take care of others. You have to prioritize, even if our lifestyle is busy and we have families, we have jobs. But if you can prioritize and slow down and just take out a little bit of time for yourself on a regular basis, it really helps reset you mentally to keep on moving on with your everyday lifestyle.
[13:47] The Benefits of Massage
Brady Renard: Let’s start with massages, because that’s kind of where, naturally, I just ultimately think of first. There’s more to it than just the instant gratification of just feeling good in the moment, isn’t there?
Destyni Tran: Oh, yes, 100%. Instant gratification, I would not use that. It’s not correct. When you get a massage, you momentarily feel good, but it actually sometimes lasts longer. It lasts you for several days and sometimes up to a week. A massage really, really physically help a person with tightness, tension, stiffness.
So when they get a massage, not only they’re helping the muscle to get loosened up, it helps with blood flow circulation, it helps them to have more flexibility. And especially somebody who’s having a lot of tension, the way they sit, the way they... if they’re at a desk all day working or sitting in a car too long, or if they’re having issues walking because they’ve been on their foot all day long, or at a computer and their neck gets stiff. A massage can alleviate all those issues gradually when they get it done regularly, so they get a better sleep, and they also be able to function physically as a person on their daily routine better.
Jillian Corder: Yeah. And so personally, I work in a pretty fast-paced, deadline-driven job, two little kids at home. I feel like I carry some stress with me occasionally.
Brady Renard: Just a wee bit.
Jillian Corder: It’s a bit of an understatement. But the real, the stress relief of it all...
Destyni Tran: Yes.
Jillian Corder: I mean, that’s huge.
Destyni Tran: It’s very... people don’t realize how much relief they get until they get it done. To me, a massage is definitely highly recommended, minimum, at least once a month for anybody who has a fast-pacing job or a very strict schedule lifestyle. For example, like you, you’re a working mom, a working wife, you have children at home. So there’s really not a lot of time in between for yourself.
So with that little time in between that you have, that you can prioritize yourself for a massage for stress relief, it really helps reset your mind. And it helps also loosen up your body and help you physically feel better. And then when you physically feel better, you think clearer and you get things done more efficiently.
Jillian Corder: Did you see that? Destyni said I have to have a massage once a month. Did you hear her?
Brady Renard: If she said it has to happen, I mean...
Jillian Corder: She said once a month at least.
Brady Renard: At the very least.
Jillian Corder: At least. Bare minimum.
Brady Renard: I’ve went 36, 36 years almost without a massage.
Jillian Corder: I keep... Okay, so here we go. He’s a naysayer because he’s like, “I don’t know about people touching me.”
Destyni Tran: Well, you know, there’s always a comfort level.
Jillian Corder: Yeah.
Destyni Tran: And normally the massage therapist will talk to them and have a full consultation. We always tell them to undress to their comfort level. And also too, you’re completely covered the whole time. They have sheets on top of you, so they only pull the sheets out on certain part of your body as they’re massaging, and then they cover it back up. So you’re not exposed the whole time.
Jillian Corder: See? You should try it. Bucket list, she said.
Brady Renard: I just don’t carry a lot of stress, you know. I’m kind of one-of-one. I’m just built different.
Jillian Corder: Yeah, I’m carrying the team here.
[17:07] The Head Spa
Brady Renard: Speaking of built different, the head spa. So I’ve seen some videos online. It’s like otherworldly. It’s like a... we’ll pull up some video to show what’s going on. How is it helpful? What is this?
Destyni Tran: It is heading as a trend by the storm, everywhere. All the big cities, all the spas, even all the local places are now trying to jump on board on it. We’ve actually jumped on board on it a couple of years ago, and it’s been really great with our other locations.
The head spa focuses on mainly your scalp, and your hair is also a plus, but it helps to reset your scalp on detoxing, cleaning, clarifying, to help get rid of buildup, wax or tension or closed pores on your scalp, or any skin issues that’s on top of your scalp. And then we rejuvenate it back with massages, oils, scrubbing, brushing, a lot of stimulation. So with all that stimulation, it really helps to bring the oxygen flow and circulation back to your scalp. And the techniques of all the doing all the head spa, it also help alleviate the stress, and it helps loosen up the scalp muscle.
So it’s really good, and it is very popular. Majority of people who do it always rebook right away. Yes. I always say you have to try it one time, especially if you are a spa junkie or salon junkie. That’s a must on the bucket list.
Jillian Corder: Yeah, I think I really want to do that, because I think that just sounds like... I carry around a lot.
Brady Renard: I was going to say, I imagine carrying around as much hair, it’s even better.
Jillian Corder: Yeah.
Destyni Tran: It’s even a lot better, because we do do detox the hair, and we rejuvenate the hair back with conditioning masks and proteins and oil. And then you get a nice blowout on it. So you come out there, you feel really lightheaded. You feel like you’re just on cloud nine. And then at the same time, you walk out with beautiful hair. So it’s a win-win situation.
Jillian Corder: I really want to do that.
Brady Renard: You are kind of toxed. So to be detoxed...
Jillian Corder: Well, this is 36 years of, like, hairspray, you know, in here. So yeah, I think I need a good scalp detox for sure.
Destyni Tran: You want to hear something funny?
Jillian Corder: Yes.
Destyni Tran: Some of our most regular head scalp massages are men.
Jillian Corder: Really?
Destyni Tran: For the head spa. Yes.
Jillian Corder: I could see that. I could see that. I could see you do that before you got a massage.
Destyni Tran: Just want to lay there and fall asleep and get somebody to scrub and rub on their scalp.
Jillian Corder: I was going to ask how many people fall asleep.
Destyni Tran: A lot.
Jillian Corder: I feel like a lot.
Destyni Tran: A lot.
Jillian Corder: That’s nice, though.
Destyni Tran: And the way that we have set it up is it’s dimmed down, and you just hear the halo water in the background with the jets on. So you really get into that mindset of, “I can’t do nothing. I have to lay here, so I might as well take a nap while my scalp is getting worked on.”
Jillian Corder: I might as well take a nap. I love that. That sounds like a great...
Brady Renard: That’s honestly my motto for a lot of things. Might as well just take a nap.
[20:02] Facials and the Glow
Jillian Corder: So one of the things I have done is a facial before, and I always leave feeling so good after a facial.
Destyni Tran: Yes. You feel like you’re glowing.
Jillian Corder: I do. I do. Normally I’m just, like, red whenever I leave for that first day, but I feel so good afterwards.
Destyni Tran: Yes. So a good facial, you, of course, you know, they have to detox your skin and purge your skin. So normally within the first 48 hours, you feel a little bit red. Sometimes, you know, you feel like you’re breaking out a little bit more, but they’re just purging your skin. And then after that, your skin goes through a healing stage. So then once it goes through a healing stage and it replenishes back your collagen and your elastin, you feel that glow.
Jillian Corder: Yeah.
Brady Renard: I love how much medicine and wellness is, we’re just breaking it down, because your body knows how to fix it back up again the right way.
Jillian Corder: Yeah.
Destyni Tran: Yes.
Brady Renard: And that’s almost...
Jillian Corder: Sometimes you gotta break it to fix it.
Destyni Tran: Yes.
Brady Renard: I like that.
Jillian Corder: Yeah.
[20:59] Spa Misconceptions
Brady Renard: All right. What’s some of the funniest misconceptions, or the funniest misconception, from people that have never been to a spa that you hear?
Destyni Tran: Well, first of all, they think that it’s too girly, or they think that it’s only for people that want the luxurious experience. It’s completely the opposite. The opposite. To me, the majority of people that have that misconception are your average everyday working people like me and you, because we think that we don’t have time to do that, that we only want to do that if you’re on vacation or there’s a special occasion that you actually have time to do.
But doing spa services is considered maintenance. And that is something that is misconcepted a lot. You know, I feel like once they come in regularly for their spa visits, they will realize that it’s all about maintenance, maintaining your body. And when you maintain your body, you’re reinvesting back in your body, your body heal. And also, too, for a mental, it really help brings up your self-esteem.
[22:07] Why Clients Keep Coming Back
Jillian Corder: And I’m guessing most of your clients over the years are repeat clients. It’s not just a one-off thing, because they want to come back, right? What keeps them coming back?
Destyni Tran: What keeps them coming back is they realize that it’s good for them. It’s good for their body, it’s good for their mental health and their emotional health, and it helps them to keep on going. You know, that’s the biggest thing, is that when they become a regular, they realize that it’s actually a routine. And they learn to actually prioritize and put that routine into their schedule. And once they put it into their schedule, they mentally are prepared to know that is part of their lifestyle.
[22:50] Who Should Walk Through the Door
Brady Renard: And I feel like you probably just touched on it a little bit. Who do you wish would walk through the door more, and why do you think they don’t?
Destyni Tran: Definitely the middle-aged group, because the middle-aged group is the busiest. You’re not quite old enough to retire, and you’re not a young teenager who’d not have no worries in the world. I would love to see that group in, is because majority of time when they do arrive, most of the time it’s too late for them. It’s because by the time they do arrive is when they’re actually getting older. They’re about to be in retirement age, so then they’re playing catch-up to take care of theirself.
Brady Renard: Yeah.
Destyni Tran: So if they start sooner, the middle-age group, and just take a little bit of time out on their schedule, it really helped them to prevent having to have any issues in the future with their mental health, their self-care, their physical body. As far as them walking through the door, I would say middle age.
[23:59] Practice What You Preach
Brady Renard: Oftentimes, you know, I tell my kids, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say,” right? Like, I’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to.
Destyni Tran: I’m guilty.
Brady Renard: And I was going to say, and I think there’s probably some of that too in the spa and wellness kind of self-care. What is something that falls under that for you? Something that you preach to people, “Hey, this is actually important. That you need to go do.” I need to prioritize more, and I don’t.
Destyni Tran: Yeah. So there is several. I mean, of course, you know, every profession, we’re at, we’re at the worst, you know, with our profession. With me is that definitely massages for me. Sometime I’m so tight that I actually don’t get a good night’s sleep. I’ll wake up, I’ll toss and turn until it gets so bad that I have to say, “Okay, I have to stop what I’m doing, find time in my schedule today just to get squeezed in for a massage,” to relieve the stiffness of my neck and my shoulders so I can sleep better.
Or even, which is a lot of men’s favorite, is hot showers. I’m guilty of that, especially during the wintertime. I always preach no hot showers. It’s bad for your skin, your scalp and your hair. And then I go and I take a hot shower.
So what I do is I tell all my female clients, all my men clients who want to save their hair on their scalp, is to do a shampoo, conditioner, warm water with cool water. Clip it up, get on the side, then you can turn on your hot water in the shower and then let that hot water hit your body so you can get relaxed. Because, of course, the hot, steamy water feels so good on our body and our muscles. But I will literally put a clip on my hair after I rinse my hair in cool water, and then I’ll turn that nozzle right back to hot. So I’m guilty of that.
Brady Renard: Yeah.
Jillian Corder: Okay, yeah. I turn it all the way to hot, and that’s what I bathe in. That is what I shower in.
Brady Renard: She sears her skin.
Jillian Corder: Yeah, no. It’s like real bad.
Brady Renard: Just saw flashbacks.
Destyni Tran: So my routine, I tell the customers, if there’s steam coming out of your shower or your bathroom and your mirrors are fogging up, then that’s too hot.
Jillian Corder: Have to rethink all the decisions I’ve made in my life.
Brady Renard: It’s probably the reason that my hands sometimes look like I have dragon scale or something, you know. I gotta go see Jorah Mormont to help get it off.
Destyni Tran: I got it. I got it. For the hands, you know, that’s a really easy thing to fix, Brady. Manicures.
Brady Renard: “Man” is even the first word.
Jillian Corder: You should go with me. Just saying, just saying. Okay, that’s really funny. A hot shower. So now I gotta rethink everything I’ve done in my life up until this point. I really need that scalp detox then, you know? That’s to bring my hair back to life. Maybe that’s exactly what I need.
[26:50] Bringing Azalea to Lake Charles
Jillian Corder: So you’ve spent decades in this industry helping people learn how to take care of themselves, right? In different settings too. So what do you bring to the table here in Lake Charles?
Destyni Tran: Well, you know, what I bring to the table here is that I would love to expose the benefits of all the services that the spa have to offer to the local people here. Because to me, it really helped benefit them in a lot of way, is that there’s more services that we offer here that they might not have here, or it gives them a change of pace. Instead of going to a regular salon, they get to go into a spa environment and still get the same services.
We offer a very wide variety of services. We offer five different departments: waxing, massages, facials, nails and head spa. And also hair services. So it’s not just massage and facial alone. So what we have here to offer for the local community here is more than just one type of relaxation of service that we can offer them. There’s so many to choose from. You know, not everybody want a massage. The women might want a facial while the guys are golfing.
Jillian Corder: Yeah.
Destyni Tran: You know, or mother and daughter might want pedicures together. You know, so as far as bringing it to the table for the local people here, I do would love to start doing some local promotions too, because I am a small business person. And now that I’m also a resident here, I do want to be able to offer more to the local residents and also make us here to be more of a local business instead of thinking us as a corporation.
Jillian Corder: Yeah. Yeah. That’s important to note, I think, for sure, for a lot of people.
[28:53] Slow Down and Prioritize
Brady Renard: And so after all these years, what do you hope people understand really about taking care of themselves? And something maybe you’ve even learned over that time that you may not have even understood when you first started?
Destyni Tran: Oh, that is definitely slow down and prioritize a little bit of time in your schedule. Make it into a routine to get your spa services to help you physically maintain your body, and also help to mentally help you feel better. And that way that when they do leave the spa, they actually have more of a sense of propriety that they taking care of better for theirself.
And so that’s one of the biggest things, is that when they come in, my goal is when they leave, they not only just look better, but they feel better mentally. And all my years of being in this industry, I feel like when a customer walks through the door, that is your chance to do... you know, I’m the service industry. So that is my chance to make that person feel better about their self and look better physically, you know, on whatever the service is. So when they walk out the door, they feel like they got something. They feel like it benefited them.
Jillian Corder: Yeah. That’s wonderful.
[30:28] Sign-Off
Brady Renard: So thank you for your time, Destyni, for joining us here on the show. And the biggest thank you of all, you should know it by now, it goes out to you, the listener or the viewer, whatever. I guess we have viewers and listeners.
Jillian Corder: However you’re listening or viewing us.
Brady Renard: So thank you for taking time out of your day to join us here on the podcast. As we always ask, if you could shoot us a like or a comment, a follow, any type of positive reinforcement. Boy, I really like it.
Jillian Corder: He needs that.
Brady Renard: That’s my self-care.
Jillian Corder: Runs on that. Yeah, leave us a rating or a review. That, of course, helps us grow our audience and further share the unique experiences and stories of Lake Charles and all of Southwest Louisiana. Go to visitlakecharles.org/podcast for more episodes, advice on where to eat and events that are happening this very weekend. I’m Jillian Corder.
Brady Renard: And I’m Brady Renard. Thanks again for coming to play at Louisiana’s Playground. C’est tout.