In 2013, Caci Di Russo opened Toccare Day Spa in Myers Park. Over the last ten years, Caci and her team have taken a holistic approach to the spa industry, and continue to specialize in non-invasive treatments and clean-beauty products. Now, they are one of the best day spas in Charlotte.
This past year, Caci took the jump and opened her second Toccare Day Spa location in Dilworth. We had the chance to speak with her about the last decade as a business owner and what’s to come for Toccare.
Give us some background on Toccare. How did you get started?
I wanted to create a special space for my valued clientele where they could come and get good honest advice about their skin care and self care needs without feeling pressured. The name Toccare means “to touch” in Italian and it’s a tribute back to our loyal clientele that have made this all possible. I’ve been in the same three mile radius my 22 years in the beauty industry and that has afforded me the opportunity to be a part of longstanding relationships that have been super supportive of our mission at Toccare and helped build our business by word of mouth.
Tell us about opening the new Toccare location.
It has been a wild ride and we are so excited about the potential the new space holds. It came together beautifully and relatively smoothly.
Why did you decide to open a new location and why Dilworth?
We learned a lot about our business during Covid and as restrictions started to ease, we realized quickly that we had capacity issues and expansion was necessary in order for us to meet the needs of our longstanding clientele, as well as the new relationships we were able to form during Covid. We love the neighborhood feel of our Myers Park location and wanted to stay true to that feel with our second location. The right opportunity presented itself in Dilworth, and we jumped at the opportunity to serve that community.
For those who aren’t familiar, what specific services do you offer?
We offer massages, facials and hair removal. Our focus is on building relationships with our clientele, non-invasive spa treatments, and helping our clients make educated decisions when it comes to what they put on their skin.
What makes Toccare unique and sets you apart from other spas?
Toccare is a place where you can come get a good, solid, routine facial and not be oversold on what’s trending in the ever changing beauty market. I’ve learned through the years that beauty begins within and our happiness and contentment with ourselves is what truly makes us look and feel beautiful. We are constantly combing the market for extra value we can introduce to our clientele and then our team of experienced estheticians researches and weighs in with their personal experience.
What is your most popular service?
Our 60-minute treatments. Either a customized facial or massage and/or sometimes both!
You carry a handful of different brands; how do you decide which ones to offer clients?
We are constantly scouting and researching new brands to partner with at Toccare Day Spa, and we make a conscious effort to only carry what speaks to us. I choose to work with clean ingredients when possible because it makes the most sense… Just like choosing organic milk or chicken that’s been grown without hormones. There are thousands of ingredients included in mainstream products that are simply unnecessary. The beauty industry is focused so heavily on change, aggressive and overwhelming treatments, and seeing ourselves through a lens that needs to be corrected. I believe beauty is about learning to care for, nurture, and be kind to what we see in the mirror.
