10 minute read
Inspired By Life: 10 Minutes with Paula Cliffin
By Louise May
Paula Cliffin is a passionate Facialist and Corneotherapist, specialising in Oncology Aesthetics, with over 30 years in the industry. Having worked as a Skin Therapist for more than 3 decades, Paula has been exposed over this time to new and existing clients alike, many of whom are on cancer journeys.
“In my younger days I used to freak out to be honest,” says Paula, “because there really wasn’t much information around, about what was beneficial for these clients, with treatments and ingredients. Luckily, this has changed immensely over the years, meaning I have been able to gather information, talk to colleagues, doctors and eventually, when training was available – undertake this. I choose to train with Morag Currin, who teaches through Oncology Training International.”
“Working with Oncology clients has changed my life, my focus, and the way I work. They have and continue to be my life’s work. I have so much passion for these people, their skin and their souls coming through the other side of their journeys or their passing. You become very much, a part of their recovery or passing journey, which is an absolute privilege on so many levels. I often receive the most beautiful notes of thanks from families because we are not just helping them with their skin, we touch them in a non-medical way and make them feel some sort of normal – such an important point to remember.”
– Ariana Dancu
"This quote really sums up what inspires me,” says Paula. “It’s about human beings whoare dealt incredibly harsh cards, yet live in the moment, happily. The lives I am fortunate to touch every day carries me in so many ways. It motivates me to be a better person and try to do everything I do a little bit better. It is such a privilege to be part of their journey, to share in their recovery or their passing. I face each day with passion for skin and compassion for the people who entrust me with theirs.”
Beauty Biz Editor Louise May had the pleasure of spending some time with Paula recently, to find out more about her journey thus far, in the Industry.
Can you please tell us a little about yourself?
I was born in Auckland NZ but spent most of my life in the South Island, Christchurch to be exact. I am fortunate enough to have had the most amazing parents. All I remember about my beautiful mum, who passed just six months ago, was her beautiful skin and eyes that smiled from the inside and my father, was the hardest worker in the world. Both amazing role models. Mum and Dad decided to immigrate to Australia in the 80s, so I have spent more of my life in Australia than NZ, am very proudly naturalised and love calling Australia home. I have three amazing adult sons, a beautiful shepherd called Chewy and a cat called Chuck Norris (he is very old, the boys named him when they were young).
Tell us how you first started out in Beauty Therapy.
Mum got me started in this industry inadvertently, as she was a nurse. However, she was a nurse who took very good care of her skin and as a child I used to always mess with her products. Whilst she was very patient with me, I am sure I probably drove her up the wall. As a teenager, mum taught myself and my two sisters the importance of caring for our skin. I still remember her telling me to always “use the best ingredients you can afford at the time”. I must have taken that to heart, as this started me on my quest to know what were these ingredients written on skincare products. I then went on to do a Beauty Therapy Diploma & very early in my career meet Flo Barrett-Hill, say no more…
What do you love most about the industry?
I live my life sustainably so love that the industry is getting wiser in relation to this aspect. All businesses need to embrace this as it is not going anywhere any time soon. We can all make little changes which lead to big changes for our planet. I also love the special relationships which are formed with clients, as it is very personal what we practice. Professionalism is so important however really caring for someone is as well. My clients have buoyed & carried me in the past 6 months, they were my reason for getting up in the morning (and I desperately needed a reason). They filled my home and clinic with flowers, with living plants, they hand wrote letters, they cooked for my family, they cried with me and continue to do so. They said they were giving back, as this is what they had received from me over the years. Very humbling indeed!
How do you juggle work and personal life balance?
I have been taught some big lessons in the past couple of years, I am sure everyone has with what has been happening in the world.
The family; taken just before Paula’s Mum & Linda (in pink) passed away
Granddaughter Scarlett (6) and grand puppy Rocky in the UK
My lessons have been about time and relationships. As I said, I lost mum, then 4 weeks later my sister to Parkinsons. I was so very privileged to be with them both as they passed over and now realise this life is about nothing other than our relationships and life experiences which lead to memories, which keep those loved ones alive in us forever. Before this I can’t say I did very well on this front, especially when you work for yourself. Now though, everything has changed, and I have a beautiful balance and find I have more to give, by being balanced.
A letter from Abbey; a book put together from strangers which is given to women facing breast cancer.
What is your big “why”? Why do you do what you do and what do you love most about it?
My “why” is because skin health can change people’s lives. Therapists need to arm themselves with independent education, so they understand the following. I recently read a fantastic book about microbiome which states the following: Recently discovered, a balanced microbiome supports our skin’s ability to defend and recover. Essentially, it’s one of the skin’s first lines of defence from the world around us. The architecture of the skin and the associated microbiome are increasingly being viewed not as two separate entities but rather as part of a holistic whole wherein the microbiome forms an outward facing layer atop normal healthy skin, which performs a range of important biochemical and protective functions. (Dayan, 2020) It is ALL about this “holistic whole”, this is the future of skin care and therapy!
You specialise in Oncology Care, can you please tell us about this, what you do regarding Oncology Care and how you came to specialise in this field?
Oncology skin support is a really big subject, I will try and keep this short. This is going to sound cliché, but sick clients are my life’s work. Much has to be considered for the oncology client – starting with what type of cancer they are suffering from because what we put onto their skin is vitally important. I practice without anything that has fragrance or essential oils for that matter because of the alteration of smell, can make them ill and these days allergies are also high on the agenda. Interestingly, even though I use nothing with any fragrance or smell, including cleaning, everyone walks in and says it smells amazing when they walk through the doors. No hot towel cabbies, because of the pathogens and bacteria that can build up in the same & my business model allows a lot of time in treatments for both sick and well clients. You need to consider the oncology client won’t be very mobile when they are undergoing treatment, so you need to have the time to not be rushed. All clients deserve one on one time with us, but it is important to an oncology client’s health we make no mistakes under pressure. I work on the basis of quality, not quantity. Oncology clients want skin support; however, they also want non-medical touch, a confidant and everything in between. Looking after very sick clients is not for everyone, I look at it as a privilege to be part of their lives to recovery or passing. It is a therapist’s duty of care to know what is safe and what is not for a client who has health issues. My specialisation with sick clients has happened over time, before there was specific training, I research limited resources on skin support and then trained with Morag Currin – where I met likeminded people in Australia and around the world. Great to have a network to plug in to.
Do you have a motto or signature life philosophy?
I practice gratitude on a daily basis, I always have to get my mind right when so many ill clients are walking through my doors but especially in the past few years. A quote comes to mind: “Don’t aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference” – Denzel Washington.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The advice I have based my career on is as therapists we need to understand the why of both treatments and skin care products. Our duty of care is profound to clients! We need to know when not to use a modality or treatment and must be all over the ingredients we are applying to their skin. It is so important to undertake independent training regularly and not just brand training.
What else are you passionate about?
Kangala Kangaroo & Wildlife Rescue was established early 2020 by the Karran Family, after the devastating bushfires on Kangaroo Island. They strive to help save wildlife in need, offering care, treatment, and rehabilitation. The Karran Family stories after that Black Summer, are moving – as they fled the wildfires with their family they realised the animals had given up, so they got the family to safety and went back in and saved hundreds of injured animals over and over again, in those following days. Hero’s in my eyes. They are now the only rescue on the island and rely completely on donations. They send me pictures often & these pictures absolutely make my day.
What’s on the agenda for you for the future?
After the year that has been I am planning a UK trip in December. We haven’t seen our son or granddaughter in the UK for nearly 3 years, so in the name of work life balance I am jumping on a plane in early December because I need to - for me, for my heart, to keep myself balanced and to heal. Until then I am refocusing on my clients for the next 11 months and the challenge of getting skin to its “holistic whole” best!
