Sharing A Love of Beauty by Louise May

Registered Nurses Jess Hone and Grace Luce are experienced in all injectable treatments including Antiwrinkle, Dermal Filler, Fat Dissolving Injections, PDO threads and Hyperhidrosis Treatment.

Sharing a beautiful space, “Meridian Aesthetics” , they are both continually attending conferences and training with world leaders in the industry to ensure the best techniques and outcomes are given to patients.

Working together for many years in their previous roles, their common bond is their love of making their patients feel comfortable and happy whilst in their care. “I was delighted to be able to train Nurse Grace and pass on what I had learnt over the years of injecting. She is an amazing injector who not only has great talent and an eye for beauty but also a beautiful person to be around,” says Jess.

Grace continues, “When Jess started Meridian aesthetics, she had always encouraged me to come work with her as we had such a wonderful working relationship prior. I couldn’t think of anyone else I would want to be mentored by.”

We caught up this dynamic duo recently and got to know more about each of them and how they run their businesses collectively.

How did you both get started in your careers in the skin & aesthetics industry?

JESS: For a very long time I had a big interest in the aesthetic world which stemmed from an interest in plastic surgery. I did enjoy nursing however did not feel a huge pull to stay within the hospital system forever. I always felt deeply you should have passion for your work and do what makes you happy. For this reason, I left the hospital system and studied a diploma in cosmetic nursing through Gray Clay College. As soon as I had my first lecture with Gray Clay, I knew I was in the right place. I had such a desire to learn everything I could about the industry and in particular cosmetic injectables and the nonsurgical space.

GRACE: Prior to being a nurse I worked as a beauty therapist and dermal technician for 10 years, I had a wonderful career and always had a passion for aesthetics and skin health. I had always dreamed of being a nurse and completed my Graduate year in Darwin in surgical and paediatric units. I love the clinical side of my work, but I really missed the client interactions I had as a Beauty therapist. Jess and I were lucky enough to work together for years in this industry and she has always encouraged me to get into aesthetics as it was a natural flow of my passions combined. She has been an amazing encouragement and mentor to me getting back into the industry and I haven’t looked back.

How did you each get where you are today?

JESS: Once I completed my diploma I gained a position in a busy chain clinic as a part time injector. At this point I was nervous about leaving my secure government job as a Registered Nurse, so I continued working both in the hospital system and as an injector which was a nice balance for me at the time. I continued to work both positions for a number of years until I took the plunge and left my hospital position for full time injecting. During our first COVID lockdown when we were unable to work for 2 months, I had a great deal of time to reflect on where I was in my career and decided it was time for a new challenge which included opening Meridian aesthetics. Melissa a friend of mine was advertising a space for rent which would involve working alongside her already successful cosmetic tattoo studio “Melissa Mayuge”. I took this as a sign and the rest is history!

GRACE: A lot of hard work and determination, I always dreamt of advancing my skills further when I was a Dermal Technician but the thought of leaving a stable career and being a mature aged student to study my RNs was a hard decision. I had amazing encouragement from family, friends and colleagues and I haven’t looked back since. Being a nurse can be a very challenging and demanding career in both the hospital and aesthetic fields but is also one of the most rewarding careers I could have followed.

How do you achieve work/life balance?

JESS: It has taken time to learn. I have a 2-yearold as well as a 4-month-old and a business to run so time is extremely valuable. I am so lucky to have a supportive husband and family who make it possible for me to live this life balancing it all.

My online booking platform has certainly helped with time management. I use Timely, which has been a game changer and time saver, allowing patients to schedule their own appointments. I am always more than happy to help with scheduling appointments for those who need this assistance however a lot of our patients like the freedom of perusing availabilities when it suits them to book in. On weekends my husband and I both choose one thing we want to do which fills up our cup. For me often that might look like a spa treatment, going to the gym or going for a horse ride with my sister-in-law. We also use Sunday usually as a reset day to prepare for the week ahead.

GRACE: I work really hard between both my jobs as a nurse and in the clinic, so work life balance is something this year I have been focusing on. I work out every day and do a variety of different styles to keep it interesting and fun. Living by the ocean on the Gold Coast I try and have a beach walk/dip in the ocean every morning and catch the sunrise whenever I can. Spending time with my family and friends is very important. I try and head back to my family farm and be in nature whenever I can.

What makes your business unique?

JESS: When visiting meridian aesthetics, you will feel at ease as soon as you walk in the door. The beautiful space where we work our magic is a stunning studio in Mermaid Beach. Both myself and Grace pride ourselves on being able to make even the most nervous patient feel at ease before undergoing any treatments with us. We are both extremely knowledgeable in the treatments we perform and only ever recommend what we know will help work towards our patients beauty goals.

What is your favourite treatment and why?

JESS: Fat dissolving injections to the double chin. This treatment can make such an incredible difference to the jawline. Treatments that enhance the side profile are a big winner in my eyes. A few quick injections are able to disrupt the fat cell and excrete the fat from our body from this region for good! This treatment also tightens the skin when the fat has been dissolved so you are not left with any left-over skin laxity. I have personally had this treatment and it is my absolute favourite. GRACE: This is a hard one because I love so many treatments. I love doing PDO threads, they work to restimulate collagen production in the treated area. I find the way they work fascinating and have loved the results my patients are receiving. I also love doing lips, everyone loves having their lips done and it’s so fun to create a beautifully individualized crafted lip for our patients.

Most popular treatment?

JESS: Muscle relaxant, Lips, cheeks and PDO’s. There is nothing like a smooth forehead or freshly injected lips to boost your confidence. We do love to keep both of these treatments natural, so each patient is given a thorough assessment prior to treatment and a recommended dose given.

Can you talk to us about Facial Design and why this is a crucial part of your consultation process?

GRACE: Facial design is the entirety of our business. Each person’s face, concerns and desires for treatment outcomes differ from person to person. This is why facial mapping and treatment planning is at the forefront of our business.

Facial mapping allows us to give our patients realistic goals, it takes time, and you cannot expect to have a dramatic structural change with 1mL of filler. We spend time crafting desired outcomes and timeframes for our patients as the area they may be concerned with might need a different treatment than what they had been thinking of.

Can you tell us if there are any new innovations on the horizon.

JESS: I am very excited to be attending the Non-surgical symposium this year. This space is always evolving and improving, and it is so important to keep up to date. I have also heard there may be some new muscle relaxants on the horizon where the longevity of these products maybe more than what we see with our treatments today.

GRACE: Coming from such a long beauty background I would love to bring some skin treatments into our menu…you should see a few of this start to come onto our menu within the next few months.

What has been your biggest challenge you have faced in business so far?

JESS: When I left my comfortable government job in the hospital setting to begin a career as an injector and again when I opened Meridian Aesthetics of course had its challenges. Although these decisions did not come without risk, I am so blessed to have trusted the process to get to where I am today. If you are not happy in life and what you do for work, it is time for a change.

GRACE: I am such a practical person so I really have to allocate time to the admin side of the business, education and practical things are so nice for me to do but admin is a drag. I just try and allocate time and learn all I can about the areas, so it is slowly becoming more streamlined.

And future plans?

JESS: Expansion to a second clinic would be my next future goal which would mean growth for the business and employing more staff. I also love training new nurses so that may also be an avenue I may explore into the future.

GRACE: To keep building our brands and continue learning more skills and techniques. I love education so I would like to think I may find a role educating upcoming cosmetic injectors as well as incorporating some advanced skin treatments into our services in the future as well.