Dedicated to Learning

By Louise May

April Brodie was born in Liverpool in the UK and emigrated to Melbourne when she was 5yrs old. She always loved fashion and makeup, but quickly developed a passion for looking after skin. April would spend hours pouring over magazines in the beauty advice sections, with Dolly magazine being her early beauty bible.

She began experimenting with home skincare and mixing up her own masks, lotions, toners, and cleansers when she was around 12. In her mid-teens, April developed quite serious hormonal acne and was spurred even further to find a solution for her own skin problems.

In 1982, a chance meeting with a boy at her school bus stop changed the course of my life. His mother had just opened a beauty salon, and through him, April managed to gain work experience and was eventually offered a job as a trainee. At the time, the Australian beauty industry was in its infancy.

Flagstaff (now known as Vic Uni) had just launched the first government-accredited beauty certification, which was a 2-year full-time course. The curriculum was as far as she understands, significantly more extensive and varied than most beauty therapy courses are now.

We spent an entire six months on skin disorders, six months of infection control, and a year of anatomy, physiology, and nutrition… Says April. Additionally, we had to complete over 400 hours of hands-on industry work in order to complete the degree. This didn’t faze me, since I was oozing passion from the moment, I entered the industry and was desperate to learn as much as I could.

I attended many additional courses and workshops, soaking up as much knowledge as humanly possible. Eventually, Flagstaff began offering classes in the evening to cater to part-time students. I was working alongside studying 2 nights a week, as well as on my days off, to gain my qualifications. It really did take years! I loved being so actively involved in the industry, and even with the college - I even took part in the rollout of the recognition of prior learning (RPL) program!

I was lucky enough to have worked with one of our industry pioneers, Janette Weller, who was a true inspiration to me and countless others. She built a beauty empire, consisting of four salons and a beauty school. Many of the lessons I learned from her, I still use to this day. She was the one who taught me that you must constantly update your knowledge, and that if you think you know everything, you should retire!

The world is constantly evolving, especially within the beauty and aesthetics sectors, and so for me, it’s incredibly important that we continue to learn and adapt.

Early in my career, I went on to work with Ella Bache. It was a cult product at the time, with an incredible education program and amazing reputation. We used Nemectron equipment (a German beauty brand that was years ahead of its time) as well as using low-level lasers as early as 1983.

I went on to work in three of the clinics, managing two of them. I spent some time travelling overseas and came back wanting to spread my wings, so I left Melbourne for a short period and worked in one of the first Australian hotel spas at Jupiter’s Casino on the Gold coast in 1986. I later returned to Melbourne, re-joining Janette, and eventually purchasing one of her clinics - which I still own today.

Editor of Beauty Biz, Louise May chats with April about her journey, her signature facials, her hero product, and future plans.

Can you tell us about your journey in the industry and how you got to where you are today?

I like to think I have always been innovative, I love to learn, and a creative thinker, and realised early on the constant need to evolve and grow. Careerwise, this meant I always wanted to do things a little differently. I was using LED (OMNILUX) in the year 2000, and IPL by 2006.

I began layering treatments to get better results, and constantly building out my salon treatment menu. My business model was built around this innovation, including buying the latest technologies. This worked well for years until the market began to segment and specialise, and devices became a lot more common.

I am lucky to have done a lot of overseas travel and have used this to my advantage in-clinic, incorporating trends and unique techniques that I discovered in other countries. This is still part of my philosophy today. In 2013 during my annual trip to see my family in the UK, I experienced a treatment that completely changed my career path - and that was the Buccal facial.

The treatment I received was short, performed in a chair, and obvious to me that the therapist did not want to be there. But when she showed me the results in a mirror I was instantly hooked. I thought to myself, “If she could get this result in that short amount of time, with no love, care or passion, just imagine what I could achieve with all of these elements combined?!” I immediately began researching and found a few people who were performing the treatment, but the technique was, at the time, a closely guarded industry secret which nobody would teach me.

I begrudgingly shelved the idea, and it wasn’t until a few years later during a work trip to Paris that a single statement from my French trainer reignited my burning passion to pursue this Buccal technique.

I finally found a trainer, but this course was not in English, and so much was lost in translation. I continued to practise and try to hone my skills, and my clients were loving the treatment, but I knew that I had not perfected the technique and needed further instruction.

The stars aligned and the gorgeous Dana Omari in New York accepted me into her highly exclusive workshop. After completing a questionnaire, Dana admitted that she didn’t think I would learn anything new from the training, but my ticket and accommodation were already booked, and I was desperate at that point to build on my existing skills.

Dana finessed my technique, and taught me that above anything, when it comes to Buccal, practise is essential. During this trip I learned about a unique facial Gua Sha technique and returned back to the USA four months later to complete Cecily Braden Gua Sha training.

I think combining specialised education across multiple facial massage practices was what really excelled my craft. Each week I set aside four hours to train - and slowly, my technique evolved, and I was finally getting the exceptional results I was hoping for from the beginning. Not long after, COVID hit. We went into lockdowns, the world changed, and my life went into a spin. I can honestly say I hit one of the lowest points of not only my career, but my life. What would happen if I lost everything - my salon, my savings, my lasers, HydraFacial, LED, Visia? What would I do? I was facing the prospect of 38 years of hard work and bankruptcy.

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t at work, and I had time to think hard about what I really wanted to do. My treatment room is the light of my life. But after some soul-searching I realised that there had to be a light at the end of a tunnel. So instead of focusing on what would happen if I lost everything, I focussed on what could happen if I didn’t.

Drawing from my industry knowledge and experience, I developed the concept of my own luxury brand - the April Brodie Privee studio concept, which I had seen in Paris and New York - where clients from around the country (and the world!) can enter a luxury space just for them. The Privee is the ultimate facial destination, where attention to every detail is paramount.

Enormous bouquets of fresh flowers give life and luxury to the space, each white fluffy towel is pristinely rolled and folded, every surface is spotless, crystal facial tools of every shape, size and colour are on display, and the April Brodie name adorns the walls and mirrors - and most importantly, the treatment is performed by the name on the door.

And so, we made it through what seemed like endless lockdowns, and I manifested my vision into fruition. I was invited to Sydney to perform my Buccal treatment for the press, and from this experience, I had more and more clients requesting treatments in Sydney. This had a snowball effect and allowed me to bring my dream of the April Brodie Privvee from Melbourne to Sydney, where I now visit for an entire week of every month.

Tell us about your business and what makes it unique.

I have spent the better part of four decades dedicated to learning. This is what I believe sets me apart. To spend as long as I have in the industry and still feel the desire, every single day, to learn new skills and get better - there has to be a certain level of passion there that is very rare. It’s this passion that helps me connect to my clients in profound ways, not just when speaking to them but through the immense power of touch.

Having experience across multiple techniques in massage, facials, and wellness practices facilitates a deep level of understanding of skin and muscular deficits, and how to address them. It’s the passion and connection, combined with the amazing results of the highly specialised treatments I’m performing, that brings clients back.

There is also the fact that my signature treatments are not widely performed in Australia. Their presence is definitely growing in the industry, but most people are still yet to experience things like Gua Sha, Bee Venom, and Buccal facials. It’s human nature to want to explore new and exciting things!

I’m incredibly lucky to have established my two separate passions - my salon in Melbourne: Beaute the Facial Destination, and the April Brodie Integrated Facialist Privees in Melbourne, Sydney, and internationally. Beaute is my lifeblood, home to all variety of beauty, body, skin, and laser treatments, and of course my incredible team of therapists. The April Brodie Integrated Facialist Privee is my passion project, and my exclusive space to dedicate myself to my signature Buccal and Bee Venom treatments.

I took inspiration from the atelier/Privee concepts in the US and UK, wanting to create a unique space for my clients. I wanted a truly private and unique experience that isn’t often seen here in Australia. Each client has the space to themselves, there are no telephones ringing, and no other therapists having conversations with other clients.

I didn’t want my space to look like a traditional salon or clinic, but more like a luxury apartment or hotel suite. The giant fresh florals in both Privee venues have become synonymous with my brand, and I really do think it makes an enormous difference.

The unique scents I spray in the rooms and hallways, the luxury candles, the high-quality linens, the plush treatment bed setup, the choice of music - every detail has been carefully considered.

Even the fact that there is not a huge menu of services, and just two specialised treatments to select from - I think adds to the exclusivity of the experience. As does the fact that there isn’t a team of therapists - just me with a concierge in each state. We strive for every touchpoint of the service to be impeccable too. All appointments and initial contact are made via the waitlist link on my website, and my concierge will usually contact them within 48 hours.

You specialise in the Buccal Fusion and Bee Venom Facials. Can you tell us about these please in detail and why these are your signature facials?

I mentioned earlier that I have always loved pushing the boundaries and developing new, innovative treatments that aren’t already saturating the market. Buccal and Bee Venom allow me to do this and do it well. Not only are they luxurious, whole-body experiences, but the difference they make to the skin health and to the facial features are incredible.

The Buccal facial, or IntraOral facial, is a strange and wonderful treatment involving massaging inside the mouth. Many would have seen Buccal massage the headlines after celebrities like Meghan Markle were reported having them.

Whilst unusual, there are so many benefits. When we think of ageing, we mostly think of the surface signs like wrinkles and sagging, but it’s much more complex. There are also changes in bone density and fascia (connective tissue), facial muscles, and fat volume. A standard facial massage can’t address these.

The benefits of Buccal massage not only include stimulation of lymphatic and blood flow, but enhanced collagen and elastin production, the release of blocked energy in the body and the natural nourishment of the skin, but a dramatic tightening and lifting of muscles as well. By placing fingers both inside and outside the mouth, we can access the muscles and fascia much more significantly and precisely than we can by massaging on the surface alone.

The technique involves massaging nearly all 42 muscles of the face. By working on the muscle fibres, we can create a lifting effect, manually sculpting and working the muscles and fascia that have become lax and sagged over time, or tight and stiffened by clenching. My clients all find a huge sense of muscular and TMJ relief and the sensation that their jaw space is more ‘open’, but also visually that their cheekbones seem to have lifted around 2cm higher!

As for the Bee Venom, this is incredibly special since I am the only clinician in Australia to offer the treatment. It’s an age-defying facial utilising ingredients unlike any other cosmeceutical on our market. The treatment centres around a hero mask product, dubbed the ‘facelift in a jar’ - a product so exclusive that only 500 are manufactured every year. It contains ABEETOXIN®, which mimics the physiological response triggered by the honeybee sting and is said to act as an alternative to anti-wrinkle injection. It also contains 20 other nutrient-rich compounds with profound anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects.

Above all, it is designed to significantly promote collagen and elastin production, creating firmer, plumper, more youthful skin. I’ve given the treatment my own special April Brodie touch by incorporating my signature lifting and sculpting massage movements.

Do you only do these 2 facial treatments or are there other treatments you perform also?

Late last year, after a six-month vetting process, I was chosen as the first luxury skin clinic to have Rationale - a brand that previously only accepted doctor-led clinics as stockists. For the April Brodie Privee, I am currently developing a signature Rationale Treatment that I hope to launch in the next few months. I am constantly evolving my treatments, tweaking, and improving them. I know that there is always something I could be doing better. I want my clients to get off the facial bed and say “wow…that was better than anything I could have imagined.”

Explain your client experience at your clinic.

At the Privee, the experience is very exclusive, nurturing, and indulgent. Appointment slots are two hours - this covers 90 minutes on the bed and adequate time to get them in and out comfortably, never feeling rushed. At the Sydney Privee, clients arrive at the Intercontinental Double Bay where they are greeted by an assistant in the lobby. They are then escorted upstairs to the suite, where a luxurious treatment bed is set up in the centre. The room is complete with relaxing music, signature aroma diffuser scent, hot towel cabinet, waffle gown, silk hairtie and fresh slippers. They are shown to the guest bathroom to change before getting tucked in and the room curtains closed.

After an indulgent 90 minute Buccal or Bee Venom facial, our Privee assistant returns to process their payment, book their next visit, hand them their gift bag, escort them to the elevator, and turn over the room so that it is pristine and ready for the next appointment. There are never multiple clients in the suite at once, and zero distractions - they receive complete undivided attention. I want them to feel like the most important person in the world during those two hours.

You have a waitlist for Sydney and Melbourne, can you tell us more about these 2 locations, how long is your waitlist usually and how did you build the brand in 2 states?

That first trip to Sydney was a press day for the Buccal treatment. It was an amazing success, and I gained a lot of press. But when people heard I was in Sydney performing treatments, they started contacting me directly and asking when I could treat them in Sydney too! And from there, AB Sydney Privee was launched. I’m now back every month, with 5 consecutive, 10-12 hour days of booked-out appointments.

Separate to my Doncaster clinic (Beaute the Facial Destination) the Melbourne Privee started as a 2-day pop-up once a month. Due to demand, we now operate full-time. The waitlist is varied in each state, but often new clients in Sydney may need to wait 2-4 months. Melbourne clients sometimes wait 2-3 months. We ensure that once a client has a treatment, that they are prioritised with availability for them to rebook. I also understand that some clients want a one-off unique experience. We do our best to cater to everyone!

You are continually attending conferences and training with world leaders in the industry to ensure the best techniques are used and outcomes are given to your clients. Can you tell us if there are any new innovations, or treatments on the horizon, that you have been educating yourself on?

Yes, there definitely are! I have several new massage techniques that I am blending into an exciting new treatment. One is a Brazilian Lymphatic technique, which towards the end of last year I travelled to Europe to learn. I have always tried to draw from my travel experiences. Lately, I have looked to other sectors of wellness, spa, and beauty to learn about unique luxury experiences that haven’t been developed before.

The long Melbourne lockdowns gave me time to dream - developing my own skincare products was one of the results of this. I looked far and wide but was unable to find a facial sculpting oil that I loved to give my clients. As I specialise in Gua Sha, having a great facial oil to use with this technique is crucial! With a lot of research and multiple prototypes, my SkinSculpt Facial Oil was born. Now that the door to product formulation has been opened, I’m sure there will be more to come in the near future!

What is next for April Brodie, future plans etc?

I have a huge year planned. During my travels to London late last year, not only did I attend training in order to develop new techniques, but I launched my first London pop-up Privee clinic, which was incredibly successful. Now, my London waitlist is growing, and we are in the process of securing dates for another. I am currently in discussions around several other exciting opportunities which are truly amazing! All will be revealed soon…