Meet the Beauty Squad 23 - Elise Birchell

Elise is a Dermal Clinician and Director of LILI Skin Co., providing skin health services in Canberra to a variety of clients and their various skin concerns. Her specialties include dermal therapy treatments, as well as training and assessment in all things skin and business.

Elise loves all things skin. There are two things about skin that she can’t get enough of. Educating skin therapists, and helping her wonderful clients achieve healthier skin.

As a Dermal Clinician, her approach to skin health comes from working primarily on skin function. Working directly in skin therapy for over 10 years, she thrives on the problem solving aspect of skin care and skin health, determining the external and internal issues that can cause concern.

Elise has a team of 5 skin loving professionals at LILI Skin Co., and even more current and past students who have worked under her mentorship.

Elise holds a full membership with the Australasian Society of Dermal Clinicians (ASDC) and is on the board of the ASDC in a governance role. She works closely with the Australasian Academy of Cosmetic Dermal Science (AACDS) as a trainer and assessor.

Elise has worked across all aspects of the beauty industry – from the traditional spa environment to cosmetic laser clinics, for plastic surgeons, and now in her own dermal therapy clinic. She previously worked as Director for the Australian Capital Training Institute – a beauty therapy RTO delivering advanced training to the next generation of beauty therapists.

Elise is welcoming her first child into the world in December!

What made you want to be a Beauty Therapist?

I actually fell into beauty therapy, much like a lot of other beauty therapists! I was taking a gap year and wanted to study to fill the time and thought beauty would be a fun option – who wouldn’t love being able to do their own brow treatments and manicures! I quickly fell in love with the facial aspect of beauty therapy. It combined my love of science and fun, the perfect match. I also struggled with my own skin issues, so it was really cool to be able to learn more for myself. I learned the difference of what an amazing but simple skincare routine could do for me, and wondered what it could do for others. So, I took the leap, studied all I could regarding skin and dermal therapies, and now it’s a career I cannot imagine doing.

What kind of treatment is your favourite and why?

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love the treatments that had a bit of extra downtime, like chemical peels or fractional lasers – it’s satisfying to watch the skin physically transforming and healing right before your eyes. Picking your favourite is like choosing your favourite child. I don’t think I have just one, but I can’t go past microneedling and lasers. Two very versatile modalities that you can make very gentle or quite intense. We love customisable treatments.

How do you manage life and work balance?

When you own your own business, life, and work kind of combine into one, which isn’t the worst thing when you love what you do. Making clear boundaries that are realistic has been the biggest factor for me. It is all well and good to say the phone and laptop go down at 9pm, but in reality, that doesn’t always happen. But what is realistic, is having technology aside during dinner times, keeping Sunday and Mondays client free, and accepting that you can have everything, just sometimes not perfectly and all at once.

Who inspires you in the beauty industry and why?

At the end of the day, it has to be clients. Without clients, we have nothing to work on and no one to work with. Being able to make a difference in someone’s life – physically and emotionally is such a rewarding aspect of our work. The effect that skin issues can have on one’s mental health can be hugely significant. Being able to take away this mental load is like nothing else.

We’ve built such a tight-knit, warm community around LILI Skin Co and this motivates me to do more and be more for them. Second to clients would be my team. It’s not every day that you are in a position to impact someone’s career on such a significant level. The knowledge and expertise that I can pass on may be invaluable to their success. It’s giving back in a way that isn’t always first thought of.

If you could spend a day with anyone from a business or lifestyle mentorship perspective, who would it be and why?

This is a tricky one, there are really so many inspirational people both in the beauty industry and outside of it. I will never say no to a little mentoring. You can’t ever know everything there is to know, and accepting this and being receptive to learning is key for success.

A few people I’d love to meet and be mentored by include Gry Tomte for her business mindset approach, Mia Freedman for all things creativity, marketing and business, and Emma Isaacs –CEO of Business Chicks.

How important is training and education for you?

Education and training is the foundation of LILI Skin Co.’s philosophies and something I am very passionate about. In an industry that has grown so fast, there have been constant emerging trends and technologies that there is so much to keep up with. Now a days, beauty therapists are expected to have a vast understanding of skin anatomy and physiology – not only for their results and devices, but for the safety of their patients.

We approach education from two angles. First, is educating ourselves. There is always something to learn! My team have or are studying their Bachelor of Dermal Therapies to ensure they are delivering the most up to date knowledge and care for our clients. Secondly, every appointment with a client is an opportunity to educate.

We don’t focus on sales targets and a sales-based approach – we focus on educating our clients as to why they need what they need, which in turn, results in a sale.

Lastly, we offer in house workshops and training in our purpose build training room for those in the Canberra and surrounding regions who want to refresh on their skin skills without going through a 3-year degree.

Can you tell us a little about what you are most looking forward to being a member of the Beauty Squad team?

It is such an honour to be joined alongside three amazing women who are making such a positive difference in the industry. Being a member of the Beauty Squad means more than just an award and prizes. It is the opportunity to make new friends, learn from experts I may never otherwise would have had the chance to, and to grow in all aspects of my career. It is such a wonderful opportunity – I am so excited.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

This industry will always be for me. When you find something you love and enjoy, it’s hard to imagine giving it up. I’d like to expand on the LILI Skin Co. clinics, but I also like the idea of staying small. Small means you can focus your attention on quality and care.

I’d like to ramp up the training side of our business – that’s probably where the next area of growth will be. At some stage I’d love to get into medicine, however, that is probably part of the 15-year plan!

Fun Snapshot

WORST FASHION MOMENT

Let’s just say all of the 2010’s – who let us leave the house in some of those fashion trends!

FAVE PLACE TO HOLIDAY

If I’m on holiday, I like to relax. Exploring is super fun, but when you only get a handful of days off a year you have to make the most of them! For a 1-2 day trip away, anywhere on the northern beaches is divine. But I will not say no to a trip abroad to NZ or the Pacific Islands.

FAVE DRINK

I am a Coke Zero addict (probably not the best habit). I’ve been craving pineapple juice my whole pregnancy so that is the flavour of the month right now.

FAVE TYPE OF MUSIC/SONG

I’d love to say I have a super refined and adventurous taste in music, but I am way too much of a fan of Justin Bieber and some 2000’s RnB.

IF YOU WEREN’T A BEAUTY THERAPIST, YOU WOULD BE A….

If I could go back in time to college, I’d pursue a career in medicine before I had any responsibilities and a life! I know it would be something hands-on, and something involving helping people. When I was in college, I wanted to be a baker, but something about the 2am starts didn’t excite me.

@elise_skin

@liliskin.co