Meet the Beauty Squad'23 - Laura Mitchell

Laura Mitchell is originally from the UK and has worked in the beauty industry for 12 years, from beauty salons to doctors' clinics. Her thirst for knowledge originally led her to want to become a teacher, however, a part-time role at a beauty salon back in England in 2011 derailed these plans and Laura quickly fell in love with the environment of such a magical place.

She distinctly remembers discovering the admiration she had for the clinicians and the way they interacted and helped their clients. Laura soon enrolled in a beauty therapy certification. This desire to deepen her knowledge of beauty and skin eventually led her to Australia, where she knew the industry was world-class.

When Laura arrived in Australia back in 2017, she took every possible opportunity to learn and refine her Beauty Therapy practices. Laura’s inquisitive nature brought her to several clinics where she was introduced to how to really care for the skin, as well as work with a range of modalities and everything else in between. Laura was beginning to work within the Dermal Therapy space, and she was hooked!

Laura has been a therapist at James Vivian for almost 2 years now and for the first time in her career, her thirst for knowledge is being met and she can’t wait to see what the next few years bring. She is also one of the 2023 ABIA Beauty Squad winners!

Editor of Beauty Biz Louise May chats with Laura about work, life and her time in the Beauty Squad House, with a little fun thrown in at the end…

What kind of treatment is your favourite why?

My ride-or-die treatment has to be Morpheus 8 by Inmode. The game changer that is Morpheus 8 is a combination of skin needling and radio frequency. Morpheus 8 can be used for a variety of skin concerns across the face and body and is my go-to for acne scaring, skin laxity, stubborn adipose tissue, texture irregularities, cellulite and stretch marks. The list never ends! I adore this treatment as it’s minimally invasive and the results from a course of treatments are outstanding. I can always rely on this device to change my client's lives for the better (huge statement I know).

How do you manage life and work balance?

This is a super important part of my life that I have often struggled with in the past. Historically, I used to overwork myself and get burnt out very easily. Over the past 5 years, I have been able to better manage my work-life balance by finding ways to switch off while outside of the clinic through meditation and Pilates.

At James Vivian, there is a huge support on health and mental wellness and as a team, we all support one another’s physical and mental health journeys. When I’m at work my main focus is always my clients and I always give 110% which means I my downtime is all about spending time with friends and family to reset and appreciate the hard work that I put in. If I am not feeling my physical and mental best, I cannot perform at my best for my clients.

Who inspires you in the beauty industry and why?

I am inspired by so many trainers/therapists/mentors in our amazing industry, but I have always been in awe of Maria Enna-Cocciolone, the founder of Inskin Cosmedics. When I first landed in Australia, I worked in a small skin clinic that introduced me to O Cosmedics. When I discovered the philosophy of the brand, their focus on mindfulness and their powerful formulations, I was in love. I have been kicking skin goals ever since. Inskin have amazing education for therapists all around Australia, their focus being on the importance of active ingredients for optimal skin health. Maria is a skin guru who has created an empire in our industry and has inspired me from the beginning.

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

It would have to be the fabulous Chiza Westcar, a Nutritionist, menopause wellness coach and Dermal Clinician. Chiza is a wealth of knowledge, recognising the vital connection between gut health and skin health. She has a unique holistic approach to skin health and overall well-being. I would love to spend a day with Chiza to chat all things women’s health. Chiza is so empowering and an inspiration, teaching women on how to manage their ever-changing hormones to live life to the fullest.

How important is training and education for you?

Training is undoubtedly a huge and crucial part of our industry. Education excites me and I have always been forthcoming with taking advantage of any and all education opportunities that come my way. We are in a fast-growing industry and the opportunities that are in Australia are fabulous for therapists. If we don’t learn and keep expanding our knowledge we can’t offer the best information to our clients.

In this industry, you learn every day and I love the opportunities that come with training and education to excel in what I do.

Can you tell us about your Beauty Squad experience?

“The Beauty Squad has been life-changing for me in so many ways, not just for my career but also in my personal life. The team are all on different paths and at different stages in our careers, yet we all had our own awakening over the time spent in the house. What really shone over the whole experience was the passion and support from our sponsors and mentors, everyone who we met over the Beauty Squad weekend were so empowering and I will take that inspiration with me through my career.

Getting an insight into how some of the best in the biz began their journeys and how they got to where they are now was a game changer and I feel so lucky to have been a part of this life-changing experience. I can’t thank the mocha group enough for taking us all on this wild ride, there were lots of laughter and tears. The weekend was filled with self-development sessions, and we were pushed to our limits in the best possible way.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

In 10 years, I’ll be 40, but I certainly don’t want to look it (thanks Morpheus 8!). Jokes aside, I want to feel comfortable in my own skin, which is what I encourage my clients to consider as we all have our unique hang-ups and which there are great treatments available for a wide variety of concerns, loving yourself doesn’t come from a peel or a laser treatment.

At James Vivian, I have already been giving so many opportunities for growth and development and my team are always looking for ways to further support me on my professional journey. I never thought of myself as an ambitious person but with experience comes confidence and I want to take this wild ride as far as it will go.

Fun Snapshot

Worst fashion moment: In 2016 I was in Bali and used too much coconut oil which ended up getting stuck in my hair and I had to get my hair cut off, top tip don’t use coconut oil on your hair.

Fave Place to Holiday: Anywhere near the beach, Cornwall in England is a fave!

Fave Drink: Margarita, anything with tequila.

Fave type of Music: Music is a big part of my life in Melbourne, I like all music apart from dance and electronic, it’s not my vibe.

If you weren’t a Beauty Therapist, you would be: Radio presenter, because I talk so much.