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FEATURE
SURROUNDED BY TALENT By Will Fennell
This year I will celebrate 27 years in the beauty industry. I know that some of you were not even born when I graduated in 1994, and to those “beauty babies”, I blow you (with affection of course) a huge raspberry, haha! There are only a few things in my life I remember vividly. My first Kylie concert, the first time I kissed a boy and my year at beauty school. Perhaps they are my three best memories? After a somewhat traumatic high school experience, I cherished every moment at college. Sure, I could have done without having my eyebrows dyed black, three girls all waxing my bikini line at once and my nails a permanent “Jungle Red”, but like Dorothy following the yellow brick road, I felt like I’d finally found my Oz. Our industry has evolved so much since then. Better education, superior skin care formulations and machinery that would not be out of place on the Starship Enterprise. But for me all the trimmings that go along
with such changes, also to some degree spelt out the death of what truly made me love my job. The power of touch that goes along with the “simple” facials I learnt at college. European styled treatments with warm oils, delicate fragrances stimulating the senses and out of this world facial massages are fast becoming obsolete as we move towards relying solely on equipment in our client’s continual quest to look younger. I refuse to lose sight of my true passion, so I surround myself with therapists that feel similarly. The following three ladies are icons within our industry. They have successfully blended our past with our present. They are my teachers and my inspiration.
Daniela Boerma Bliss Day Spa How long have you been in the beauty industry? I have been in the industry for 39 years During this time how much has the industry changed? I have certainly seen it all when it comes to new treatments and technology. I entered the world of advanced treatment devices 12 years ago when I returned to studies and completed a Diploma in light energy. The industry was buzzing with permanent hair reduction, pigmentation removal and Radio Frequency skin tightening, all of which have had a place when treating individual clients, but not all. What I have noticed in the industry is the shift back to more traditional treatments and the link between the gut and skin health. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a technology advocate but knowing when a client’s skin is a candidate for advanced treatment is crucial to a successful outcome. I still recommend traditional treatments along with the best skin care on the market. I feel the industry has come full circle concentrating on skincare and inner health supplements, thus optimising skin preparation before undertaking advanced laser or fractionated Radio Frequency. Have you seen a change in training? Training has become an integral part of the industry and without it therapists would fall behind not only in knowledge but motivation. We are so lucky today with online courses and support groups. Social media and international platforms have broadened our education reach, anything is achievable. This is so different from the days of Anatomy and Physiology textbooks with old school face to face classroom educators. We now have the option to learn at our own pace with our busy schedules. Recorded practical demonstrations are so useful allowing students to perfect the application of technology, in the past we relied on notes and memory which was often difficult for visual learners.
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Beauty Biz Year 14 Issue 4
