Bravery, Opportunity & Innovation at Lekeyah

2020 and 2021 were not the most memorable years for beauty salons. In Victoria, the strict, extensive, and repeated lockdowns near crippled the industry. And Lekeyah Skin Rejuvenation Centre, nestled in the regional town of Traralgon, wasn’t immune.

However, owner Ang Domagala has never been one for throwing in the towel. Her multi-award-recognised centre is one of the most advanced clinic/day spa facilities between Melbourne and Gippsland. Breaking common perceptions of regional salons, it’s renowned for being a genuine ‘beauty destination’. Clients happily travel hours to experience the Lekeyah difference.

While that difference is everywhere – from the salon’s advanced treatments through to the team culture – there’s undeniably one thing that makes it stand apart. From her very first day of business through to battling the near-crippling

COVID challenges, Lekeyah has always been about bravery and courage.

As a young hairdresser, Ang had a penchant for beauty and a talent for making people feel good about themselves. But more importantly, she had a genuine desire to help make lives better. This was the impetus for Lekeyah.

To create a space where her life’s mantra – to treat others as you wish to be treated – would be put into practice daily, Ang had no choice but to back herself. And in Lekeyah she did this, developing a business that celebrates ongoing learning, community, and a peoplefirst mentality.

It’s a space she loves filled with a team she believes in. And this is precisely why, when COVID hit, she wasn’t going to give in easily.

Given that face-to-face treatments were among the first line of business to be culled in social distancing measures, COVID brought the beauty industry to its knees. And with Lekeyah positioned in a hotspot, the first Victorian lockdown killed their service offerings almost overnight.

“There was an initial period of shock – like most salon owners, I questioned how I’d not only deal with the high levels of uncertainly among clients and staff, but also how we’d survive,” Ang said. “But instead of spending hours fretting about the future of my business, I had to spend my time wisely.” had become increasingly difficult for not only her, but also other salon owners. And since the very beginning of her journey as a clinical aesthetician in 2013, she’d been dreaming of launching her own skincare brand.

What better time than a crisis to go for it?

Omorfi was developed for salon owners and individuals. Ang recognised the need for highend, pharmaceutical-quality skincare products that were designed, developed, and made in Australia. But most importantly, those products had to be authentic in every way.

“Supply was an issue – there were days that we were completely out and couldn’t treat clients. I needed a solution I could rely on.

“But I also wanted to make life-changing products – with no lies, false promises, or out-of-reach price tags – that were available to everyone.”

Investing her own money, Ang worked on everything from product development to branding. And in 2021, Omorfi Active Skincare was born.

Omorfi solved the challenge of product availability, but it hadn’t truly mitigated the risk that comes witha business reliant on in-clinic treatments. Ang knew what she wanted to develop. However, Lekeyah needed funding to do it. Together, the team secured a grant via the Latrobe City Small Business Grants Program.

“We used the grant money to invest in our digital presence, developing a sales platform to support online purchasing and worldwide shipping of Omorfi products. This is supported by emails, one-on-one remote client support, and dedicated user education. We’re all about openness and education because it’s critical that clients know what’s right for their skin, and where and how to use it.”

Today, Omorfi has far transcended its label as a skincare range – it’s become an ideology. By providing educational videos, clarity around skincare ingredients and individual support, the Lekeyah team has successfully created a thriving online community of people eager to understand and access the right products for their skin type.

“I don’t want clients to be just buying a product; they’re being taught everything I know, too. We offer 100% transparency of ingredients and related effects,” Ang said. “Our products aren’t just for superficial benefit. Omorfi’s ingredients tackle issues such as acne, rosacea, and ageing, and they do it without the use of expensive, harsh chemicals.

“This is really important to me, and our clients’ mental and physical wellbeing undeniably benefits as a result.”

Ang is the first to admit that although terrifying, COVID highlighted the strength of Lekeyah’s culture. The team worked cohesively to reevaluate the way they did business.

“In the early days of covid, I didn’t have to ask a single team member to leave because of the crisis and the potentially disastrous implications that came with it – instead, we faced the challenges together.

“We delivered online support groups for clients, COVID at-home DIY kits, and undertook training and self-development. Everyone felt out of their comfort zone, but we practiced by sharing daily training updates with one another. And we remained in constant contact with each other and clients via our in-house chat groups,” Ang said.

“Because of this continuity of staff, when we did reopen clients could pick up where they left off – with seamless service, friendly faces, and a much-needed sanctuary to retreat to.”

For Traralgon and surrounds, Lekeyah is more than a “beauty salon” – it’s a living, breathing pillar of the community. All ages, gender and walks of life come to escape the daily grind for pampering, a quick fix – hair, makeup or eyebrow sculpt, or for a more complex solution, such as finally ridding themselves of the challenges brought about by problem skin.

Problem skin is the space in which Lekeyah shines, with the team’s approach reflecting Ang’s values, beliefs, and commitment to helping make people’s lives better.

“The term ‘skin deep’ is used so often to criticise the beauty industry,” she said. “But it’s so much more complex than many people give it credit for – skincare is about so much more than just aesthetics.

“Our skin encompasses our entire being; it’s our shield for the world. If we don’t feel good about that shield, we often don’t feel good about ourselves, leading to uncertainty and self-doubt that can affect us personally and professionally”.

“We’re about helping clients improve their skin and their confidence. We see so often how helping clients with skin concerns can have a lasting and profound effect on their mental wellbeing. Feeling good about yourself is empowering, and that’s what we want to help our clients achieve.”