Beauty Biz Year 16 Issue 1

EXPLORE EXOSOMES

The birth of regenerative force NEW NON-NEGOTIABLE DYNAMIC DUO

Delivering extraordinary results

Unlimited team members

Invite your entire team to join your account and stay up-to-date with their schedules

Unlimited locations

Manage multiple venues from one main account with no limitations

Unlimited clients

Track client history, take notes and keep them engaged with free integrated email notifications

Unlimited appointment bookings

Get bookings 24/7 with realtime slot availability and fill your calendar overnight

Unlimited product inventory

Add unlimited products, generate orders and manage your online shop and stock inventory on-the-go

Unlimited reporting and analytics

Monitor how your business is doing with live dashboards and financial reporting

IMPORTANT DATES FOR ABIA + BEAUTY SQUAD

The ABIA (Australian Beauty Industry Awards) were launched in 2011 to provide the Australian Beauty and Make Up Industry a much needed and often requested benchmark of excellence in business and creative ability on a state by state basis. These awards culminate in an annual gala event in August, following the Sydney Beauty Expo. The awards were launched due to industry demand and are judged by an independent panel of judges, media, PR and business specialists.

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES

NEW! Junior Therapist of the Year

Beauty Therapist of the Year

Dermal Therapist of the Year

Director/Owner of the Year

Best Cosmetic Tattooist

Sole Operator of the Year (ABN Registered)

SPECIALIST CATEGORIES

Best Marketing Award

Best Customer Care Award

Team of the Year

Best Salon/Spa/Clinic Training Award

Best Business Performance of the Year (non-salon)

EDUCATOR CATEGORIES

Best Industry Educator Individual

Best Industry Educator Organisation

Educator of the Year (Product/Equipment Company)

SALON CATEGORIES

Best Eco Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year

Best Salon/Spa/Clinic Design

Best Newcomer Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year

MAKE UP CATEGORIES

Bridal/Formal Make Up Artist of the Year

Editorial/Session Make Up Artist of the Year

STATE CATEGORIES

NSW/ACT Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 4 Treatment rooms or Less

NSW/ACT Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 5 Treatments rooms or more

VIC /TAS/SA Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 4 Treatment rooms or Less

VIC /TAS/SA Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 5 Treatments rooms or more

WA/NT Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 4 Treatment rooms or Less

WA/NT Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 5 Treatments rooms or more

QLD Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 4 Treatment rooms or Less

QLD Beauty Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year – 5 Treatments rooms or more

NOMINATED CATEGORIES Hall of Fame

Mocha Angels Humanitarian Award

VOTED CATEGORY

State and National Wholesaler of the Year

PRIZES INCLUDE

Crystal Trophy presented on the night of the ABIA’s Use of the Title of winning category for 12 months

Coveted PR in leading trade magazine Beauty Biz, PR campaign for EVERY winner

Personalised press releases and special PR pack with Branding and Communication experts Lily Blue Communications Additional prizes

ENTER NOW! DOWNLOAD ALL ENTRY CRITERIA AND FIND ACCESS TO THE AWARDS SITE!

brought to you by mochagroup

PUBLISHER

Linda Woodhead linda@mochagroup.com.au

GENERAL MANAGER

Jarred Stedman jarred@mochagroup.com.au

EDITOR

Louise May louise@mochagroup.com.au

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Nina Barbara nina@mochagroup.com.au

ART DIRECTOR

Kellie Woodhead kellie@mochagroup.com.au

ADMINISTRATION

Jess Richmond jess@mochagroup.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS

Louise May

Nancy Abdou

Pia Kynoch

Robyn McAlpine

Danielle Hughes

Gay Wardle

Mala McAlpin

Lisa Conway

Elle Wilson

Paul Frasca

Angeli Marie Shaw

Tina Winchester

Gry Tomte

Rebecca Miller

Caitlyn Menzel

Kara Lehman

Nicola Le Lievre

Alanna Douglas

Tamara Reid

Pheobe Bawden

By Sarah Garner

Kayla Zigic

Angela Sanchez

OFFICE

PO BOX 252 Helensvale Plaza Qld 4212 P: 07 5580 5155 mail@mochagroup.com.au www.mochagroup.com.au

DISTRIBUTION

Australia Post - Print Post 100005498

PRINTING

Printcraft

PUBLISHED BY mochagroup

PUBLISHERS OF HAIR BIZ, Beauty Biz & Barber Shop

Beauty Biz is published six times a year by mocha publishing

ABN 65 091 846 189

No Part of the publication may be reproduced in any manner or form without written permission. Beauty Biz does not accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies, original artwork or other material. The views expressed in Beauty Biz are not necessarily those of the publisher.

No responsibility will be accepted if the publication is delayed or prevented by factors beyong the control of the publisher. No responsibility will be accepted for errors in copy, or for any loss arising from the failure of an advertisement or any part thereof to appear.

© 2023 mocha group

All rights reserved.

Editor’s Note

Welcome to our first issue of the year, and what a great edition it is!

It’s been all systems go here at mocha! we have had a wonderful start to the year, with the whole mocha team catching up in Brisbane for a get together over lunch, and then hosting Beauty Squad House in January which was held on the Gold Coast. You can read about the fabulous few days in this issue.

One of the things that I love so much about the Beauty industry is that we are constantly renewing and improving.

Beauty is one of the only industries in the world where so much emphasis is placed upon educating out therapists and business owners, and updating how things are done in our clinics, salons, and spas. We are constantly evolving which is wonderful!

With a plethora of support available with industry coaches, mentors and educators, there is always help on hand for you as a business owner. Every issue of Beauty Biz, we deliver to our readers the best of the best when it comes to coaching, mentoring and education. It is always such a thrill for me when I receive the articles from our industry experts, as I know just how valuable their advice, tips & tricks, is.

Our experts in this issue bring to you some key pieces of information around setting yourself up and creating a well mapped out plan, to ensure that you have a successful 2023. Also in this issue, we feature ABIA 2022 Best Customer Care Finalist Jennifer Dixon from Embellish Inc, we catch up with the gorgeous April Brodie, we take a look inside Elly Lucas and their amazing state of the art Beauty Therapy College, Mala McAlpine talks us through what conferences to attend in 2023, and we feature the absolutely stunning Alba Thermal Springs on the Mornington Peninsula.

With all this plus more, I am sure you will enjoy reading this issue.

Finally, a reminder that the ABIA and Beauty Squad 2023 officially opened in January! The entry deadline is 22nd May, and the finalists will be announced 26th June. Our Gala ABIA night is being held in Sydney on 27th August in Sydney at the Star and tickets are already on sale at www.mochagroup.com.au/shop

Make sure you check out the new and updated rules and categories. We have a NEW entry… Junior Therapist of the Year for all those up and comings! The ABIA info kit is available on our website.

Wishing you all a safe and fabulous 2023! Louise

Louise May, BEAUTY BIZ EDITOR

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 parttime 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 backing 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 focussing 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.

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.

cont’ from page 11

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.

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…

An Exceptional Legacy

By Louise May

Born

With a mixture of beauty, grace and a strong personality, Lukas made history as an inspirational Greek female figure who contributed tremendously to the lives of many Australian and Greek women, especially within the Melbourne community.

Sponsored by her older sister who had already migrated, Elly embarked on a ship to Australia in 1946 but political upheaval in Egypt stalled the vessel in Port Said for three months.

During that time, the passengers were accommodated at various hotels in Cairo while waiting for another passage. While at the Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo, her natural beauty and grace were noticed by a handsome young man, Alexander Zotos, the hotel’s general manager, who went on to become Elly’s husband. The couple had two children, Elise and Alex. During this period, in which opportunities for migrant women to find work were limited, Elly’s elegance and natural beauty prevailed in her favour.

She commenced her career in the fashion industry by showing collections of hats, accessories, and haute couture garments. She featured regularly in the works of leading photographers Athol Shmith, Henry Talbot, and Helmut Newton, and featured on the cover of Woman’s Day and fashion magazines on a regular basis.

While overseas, as part of a Migrant to Australia tour Lukas modelled for Christian Dior in Paris but declined an offer to travel around the world as a Dior model due to her family commitments.

In 1954, Elly and her husband set up the Elly Lukas School of Elegance in Collins Street, Melbourne. Her natural ability to communicate with people of all ages enabled her to promote the importance of confidence, poise, and manners to hundreds of women who walked through the doors of her institution. Olivia Newton-John was among the personalities known to have enrolled in the school that served generations of women, who were taught that the key to true beauty comes down to one significant quality: confidence.

Elly’s son Alex is now the director of the accredited beauty college that offers beauty therapy, massage, make-up, and spa therapy courses.

The elly lukas Beauty Therapy College has helped shape the beauty and spa industry in Australia over the past 68 years. They are recognised as leaders and innovators in the beauty, spa, make-up, and massage therapy industries. As one of the largest providers of Beauty & Spa Therapy education in Australia, the award-winning college provides exceptional standards of industry relevant training combined with a uniquely supportive learning environment.

As an independent College, elly lukas get to work with all of the leading employers throughout Australia and indeed the world. That means their students have the broadest possible career opportunities and can choose from a wider variety of career pathways – such as Salon, Clinic, Spa, Luxury Resort, Cruise Ship, Laser, Makeup, Advanced Skin, Dermal Therapy and Business Manager or Owner with a diverse range of employers – not just one.

in Ithaca on 27 July 1924, Elly Lukas was considered one of Australia’s most beautiful women, and she was the first Greek migrant to walk the fashion runways across Australia and overseas in the 1950s, modelling exclusive luxury fashion and haute couture creations.

Alex Zotos

There’s nothing boring about an elly lukas education. They take your learning out of the classroom with exclusive access to the top levels of the industry in incredible locations. It’s their belief that incredible skills and knowledge are not enough…it’s how and where you implement those skills that makes the difference.

Their goal is to not only provide you with exceptional training, but to also empower you with the ability and confidence to fulfil whatever career outcomes you seek. It’s for these reasons that you’ll see such a variety in their graduates’ success stories.

Occupying an entire city building in Flinders Lane – there’s nothing quite like the facilities at elly lukas.

Each of their training rooms are custom designed for the specific modalities, enabling their students to learn at a leading-edge industry level.

To be confident and job ready – you’ll need to learn how to use the latest equipment in a variety of job settings.

Whether you’re working for MAC or Mecca as a make-up artist, you’ll learn the latest make-up skills in their 2 fully equipped Makeup Studios featuring industry leading shadowless lighting.

With advanced skincare and dermal therapy becoming such an important part of the industry, the skincare studios feature the latest advanced skin care equipment. You’ll experience everything from traditional skin & body care treatments, such as high frequency and galvanic, to diamond and crystal microdermabrasion and microcurrent for non-surgical face lifts.

If Spa is your passion, you’ll love the innovative spa studio featuring the latest and greatest spa equipment like the time capsule, vichy table, thermal & steam infusion capsules and hydrotherapy baths.

In fact, they are one of the few Beauty colleges around that has such an impressive array of spa equipment so that their students learn to become confident in all aspects of spa practical treatment delivery.

As the saying goes “knowledge is power” and to provide the underpinning understanding of the science behind beauty – you’ll learn in their fully equipped science faculty featuring a lecture theatre and laboratory.

It’s here that so many of their students have discovered their interest for a deeper level of understanding that has ignited their passion for advanced skin, inspiring further career development in Dermal Therapies.

With over 68 years of training the leaders of the Beauty, Spa, Wellness, Make-up and Dermal Therapy industries – you’ll find their graduates in salons, clinics, spas, resorts, retreats, retail

stores and franchises throughout Australia. Many progress to senior roles in leadership and management or become entrepreneurs to open their own businesses.

According to the Australian Government Job Outlook research – the Beauty, Spa, Wellness & Dermal Therapy industries will experience very strong future employment growth. They predict that there will be 50,700 beauty jobs by 2024. The Beauty, Spa, Wellness & Dermal industry is experiencing rapid growth as more and more consumers discover the variety of new treatments now available.

Whilst some students obtain employment prior to commencing their training, the majority of our students obtain employment during their training with assistance from the college’s job placement service, with almost all of the remaining students obtaining employment or continuing onto further study immediately after graduating. Whilst the college does not guarantee any employment outcomes our graduates are highly sought after by the industry because of their job ready skills and thorough training obtained at the college. Elly lukas education is independent, which means they don’t train their students to just work at a single laser clinic chain or spa franchise – they empower their students with the skills and knowledge to choose whatever career path that inspires them. They approach teaching and learning by providing you with relevant underpinning knowledge combined with the confidence to apply your newly obtained skills in the workplace. Their training spa and salon facility allows you to practice your skills in a simulated salon/spa environment whilst you learn.

The college’s new Melbourne city campus is a purpose-built facility featuring modern equipment and state-of the-art facilities including specialist day spa, wet tables, Vichy shower, aromatherapy and steam areas designed to give students valuable knowledge and experience with up-to-date salon/spa treatments as they become available in the industry.

Bringing Beauty to Local Communities

For more than five years, Amanda Thurbin – owner of Laser Clinics Toowoomba – has been determined to run a successful skin treatment business for her local community. But her success was not without its hurdles. Faced with misconceptions about skin treatments, six months of COVID-19 lockdowns and workforce shortages, Amanda has remained motivated to provide a high-quality experience and break down the stigmas of beauty treatments.

Amanda was born and raised in Toowoomba, a two-hour drive inland from Brisbane. She left the town for several years to work in some of Australia’s major cities – as well as overseas –before returning to her hometown to start her own business. Her passion for ‘no-judgement self-care’ was founded on her experience with hormonal vulnerabilities which helped shape her beauty philosophy. When Amanda returned home, she saw a gap for a convenient, local and professional service to improve the lives of her local community. “Five years ago, people were having to travel two hours and pay a lot of money for treatment…but it was difficult to get people to even talk about it,” Amanda said.

“I grew up in a small town where beauty treatment was often a taboo topic, so it gives me both personal and professional pride to bring Laser Clinics Australia to Toowoomba. It’s not about the size of the community – our clients are discerning and want what is best for themselves and their well-being, with top-class treatments and facilities. It also means we can offer employment opportunities for local beauty therapists that would often have to move to one of the big cities like I did. I wish I had those opportunities when I was younger, but it is very exciting for me to offer these opportunities to my

“There is so much societal pressure to look good, and even more pressure to spend an unnecessary amount to achieve these goals. I believe in demystifying skin and laser treatments and educating our clients about their options. I feel it’s not so much about normalising skin and laser treatments, but rather giving people affordable options to allow them to make informed decisions about treatments for their face and body.”

Despite being part of a broader national network of 136 clinics, Amanda’s business is rooted in and draws its success from her community. Over the years, she has positively impacted her clients and employees by focusing on people management, customer service and giving back to locals.

“My clinic looks after a wide range of people of varying ages, demographics and gender preferences and we are proud to take care of everyone. Our average client would be between the ages of 20 to 50, who values looking after themselves and wants treatment in a local community that is easy and affordable,” Amanda said.

“One life lesson that I remind myself of every day is to ‘not sell people someone something they don’t need, or something they can’t afford’. There is so much pressure and information out there that encourages people to complete unnecessary treatments, often at a significant cost. Profiting off someone’s vulnerability is something I fundamentally disagree with. It is imperative to provide clients with all the information and communicate their options with them. By working with them and not telling them what to do, they can make an informed decision that they are comfortable with.”

Recently, Amanda outperformed her colleagues and was awarded the Laser Clinics Australia (LCA) Franchisee of the Year. She was also recognised for two state-based achievements across Queensland and Northern Territory and received a national award from LCA Group.

“Truthfully, winning the Queensland and Northern Territory award was thrilling enough and I was so proud of that. But to then receive the National Award was incredible. There are countless wonderful owners in our network, many of whom I know personally and respect enormously, so to be singled out like this was a real honour,” Amanda said.

“There is such a hunger for new modalities, with excellent research currently being completed on treatments, ingredients, and the efficacy of how they operate. People are also much more aware of the benefits of using effective skincare supported by in-clinic treatments. It is incredible to see how our industry has evolved over the past decade – I can’t wait to see where the next 10 years will take us!”

INNOVATION IN LASH & BROW LAMINATION

• Utilising a cysteamine HCL active and containing no Thioglycolate allows for gentle and effective lash lift/ lamination results which minimised the chance of over processing

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• A synergistic, hydration boosting system incorporating Re-Gen Next Gen, with amino acids, serine, threonine & arginine

Level Up your Salon Game with Elleebana Award Winning Education. Scan the QR code to learn more.

Taking its cue from the region’s iconic thermal springs, the new Alba Thermal Springs and Spa boasts a selection of indoor, open-air, and outdoor treatment rooms and bathing pools to offer a uniquely modern bathing experience like no other.

Positioned in beautifully landscaped gardens, Alba offers contemporary bathing including a rain pool, botanical pools, forest pools, a sunset pool, and private pools on the rooftop and The Terrace. Luxurious full day self-care packages, half-day rituals and treatments are available in the spa.

Arriving at the Alba Thermal Springs and Spa, you’ll be greeted by a curved concrete, almost otherworldly building, which stands tall amid Fingal’s lush green wilderness. The recently completely project is home to 31 different bathing pools, 22 elegant spa treatment rooms and a restaurant curated by celebrity chef Karen Martini. A destination in and of itself, it’s deserving of a dedicated day trip. Here’s what it’s like to spend a day at Alba.

Destination to

THE SPRINGS

If bathing is on the agenda, you’ll find 31 idyllic pools to hop between, each one built for a different purpose and carefully integrated into its own immediate landscape, right down to the choice of native flora surrounding it.

You will be escorted to the spacious change rooms and given a locker – where your phone will remain during your visit. There, find slippers, Vanessa Megan skincare products, and a robe so fluffy you’ll want to live in it.

The private, bookable bathing experiences include a rooftop geothermal or salt pool (where you can float weightless), as well as secluded springs throughout the property. There’s also an invigorating “rain” pool, where you’ll walk through a circular wall of water to access the pool.

Forming a trail down the hill known as The Hemisphere, they range from the secluded to the more social; with everything from botanical-infused baths to icy plunge pools. One might feel like you’re stepping into an Ancient Roman bath, while another envelops you with high walls carving out your own private view of the skies above. A steam room and sauna sit up here, too.

100% geothermal water is used. This water contains naturally occurring minerals including sulphur, calcium, magnesium, and

Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is a world class luxury wellness sanctuary located in the heart of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, with an expansive 15-hectare space, overflowing with luxury bathing experiences, spa treatments and wellness rituals.

potassium and is classified as a ‘sodium chloride bicarbonate spring’.

The therapeutic benefits of these waters are said to include the alleviation of neuralgia, bruising, articular rheumatism, stiffness of the shoulders, recovery from fatigue and muscular complaints.

THE SPA

Back down in the main building, the onsite spa is a serene and oh-so-stylish escape, complete with 22 treatment rooms and a zen relaxation lounge where you can kick back on a daybed in that post-pamper glow.

The spa offers a hefty range of facial and body treatments, built around both Vanessa Megan’s award-winning Aussie-made nutraceutical products and Aika Wellness Ayurvedic skincare. There’s also a Vichy shower, a steam room, and a dedicated manicure and pedicure suite.

Heading inside, make your way up the dramatic spiral staircase to the spa lounge, where you can take a seat among concrete pillars on a cushy oversized daybed overlooking the expanse. Sipping on herbal tea, served in a gorgeous ceramic cup made by a local ceramist – you fill in the pre-treatment form, including a questionnaire to find out your primary doshas (an Ayurvedic term that refers to “that which can cause problems”).

More than 35 treatments are available at Alba, including indulgent full- and halfday experiences and a variety of facials, massages, scrubs, wraps and even scalp therapy.

THE RESTAURANT

Only building on how good you’re guaranteed to feel after a bathing session or massage here, is the onsite 120-seat restaurant ‘Thyme’ helmed by well-known Melbourne Chef restaurateur, cookbook author and television presenter, Karen Martini.

A lofty indoor-outdoor space overlooking the pools, it’s an all-day affair, championing local produce via a menu filled with plates designed to both satisfy and nourish.

Expect bites like house-cured ocean trout gravlax teamed with an egg, creme fraiche and caviar pearls; Skull Island prawn toasts done with wasabi mayo and yuzu; and a red rice bowl loaded with cured tuna, kimchi, and a shiitake wakame pickle. Meanwhile, the crumbed fish sandwich with nori tartare and shiso is a nod to a Martini favourite.

The property’s kitchen garden that brings the focus to fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and lean meats. Alongside the culinary offering is top-tier coffee, local tea blends, brewed and fermented beverages. Naturally, the wellcurated wine list looks to the Peninsula’s many local vineyards.

And the best part… Since Thyme is currently only open to bathing and spa guests, you can totally wander in wearing your fluffy white robe and no one will blink an eye.

Thyme offers both indoor and outdoor seating, featuring an expansive rooftop terrace with views of the property.

“The all-day menu features fresh, wholesome dishes with modern Mediterranean influences,” says Martini. “We also support local growers

and suppliers, seeking out seasonal produce from sustainable farming practices, and choose organically-grown wherever possible.”

As you approach Alba and the dramatic 15-hectare hot springs and spa, a number of reflection pools and water features outside will command your attention. And they’ll likely lead you to get snapping.

Get it out of your system while you can, because once you’ve moved into the reception area, there’ll be a cease and desist on any photography (and phone use) from then on.

From the glimpses we have seen what lies beyond Alba’s entrance is undeniably Instagrammable. But you’ll have to leave your phone, plus smart watches, and laptops in a complimentary locker before you head into the springs, spa, or restaurant.

It’s what general manager Craig Dodd calls a “digital-detox requirement”.

“Alba is a place of tranquillity,” he says. “If you’re a guest wanting to relax and unwind –heading into nature, listening to beautiful birds, and looking at local foliage – someone sitting next to you using their phone … will impact your enjoyment of the space.

That policy also includes making the phone signal intentionally bad throughout the whole main building. So, “Even if they had [their phone] they wouldn’t be able to use it.”

The springs, spa and restaurant are all part of Alba’s first phase of construction. Phase two will see the addition of accommodation, likely to be completed in this year in 2023.

EMBELLISH INC.

By Louise May

“It’s no wonder I found comfort and inspiration at the local beauty salon,” says Jennifer. It was where Jennifer would find herself on her lunch breaks and weekends and how just one beauty therapist and a few treatments made her realise exactly where she needed to steer her career. Two months later Jennifer found herself accepted to Ella Bache’s College of Beauty Therapy as a fulltime advanced diploma student, and the rest is history.

“Although it’s been hard work, hard work, and then some more hard work, this labour of love has been the biggest blessing and longest relationship in my life.”

During her studies with Ella Bache in 2004, Jennifer became employed as a salon assistant in their flagship store, Mosman Ella Bache, moving through the ranks to a senior therapist, and then only two short years later, going on to open her first business with a business partner. “At the time I felt like I was only just finding myself as a therapist and leaving my comfort zone was terrifying, but I also knew it was a now or never moment.”

We spoke to Jennifer about her career path thus far as the owner of Embellish Inc., as well as her future dreams and goals.

Was business ownership always a priority for you?

Not at all. When I opened my first business, I was all of 21 years old. What I knew about myself as a therapist was that I absolutely adored the craft, and I had a gift for physical nurturing. I knew nothing of business, obligation, responsibility, and accountability so as all business owners know you get a cold hard slap in the face encountering those experiences for the first time once you take the leap. All I knew was that if I didn’t take that leap, I would go no

further in my life, so I had to grow up, become wiser, and learn to carry the many burdens of small business when you find yourself in over your head. I was so young and had so little life experience, I was almost swallowed whole many times but the BEAUTY in this industry is that you get to take care of so many incredible humans which helped lead me in the right direction. What I have always been lucky to experience time and time again throughout my career is the sheer joy of performing treatments, nurturing my clients and the wonderful interaction that salon life is. Eventually as the years began to stack up so did the right decisions and better outcomes, and eventually I became connected with the right business model to achieve success. Looking back, as a 21-year-old I was nowhere near the maturity level that my story needed so now at 38 I am grateful to still have the same amount of love

for my people and still be performing treatments, and my role as ‘business owner’ is something I’ve learned to harness successfully so rather than feeling overwhelmed like I was in my early years I now feel and enjoy greater satisfaction.

You are a one-woman show, can you talk to us about that and are you looking at building a team in the future, or do you prefer for it to be just you?

Yes, I am on the hunt for salon support as we speak. I’m about to begin the process of recruitment as I’ve grown the salon as far as I can as a sole operator, and there’s so much more surging for my business. I’m hopeful to find someone who wants to see us grow beautifully together in the business, us as a team, and themselves as a thriving part of Embellish Inc.

In 2003, at the age of 18, Jennifer Dixon was working in the parts department of a Toyota dealership in the most masculine working environment you can imagine.

Can you talk us through the treatments you offer, and what is your favourite treatment that you provide to your clients and why?

EMBELLISH INC - BEAUTY & BIOSCIENCE.

While I love my skin business and I have incredible tools and systems to combat aging, I’ve been working with some revolutionary technology for a few years now. To see this part of the business, take off is heart-warming because we are supporting people with issues much larger than skin. Not only do these technologies, the Hocatt and PEMF, accelerate your age reversal and relaxation, which is why I love to use them as an add on to my facial treatments, but they provide support for so many chronic conditions which is fulfilling on a whole new level.

You were an ABIA 2022 finalist for Best Customer Care, can you talk us through your Client Journey process what does Customer Care mean to you and your brand?

Customer care is everything to me as a therapist and as a brand, especially working with the bioscience technology. We take the journey with people through so many health conditions and illnesses so caring for each individual varies but seeing chronically ill people find a version of themselves that mirrors a healthier body is so

beautiful. That goes for the skin transformation process as well because so many aggravated skin conditions stem from within so to see people recover from conditions like cystic acne, peri oral dermatitis or other inflammatory conditions it really is a true blessing to be able to help relieve these symptoms.

We start each clients’ journey with an in-depth consultation, a home care prescription for both skin care and internal skin support products. We also refer clients to wholistic doctors/naturopaths and other practitioners to ensure each client is getting the utmost support for their specific needs. Once we’ve clarified all internal factors, we then create a treatment plan, including both skin and bioscience, to provide the safest and most effective road to recovery. I tend to see some pretty rapid results with my clients, and I believe that’s because of the stress reduction achieved when combining beauty and bioscience.

What makes Embellish Inc. unique and stand out from those around you?

I feel that my unique selection of products and services are my point of difference. I work with products and brands that make a huge change in everyone’s skin and lives because they all tend to have a wholistic theme behind their philosophy. With the focus on health and wellness becoming the only way to survive modern day life and its

stresses I’ve created an environment that takes care of beauty and your inner wellbeing at the same time so there’s a lot of value added in your time at the salon. I think with everyone’s lives being so busy you need to cater for more than just skin, and with skin being our largest organ, I chose to take my treatments to a much deeper level to support people through so much more than just skin treatments alone.

What is your number one skin recommendation?

The 80/20 rule. 80% is your daily skin care and lifestyle and 20% your salon treatments. There’s so much going on in today’s day and age that it takes a bit more than one facial every six months to stay on top of your skin’s requirements. In my professional opinion just like our dietary nutrient intake our skin requires as much love and attention when we are outside of the salon.

What is on the agenda for the rest of 2023?

Hopefully a new staff member, larger and new premises, and the start-up of a charity that I am working on with some colleagues, which is still in the initial stages so I won’t expand on it here, but it’s something very dear to my heart and if it comes to life will be my greatest achievement.

Meet the

Maddie, as everyone calls her, has been in the Beauty Industry for 6 years and has loved being able to advance her skills and knowledge over the years.

At a young age of 16, Maddie was a freelance makeup artist on the weekends while at school and that’s when she fell in love with skin and decided to complete a TVET course in makeup and skincare! During this time, she began her first ever job in a salon called Endota Spa, as a receptionist, and decided to go back to TAFE and complete her Diploma in Beauty Therapy.

Maddie loved treating skin and was awarded Beauty Therapist of the year at the Endota Awards and fast forward to now, she has been able to greatly expand her knowledge at Bliss Day Spa in Caringbah, where she has been working for the past 2 years and has been able to advance her knowledge gaining multiple different certifications in advanced facial treatments. Maddie loves learning from her mentors at Bliss Day Spa, especially her salon director Daniela Boerma, and has been lucky enough to be awarded Beauty Squad Member 2022!

Our Beauty Biz Editor Louise May chats with Maddie about her journey, her passion, and her future plans.

Madison with the team from Bliss Day Spa at ABIA22

What made you want to be a Beauty Therapist?

When I was young, I became addicted to skincare and my mum would always complain how much money I spent on skincare products! I found myself watching product reviews or skincare knowledge videos on YouTube. While completing my diploma I received so much great feedback from my teachers, classmates and family members that I have such an amazing touch and I knew that this is exactly what I was born to do!

What kind of treatment is your favourite and why?

Such a hard question! I’ve always loved traditional facial treatments as you can physically see and feel the client relax in front of you and knowing you have made their day is always a rewarding experience. But I also love the results of skin needling and LED treatments.

How do you manage life and work balance?

Having a work life balance is so important! Sometimes being in the beauty industry can be quite overwhelming, we take on our clients energy constantly. I love going to the gym every day to clear my head and refresh for the next day and spending time with my family, fiancé, and puppy!

Who inspires you in the beauty industry and why?

There are so many leaders in the industry I look up to but one of them in particular being Julie Piantadosi. Throughout her career she has owned many successful salons in Australia and now spends her time mentoring other salon owners and their businesses.

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

Definitely Gay Wardle! She has so much knowledge about skin and I’m very lucky to get the opportunity to spend a day with her in her salon and absorb as much information from her as possible.

How important is training and education for you?

The beauty industry is forever changing and that’s what I love about it! There’s always new techniques and technologies to learn and we always have to make sure we keep our training and education up to date. At the moment I am doing a nutrition course so I can learn about the importance of gut health and how it can affect the skin.

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

I’m really looking forward to the mentors visiting the Squad House and pick their brains! I can’t wait to learn from the best of the best in our industry and I’m so lucky to be given this opportunity.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

In 10 years, I will be 33 and I wish to own my own business one day. I love fitness and nutrition and would love to link these together with skin health or I would also love to teach Beauty Therapy. Oh! And have a hubby and a few kids.

If you weren’t a beauty therapist, what would you be? If I wasn’t a beauty therapist I think I’d either be a vet or a personal trainer!

“HAVING A WORK LIFE BALANCE IS SO IMPORTANT! SOMETIMES BEING IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY CAN BE QUITE OVERWHELMING, WE TAKE ON OUR CLIENTS ENERGY CONSTANTLY.”

DESIGNED TO LOOK AND FEEL GOOD

Here is what the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology had to say about it: “Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate (HPR), a cosmetic grade ester of retinoic acid, is unique in that it possesses innate retinoic acid activity, binding directly with retinoid receptors without the need for metabolic breakdown to more biologically active forms. It has been demonstrated to be more stable and cause less skin irritation than retinol.”**

“In developing the Mayerling Vitamin A Serum,” Tony continues, “we wanted to be sure it provided reliable skin renewal, reduction of lines and wrinkles with no irritation.”

“We combined the new super retinoid with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides, emollients and moisturisers in a breakthrough high performance formula in keeping with our founder Dr. Lawrence Ho’s scientific approach.” Mayerling Vitamin A Retinoid Complex 3% comes in a 30ml airless pump and provides 6 weeks of treatment and provides the following benefits.

*Reduces dark spots & skin imperfections

*Combats & reduces fine lines and wrinkles

*Reduces pore size for clear smooth skin

*Increases skin elasticity & firmness

With its dark and detailed overtones, our FLORA Professional Makeup Stool is designed to look and feel good with every sitting. Meticulously crafted with heavy-duty metal and all black finish. The FLORA professional makeup stool features a quilted diamond stitch integrated backrest and plain seat that feels comfortably smooth and oozes class. The contoured backrest also provides firm support. The metal footrest lets you perch in style, feet up! Perfect for any space, a centre piece of creative flair in more ways than one.

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DO RETINOIDS (VITAMIN A) REALLY REDUCE WRINKLES?

*Non-irritating

As an Australian company developing high performance Cosmeceuticals Mayerling are very proud to be able to offer to the Aesthetic and Beauty industry this innovative, highly effective and irritation free Vitamin A treatment.

Available now – call 02 990935 or email:admin@mayerlingskincare.com

*Harvard Health – www.health.harvard.edu

**www.jaad.org/article/so190-9622

ADORE BEAUTY RELEASES SKINCARE SCHOOL SEASON 2

Adore Beauty’s podcast Skincare School, hosted by Adore Beauty’s former Senior Editor Amy Clark and Dr. Michelle Wong from Lab Muffin Beauty Science, aims to make the world of skincare less overwhelming and more fun. As the world of skincare becomes increasingly popular, Amy and Michelle take things back to basics, making skincare less complicated and more accessible.

Tony Hasham, CEO Mayerling Skin Renewal System says that according to the Harvard Medical School Health report, topical Vitamin A products, which encompass a group of active ingredients called retinoids, are the most used and most studied anti-aging compounds that reduce fine lines and wrinkles.* “Retinoids reduce fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin which improves skin colour. Additional benefits include fading age spots and softening rough patches of skin. For these improvements to occur it usually takes at least 12 weeks of regular use,” says Tony. There is a downside however because retinoids can cause skin dryness and irritation which leads to product rejection. This can be overcome to a certain extent by recommending every other day usage at first and gradually introducing nightly applications.

The other drawback that arises with the use of most Vitamin A products is that the active ingredient, which often is an ester of retinol such as Retinyl Palmitate etc., must be broken down to the biologically active form – retinaldehyde. This can lead to instability and less effectiveness.

“At Mayerling,” says Tony, “we have been researching the global development of Retinoids for several years. We are delighted to announce the introduction of a unique, new Vitamin A serum. Our Vitamin A Retinoid Complex 3% utilizes the most advanced, non-irritating and highly effective compound, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate (HPR).”

Adore Beauty’s second season of its podcast Skincare School comes as its flagship podcast Beauty IQ made its debut on the 2022 Australian Podcast Ranker, with 118,484 monthly downloads in December 2022.

Season 1 of Skincare School was all about getting to know the basics of skincare.

In Season 2, Amy and Michelle cover topics such as Korean & Japanese skincare, teen skincare, troubleshooting retinol, reading ingredients labels and navigating multiple skin concerns at a time.

Episodes are made up of two segments: a deep-dive into a skincare topic and an answer to a listener question.

Dr. Michelle Wong is the straight-talking chemistry PhD and science educator behind Lab Muffin Beauty Science. After becoming frustrated by the lack of simple information around the science of beauty products, Michelle started her channels back in 2010 to cut through marketing jargon, debunk beauty industry myths and make the science behind why products work (or don’t) easy for everyone to understand. In other words, she’s here to help you figure out which products are worth your money, and which ones aren’t using science! You can find Lab Muffin Beauty Science on Instagram, YouTube and Labmuffin.com.

To listen - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/skincare-school/ id1552975779

Reduction of lines and wrinkles observed after 14 day Retinoid Complex application

GET THE LOOK WITH COMFORTEL….

Comfortel’s Claudia Reclining Salon Chair in Stone is the perfect combination of high-end style, comfort and practicality, Comfortel’s Claudia Reclining Salon Chair is well recognised for its superior plush look and detailed stitching. It’s ideal for threading, lash extensions, brow shaping and eye enhancements.

Likewise the Comfortel Arch LED Mirror with Warm & Cool Light offers a contemporary, easy look to add curves in your salon. Pair with Comfortel’s Arch LED that allows you to customize the Light. Dimmable and includes lighting options: 1. Cool Light 2.Warm Light and 3.Cool & Warm Light Combination. Both Available from Comfortel Furniture with Showrooms Australia Wide & New Zealand www.comfortel.com.au

DANIELLE GAY STEPS INTO THE ROLE OF ACTING EDITOR AT GRITTY PRETTY

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Eleanor Pendleton, founder and editor of Gritty Pretty has commenced her maternity leave and will be returning in June 2023.

In her absence, Danielle Gay will step into the role of acting editor.

“As our powerhouse founder and editor-in-chief Eleanor Pendleton goes on maternity leave, I’m thrilled to be stepping into the position of acting editor at Gritty Pretty. This editorship is truly a dream come true. Thank you, Eleanor,” Danielle wrote on Instagram.

Prior to this, Danielle was the beauty director/executive editor of the title, and before that, was the head of digital at Vogue Australia. She is also a co-host of Gritty Pretty’s podcast, Beauty Talk. You can keep in touch with Eleanor via Instagram at @ELEANORPENDLETON.

ULTRADERM. SKIN CLEAR OIL-FREE MOISTURISER

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Fresha is the world’s #1 subscription-free business software for hair, beauty and wellness that’s trusted by millions in over 120 countries. As an all-in-one platform that combines intuitive salon management, innovative marketing tools, integrated payment processing and a client marketplace, Fresha is helping over 80,000 businesses and 250,000 stylists and professionals put their salons, barbershops and spas in the spotlight.

With more than 500 million appointments booked through Fresha in 2022, businesses using the Fresha marketplace gained 26% more clients on average. Listed companies on Fresha also ranked higher on Google Search and Maps, allowing people to book an appointment directly from the page. The ‘Book Now’ feature on Instagram and Facebook pages provides seamless booking experiences for clients booking at salons on Fresha.

www.fresha.com/for-business

THE TEAM HOUSE

A few short weeks ago, mocha group and Beauty Biz magazine were proud to host the 2nd annual Beauty Squad House for the 2022 team. Sponsors, mentors and icons within the industry were invited into the beautiful Palm Beach mansion, situated on the fabulous Gold Coast, to mix, mingle and chat with the team who shared this wonderful experience over 4 days.

CEO and founder Linda Woodhead, General Manager Jarred Stedman and Beauty Biz Editor Louise May were all there to guide, nurture and inspire the Squad, consisting of Madison Christer-Brooks - Bliss Day Spa - Caringbah NSW, Mala McAlpin – Lisa Rush Skin Clinic - Paddington NSW, Maria Cammaroto - Natspa Health & Clinical Skin - Essendon VIC and Natalie Herschell – The Skin Coaches - Mt Isa QLD.

The squad were treated to one on one sessions with a number of visitors, not to mention time with the mocha team and some fun along the way, in a journey of professional and self-development, culminating in a bond with each other that will last a lifetime. The experience started with everyone arriving at the House, settling in and having a team dinner to get to know each other over a beautiful meal, courtesy of Louise with some story telling over a few vinos! The team spoke about their excitement towards the next 3 days highlighting all of the things they were looking forward to with the house visitors and excursions.

Overall, the 4 day experience was one to remember which included a delicious Team visit to Gay Wardle’s’ Salon Skin Energy for a shadowing afternoon, Dinner at Mamasan Kitchen in Broadbeach, a Paint and Sip Class at Mermaid Beach, and some powerful marital art

board breaking to finish off the stay.

All wrapped up in an idyllic setting, the team left with direction and purpose on what was truly a life changing experience for all. Many thanks must go to our generous sponsors, all of whom not only spent time with the team but also provided incredible prizes in excess of $11,000!

Thank you Dermapenworld, inskincosmedics, elleebana, Timely and Gay Wardle.

HOUSE VISITORS

Will Fennell

Via zoom, after a brief run down on his career and directions it had taken him, Will also spoke to the team about how to work with men in beauty using a different language and how to juggle life with balance between the salons, educating and being a product distributor. He spoke candidly about his love for the industry and how when things changed for him, he looked at other opportunities to keep the passion alive.

Chereine Waddell

Award winning Make Up artist and Online editor for mocha group gave some insightful tips and tricks relating to social media, branding, colours and more. Our very own little ray of sunshine explained how to get more form your socials and the importance of trends and culture.

Otto Mitter

Always a pleasure, Otto arrived as usually bringing gifts to all members of the house and then spoke about his history and love of the industry. Otto’s mother wrote and contributed to the first competency based beauty therapy training in Australia (wrote the Diploma of Beauty Therapy, Diploma of Health Science and Aesthetics, and founded the Gold Coast Training Academy who graduated thousands of beauty therapists in Australia) having been brought up by such an influential person in the industry it was only a natural progression that Otto found himself studying make up artistry, beauty therapy and all things lash & brow at the Gold Coast Training Academy straight out of high school. Fast forward to now and after two decades of studying the art of lashes, brows, beauty and cosmetic formulation, Otto and his team at ExImport currently produce and supply lash & brow enhancement ranges for professionals and develop educational programs to over 60 countries across the globe and have a combined team of over 300 trainers worldwide. Otto spoke about his ongoing dedication to education, which has seen him as a guest speaker and educator at the world’s most prestigious beauty and lash events. A true inspiration.

Nicola Le Lievre

Nicola’s story is one of astonishing resilience, generosity and empowerment of not just herself but all the women around her because where there’s an empowered woman, there is magic. Fast forward to today and Nicola is proudly surpassing 25 years in the professional beauty industry and has crafted her passion into becoming a multi-award-winning force to be reckoned with. Nicola spoke about the ‘wonder woman’ power within gifting the team with a copy of her book, a beautiful mirror and a toy crab!... (You had to be there… lol). And whilst bold red lipstick might be her signature, there’s something Nicola can’t leave the house without – her crown. To Nicola, crowns aren’t made of diamonds; they are made of discipline, determination and courage. An advocate for ensuring all the women in her life wear their crown with pride, Nicola has found success outside of her award winning salon ‘intherapy’, as an award-winning entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, and speaker. What a treat to have her visit!

Tamara Reid

In the global role of Head of Strategic Partnerships at Timely Business Management Software, Tamara Reid is all about networking and through her career thus far as proved herself to be forward thinking and an absolute asset to the industry. Voted the Emerging Leader by Telstra Businesswomen’s Awards, as well as a community and leadership expert, Tamara is the start up Founder of Beaute Industrie and the Aesthetic and Beauty Industry Council. With a background in education and business development, her career expands over several segments of the professional beauty industry including salon, spa, clinic and aesthetic. Tamara worked her way up from beauty therapist, to earn her seat at the senior leadership table and shared her career history and knowledge with the squad. Showing the squad where their careers could take them was insightful and thought provoking and in true ‘Oprah’ style came to the house with an Apple Watch gift for each of the team, reaffirming the importance of ‘Time…ly’!

Maria Cocciolone

Via Zoom, Maria joined the house with a trip down memory lane to show where things started for her learning lessons along the way, and wow… what a story! Having graduated with her Diploma of Health Science in 1985, Maria worked for a range of leading skincare brands in diverse roles and positions until 2007, when she founded INSKIN COSMEDICS. Today, with 35 years industry experience, Maria is one of Australia’s most reputable skin gurus and the only Australian industry icon to have created two professional skincare brands from scratch. In 2009 Maria created and launched O COSMEDICS, which was created to fight the five major causes of aging, using medical-grade active ingredients and proven delivery systems to prevent and correct skin aging and degradation. In 2017 she a co-created her second brand, GINGER&ME and introduced a Mindfulness category to the beauty world. Maria has a philosophy that all brands under her portfolio

cont’ over page

Chereine Waddell

Nicola Le Lievre & Team

Mindfulness and warrior session with Linda Woodhead

Gay Wardle

Tamara Reid, Timely

Louise May, Editor of Beauty Biz Magazine

Alex Zotos & Team Otto Mitter from elleebana

must make ‘good business and good skin sense’, supporting healthy businesses and skin too. She spoke to the squad about her journey, the ups and downs, which demonstrated her resilience and determination making everyone feel inspired and equally on a mission to be their authentic self and go for gold!

Lisa Conway

Lisa Conway is the Founder of The ZING Project, an industry-leading Salon Coaching business with clients through Australia, New Zealand and the US. Lisa has written three books (with a 4th in the pipeline) and is an avid self-confessed health and fitness junkie. Lisa speaks, coaches and writes the same way she approaches life - unfiltered and straight from the heart with passion, humour and a true belief that people hold the secrets to success within themselves. Challenging the squad to step up and take control she worked on a few exercises demonstrating how the mind could play tricks and how we all have the power to change that mindset with positive results. She is testament to the fact that owning a business and having a life is possible for everyone and she expertly showed how everyone can succeed if they are willing to do the work.

Alex Zotos

Son of the famous Elly Lukas Alex is the director of the Elly Lukas accredited beauty college that offers beauty therapy, massage, make-up, spa therapy and dermal courses. Over the past 69 years Elly Lukas has trained more beauty & spa graduates than any other College in Australia and, because they work with a wide range in the industry from Laser Clinics, Luxury Spas, Dermal Clinics, Brow Bars & makeup studios together with leading salons & franchises – their education is independent and highly regarded by the industry, which means graduates can choose from a wider variety of career opportunities. As Principal of Elly Lukas College, Alex has kept his finger on the industry pulse globally and contributed

hugely to the beauty industry. Usually a very quiet and private person, Alex Zotos is in fact a powerhouse of generosity, bringing his student cohort to Sydney each year for the famous boat cruise and beauty expo trip as well as having a passion for student placement within some of the most incredible establishments worldwide! He spoke to the squad about opportunities and his take on the global direction of the industry and his time and openness was appreciated by all!

SQUAD SHADOWING WITH GAY WARDLE

The Beauty Squad were treated to a once-ina-lifetime experience visiting Gay Wardle at her Salon, Skin Energy, to shadow here for the afternoon over a 4-hour period! Just imagine learning one-on-one with the industry’s best, in a clinic environment and solely focused on transforming your treatment pathways. Well that is exactly what the Squad got to do! The squad shadowed Gay as she performed her daily routine in her own clinic environment. From her extensive signature skin consultation to seeing an unforgettable Gay Wardle treatment, this incredible experience showcased first-hand how to become an industry leader. The Beauty Squad joined Gay every step of the way to develop a solid understanding of the roles required to, boost client retention and achieve incredible clinical outcomes not to mention how to get more information from your client with her consultation techniques. This nurturing, one-on-one learning environment showing effective client communication and treatments was a priceless addition to the Beauty Squad mentorship program and one that was an absolute favourite. With a career dedicated to sharing her passion for lifelong learning, Gay Wardle has established herself as one of the beauty industry’s most respected icons with roles as an educator, business owner, mentor, coach and skin expert. Our time with Gay proves beyond doubt how committed she is to the personal and professional development of the industry at large. Gay Wardle we salute you!

MOCHA HOUSE MENTORS

Linda Woodhead, Jarred Stedman, Louise May Staying in the house with the Beauty Squad was the mocha team made up of Linda, Jarred and Louise. Huge shout out to Louise who spent the whole time looking after everyone, keeping them all fed and watered, not to mention a great opening session working through a SWOT (Strengths/ Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) ANALYSIS that was referred to many times throughout the stay. With her knowledge in Product development and formulations, Salon ownership and business mentorship, not to mention her role as Beauty Biz editor, Louise always plays a key role in the house being professionally and personally available at any time of the day or night. Jarred used his experience during the stay with his photographic and videography expertise, also leading the team as a mentor and confidant. He also spoke to the team about the importance of branding and culture giving them all something to think about for the future and re-emphasised the importance of being truly YOU!

CEO and founder, Linda Woodhead was on hand also for the entire stay to guide interviews with all of the house visitors as well as impart knowledge from a 40+ year career on how to deal with the media, how to enter awards and finally host a mindfulness and warrior session with the team, reverting back to the SWOT ANALYSIS, by literally breaking through some barriers with martial art board breaking to finish off the stay! A powerful end to a life changing time in the Beauty Squad House.

If you would like to be in the Beauty Squad in 2023, you can enter now as part of the ABIA by visiting www.mochagroup.com.au/beauty-squad

IMPORTANT DATES FOR ABIA + Beauty Squad

ENTRY DEADLINE 22nd MAY 2023

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED 26th JUNE 2023

GALA NIGHT 27th AUGUST 2023

cont’ from page 27

Will Fennell

Maria Cocciolone, INSKIN COSMEDICS

Shadowing Gay Wardle

Mindfullness with Linda Woodhead

Lisa Conway

“What an experience! I am very grateful and appreciate all the wonderful people I have met and connected with during my time at the beauty squad house. I would highly recommend this for anyone in the beauty industry that is looking for answers of where to next with their career. Thank you so much to Linda and the Mocha Group for giving me this amazing experience in my career that I will cherish for life.”

Marie Cammaroto

“I had the absolute pleasure of being a 2022 Beauty Squad Member. I would strongly encourage anyone who is thinking about applying to apply to this amazing opportunity. You feel so welcomed from the minute you arrive to the meet you leave. Linda, Jarrad, Louise, Chereine, the sponsors and guest speakers are one of a kind and absolutely amazing, who put so much into this weekend for their squad members. I walked away from the weekend, having made lifetime friendships and connections, pushing through barriers/ things hold me back, gaining a wealth of knowledge and growth and remembering to be myself and to back yourself. Thank you so much once again for an amazing weekend. I’m still on such a high and super excited for what’s to come next. The whole weekend was a standout, there is not one thing I cannot say I didn’t like at all, and loved every minute of being in the house with the girls, Jarrad, Lou, Chereine and Linda!!!”

Natalie Herschell

“The Mocha Beauty Squad 22 experience was a life changing one - I got home feeling like a completely different person! In such a short space of time, we received so much more than just education and career guidance - the inspiration, mentorship, and nurturing we received was on another level. We received exclusive opportunities to pick the brains of such a broad variety of experts, each one having their own unique experiences to share that were worth their weight in gold. The best part was that the speakers and topics were tailored specifically to us, so we each gained unique value and learnings, regardless of our career paths, skill set, or levels of progress. Not to mention we were utterly spoiled with an incredible location, generous gifts, and bonding activities that we’ll remember for a lifetime.”

Mala McAlpin

“My experience in the Beauty Squad House has been one of the best experiences in my lifetime so far! Linda, Jarred, Chereine and Louise were so supportive and have hearts of gold and I cannot thank them enough. I learnt so much in the house and I feel like a brand-new person ready to take on the world and follow my dreams.”

Maddie Christer-Brooks

Inflammation & Ageing: The Real Impact of Stress.

By Nancy Abdou & Pia Kynoch

Inflammageing began as a theory that linked inflammatory changes in the skin and body, to the causes of many age-associated diseases. This concept of inflammageing has evolved since its first introduction by visionary Prof. Franceschi 23 years ago, and is now understood to be a global reflection of the lifetime exposures, challenges and impacts to our immune (and other) system(s) from acute and chronic, unresolved stressors of all types.

Until recent decades the immune system was thought to be an independent regulatory system in the body - yet now it is known that our nervous system and our microbiomes co-regulate and co-evolve with our immune system.

It is vital to recognise as a practitioner that it is never just one system responding to a stressor, a challenge or threat, there are many facets and numerous cell types working in unison that either allow us to heal and thrive, or to stay dysregulated and stuck in survival (and inflammation) mode.

As I’m sure you have also experienced either personally or professionally, increased challenges come with increased changes in

our entire mind/body system - and from skin to within, a proinflammatory state begins to wreak havoc. Ultimately, each person that you meet is experiencing some form of stress, either chronic or acute… right?

Modern life is a daily challenge, and we can easily be facing each day either a little (or extremely) overwhelmed and under-resourced physically, nutritionally, mentally, emotionally.

The Biological Breakdown

A myriad of clinical research and findings provide links between chronic stressors, sympathetic overdrive, inefficient and excessive inflammation, skin diseases and disorders, mood disorders, gut dysfunction and other

diseases of all types. This is what we know as inflammageing.

Regardless if a stressor is caused by trauma/ injury (physical, mental or emotional), infection, non-communicable disease, autoimmune disorders, gut parasites, and so on, the typical physiological response is the inflammatory cascade, supported by sympathetic nervous system dominance: an increase in heart and breath rate, movement of blood supply to the peripheries and/or specific site of injury, an increase in white cells and phagocytic activity in affected tissues, followed by a down-regulation of these mechanisms, resulting in an impaired healing process.

When we consider our body’s innate adaptable protective mechanisms, where can this go so wrong? How can we help reduce pathological ageing burdened with ageing-related diseases, from skin to within?

To appreciate how to combat inflammageing whilst optimising the function of (and communication between) our different interdependent body systems, an understanding of how our nervous system is tuning in to both our internal and external environments for cues of either “safety” or “danger” is imperative, and we believe this is a huge missing piece for most therapists’ in our industry.

To understand an individual’s skin before we start asking for it to create changes and improve, we must consider what is implicating the skin, and most often that is so much more than just what it is coming into contact with from its external environment. Often, it is internally exacerbated by forms of stress and oxidative damage, which decreases the functionality of the immune system - which interestingly, the skin is a crucial part in the immune system. Stress can be beneficial, but also incredibly harmful. Understanding what state your client may be in due to stresses from external (relationships, work) or internal (health, generics) allows you to gain an understanding of how much you can ask of the skin - and if it is capable of providing you with the results you are seeking.

We can achieve tremendous results with advanced machinery and ingredient technology, but the most basic forms of care can also incredibly benefit in aiding in cortisol reduction. Simple touch points like massage, pressure points, a safe environment can decrease cortisol levels and allow the body to become more in a state of receiving and less of defending.

How do we apply this to clinical treatments?

Most skin practitioners understand that inflicting controlled trauma and inflammation (via lasers, peels, IPL etc.), in the skin instigated a wound healing response, thereby activating the fibroblasts, which in turn stimulates collagen and elastin – which is very impressive. On the other hand, treatments performed on underprepared skin, undergo a longer inflammatory phase, which can be detrimental in the long run. Moreover, clients who have an underlying autoimmune condition such as diabetes or inflammatory skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, already have inflammatory processes occurring, will further experience prolonged and unwanted inflammation post treatment. Which is why protecting the skin and health with an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and safe implementation of aesthetic devices when appropriate, leading up to invasive treatments is vital for optimal long-term results.

Avoiding and protecting the skin from the elements in addition to feeding and putting back into the skin with a nutrient-dense skincare regime compromising of anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory ingredients and peptides to repair the skin barrier, along with good nutrition, exercise, practicing mindfulness and breath work.

In clinic you can offer clients prep-treatments to help strengthen, nourish and boost the skin, so it is in optimal health, ready for other aesthetic treatments. Treatments that drive in vitamin and anti-oxidants such as manual massage, sonophoresis, galvanic or even better, infusing with micro-current. Not only does micro-current increase product penetration, but it also increases circulation and lymph, increase natural production of collagen and elastin, increases protein synthesis, gluconeogenesis and membrane transport, increases mitochondria activity, ATP (adenosine tri phosphate). Microcurrent has been proven to significantly decrease redness, irritation, and more importantly inflammation.

633nm LED is another underutilized or overlooked treatment for preparing the skin. The benefits include increasing cellular ATPleading up to invasive aesthetic treatments, and also post-treatment with the 830nm wavelength to reduce unwanted or prolonged inflammation.

Whilst inflammageing is a hybrid term, there is a plethora of research backing and validating this, which ultimately suggests we must understand it’s affects and how we can combat its detriments whilst still respecting the skins integrity.

In our upcoming educational workshop covering Inflammageing & Stress, we explore the physiological and psychological effects down to the cellular level - including how this affects the skins healing capabilities, and how to combat this with aesthetic devices. Not only this, but we aim to challenge your thinking for when treating the skin, to help you understand when it is safe to treat – and when it is not.

Join us across two days on February 27th and 28th from 9am-12pm with CEO & Head Clinical Educator Nancy Abdou, Dermal Clinician Taneesa Williamson, and industry keynote speaker and Holistic Educator Pia Kynoch –go to www.dermalandlaser.com.au for more information and to secure your ticket.

BIG YEAR ENERGY!

By Robyn McAlpine

I want this year to be the best year of your career. The one where you step into your confidence and authority in the treatment room to deliver exceptional results for your clients.

But if you want it to be better, where do you start? It’s one thing to set some goals, but how do we make sure we are taking the right steps, in the right direction, to make sure we are on the right track?

I would often start my years with big ideas and big intentions, wanting to be the best version of myself as a skin therapist. But one of the things I struggled with was knowing what to work on that would actually move the needle. Where could I put my energy and focus to really make shifts towards achievement?

I was hungry for more, but it felt like a bit of a jumble.

I started to realise that being good at skin was only one part to the puzzle. In fact, knowing and understanding skin really is only about 20% of our role as skin therapist. if just the skin stuff was enough, we’d all be living our best skin therapist lives, Killing it in the treatment room.

There are a gazillion skin courses out there, access to Knowledge isn’t the problem. It’s the confidence, the application, the implementation, and everything else that makes us well rounded skin therapists.

But what makes up the other 80%?

My role as a skin therapist mentor is to help you become the best skin therapist you can be. That means challenging you to look at other areas to work on that will raise your bar in all things skin.

This is why I created the six pillars to skin therapist success.

I taught them recently in the Skinside Out Squad as we kicked off our year. We broke them down into really tangible pieces, so we could understand the importance of each of them and why when we are confident in these areas, we will be a skin therapist force to be reckoned with!

My six pillars for skin therapist success are:

1: Confidence/Customer Connection

This pillar focuses on your consultation skills. It’s about how you talk about skin with your clients, your adaptability to each individual and natural flow to your conversations. This pillar is looking at your awareness, how you are coming into each interaction with confidence and intention.

2: Knowledge and Understanding

I suspect this pillar is our strongest. Because this is where a lot of our energy goes when it comes to learning about skin. And for most of us reading this, we’re probably the type of people who have a high expectation of ourselves when it comes to understanding skin.

My question is, do we truly understand skin, or are we still faking it until we make it?

It can be easy to fall into the trap of sitting really comfortable here, not challenging ourselves, knowing just enough to get by but not really enough to be the best, but is that what you really want? Is this the year you shake it off and shake it up and enrol in a skin course?

3: Hands on Skills

This pillar might seem a bit obvious considering this is where we spend most of our working time. In the room, hands on clients, delivering the treatments. Would you believe me if I said there

is always room for growth? Yes, we are a very hands on, practical bunch of people here. It’s what really draws us to this industry. But what if I could challenge you to be even better? To go a step further and master your craft just a little bit more?

4: Progress Trackers

This is the one that makes us throw up in our mouth a little bit. The one we want to ignore because it doesn’t feel good to talk about the numbers. We seem to shy away from knowing our rebooking rates, our client average spend and our retail rates. But knowing your numbers is how you track all the feel-good stuff in our industry.

The warm fuzzies make us THINK we are good at our job. The numbers let us KNOW we are good at our job!

The numbers are just a measurement tool that help us track our progress. The numbers are just feedback that helps us to know our strengths. It might feel quite daunting to take a peek, but once you know where you are at, you can make some changes to raise your bar.

5: Balance & Wellbeing

Our industry is notorious for ‘do as I say, not as I do’. We can be very misaligned to our values in clinic when we tell our clients not to over exfoliate… then go and layer a bunch of peels on our face, “just to see what will happen’ This pillar is all about finding balance.

We give and give and give in our industry and often times we drain our cup bone dry before we are exhausted and burnt out and desperate to fill it back up.

NOT ANYMORE!!!! Balance is one of the biggest signs of success. We are in this for the long haul.

For the first time in a few years, it feels like we get to have a clear run at giving this year our best and it actually showing up with the same level of energy! I feel it in my waters that 2023 is going to be a vibe!

Not to give until burnt out and quit. You will be an incredibly successful skin therapist if you can develop that happy balance of nurturing your clients and nurturing yourself.

6: Leadership & Contribution

Pillar number 6 is all about how we are showing up, what impact we are having with our teams and in our workplace. Our attitude here has such a big impact on those around us. We are powerful and our outlook and mindset can be an incredible tool in having a successful career. Our contribution to our workplace and colleagues is so impactful.

You can be impactful for great, or impactful for not so great. We get to choose. And don’t underestimate the power you can have on a less than positive workplace. If your boss struggles to show great leadership and contribution, you can still show up and lead your team and colleagues just with your attitude, )even if only until you seek out a new boss and leader).

If you want to dive deeper into setting some clear goals and outcomes for your year ahead, this is one of the planning processes I take therapists through in the Skinside Out Squad. The Squad is a global mentorship for skin therapist where

I help you step into your confidence and create skin saving success.

There’s an entire call on this planning process plus the tools to break it down, step by step and set yourself up for a cracker of a year! I hope to see you there!

@expert_skin_therapist robyn@skintifix.com www.skintifix.com

Pigment Bounce Back

By Danielle Hughes

For decades the professional beauty industry has treated hyperpigmentation conditions, such as melasma, with the ‘hard and fast’ rule, that is, slash and burn the unwanted pigment and pray that the new skin cells surface without the undesired over-population of melanin. It’s not just laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) modalities, this ‘hard and fast’ rule of correcting hyperpigmentation extends to acid peels and microdermabrasion – all of which work on the premise of creating a controlled trauma, removing cells and promoting new cell migration.

Seemingly we turn a blind eye to the simple fact that the pigmentation has likely been caused by trauma or inflammation, and rather than actually seeking to correct the cause of the condition, we look to the quick fix – that’s what our clients are seeking right?!

The thing is, as I’m sure you’ve seen firsthand throughout your career, despite having the credible studies, peer reviewed articles and the remarkable before and after’s that support efficacy, these treatments often yield only a temporary outcome. The final outcome of course being pigment bounce back – that is, melanin distribution rebounding back into the same pattern we initially tried to slash and burn away.

Let’s back it up for a moment, and review the melanogenesis process. Melanogenesis is the process of melanin synthesis, primarily responsible for the pigmentation (or colour) of human skin, hair and eyes. A number of intricate reactions take place during this highly complex practice, however the enzyme tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related proteins I and II play a major role. This enzymatic reaction and response forms a treatment baseline for regulating melanin production and subsequent pigment reduction – but this is only part of the puzzle.

Ultimately the process of melanogenesis results in the production of melanin and its transfer into surrounding keratinocytes as a protective mechanism against ultra violet radiation and other environmental aggressors including infrared radiation (heat) and even aspects of air pollution.

have you missed? And how do these ‘exclusions’ interfere with the story hoped to be conveyed? In the case of the melanocyte, it may have missed the instruction sent down that says ‘hey little guy, stop producing melanin, we have enough up here to protect us’. Consider this. What if the message was suddenly stopped altogether because the keratinocyte itself was wiped out by an aggressive treatment? This fact alone identifies the need for an entirely different treatment approach to simply exfoliating away the pigment filled cells. By enhancing cellular communication and healthy function, we have a greater shot at fixing the actual cause of the dysfunction, rather than offering a short term, symptomatic approach.

Extra pieces of the puzzle start locking together when we look at the melanocyte, resident organelles and its unique communication receptors that digest cytokine-delivered information and command a response. In the case of hyperpigmentation conditions, factors such as hormones, medication, stress and of course environment can affect the clarity of the messages sent down by the keratinocytes. Think about it, you’re listening to the radio, going in and out of reception. Chances are you are only getting part of the story. What key information

What is Pigment Bounce Back?

Pigment bounce back is a condition that arises post-treatment as a delayed response to the treatment administered. The ‘life-cycle’ of skin rehabilitation after a treatment involves a number of processes and variables, from inflammation and initial barrier recovery to re-epithelisation (new cells and tissue populating the treated site) and remodelling. These are well known processes that work to re-establish homeostasis after trauma, wound, or irritation. But let’s not forget, inflammation, wound and

Melanocyte cells and organelles

Melanocyte Melanogenesis

trauma also stimulate pigment production. And here lie a vicious cycle.

The unpopular fact is, that whilst during an initial restabilisation phase the skin may look firm, bright and more even in tone, the delayed response can establish a pathway for increased pigment, synthesised to furnish the keratinocytes with extra protection, just in case that evil aggressor comes for it again – as is the case in a course of laser, or a course of acid peels.

As we come to the end of summer, it’s expected our clients will have heightened pigment response that needs addressing. But could their vulnerability have been increased by the treatments we administered last year to correct their pigmentation issues then?

It’s certainly food for thought as we develop new treatment programs during 2021 and consider opting for the more targeted approach that yields a superior long term outcome.

What can cause Pigment Bounce Back?

Acid

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the only ‘bad guys’ are laser and IPL. Acid peels are just as damaging and hold just as much risk for pigment bounce back. In particular, the unbuffered, low pH, highly concentrated or multi-acid cocktails. Some well-known culprits include: glycolic acid, kojic acid, retinoic acid, salicylic acid, trichloroacertic acid (TCA).

Laser and IPL

These sources of light energy deliver a thermal interference into the skin, destroying certain targets. The desired outcome of a pigmentation protocol is to destroy the melanocyte, making way for a ‘fresh, healthy’ melanocyte to take its place. There is no shortage of evidence promoting this treatment approach, however there is just as much research documented alerting practitioners to the risks of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and pigment bounce back. Most studies, including a newly submitted article in October, 2020 (Post inflammatory and rebound hyperpigmentation as a complication after treatment efficacy of telangiectatic melasma

with 585nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and 4% hydroquinone cream in skin phototypes III-V), identify that thermal treatments be administered with extreme caution in darker skin tones, Fitzpatrick types III-V. In considering our multicultural society, this fact is of high importance and relevance to a consultation and treatment prescription.

Microdermabrasion

It may not deliver an energy signature into the skin, but microdermabrasion mechanically traumatises the stratum corneum, and has a knock-on effect to other layers of the skin. Every mature keratinocyte (corneocyte) is programmed to send a final cytokine messenger before it moves on to the ‘afterlife’. This message sends back details of the environment it has been subject to. For example, this girl is always out in the sun, or this girl is having monthly micros. These messengers are digested and certain cellular functions adapt to better survive the environment. This can result in a thickened, tougher cell (plastic-like in appearance) or new cells with increased melanin reception to protect. The unique relationship between the melanocyte and keratinocyte cannot be ignored – they work together to better protect us. Following a microdermabrasion treatment, the skin will feel smooth like a baby’s bottom, but what may follow is excess pigment production.

How can we avoid Pigment Bounce Back?

It’s probably too late to try closing Pandora’s Box – these treatments aren’t going anywhere. In fact, in specific circumstances, they do have their place. By undertaking thorough consultation, elevating your understanding skin science and exercising restraint with treatments and homecare prescription, we can minimise the risk profile associated with pigment bounce back.

Here are some prudent (and modern) approaches to pigment reduction for greater long term results:

1. Peptides. Specific peptides are delivered in advanced skincare to supplement impaired

cell metabolism and enhance cell to cell communication (particularly effective if the melanocyte’s receptors are being interfered with by internal factors)

2. Enzymes (that aren’t presenting amongst a family of acids!) Non-irritating, gentle exfoliation support.

3. LED. Anecdotal evidence exists to support yellow (non-thermal) light accelerating the effects of a pigmentation treatment protocol within certain parameters.

4. Lymphatic Drainage. When waste products are created within the skin (example cellular debris post-laser treatment), it’s the lymphatic system tasked with removing the destruction. When the lymphatic system is impaired, waste product become stagnant, extending the inflammatory phase and increasing the risk of pigment bounce back. Manual lymphatic drainage promotes nutrient and hydration support, healthy connective tissue, improves skin tone and reduces the risk of developing inflammatory skin conditions such as acne and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

5. Skin Needling. Published by Dr. Lance Setterfield, skin needling has the ability to re-assert health cellular communication between the keratinocyte and melanocyte and normalise melanogenesis, melanocyte differentiation and distribution. Popular practice now supports a less is best approach to skin needling, that is 0.3-0.5mm to achieve the desired outcome for hyperpigmentation disorders.

6. Electroporation. Non thermal, alternating radio frequency energy matched to the natural cycle of the cell, holding it in a state of flux that allows for temporary increased permeability of the cell wall allowing delivery of whole molecules of ingredient to be accepted. This specialised method can effectively deliver pigment regulating peptides into target cells, without collateral damage associated with thermal modalities.

Danielle Hughes

THE CLIENT JOURNEY

What is a consultation? Actually, I prefer to call it a treatment because, to me, it is an essential treatment that is performed in a clinic. It is a conversation between two people: the client wants to change their skin and their life, and the professional person investigates and delivers information.

You cannot treat the skin without a comprehensive skin assessment. It is the pathway to your treatment plans and the path to the actives they need to use at home on their skin.

Skin constantly changes throughout the decades. How the skin looks and responds to the external and internal environment in the adolescent years will be completely different in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond. Skin therapists must understand the decades’ of changes in the body and the skin.

Because of this, reviewing your client’s consultations annually is an essential part of taking care of their skin.

Believe it or not, most people spend money quickly when it comes to their skin, and so many are left with broken promises that lead to a lot of mistrust and confusion about what is correct and what is not.

Most people will wander into the easiest and most obvious place, the department store beauty counter, or jump online and self-diagnose.

Quite often, they either walk or click away, disillusioned with the whole experience, or worse, they decide to purchase any hesitancy.

Ready to start your new routine, full of hope, anxious to squash the nagging thought that they have just spent a lot of dollars on something they are not sure will change their skin. Weeks go by, and still very little satisfaction; back to the internet they go!

They need to find a way to reconcile the money they have spent and the need to do something to improve their skin! When they finally come into a clinic for a complete skin assessment, they are nervous that they will be sold. This is when you need to shine because nothing will resolve fears more than talking to someone who understands and knows their stuff.

Do you have an online consultation form?

This simple tool is the first step in delivering a professional skin consultation and sets the scene.

Beginning the consultation starts way before the client enters the clinic. It starts with the initial inquiry, whether someone calls or walks into the clinic to make an appointment with you. Explain that the first treatment is a thorough skin assessment or consultation and that you will email a consultation form to them. Please fill it out. Ensure that you tell them the importance of this step, as it will give you more time to spend with them when they come for their face-to-face consultation treatment.

Online consultation forms allow you to get to know your client before they come into the clinic. You will understand their medical history, medications, supplements, lifestyle, and skin type, and importantly know what changes they want to make with their skin.

All of these questions are and should be on the emailed form.

THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP!

Once they have filled out the form or forms, you must read it before they visit the clinic. This process takes approximately 10 minutes and allows you to highlight any red flags. It is also an opportunity to research any illnesses, medications, or supplements they might have listed. Call the client to ask questions about any standouts you need clarification on so that you are more than prepared when they visit the clinic. You already know them, and the first uneasy hurdle of going through the consultation form is completed. Now they know they are in safe hands, and you know what you are doing, and they know you are amazing!

The day has come. It is their appointment day with you! Please read over the consultation again in the morning, so you are refreshed with their information. You are ready. They walk into an environment that is professional, and you know who they are, AMAZING!

They have 30 minutes left of the consultation. You have already spent 10-15 minutes prepping for them. For the next 30 minutes, nothing else matters except them, and they are your complete focus. Do not get distracted by that. Take them to your consult area, where there are two comfortable chairs, and you are sitting opposite each other. No barriers! Please make sure they are comfortable, and have a glass of water or herbal tea on a side table for them.

Ask them how they are feeling. Is there anything else I can get you before we start our conversation all about YOU. For the next 15-20 minutes talk with them about their skin, all the questions you know what to ask. How long have you had the condition? Was there anything that happened when you…….

I will be talking further about the conversations you have with them in future articles.

Following on from the conversation, you need to take photos. These can be done on a scanning device, your camera system, or whatever you use to record images. So important to know where you have come from as you work through their skin journey.

Always ensure you have the same background. If I am taking photos other than a scanning device, I have a black blind on a wall that I pull down, and I use a black scarf to remove any reflection from the skin or their clothes.

Remember, a comprehensive skin consultation/assessment is a treatment that will enable you to gain a deeper understanding of the client’s skin. You will be able to recommend skincare that is both safe and effective and put them on a treatment plan/skin journey that will work . RESULTS, RESULTS all around.

This is where you showcase your knowledge to your client, and this is where they realise, they are in a professional clinic.

The feeling of inspired trust and confidence is such a good feeling. They have found a skincare expert who will guide them to loving their skin.

www.gaywardle.com education@gaywardle.com

0418708455

We begin a series of articles from an expert in the field, Gay Wardle, who will take us with her on the client journey from before, during and after a salon visit.

Adelaide Skin Therapy

In each issue of Beauty Biz this year, we will be featuring a clinic which proudly partners with Dermaviduals. This issue we shine the spotlight on Adelaide Skin Therapy, located in Malvern, five minutes from Adelaide’s CBD owned by Nadia Lewis

Nadia, could you please tell us about Adelaide Skin Therapy and how you began your business?

We follow corneotherapeutic practices with customised dermaviduals skincare prescriptions, bespoke facials as well as skin rejuvenation treatments. We’re all about skin, it’s our passion, we eat, sleep and breathe it. Our approach is quite different to other local skin clinic’s as our focus is not only centred around skin but nutrition, mindset, exercise and other lifestyle influences. Over the past 12 months we’ve seen a huge amount of growth in the business, I’ve gone from renting a room in a Laser Clinic to moving to my own larger space, I’ve taken on several new machines and hired my first team member.

What sets Adelaide Skin Therapy and its treatments apart?

We pride ourselves on going above and beyond for each and every client. We approach the skin in a holistic way and understand that healthy skin comes from within. With the combination of Dermaviduals skin care, in clinic treatments and external recommendations for additional support such as Naturopaths, we can really get to the root of any concerns. All of our clients have 24 hour assistance and can take peace of mind knowing they can contact us with any question or concern. We are devoted to improving the health of our client’s skin. I build strong relationships with my clients and they have complete trust in me. I also pride myself on my dedication and commitment to education in this ever-evolving

What is Adelaide Skin Therapy’s most popular treatment?

Morpheus8 Skin Tightening and rejuvenation, followed by Skin Needling and Bespoke Dermaviduals Facials.

How do you keep your staff motivated?

I’m a super motivated, hard working person, so I think that rubs off by osmosis. I’m really passionate about the industry and love my job. Watching my client’s skin journeys brings me so much joy, I’ll never stop being grateful that my clients put their skin in my hands and trust me.

What are the challenges of running a salon?

I think one of the biggest challenges for me is work life balance. Running a business demands a lot of time and commitment. Once the door closes at the end of the day there is so much more to do – client check-ins, marketing, bookkeeping, advertising, research etc.

What has been your most memorable career moment so far?

Winning the Australian Rising Star Award would have to be the biggest moment in my life, closely followed by being recognised as salon of the month. Both pinch me moments.

How have dermaviduals assisted Adelaide Skin Therapy?

Introducing dermaviduals in our clinic has hugely contributed to our success. I’ve worked with a variety of other skincare brands and I found that

something was always missing, however with dermaviduals I have the ability to understand the ingredients I’m using, to create a product or treatment to meet my client’s skin needs. Along with the ability to curate the perfect at home skincare routine. We are super passionate about this skincare range as it has significantly improved the skin health of so many of our clients. There’s nothing like it on the market. I love that dermaviduals prioritise education and I’ve never felt so supported by a brand.

What is your number one skincare tip? I would say stop ablating away your epidermis by over exfoliating with treatments such as epiblading, dermabrasion and chemical peels. Nurture the skin and your skin will perform appropriately.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start their own skin clinic? Dedication to customer service would be number one, followed by a passion and love for the industry. Everything else falls into place if you have the right driving force and foundations. I’m also not afraid to pivot, if something is not serving me or my business, I’m on to the next thing.

DermapenWorld revolutionises skin rejuvenation.

Exosomes: The Birth of a Regenerative Force

If you’re not familiar with Exosome therapy, you soon will be. Exosomes are creating a real buzz and are set to disrupt the beauty and aesthetic industry.

Always striving for excellence in innovation, DermapenWorld™ has taken a giant leap into regenerative medicine, developing two specialty serums. Joining the award-winning Dp Dermaceuticals™ range, the dynamic duo harnesses the extraordinary power of Exosomes. It’s time to get your clinic ready for the new force in skin rejuvenation.

Exosomes explained

An Exosome is a tiny vesicle found in cells, particularly in human stem cells. Containing biomolecules such as proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, Exosomes act as messengers from stem cells to other cells. They play a vital role in intercellular communication, tissue healing, regeneration and repair. They also stimulate the synthesis of collagen and elastin.

Because of their incredible ability to send signals at a cellular level to boost repair, Exosomes have been shown to significantly improve the appearance of many skin concerns. These include pigmentation, rosacea, fine lines, wrinkles, sundamaged skin, even alopecia. They are known to promote wound healing to help minimise the appearance of scars. Regardless of the skin concerns your patients turn to you for solutions, the overall result of using Exosome technology is noticeably healthier skin with a more youthful complexion.

Partnering with the most progressive innovators in stem cell research, DermapenWorld™ has sourced ethically produced Exosomes. These are multipotent, highly versatile, the youngest and purest source. They are the key performance ingredient in Dp Dermaceuticals™’ groundbreaking—MG-EXO-SKIN™ and EXO-SKIN™.

MG-EXO-SKIN

The MG-Collection™ by Dp Dermaceuticals is a range of practitioner-only specialty serums known as Meso-Glides™. Used during microneedling, they allow the Dermapen 4 device to effortlessly glide over the skin, providing comfort for patients. Meso-Glides also deliver active ingredients via the micro-channels (produced by microneedling) directly into the deeper layers of skin.

As the newest member of the MG-Collection, MGEXO-SKIN has been carefully crafted for patients seeking superior results without undergoing the knife. The Exosomes in MG-EXO-SKIN have the remarkable ability to send signals of healing and

As a topical serum combined with microneedling, it’s the pièce de resistance in non-invasive skin rejuvenation and regeneration. Because it’s a professional-grade solution, patients can only experience the benefits through an Authorised Treatment Provider.

Maximise Exosome Potential

Using MG-EXO-SKIN as part of a Dermapen Treatment™ has huge potential for the health and appearance of skin. As a practitioner, you can fast-track solutions and go one step further by helping patients with multiple skin concerns in a single appointment.

Here are some incredible, mind-blowing numbers when combining Dermapen 4 microneedling technology with MG-EXO-SKIN.

About 7,000 Exosomes can fit on a single microfine needle. Given the Dermapen 4 needle cartridge consists of 16 needles, a single oscillation of a Dermapen 4 device can deliver 112,000 Exosomes. Therefore, one Dermapen 4 microneedling session can deliver millions of Exosomes! The regeneration possibility is phenomenal.

Patients can enjoy amazing results with:

• no risk of bruising

• fast recovery so they can resume daily activities

• quick lunch-time appointments.

EXO-SKIN

As with all clinical treatments, at-home skincare routines play an important part in nourishing skin and optimising results. To continue the benefits of Exosome therapy, Dp Dermaceuticals has formulated an at-home serum. Patients simply introduce EXO-SKIN into their twice daily regime, applying a pea-sized amount after cleansing morning and night.

Crafted with a Ceramide complex, 4 types of vitamin c, botanicals, vitamins, peptides and Hyaluronic Acid, patients can experience the next level in skin regeneration with ongoing athome skincare between clinic appointments.

JOIN THE DERMAPENWORLD SKIN REVOLUTION! Interested in delivering world-class treatments to your patients, complemented with high-quality skincare for in-clinic and at-home care? Talk to your local distributor about becoming a DermapenWorld

Authorised Treatment Provider. Or for more information, contact DermapenWorld at info@dermapenworld.com

EXOSOMES

The birth of a regenerative force

DermapenWorld’s latest scientific breakthrough harnesses the extraordinary power of Exosomes.

Delivering a regenerative force, Exosomes have been shown to:

• promote regulated wound healing

• boost the synthesis of collagen and elastin

• support cellular differentiation

• enhance angiogenesis

• inhibit cicatricial healing.

MG-EXO-SKIN™

Designed to enhance results of in-clinic microneedling procedures, mesotherapy, laser and other professional rejuvenation treatments.

EXO-SKIN™

A twice-daily non-negotiable serum for ongoing homecare by patients.

Scan the QR code to learn more, or to become an Authorised Treatment Provider, contact us at info@dermapenworld.com.

NEW non-negotiable dynamic duo delivering extraordinary results.

By Charlotte Ravet

Communicating with a creative team requires mastering the vocabulary of colour theory.

HUE: Hue is a term used to describe the colours of the visual spectrum. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet are hues blended together to create an untold number of colours. A green apple, for example, may have a green hue. Black, white, and grey do not belong to the visual spectrum, so they are not hues.

TONES: Tones are created by adding grey to hues. The hue appears softer or duller as a result.

SHADE: In order to create shades, black is added to a hue, making the hue darker.Tint In order to make tints, white is added to a hue, creating lighter versions of the hue.

SPECTRUM

Spectrums are formed when a beam of white light is dispersed (such as by passing through a prism) so that its wavelengths are arranged in order. Also known as a colour spectrum.

Hue, value, and chroma are three attributes of colour.

SATURATION AND INTENSITY

The saturation of a colour refers to its purity. The

In terms of saturation, words like “vivid”, “dull”,

“brilliant”, “dark”, “deep”, “light”, “medium”, “pale”, and “weak” are used. Colours that have been desaturated have lost a significant amount of colour. It can also refer to how the colour appears under different lighting conditions.

In daylight, a red dress will appear red, but in darker light, it will appear more burgundy or grey. It can also refer to the application of makeup products. Using lipstick as a veil will give your lips a desaturated and translucent appearance.

Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a hue. The intensity can be lowered by adding white or black.

CHROMA/CHROMATICITY

It is the purity of a colour that determines its chroma. A colour with a high chroma has no neutral colours added to it, so it appears more vivid or pure. A colour’s chroma is reduced when one of those neutrals is added, making the colour duller. There is a slight difference between “chroma”, “intensity”, and “saturation”. All of these terms describe the same characteristic of colour since the human eye cannot distinguish between them. A colour’s chroma is its purity. A colour’s value indicates how close it is to white or black and how light or dark it is. A colour’s value and chroma are independent characteristics. Colours with low chroma can have a light value, while another colour with low chroma can have a dark value.

VALUE

The value of a colour determines how light or dark it is. Every colour has a light, middle, and dark value. A pure hue can be made lighter or darker by adding black, white, or grey. Yellow, for instance, has a higher value than dark green because it is lighter. The value of black is the lowest, and the value of white is the highest. As a result of the change in value, we are able to see objects and shapes in three dimensions. The change of values gives dimension to an object. This is the same for makeup when we use highlighting and contouring techniques. The highlights create volume, and shadows give the illusion of depth. Values can be used to give volume to the lips, depth to the eyes, and enhance other features of the face.

KEEP IN MIND:

Chroma: The amount of purity hue relative to grey

Saturation: The degree of purity of a hue.

Intensity: The brightness or dullness of a hue. One may lower the intensity by adding white or black.

Photographers: Aniss+Barton Model: Flavia Lazarus Makeup: Charlotte Ravet

Using colour correctors is essential for makeup artists and hairdressers who want to achieve creative looks.

5 Reasons you need to try by

If RefectoCil oxidative tint has been your Holy Grail for lashes & brows since your beauty education days, but your client is wanting more intense brow definition or reshaping, look no further than the new RefectoCil Intense Brow[n]s professional tinting system!

HERE ARE 5 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO TRY IT.

1. RefectoCil Intense Brow(n)s not only tint the brow hairs, but makes brows look like they’ve been traced –and does so for several days. The Intense Brow[n]s tint not only colors brows and lashes for up to six weeks, but they also achieve a semipermanent stain on the skin. This would be like filling in your brows with pencil and having it last up to a week (an absolute game-changer!). In the case of overly tweezed eyebrows that need to grow back, sparse areas can be filled in. This enhances the client’s transition to achieve the perfect brow. Brow Intensifying by RefectoCil is a painless, inexpensive, and a noninvasive alternative to microblading and permanent makeup solutions. The product can also be used to tint the lashes and is particularly suitable for those clients who do not tolerate oxidative tints.

2. Intense Brow[n]s has its name for good reason. When we say intense, we mean it! Intense Brow(n)s will be best received by your high-definition brow clients, or those familiar with henna or hybrid dye services. The skin staining effect can be further enhanced by using the Intensifying Primer first step, allowing the makeup effect to be customised in target areas. In the case of customers who only wear a small amount of makeup, the stain should not be intensified with the primer. A consultation with the customer before the first treatment is recommended as results will be different to a regular tinting appointment.

3. Intense Brow[n]s Brow & Lash Tinting System is plant based, vegan-certified and cruelty free. RefectoCil manufacturer GW Cosmetics has spent years developing an alternative to oxidative lash and brow tinting products to reflect worldwide trends. With Intense Brow[n]s, they have succeeded in creating a vegancertified formulation that is incredibly mild. It is suitable for customers who are prone to allergies or have particularly sensitive skin (we always recommend doing a patch test before application).

Unlike the RefectoCil oxidative range, plant-based ingredients including Silver Nitrate are used to activate tint colour, resulting in a new and different application technique. Salon training is imperative to ensure the correct application process and educational material will be available to all professional users.

4. It is the first ever lash and brow tinting system to be compliant in the U.S. That’s right! For decades, dyeing with oxidative lash and brow color was prohibited in the U.S.A. RefectoCil has now accomplished something that will usher in a new era for professional brow & lash styling. Therapists and brow technicians can now openly promote lash and brow services – this has been a masterstroke in the history of RefectoCil.

Refectocil are the global market leader for brow & lash tinting and styling.

The brand name RefectoCil has become synonymous with brow and lash colour. The foundation for the brand was laid over 90 years ago by introducing the very first professional tinting product to market. As the current global market leader, RefectoCil is now represented and sold in more than 70 countries.

The Intense Brow(n)s range featuring four waterproof and versatile brown shades will be available to purchase from RefectoCil distributors in February 2023. Be sure to check out the Intense Brow(n)s tutorials by using the QR code below.

For any product, education, or distributor enquiries, contact RefectoCil Australia directly on (02) 7200 8452 or sales@refectocil-australia.com.au

- sparse eyebrows

- thin eyebrows

- over tweezed

- with gaps

+ fuller looking brows

+ intensive & natural looking

+ customized make up effect + up to 6 weeks

RefectoCil Intense Brow[n]s

Welcome to a new era of brow & lash styling.

Create the most intense looks with RefectoCil Intense Brow[n]s, the new and innovative tinting system. Discover the newest trend service Brow Intensifying by RefectoCil to achieve a customized and longer lasting make up effect –for the brows your clients always wanted. Welcome to Intense Brow[n]s, developed by RefectoCil®, the world market leader in brow & lash tinting.

For product and training enquiries, contact RefectoCil Australia directly. (02) 7200 8452 | sales@refectocil-australia.com.au | refectocil-australia.com.au

Conferences To Attend in 2023

By Special Event Correspondent, Mala McAlpin

2020 and 2021 were all about surviving through COVID. 2022 was about getting back to life beyond COVID. But establishing the ‘new norm’ left many of us exhausted. Now, many of us are determined for 2023 to be our year. What better way to do that than to cram our calendars with education, upskilling, and self-improvement? So, in that spirit, here are this year’s biggest and best conferences to mark in your diaries.

ABIC Education Conference

Sunday 12 February

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf, Melbourne

The Aesthetic Beauty Industry Council (ABIC) is continuing its mission to become Australia’s leading beauty and aesthetics industry body by hosting its augural educational conference. The one-day event is welcome to beauty therapists, dermal therapists, dermal clinicians, cosmetic nurses, cosmetic practitioners, plastic surgeons, and clinic managers.

The day aims to offer inclusive, unbiased topics and speakers coming together to promote collaboration and interprofessional education to take any practice’s treatments, results, practitioners, and operations to the next level. The program hosts what may be the most diverse mix of practitioners of any conference this year, including Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Naveen Somia, Registered Nurse Vivien Gardiner, Dermatologist Dr Cara McDonald, Trainer & Educator Rhiannon Mitsopoulos, Cosmetic Physician Dr David Kosenko, Dermal Clinician & Chairperson of ASDC Jennifer Byrne, Clinical Educator Karen Geiszler, Skin Therapist Robyn McAlpine, Registered Nurse Alex Pike and Beauty Therapist/Business Owner Tara Shaw to name a few.

theabic.org.au/events/abic-educationconference-2023

Cosmedicon

March 2-5, Intercontinental Double Bay Sydney

One of the most looked-forward-to events in the cosmetic medicine space, Cosmedicon

returns to Double Bay’s Intercontinental in March with a packed schedule of talks, workshops, and social events. The twoday scientific program features prominent international and local experts sharing their insights, experience, research, and practical tips on the most relevant and cutting-edge techniques and products in the minimally invasive aesthetic practice, including facial rejuvenation, body sculpting, skincare, and laser. This is then complemented with live injecting workshops, sponsored skincare and device workshops, a networking function, and a Swinging 60s Gala Dinner extravaganza. Program highlights this year include regenerative medicine, stem cell research, menopause specialisation, laser for pigmentation updates, facial muscle stimulation, combination therapies for skin tightening, informed consent, women’s intimate health, body contouring, nutrient therapy and more. cosmedicon.com.au

Permanent Cosmetic Culture (PCC)

March 19-20, Brisbane

Australia’s annual Permanent Makeup conference, this boutique event hosts 120 guests and sells out each year. Helping shape attendees into better artists, guests will find two days of workshops including hands-on brow design, mapping techniques, handdrawing, lining and shading drills, product exhibits, smartphone photography techniques and more. Those with all-access and Sunday passes also gain entry to the PCC Gala, which includes a two-course evening dinner, drinks, and a whole lot of dancing! pccgroupaus.com

Cutera University Clinical Forum

May 5-7, The Langham Gold Coast

A must-attend for anyone currently using, or interested in adopting, Cutera devices. Or simply any practitioner with a keen interest in energy-based devices! One of the most highly regarded in the Australian device market, Cutera host their CUCF every year, which gets bigger and better with every passing event. It’s an excellent weekend learning environment comprising two and a half days of education, entertainment, and professional and social connection, where you can network and learn from other clinicians, doctors, and body aesthetic professionals from all over Australia and overseas. The welcome drinks and cocktail gala never cease to blow guests away, and the conference days always receive positive feedback for their interactivity, variety in topics, and useful, tangible information that clinics can adopt right away. And this doesn’t just apply to laser parameters and skin conditions, but marketing, social media, business practice, client retention and more. cucf.com.au

ASAPS Non-Surgical Symposium (NSS)

June 23-25, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre

Typically regarded as the biggest conference of the year, this year NSS is back on the sunny Gold Coast. We were wowed by a spectacular 10th anniversary conference last year that we expect to be topped by this year’s festivities. The program is yet to be released, but we can expect it to be just as diverse than ever, with speakers from around the world. With multiple simultaneous seminar

rooms to choose from, topics cover all things skin, cosmetic formulation, prepping and posttreatment care, pigmentation, energy-based devices, injectables, research, marketing and social media, practice management, business coaching, consulting and informed consent, surgical procedures, and trends. As always, we can also expect a range of skin and injectable sponsored workshops, a networking drinks event to open the weekend, and the biggest party of the year - the Saturday evening gala dinner. nonsurgical.org.au

ASDC SKINCON

August 5-7

Hybrid Conference, Melbourne & Online

Hosted by the Australian Society of Dermal Clinicians, SKINCON is back for its second year, offering a hybrid boutique educational conference dedicated to the skin sector. That includes Dermal Clinicians, Dermal Therapists, Dermatology and Cosmetic Nurses, and Beauty Therapists, for a weekend of connection and support both in-person and via a highly interactive online portal. The program is yet to come, but the event will feature live and pre-recorded presentations, networking events, an in-person and virtual exhibitor hall, online networking for delegates and sponsors, interactive learning workshops and more.

dermalclinicians.com.au/upcoming events

Aesthetics23

August 10-13, Sydney

The following weekend after ASDC is Steven Liew’s highly anticipated Aesthetics conference. This year’s A23 theme and program is yet to be revealed but will share similar aims to previous years. That is, a totally fresh and rewarding experience for all practitioners in the field of non-surgical

aesthetic treatments, a focus on genuine inclusion, and an open dialogue to foster partnerships across industry disciplines that ultimately helps all to learn and grow together.

Aestheticsau.com

Fresh Life Conference

September 5-8, Byron Bay

Perhaps the most unique take on an aesthetic conference so far, Fresh Life was launched last year to great success. Designed predominantly for cosmetic nurses but open to all aesthetic professionals, Fresh Life is dedicated to the fusion of aesthetics and wellness, a theme which carries through all elements. Last year’s event was likened to a music festival for its outdoor open-air exhibit space rather than the usual stuffy conference hall. Speakers and their audiences were hosted either in a stunning outdoor teepee, or in the larger indoor hall which was decked out in lush greenery. Even the catering boasted paddock-to-plate, nutritionally balanced vibes. Program topics were just as thought-out and considered, discussing new innovations, techniques, and technologies; both for injecting and devices, combination therapies, improving the patient journey, working interprofessionally with skin practitioners, and improving current practices. And this year is set to impress even further.

thefreshlifeconference.com

Beauty Expo

August 26-27, ICC Sydney Darling Harbour Beauty Expo Australia unites the beauty industry in the country’s largest celebration of all things beauty, skin and cosmetics. Discover and experience over 200 brands and products, world class education, international talent and live performances and competitions across one wonderful weekend in Sydney. This year, Beauty Expo will be publishing their pathway

to net zero by 2040, setting out their reduction strategy with key milestones for all their future shows. It’s a little too early for the program release yet, but with the expo’s commitment to be bigger and better year on year, we can likely expect the same diversification of the conference topics branching into dermal and aesthetics, as well as added experiences like complimentary coaching sessions and live demonstrations.

beautyexpoaustralia.com.au

BEAUTY & SPA Insiders

Monday October 16, Pier One Sydney

BEAUTY & SPA Insiders aims to celebrate and unite Australian beauty, wellness, and medi-aesthetics industry professionals with a jam-packed, one-day event showcasing talent, innovation, and creativity. Save the date and expect presentations and panels from a range of industry leaders exploring trends, business tools, new technologies, and news from both new and established brands. BEAUTY & SPA Insiders is designed to inspire, providing opportunities for learning and connection between beauty therapists, salon owners, cosmetic medical practitioners, nail technicians, makeup artists, and spa and wellness professionals alike, uniting over likeminded discussions on topics impacting the future of our industry.

beautyandspainsiders.com.au

Mala is a freelance writer & marketing expert creating feature articles, copywriting, and business support services for the beauty and aesthetics sectors. For more information visit malamcalpin.com.au

By Lisa Conway, The Zing Project

In 1932 brothers Charles and Joseph Revson, along with their chemist Charles Lachman, founded Revlon.

They believed that in the factories they make cosmetics; in the store they sold hope.

I find it fascinating that in 1932 that “hope” was the thinking behind beauty. Have women changed? That’s an easy one to answer. Yes. The first change is that only women are interested in consuming beauty products. The individual reference to men or women is also on the chopping board. People is what we are, the use of gender is outdated. The beauty consumer is both men and women.

I can only speak for myself however I don’t think I would buy a product or have a treatment and then cross my fingers in the hope that it delivered. I refer to my purchases as having found a solution to a problem.

Purchasing decisions are usually made after some research is done. Today we have a better understanding about the selection of choice available to us. I think people can purchase with way more confidence than ever before.

So many ways to gather information today. The ingredients, where they are sourced from and where it is made, online reviews, everything is for the customer’s point of view. The experience on how they found the journey of purchasing the product to the how the product itself performs.

Hope seems a bit wishy washy for todays standards. I think that people today want to and do, purchase with confidence.

So, my challenge is around the word “hope”.

I think that hope is perhaps a little outdated. I think not only have beauty products changed beyond any resemblances of what anyone thought was possible over the last fifty years and even more so the last twenty, it has me thinking the later part of that statement from 1932 is perhaps due for a re write. How about “in the factories we make cosmetics and in the beauty clinics therapist educate clients which leads to consumer confidence”?

A beauty therapists’ strength is in the treatment room. Product knowledge and client education are where she excels

I would have hated to have been born in a time that did not have the things I have access to today, especially plastic surgeons! Lordy!!

“In the factory we make cosmetics; in the store we sell hope.”

More than happy to share with anyone interested that Yes, I’ve had my share of Nips and Tucks over my fifty-eight years, and every decision was made after I had been thoroughly educated by not just one but by a trio of professionals. For me it isn’t any different to having any home improvement done. Renovations like a new kitchen you ask around and read reviews and get three quotes. Then there is always the hope part. You hope it’s to your liking.

The mistakes you can make today are far greater than they were in 1932. With more advanced skills comes a greater risk especially when it comes to the outcomes of procedures. Today things are very different to back then. The wrong shade of lipstick can be wiped off in an instant, unlike the procedures of today.

The choices we have today come with a new responsibility. The therapist today needs to be a very educated professional and have a bed side or should I say a clinic bed manner too.

We are living in a time of incredible choice. That comes with a challenge too. Choice can confuse. A world that has so much to think about when it comes to what is best suited to any individual also has its challenges.

I think you would have to say that today’s consumer is overloaded with choice and is more likely to be confused about what is available than not. I think that at times beauty therapists might be guilty of presuming that clients know more than they do. I am surprised that most women have a very basic, entry level understanding as to what services high end clinics offer. The modalities and the outcomes are huge and often they can overlap. Part of the reason is that often women don’t share what they have “had done “and what they have spent money on for fear of judgement. Plus, not everyone is a sharer like me. For the most part people are private. I can

understand why that is the case. I think we have all heard that “that’s alright for her she’s XY and Z” people can be spiteful.

I will give you an example of the sort of things that confuse the consumer. The difference between IPL and laser hair removal or hair removal and hair reduction? Another example is Fat freezing or is that Lipolysis? (I need help here to explain clearly two machines that give similar outcomes or at least they aim to)

I never shy away from conversations about people’s skin or hair. People feel they can ask me about lots of thing’s beauty related. I think it’s partly because I talk openly, and I have worked in that space for years. Having said that I am still confused about a lot of things, fat freezing, peels, needling, PRP…the list of things that are available is huge and so are the explanations. It really is any wonder clients might feel they have no idea where to even start.

The other concern is that you the therapist could well spent a lot of your time not only explaining procedures to clients you wouldn’t get anything actually done, but there is also the risk you are overloading the clients.

So how do we inform our clients when there are hundreds of them?

What clients want to know is what’s possible for them. People decide when they are clear. The best thing you can do is to find a way to inform clients. To impart knowledge to them in a way they understand. That does sound like Marketing 101 to me.

If you want to be the skin clinic of choice, if you want a well-informed client base without laboriously repeating the information over and over every day, you need to think of a “one to many” idea. People often ask me if I like presenting on stage and the answer is yes, always yes and the bigger

the audience the better. They often look a little perplexed, because it’s a fear of many.

Speaking from stage is the best use of my time there is.

The way I see it is simple to tell a room of one hundred people something that they will walk away with a better understanding. To be clearer than they ever thought possible and to educate them to know that they could very well be doing so much better. The only reason they are not where they want to be is because they don’t know the HOW and when they do, they will be able to move forward. To spend an hour inspiring a room to feel the emotion of excitement and to walk away feeling better than when they arrived is a wonderful thing. Do I want to do that 100 times? Hell no! I want to do it once. Besides it works better when there is a crowd of likeminded people.

For you it’s the same, gather 30 people that are going to be perfect candidates for a particular service you provide and get them all together so that you can share all the things you know, answer all of their concerns in the group and then make them an introductory offer to test it themselves.

This one-to-many special education night is going to make your business a standout. Community is everything people want to be a part of, where they feel, they are listened to and heard and “girls just wanna have fun”. Think “sex in the city”.

For more salon wisdom, email me at lisa@zingcoach.com.au, visit my website, find my video tips on YouTube or read my books, all available in paperback , eBook, and Audio www.thezingproject.com.au

This Secret Superpower Has Landed.

By Elle Wilson

2023 has opened up with a new feeling of expansion and opportunity.

world economic climate, our inner space seems clearer

you have yet to notice this, take some time to relax

year and what it has to offer you. Even the planets and the stars are

synchronicity this year. It is the year for beauty.

But regardless of the bigger picture view of the year, you would have noticed the marketplace is flooded more than ever before with Instagram accounts and Facebook pages screaming for the attention of your prospective clients. Qualifications are no longer the key driving force when consumers are making buying decisions.

The beauty professional who has certificate after certificate on her walls may not necessarily be acknowledged or get the clients. It’s a new playing field out there and there is one superpower you simply can’t ignore. It is revolutionary, the beginning of a new level of transcendence for the beauty professional.

Specialize or discount. Sounds cynical? Don’t go there so quickly. Consider this and ask yourself when you are relaxed and open: could this be true? Specialization is almost the antithesis of the beauty industry. We are so used to instant gratification, instant certification, instant expertise, instant coffee…YUCK!

Okay, back to being serious about one of the most important questions for any business owner: Why would I come to your beauty salon and pass by 10 of your competitors?

If you cannot meaningfully answer this question and at the same time penetrate the mind of your ideal client, you will have to discount to retain clients you have been taking care of, in some cases for years…or you can find a passion. The service you love beyond all others and begin the journey of specialization. Let’s look at why specialization becomes your superpower.

When you get to unleash your power and potential for the good of all, that’s it. Just like a superhero, you get to stand for something meaningful and work for an ultimate purpose. You are devoted to something that makes a difference and transforms another. Visible results that are real and keep your clients raving about your business is step one. It’s when you enter into what you deeply believe in and it changes the quality of your life and the quality of your business. Specialization can’t be faked. This is why it

can’t be beat.

We may consider that what’s occurring in the industry right now is bad, thousands of beauty salons discounting to make ends meet. But this is not bad, it’s progress. For those of us that love authenticity, integrity is a call to rise up. To become masterful, to pick our superpower and show the world what it means to truly develop a skill that is in demand. We step out of the comfort zone of the average beauty professional and we begin developing a skill that offers us the following.

Before you start to consider what your superpower is, here is some help—the beauty

in

treatment that inspires you from your soul to your fingertips. Is this helping you? The treatment you were born for. Now do you get it?

Enter this new playing field. Take back your control and blossom into the beautiful flower. Find your passion, master it relentlessly with the industry’s most powerful players and make your life about the expression of mastery.

Finally, what will this mean to your business?

Specialization is a valuable strategy for salon owners looking to eliminate their competitors in their marketplace. Specialization can increase reputation and the demand for services without discounts. Specialists always charge higher prices, it’s expected. Specialization is about fulfillment and integrity in an industry that offers you whatever you ask for, specialization is the oasis.

A beauty business is about fulfillment, meaning and profitability. All of this is real in the life and world of the specialist.

Regardless of the

and we are more available. If

and find the subtle thread of this new

moving

a profound

Add Value To Making A Living, By Living Your Values

By Paul Frasca

It’s easy to talk the talk on sustainability but walking the walk can be a daunting process. We understand this, so we’ve taken the risks and the responsibility so you can live your values just by joining our network of Sustainable Salons.

For me, living my values is non-negotiable.

I’ve had so many interactions with salon owners at expos and conferences who have said to me that they want to join Sustainable Salons and offer their clients a service that aligns with their values, BUT… they’re scared.

Scared that their clients won’t accept the minimal price increase that comes with becoming a sustainable salon, scared that it will all be too hard, and scared that it will negatively affect their bottom line.

I always encourage these salon owners to consider it from a consumer’s perspective. The reality is, it’s 2023, and we know that sustainability is a concern for the absolute majority of consumers these days, and consumers are thinking about the impact of their actions and purchases more than ever.

So, imagine that consumer, looking in the mirror and realising that after two years of on and off lockdowns, it’s finally time to go back to the salon. They’re thinking to themselves, ‘wouldn’t it be great if I could get my facial, brows or lashes done without compromising on my values?’

So, what do they do? They hop on the Sustainable Salons directory and look for a salon in their area. And what do they find? Nada. That’s a pretty big bummer for consumers who want to live their values. They’ll probably come to you anyway, but they’ll jump ship as soon as a Sustainable Salon opens in their area.

Your clients are the backbone of your businessnot only do their appointments pay your bills, but your clients’ skin and brows are literal walking advertisements for your salon. Who hasn’t seen a friend with gorgeous brows or flawless skin and immediately demanded to know where they got it done? I know plenty who have!

It makes even more sense to meet your clients where they’re at. And right now, with New Year’s resolutions still fresh on everybody’s minds that’s typically knee-deep in at least one element of the sustainability movement. No matter which aspect of sustainability your clients are interested in, Sustainable Salons covers almost every area of concern: people, planet, and profit.

Here’s a little look behind the scenes of Sustainable Salons because we are far more than just a recycling program:

PEOPLE

- Dignified work for people living with disabilities. The number of people we’ve had reach out to us and talk about how pleased they are to see a company offering employment opportunities for people living with disabilities is huge.

- Ponytail donations for charitable wigs. Human hair wigs don’t come cheap, but they’re lifechanging for people with hair loss through cancer treatment or autoimmune illnesses like alopecia.

PLANET

- Recycling. This is what we’ve made our name in. We have prevented over 374,947kg of metal, 415,995kg of paper and over 55,324L of chemicals from going to waste and kept over 355,650kg of plastic out of landfills. And that’s not even mentioning the insane amount of hair clippings we receive from salons every year, which are turned into Hair Booms to soak up oil in our precious oceans.

- Closed loop manufacturing. Recycling is only half the solution. Recycling waste is all well and good, but its impact is somewhat lost unless it goes back into a circular system and the products produced from recycled materials are valued as highly as those from virgin materials. The metal and plastic we recycle go back into the manufacturing system to become new products like dog

leashes, coasters, and sunglasses, extending their lifecycle.

PROFIT

- Job creation. We’ve had politicians asking us to bring Sustainable Salons into their states and communities because they understand that we provide long-term job opportunities for many people. We know that there’s no saving the planet without dedicated people working towards our common goals.

- Partnerships. We partner with over 21 charities across Australia and New Zealand to deliver a range of services. These include grooming services for people experiencing homelessness and donations to fund meals for people in need.

We know that many salons have wanted to be part of something like this for a long time, but it’s daunting going out on your own and trying to create something from scratch. We’ve built the infrastructure around protecting people, the planet, and profits so that salons can easily join and know they’re contributing to a fairer, greener tomorrow.

Oh, and if you’re still not convinced - you should know that over 77 000 clients visit a Sustainable Salon every week, and over 1400 salons across Australia and New Zealand are already on board!

The best part of my job is waking up each day knowing I am living my values. It could be the best part of your job too, make 2023 your year! When I look back at my legacy at Sustainable Salons, I know I’m on the right side of history. And that’s a pretty great feeling.

New Year, New Mindset, New Results!

By Angeli Marie Shaw

Our minds really are something to marvel at. It’s at the centre of some of our most rewarding and heart filling experiences. It lets in curiosity, wisdom, love and laughter but also helps us overcome some of life’s greatest trials. Our minds really are one of our greatest assets, but can also be our greatest adversary, allowing in thoughts of self-doubt, anxiety and depression, to name a few. It can magnify our fears, even undermine our best intentions, so how can we take control of our mindsets and better understand, improve and change it?

Let’s face it. Most, if not all of us began 2022 running off less than a full tank. With the events of the last few years, constant change, unpredictability and uncertainty of what could be coming, we found ourselves in a constant state of living on edge, making it difficult to relax or feel calm. Some of us may have coped better than others, but that ‘what’s next’ feeling lingered, and possibly still lingers now. Our interactions changed, the way we do business changed, we united with some and grew apart from others. We formed strong opinions on major issues or tried our best to block it all out. 2022 really was a huge year to process.

So, what now for 2023? What can we do differently? What have we been doing that perhaps wasn’t working? Rather than me listing suggestions on what you can do, here are some things I’d like you to consider when thinking about your mindset and the way that you want to show up this coming year.

1. Two people look at a glass of water, one sees it half empty, the other sees it half full. One is optimistic, the other is pessimistic. But I want you to consider, which of the two is more realistic? Which is more useful? Which one will most likely lead to a better mindset? Both people are correct in their observation, however which way of thinking will serve you better?

2. Forgiveness. More than just a pragmatic compromise, it’s an emotional resolution. It allows us to let go of bitterness and anger, and therefore be happier. Forgiveness is a little like exercise, we might not want to do it, but we know it’s good for us. The opposite of this is holding a grudge, which can become quite consuming

and corrosive. We can get stuck focusing on the same unpleasant event which nurtures these unpleasant feelings. Overall, this does nothing for our mental health and mindset. Remember, we can’t control what others do, but we can control how we respond. How are you responding to certain situations and people?

3. All of us are capable of change. But how do you view change? And how do you view change within yourself? If you tell yourself ‘I can’t help it’ or ‘that’s just the way I am’ guess what? Nothing changes. Rather than thinking of change as a complete rebuild, view it more like a renovation. The foundations are there, so what can you work on? What can you improve? What is working well for you and what isn’t?

4. When it comes to anger, it’s probably one of our most regretted emotions. But it does have its uses, like when we need to protect ourselves and others, but when anger isn’t controlled, it can damage our relationships, even our reputations. The positive? We can learn to control it and channel it into something more useful. Keep in mind, you should never tell yourself to never get angry. That isn’t going to work, and feelings happen. But when we let it consume us, it affects the way we make decisions, interact with others, and potentially causes us to miss out on what we’re not seeing, therefore not learning. Have a think about how anger is showing up in your life. What effect is it having on your mindset and your view of the world?

5. How often do you genuinely put yourself and your needs first? Do you feel selfish when you think of making yourself a priority? Firstly, lets define what selfishness is. Put simply, it’s seeking

or concentrating on one’s own advantage, without regard for others. Intent plays a big part in what you do when putting yourself first, so ask yourself these questions, “am I choosing to put myself first, at all costs, even if it may intentionally hurt or cause harm to others” or “am I choosing to put myself first because I know in doing so, I will thrive and have far more to give to myself and others?” Very different ways to look at it right? But also, with different outcomes. Ponder that for a moment.

How’s the headspace? What I’ve shared can be a lot to wrap your head around, but it does get you thinking, doesn’t it?

Changing our mindsets doesn’t happen overnight, but with focused intent, practice and dedication, we can produce changes that will help make us calmer, happier and more resilient. Cultivating this kind of ‘flow’ regularly, they will eventually become traits. Just like forming new habits takes time, so too does changing your mindset, all you need to do is make the decision to start. After all, research shows that our mindsets play a significant role in determining our life’s outcomes.

Question is, what outcome are you wanting for 2023?

Love & Bliss, Angeli xxoo

Angeli is a Holistic Empowerment Coach, Mindset Mentor and founder of The Bliss Coach. To work with me in 2023 individually or with your team, get in touch by visiting www.theblisscoach.com.au or follow us on our socials @theblisscoach to find out more.

Menopause and the Mind.

By Tina Winchester

Menopause has long been a topic that women lie about.

Post-menopausal female family members tell us that it’s something that you just have to go through, discreetly, and that we must simply get on with it. We’re told that the stages of menopause are a natural part of life. Older female friends and family members, when recounting their own experiences, say things like “it’s not that bad! It’s just a few hot flushes”. This simply isn’t true!

Let’s start with peri-menopause. This is the transition women go through before they are officially considered “in menopause”. Perimenopause symptoms can surface up to five years before any physical symptoms of menopause. The myth is that menopause begins when periods begin to change, or stop. Psychological symptoms during perimenopause are most often the first to emerge, and can be debilitating.

When women experience anxiety, depression, memory loss, brain fog, panic attacks, hot flushes, insomnia – these are neurological symptoms. They start in the brain. Peri-menopause and menopause is a restructuring of the brain, much like a renovation. The brain is telling sufferers “I’m under stress”. Brain energy levels can actually drop by up to 25% during this transition.

Dramatic changes in your hormones during menopause can impact your mental health as well as your physical health. You may experience feelings of anxiety, stress or even depression.

Peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms may include, but aren’t limited to:

- Anger and irritability.

- Anxiety.

- Forgetfulness.

- Loss of self-esteem.

- Lowered confidence.

- Low mood, and/ or feelings of sadness or depression.

- Poor concentration – often described as ‘brain fog’ and/or “lost words”.

Many women experiencing perimenopause or menopause will also experience insomnia, or problems with sleeping. Lack of sleep and fatigue can also make symptoms, including irritability, ability to concentrate or anxiety, much worse. In fact, it’s often these sleep changes that are the first symptoms of the menopause cycle a woman might experience.

A symptom that is rarely, if ever talked about is that women may also experience intrusive and negative thoughts, and for some sufferers, even

Building on your knowledge of even the basics of how the brain and the process of menopause are so heavily interlinked goes a long way towards seeking treatment, and simply understanding what’s happening.

Estrogen production is central to reproduction, but did you know that the hormone is central to the brain’s operation too? Brain function is heavily governed by reproductive hormones such as estrogen, so a dramatic decline in estrogen levels during perimenopause through to postmenopause will, of course, affect mood and cognitive ability.

Hormone levels are often at their lowest around 3am, and as peri-menopausal and menopausal women are already combatting a dramatic drop in hormones, they may experience intrusive, paranoid, or even suicidal thoughts in these early morning hours, but improved mood in the afternoon when hormones are at their highest. This variation goes through cycles throughout the day and night, and certainly throughout the month.

If you are going through these changes, the first thing to do is to start listening to your body.

If you’re over 40 years old and you start to feel not quite yourself or experience anxieties that aren’t normal for you, start monitoring this. Women have cited anxiety symptoms that are often unique to them, such as not wanting to drive at night, feeling overwhelming worry, experiencing paranoid thinking, or even simply feeling a bit “down”.

Monitor when these symptoms occur, on which days of the month and if your periods or menstrual cycle are changing at all. Go online and research symptoms of menopause, as they can be very wide ranging. Heart palpitations, aching joints, burning mouth, itchiness, electric shock sensations and other physical symptoms you wouldn’t necessarily attribute to peri-menopause are often a direct result of the process. Physical symptoms, such as changes to periods, may also not occur for some years after the onset of psychological symptoms.

Consult with a doctor and don’t allow yourself to be dismissed with the old adage that “this is a natural stage of life women go through”. There is nothing natural about suffering. If symptoms persist and begin to affect your life, medical intervention may be required.

Menopause has an unfortunate social stigma associated with it that was and is contributing to irreparable damage to many women’s lives. This sadly increases the risk of mental health decline and even suicide. Menopause isn’t just about “suddenly feeling hot” or “the odd mood swing” - it’s so much more than those often-superficial societal understandings. Peri-menopause and menopause is a health issue that affects everyone – whether you’re a woman over the age of 40, a husband, a son or a co-worker of a woman undergoing these biological changes.

Mentally Well Workplaces is proud to be launching our new “Menopause and the Mind” campaign, and subsequent new training offerings to end the stigma around menopause in the workplace, and to support women going through this natural process. Make sure to sign up to our newsletter and follow us on social media to stay up to date.

Tina Winchester is the Mental Health Director for Mentally Well Workplaces and a Principal Master MHFA Instructor www.mentallywellworkplaces.com.au

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Stay Clear of the Advice Trap.

By Gry Tomte

The first time I came across Michael Bungay Stainer’s book “The Advice Trap” I felt like I’d stepped right into one of those IKEA ball room - where we used to immerse ourselves in little rubber balls - full of winning lottery tickets.

Like I’d been included into some secret sorority of leaders who just magically had their shit together…Leaders who had the answers to top level leadership habits no one else was privy to.

A sorority that only seemed to belong to people who worked at Google or Apple and Twitter….well, maybe not Twitter so much these days…

The premise of the book is simple - stay curious a little longer and rush to advice giving a little slower.

If you didn’t already get the hint - I really do believe that curiosity is a superpower! And this article is all about sharing the reason why with you and ways you can think about staying curious a little longer - and rush to advice giving a little slower.

I’ll share some real leadership situations that you’ll more than likely recognise yourself in (if you’re honest with yourself…)

Why is the ability to stay curious longer a superpower?

There are 3 pretty compelling reasons;

1. You’ll learn more!

2. More freedom for you baby!

3. Your people love their jobs more…

Sound like a good thing? Of course, it does! But how does it actually work?

1. YOU LEARN MORE.

Let’s explore.

A client walks into your clinic with a severe rash on their face.

You, the owner jump to conclusions within 0.2 seconds - after a quick glance in the books, you notice that the client had a treatment with your newest staff member - assuming that the rash is caused by an allergic reaction to a product, or their treatment gone wrong.

“Argh…I should have never let them start treating so soon. I KNEW they didn’t do enough training…. They probably forgot to neutralise”.

But what if the patient had recently been on a trip to the tropics and the rash was actually a symptom of a tropical disease… Ummm…humble pie! Not to mention the unnecessary conflict with the new therapist

who by the way had done everything by the book.

How handy would it have been if you just asked more questions and gathered a whole heap of facts before jumping to conclusions.

Now, let’s explore another common scenario:

You’re a manager or owner. You’re having your 1-1 with a usually high performing therapist and you’ve noticed their performance has really dropped the past 2 weeks. Especially rebooking and revenue figures. The books are starting to slow down and you’re on a bit of a frantic war path to figure out what’s going on.

You start off the conversation with “Your rebooking has dropped, and you’ve got big gaps in your column. What is going on with you?? I really need you to start working on your rebooking and retention. You know it’s expensive to run a business and if you can’t

contribute, we have to give you less hours”.

The therapist starts welling up and mutters “I try really hard”.

You chalk it up in your mind to the therapist really not trying hard at all - and probably making up a story in your mind that they don’t care about you or your business - and in fact, they probably had a job interview last week when they were sick that day…

You might as well just start looking for a replacement…

What did you actually figure out?

Imagine if:

This particular therapist specialised in 70% of the highest revenue services on the menu. As the interest rates have doubled, a lot of her high performing treatments have dried up. “I’ll book later when things have settled a bit - my

mortgage payments have gone through the roof, and I just can’t afford it”.

If you’d taken the time to ask questions you could have found this out, and you could have gone through conversion tactics together - or maybe you could have introduced a treatment with a different time and price point for these clients as an alternative.

If you’d asked more curious questions such as “What do you think is causing the high drop in rebooking’s?” or “What feedback have you been getting from clients?” You might have gotten a much clearer picture of what’s actually going on.

By jumping to conclusions, you not only put unnecessary pressure on the therapist, but also missed an opportunity to address a real problem that was impacting the clinic’s revenue and reputation.

As you can see, it’s important for you as a leader to stay curious and ask questions to gain a deeper understanding of the situation so you make more informed decisions.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “if you don’t ask, you’ll never know”. I don’t have to explain why that phrase is so timeless…

Some questions you might consider asking on a regular basis:

“What do you think?”

“What’s on your mind?”

“What’s your perspective on this?”

“What’s the real challenge here for you?”

“What do you need from me to be successful?”

“What’s one thing we should start doing?”

“What’s one thing we should stop doing?”

“What’s one thing we should keep doing?”

“What did you learn?”

“What’s one thing we should change?”

It’s important to remember that the best questions are open-ended and allow the person to reflect and share their thoughts and feelings.

Your job is to take notes, never dismiss - and create a culture where people feel safe to come to you with solutions and ideas - even if they might feel “stupid”.

2. MORE FREEDOM FOR YOU BABY!

I’m not sure about you but this used to be me to a tee… (see if you recognise yourself):

You’re swamped with tasks to do. You’re running between covering for a sick therapist doing clients, doing bookwork, and the million other things that needs your attention in the day to day running of any business. A staff member walks quickly towards you, and you know that’s coming - “Questions! They need me again” …Ugh, is there anywhere to hide??

So, to get it over with so you can quickly go back to a list longer than your arm, you give them the answer and move on. Feeling kinda smug that you also know the answer and feel like the expert.

Next week (or next day is probably more likely), a similar situation arises and it’s the same thing all over again…

And then you get annoyed. “Why don’t they ever learn?? I gave them an answer so many times! Why do they always need me to do everything?”

We recently did a team day at HÜD and had an external facilitator in (Andrew Leitch, Evolutionary Intelligence) and he highlighted 3 personas we jump to - and between - on a daily basis.

1. The Rescuer: I love feeling needed and feel like I’m a good person when I do. I feel in control - that I’m the expert - and I like to “rescue” people from making a mistake or wasting time. It’s also a great side effect that it gets done how I like it…

2. The Persecutor: “Gawwwwd, why can’t they do it themselves??” They really need to get better at problem solving because I can’t always be here to help them” “They really are just lazy and don’t bother finding the solutions themselves” …

3. The Victim: “Poor me. I’m always so busy and everyone always need me. I have to do it ALL - otherwise it never gets done the way I like it. I just never have any time. It all falls on me to solve every problem in this place!”

Recognise any of these?

Ps! It’s a trick question - we ALL do it. The only thing that differs is which one you spend most of your time adopting and the scenarios.

And we tend to go through the whole cycle one after the other.

Rescuer: I’ll book the team in a special team dinner so we can build a better team environment. I haven’t asked them but who wouldn’t want a team dinner right!

Persecutor: I can’t believe they haven’t got back to me with dates they’re available! How ungrateful! I’m trying to do something nice, and they can’t even take the time to let me know!

cont’ over page

The Rescuer The Persecutor The Victim

Victim: Poor me. Nobody cares about me or this place. They’re selfish.

Turns out you never asked them what THEY prefer, and they would actually prefer to do a morning coffee once a week instead. Because everyone has plans and although they love spending time together, they do it daily anyways.

Had you stayed curious a little longer and asked more questions about what they would prefer you may have had a completely different outcome. Not to mention it would have saved you a lot of time in that rabbit hole!

Ps! I did this one year when I booked a real fine dining restaurant for the team Christmas part dinner - turns out fois gras and beef tartare wasn’t their thing, and they’d much rather have a more laid-back dinner at a pub!

When I realised, I wanted to step away from running the day-to-day operations of my 3-story clinic there was one thing that was glaringly obvious; I had to give up control and let someone else make decisions.

I could no longer the “rescuer” of all my team.

So, I made myself a daily commitment. For the next 3 months I would commit to every time someone asked me a question, to ask a question back.

I made a list of questions that were my go-to, and I picked the ones which were applicable.

For example, if someone asked me: “how should I tackle this skin condition?”

I would reply with “what are you thinking so far?” instead of giving them the answer (which of course I could in 5 seconds).

And then a follow-up question: “great, so what would happen if you did that?” Or “what would be another thing you could try?”

Sometimes, when they came to me with a question I’d even sometimes say “I can’t wait to find out the answer!” And smile…

As time went on and this habit was ingrained in me, the magic started to happen. People felt more and more confident in finding their

They asked me less questions. And several hours a week was freed up for me to tackle more important things. And I didn’t have to go through the whole cycle from rescuer to victim. Cos let me tell you, that’s no fun.

WHO IS GRY?

When leaders ask questions, they empower their team members to share their thoughts and ideas, which can lead to increased engagement, creativity, and ownership among team members.

I don’t know about you, but could you think of anything worse than having your autonomy taken away from you?

If Covid and lockdowns have taught us one thing it is that having autonomy and owning your own decisions is vastly underrated.

Your team feels the same way.

The people you lead want to feel a part of the solution. Answer their own questions. Learning how to find the answers. They want to know that they can overcome their own challenges. And that if they do need help, they can come to you for it - but they’re expected to have thought about the solution first.

I recently listened to a leadership podcast and the statistic was that one of the number one reasons people leave their jobs is lack of autonomy and not being challenged enough.

If you think about it, it makes sense, right? How good does it feel when you’ve been able to overcome a challenge you didn’t think you could?

Giving people the answers - or rushing to advice giving - is taking away the power of your team being able to overcome a challenge. And it’s robbing them of the ability to feel the winning feeling associated with conquering it.

So, stay curious a little longer. Coach your people rather than tell them.

I promise, your pay off will be bigger than you thought possible!

Gry Tømte is the Norwegian founder behind the multi award winning skin clinic HÜD, and most recently, The Profit + Purpose Concept - a unique mentoring initiative to help the beauty industry become more purpose driven and people focused whilst still - or rather therefore - optimising profit.

Gry founded HÜD in 2014 with zero business or leadership experience, but with plenty of passion for changing people’s lives by changing their skin.

The transition from being a hands-on therapist to business owner and leader was a steep learning curve.

Somewhere in the middle, after a fast growth spurt and a subsequent near full team walk out, she realised it wasn’t enough for a business simply to make a profit at the cost of the culture.

HÜD is today one of the top clinics in Australia; famous for its purpose driven business model, incredible results, a leading team culture and multiple accolades.

They’ve taken home ABIA Australian Team of the Year, Australian Clinic of the Year, Victorian Clinic of the Year and DMK Clinic of the Year several years in a row.

Gry is now sharing her secrets to her people first, multi 7 figure business success with both international and Australian audiences via 1-1 mentoring and coaching, in the pursuit of making the beauty industry one of the most fulfilling industries to both work in and own a business.

Gry also writes regular magazine features for both business journals and beauty industry magazines.

W: linktr.ee/grytomte

I: @grytomte

E: gry@hud.com.au

3. YOUR PEOPLE LOVE THEIR JOBS MORE.

Through Reflection Comes Joy.

By Rebecca Miller

Did you finish the year on a high, still energised and feeling joyful? Or did you finish the year with nothing left in the tank - mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained - relying on coffee and chocolate to get you through the day?! It’s so common for our personal habits and routines to go out the window as we count down the days left in our working year and default to survival mode. I know this mode very well from when I used to be on the clinic floor, working what felt like a million hours a week, plus juggling all the other facets of running a business, while giving my all to my team and clients.

The pressure is especially amplified at the end of the year - our busiest time! It’s no wonder we’re crawling towards the end… hello public holidays and time off! And that’s just our professional lives. I know I was normally depleted before I even started thinking about what was going on in my personal life and what I needed to do to bring magic to our family Christmas. So many Christmases I would be looking for the lounge after lunch for a snooze - finally able to give in to what my body was crying out for.

Burnout: it’s not just tiredness; it’s losing your mojo completely. Rest and recovery are essential and something, as an entrepreneur, I have struggled with giving myself permission to do. To stop doing and just be… Staying busy was one of my addictions and limitations and I have had to completely rewire my brain and body from this conditioning and deep belief systems. I believed that you have to work hard to have a successful business and that my clients will leave my business if I’m not treating them. Oh, and let’s not forget the guilt if you have time off - what will the team think?!Justifying your days off and that in fact, you are still working - call me with any questions! If any of these scenarios are resonating with you, then read on as I would love to share some new learning, perspectives, and ideas to help you set up for the new year to be unshakable.

Now, this is not to say challenges won’t happen. Of course, they will, but if you are at your best mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually you will be more resilient and more emotionally intelligent to handle whatever gets thrown at you.

I always talk about my life and business epiphany, but I’ll share the short version again for those who may not know… 10 years ago I sat on the end of my bed wondering if this is as good as it gets… I had what most would describe as business success, but something

was definitely missing. I had a yearning for something much bigger, to be able to create more of an impact and have more influence; I knew I was here to leave a legacy behind. That moment pushed me into my obsession with human behaviour, neuroscience, epigenetics, and quantum physics - which is basically how we think, feel, & act and why we behave the way we do. This journey of life-long learning changed the way I lead, the way I approached my business, and ignited a passion for helping my fellow salon and business owners.

Success is an illusion if joy and happiness aren’t present. Long gone are the days of hustling from dawn to dusk. I’m not saying you don’t have to work hard (having a business is a full-contact sport at times!) but I believe you should be committed to finding balance and flow in all areas of your life so that your

business doesn’t take over and become a source of overwhelming stress and lack of fulfilment. Instead, if you are operating from a higher purpose, that is your essence and fuel source to be living your core values at the highest level. The universe has so much to offer when you tap into its law and understand we are always co-creating and shaping our reality.

It’s important to realise that energy is so important and identify how much feminine and masculine energy we’re integrating into our lives. To ignite more feminine energy, we need to surrender and be supportive, tapping into more creativity, connection and love especially of self. Masculine energy centres around being action-oriented and doing. These energies can be well-balanced or create instability.

As we step into 2023 and set ourselves up for another year in our salon/clinic business it’s a great time for reflection on the year that has been…

Our external world is a reflection of our internal world and if you are feeling like your mojo is lost, it’s time to take responsibility for your whole life: business, relationships, finances, health, mindset, and emotions; it starts with you. Self-awareness and taking ownership & responsibility for your results give you the freedom to make changes and adjust as needed to grow into who you want to become and have a sustainable business and life by design, not by default. Talk about true empowerment!

In 2023 you are your greatest investment; you are the magic pill. Great leadership starts with self-leadership. To be an effective people leader, you must first be an effective selfleader because you can’t lead others unless you first lead yourself. It starts and ends with you. Your growth = business growth… Selfleadership is about knowing who we are on the deepest levels, aligning to your centre and then living out your authentic truth through self-awareness, self-acceptance, selffulfilment, self-actualisation and building your emotional intelligence

Growing your leadership skills is nothing new, but self-leadership? Now, that’s a whole new

ballgame! The ultimate game of leadership only happens when you have successfully played the inner game of leadership. Personal leadership is about inner mastery; it’s about learning how to bring out the best in yourself and then using that as a basis to bring out the best in others. A breakthrough is when you discover what has been getting in the way, and you go beyond yourself, and your selfimposed limits to do, create, or experience the impossible.

Now let’s do some work!

REFLECTION

Before we make waves in the new year, we have to really reflect on the year that’s been. Most of us carry our failures and letdowns around with us like a bunch of heavy rocks in a backpack and as the years go by the bag gets heavier and heavier, which means doing, creating and being gets harder and harder. Wouldn’t it be nice to let go of the bad and feel light again? To dream again? To live authentically and back in creativity?

Question 1: What happened in the last 12 months (personally and professionally)? Include the good, the bad and the ugly! Write it all down with no judgment.

Question 2: What are the lessons or wisdom from each thing you experienced that you can take with you into this new year?

Question 3: Who were you in January 2022?

Question 4: Who are you now?

Question 5: What are you still holding onto from 2022 that is taking up space mentally emotionally, and physically? (To really let go I recommend you physically burn the list of things you’re letting go of - it is incredibly empowering).

Question 6: What will there be room for when you let go?

Kick-starting an unstoppable 2023, with you as a Visionary Leader

Question 1: Who will you become in order to be your best this year (and what habits, rituals, and routines will contribute to this)?

Question 2: How many weeks of holidays do you want to take this year?

Question 3: How many days a week and hours per day do you want to work?

Question 4: What do you need to stop doing or start saying no to?

Question 5: How do you want to feel?

Question 6: If you could get to the end of 2023 and failure wasn’t an option, what do you want to achieve in your life, business, health, finances, and relationships?

Question 7: What’s your intention word for 2023? (Mine is expansion).

Question 8: What self-growth and personal development will you commit to this year?

Now, sit down and visualise yourself at the end of 2023… The person you have become, the experiences you have written about above, the financial abundance, the dream team, family adventures, your healthiest self and everything else you want in the dream life you’re creating.

The next activity I would encourage you to complete is to write a joy and happiness list.

Make it your highest priority to be going more of these things. If you have a family or partner, get them to do their joy and happiness list too. You can sit back, or this can be your linein-the-sand moment; it’s just a decision to create your life by design. It starts with selfleadership, stepping out of your comfort zone and being the leader, you were born to be.

It’s time to create the life and business you love; you deserve it. To stop hustling and find more flow, joy, and happiness. It’s not really about what you achieve but who you become on the journey. You get to choose… Choose You. You’re worth it.

So, are you ready to be unshakeable in 2023? I’m here to help!

Contact Rebecca: hello@rebeccamiller.com.au

Grow your WEALTH In 7 Days!

By Caitlyn Menzel

Today’s article is for the self-employed… It’s no secret that the cost of living is on the rise, pair that with debilitatingly high interest rates, the wildly desperate search for non-existent staff, and our clients becoming more frugal as a result of the current financial climate… so where does that leave us?

Yes, we have to ‘charge what we are worth’ and yes, we have to cover our costs, but we work too hard to not be getting ahead. Are you throwing your money away on things that you don’t need? Are you getting the most out of your business? When was the last time you actually looked over your bank statement? I bet it’s been a hot minute.

Some of you are killing it, rolling in cash, and I bloody love that for you, but if you’re feeling the pinch and wanna get wealthier, keep reading. This is one task that our beauty coaching clients will be working on for the beginning of 2023: how to grow their wealth, so let me give you seven days of simple wealth-growing strategies.

Day One – GET REAL with your financial sitcho!

Priority numero uno, face your financial situation and what’s actually happening money-wise in your life and business. Not facing your bills and commitments and burying your head in the sand isn’t doing anything for your cash situation.

The second part of this is get very clear on your businesses running costs (AKA the bottom line) and do this in your personal life as well. How much does that break down to every month, every week, every day/hour if you want to go that far. “WHAT YOU TRACK EXPANDS” and your

money will not be expanding if you have no idea where it’s going.

LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE THING has gone up in price in the past twelve months, like, everything; petrol, postage, import costs, rent, rates, manufacturing, and mortgage rates… EVERYTHING! Have you adjusted your service menu relative to that?

As you complete this task, trim the fatty bits out of your budget and get rid of the things you don’t need. It’s a shock to see where your money is going sometimes.

Day Two – SELL IT BACK!

Have you got a stack of products on your shelves that you literally don’t sell? Or a few specialty items that you really only need to stock one or two, but you have 20? Those dust-collectors that just occupy space? Contact your supplier and sell them right back to the company that supplied you.

Most product companies will buy your products back for around 20% less than what you paid for them, meaning you have more room on your shelves for stuff you actually use and endorse, and you have more money to invest into other products with your supplier. (That’s a great way to ask for the buy back too!)

Also, when switching product companies did you know that most will swap out your products one-for-one, or buy back the existing companies’ stock and credit you? Hell yeah.

Don’t get caught up in the ‘it’s so hard to changeover’, ‘I have to re-train everyone’, ‘too hard basket’ excuses, if your product company is no longer meeting your needs, change it up. There are so many incredible places to buy nowadays.

Day Three – DON’T TEMPT ME WITH A GOOD TIME!

This one is simple… go through your PayPal account, go through your app store, and unsubscribe to all those tempting emails that get dropped into your inbox. You have no idea how many random apps and weird sites your money will be connected to. $4.99 a month may not seem like much, but times that by ten apps and you’ve got yourself two nights away in a boujee hotel every year. We quite literally found $980 of annual costs on random stuff that we weren’t using. Wild.

Day

Four

– SHOW YOUR MONEY THE RESPECT IT DESERVES!

Okay, okay. So here I am gonna get a little woowoo on you here.

Firstly, watch your dang mouth and your language around money. Focussed on cancellations? What do you think you’re manifesting. Focussed on gaps in your appointment book? Where is your energy being directed? Where your focus goes, your energy flows.

Here’s the thing about respecting money…money is energy, and it needs to be constantly moving and flowing. So, what message are you sending your cash?

Do you have coins all through your car? Receipts floating around the bottom of your handbag? How about notes all crunched up and shoved in your wallet? LOL. What is that saying about money? “You treat me with disrespect, so I am gonna disrespect you” comes to mind!

Have a coin jar, bank your cash notes, or use them to buy something. Flatten out your notes in your wallet and file your receipts or bin them if you don’t need them any longer. Come on, it isn’t rocket science! ...actually, it’s quantum physics this universe stuff, but you get what I mean.

Day Five – I HEART FREEBIES!

Don’t we all love a good freebie? Well, why on earth are you paying for testers, basin use products, salon use things? Why are you paying for education with a company you spend thousands of dollars a month with, as well as use, promote and endorse THEIR PRODUCTS? Stop pulling my leg and negotiate a better deal.

If you’re selling someone’s products and they aren’t giving you the tester to be able to use on your clients, to enable that sale, and to provide that value to your people, there is something extremely wrong with that picture.

Also, if you aren’t getting 100% mark up on all your retail products, time to change it up. That’s gross by the company. And foolish of you!

Day Six – PRICING FOR PROFIT!

For god’s sake, PLEASE STOP PRICING YOURSELF BASED ON OTHER SALONS!!

Your costs, your wages, your people, your products, your shop, your life, your goals, your training, your knowledge, and your skills are SO DIFFERENT to all your competitors, so why are you comparing your prices and pricing yourself based on theirs?

You know that bottom line I told you to work out right back on day one? Let’s use that to build our service menu.

As a business owner, and someone wanting to grow and evolve and keep your doors open, you NEED TO dig a bit deeper and really understand your per hour, per minute and per person running costs. From there, we need to add in your product costs into each service and add your profit. THEN and ONLY THEN will we have your service pricing.

I get it, it’s complex, but it’s NECESSARY. I could bet you any money that if we sat down together and worked through our pricing method, you would be in shock horror about some of your services and their lack of profitability.

More often than not, when Pheebs and I do this breakdown with our beauty-salon-owner clients, more than 30% of their services aren’t profiting. What that means is you’re not even working for free; you’re PAYING YOUR CLIENTS to have come into your salon and have services with you… say what?

A completely unsustainable business model. And if you don’t get it, or hate numbers, sing out and let us help you!

Day Seven – BEAST MODE!

Here we go with an actual sales strategy… every single person comes to your business because they have a PROBLEM. If their skin, face, body, life was perfect, they wouldn’t be coming to you. Once you get your head around that you’ll fly through this.

When your customers attend your business, they are ready for your advice, your knowledge, your skills, and the services that they have booked for, but is that actually what they need? Have they booked the wrong thing and they need something else altogether? Or do they need extra services and products to achieve their appointment goals today?

And over and above all of that, are you creating an appointment plan and pre-framing them for their future visits? We all know (especially for the newbies) that most of our skin and beauty goals aren’t achieved in one sitting!

I respect and understand that we work within strict time constraints, but can you fit in a lash lift and tint while your client is there already laying on the bed having a lash infill? Can you add in a paraffin wax treatment to your nail’s services? What about extractions or an LED or a follow up home treatment to extend the facial services you’ve performed today? Have

the conversation while you have your client’s full attention.

And if you’re slammed and fully booked, can someone else on your team help you? Can you move your next client a few minutes later? Can you speed up a little? Or can you rebook them for a couple of days later for the extras?

A product alone can add an extra $50 to your client’s bill. Add on an extra service; that’s easily $100 upgrade for most salons.

Let’s say you can upgrade $50 for 5 clients that week = $250 per week = $13,000! That’s not something to turn your nose up at! Go deeper, ask more questions, get to the bottom of what they really want and make that happen.

There is so much more to increasing your wealth and bettering your business, but I hope I helped you today. If you would like a copy of our extended e-book ‘88 Days of Growing Your Wealth’ get in touch with us, @CaitlynMenzelCoaching I’m the boss, and our Beauty Specialist Coach @PhoebeCMCoaching

How to Overcome the Mental Load as a Beauty Business Owner.

By Kara Lehmann

Many of us begin our journey running a beauty business with a kit full of tools, a heart full of hope and a beautiful vision for our future. We dream of flexibility and time freedom.

While being a Beauty Business Owner is one of the most rewarding career paths you can take (but let’s be honest, we’re biased!) It also comes with its challenges - especially if you are a Mum.

Often business can be unpredictable, which means the mental load can vary and can sometimes be extremely high and other times more balanced. So, what tends to cause this?

LACK OF TIME

Can you relate?

The demands of the modern-day business owner and in particular the modern-day Mum, can be a lot. Now I know that I may not be speaking to everyone with this reference, but I think with our industry being predominantly women - it’s an important topic of conversation.

Not only is your business now needing you to keep up with the ‘Boss Tasks’ like marketing, admin, social media, content creation, human resource management, business development (the list goes on and on) - it’s also needing you to don your apron and get back on the tools.

Now let’s then throw in the role of Motherhood. From waking in the morning to the moment your head hits the pillow at night, you’re constantly ‘on’. There are many people to care for and tasks on your to-do lists.

And while this can be fun and full of love and joy - it can also be exhausting and it’s absolutely challenging on your mental health.

Many of the Beauty Business Owners I speak with, and support are feeling stretched and overwhelmed when it comes to the day-to-day operations of their businesses.

Worst of all, their profits aren’t moving upwards because their energy, as the leader, is being torn in a million different directions.

Firstly, I want you to take a deep breath and give yourself a pat on the back. You are doing an incredible job - celebrate that!

Secondly, I want to tell you that I have a solution (is that a collective sigh of relief I hear?!)

There is an easy way for you to reclaim your time, step back into taking care of your core Boss Babe job tasks, and increase your joy in both business and life!

I have two words …

Yes, outsourcing is the answer to all your ‘HELP ME FIND MORE TIME!’ business and #Mumlife prayers.

As you well know, a business has lots of cogs that need to turn in order for it to run smoothly. It’s exactly the same with a family! One of the issues I see is that Beauty Business Owners feel like they need to be the one responsible for keeping all these cogs turning. My friend, you don’t.

In fact, the most successful and joyful Business Owners I know are the ones who acknowledge that they can’t do everything alone, and willingly put their hand up for help.

I want this success and joy for you too!

So, let’s start by getting clear on what outsourcing actually is …

Put simply, I think of outsourcing as getting other people to do the things that I don’t have time for, don’t enjoy doing or just aren’t in my zone of genius. It’s the ability to reduce your mental load and prioritize YOU!

We can outsource LOTS of things in both our personal and professional lives …I mean do you really need to do that pile of ironing?

From meal prep, laundry, and school runs, to social media, business systems and email management - there is someone out there who will do just about anything that you don’t want to do (thank goodness!)

I want to pause here and address the obvious question that may be planting itself in your head right now …

“Yes Kara, I’d love to get more support in my business or life … but funds are low!”

I get it but here’s the thing …

Outsourcing and bringing on support actually allows you to stay in YOUR zone of genius as the leader at the helm of your business. This in itself helps you to bring more money through the door!

No longer will your time, energy and skills be stretched to their limits, you’ll be able to focus solely on doing the things that are going to generate more revenue and keep your business growth moving on upwards.

You’ll also find those late nights while the kids are tucked up in bed become a thing of the past and you start to create more time freedom for yourself and your family.

It seems backwards - that investing in support could actually make you more money - but I’ve seen it happen time and time and time again. Even reducing the load and outsourcing your meals to your Mum or Grandmother can have a ripple effect.

I know it can feel scary to take that leap, but it’s a jump that needs to be traversed if you want your business to have its greatest chance at long term success.

Not only will outsourcing help you to reduce your stress, but it can help with the flow on effects such as depression, anxiety, and overall mental wellbeing. I also want to reassure you that you’re not alone if you do experience any of these. Business can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster. One minute you’re flying high and the next you’re at your lowest of lows. You are not alone. There are some fantastic tools out there to help support business owners such as places like Beyond Blue who has a specific small business owner mental health program.

I want to add here that there is no right or wrong time to start your journey to reduce the mental load... Our businesses can benefit from support at all stages of our journey, it’s simply a case of getting clear on the right support for us and where to find it.

The best outsourcing experiences and outcomes happen when you take the time to find the perfect person/people to support you. Sometimes they can already be right in front of you waiting for you to ask them for help.

Wishing you and your business all the success in the world!

Kara Lehmann The Beauty Boss VA & Mentor @kara_thebeautybossva www.thebeautybossva.com

Falling back in Love with your business.

By Nicola Le Lievre

Remember the butterflies you felt on your first date? You might have experienced excitement when you started your business, the rush of being open on the first day and everything new and fresh. Or when you had your first kiss? Oh, that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Probably one of the most important things that no one ever tells you is that running a business is the same as having a relationship. And as such, you can experience all the ups and downs that go with it.

If you want to be successful, your relationship with your business takes just as much effort, time, and dedication as your romantic relationships. As many as a third of entrepreneurs fall out of love with their businesses, and in a recent report, 24% said this happens several times a year. Here are a few ways to fall in love again with your business that I found helpful.

REMEMBER TO BE GRATEFUL

In a committed relationship, you should never take your partner for granted. The same holds in business. When a business experiences a lot of growth and success, especially early on, many owners lose that attitude of gratitude. Their humbleness fades, and they start to take things for granted.

I keep a social proof folder; I put all my business achievements, certificates, magazine articles, images, and testimonials. A folder (digital or hardcopy) is a great tool to navigate when you feel low and need a pick-me-up. Regardless of your business success, never forget where you started. The more grateful you are toward your business, the more love you have for it. The most successful people remain grateful and grounded and give back in any way they can.

STAY TRUE TO WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU

I believe it is essential to establish core values in your business to stay true to what matters to you. I base all my decisions on my core values. Business owners often lose touch with their core values, mission, and WHY, confusing customers and team. They forget why they fell in love with their business in the first place. You need to keep in touch with the things that matter most to you and drive you to love your business.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE BUT ENJOY THE PRESENT

As most couples age, they must plan for the future. Will they downsize when the kids move out? Are they prepared for retirement? They continue to enjoy the present moment while preparing for the next phase. It would help if you did the same with your business.

• If you’ve built a successful business, maybe you explore selling it.

• If you want to pursue another direction or career, such as myself becoming a civil celebrant, maybe it’s time to explore a succession plan.

• If you’re in the thick of it, maybe it’s time to upgrade your skills and prepare for industry changes.

While staying grounded and enjoying the present moment is essential, thinking and preparing for the future is just as important.

NOBODY SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE EASY

Owning a small business is a tough gig and can be very lonely; surround yourself with people who will take you higher. It is essential to find your tribe and support circle and team up with another salon or business owner to bounce ideas off each other.

Have you joined an industry

association? I recommend ABIC to keep me up to date on relevant industry information and documentation.

KEEP THINGS FRESH

Relationships won’t usually survive unless we try to make an effort to keep things interesting. The same holds for your business. Are you just focused on work? Or are you continually trying new techniques, approaches, and ideas?

Keep things fresh in your business:

• Join a business group or local chamber of commerce. Networking and meeting new people can open new opportunities for you and your business.

• Get involved in community-centred activities.

• Learn a new skill set; we are in an everevolving industry.

• Think outside the box; what makes your team and business different? Be open to new ways of doing things.

• Re-visit your core values, mission and vision statement and make sure your team understands what they are.

THE TAKEAWAY

Enjoy spending a little extra time with that special someone in your life this Valentine’s Day. If you need to rekindle the relationship with your business and get that loving feeling again, put in the time and effort. You probably started your business because you loved what you were doing, and you probably have so much success for that exact reason. Make the time to reconnect with your business and find love again. As Steve Jobs said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Much love & success, you got this. Nicola ox Download a free guide to finding your tribe at my website below. If you would like to book a virtual coffee with me and find out how I can support you, visit: www.nicolalelievre.com

Facebook – nicola.lievre

Instagram – nicolalelievre

LinkedIn- nicola-le-lievre-30056476

Owner of global award-winning beauty salon intherapy Ethical Beauty for almost a decade, Nicola knows firsthand how it feels to start falling out of love with your business.

Should I Study Dermal Therapies?

By Alanna Douglas

I have never regretted studying! Any type of education is always going to grow you no matter how big or small. Now, I know what you’re thinking it’s a big commitment and a long time to study something just for the sake of it. Let me share my story and hopefully this will give you some perspective and help you decide on what is the best choice for and where you are at right now in your career journey.

Let’s go through your study options you can do from a certificate III all the way through to a degree. Each will give you a little or a lot to consume and it’s up to you which feels best. I really am obsessed with the human body and all things weird and wonderful. I chose to study the Bachelor of Health Science – Dermal Therapies through the University of Victoria. I graduated in 2018 and it has really been the turning point in my career working with skin.

It allowed me to up level my offerings for my clients and gave me the ability to create results driven programmes for my clients. The biggest takeaway for me from my degree was learning the how every system is intrinsically linked and how what we do as clinicians has much more of a profound affect far beyond the face.

Having completed my degree, I am now able to confidently understand the anatomy and physiology of the body and cellular processes. Recognise at a deeper level how the function of the body and its systems directly influence skin health and disease states. I can apply research and evidence based to make informed decisions about treatment programs and homecare prescriptions. I am skilled to manage chronic skin conditions and aid in the healing process of the skin pre- and post-surgery. I am obsessed with laser and light physics and know how to manipulate wavelengths and energy outputs to achieve a desired clinical end point. Finally, I am also trained in disease and infection control

procedures. So, you can see how doing the study comes in handy and I love the array of skin and conditions I can now say that I can treat and manage.

I bet the next question on your mind is how I managed to do it and run a skin clinic at the same time. It was hard not going to lie, but I loved every minute of it! I really, really, really wanted to give it my best try and just was obsessed with what we learnt. I also had an amazing supportive team, big shout out to April and Kiara who are still with me today!

I set up a timetable for my life and work and just made it work. I worked more on clients during my mid semester breaks and holidays. Everything was cyclic so I was able to plan around my study and managed to juggle it most of the time. I did go part time in my third year just to give myself a bit of space and this is something to keep in mind, you can make your study as flexible as you like!

The next topic I want to touch on is travel. When I was doing my degree there was nothing in my state that offered a degree. Now there are a few different options which is so good and much closer to home. One thing I will say is that the degree I did through Victoria University is the highest level of education available that I know of. So, if you’re ready to go all in, just do it! Now, I am based in Queensland and Victoria University is in Victoria. My learning was blended online and on campus. I travelled to Victoria at least once but up to 3 times a semester, anywhere from 1 – 2 weeks at a time. You do need to pay for your accommodation and food while you are there, I knew this before I signed up. I often stayed with one of my classmates and we split the accommodation. Melbourne is also a foodie and

shopping hub so we soaked up all we could at the end of the day. It was an incredible experience, and the facilities were amazing. The technology that we got to use was the latest and I believe with just doing such quick math there would have been easily over one million dollars’ worth of lasers and machines there at our disposal. I was in absolute heaven when it came to doing practical, it was so much fun!

Now, if you are sitting there going Alanna, I do not want to go to university for 4 years I just have certain things I want to learn more about, I GET IT! And I am so with you on this. There is much more to learn too! You would have all experienced this after completing your Diploma there are things that you learn on the job and the same can be said for Dermal. There is so much that you don’t get taught that you learn through experience. This is where I can help you and the reason why I created Skin Freak Academy. I can offer you my years of experience working with skin and fast-tracked courses that focus on a specific skin condition or modality, so that you can feel understand the why and be able to treat any skin. So whatever pathway you choose whether its study at university or upskill with short courses, the world is your oyster! This is one of the most exciting times to be working with skin! If you have any questions about study or would like to know how I can help you in your dermal career slide into my inbox.

With love, Alanna

Skin Freak Academy

www.Skinfreakacademy.com.au

hello@skinfreakacademy.com.au

Should I go and study Dermal Therapies, this is a question I get asked all the time, and the short answer is YES and go do it!

Beauty Industry Trends for 2023.

By Tamara Reid

Prediction of an evolving industry is hard to do any year, but none-so more than this year. Between the instability of a pandemic, global ingredient supply shortages and the great resignation, the future of our industry always keeps us on our toes!

One thing we know for certain however, if we don’t keep an eye on ingredient hype, new treatments, and the industry landscape at large we could be left behind.

Here’s a recap of what the WGSN predicts are our top Beauty Industry Trends for 2023.

SEA MOSS

I know what you’re thinking, what and why the heck is this a top ingredient to watch this year? Well, the internet tells all on this one with #SeaMoss already reaching more than 235.9m views on TikTok. In short, Sea Moss is a generalised term which describes the thousands of species of red algae and seaweeds that grow around the world - yes that’s right, it’s your glow up version of seaweed.

Though its mainly used in skincare for the moment, this little sea creature is set to branch out into haircare, bath, and body as well as soon to be sound in ingestible beauty products.

UNSEXY BEAUTY

As treating therapists this one should really tickle your fancy. Why, because this is majority of the clients you see. They’re unfiltered, real skin with real skin conditions - and they’re trending!

Gone are the days of poreless faces, skin condition shame and full-face coverage and hello to embracing the reality of unsexy beauty

- think issues once thought too embarrassing to discuss, from pimple popping and ingrown hairs to underboob sweat and melasma moustaches!

SEED-TO-SKIN IS THE NEW ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURAL FARM-TO-FACE APPROACH TO BEAUTY

Supply chain turbulence caused by the pandemic and wider climate crisis will see adoption of alternative agricultural practices and a seed-to-skin approach that attempts to future-proof against product and ingredient shortages.

Through more responsible farming practices and localised and planet-positive ingredient sourcing, alternative farm technology will see the beauty industry explore a more sustainable solution to growing raw materials for cosmetics ingredients. With potential to be local, resourceefficient, and less environmentally damaging, this approach shortens supply chains significantly and offers 100% traceability to consumers, making seed-to-skin the new farmto-face. We love to see it!

Let me know what other trends you’ve been looking at for the year ahead or if you think we are on a different track - I’d love to hear it!

Tamara Reid is head of Brand Strategic Partnerships for Timely www.gettimely.com

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The Reality of Gift Voucher Sales.

By Phoebe Bawden

Let’s have a chat about Gift Vouchers… because on the surface they can be an amazing cash injection into our business (especially at those busy times of year), but did you know that, if not executed well, they are actually a liability?

This is something that has been coming up a lot with my coaching clients and I want to give you five tips around the creation and sales of GV’s, to help keep your income flowing in whilst still honouring them.

1. Cap your promotional voucher sales and stick to it!

Limiting the number of vouchers sold provides a sense of exclusivity and gives your clients a call to action. Example: only making 50 available. Put all of those people who miss out on purchasing, on a waiting list and reach out to them when running your next promotion. Whenever new or existing clients contact your business in any regard (socials, phone, email), whether they convert to a sale or not, gain as much contact info from them as you can and add it into your database. Then make them the first point of contact when you run your next promotions, alternatively for those ones who miss out, lock them into an appointment booking within the next week or two. This will maintain your cash flow.

2. Stagger the expiration dates.

We all have those weeks where we feel like we are being smashed by voucher redemptions leaving us with little income being generated. By staggering your expiration dates this will alleviate the pressure and allow you to redeem whilst still having the time to accommodate full paying

Technically in Australia, monetary vouchers do have to be honoured up to three years, but promotional/’add on value’ ones do not. So, make sure you’re playing within the rules here.

3. Get your staff HUSTLING!

Educate your staff on the importance of product sales, upgrades, and the ultimate client experience. We want to turn Gift Voucher clients into loyal ongoing customers, that is the goal, right? By giving them the most incredible customer service experience is a sure-fire way to have those customers coming back again and again. Also get them spending over and above the value of their voucher so you can make extra cash along the way.

4. Set the money aside.

Transfer gift voucher sales into a separate bank account and only move back into your transactional account when that voucher has been redeemed, the same as you should be separating out your tax savings.

So. Many. Times. I have seen salon owners overspend when getting some extra cash leaving very little left to pay the bills. Having a separate bank account is a really smart way to keep that money flowing.

5. Redeem gift vouchers on both service and product.

We want to get rid of as many vouchers as we

can and quickly. What a lot of people don’t realise is that when it comes to selling your business, outstanding vouchers can come off the sale price. Can you imagine if you had $100,000 in unredeemed vouchers? What would your salon be worth then?

A big mistake people make here is thinking that products cost a lot of money and vouchers should only be redeemed on services. The truth? Products cost nowhere as much as the labour for your services does. Why would you spend an hour doing a service for $80 when you can give someone a product for $80 that maybe costs you $40 and takes up no time at all?

Coach Pheebs X

My books are currently open to new coaching clients, feel free to connect with me at Instagram.com/PhoebeCMCoaching or phoebe@caitlynmenzel.com

YOUR SALON DESIGN STYLE dreamy escapes with light & airy colours

Flex Your Offline Branding Muscle.

By Sarah Garner, Digital Bloom

Just as you’re about to hit reset a new year’s fitness resolution (you’re not alone, everyone’s got their sights set on that one), you should consider flexing your offline branding muscle. It’s more important than increasing your prices annually ~ like srsly, I’m calling it. *Adds date in diary for 2023 service price increase*.

Hear me out…

Your branding can be so much more than what you share online. How do you display your treatment menu or price list? Is it proudly sitting on your reception counter? Online? In every room or station?

How does your team show up when your clients walk into your space?

Does your music oooze your brand’s values and feel?

What does your welcome ritual look like for existing clients, previous ones returning and new ones?

Every stage of your customer’s in-person experience should be a memorable one, connecting their impression to your brand just as much as your logo.

So how can you infuse these into your client’s experience offline to make them feel special, as though a red carpet’s been rolled out through small, but mighty finer details?

It could be an obvious detail like the clothes you and your team wear every day.

Clothing is often overlooked but just like you, every single one of your team members is an ambassador for your business. The choice of colour, material and style adds to the experience your clients feel on an emotive level, it also creates an element of familiarity for them by creating a sense of consistency, something making us memorable.

Or it could be a smaller, finer detail like the music you play in your salon, spa, or clinic.

While you’re not exactly rushing out to create your very own jingle, the music you chose to play in your space is designed to evoke emotion (in a good way) for your team and clients.

A perfect example of this would be day spa brands using particular sounds and melodies of nature and meditation throughout their treatment rooms and waiting room spaces. Heightening our sense of sound (especially when paired with visual elements and scents), strengthens the message to our brain that we’re in a space of relaxation, serenity, and nurturing.

But the use of sound isn’t limited to relaxation spaces. You might have a brand with bold and energetic vibes (or something your purpose feels truly aligned to)! Think loud pinks and powerful blacks, high energy and unapologetic (my kinda place ).

For example, let’s say it’s a rockin’ hair salon, they’ve engaged your excitement through sight, they may have engaged your taste through a zesty signature cocktail but all of a sudden, their music is acoustic Ed Sheeran. Things haven’t quite added up and you’re feeling a little less pumped! The salon coordinator quickly realises they’re on the wrong playlist and cranks up Beyonce. Phew, all senses have made sense again.

When was the last time you checked in on how accessible your treatment menu or list of services is?

People want to know what you do, how you do it, what’s included, how long and most of all, how much? Easily communicate all this *waves hands* via a treatment menu or brochure.

Think about colours, fonts, text sizing, images, print quality (or digital accessibility if you’re not into the printed version) and descriptions! Jazz up the names of your packages or offerings, call them something on brand and relatable to your client’s emotions.

Let’s say your biz wants to work with predominantly mothers, you’d speak to their heart. Understand what their needs, wants and hopes are, as well as walking a mile in their daily grind. Infuse their emotions through dreamy treatment descriptions and then tell them what to do next (aka. How to book in).

Do you welcome newbies with your unique style and flair (first impressions always count)?

Nothing quite says personalised touchpoints like a client welcome kit. The most divine first impression as a new client takes a seat, a welcome kit lets them know you’ve truly thought about their impending appointment and are ready to go above and beyond.

It’s an opportunity to introduce a new client to your brand and your in-person experience. You’re quite literally setting the expectation for them! The quality and texture of your printed materials in your kit, the colours and fonts used to the you guessed it, personalisation of their name and even service, as well as maybe samples or offers, these finer details elevate the perception of quality and sophistication of your brand (if that’s your jam)

Something like an on-brand welcome kit really sets the tone for the overall brand experience and provides a tangible, take-home touchpoint that can be used as part of word-of-mouth referrals (Added bonus? They’ll also likely snap a photo and share it on the ‘gram too - double win!)

There’s an old Chinese Proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second-best time is now.”

Truth is, anytime is a great time to start anew, but there’s something so magical about the thought of an entirely new year to realign yourself with your higher purpose.

It’s also a delicious time to check in on your branding and if it’s still aligned. Not only with the now but fuelled by your purpose for where you’re going.

Sarah Garner is the Founder and Creative Director at Digital Bloom, an industry-specific branding boutique dedicated to making your hair, beauty, or wellness brand turn heads for all the right reasons. Connect with Sarah on the ‘gram (@digital_bloom) or send some petal power to hello@digitalbloom.com.au

How to Create a Healthy Relationship with Social Media!

By Kayla Zigic Socials for Salons

“I hate social media” is a typical conversation among many salon owners. The world of social media is changing so fast, and it seems every Thursday, the head of Instagram posts a new video on the latest “Instagram updates,” and we are screaming at the phone, “I haven’t even got the hang of the last update.”

Not only that, but many salon owners hate social media because they feel like they are on this never-ending hampster wheel of posting daily and not getting any results. Some have even described it the same as a health kick gone wrong. E.g., You’re exercising daily and eating healthy, and nothing seems to be changing. What usually happens when we do this? Things become all too hard, and we end up frustrated and ready to give up (sounds just like social media, right?)

The truth is social media isn’t going anywhere. So, like it or not, we must start creating healthy relationships around social media and losing the “hate” status. But how do we do this?

Having a healthy relationship means focusing on the things you can control e.g., building relationships with your audience, building your brand awareness and brand authority through your content, and focusing less on the things we can control, like updates and follower counts.

Here are some tips to help you have a healthier relationship with social media:

1. Set realistic expectations. Everyone on these social media platforms started with 0 followers. Not only that, but you don’t (I repeat, you don’t) need 10k followers to have a successful business. I’ve worked on many social pages, and I can promise you, more often than not, salons with 1000 followers are busier than businesses with 10,000 followers. Nothing is ever as it seems.

2. Only post as much as you can. There is no magic “posting” number. Set yourself a goal and stick to it. If you can only post three days a week, post three days; if you can commit to six, post six. But don’t over-commit yourself. Like a health kick, if you set a goal too high and don’t stick to it or achieve it, you become frustrated with the process and give up altogether. Choose an amount you can post and stick to that amount.

3. Quality over quantity. You can get more engagement by posting 3/4 times a week if that content is created with defined objectives and goals and a solid strategy than posting without purpose seven days a week. You don’t need to post daily if you aren’t posting with intention.

4. Avoid Comparison: It’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to other salons online, but it’s important to remember that what you see is often not the whole picture. Avoid comparing yourself to others and focus on your business and online journey.

5. Everyone is in the same boat: Every salon is dealing with the same updates as you. Don’t ever

feel like you are the only one.

6. Follow Positive Accounts: Follow accounts that make you feel good and inspire you and help keep you up to date with social media updates and changes.

7. Focus on connections over follow count: Growth is slow these days; instead of focusing on your follower numbers, start changing your mindset and building genuine relationships with your followers.

8. Set Limits: It’s essential to set boundaries regarding your time on social media. Try to limit yourself to a certain amount of time each day and stick to it. This will help you avoid wasting too much time scrolling through feeds and feeling deflated because you’ve spent more time aimlessly scrolling socials when you could have used the time more productively.

Unfortunately, we cannot control the number of people who see our content each time we post. Still, we can ensure that the content we publish is focused on our target audience and helps address a pain point and offer them a solution.

Stop hating social media and start using it differently to build your brand awareness through entertainment, establish your brand authority through education and inspire and build advocates through meaningful relationships. @socialsforsalons

Grow your Beauty Business with Social Media and Video Content.

By Angela Sanchez

Marketing Your Beauty Business with Video Content is a Non-Negotiable in 2023. TV advertising, demonstrated the power of video for driving purchases since the creation of the first show, ads were then put into the middle of live streaming, the side of Google searches and before you watch anything you now cannot skip to watch what you’ve chosen until 30 seconds of the sponsored video ad is played.

2 years ago, 89% of businesses that were on social media stated that they receive more customers from any video marketing they put out. What use to be a printed poster promotion or still shot graphic will bring in more return for you if you turn that into a video. So now instead of just video ads, the actual content your business produces as a video is what beauty businesses need to start getting their head around and fast!

Why? Well, What happens when stats like 89% of video marketing is making more $$ than ever comes at us? We see a rapid change in the social platforms using what’s working and changing the way in how your content will perform, and reach your ideal audience.

4 ways you can incorporate video marketing with your promotions today.

1. Short form Video. The attention span of the consumer is getting shorter and shorter, so your videos need to be direct, and punchy to keep your viewers engaged.

Think Reels that are 5-10 seconds. Stories that are only up for 24hours and disappear. The use of trending audios and templates made by creators are becoming more and more common and easy for you to Implement with the templates feature to click. Drag and drop to the beat so that content being produced is more and more scroll stopping.

2. Speak To Your Audience. 80% of people research a product before they buy it. So, create how-to videos about your products, educate people about what your products do, and create bite-sized DIY videos to target your audience in the decision-making stage of the buying process. This is your opportunity to turn what you would normally say on a poster about your promotion and actually come to the camera yourself and showcase your knowledge and expertise in why your clients should buy this. Live video is the most authentic and still very much favoured to be shown to more of your audience than a still shot post. It instantly builds trust and humanises your brand. I know building your confidence muscle around this area needs help and support and it’s not something that comes naturally or easy, but a good way to get started is have a map of what your video will outline, how long it will go for

and what you want your clients to learn and then do after you have shared this information. For Speaking to the camera Reels, have a practice run a few times or for me I just press record and keep going until I’m happy. Then edit out the parts I don’t want to include. Try not to overthink it and my motto is always done is Better than perfect.

3. Create Interviews and Masterclasses. Showcase your expertise and have conversations with a teachable format and get others that align with your business involved. This is a great growth strategy as well as showing up and being different. If you believe that gut health is important for creating great skin results, then who is a local naturopath in your area that you could partner with and share knowledge to each other’s audiences that aligns with a topic you both value.

4. Video testimonials from clients. This may not be easy to ask and get them to submit, so take it upon yourself to design a 1/2 day of video testimonial footage creation. Invite your clients in and make it a fun day and think about how good it will feel having so many amazing video reviews from real clients sharing how much they love your business and how it’s changed their skin or why they keep coming back. Once again, a still shot review post isn’t going to cut it. It’s time to change it up and get creative !

To help you with a quick video strategy to get started.

Firstly what is a problem

That your ideal customer has that you can solve in clinic and with your expertise ?

E.g., Jawline Breakouts.

1. Create a Reel that is talking to your audience in why this could be happening and what ingredients can help.

2. Create a video that has products in it that you stock that can help with jawline breakouts. (check if your products partners have any videos done for you to)

3. Create a Masterclass with a naturopath in your local area or one that services online consultations Australia wide and talk about the topics of Jawline Breakouts and what could be going on with your gut that’s causing it.

4. Share a story of your own way in how you’ve overcome jaw breakouts

5. Share a video testimonial and before and after video of a clients skin you have transformed from jaw breakouts.

6. Share behind the scenes of you treating a skin with jaw breakouts - everyone loves a good extraction video!

(That’s 6 video content ideas from 1 topic! Clients need to see and hear 30 times now in the digital world before they take notice of what you are selling so this is why speaking more than once about the same topic is important)

Video marketing is powerful and is completely free with high ROI if you have a consistent strategy and are intentionally creating for the benefit of your business not just for the sake of it.

Beauty Business Co is here to help you in marketing your beauty business, with social media as the vehicle in creating Growth and Sales. With the rapid number of changes to the platforms all the time, it’s great to be a part of a community that’s supporting you in this area. Reach out to us today.

Angela Sanchez is the Founding Director at Beauty Business Co www.beautybusinessco.com

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