Professional Beauty July-August 2022

skincare

THE FACES OF LUXURY henW it comes to leading the luxe movent Australi has some incredbl in ovat e lead rs, who have dev lop a loya clienta both loca y and interaol.y They contiue to drive the industry with their stunig space a n d c u t i n g e d g t re a m n s . a b o u t t h e i r j o u r n e y a n d w h a t i s i n s t o re f o r t h e f u t re .

Anait Quade

Your Amy Jean salons embody the word luxury – why did you set out to capture the high-end market?

AMY JEAN Owner Amy Jean Salons www.amyjean-collection.com Claim to skincare fame:

A self-confessed art lover Amy Jean has been taking her passion and creating brow couture looks since she started out in the industry in 2004. Known as the ‘archangel’ she has worked with celebrities including Naomi Campbell and has opened her luxurious salons across Australia. The experience is unforgettable and its luxury at its finest – complete with decadent Moet piccolos for guests on arrival, bespoke brow, lip and lash treatments amidst a designer setting think Louis Vuitton accents and cashmere throws. In 2019, she launched the Amy Jean Privee collection, the brow cosmetic essentials to help maintain brows at home. The kit contains brushes and tweezers encased in gold and made in Italy.

It was promptly snapped up

by Net-a-porter and then the world’s most famous department store Harrods.

It seems her journey is only just beginning.

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“Thank you – I’m so happy that is your perception of the brand and salons. I didn’t necessarily set out with an intention to capture a high-end market, but I did want to ensure each salon visit was a best-in-class, premium experience for our clients. From the interiors that greet you upon arrival to the salon, to our treatment rooms, products and brow artists, it was imperative that every client was provided a moment of reprieve, relaxation and indulgence. And when you offer this calibre of service, with attention to results and customer care, you naturally become synonymous with luxury.”

How do you choose your luxury high end locations?

“It always starts with research.

I want to provide the best possible client experience so it’s important to first analyse the surrounding retailers and the typical customer, as well as proximity to luxury hotels, etc. I also like to situate myself in the space – I’ll perch myself on the street or in front of the new potential shop, observe the passing parade and try to immerse myself in the location. Environment and surroundings can completely make or break a retail experience, so putting in that groundwork early will set you up for success later on.”

c h a t s t o s k i n c a re e n t r p u s

How do you ensure your salons remain a luxury experience for clients?

“I set my standards skyhigh and then work hard to meet them. It also comes down to numerous factors – never just one – including salon presentation, hygiene, hiring highly qualified and passionate artists, offering innovative treatments and treating all clients with equal care and enthusiasm. Most importantly, my front of house concierge employees are warm, welcoming and authentic. I’m often emailed about how kind and nurturing my team are.”

You had your AJ product line – tell us when you launched this and how you have expanded on this over the years?

“I originally launched my ‘Eye Couture’ product range in 2009 when I had a single salon. Fast forward six years and I was managing five Australian salons, as well as clients across Singapore and the UK. By this time the brand and grown and evolved, and we had established ourselves as a luxury brow offering – so the products needed to rebrand with us. I launched our Amy Jean Privée Collection in 2018 and the growth has only continued from there; we’re now stocked by some of the world’s most prestigious retailers (and e-tailers!), including HARRODS London, Net-A-Porter and David Jones.

We also had a surprising wave

of international client interest for our products during the first pandemic lockdown – we reached consumers in countries we’d never expected to!”

How important is it to have your own brand in the salon? Do you use any other brands also?

“It’s incredibly important for us to stock and use our own brand in the salons. The origin of the Amy Jean Privée Collection was to create salon-quality, effective and easy-to-use products that clients could use at home to work in tandem with their treatments. And there’s no better way to demonstrate both our trust in the product and their efficacy than by using them in the salon – it’s our way of offering a holistic brow service to our clientele. We also carry products from other brands that are relevant to our treatment offering.”

What’s your favourite luxury treatment?

“I truly love a decadent facial - I frequent Melanie Grant in Australia (her clinical approach to skincare is unparalleled) or the Spa De La Mer at the Baccarat Hotel in NYC.” Any plans to expand your salon presence and product line in the future?

“Absolutely! I’m endlessly researching and developing new products And we have some exciting new partners in the cosmetics retail space this year that we can’t wait to reveal.”