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I spent the last two years before opening Skin Ritual working at a holistic skin clinic in Vancouver, Canada. It was there that I was introduced to a different approach to treating the skin - one where all aspects of the client’s health were considered, from diet and hormones, to gut health and stress levels. When I returned to New Zealand, I was disappointed to find that most clinics still favoured the “band-aid” approach, and seemed to focus more on pushing product sales, than properly treating skin concerns at their root. I wanted to raise the bar, and realised the best way to do that was to open my own clinic.
I hate wearing makeup, so I really make my skincare a focus. That said, maintaining a consistent routine with my skincare is something I struggle with, so I keep it simple: cleanse, morning and night, exfoliate once a week, Vitamin A serum at night ALWAYS, and moisturiser morning and night. SPF during the day is a non-negotiable - especially here in New Zealand, where sun damage is one of the biggest factors in prematurely aged skin.
Instagram is definitely influencing beauty standards - non-surgical facial enhancements such as fillers and botox have become increasingly commonplace, and I believe social media has had a large part to play in that. I also feel clients are no longer satisfied with fluffy facials - they’re demanding real results, and are more comfortable trying out more results-driven treatments.
Don’t be afraid to dream big, and don’t doubt your capability. As a young girl when I would think of “business”, I pictured a man in a suit. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I started to see powerful female role models, and realised we could do it too. I think the narratives young girls are exposed to, in both film and books, too often portray women as helpless damsels, and men as the heroes who solve our problems. These stories teach us from an early age to believe that we are less capable than our male counterparts. Of course, women are just as capable of running a business as any man would be, but that’s something I had to learn.
Absolutely. Women (and men) are starting to prioritise their skin at an earlier age, which is fantastic to see. A lot of what we do now, is fixing long term damage that was done when our clients were in their 20s. I’m hoping that as time goes on, we will see less and less of that, and we can focus more on prevention.
I really do. To me, self care is just a branch on the tree of self love - and skincare is a part of that. When you love and respect yourself, you take better care of yourself. You feed your body good foods, you exercise, you take care of your skin. Its all part of treating your body with respect, care, and love. And as I like to tell my clients - you only get one body, you only get one skin. You have to live in this body for the rest of your life, so treat it well.
I actually don’t drink coffee - instead, I’ll get an organic matcha from The Candy Shop on Osborne lane. It’s packed full of skin-loving antioxidants, and l-theanine to keep those stress levels down!
The HydraFacial MD has by far been our most requested treatment. It’s the ultimate in rejuvenation - thorough, measured exfoliation followed by a deep infusion of hyaluronic acid, nutrients, and peptides to plump and nourish the skin. You’ll walk out feeling a million dollars.
Overly aggressive, stripping treatments are on their way out (cough cough, microdermabrasion), and the holistic approach is in. People are realising that skin concerns are best treated by nourishing and nurturing the skin topically, and caring for your internal health - it’s all connected.
Sunscreen! My skin has a burn time of about 20 minutes… I also always carry Osmosis mango lip balm, and Verite Organics rose facial mist.
Hands down, the Mango Mask by Osmosis Skincare. This mask has saved my skin more times than I can count - I pop it on before bed, and it heals, nourishes and calms inflammation overnight.
3c Short Street
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