“My mum never went anywhere without her lipstick. I can still see it now, a glossy blue tube of deep red elegance. Back then, we all had the classic 70s perm too, and when my sister and I wanted our ears pierced, we went to the doctor’s surgery.

“Times have changed, but one thing that’s remained the same is my passion for helping people. That’s how I’ve always been, even in primary school. I like to take care of others and create a beautiful space where they can stop, breathe and take a moment for themselves.

“My ultimate goal was to be an air hostess, but at five foot four I was way too small. At the time you needed to be five foot seven, and while I could possibly get there in heels, it would have been a push.

“So after school the opportunity came up to enter the world of beauty therapy and I haven't looked back – I’ve loved every minute of my time in the industry since.

“In 1982, I spent six months in Sydney to train at the Academy of Scientific Beauty. It was on the corner of King and Castlereagh Street and Cornelius Furs was just down the street – fur was all the rage at the time. I stayed in a Catholic boarding house run by nuns; it was so strict. But I caught the train into town each day to learn the trade, while also working part-time at a pharmacy.

“Sydney was a lonely place. It was difficult to meet people and as the youngest of six children, I missed my family. I remember smiling at a woman who I’d see most mornings at Wollstonecraft train station – I gave her a little wave to say hello; she looked at me as though I was mad. Ultimately the city wasn’t the place for me – I missed the community feeling of regional living and happily returned home to Armidale later that year.

“In 1986 I began working at Ché for Beauty, a small salon on the corner of what was the Tatts Arcade back then. It had blush pink carpet and a chandelier to match. I loved it. It was an incredible opportunity that saw me invited to Paris twice to study with Clarins. I’d never been overseas before and felt like I was travelling to the end of the earth, as I was the first in my family to ever travel overseas.

“Each visit I’d spend a whirlwind two weeks training with the brand’s founder Jacques Courtin – he taught us the Paris Method, a specific facial technique, and how to apply their range of products. I still remember the carpet, stamped with the Clarins logo, the internal walls covered in live ivy, and the daily five-course lunch. The French really know how to live.

“I was 25 years old when I opened my first salon. Face to Face Beauty ran for 19 years and grew to a team of seven. In 2007 I opened a second Face to Face in Guyra. It was incredible, and after a couple of years I then sold both salons  to two of my staff members in 2009. I loved what I had created, but selling the salons gave me the opportunity to have  a well deserved break and time to think about the next chapter of my life .

“I took a few years to rest, reset, and to renovate the beautiful old cottage we purchased in 2011 and then opened Skin and Tonic on 17 March 2013.

“Built in 1934, the building was originally the town’s baby health centre – I like knowing it’s always been a space to nurture women. I’m so happy to be back with my clients one-on-one, it’s where I’m meant to be. Since launching Skin and Tonic, my interest in organics has really grown and helps me live my best life. You see, no matter what you put on your skin, it goes into your bloodstream. You also breathe it in and that can have a profound effect on your body and digestion. It’s so important to me to know what’s in those products – and that’s where I’m here to help you, by using and stocking a full range  of beautiful, organic skin, beauty and body care products and offering alternative treatments like the infrared sauna.

“I get so excited when I see a product that ticks all the boxes. One of our newest products is an all-organic sunscreen made in Byron Bay called Sun JuJu. As for my mum, I know she’d be reaching for the red lipstick – except this time it’s all organic.”

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Read this article at Found Online.