Find Your Career in Beauty Therapy
with Brooke Harris
A career in beauty therapy can take you places you may not have considered before. From a career in the traditional spa to a career educating future beauty therapists, there are incredible opportunities available in the beauty industry.
This week on the “A Career in Beauty Therapy” series, we catch up with Brooke Harris – assistant manager, beauty therapist, and Beaute Industrie contributor. We were lucky enough to have Brooke share her career in the beauty industry so far.
Tell us about your career in the beauty industry
I was 15 years old when I discovered a passion for health and well-being. I loved pampering myself and all things luxury. I found my passion for beauty therapy after a makeup application that left me feeling some crazy self-love. After feeling this way, I promised myself to pass this feeling onto someone else.
I was 17 when I enrolled to do a Diploma of Beauty Therapy at Elly Lukas. A year later I completed that course with two international qualifications and two awards under my belt. Whilst studying full time I was also working in a day spa, I worked here for 18 months. When I got comfortable I decided I needed to start something new. I loved my job, but I needed a new challenge. In mid-2017 I started my role on the other side of the industry. The Clinic. When I started my job in the major cosmetic laser clinic franchise, I was a Junior Therapist when I started here, I had no idea what I was doing, and I was definitely thrown into the deep end.
6 months later I was promoted to assistant manager. Whilst being in this role (which I had no idea what I was doing, I very quickly had to learn to adapt and prioritize even the smallest things). I very quickly learned that there was no one to turn to for advice or ask questions to in times of DIRE need. Whilst these thoughts were brewing Beaute Industrie was born, and I pitched my idea of having someone on board in the industry that could give the best advice or recommendations to.
Tell us a little about you and your role with Beaute Industrie
I teamed up with Beaute Industrie in 2018 after Tamara’s very first Beaute Brunch, after which I noticed that there were very few support options for budding therapists in the industry. I was left with a burning desire to change that with Beaute Industrie. My role at Beaute Industrie is to share the information and the challenges, to give advice to budding therapists or to give direction to someone who wanted to enter the industry who might not have an idea where they need to begin. A therapist may find @bi.therapistbrooke to be valuable as its content is created to help inspire and allow a safe place for questions and curiosities to be answered.
What has been the best part of your career so far?
When studying beauty therapy, you have a couple of times when you sit down and really have to take everything in. The highlight of my career at this point in time would be winning the Endota Spa Therapist Award through Elly Lukas. It was a moment where I looked around and saw that all my hard work was recognized and my 5:30 am starts and weekend working had all paid off. Winning an award like the Endota Award (for me) was fulfilling and overwhelming and has led to many more career opportunities.
What do you love most about the beauty industry?
I would like to see the eradication of prejudices and negativity. Leave the “every man for himself mentality” behind and start to create a place where information is shared, and businesses strive to encourage growth.
I love the new technologies and research that comes out. I love the constant adaption – no two treatments or days are the same.
When you first enter a treatment room you don’t always know what to expect or how demanding a client can be. For me, being a beauty therapist is about being able to walk into the treatment room, and take it all in. It’s like a constant improv reality Tv show.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in beauty?
Be excited about changes and challenges. You’re always going to need to be able to adapt. Although you are studying beauty therapy you are not limited to be a beauty therapist, – you could mentor, or be an owner, a business development manager the choices are endless. There’s no limit. Don’t be afraid to say “yes” to opportunities and get outside your comfort zone.
What change would you like to see in the beauty industry in the next few years?
I would like to see the eradication of prejudices and negativity. Leave the “every man for himself mentality” behind and start to create a place where information is shared, and businesses strive to encourage growth.
To find out more about Brooke and Beaute Industrie you can visit her Instagram @bi.therapistbrooke
We are so incredibly grateful to Brooke for sharing her experience in the beauty industry.
For more guidance about your future career in beauty therapy, chat to the expert team at ACTI at 02 6176 3411.
