Find Your Career in Beauty Therapy
with Rachel Jabs
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 Rachel Jabs – a beauty therapist working in the clinical spa environment who is also completing her studies in nursing.
You entered the beauty industry at a young age and are now almost finished your Bachelor of Nursing. How did your career start in the beauty industry?
My career in the beauty industry started because of my passion for skin, makeup and beauty – this passion stemmed from struggles with cystic acne growing up and wanting to understand and better my own skin. This led me to kick starting my in beauty therapy at 15 when I enrolled into a Diploma of Beauty Therapy. I studied beauty therapy at night, attended school during the day and worked in my free time. When I completed my course in beauty I applied for a job at Laser Clinics Australia and landed it, which I was super excited about and I have worked there ever since.
Was a career in beauty therapy something you always knew you wanted to undertake?
There are photos of me at my third birthday with a full face of makeup that I have no idea how it occurred as my mum doesn’t own a slither of makeup (it was probably crayon). Much to my Mum’s dismay, I also used to give my barbies, soft toys and expensive china dolls (meant for display, sorry Mum!) hair cuts and makeovers which were irreversible. I also gave my childhood dog, Lucy, a set of eyebrows using varied techniques on several occasions which was a hoot. Seeing all the expressions she could wear for sometimes weeks on end. It’s safe to say I loved playing with makeup and faces from a young age.
During high school I had attended a work experience at a hair salon, which I didn’t enjoy and so I left the industry alone for a while. It only hit me that beauty therapy would be the perfect career when I saw an ad on TV for beauty training in my area. I attended the next Open Day and instantly fell in love. I signed up that day!
As a future cosmetic injector, you will have the beauty therapy knowledge and skills as well as the nursing. How do beauty therapy and cosmetic injections compliment each other?
Having worked in the clinical side of beauty therapy, I have learned what expectations and results my clients want from their treatment. Being able to perform cosmetic injections just helps me give the clients their desired outcome sooner and on a whole new level.
I will already have the background knowledge to create the perfect face and I will also be able to assist my clients in giving them their desired complexion to go along with their injectables treatment plan prescribed.
You’ve been working as a beauty therapist providing advanced facials for many years. What is your favourite treatment to perform and why?
My favourite treatments to perform have hands down been the clinical results driven treatments such as dermal needling. Dermal needling treats a plethora of concerns and uses the body’s own healing process to improve the skins texture, integrity and appearance.
What advice would you give to those considering a career in beauty therapy?
If beauty is your passion, this career can be rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable. There is plenty of room to grow and further your studies. Just be prepared to work weekends (haha).
I believe it is important to train your students in the latest technology and treatments available including laser, microdermabrasion, shellac and peels as this is where the industry is headed. A lot of the treatments I had learned in my beauty course were already redundant and of no use to me. In this sense I believe ACTI will be the school to attend if you are wishing to pursue a beauty career as it is owned and run by people who have experience in the advanced beauty industry and have insight of where it is headed, you don’t want to graduate and your skills already be irrelevant!
What do you love most about the beauty industry?
I have to say, another awesome part of working in the beauty industry is being surrounded by like-minded people who you get along with and wouldn’t turn down catching up outside of work. I don’t envy hearing my friends who work at desk jobs complain about their colleagues and how unalike their colleagues are. I really enjoy all the girls I have worked with and I feel constantly supported by them.
We are so grateful to Rachel for chatting with ACTI and sharing her experience in the beauty industry. You can get in touch with Rachel via Instagram at @notquitecosmeticnurse.jabs.
For more guidance about your future career in beauty therapy, chat to the expert team at ACTI at 02 6176 3411.
