Our team at Urban Beauty Academy, pride themselves on producing not only talented beauty therapists but also that we instil in our students a sense of duty and make sure that they realise that the impression you give off as a beauty therapist will either grow or kill your career. Generally most of our students start at our academy because they think that the life of a beauty therapist sounds quite glamorous. Meeting new people everyday and making them look and feel good sounds quite awesome! Part of doing this job successfully means that a beauty therapist has to adhere to a certain conduct regarding their behaviour. Let’s look at what is expected of a beauty therapist.

Firstly, professional standards are quite important. Therapists are required to be registered and commit to the attainment of their appropriate qualifications. It also means that you might have to attend additional training sessions or workshops to improve your skill and qualification. It’s expected of a beauty therapist to always be up to date with knowledge and skills available in order to provide a service of a quality standard – this includes reflecting on your own practises, identifying development needs and undertaking certain activities to fine-tune your skill.

Mistakes do happen and it is part of being human, but a beauty therapist is required to accept responsibility for any mistakes and be accountable for their conduct. It is a personal responsibility to keep improving yourself and your skill!

The second thing is to remember to treat people within their rights. However this also means that your own rights should be taken into account when people are communicating with you! Make sure you deal openly and in a transparent manner with your clients. Show respect towards individual differences and diversity and don’t discriminate or treat a client unfairly. Remember to be discreet when dealing with confidential disclosures from clients. They do not want their issues discussed and gossiped about and they are trusting you with sensitive information – make sure you keep their trust or you might lose them as a client! Ensure that any and all contractual arrangements you have with your client are clear, transparent and unambiguous to avoid any possible misunderstandings!

The third important thing is to build relationships. Try to develop and maintain healthy relationships with your clients and base it on openness, honesty, mutual trust and respect. Make sure to demonstrate awareness that the client’s needs are a priority and always promote their welfare and best interests first when planning an appropriate treatment. Be clear in all forms of communications and ensure honesty, accuracy and cooperation when you are trying to make agreements. Remember the age-old rule: The customer is always right!

If you enjoyed this article and would like to know more about how to become a Urban Beauty trained beauty therapist. Please do not hesitate to contact one of our consultants today!

Our team at Urban Beauty Academy have put this article together to answer some of the beauty related myths that exist. Throughout this series we will test some and debunk others. Today’s article is about whether gel is bad for nails? Part of being a beauty therapist means keeping abreast of the latest trends and developments that are taking place within the industry. Also you are required to be able to reassure your clients that when they present you with a question such as is gel bad for my nails, you are able to offer them a educated answer that will keep them comming back for more treatments.  Being quite fond of manicures myself, I used to get gel manicures and then the impatient woman in me decided to switch to acrylic purely for the fact that it’s a quicker process. Looks like I made the right choice! But what is it that makes gel so bad for your nails? Let’s take a look.

The first fact that I found is that gel manicures are also linked to some health conditions like brittle and thin nails, skin irritations and even skin cancer. The brittleness of your nails is caused by the 100% acetone used to soak the layered gel off as well as the chemical-heavy gel formula. The acetone also leads to the skin irritation and dried out nails. Some girls have even reported allergic reactions to the acetone.

But to be quite honest, none of this will make me cancel my appointment at the nail salon. Then I found this: the UV lamps that are used to set the gel polish can lead to an increased risk for skin cancer! PLUS, constantly having polish on your nails could mask any tumours or infections that have already formed, making an early intervention and cure far more difficult.

It is in general not a good idea to leave your nail polish in place for an extended period of time, simply because you can’t see what’s happening underneath the nail polish. However, moderation is key when it comes to gel manicures. If you get this done regularly, you’ll need to educate yourself on the possible consequences and make sure you have the number of a board-certified dermatologist.

I think the biggest problem comes two or three weeks after the manicure. Your nails continue to grow and if your salon beautician is not as clued up, the gel will pull away from your nails and start to lift. It is impossible to not start messing with that little tip that’s lifted and help it along by peeling or filing it off. The top layer of your nail will be pulled off with this gel layer, which leaves your nails thin and susceptible to water damage. Then you’re supposed to actually wait for a new healthy nail plate to grow in before returning for your follow-up at the salon. This could take months and us girls don’t want to do that. Besides, your nails now look crap with the top layer peeled off and it’s so easy to go back to the salon and get that covered up. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really help in the improvement of your nails.

If you’re like me, this will not change your mind about getting those nails done. So here’s some advice – when you need to soak, ask your technician to wrap your nails in cotton that’s been soaked in acetone and then cover your fingertips with foil. This method is just as effective and some girls report that it’s even faster.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to know more. Please visit our website or pop into our salon or academy for more information on how to look your best.

Mothers Day is just around the corner and our team at Urban Beauty Academy have put this article together to give you some tips on how you can make Mothers Day that extra bit special. Taking care of that special person in your life is very important and at home pampering is the best, and you don’t need to spend hundreds of Rands to make your mother feel extra special. As a graduate of our academy you will be able to do plenty of treatments at home. Any technique you learned and pass on to your mom will make her feel like she is at an exclusive spa plus these skills act as a great Mother’s day gift.

You mom would love a homemade beauty treatment. Using your talents whip up an egg white/lemon face mask. This is a great facial that evens out skin tones. Use ½ lemon and one egg white. Juice the lemon into a beaten egg white. Gently apply to your mom’s face and leave on throughout the night. Wash off with warm water in the morning. Assure your mom that this is part of your school regimen.

Awesome cool cucumbers for tired eyes give mom less puffiness, help with dark circles and are just refreshing. Just have mom lie down in a darkened room, put the cucumbers on her eyes, and let her take a short nap.

While she is napping, whip up a plant-based milk smoothie. Banana-Peach Almond Milk Smoothie is healthy and uses a frozen banana to make it creamy. For the ultimate in eating decadence, put a bowl of fresh strawberries and whipped cream for dipping near where mom is resting.

Nothing is better than a reflexology session and a foot massage. It is a well-known fact that there are certain reflex points on the foot that correspond to pressure points on the body. Massage your mom’s feet to promote healing, feeling good, and looking great. Mom deserves better sleep, an improvement in blood circulation, and a loss of everyday aches and pains.

If you are not sure about the reflexology session, treat mom to a rose-scented milk foot soak. Soaking in a milk bath is luscious. The lactic acid in milk is believed to help rid the body of dead skin. Just add a few drops of rose-scented essential oils and rose petals. All it takes is a soaking container and ½ gallon of milk. Do warm the milk.

Give her a day or a session of makeup. You are the professional so give her the tips and tricks you have learned. Want to get her eyeliner on straight and gorgeous. Use scotch tape under the eye as you apply the liner. Give her face a lift with a light pink or white matte pencil. Sweep it underneath the row. Her eyes will automatically be lifted, and she will look years younger.

Help your mom out on her foundations. She needs to use a lighter foundation that still gives her the coverage she needs. You know the tricks. Pampering mom is helping her clean her makeup brushes. These are the brushes she uses very day and probably the reason her makeup looks “old.” Wash her makeup brushes with eye makeup remover and soapy water. You have given your mom the gift of a cleaner skin.

If you liked these tips and would like to know more on how to become a qualified Urban Beauty therapist. Please do not hesitate to contact one of our consultants today!

Our team at Urban Beauty Academy have put this article together to highlight some of the options that a career in beauty therapy can offer our academy graduates. Firstly it is wise to choose a career that gives you several job options in the same field. If you are interested in a career in beauty therapy, here are some options you can consider:

• • Nail technician
  • Make-up artist
  • Masseuse
  • Hairstylist
  • Spa manager
  • Lash and brow specialist
  • Skincare specialist
  • Beautician

To determine which career would suit you best, you can have a look at the various job descriptions for beauty therapists to see what each one entails.

Where do beauty therapists work?

• • Beauty spas
  • Salons
  • Cosmetics departments of large stores
  • Specialist beauty product stores
  • Clients’ homes
  • Colleges or beauty schools (as beauty therapy teachers)

Advantages of a career in beauty therapy

• • Depending on where you work, you may have flexible working hours.
  • You are able to work anywhere, and you do not necessarily have to be confined to one place. You also have the option of doing house calls.
  • It can be financially rewarding if you are good at what you do, and there will always be a demand for beauty therapists. Many women like to get pampered, and are willing to spend money on beauty treatments.
  • You do not need to undergo intensive training to start out in the field of beauty therapy.
  • There is room for career growth: you can become a salon manager or owner, or you can decide to work as a freelance beautician.

Urban Beauty Academy is an accredited training institution that prides itself on training beauty therapists that will thrive in the market place. If you are serious about a career in beauty, then please do not hesitate to contact us today for more information on when our next in take is happening. Let us guide you to a career of success and glamour within the world of beauty.