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Skin Types VS Skin Conditions

I’ve been doing recruitment for the beauty industry for over 10 years & the therapists that have been in an interview with me will know I always ask skincare & body questions. The reason why I was inspired to start my development training for therapists was because during interviews I would end up teaching & explaining.

What many therapists unfortunately don’t realise is that those 2-4 years in tertiary education is really the start, the foundation of what makes a phenomenal therapist. The dedication to continue learning, to grow with the industry & to keep excited about ingredients, results, product actions & the intricacies of the skin, is what sets you apart; it’s been what’s set me apart- I believe.

As a consumer these days, it’s more overwhelming than ever with so many different brands on the market & so much information being thrown in our direction; let’s start at the beginning…

So, what’s the difference between a skin type & skin condition? This question has tortured many, including us in the skincare industry because there can be different ways of analysing specific types/conditions. Many people still say your skin type is what “you’re born with” – not sure about you but I’ve never seen a baby with oily skin… what they mean is, we are predisposed to our skin type dependant on ethnicity mostly.

Skin Types would be:

  • Oily
  • Dry
  • Combination – a combo of “normal” & oily / “dry” & oily
  • Then, there’s normal skin which is hardly anyone in the world – generally this skin type is quite sensitive

Florence-Barrett Hill’s book on advanced skin analysis explains sensitivity in a very provocative way; however, the main aim is to remember the skin type would hardly change for most of your life. Things like ageing & certain medications that specifically target the sebaceous glands would however have a long term impact on your skin type.

Skin conditions are things like:

  • Acne
  • Ageing
  • Sensitivity
  • Pigmentation

Our skins are beautiful & complicated,  it takes great care, skill & an evolving, yet constant passion for skincare that makes a skincare expert. Understanding that all skins are to be treated uniquely is important; we @MatisFourways find that curating a tailor made treatment plan & homecare package as well as explaining the relevance of each step is what sets us apart; however the treatment plan is useless without the knowledge & in-depth understanding of the skin.

Too many people are so focussed on pushing their brand that along the way the integrity is lost. An old friend once told me that if you start a business with the sole goal being money, you will surely fail; starting a business with a greater calling is what is required.

Honesty, Integrity, Knowledge, & the best service possible is what makes us Matis Fourways.

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Skincare 101

I went to speak at the college I qualified at 21 years ago & speaking to these ladies about my own career, recruitment, how to ready themselves for interviews, & for the industry when leaving college was so surreal.

I used to visit colleges often when I started beauty recruitment but not so much since the shop, so it was the first in a while. A now business owner of a gorgeous aesthetic spa in Dunkeld reminded me that that’s where I found her; in her 3rd year of beauty & I’ve walked with her through most of the past 10 years. Even with how challenging recruitment is, not only for my own store but for my clients countrywide, having been reminded of this success story was just what I needed. Thank you Hayley (shoutout 😎)

There are many colleges that just hire anyone to train people in 6 months, & it has created such a flood of sub par therapists that sometimes it makes me question why I still do it 12 years later. I spoke about my time I spent working for a college in Cape Town a few years ago & how the lecturers would say how one year there would just be a phenomenal class & the next year, the most challenging. I believe that if I maintain the hope that more great classes will come out of our great colleges, we have a chance. Our industry is beautiful, challenging, tiring, amazing, worthwhile & sometimes infuriating… but like all things worthy of having, there’s always a lot of work to do. 

Did any of you feel like you were completely amazing & had all the answers on life at 22 & then realised what a fool you were around 30? Thinking of myself sitting in that class over 20 years ago, I never would’ve thought I’d be here. Yes, life is challenging, work is a lot but at the end of that talk my point was clear; believe in yourself, challenge yourself to be better, make yourself indispensable to any company you work for, & don’t work for the praise of your boss, do all things to the best of your ability & seek to give your father in heaven all the glory ❤️

I have decided to incorporate more on skincare in my blogs because there’s just so much to wrap your head around as a consumer these days that it can all be so overwhelming.  Some of our active ingredients are so mind blowing that I think more of the world needs to recognise the brilliance of our dedicated Matis scientists. Yes, there are many common ingredients, some that are effective that fly under the radar, acids etc. I’m sure there are many of you who perhaps don’t want to ask the questions, feel free to pop us an email or WhatsApp us with what you want to know more of moving forward.

Which Matis line, ingredient, or skincare concern should we start with?

 

 

 

 

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If not now, when?

Over the past few years, this “wee” saying has managed to both torture & drive me. Although it’s roots come from Rabbi Hillel the Elder, who wanted to stir up emotion & inspire people to take a stand; to me, the saying can be meaningful in different areas. Many years ago, the business I was with hired a life & business coach for the management team, & this was one of the things he taught. I must admit, there have been a few things that I have carried with me for the past 10 years after the few sessions with him. The bite sized chunks of knowledge have managed to help me move past my need for perfection, push myself to ask the tough questions, & admittedly have made me a more decisive businesswoman.

Not sure how many of you are working on the same LIFE 2023 version I’m currently operating on but shu wee, something has got to give! It’s nearly 10pm & I know I probably won’t finish writing this today but this saying kept popping in my head, nagging me to put my PC back on & just type.

I was speaking to a close friend today & we were talking about how life seems to not want to give us a breather, just a small period of nothing falling apart or needing all our energy. While this saying kept ringing in my head, I felt both guilty for where my head was, how exhausted I felt; & also a strange need to share a different view on it. How many times do we say “I need to book a facial/massage/I’ve always wanted to know more about laser… etc” I am currently typing with 3 .5 still red nails & at least 3 that I practically tore off during the move – because I kept putting it off. How much are we going to push ourselves? How much longer are we going to keep saying we need to do our nails? The reality is, in this day & age, there’s always something that needs to be done, always a deadline, or too many tasks, a to-do list that never ends…

How long are we going to put off consciously filling our cups? I’m such a fan of telling everyone to fill their cups first, to take time out to do what makes you feel refreshed & renewed, yet here I am, sending myself to-do emails & typing with these totally ratchet nails 🤦🏽‍♀️😂 – If not now, when? This saying doesn’t have to only conjure up feelings of guilt when we’re not busy, it should be reminding us that rest is necessary, time out is a non-negotiable. Let’s remember that when we’re empty, we have nothing to give, we’re tired & grumpy, & cannot possibly give our loved ones the best of ourselves, so how about we carve the time out to make sure we are able to work at the productivity level we should be, & prevent the impending burn-out looming over (most of) our heads.

As you all know, we’ve just moved premises (signage still to come, thank you for your patience) & we have been just so grateful to each & every single one of you who have come in & said all the wonderful things you’ve said, continued to cheer us on, & encouraging us at every point – we’re just nuts about you! ❤️🥜

As we prepare for Spring, warmer nights, open toe shoes, shorts – let’s also say “If not now, when” for that pedi, wax/laser etc. Let’s get Spring ready!

Are you going to start setting aside the time you need for you too?

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