What 30 Years in Beauty Has Taught Me

Thirty years. I honestly don't know where the time has gone!

When I first started in the beauty industry, I had no idea that three decades later I'd be running my own advanced aesthetics clinic, surrounded by incredible technology and still getting excited about what I do.

But when I look back, it's not really the treatments, the machines or even the business that stand out the most.

It's the people, the experiences and everything I've learned along the way.

From a Tiny Room in a Chemist to My Own Clinic

I didn't start with a beautiful salon, expensive equipment or a big pot of money behind me.

Quite the opposite!

My business began in a tiny back room of a chemist, with very little money and a determination to make something of it.

I saved up, worked hard and gradually built the business, investing what I could afford as I went along.

There were no shortcuts, no big investors and certainly no overnight success. Just years of hard work, taking chances, saving for the next thing and always wanting to make the business a little bit better.

I've always had an entrepreneurial streak. Even as a little girl, I loved buying and selling things. I remember going to car boot sales, finding bargains on other stalls and selling them for a profit on my own!

So perhaps running my own business was always going to happen.

What started in that little room eventually grew into the clinic I have today, and that's something I'm incredibly proud of.

The Women I've Met Along the Way

Over 30 years, I've met thousands of women from every walk of life.

Some clients have been coming to me for decades. We've practically grown up together!

I've watched young women become brides, mothers become grandmothers, and families grow. I've listened to stories about weddings, babies, new jobs, relationships, heartbreak and everything else life throws at us.

One of the loveliest things about being in this industry for so long is the relationships you build.

People might come in for their eyebrows or a facial, but often the appointment becomes much more than that.

There's been plenty of laughter, a few tears and certainly some interesting conversations over the years!

And those relationships have always meant a great deal to me.

Here's Something That Might Surprise You…

Despite owning a beauty business for 30 years, I've never really been someone who goes off and has lots of beauty treatments myself.

In fact, I've always been quite cautious about having anything done to my own face.

Not because I'm against aesthetic treatments. Far from it! But because I've never wanted to look like somebody else.

The idea of dramatically changing my appearance has never appealed to me. I still want to look like Naomi, just hopefully a well-rested version with lovely skin!

And I think that has shaped my whole approach to aesthetics.

I've never believed that looking younger should mean looking different.

I don't want to change people's faces. I want to help them feel happier and more confident with the face they already have.

Why I've Fallen in Love With Lasers

Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm slightly obsessed with laser technology.

Actually, slightly might be an understatement!

Over the years, I've watched the industry change enormously, and for me, the development of advanced skin lasers has been one of the most exciting things to happen.

I love the science behind them, the different technologies and the improvements they can achieve.

But most importantly, I love the idea of improving the skin you already have rather than changing the way you look.

That's what appeals to me personally, and it's what I love offering my clients.

Treatments such as CO₂, Erbium and Thulium laser resurfacing can help improve concerns including skin texture, fine lines, sun damage and uneven pigmentation.

Results vary, of course, and not every treatment is suitable for everybody. But with the right assessment and realistic expectations, these technologies can achieve some lovely improvements.

And the best part?

You're still you.

Just with healthier-looking, fresher, more refined skin.

And Never Underestimate Really Good Skincare

As much as I love my lasers, I'm also a huge believer in great skincare.

Not necessarily the most expensive products, the prettiest packaging or whatever happens to be trending on social media.

I mean properly chosen, effective skincare that suits your skin and actually does something useful.

Good cleansing, hydration, sun protection and the right active ingredients can make a real difference over time.

I've always believed that skincare and advanced treatments should work together.

There's little point investing in an expensive laser treatment and then neglecting your skin every day afterwards.

Beautiful skin isn't about having a completely different face. It's about looking after the one you've got.

And that's really the philosophy behind everything I do.

Getting Older Has Changed My Perspective

Now that I'm approaching 50 myself, I understand the ageing process from a rather different perspective!

When you're younger, you think you've got forever. Then suddenly you're looking back wondering where the last 30 years disappeared to.

I've noticed my own skin changing, and I understand why women want to do something about those changes.

But I've also realised that getting older is about far more than wrinkles.

It's about confidence, health, family, happiness and finding time to enjoy your life.

I think there's a real difference between wanting to look after yourself and feeling pressured to look younger at any cost.

Personally, I'd much rather look like a good version of myself at 50 than try to look like someone else at 30.

What Women Have Taught Me

One of the biggest lessons I've learned from working with women for three decades is that we can be incredibly hard on ourselves.

I've met some beautiful, successful, intelligent women who still focus on the tiniest thing they dislike about their appearance.

And I've seen women go through extraordinary challenges while somehow continuing to look after everybody else.

Children, careers, relationships, ageing parents, businesses: there's always something that needs our attention.

Often, we're the last person on our own list.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that we really should make more time for ourselves.

Not because we need fixing or improving, but simply because we deserve to feel good.

The Next Chapter

After 30 years in business, I'm starting to think a little differently about how I want to spend my time.

I've worked hard to build the clinic from that tiny room in a chemist into what it is today.

Along the way, I've invested in technology, continued learning, and built a team of talented practitioners who share my passion for helping clients look and feel their best.

I'm incredibly proud of that.

And while I still love discovering new treatments and probably always will, I'd also like to find a little more time to enjoy life outside the salon.

Because if 30 years has taught me anything, it's just how quickly life goes by.

Would I Do It All Again?

Absolutely.

It hasn't always been easy. Running your own business never is.

There have been long days, difficult decisions, financial worries and times when I've wondered what on earth I was doing!

But there have also been wonderful friendships, loyal clients, exciting achievements and more happy memories than I could ever count.

I started with practically nothing, in a little back room, with an idea and a determination to make it work.

Thirty years later, I'm still here.

Still learning, still interested, still buying machines I probably don't need quite as urgently as I convince myself I do!

And still believing that the best beauty treatments are the ones that make you feel wonderful without making you look like somebody else.

Good skin, natural improvements, confidence and a little bit of looking after yourself.

That's what beauty means to me.

And if you've been part of my journey over the last 30 years, whether you've been coming since the very beginning or you've only recently discovered us, thank you.

You've helped turn that little room in a chemist into something I'm very proud of.

Naomi x