CELEBRATING WOMEN IN AESTHETICS

We ask the sector which women have inspired their aesthetics journey

Teresa de Graça, founder of Pure Swiss Aesthetics: “Dr Shirin Lakhani is an amazing and passionate doctor, as well as a strong businesswoman. Her holistic approach to medical aesthetics has led her to become a leading figure in aesthetics, particularly when it comes to women’s health. Skin & Body Works owner Andrea Farrelly is passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about skin and aesthetics. Her business acumen has allowed her to turn her passion into a very successful business in Ireland, which I and Pure Swiss Aesthetics are very happy to work with.”

Dr Inna Szalontay, founder of Libi & Daughters: “Madam C J Walker was an entrepreneur who became the first black female millionaire in America. She made her fortune creating a range of personalised hair care products, the ‘Walker System’, following her own experience with hair loss. The self-made millionaire used her fortune to fund scholarships for women at the Tuskegee Institute and donated large parts of her wealth to multiple charities, including the NAACP, and the Black YMCA. Her story and actions have inspired female entrepreneurs ever since, including everyone here at Libi & Daughters, as we create our own range of personalised skincare products.”

Lutifye Palu Ibrahim, sales director at Opatra: “There are so many wonderful, amazing, women in the aesthetics industry, that champion the sector. It’s so hard to pinpoint just one specific person!”

Hayley Jones, sales and marketing director at Lynton: “I see so many brave women in this industry, and it’s something I talk about quite a lot within Lynton. We empower women in this industry, to be the full boss of everything. They’re doing HR, they’re doing finance, they’re doing absolutely everything and still staying on top of their game in terms of clinical output. So, every person who has taken that step to leave secure employment, to leave the NHS, and to set up their own clinic, I think every single one of them is inspirational.”

Rebecca Peters, business development manager at DermaluxLED: “My manager has taught me lots of different things. She is really knowledgeable and has worked with some great brands in the industry.”

Dr Vanessa Bird, The Aesthetic Consultant: “There are so many strong, innovative, and successful women in our industry, so every woman I have had the pleasure to work with has inspired me in some way. Dr Rita Rakus instantly stands out. She is incredibly successful, experienced, and generous, and never hesitates to share her knowledge and time with others in the industry to help and support them. She is an inspiration to everyone who meets her. Jenny Pabila of Niche PR is also inspirational. She works hard behind the scenes going above and beyond for her clients and has a wealth of industry knowledge and contacts. She always has time to give you a pep talk or advice and to celebrate your successes. The industry needs more people like Jenny!”

Charles-Edouard Delelis-Fanien, general manager at LPG: “Katie Piper went through a big reconstruction of her face. Her strong will was, for me, a big inspiration. Her foundation has helped people get through some very difficult times.”

Eddie Campbell, business manager at BTL: “There are so many inspirational women in our sector. I think that’s a great thing - that there are so many female KOLs and role models within the industry. People like Dr Rita Rakus who we’ve been working with for years, Miss Sherina Balaratnam, and Dr Galyna Selezneva. There are so many, I just can’t say them all! We’re also excited that women’s health is being more talked about.”

Tim Stevens, sales manager at Candela: “We have a fantastic doctor, Dr Katheryn Taylor-Barnes, at the Real You Clinic in Twickenham. She’s done some amazing things treating melasma, a real problem for women, which she’s managed to overcome in a couple of very impressive cases.”

Erin Leybourne, editorial intern at Aesthetic Medicine: “As someone new to the industry, it has been a great learning experience, meeting and speaking to all these people about some of the women they are inspired by. I was able to see a panel of incredible, powerful women, discuss the changing legislation around the aesthetics sector, at Professional Beauty London. Their passion and knowledge on the subject were truly inspiring. Patient advocate Dawn Knight is a wonderful speaker, and I found myself very moved, not only by her presentation, but also by the kindness she treated everyone with. The high interest around legislature right now makes it a sensitive subject, and I was so impressed with the direct way the panel handled it.”