Professional Beauty January/February 2020
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SALON VIEW<br />
From<br />
The Inside,<br />
OUT<br />
With 20 years of experience behind<br />
her, In Therapy salon owner Nicola Le<br />
Lievre is clear on how to provide the<br />
very best experience possible for her<br />
guests. Michelle Ruzzene learnt why In<br />
Therapy was awarded Queensland’s Best<br />
<strong>Beauty</strong> Salon for 2019.<br />
When and why was In Therapy established?<br />
“In Therapy was established in 2000 and has been in the same<br />
location for over 19 years. I came on board as Manager in April<br />
2009 and purchased the salon in <strong>February</strong> 2014. We believe<br />
in Total Therapy at In Therapy: Inner Confidence, Outer<br />
Radiance and Optimal Vitality. I am very proud that in the last<br />
almost six years, I have instilled three core<br />
values: ethical, sustainable and supportive of<br />
Australian Brands. I have moulded a team<br />
who are all on board with the values and<br />
vision of the business.”<br />
You’ve won a lot of awards lately!<br />
Can you tell us about them all?<br />
“In April 2019 we won QLD Best <strong>Beauty</strong><br />
Salon/Spa 5 Treatment rooms or more<br />
for the second year. This was amazing<br />
validation for me as getting to the top is hard, but staying<br />
there is even harder! Each year more salons enter and I was<br />
so humbled as we were up against some amazing salons. This<br />
year was our first nomination for World Luxury Spa Awards<br />
and we won Continent Best <strong>Beauty</strong> Salon for Oceania and<br />
Australia. Receiving Continent winner is incredible as the<br />
WLSA is not an application process, but there is a five week<br />
voting period and category winners are based on votes. And so<br />
again, such validation from our guests shows that we are on the<br />
right track. I was also finalist for the first time this year in the<br />
AusMumpreneur awards Hair & <strong>Beauty</strong> category.”<br />
Tell us about the volunteer group you founded,<br />
Tender Loving Beauties?<br />
“In May 2019, I launched a <strong>Beauty</strong> Therapist volunteer group<br />
- Tender Loving Beauties - and partnered with Hummingbird<br />
House - QLD’s only children’s hospice. Hummingbird house is a<br />
free service, however relies on monetary donations and volunteer<br />
services to keep running. I have wanted to give back for a very<br />
long time and last year decided it was time to bring my dream<br />
in to fruition. As therapists we have such an amazing gift of<br />
touch, so why not use it to uplift those who need a bit of TLC?<br />
We visit Hummingbird house weekly, offering complimentary<br />
treatments to the mums. This group is not limited to therapists<br />
of In Therapy and I encourage therapists or businesses who<br />
would like to donate their time or product to please email me at<br />
nicola@intherapy.com.au.”<br />
How did you get into beauty?<br />
“I have wanted to be a <strong>Beauty</strong> Therapist since the age of six. I<br />
used to go with my mum to have her legs waxed and<br />
thought it was so interesting. Growing up in South<br />
Africa, it was common for therapists to rent a room<br />
in a pharmacy. I remember wandering around the<br />
cosmetic counters and seeing the ‘older’ ladies with red lips and<br />
how I wanted to be just like them one day, hence why everybody<br />
knows me by my red lips and nails - this has become part of<br />
my branding.”<br />
Who is your typical clientele?<br />
“We have mostly women 35-65 years old and many in our local<br />
suburb of Red Hill. Our guests like good quality and service, and<br />
many of them are time poor so appreciate us offering more than<br />
one therapist in treatment. For example, having a pedicure at the<br />
68 | WWW.PROFESSIONALBEAUTY.COM.AU
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