Beauty Therapist, Holly Brown celebrates one year anniversary as an apprentice at Beauty Box, Penarth and tells us why she decided to hang up her dancing shoes for a career in beauty.
From Musical Theatre Student to Beauty Therapist
I studied Level 3 Musical Theatre at college and completed my qualification in lock down of 2020. From there, I left to go to university in London but after a while I felt that musical theatre was no longer for me. I needed stability and didn’t want the stress of having to constantly find work and so after 5 months, I decided to come home.
My passion for beauty came from my love of having it done myself. I’ve always had an interest but hadn't had any previous experience. I would practice on my friends for fun and enjoyed the stage makeup element of working in musical theatre, but it was completely brand new to me and potentially a risky career change.
A day in the life of a Beauty Therapist
My role as a Beauty Therapist requires me to be fully prepared for the day ahead. I’ve got to be organised and check to see what appointments we have as soon as I come into the salon. I work mainly with nails, so making sure the stock is ready and my station is clean is important.
We can train in anything from massaging and waxing to lashes and microblading. There are lots of opportunities for development here and I'm keen to progress. I feel part of the team at Beauty Box and not like a child trying to learn. I am so lucky. My manager, Chanya, is flexible and wants to help where she can, which makes you feel motivated to do better.
My Trainer Coach, Rhian Anstee, is fabulous. She is supportive, and I get on with her so well. I see Rhian regularly, but more so now that I have assessments coming up. She’s there when I need her. She doesn’t just help with the theory; she also assists me with practical as she is qualified herself. She knows exactly what she’s talking about and understands the industry.
Learning from experience
I could’ve gone back to college to do my beauty qualification, but you are only taught the basics. For a job in beauty therapy, it is more about the experience than the training. If you aren’t taught key skills like client interaction you will struggle in the workplace.
Studying an apprenticeship is hands on, and I enjoy being practical. You can watch people who are already qualified and pick up little tips and their way of working. You see a lot more and learn from the people around you.
Learning about the anatomy can be quite intense and sometimes there is a lot to remember but my manager breaks it down for me and has time to offer 1:1 training. In a classroom, you don’t often get that. Working on the job to gain experience is definitely a more realistic way of learning and suits me and where I want to go in the future.
Get the training and experience and study an apprenticeship in beauty therapy.
