Last last weekend I went to Beauty Expo Australia. It’s a trade-only event for people in the beauty industry, and as well as a plethora of stalls with massive discounts, there’s also informative education sessions with industry leaders, and live demonstrations of all the latest technologies.
I attended an amazing lecture run by the very knowledgeable Chiza Westcarr, all about skin care, in particular hyperpigmentation and acne. I took pages of notes, and learned so much! Did you know, for example:
* dermal (deep) pigment can’t be treated with peels
* microcomedones mature in 8 weeks
* stress can change the sebum your skin secretes (sebocytes which produce sebum have receptors for stress hormones)
* you can calculate your risk of pigmentation from peels by referring to the ethnicities of your grandparents
The live demonstrations on the main stage were also fascinating – I particularly enjoyed the demonstration with the Dermapen, which is like a dermaroller but less damaging to the skin (it lets the needles stab straight rather than year through skin). I wish I could buy one! I also watched a dermaplaning expert demonstrate on a live subject – dermaplaning is where a blade is gently scraped across the skin’s surface, removing fine “peach fuzz” hair as well as exfoliating away the top layer of skin. As always, there are lots of half-naked muscle-bound models at the many tanning booths, so there’s no shortage of things to see and do!
There’s also the Nailympia competition, where a flock of nail artists sculpt crazy things on scary talons. I particularly liked this adorable marriage equality scene!
And here’s what I hauled from the many supplier stalls: an OPI mini set (Colour Paints), tea tree oil, fanceh rosemary soap, a kumquat scented candle (…because I really need MORE candles), a dermaroller (eek) and a cheap but nice-feeling brush set from Girlee Cosmetics.
I also went to the Australian Beauty Industry Awards, which is conveniently held in the evening of the final day of the Beauty Expo. It’s always good to know where the best spas and salons in Australia are… unfortunately, it looks like a lot of them are in WA! The full list of winners is below.
- Beauty Therapist of the Year: Daniela Boerma, Bliss Day Spa
- Salon/Spa Director: Sia Psicharis, Beautyologist
- Best Customer Care: Cove Spa
- Tanning Salon/Service of the Year: Tan Temple
- Best In Salon Training: Keturah Day Spa
- Educator of the Year: Gay Wardle, MDA
- Best In Salon Training: Keturah Day Spa
- Best Marketing: Keturah Day Spa
- Salon Team of the Year: Spoilt Rotten
- Hall of Fame: Anni Diamond
- Make Up Artist of the Year: Mia Connor
- Best Beauty Salon (4 Treatment rooms or less): Spoilt Rotten
- Best Beauty Salon (5 Treatment rooms or more): Simply Elegant
- Best Day Spa: Fifth Element Day Spa
I’m now the lucky owner of a good 3 kilos of pamphlets and brochures about lasers and peels and plumpers. It’s kind of sad how excited all this info makes me! I hope it lasts me the next 12 months…
Oh that looks so, so fun!! How exciting! Goodness gracious I couldn’t even tell those were nails at first. I thought it was some little art display, not a pair of hands!
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Thank you!