Kate Lewis from My Beauty Fix Medispa in Ahuriri, Napier. Photo Paul Taylor.
A dream to open her own business has become a reality for Kate Lewis, thanks to her passion for beauty and her best friend.
Kate, who has been in the beauty industry for more than 20 years, recently moved back to New Zealand with her husband and two young sons.
"I lived in London for years and worked in cosmetic surgery for a while. For the past seven years I worked in a top medispa. I did a lot of advanced skin rejuvenate treatments," she says.
"I love making people feel good about themselves and have always dreamed of opening my own beauty salon. However, I knew it was an impossible dream in London.
"I'm originally from Palmerston North but we weren't keen on moving back there so my husband, who is Welsh, did some research and liked what Hawke's Bay had to offer - beautiful weather and a great lifestyle.
"We absolutely love it."
The icing on the cake for Kate followed a conversation with her best friend.
"I was talking to her about my dream and she said 'just do it'. Not only that but she and her husband backed me. They converted their holiday home to this beautiful space called The Beauty Fix where we are sitting now."
And it is a beautiful space in Battery Road, Napier. No problem getting a park here.
"There were a few sleepless nights, I can tell you that," Kate says.
"It was a bit nerve-wracking but here we are six weeks on and everything is going brilliantly. I couldn't be any happier."
The Beauty Fix offers treatments no one else in the Bay does, such as the carbon facial, which I had.
Carbon facials are an advanced skin rejuvenation treatment, also known as the LA Facial, as they are quick, non-invasive and the results are instant. They work by peeling off the outer layer of dead skin cells resulting in a radiant complexion.
"Carbon facials are the perfect winter pick-me-up. They are also fantastic for brides-to-be or anyone that has a special event coming up and wants their skin to look refreshed and feel beautifully soft and subtle."
The first step was a thorough cleanse. Kate's touch was firm yet gentle. She used luxurious hot towels throughout the treatment which were just divine. Next a carbon cream was applied to my face. I looked like I had just climbed out of a coal mine.
Then Kate used a laser handpiece to pass over my face removing the carbon and dead skin cells of the epidermal layer.
It makes a cracking noise and I could feel a bit of heat near my mouth and eyes but that was it. Kate went over my face three times with the laser and then cleansed my skin again (the hot towel was back) and finally applied some sunscreen.
I honesty wasn't expecting my skin to instantly feel so soft and look so nice.
Kate said some of the benefits of carbon facials are they reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, clean, tighten and purify congested skin and improve skin smoothness and clarity.
I loved my treatment.
Kate is professional and so warm and friendly.
My Beauty Fix Medispa also offers dermograph, ultrasound cavitation body contouring, radio frequency skin tightening and IPL super hair reduction, to name a few.
*For more on My Beauty Fix Medispa go to mybeautyfix.co.nz or call Kate on 06 211