Former Masterton dairy owner Kerry Begg has made the unlikely transition from serving ice-cream cones to dishing up facials and applying make-up tones.
With her husband, Mrs Begg, who turns 48 next week, owned Masterton's Copper Kettle dairy on Queen Street, touted as the region's luckiest Lotto shop.
The couple sold the
business last year and since then she has been able to follow an ambition she has harboured from an early age, recently beginning 18 months of study to become a qualified beauty therapist at Ucol.
Her husband is also following his dream noisily dedicating his days to the hammer and paintbrush renovating the couple's home a project Mrs Begg is quite happy to have no part in.
She is currently studying cosmetology as a primer for the 12-month diploma in Beautician and Electrology, which she aims to complete next year.
She said studying as a mature student is daunting but has its advantages. "You have more commitment and a better study ethic and an understanding of what it means to join the workforce.
"When you're older you realise time's precious and that makes your learning more efficient.
"You come to every class and make the most of it all," she said.
Aside from the obvious aesthetic purpose of the career, Mrs Begg said beauty therapy is an extension of her caring side.
"It's all about helping other people and making other women feel good it's a caring and nurturing thing really, just being pampered and indulged."
She reckons the fundamental basis for make-up application is starting with a fresh canvas. "Clean your skin, that's the basics all the make-up in the world won't work on dirty skin. Moisturiser and sunblock are essential too I hope that's right anyway," she said, looking tentatively at her tutor standing nearby.
