Arlena Phillips of Ōtorohanga, entered the awards for the first time and went home as a number one winner.
Arlena Phillips of Ōtorohanga, entered the awards for the first time and went home as a number one winner.
“The most rewarding thing is actually being able to change someone’s life.”
Those were the words of a skin therapist from a small town in Waikato, Arlena Phillips, after taking out first place in the Therapist of the Year category, at this year’s New Zealand Beauty Association Awards.
Phillips, a 30-year-old from Ōtorohanga, entered her business, Beau Skin Clinic, in the awards for the first time after six years in the beauty industry.
Her win left her feeling on top of the world.
“I’m confident in myself in being a beauty therapist but to be recognised on a national level and coming first was so surreal, it was amazing and I was definitely in shock.
“It was the first time I put myself out there like that and entered, I had no idea where I was sitting amongst the other finalists and a few had even won awards before. I almost felt like the underdog.”
Phillips was among seven finalists in the category, with a key requirement being a minimum of three years in the industry and membership of the Association of Registered Beauty Professionals Inc.
She graduated from Wintec Te Pūkenga’s Hamilton campus in 2014 and jumped straight into the beauty workforce, where she worked for a day spa in Te Awamutu for three years.
In 2017, Phillips opened her skin clinic in Ōtorohanga, where her own skin issues emerged as a powerful motivator to assist others facing similar problems.
“I suddenly got really bad acne and that took a toll on my self-esteem and confidence as a therapist having bad skin. I had my own journey and I know what it’s like to not want to be out in public without makeup, and all the [insecurity] issues that came with it.”
It was then that she decided to invest in a high-end skincare line, which she couldn’t do before due to financial restraints.
“I overcame my acne in five weeks due to Dermaviduals which made me see how I could help others. The confidence issues affected me badly and I like helping other people who are stuck in the same place.
“It’s the most rewarding thing for me because you are actually able to change someone’s life, and that’s my favourite part about this job and why skin is my passion.”
Arlena Phillips (middle), with the two runner ups for the Therapist of the Year category.
Phillips has now taken it upon herself to encourage others to pursue a career in the beauty field.
“Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not a real job. I’ve always had people look down on me for wanting to pursue beauty because everyone else was becoming a vet or doctor. Don’t let anyone do that because it is a really good career.
“If it’s your dream then go for it. It’s the most rewarding thing you could do for yourself professionally. Don’t be afraid to fail, and treat everything as a lesson to better yourself and move forward.”
The next endeavour for Beau Skin Clinic is normalising skincare with a potential new programme.
“I want to change people’s views of the way they look after their skin. I want to normalise having facials and change the conception that having a facial is a luxury thing because looking after your skin should not be classed as a luxury.
“I’m working on introducing skin memberships to allow people to normalise it and fit it into the budget in an easy way to manage like a gym membership. It’s like paying weekly and then having a monthly facial which just spreads the cost out.”
All participants submitted an online application and submitted three case studies, client testimonials, and a video submission of a treatment they offer in their clinics.
In the Therapist of the Year category, Rachel Ryan from Skintopia in Wellington came first Runner Up, and Annalysse Mitchell from Face Body and Beauty in Balclutha was second Runner Up.
Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.
