Courtney Collins from Caci Clinic Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley
Courtney Collins is the assistant manager and treatment adviser at Caci Clinic Whanganui.
What inspired you to get into the beauty industry?
It’s just something I’ve always been passionate about. After spending 12 years in property management, which wasn’t always the most positive environment to work in, coming into a sector where you’re making people feel good and confident is a really, really cool feeling.
What is the number one question you get asked in your line of work?
What is the best product to use on your skin. My answer is sunscreen, 100 per cent. Obviously, in this country, sun protection is super key. Even if you’re not outside, the blue lights from your phones and screens can impact your skin so always have sunscreen on.
Most people come to Caci for ageing - or slowing ageing. We have Botox, filler and another product called Profhilo. Anti-ageing is at the top, then skin health and laser hair removal. We do facials and stuff as well, it‘s not all injectables and lasers. It’s pretty exciting stuff.
Outside of the salon, what do you do for fun?
I’m a pretty crafty person, there is always some kind of project on the go. I like to recycle so last year I made a bunch of Christmas decorations out of old Botox vials. I think I’ll collect them (vials) all this year and make a whole bunch. Who knows, maybe they’ll be available for purchase. Watch this space.
What is your favourite thing to do in Whanganui?
I love taking the dogs - Norman and Winston - out to enjoy all the nature here. There are a lot of outdoor activities and they love being out at the beach.
Is beauty an easy thing to get into? What are the qualifications?
I just enrolled at UCOL here (Whanganui) for the level four certificate in beauty therapy. You can do a level five diploma as well but that’s only in Palmerston North. My course was pretty straightforward but it was more in-depth on things like anatomy and physiology than I expected. That was really interesting stuff, though. Like anything, you just have to be really into it and I definitely am. I love what I do.
Property management? Not so much. Getting yelled at all the time doesn’t equate to job satisfaction.
What is Whanganui’s best-kept secret?
Outside of Caci? I’m going to go with Curry-2-Go in Springvale. I’m a pretty simple girl, I go for the standard butter chicken but it’s always delicious. Sometimes I might splash out with a wee lamb saag. The service is incredible, he is a lovely man.
Is there anything you would change about Whanganui?
I think there needs to be a bit more regulation for the beauty industry, both in Whanganui and New Zealand as a whole - (beauty therapists) should have a qualification and should have processes and procedures in place in case of adverse events. In terms of community safety, more regulation would be hugely beneficial.
What are you expecting to trend in beauty in 2024?
There are always a lot of beauty treatments that come and go, like trends in brows and makeup, but we (Caci) are more focused on skin. We just launched an at-home LED mask so I’m hoping that will be big this year. It (masks) is something that’s really coming through on the skincare side of things. The red light helps reduce the signs of ageing and redness in the skin and helps stimulate collagen and elastin production. The blue light targets acne-causing bacteria.
We are actually getting a few more fellas coming in as well, which is fantastic. It‘s not just for the ladies.
Will Whanganui be your forever home?
Yes, it will. I moved away twice - to Palmerston North and Napier- and I came back twice. I always found my way home because that’s what it is - home. My family is here and I’m very settled.
Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.