BEAUTY HAS ALWAYS been high on the social agenda, but never have beauty products and beauty therapy been in such high demand - demand which shows little sign of slowing down.
A vast range of applications and treatments are on offer, from eyelash perming and skin improvements to special diets and aromatherapy. And it seems we just can't get enough.
So it is not surprising that specialist schools have evolved to provide beauty training. Nor is it surprising that there aren't enough beauticians to go around. And that those who become qualified have little difficulty finding employment. In fact, many beauty schools end up employing their own students.
One such school is the French Institutes Beauty School, founded in 1999 with the aim of providing professional beauty education for practitioners. It also offers special courses to help practitioners upgrade to meet the growing demands of clients.
'There simply aren't enough professional beauty practitioners out there,' said the school's director Cynthia Wu Lu-ming. 'Our prime goal is to provide highly qualified professionals to work in the beauty industry, and we maintain quality by keeping our classes small and only recruiting motivated students. We only select students with a clear vision of becoming professionals, rather than people just looking for a job. And many end up employed within our group.'
The courses are modular, allowing students plenty of flexibility while studying. Besides general beautician training, specialisations include electrical treatments, anatomy, physiology, massage and aromatherapy. Career development courses cover all sorts of skills, including eyebrow embroidery and nail arts.
