“JUST a Skin Therapist?” — I Think Not.

There are certain words that, when put together, can make a skin and beauty therapist’s eye twitch.

One of them is “just.”

As in:

“Oh, you’re JUST a Skin therapist?”

JUST?

It’s such a tiny little word, but bloody hell, it can carry a lot of attitude.

You wouldn’t say, “Oh, you’re just a surgeon,” or “just an accountant,” or “just a teacher.”

But apparently, if you work in beauty, the assumption is that you spend your day lying around eating cucumber slices, painting toenails and occasionally remembering which moisturiser is for dry skin.

Well, I've got news for you.

We are so much more than JUST a Skin therapist.

And we're so much more than JUST a Beauty therapist too.

And actually, I think we need to stop apologising for the word beauty altogether.

Because beauty therapists have been doing something incredibly important for years.

We make people feel better.

And if you don't think that's important, then quite frankly, you haven't been paying attention.

Dolly gets it

One of my favourite examples has to be Dolly Parton.

If you've seen Steel Magnolias, you'll know Dolly played Truvy, the beauty therapist who ran a little salon in a small Southern town.

And Truvy wasn't JUST doing hair.

Her salon was basically a combination of beauty clinic, counselling room, gossip headquarters, relationship advice centre and emergency emotional support unit.

Women came in for their hair and beauty treatments, but they also came in to talk.

They laughed.

They cried.

They shared their worries.

They discussed their husbands.

They discussed other people's husbands.

They discussed everyone's business.

And I'm pretty sure nobody left without knowing something they probably shouldn't have known.

Sound familiar?

Because that's what happens in treatment rooms everywhere.

People don't just come through the door with their skin.

They bring their lives with them.

And we listen.

And don't underestimate the blonde

Dolly herself has spent much of her career being underestimated.

She's blonde.

She's glamorous.

She's funny.

She's got a huge personality.

She's never been afraid of a bit of sparkle.

But underneath all that?

One very clever woman.

Journalists have tried over the years to catch her out with rude, patronising or downright ridiculous questions.

And Dolly has that wonderful ability to smile sweetly and come back with an answer that basically says:

“You really should have thought that question through before you asked it.”

And I bloody love that.

Because it's a good reminder that kindness, femininity, humour and intelligence can all exist in the same person.

You don't have to look serious to be intelligent.

You don't have to be miserable to be professional.

And you certainly don't have to wear a white coat and carry a clipboard to know what you're talking about.

Our training isn't JUST “doing beauty”

This is another thing that gets my goat.

People sometimes seem to think you become a beauty therapist by watching someone apply a facial and then having a little go yourself.

Errrr... no.

We train.

Properly.

We study anatomy and physiology.

We learn about the structure and function of the skin and hair.

We learn about different skin types and conditions.

We learn about ingredients, contraindications, treatment protocols, hygiene, infection control, electrical treatments and machines.

We learn what we can treat.

We learn what we shouldn't treat.

And, importantly, we learn when something needs to be referred.

Many of us then go on to do advanced training, specialist qualifications and years and years of continued professional development.

And here's the thing people often forget:

Experience counts too.

You can have every qualification under the sun, but there is something to be said for having spent decades actually working with real people and real skin.

Skin doesn't always read the textbook.

It doesn't always behave how you expect.

And you can't replace experience with a certificate.

“But they're medical…”

Now, before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, let me say this:

I have enormous respect for doctors, nurses, dermatologists and other medical professionals.

They have their areas of expertise, and when something is outside my scope, I am more than happy to refer someone.

In fact, knowing when NOT to treat is part of being a good therapist.

But here's where I sometimes want to stand on a little box and shout:

Being medically trained doesn't automatically mean you know more about every aspect of the skin than someone who has spent decades specialising in skin.

Medicine is enormous.

A doctor can be absolutely brilliant at their particular field without necessarily being an expert in advanced skincare, cosmetic treatments, skin ingredients, treatment protocols or the day-to-day management of someone's skin.

It's the same in every profession.

I wouldn't walk into an operating theatre and tell a surgeon how to do their job.

So perhaps don't assume that because something is now being offered in a medical setting, the person delivering it automatically knows more about the skin than someone who has spent years specialising in it.

Different expertise. Different training. Different roles.

We should respect both.

And then there's the “we've invented this!” brigade…

Oh, this one makes me laugh.

Because occasionally something appears on the market with a very impressive new name.

It has a fancy medical-sounding description.

There's a glossy brochure.

There's a photograph of someone in scrubs or a white coat looking very serious.

And suddenly everyone is talking about this revolutionary new treatment.

And I'm sitting there thinking...

“Hang on a minute…”

Because I've been doing something remarkably similar for over 30 years.😂

Suddenly a treatment we've been trained to perform for years has been given a new name, wrapped in a fancy marketing package and suddenly costs the price of a small mortgage.

“Revolutionary!”

Is it?

Or have you just changed the name?

Because some of us have been doing versions of these treatments successfully for decades.

We trained for years.

We invested in equipment.

We attended courses.

We learnt the theory.

We learnt the practical side.

We made sure we understood the skin.

And then we went away and spent decades getting bloody good at it.

So when someone comes along, gives an established concept a sexy new name and charges a fortune for it, you'll have to forgive us if we roll our eyes slightly.

Not because we're against progress.

We're not.

Technology evolves.

Research evolves.

Treatments improve.

And that's brilliant.

But sometimes something isn't revolutionary just because somebody has put a new label on the box.

Sometimes it's simply old knowledge wearing a new pair of shoes.

Because what actually goes on in a treatment room?

Modern skin therapists aren't simply rubbing cream on someone's face and hoping for the best.

We assess.

We question.

We investigate.

We formulate treatment plans.

We understand contraindications.

We consider the client's skin, lifestyle, products, expectations and previous treatments.

And we have to keep learning because science and skincare doesn't stand still.

One minute everyone's obsessed with one ingredient, the next minute TikTok has decided we're all doing it wrong.

Then someone arrives with seventeen products they've bought because an influencer told them they needed them.

And we're standing there thinking:

“Right. Let's put the internet down and have a look at your actual skin.”

Sometimes being a skin therapist feels less like beauty therapy and more like being a skin detective.

What's causing the problem?

What's making it worse?

What are they using?

What have they been told?

What have they been doing at home?

What does their skin actually need?

And sometimes the answer is surprisingly simple:

Less bloody stuff.

But here's the bit you don't see on Instagram

You don't see the conversation.

You don't see the person lying on the treatment bed telling you something they've never told anyone else.

You don't see the client who has spent years feeling embarrassed about their skin.

You don't see the person who has had a rubbish week and desperately needed an hour where nobody wanted anything from them.

You don't see the person who comes in worried about their appearance and leaves feeling a little bit more confident.

You don't see the laughter.

You don't see the tears.

You don't see the conversations about menopause, relationships, children, work, ageing, confidence, life and everything else that somehow gets discussed while I'm applying a peel.

And you certainly don't see the number of times I've heard:

“I've never told anyone this before…”

That's when you realise this job is about far more than skin.

We're part therapist, part detective and part bloody agony aunt

A good skin or beauty therapist becomes many things.

We're educators.

We're listeners.

We're problem solvers.

We're skin detectives.

We're treatment planners.

We're business owners.

We're sometimes receptionists, cleaners, accountants, IT support and professional appointment chasers.

We're expected to know every ingredient known to mankind.

We remember people's children's names.

We remember where they're going on holiday.

We remember their wedding anniversary.

We remember that their daughter was sitting an exam six months ago.

And somehow, while doing all that, we're supposed to remember whether they prefer the hot towel on the left or right shoulder and that is with a menopausal brain. 😂

And apparently we're JUST skin or beauty therapists.😂

Beauty therapy has changed

The industry I started in is almost unrecognisable compared with today's world of advanced skin treatments, laser, IPL, microneedling, chemical peels and medical-grade skincare.

Technology has changed.

Products have changed.

Education has changed.

Clients are more informed.

And sometimes they're too informed, thanks to TikTok.

We now have to navigate filters, unrealistic skin expectations, social media trends, misinformation and people convinced they've got seventeen different skin conditions because they've Googled their face at 2am.

So yes, we're skin or beauty therapists.

But we're also highly trained professionals who need to know when something is within our scope, when it needs treating, when it needs leaving alone and when it needs referring to a doctor or dermatologist.

That's not JUST beauty therapy.

That's knowledge.

That's responsibility.

That's experience.

And I bloody love it

Here's the thing.

I don't rant about this because I'm ashamed of being called a skin or beauty therapist.

Quite the opposite.

I'm bloody proud of it.

I've spent more than 30 years doing this job.

I've watched the industry change.

I've trained.

I've learnt.

I've adapted.

I've invested in treatments and equipment.

I've continued learning.

I've probably talked more about people's skin than most people talk about their own families.

And I've seen the difference a treatment, a conversation or simply being listened to can make.

That's why I care.

That's why I get passionate.

That's why I rant.

Because when you love what you do, you give a shit about doing it properly.

So, am I JUST a skin therapist?

No.

I'm a skin therapist.

I'm a beauty therapist.

I'm an educator.

I'm a listener.

I'm a problem solver.

I'm a skin detective.

I'm someone who knows when to treat something and when to say:

“Actually, I'd like you to get that checked.”

I'm someone who can spend an hour talking about someone's skin and somehow end up knowing their entire family history.

And sometimes, I'm simply the person who gives someone an hour where they can switch off, lie down and let someone else take care of them.

And that matters.

Because sometimes people don't need fixing.

They just need listening to.

So yes, call me a skin therapist.

Just leave the word JUST out.

Because we're not JUST skin therapists.

We're not JUST beauty therapists.

We're not JUST there to make you look good.

We're there to educate.

To advise.

To treat.

To listen.

To care.

To know our limits.

To keep learning.

And ultimately, to help people feel better about themselves.

And if someone thinks that's a small job...

Well, they clearly haven't spent much time in a treatment room.

Because behind every treatment is a person.

And behind every good therapist is years of training, knowledge, experience, empathy and bloody hard work.

Which, when you think about it, is actually a pretty bloody important job.

And if Dolly Parton can walk into a room looking like Dolly Parton and still make everyone realise very quickly that she's probably the cleverest person in it…

Well, I'll take that as my inspiration.

Big hair. Big personality. Big knowledge.

And absolutely NO JUST. 😂

And because apparently writing a rant wasn't enough… I decided to write a bloody song about it too! 😂

I’ve always loved Dolly Parton and 9 to 5, so that was my inspiration —

that brilliant, cheeky, “I know exactly what I’m talking about” attitude.

So here goes…

🎵 I’M NOT JUST A SKIN OR BEAUTY THERAPIST!🎵

🎵🎵🎵They call me a skin therapist,

As if that's all I do,

But I've got years of bloody training

And a skincare degree or two!

I know your skin from top to toe, I know what makes it flare,

I know the products you shouldn't use, And yes… I know you picked it there! 😂

I listen to your problems,

I know your family tree,

And somehow while I'm doing your peel,

I know what your husband's up to — too

🎵 CHORUS

I’m NOT JUST a skin therapist,

I’m NOT JUST a beauty therapist too,

I’ve got years of bloody training, And I know exactly what I do!

I listen, care and educate,

I know when to say “not today”,

And if you’ve Googled your skin at midnight, I’ll gently take your phone away! 😂

Then someone gives an old treatment

A brand-new fancy name,

Adds a medical-looking brochure,

And suddenly it costs a fortune — same bloody game!

“Revolutionary!” they tell us,

“We've invented something new!”

And I’m sitting there thinking,

“Really? Because I’ve been doing that since before you knew!” 😂

I’m not saying things don't change,

Or that new science isn't great,

But sometimes old wine gets a new label,

And suddenly doubles in rate!

I'm NOT JUST a skin therapist,

I'm NOT JUST a beauty therapist too,

I'm part detective, part counsellor,

And I'll tell you what NOT to do!

I've got years of experience,

And I've learnt a thing or two,

So before you call me “JUST” a therapist…

I've got a bloody job to do!

We know when something needs referring,

We know when something isn't right,

We keep on learning, keep on training,

And sometimes put the internet right! 😂

So don't call me JUST a skin therapist,

Or JUST a beauty therapist too,

There’s forty years of knowledge

In everything I do.

I'm NOT JUST a skin therapist,

I'm NOT JUST a beauty therapist,

We listen, we care,

We know when to refer, And we make you feel better!

We've got knowledge, we've got experience,

And we've earned our place,

So don't underestimate us…

We're rather bloody good at what we do! 😂❤️

🎵 FINAL CHORUS

I’m NOT JUST a skin therapist,

And I’m proud of what I do,

I’ve trained, I’ve learnt, I’ve got experience,

And I bloody care about you!

So call me what you like,

Just leave the “JUST” behind,

Because there’s a hell of a lot more

Going on inside this mind!

Years of training, decades of experience,

And still I’m learning every day,

I might make you laugh while treating your skin…

But I know my bloody stuff — okay?! 😂

I’m NOT JUST a skin 0r beauty therapist…

And Dolly would bloody understand. 🎤💗 🎵🎵🎵

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