She graduated top of her class in South Africa and trained in England and India.
But when Kamani Ramlakan began treating clients at her small Queensburgh beauty clinic, she said she still found herself questioning certain methods she was trained in.
Like other beauty therapists, she waxed and threaded eyebrows and performed deep cleanses daily. But Ramlakan was often frustrated with the lack of results.
“I found myself researching and incorporating techniques I felt to be more successful; so began a quest to find a safe, effective and affordable method to treat the skin concerns of my clients.
“Women – and these days many men – spend a fortune on skin-care ranges that often aren’t even designed for their skins. The price incorporates all the advertising, marketing and packaging.
“I wanted to make it simple and appropriate for our climate and local skin types, and found the only way to do this was to make the products myself.
“Together with cosmetic scientists in Pretoria, I developed a tailor-made skin-care brand.
“Cleansers, moisturisers, spfs and eye creams all need a few basic ingredients to work effectively, but the international beauty industry has done a great deal to convince otherwise. I’ve stripped away all the packaging hype and ‘magical’ ingredients and let the products speak for themselves.”
Ramlakan’s range, called Natural Beauty, is 10 years old. This year she began rolling it out across the province.
“The range has progressed over the years. This is a very challenging market to infiltrate with so many other popular skin-care brands available at major retailers.
“I’ve found that working with other informed therapists and spas as well as consistent research has helped keep the brand going.”
Her customer base grew and she started to train and supply other salons.
“The most rewarding aspect of my work is witnessing the results of treatments. I enjoy advising and educating my clients on their skin.”
The products address typical skin-care issues such as pigmentation, dull, ageing and acne-prone skin.
The 33-year-old has developed an interest in laser therapy, including hair reduction with intense pulse light (IPL) and fat reduction with fat freeze and cavitation (or body sculpting).
“There just isn’t enough correct training on laser machines, which are all the rage at the moment. This will be one of my focuses in 2016.
“The current generation of beauty has taken a very medical approach, which is great, but we need to know our boundaries.”
Here are Ramlakan’s tips for laser:
* Have realistic expectations. Hair reduction varies from person to person.
* Know that it’s not a once-off procedure. Results are based on various factors.
* The main target for laser hair reduction is follicular melanin. When your hair is in the anogen (active growth) phase of hair growth, the melanin is far greater resulting in a more successful treatment.
* Hair is never all in growth at the same time or in the same stage, which is why a course of treatments is always required for effective results.
* There are different equipments for hair reduction. Safer for darker skin is IPL and diode laser because they are less likely to absorb epidermal melanin (top layer of skin colour pigment cells).
* Make sure you are clean shaven before treatment. If not, the hair may burn on the skin surface and leave superficial burn marks.
* Always opt for machines with cooling units as this minimises risks of any burns and is far more comfortable.
* If you have vellus (fine) hair or non-pigmented (lightly coloured or white) hair, you are not a good candidate for laser.
* It is imperative that any underlying hormonal imbalance be investigated, diagnosed and treated to ensure effective results of laser hair reduction.
* If you are extremely sensitive and nervous, request a patch test before the full area is treated.
* Sun block is a must for post-procedure care.
* When choosing treatments and a skin-care product, always be realistic about your expectation. With the alarming increase in skin lighteners and other aggressive treatments, precaution needs to be taken. Choose a skin-care expert who takes the time to assess and guide you on how to treat your skin. After all, you have to wear that skin for the rest of your life.
** To find out more, e-mail [email protected] or find the brand on Facebook.