When skincare really was bespoke...

fiona mckenna · 2026-09-15T16:24:47.247Z

When I first trained as a beauty therapist, we didn't have shelves filled with ready-made professional skincare. We went to the pharmacist for many of our ingredients and created treatments according to the client sitting in front of us. I particularly loved making face masks. We worked with Fuller's earth, kaolin, calamine, chamomile powder and magnesium, choosing and blending them according to the individual skin. Rosewater, orange blossom water and witch hazel were among the liquids we used, and the floral waters and witch hazel also appeared throughout our cleansing routines as toners and skin fresheners. Looking back, what strikes me isn't simply how different the products were. It was the expectation that the therapist would assess, select and formulate. Ready-made professional products have brought enormous convenience and consistency, but I sometimes wonder whether we have lost a little of that confidence in creating something specifically for the person in front of us. I'd love this to become a conversation. What were you taught during your original training that has disappeared — or perhaps deserves to make a comeback? And if you're newer to the profession, what would you love to learn from therapists who trained before you?

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