On the first Friday of April, Ageless Radiance Club founder Bahar Etminan hosted a sold-out event at The Calile in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. The full-day event played host to 180 guests – a combination of wellness and aesthetic practitioners, and fashion and beauty experts and enthusiasts. The day marked the second Ageless Radiance Club event.
Former TV presenter, Nicole Dabeau was the day’s MC, marking the event as “an opportunity for change and transformation” for guests. Nicole encouraged guests to firstly take a moment for themselves to consider what it was they wanted to achieve out the day; their intentions for themselves. “You’ve chosen yourself, and that is powerful,” she said.
How and why do we age?
Kicking off a series of talks Dr Agnes Warcalowski, Aesthetic Physician and Women’s Hormone and Gut Health Specialist, advised guests to consider how the gut, beauty and brain axis impacts the skin, and how nutritional interventions can support it. She shared her personal health journey as a teenager, including autoimmune conditions and dermatological conditions. More than 50% of Australians have been diagnosed with a chronic health condition, many of whom are placed on medications. A further 70% are deficient in at least one nutrient.
According to Dr Agnes, both extrinsic and intrinsic causes of inflammation ought to be addressed, with consideration of individual epigenetics. A processed diet impacts the gut barrier, leading to leaky gut. The body’s response can lead to a stress response in the brain. In fact, a single meal can disrupt the microbiome, she flagged.
Perimenopause can also disrupt this whole cycle, as we accumulate dysfunctional cells. Dr Agnes recommended Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to her clients generally, but says we need to move beyond this and support the body with the right nutrition and supplementation that also supports brain function. Crash diets don’t work in women of this age group, and some healthy foods can actually lead to inflammation. Therefore, a personalised regime is ideal. It’s all about high-quality, comprehensive supplementation, and avoiding additives, she said.
Read all about the first Ageless Radiance Club event, hosted in Sydney, here.
What can we do about ageing?
Dr Scott Allison, celebrity cosmetic doctor, spoke on the anatomy of ageing, stating “[2025] is a great time to age well”. Like Dr Agnes, Dr Scott discussed the roles of both intrinsic and extrinsic ageing. 80% of ageing is caused by UV in Australia. Ageing isn’t a linear process, he said, and we experience two ‘bursts’ of ageing at 44 and 60 years.
Dr Scott recommended tackling free radicals with the use of antioxidants, which mostly come from the diet but can also be used topically. He then detailed the anatomy of the face, from the skin down to the bone, explaining how fat and muscle can be strengthened using technology and injectables. It’s important for clinics not to focus on one thing when treating clients; a holistic plan needs to be implemented to keep results looking natural.
30% of collagen is lost in the first year of menopause. Water loss also occurs, causing skin dullness. Rapid weight loss can lead to the loss of volume in the face. “The ageing process is multi-faceted, so our treatment needs to be as well.”
How to choose a cosmetic surgeon
Dr Lily Vrtik, President Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, spoke on making safe choices in cosmetic surgery. Consider “why do I want surgery?”. She added, “there are no right or wrong answers, but there are red flags; changing your look is not going to change your life.” She inferred that beauty is subjective, and so clinicians need to be careful in diagnosing problems that may to exist to the patient. Both risks and benefits need to be tallied, and clients need to recognise that there are limitations on what surgery can do. Choosing the right surgeon starts with safety. Dr Lily identified the different cosmetic roles and how they differ, noting the title of ‘surgeon’ is protected.
“There are no right or wrong answers, but there are red flags; changing your look is not going to change your life.” – Dr Lily Vrtik.
Tacking the most common visible signs of ageing
A panel was held, hosted by dermatologist Dr Leona Yip, Dr Scott Allison and clinician Karen Shirley. The trio discussed topics, including:
- women’s hair loss, flagging the importance of attaining the right diagnosis, treatment provider, and combination of treatments,
- combining skincare with energy-based device use with focus on Ultraformer III,
- collagen stimulation using the Clear + Brilliant, which can also work on darker skin tones.
Ageing is biological
Professor Derek Richard, DNA repair scientist, spoke on preventing disease and expanding lifespan. 70% of humans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes. From the age of 35-40, our cells begin to switch off. Professor Derek indicated humans are most likely to get cancer once our children have left home, implying that biologically, our bodies are no longer needed as we are no longer needed to our children.
Skincare, movement, and style in the fight against ageing
Olivier DuVillard, skincare educator and industry insider, clarified the rules around ingredient listings for skincare, reminding guests that the placement of an ingredient in a list often reflects the amount present, while any ingredient with less than 1% can be placed in no particular order.
After lunch, Leah Rivallo Gomes took guests through a flamenco dance routine to encourage movement and fun.
This was followed by a second panel which featured styling coach Nikki Parkinson, spa and wellness advisor Meaghan South, and podcaster Lara Nercessian. Nikki spoke about developing confidence in your mid-life. Her advice? “Wear what you love.” Meaghan spoke of her career in the spa industry, leading into discussion of energy maintenance and the importance of preserving your energy through self-care. She addressed diet, sleep, and exercise. Meaghan ran through the biggest global spa trends, including the value of longevity spas. Lara detailed her passion for personal mindset development.
Nathan Cheong, Manish Mallas and Dane Larson paneled a discussion on optimising women’s health, focusing on neuroscience. This was followed by a talk on breaking wellness taboos by Heather Anschau, founder of Core Restore Co., a class on styling to suit your personal tastes with Nicole Adolphe, and a masterclass in makeup application with celebrity makeup artist, Michael Brown.
PB’s Editor-in-Chief Hannah Gay was thrilled to learn more on the valuable ingredients housed in mesoestetic‘s cosmeceutical products, and to receive a personalised scalp consultation with the team at professional hair care brand, Nioxin.
All attendees received a generous goodie bag on close, while taking home tips and tricks on how to look and feel both ageless and radiant.
This year’s Ageless Radiance Club event was sponsored by: La Prairie, The Iconic, Melrose Future Lab, Rejuvaus, EMSELLA by BTL Aesthetics, mesoestetic, Rejuran, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Total Fusion Platinum, Ultraformer MPT, Clear + Brilliant, Nioxin, Bon Patch.
For updates on future Ageless Radiance Club events, follow @agelessradianceclub on Instagram.
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