Lillian Nathanael launched her career in beauty in 1987, opening her own space – Beauty Science in Melbourne – in 1994. Lillian reflects on 30 years of success with Hannah Gay.
Describe the Australian beauty industry at the time you commenced your career.
“During that time, there were very few salons (maybe one in each suburb) that offered waxing, electrolysis, facials, body massage, manis, pedis, makeup application, and/or lash tints. Some had a nail bar installed at reception to offer acrylic nails, as nails had not yet become the stand-alone service they are today.
Popular brands that dominated the industry were mainly of French origin and included Clarins, SOTHYS, Thalgo, Decléor, and MATIS. Equipment consisted of the traditional steamer, Iontophoresis, high frequency, and the first hand-held skin analysis tool – Wood’s Lamp – which was the game changer in encouraging clients to use SPF (as most did not).
The American skincare and makeup market was just warming up. In the late ‘90s, we were the first clinic in Melbourne to bring on Dermalogica, which had landed in Australia in 1996. It was the first AHA range to include glycolic skin peels and had exploded onto the market. We were also transitioning into fit-outs that were more clinical-looking and appealing to both genders. This was our big moment to be taken seriously, and to be recognised as professional skincare experts, despite there being a lot of negativity from dermatologists at that time. They saw us as amateurs (in contrast to now, where they work alongside skin therapists).
Computers and Google didn’t exist so everything was done via direct phone calls to landlines, paper diaries, and client cards which would always get misfiled (good luck trying to find them!). Without a digital platform, we relied on expensive ads in The Yellow Pages, word-of-mouth, and store front windows decorated by a professional with a theme each month to attract new clients.
Training was also a little more challenging. There were very few post-graduate courses available, and available via TAFE only, so most training was done through the skincare company you were affiliated with. If you wanted to bring a new concept in, you would have to seek training overseas, which is what I did with cosmetic tattooing. This inspired me to not only look for new concepts to excite our clients, but to also stand out from the competition.
But the real excitement for me came when we installed our first microdermabrasion machine (despite my hatred of them now) and the establishment of the first dermal studies course. After all these years, innovation still excites and motivates me to do better by our clients.”
What were the core beauty services you offered at your business throughout the ‘90s?
“Like most salons at that time, we were a one-stop-shop offering waxing, electrolysis, nail services, facials, body massage and makeup. Other treatments such as microdermabrasion, microcurrent, AHA peels, and vichy showers became the new buzz – I was all over them all! It was an exciting time for both clinicians and clients.
I also had just trained in cosmetic tattooing which was a very niche service with only a handful of operators in Melbourne. It was a lot of work to establish, that being the marketing of it to our existing clients and relying on word-of-mouth. It was lucrative due to the lack of competition. I loved the creative work it bought with it, as I learned a lot about face shape, balance, and symmetry. And although I didn’t know it at the time, this training would serve me in the future in more ways than I could possibly imagine, especially once I became a cosmetic nurse.”
By the late ‘90s, the industry turned to spa. This was the first time the word ‘wellness’ was being thrown around. The arrival of popular brands such as Dermalogica and Aveda made possible the inclusion of ‘body treatments’. Looking back, it was at this point that the industry was beginning to lead into two separate pathways that would become more defined by 2002: cosmetic or spa-based.
Even though a lot of beauty salons jumped on the spa band wagon (including us), it became clear that we could not sustain that type of business long-term because it brought clients in for a special, occasional treat. Training was also a challenge as the students coming out of colleges did not have the skillset. It proved to be a very time-consuming exercise… the prep and cleaning… as well as requiring a lot of space. Destination spas were on the rise, and they had means and budget far greater than the suburban beauty shop.”
Today, the clinic appears to offer almost all beauty and cosmetic treatments! How many staff do you employ?
“Today we employ five staff that each have specific specialty areas. This way the client can experience expertise in whatever they book in for. We recently revamped our offering by deleting treatments that didn’t work cohesively, or treatments that were no longer in demand.”
I understand Beauty Science is a multi-award-winning clinic…
“In 2024, we won Best Beauty Services at the Local Business Awards. We also won Business of the Year, which was an added surprise! Additionally, we brought home the Best Client Experience Award by Phorest, which was generated from client feedback.”
You’ve personally taken on further training in dermal therapy and cosmetic nursing. How important has further education been to the success of your business?
“Dermal therapy training allows a broader expertise when tackling specific skin conditions. It also increases the scope of practice to include treatments beyond just facials, giving clients greater choice and long-term solutions. It’s also ideal for staff to further enhance their skillset and give them better career opportunities.
Like many skin and beauty clinics, I trialled nurse contractors administering cosmetic injectable services to our clients. This was so we could offer convenience and ensure they were seeing a good operator, and one that would work in with our skin and rejuvenation services in harmony. Sadly, nurses did not collaborate with staff to enhance the clients’ results as anticipated. In my opinion, the sub-contracting model within businesses does not work in most cases, as everyone naturally looks after their own work and interests. To my frustration, every time a nurse moved on, so would some of our clients. It wasn’t until my last nurse left in 2016 that I was motivated to take over that area of the business myself. I also agree with the recent TGA stance, enforcing existing rules around the administration of cosmetic practices to protect the consumer.
Most nurses moving into cosmetics do not have any formal dermal qualifications or prior experience in our field. By taking charge of this area, it has not only benefited the business, but also our clients. I encourage any beauty professional out there to take the plunge and do it! You cannot correct everything with a needle and the foundation of healthy skin will always surpass any injection.”
You operated during the 2008 GFC, during the pandemic, and now during a cost-of-living crisis. Tell us about some of the extreme measures you’ve had to take over the years to maintain the standing of your business.
• “Ensure not to have too much stock sitting on shelves that you do not move through quickly enough. Expired products are a big waste of money. For the sake of paying a delivery cost, you can order smaller and regular quantities as per demand. Also, consider what is no longer moving from your menu or ranges and remove it.
• Re-working rosters to have staff when you need them and not when you don’t. Sometimes this might clash with what they want, but in hard times this is a necessity to reducing unnecessary costs. Always put your best staff first and reduce the lesser performers.
• Manage opening hours to work for you so that you are open when the demand is there, and if need be, close on quiet or less popular days.
• The largest purchases and investments I have made over the years have always come during these hard times. I know it sounds crazy, but a small revamp, fit-out, or new treatment has always provided stimulus. Besides, you get better deals during these times and have more expense to claim at the end of the financial year.
• Invest in staff training, as it’s the right time to motivate staff (and you have the time to do so!)
• Rein in expensive marketing, as 80% of your business usually comes from 20% of your clients.
• Find out what clients are mostly seeking, as there is no point in offering what they don’t want.”
Through the highs and the lows, what have been your biggest learnings?
“Where do I start?!
• Do not get too comfortable. Reinvent the business every three-to-five years, as staff and clients will get bored.
• The power of relationships with clients lasts. They will also recommend and bring new clients that are loyal and supportive, not just for a quick post on social media.
• Always look at what you’re doing, whether it’s right or wrong, and do not pay too much attention to your competitors, as this may make you second guess yourself.
• Stay true to what you are good at and do not try and do everything. Do not be a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’.
• Support the businesses around you as they will also support you and sing your praises.
• Always offer different products and treatments to your competitors so that you both benefit and stand out to clients’ needs.
• Do not invest in a product range that double dips, ie. one that sells online in competition with you or is found in department stores. Always select an exclusive line that offers everything you need, including a unique treatment range that can only be administered by your magic hands.
• Take care of yourself and your health because without it, you have nothing. This rings especially true for me since overcoming my breast cancer.”
If you were to open your own business again in 2025, what would you do differently?
“Definitely not go into shopping centres, as they are too expensive and you have limited flexibility of operations. Apart from that, I have made so many changes and learnt so many lessons over the course of thirty years that I truly believe I am exactly where I should be.”
Images: Supplied
This article originally appeared in the Issue 02 2025 print issue of Professional Beauty magazine. Read it here.
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