The beauty trainer from the Sydney College of Hair and Beauty is passionate about empowering women.
What does it mean to you to be an educator?
For me, transitioning into being a full-time trainer came quite naturally. I have been an expert in permanent makeup for over 25 years and during that time this area of the market has seen huge growth in demand and and now in availability. When I first came to Australia in 1988 I was a single mum with no family to support me. I had brought my baby here with me all the way from Iran in the hopes of finding stability and safety in what was a very volatile time in my home country. Through my work with permanent makeup I was able to build a profitable career as well as comfortable life for myself and my child. Just like body tattoos, permanent makeup is an art form that requires great patience, passion, and practice. It is a skill that is developed over years of practice and having the right guidance and mentorship is vital in developing as an artist. I feel it is so important to support the next generation of women and to empower them the same way that I was back in 1988. For me being an educator is giving back to the community that empowered me to change my life.
How do you as an educator keep ahead of the game and up with the latest trends?
I tend to travel a lot to find out what’s going on in the beauty market worldwide. Australia is so far away from other countries that it often takes a long time for beauty trends to reach us. Industry leading trainers don’t really travel all the way to Australia. So I like to travel to different conferences and workshops each year to stay up to date. This way I am able to offer my students the latest techniques and trends all in one place. During just the last five years, I have trained with some of the worlds leading artists including David Brow, Philipp Brow, Sviatoslav Otchenash and many others.
I think it’s important for educators to support each other on a global scale. Many artists out there can become very protective of their techniques and try to trademark them but the reality is that the market is now large enough for everyone to share new styles and trends, and I love to be able to offer my students access to all the techniques I know. I also work closely with different high end beauty technology companies around the world including Germany. This allows me to gain access to new devices and treatments before they hit the Australian market.
How do you identify and nurture special talent?
As a trainer it is so important to be able to read a student’s confidence and skill level. Not everyone starts from the same place but that doesn’t mean that some students are good or bad or better or worse. Being successful as a PMU artist is dependant on a students perseverance and passion. Cosmetic tattooing is an art form and it takes many years of practice and dedication to perfect your own style. Sadly there are many online courses these days that are designed to be ‘one size fits all’, but these courses don’t allow for each students individual learning needs to be met and don’t allow for the time it takes to develop technical skills and knowledge. Online learning can be a fantastic support tool but will never be able to replace the type of individual development that is achieved through face to face learning and mentorship. When I have a student that completes multiple courses and takes every opportunity to be involved behind the scenes at our college they are usually the ones who go on to shine in the industry.
What is the biggest challenge when it comes to education?
The biggest challenge when it comes to permanent makeup education is the lack of transparency around qualification requirements. There are not a lot of regulations surrounding the area of cosmetic tattooing training. Did you know that private trainers are not required to have any specific qualification at all? In fact there are no government recognised certifications for microblading providers either. Which is scary to think about from a clients perspective. I see many students who have studied elsewhere and have been taught incorrect or poor techniques from so called ‘trainers’. This is one of the reasons that I keep an open door policy with my students. Although my courses are only 3 or 4 days the student is learning an art form that develops with time and practice. I encourage my students to stay in touch and return at any time to refresh their skills.
FAST FACTS
Training Accreditation
- Certificate of Completion, Advanced Training Curriculum: West Coast Academy, USA
- Diploma of Beauty Therapy (WRB50105): TIHA (The Institute of Hair and Aesthetics) , Australia
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment: Northern Beaches Community College, Australia
- Design & Perform Cosmetic Tattooing (SIBBSKS504A): The Mask Academy, Australia
- MasterTrainerCertification:Purebeau Academy, Germany
- Laser and IPL for Hair Reduction, and Skin Rejuvenation: Fuss Beauty College (Sydney Beauty & Dermal Institute), Australia
- Certificate of Completion in Microblading Manual Technique: Princess Brows Training Academy, Hong Kong
- CalligraphyMicrobladeDesigner: Purebeau Academy, Germany
- Certificate in Needling: Purebeau Academy, Germany
- Certificate of completion, Tricopigmentation: Beauty Medical, Italy
- Design & Perform Cosmetic Tattoing (SHBBSKS003): Sydney Beauty Dermal Institute, Australia
- Certificate of Completion : Masterclass with Academy S, Washington
Years in the industry
I have been active in the beauty industry in Australia since I first moved here from Iran in 1988. Thats over 30 years of experience! Prior to my arrival in Australia I also owned and operated several beauty salons in my birth country, Iran.
Educational areas of specialty
Microblading, cosmetic tattooing, BB glow mesotherapy, scalp micro pigmentation, areola regimentation, Skin needling, & plasma skin tightening (fibrolift).
Zara Naderi is a trainer at the Sydney College of Hair & Beauty. Visit www.schb.com.au
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