Wednesday, June 8, 2011www.qatar-tribune.com24 QT WOMEN

Facelift to the beauty therapist’s

role in Qatar

LANI ROSE R DIZONDOHA

GONE are the days when beauty therapistswere treated as people who applied make upand paint nails just for a living.

With the fashion world undergoing a majormakeover in recent times, the job of beauty thera-pists has become lucrative and much sought after.

In order to cater to the growing demand of quali-ty beauty professionals in Qatar as well as theregion, Qatar Foundation’s Social DevelopmentCentre and the UK’s Yorkshire College of BeautyTherapy (YCOB) joined hands in 2009 to set up theTajmeel Qatar International Beauty Academy(QIBA) that offers internationally renowned beautytherapy courses.

Talking to Qatar Tribune, Tajmeel PrincipalBeverly Crowther said, “With the world changingfast, people are beginning to respect the fashionindustry a lot more than they did earlier. We see amassive change in people’s perception of a beautytherapist’s role. The industry has become highlyprofessional with a number of institutions all overthe world conducting research and coming up withinnovative beauty solutions. However, there are stillsome regions in the world which need to develop in

this regard. In Qatar, Tajmeel is playing an impor-tant role in creating a cadre of good beauty profes-sionals as well as better infrastructure. Later, theseprofessionals will encourage and inspire moreyoungsters to join the trade.”

According to Crowther, formulating legislationsfor the health and beauty industry will certainlyhelp in raising the profile of beauty therapists in Qatar.

“That is our long-term aim, and it will taketime. We already have a reputed managementteam in the UK, and many keep coming to Qatarto share their skills with the local beauticians.Once the reputation of the profession rises, Ithink the government will bring in legislations inthis regard,” she said.

According to Crowther, in Europe as well asSouth Africa and Australia, legislations for thehealth and beauty industry are in place.

“All these countries have framed necessary lawsto ensure that beauty therapists must be profession-ally trained and qualified. But there are countries inthe world that still don’t have such laws. In Qatar,we aim to ensure that all beauty therapists haveprofessional qualifications. We want to set up adepartment where the QIBA would help beautytherapists in the country to help upgrade their skills

and become a member of the international profes-sional association,” she added.

She said that since its launch, Tajmeel has got an amazing response from both local andexpatriate students in Doha. “Our make-upcourse has been lapped by female students. Many renowned spas and salons, both local and international, have shown interest in ourcourses and professionals. We are in constanttouch with them for providing courses that aretailor-made as per their demands. We havegroups of girls and their mothers from differentschools that just come along for their own person-al interests,” she said.

Crowther said that make-up and skin care coursesare one of the most popular courses among studentsat the academy.

She said, “There’s a very long history of make-up inthe Middle East. It is part of their culture. For exam-ple, the application of the henna art started from thisregion. The people of this region are interested tolearn what the other trends around the world are, likethe western trends, which we find interesting.”

Currently, Tajmeel offers international diplomaprogrammes and courses certified by the presti-gious International Therapy Examination Council.It also offers QIBA Diploma and QIBA Certificatefor short courses and workshops on hairdressing,make-up, and skin care.

Professional training fees at the academy rangefrom anything between QR500 up to QR50, 000.The academy also conducts commercial salon dayswhere its students work on the clients and put theirtraining to practical use at minimal fees.

“If you want to be a professional, then you needto learn all the underpinning knowledge behindevery treatment. People come to us and ask usabout problems concerning their skin and theirbodies. We tell them how to improve their overallwellness and eradicate those problems that they’rehaving. But it’s an international training thatallows you to do that and to be able to have theconfidence and ability to give that advice,”Crowther said.

“We even need to learn the anatomy and physi-ology of the body to be able to apply any treat-ment; anything from filing your nail to cleaningyour face, to applying the mascara and all thesethings. You need to know the underpinningknowledge of how to do such things in harmonywith the body and structure of the body,”Crowther added.

Principal Beverly Crowther saidsince the launch of Tajmeel Qatar

International Beauty Academy (QIBA)in 2009 the institution has

got an amazing response from bothlocal and expatriate students inDoha. Currently, Tajmeel offers

international diploma programmesand courses certified by the

prestigious International TherapyExamination Council. It also offersQIBA Diploma and QIBA Certificate

for short courses and workshops onhairdressing, make-up,

and skin care.

Make-up room.

Therapy room.

Facelift to the beauty therapist’s

role in Qatar

Hairstyle room.

Beverly Crowther, Tajmeel Principal