A suburban hairdresser who teamed up with a doctor to make Botox affordable and safe for regular people, has the likes of teachers, truck-drivers and tradesmen lining up to rejuvenate their looks.
Lizzy Sumner and GP Dr Ian Housego opened Brisbane Anti-wrinkle Studio on Stanley St, East Brisbane in August with a “no princesses policy”. Ms Sumner said they expressly wanted to cater for regular people who previously may have thought that Botox and other non-surgical cosmetic treatments were out of their league. They also wanted t o place a big emphasis on safety.
“We believe we are the only beauty clinic in Australia that guarantees a doctor will perform your procedure as opposed to a nurse,” she said. Ms Sumner said since they opened the beauty studio next door to her hairdressing salon, they had attracted clients from all walks of life, including a surprising number of men.
“We’ve got working mums, stay at home mums, police officers, nurses, small business owners, builders, teachers, receptionists, you name it, undergoing their first Botox treatments,” she said.
“I think the success of our unique business model has really proven that there is a quiet social revolution going on with treatments like Botox, once considered the domain of the rich and famous and professional elites, now on the wish list of the middle and working classes.
“We’re finding in these tough economic times that people are sometimes forgoing a holiday in favour of Botox because the effects last much longer.” Ms Sumner said they could offer very reasonable prices because being a small suburban clinic exclusively undertaking non-surgical treatments, they had much lower insurance premiums and rent.
The 34-year-old Holland Park mum said she came up with the business idea after trying to get Botox herself following the birth of her second child.
“I had promised myself a freshen up but I was being quoted as much as $1000 a treatment which was beyond my family’s budget. I also couldn’t find a place that would guarantee me a doctor doing the work which was very important to me.”
So she gave up on the idea until she was introduced by a mutual friend to Dr. Housego who is an experienced Brisbane GP doing post-graduate study in the highly specialised field of maxillofacial surgery.
“He not only beautifully eras ed the crows-feet around my eyes, but we discovered we were both passionate about making Botox affordable to regular people,” she said.
Dr Housego said facial specialist doctors carrying out the procedures at Brisbane Anti-wrinkle Studio meant more consistent results and tailor-made treatment plans.
“Our clients get a lot of peace of mind from this as at other clinics you will often pay more and still end up being tended to by a nurse.”
Dr. Housego said he got a lot of satisfaction from helping regular people feel better about themselves.
“I’m not interested in treating prima donnas and princesses seeking unrealistic, plastic-looking faces. We just want to help regular people look fresh and rested even at the end of a long, hectic work day,” he said.
The business partners hope that their East Brisbane studio is the beginning of a beauty business empire with the search now on for fou r other Brisbane suburban locations with long term plans to also expand the business interstate.
“We’ve spoken to people in the beauty industry in places like Sydney about our business model and they’re very excited about it because it’s unique,” Ms Sumner said.
Brisbane Anti-wrinkle Studio at 971 Stanley St East Brisbane is believed to be the only beauty clinic in Brisbane to open after hours and on Saturdays. It has discreet parking at the rear of its premises. Other beauty services available at Brisbane Anti-wrinkle Studio include chemical peels, micro-dermabrasion, skin needling, threading, make-up, eyelash extensions, nutrition advice , cosmedical grade skin care and mineral make-up.
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