The right make-up can take you to the boardroom.

We all know we keep one look for our social lives and another for work, but just how important is good grooming for your career?

Early in my career, a female boss advised me, “dress for the job you want to have”.  Sage advice, right?  Definitely, considering I was young, eager to do well and be considered for promotion.  But as we get older and have those promotions under our belt…do we forget this mantra and get stuck in a look that might not be serving us best.  While it may no longer be about promotions (or maybe it is), our image underlies our professional brand and presents a perception to others about our knowledge, reliability and most importantly - being worth our compensation.

With the gender pay gap at 16% in Australia and studies showing that attractive people are paid more than their less attractive counterparts - how important is it that we are building our brand through our grooming?

According to research conducted at Boston University a direct relationship exists between make-up and the perceived ability, competence and trustworthiness of a female employee and a more recent study by sociologists from UC Irvine answers this question down to the dollars.  This research supports that while attractive people can earn 20% more than their not-as-attractive peers, the scales are tipped back when good grooming is added into the mix.

The study found that average-looking, well-groomed women earned significantly more than average-looking women, with average grooming - around $6,000 more and $4,000 more than her more attractive, but less-groomed counterpart.

So with a little lippy helping us earn more is it time we considered our hair and make-up as career investments?

That is one good reason to participate in a personlised Make-up and Hair Styling lesson.

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Majella Official Launch

Last month we had the pleasure of officially launching Majella Stylist & Salon Consultant with some special guests who have supported us along our journey of opening our styling boutique on Brisbane’s northside.

It was a great opportunity to celebrate what we have achieved in such a short period of time as well as meet some new friends along the way.

The champagne flowed as our guests took the opportunity to explore the boutique, some of our service features and enjoy delicious treats from The Dawn Tea Rooms who catered the evening. 

Rent-A-Classic added to the fun of the evening by bringing along their classic mustang, which became a great prop for guest selfies.

We were entertained throughout the evening by Richard Griffiths who played tracks from his recently released CD, Trilogy and had some fun giving away prizes and goodie bags to all who came.

We’d like to thank everyone who attended and we hope to see you all again soon.

The Total Look

With the 2017 Awards season over, we’ve been treated to a glimpse of couture fashion influences for the coming year.  While the dresses are always the standout for the media and bloggers, if the celebrity’s hair and make-up isn’t to perfection, that will become the defining element of their look - Cher’s black wig still ranks as one of the worst Oscar looks of all time.

Beyond the glitz of Hollywood, Tiffany Trump reportedly shared a $300 budget with her mother for hair and make-up for her father’s presidential inauguration. That’s a quarter of the budget for her Aruna Seth shoes for the event.

So what really should you budget for your hair and make-up for an event? 

Consider most events from Lounge Suit to Black Tie have a photographer on hand, you could find yourself staring back at you from the local social round-up magazines and blogs.  Not to mention being tagged into online images from that night by your friends and colleagues.
 

While it is important to work within your personal budget, how often have you spent more money on your shoes than your hair and make-up for an important event - and how often have you spent more on your hair and make-up than the rest of your outfit?

Summer and your hair

Queenslanders enjoy a very active, outdoor lifestyle and even more so over the summer.  In the south east corner, we cool off at the beach, cheer along our favourite teams and athletes at the cricket and tennis, and make use of the long days to enjoy more time outside before and after work. 

It’s a great lifestyle - but our hair and skin sure take a beating.

You’ve probably noticed your styles may not hold the same, colours lose their richness and damage creeps up on your ends.

With over 25 years in the hair and beauty industry I have seen a lot of changes in product technology and ingredients and am proud to offer I.C.O.N.’s India range in my services.

Inspired by ancient Indian practices and featuring restorative oils such as Moringa and Argan, this range is designed to heal, nourish and strengthen hair. 

The range includes shampoo and conditioner as well as a range of restorative products including healing oil (with Aloe and Quinoa), a conditioning masque that blends coconut and olive oil and a curl cream with extracts of Quinoa and Sunflower seeds.

I can’t wait for you to try these products – they are produced ecologically and ethically and leave your hair with a delicate amber fragrance as well as delivering great lasting restorative results.

If your hair is in need of a recharge and some TLC after the summer break, it’s time to try the I.C.O.N. range. Relax and enjoy a luxury I.C.O.N. India Deep Moisture Deluxe Hair Treatment including all the embellishments and a beautiful blow wave. Receive 20% off.  (valid till 30th April 2017)

Phone Majella on 0413 126 844 to schedule your appointment.