The festive season is a time for family, friends, parties, and often indulgence. A TAFE NSW Hair and Beauty expert has some great advice to prioritise self-care during this busy period – and how ‘experience’ gifts can help your loved one care for themselves too. 

Australia's beauty and personal care industry is thriving as one of the fastest-growing consumer markets. Australians are tipped to increase their annual spending on beauty and personal care products from $6.8 million this year to over $8 billion by 2028. 

In addition, the gift of an ‘experience’ is on the rise, with a survey on customer buying habits over the Christmas period finding that vouchers were the second most popular choice for gifts. And what’s the best experience for a loved one to relax after a busy Christmas period? Giving the opportunity for some self-care in the form of a facial, massage or hair treatment.

As a result, demand for Beauty Therapists is high, with over 4,600 new beauty therapists expected to enter the industry by 2026, which is a growth of 12.2% over five years.

TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Hair and Beauty Nicole Martin is training these future workers, and has extensive experience as a massage and beauty therapist. She has a passion for self-care, and its power to help people take a break from the demands of daily life. 

She has shared some ideas for how you can prioritise your self-care over the holiday period – along with some great gift suggestions for loved ones.

Idea one: Facials

Whether it’s a full session with a trained Beauty Therapist, or an ‘at home’ treatment, facials help to protect and rejuvenate your skin. Through deep cleansing and exfoliation, you can improve circulation and target specific concerns, to help you feel your best. Nicole says facials are relaxing for both the body and the soul – helping us to feel valued and important. 

A hot tip – sunscreen is an essential element to protecting our skin, particularly during these hot summer months. Make sure to slip, slop, slap before all your social events!

And if you’re still not sure what to get your mother-in-law or sister for Christmas – a voucher for a facial with a skilled beauty therapist is a popular choice.

Idea two: Massage

Massage therapy can reduce stress and anxiety, and help with pain. While there are different types of massage to suit your own personal preference, all of them will help reduce the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in our bodies, and promote positive-feeling hormones such as serotonin and dopamine.

At TAFE NSW, Massage Therapy students learn practical massage techniques, and are taught to assess your needs, to help with any problem areas. They can target areas like feet, hands, neck and head – and will often take a holistic approach to your treatment. If you’re feeling tense during the Christmas period – or looking for a gift for a loved one who could use some relaxation – a massage is thoughtful gift idea.

Idea three: Hair treatment

Whether it’s a fresh cut and colour or a blow dry and style, giving your hair a lift can serve to be a pampering experience, as well as giving you a new found confidence.

A good hair treatment can also fix many problems! From softening dry and brittle strands to reducing frizz, hair treatment is richer than a normal conditioner, and is designed to be left on hair for longer to really sink in and give extra nourishment.

Experiencing a treatment done by a trained Hairdresser (followed by a scalp massage) is the ultimate indulgence. But a purchased treatment done at home can still be relaxing! You can potter around your backyard with a cup of tea, with your hair treatment in, and have some ‘you’ time. 

And if you have a loved one who could use some ‘me’ time – a voucher for a hair treatment is a great gift idea.