Who am I? Why should you listen to me?
I was at a conference recently and a lovely man introduced himself like this and I liked it. He wasn’t being cocky or over confident, he was just stating a fact that he knew we didn’t know him or the experience he had to share. So here I am doing the same.
My name is Clodagh Duffy (née Arthur). I am involved in the Beauty industry for more than 20 years. It began when I was at college studying, wait for it….. Accountancy and HR (I was definitely on the wrong path). I was working to pay my way in the Body shop in Jervis Shopping Centre and I progressed to Manager of their store in Bray. I loved the products, finding out what they did and how they made a difference to our wellbeing and our skin. I found it so exciting. It was here I discovered my true calling and life’s passion – Beauty Therapy. Back to college I go. I was very lucky to be taught by Fernanda Scappaticci herself in 1999 and I have never looked back.
What is a Beauty Therapist you may ask? Is that not just the same as a beautician? A Beauty Therapist has studied the whole body, not just the face. That includes Anatomy and Physiology of the whole body. Yes ALL the muscle names, actions and insertions, the nervous system, the digestive system, the circulatory system and all of the different functions that come with that, as well as massage, manicure, pedicure, facials, body treatments, use of beauty machines, waxing, electrolysis, make up, ethics, health and safety, ingredient knowledge the list goes on. It was tough but I loved it. I gained my ITEC, CIBTAC and CIDESCO qualifications. I graduated in 2000 and headed off on my new career path to London and on to the MS Jubilee (no longer in service) for the guts of a year to gain as much experience as I could and discover where my passion lay in this ocean that is the Beauty Industry.
When I returned home I became the manager of a local Beauty salon before jumping in feet first to make my own way. One room, no clients, plenty of experience but nobody knew me. So I sat and I studied and I got a client. I talked, I worked and I got another who brought me another then their friends and their family most of whom I am delighted to say still come to me today nearly 20 years later. I am both grateful and proud of this fact.
Jumping ahead. Exhale Essential Therapies is my life’s work. Our name stems from the action of ‘exhaling’ our clients have when they come to the door. Essential Therapies as this is genuinely how I feel our treatments are. I now have a whole building for my business. I have two wonderful full time Beauty Therapists to work alongside me as well as my husband with his section of the business. The products we now sell and use I feel are the best in the business. We have qualifications on an International level, friends in the industry from around the country and the world. I look forward to many more years doing what I do. I love it!