Local aesthetician highlights importance of protecting the skin 

SADIA Ali-Rahaman, a self-styled aesthetician, is the proprietor of Glo Skincare, an establishment with the motto: “Look Well. Feel Well. Be Well.”

Although Rahaman is a very simple person, she comes highly recommended. She stated that she is very passionate about skin care and after she returned to Guyana from living abroad, she decided to make it a part-time job but it evolved and she has a full-time business today.

“I resided in the United States for 10 years and I also did my studies over there at the University of Central Florida. I graduated with a Master’s in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management, but I had to return to complete a course and I enrolled in skin care as an intern,” she said.

Rahaman’s business is currently located at Rahaman’s Park; she has one member of staff, whom she trained to assist in day- to-day management of the business, which opens from10:00hrs to 17:00hrs. She however, takes customers only by appointment, because her skin care business is growing.

“I have been doing skin care for the past three years at this location in January, but it started out in Kitty first,” she said.

In highlighting the importance of basic skin care, Rahaman said the skin is an organ and we need to take care of it by using the right products and basic daily routine.

“When I first moved back here, sunscreen was a foreign concept to a lot of people and still is and sun damage causes a lot of skin issues such as skin cancer, premature aging, high pigmentation, etc. That is why we really need to protect the skin and not just the face, but also the exposed areas of our bodies,” Rahaman said.

For some, she explained that doing a facial is deemed meaningless, but later down the line when your skin gets discoloured, you realise you have to repair it and then it dawns on you how important it is to protect your skin from the sun.

“Our services are under-priced, making it affordable for the average person because the products used here are all high-end and used in spas in the U.S. And when I first moved back here I tried not to make it too pricey; as such, I had to cut it in half so the facials you are getting are your money’s worth,” Rahaman said.

Rahaman added that by next year her services will include full-body massages based on requests from customers, who come from near and far and have been with her since she started.

“I don’t promote my business, so what has kept me going is word-of-mouth recommendations from customers to others and it is hard to get an appointment at the last minute, because we are booked out completely and in advance as well,” she said.

Rahaman pointed out that when she started out it was supposed to be a part-time job for her but it blossomed and she was enjoying it so much, she decided to train someone to assist her.

She believes a facial should be done at least once a month and that with good skin-care practice, it can even stretch out to every two months.

“My main focus is to have the person know their [sic] skin and what works for them; knowing what products to use, because everyone has different skin types and some need a little more than the organic but, of course, in the safest way possible,” she said.

Most of the products used at Rahaman’s place are imported, but they also use the local coconut line of products, which is very good for their skin-care properties.

At Glo Skincare, they do oxygen infusion facials as well as derma planning, which shaves the skin with a medical-grade scalpel and organic facials for all, including pregnant women, teens, and men. Rahaman said every facial is customised and they also do eyebrow tinting, eyelash lifting and tinting.