By Telesha Ramnarine

NOW licensed as a full-face specialist, Sadia Ali Rahaman initially loved makeup, but a meaningful conversation she had while in Florida with an esthetician sparked her interest in proper skin care and the quality of the everyday products that she would use on her skin.

Because of her fondness for makeup, she became interested in the ingredients that were being used in them and after hearing about the harmful effects that some of these products can have on the skin, she decided it was time to shift her focus from just makeup.

“I spent hours reading up on skincare and my love for makeup kind of went and I became more interested in being confident in my bare skin; putting the right ingredients that wouldn’t cause me to have to hide it,” Sadia recalled during an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.

Noting her intense interest in skincare as she read continuously on the subject late into the nights, her husband, Javid Rahaman, mentioned to her that she should perhaps pursue it further. She didn’t know if he was joking or not, but the next opportunity she got, she enrolled in a skin-care course. “He planted the seed to turn my interest, or obsession as he called it, into more.”

Initially, the intention of enrolling was not to start up a business; it was due to her new-found passion for learning how to care for her skin properly. She started doing skincare for her friends; from one friend to another led to a referral.

“What I love about skincare is the ability to see how people’s self-confidence can increase when they understand their skin and can see changes,”

Sadia expressed. Having received her licence in Florida, she followed up with advanced courses in micro-needling, micro-current, skin analysis and hyperpigmentation, and eventually opened Glo Skincare, which is now located at Rahaman’s Park, East Bank Demerara.

Glo offers professional facial treatments for any kind of skin concerns and issues including ageing, acne, hyperpigmentation, or just overall dryness. Everything ‘Glo’ does, she said, is customised. “We start each treatment with a skin analysis and we customise the facial for that client. It’s not just about making a profit and having people come back to us or become dependent on us,” she expressed.

Sadia especially likes sharing her knowledge with her clients so that they too can develop confidence in themselves and learn to care for their skin on their own.
“I found working in the business was fulfilling because I was able to turn my passion into a business. It is rewarding. I like meeting people, sharing experiences and views, and that is what I love most about it,” she said.

At Glo, they focus on applying a holistic approach to skincare. “We try to understand how the body; lifestyle, etc. play a role in breakouts and so forth,” she noted, adding that because she believes in continued education, she would keep herself informed. “I would go up ever so often to the States and take other advanced courses because the skincare industry is always changing and we have to keep up with the change and trends to provide the Guyanese community with first-world services.”

Sadia has put together a ‘Glo box’ that has practical benefits, especially in the coronavirus epidemic where many people are skeptical about leaving their homes. “The Glo box is an at-home facial box that follows full professional protocol, comes with detailed instructions and products; the clients can give themselves a treatment at home,” she explained.

Four types of boxes have been prepared for people with different skin concerns. There is an organic box and others for acne, brightening, and hydrating/anti-ageing.