Owner of Nikki Mitchell Makeup & Beauty
Owner of Nikki Mitchell Makeup & Beauty
Nikki Mitchell is one talented lady. Known as one of the best makeup artists and brow stylists on the Gold Coast, Nikki is based out of her Miami studio and has gone from strength to strength, establishing a highly regarded name for her business Nikki Mitchell Makeup & Beauty. Amongst the numerous awards she has won, Nikki is known especially for her brow styling, spray tanning range and now, her recently launched new skin care range, Nikki Mitchell Tanning & Skin. Nikki’s 20 years’ experience as a qualified professional makeup artist has seen her work with some of the most high-profile clients and international events. The vast range of celebrity clientele Nikki has worked with include Miranda Kerr, Toni Collette, Naomi Watts, Jesinta Franklin, Samantha Harris and Kylie Minogue. We caught up with Nikki to tell us about her new skincare range, her pick of the bunch and where she like’s to hang on the Coast.
Tell us about your career thus far.
I’ve been a professional makeup artist for over 20 years working on hundreds of clients. My number one priority making clients feel comfortable and focusing on their natural beauty to deliver the best results. I started developing my own brand of spray tanning solution in 2016 because I wasn’t happy with the tan solutions on the market, so I decided the only way to get the natural colour I wanted was to make my own range. It’s a natural olive tan and does not go patchy at all! So then in 2020, I decided to add a skincare range!
What’s your proudest business moment?
Launching my tanning range and having it win best tan of Brisbane 2020 plus now launching my skincare range. As much as 2020 has been a not so great year for some, the down time of closing my salon through Covid gave me time to focus on creating my skincare range which is full of active ingredients and peptides!
Tell us about your new Nikki Mitchell Skin Range.
The whole range is vegan, cruelty-free, Australian made and with active ingredients. The range includes face masks, moisturiser, cleanser, facial scrub, eye cream and body lotion. I designed the range to be skincare staples and offer my clients added benefits to their daily regime. It’s rejuvenation in a jar.
Tell us about your favourite product from the range.
I absolutely love both my Hyaluronic Gel and my Vitamin C 20% Serum. I have had so many before and after pictures showing me great results, it’s just so rewarding.
What skin types does it suit?
It suits all skin types including acne breakouts to anti-aging, I created it to be unisex.
What’s in the works for your for 2021?
I was going to be travelling to teach the model brow technique to salons around Australia but with the Covid restrictions this isn’t looking good for my upcoming travel plans.
Tell us your favourites on the Coast…
Café for breakfast: Commune Burleigh and Hide ‘n Seek Espresso
Coffee spot: Forreal Kitchen
Restaurant for dinner: That’s Amore and Little Truffle
Bar or pub for a drink: Mr.
How does your weekend usually look?
My Saturday’s are normally full of doing makeups for weddings or events, but Sunday’s are for relaxing with family (my 3 beautiful boys) and friends, maybe a few drinks in the afternoon.
You can view all of Nikki’s range here.
We Gold Coasters are connoisseurs of many things, beachside good vibes, five-star restaurants, fun for the whole family, the list goes on.
As of right now we’re also leading the way in revolutionary skin care thanks to a new studio that recently opened its doors in Broadbeach.
Light Years Skin Studio, found next door to Mamasan on Oracle Boulevard, is already receiving rave reviews thanks to their custom-made LED therapy cocoons, utilising the world’s leading technology and only taking 13 minutes per treatment.
The newbie is the brainchild of three talented Gold Coast gals who, after experiencing the aesthetic and therapeutic benefits of LED light themselves, wanted to create a special place for others right here in their hometown.
Light therapy saw co-founder, Megan Jurisich through recovery after a significant skin cancer removal, Katrina Sly discovered LED when requiring a little soul and skin rejuvenation therapy during her time in London and, with 30 years’ experience in the skin care industry, Studio Director Angie Tocco had been a long-term advocate and practitioner of LED.
The girls are on a mission to provide the most effective LED Light Therapy treatment available at an affordable price, so people can achieve the consistency of treatment needed. To make this happen they have created a pricing model practiced for years in the fitness industry so customers can utilise the studio as many times as they like from just $55 per week.
Turning another stigma on its head, LED light is not just for the women in fact, many of their first customers, are Gold Coast men who feel they are more experiencing early aging due to time in the surf or outdoors for their trade.
Unlike regular beauty salons, Light Years offers just five other beauty treatments on the menu. The purpose being to take the confusion and guess work from customers and just deliver the very best of treatments the team know work.
Their mantra is ‘real people and real results in real time’ and it looks like Light Years will be shedding the light on skin care for a long time to come.
If your skin could do with a little pep up after perhaps the most stress-filled year of your life, give the girls at Light Years Skins Studio a call.
LOCATION: The Oracle Blvd, Broadbeach
Lauren Kate is a facialist, maybe not a term you’ve heard before, but now you have. Lauren opened her boutique facial clinic The Facialist (I see what you did there) in Miami in 2017 offering eager Gold Coast faces essential, clinical and luxury facials and well, she’s had a steady following ever since. In fact, Lauren is in such high demand, she is currently on the hunt for a new location to expand her popular business (when things return to normal). We caught up with Lauren to get the down-low on how we can look after our skin at home…
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I am South Australian born but the Gold Coast has been my home for 20 years.
What do you love most about the Goldie?
The landscape, the Gold Coast has incredible beaches and just a stonesthrow inland, a backdrop of valleys and rainforests, one of the most beautiful destinations in the world!
Tell us about The Facialist.
The idea for The Facialist was born when I was teaching skin science, I would see students come through my classes, learning about the skin and performing clinical treatments that they may not be able to afford to have themselves.
The Facialist is a space for all ages, all genders and all skin conditions where the emphasis is on skin health and self love, not sales goals. A beautiful space where you can have top notch treatments, delivered by advanced skilled therapists at a price that doesn’t make your eyes water. Whether it is a clinical corrective treatment or much needed me-time you seek, we have you covered.
What’s a good routine that I should get into for looking after my skin at home?
Keep it simple, Cleanse, Treat, Hydrate, Protect. Cleanse daily to remove pollutants and cellular waste, treat individual skin concerns with a select serum, hydrate with a moisturiser to correct and maintain the skin barrier and protect with SPF! A good Facialist can help you tailor your skin care products to meet your skin health needs.
Are there any food or drinks that play with your skin that we should limit/avoid? And are there any that are beneficial?
Absolutely! Foods rich in Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin C, E & EFA’s are my favourite big players when it comes to skin, think dark leafy greens like spinach, nuts, seeds, avocados, mangos, lemons and bananas to name a few. And to limit, alcohol and sugar. Alcohol can cause facial flushing, pruritus, impared immunity and disrupted skin barrier function, and excess sugar attacks the skin’s collagen and elastin and has a causative link to acne.
I got sunburnt (oops), what should I do to not peel?
Sunburn is skin cells in trauma, the ‘peel’ that follows is the skin’s way of shedding dead, dying and damaged cells from your body. It’s best to let your skin handle this but you can speed up the healing with cool compresses and gentle soothing moisturisers such as aloe vera.
I’m starting to get some fine lines, what can I do?
Ditch the sugar and the sunshine! Excess sugar sabotages skin in a process called glycation, basically hijacking the beautiful proteins in your skin and causing them to become rigid, the UV Radiation from our sun attacks these same proteins. Skincare products containing Retinoids, a form of Vitamin A, are a great idea to throw into your night-time skin routine, Retinoids work to combat damage to the skin’s proteins and promote new collagen production, treating pesky fine lines and wrinkles.
Should I exfoliate?
Yes, but don’t overdo it. Skin cells naturally exfoliate themselves but as we age the process slows down, this can contribute to congestion and leave your skin looking dull. How often you should exfoliate and what with, comes down to your individual skin condition, it’s always best to reach out to your Facialist to make sure your exfoliant is right for you.
What’s the best option for getting rid of blemishes?
This is a tricky one, the cause and condition of the skin are important factors, there are tons of quick fixes however they may resolve the blemish temporarily but don’t treat the underlying cause. The best option? Call us.
My skin looks dull and lifeless, anything I can use around the house to look fresh again?
The best thing you can use around the house are your own hands! A gentle home facial massage will give you back your glow. Massage has many benefits, it will help to improve circulation, simulate cellular turnover, aid lymphatics and relax muscles, leaving your skin more radiant. Take care not to pull, it should be gentle with flowing strokes upward and from the centre.
What do you think is a must-have item for your skin?
SPF! Enjoy the sunshine, but do so safely. I prefer a good physical sunscreen.
(there is more on our blog on this topic: protection or poison)
What’s your best piece of beauty advice?
Your skin is a reflection of your internal health and wellbeing, diet and lifestyle have huge implications on your skin health, regular facials and a good skin care routine are only part of the picture. My favourite beauty advice is to ‘Feed your Face’. What are you eating, what aren’t you eating, are you getting enough?
Tell us your favourites on the Gold Coast:
Coffee spot: Hide N Seek
Café for breakfast: Caffeine Kings
Restaurant for dinner: The North Room
