Hannah Gay speaks to both a teacher and a student of the NEOLIFTING by PRO-AGE facial course to discover what’s involved.
Behind the doors of a select few locations in Australia are the talented hands of beauty therapists offering the intraoral facial. Also referred to as the buccal facial or more generally, facial massage, the exceptionally unique treatment style is rising in demand by clients and their therapists alike.
With professional beauty services taking on a more holistic appearance in recent years, and day-to-day stress impacting clients’ health in more ways than one, it’s no wonder interest in intensive facial massage – designed to relax signs of ageing alongside the muscles of the face – has increased.
This January, PRO-AGE Aesthetics Academy will run workshops in Melbourne and Sydney for those in the industry looking to upskill in the intraoral facial. Read on to learn what to expect from the workshops, from the perspective of both a teacher and a graduate student:
The teacher
Tatiana Vorontsova, Co-Founder and Head Instructor at PRO-AGE Aesthetics Academy
Hannah Gay: Tatiana, briefly discuss how you got started in this field of work.
Tatiana Vorontsova: “I had a very bumpy start in health and wellness when I was younger and this is exactly what gave me the drive to live a healthy, active lifestyle, and a passion to share my knowledge in the pursuit of holistic wellness.
Having spent a good portion of my life in a corporate environment, I always had this nagging feeling inside of me – “is that it?”, “there must be more to life!”, “if not now, then when?” Constant pressure, emotional burnout, emptiness, stress and exhaustion led me to question myself and what I was doing, and at the same time my early life experiences and compassionate nature were pushing me to do more; to share more; to become more. So I did.
I left the corporate world and drastically changed my career by completing a double diploma course at Massage Schools of Queensland, Australia. From that point on, my life took a completely different turn. What started as a wellness studio on the Gold Coast has grown into a global community – and we are just warming up! I feel very privileged to be able to touch lives and share my expertise with students who come to the training. I believe in the power and intelligence of the heart, authentic connections, loving kindness, deep presence and creation of beauty through focused intention and mindfulness. I love connecting people to their own light, seeing them flourishing and enjoying a wholehearted way of living, doing business and fostering relationships.”
HG: Describe the NEOLIFTING treatment – what is involved?
TV: “NEOLIFTING© is not your typical beauty treatment or a face massage. It’s somatic bodywork – a deep mindful approach to wellness and ageing gracefully which fosters self-care, mindfulness and self-awareness as an expression of self-love.
While visual aesthetic improvement of age-related concerns is what initially attracts people, NEOLIFTING is an art of connecting an individual to their essence. Due to its holistic approach, NEOLIFTING views the relationship between lymphatic, circulatory, immune, and nervous systems as an essential component to health and maintaining youthful looks. By understanding the mechanisms of proprioceptive muscle feedback, the protocol also targets emotional burden accumulated over the years and creates a safe environment for the body to release, self-heal and rejuvenate. It calms down the nervous system, improves blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, increases the microcirculation in the skin and subcutaneous tissue, normalises cellular respiration, activates metabolism and tissue nourishment, improving the skin trophic and positively affects deeper facial structures.
The secret to the success of the treatment lies in the deep understanding of how the face ages, and applying this fundamental knowledge to practice. Our therapists work both superficially on the face, neck and décolleté area and inside the oral cavity, use mindful breathing techniques and efficient manual lymphatic drainage, finishing up with heavenly and effective head massage to alleviate residual tension in the scalp.
The procedure of NEOLIFTING transforms the traditional approach to beauty in the industry which is dominated by invasive techniques, plastic surgeries, injectables, and the use of various toxic substances to delay the ageing process. Being at the forefront of holistic approach in the field of modern beauty, it aims to prove that there is a way to beauty without pain.”
“NEOLIFTING is not your typical beauty treatment or a face massage. It’s somatic bodywork – a deep mindful approach to wellness and ageing gracefully which fosters self-care, mindfulness and self-awareness as an expression of self-love.”
HG: In what year did you begin training others?
TV: “I started training back in 2018 by offering different workshops in aromatherapy, reflexology and bodywork that eventually led me to forming partnerships and collaborating with various trainers in different fields of a vast world of wellness. That’s how PRO-AGE Aesthetics Academy was born.
When I met Uma Ghosh, a holistic beauty educator, it was an instant connection. We both felt there was such an incredible alignment in values and ethos which we wanted to share, that it was only natural for us to combine efforts, skills and expertise to take the continuous education for wellness professionals to another level.”
HG: How has your training changed and expanded since first developing a training program?
TV: “From the very start we wanted to create a well-rounded curriculum rooted in the principles of an holistic approach to somatic bodywork and wellness education. Creation of the NEOLIFTING training programme was a lengthy process and initially we coupled advanced face massage skills with complimentary knowledge and skills in marketing and social media content management for wellness practitioners. These days NEOLIFTING also includes a Beauty Meets Wellness module where we discuss benefits of breath work, meditation and fundamentals of PRO-AGE nutrition for maintaining longevity.
A therapist’s welfare is also an important aspect of the training – we teach therapists’ ergonomics, body posture, and lifestyle management to combat industry-specific traumas amongst therapists and help them last longer in the profession. Our goal is to not only give them the best practical tools for non-invasive facelift, but equip them with transformational knowledge and create educators who will positively and meaningfully impact the lives of their clients.”
HG: Are you selective of the skin therapists that undergo your training? Who is the ideal student for this type of training?
TV: “We are blessed to be attracting mindful, smart, passionate individuals who are committed to growth and spreading awareness of an holistic approach to beauty and wellness. Being a continuous educational provider, we only work with existing professionals in the beauty, spa and massage industries, holistic health and wellness practitioners and related specialists. The training also looks attractive for current students who study towards a beauty or massage diploma as it will enhance their knowledge and skills once they start practicing.”
HG: Why are you passionate about providing a more holistic anti-ageing experience to clients?
TV: “Any invasive techniques are associated with various degrees of risks or possible side effects. Being a mum of three kids, I find it deeply concerning to see how societal stereotypes towards ageing pressure women and men to go under the knife or fill their faces with injectables in pursuit of so-called standards, trends or short-term goals. I believe that every individual is born uniquely beautiful and intrinsically wholesome; we all have gifts and talents which we were born to share.
I don’t like the word anti-ageing, I feel it has this negative connotation towards age, and has been used and abused in so many ways. From my perspective, age is a beautiful thing and a privilege denied to many. To me, age equals your life’s experiences, lessons, accomplishments, challenges and growth which should be celebrated. You should never be ashamed of your life’s journey!
At PRO-AGE Aesthetics Academy we believe that our body is innately intelligent and able to self-heal, repair and rejuvenate if we provide the right conditions for it. We believe in addressing the core issues of ageing rather than superficially patching things up for a quick fix which eventually leads to creating more problems long-term. We believe in freedom of ethical self-expression and healthy embodiment of our truth. NEOLIFTING therapists learn to create a safe and nurturing environment for their clients coupled with specific and targeted manual techniques to help the body activate its own resources and release accumulated psycho-emotional blockages, tensions and negativity to bring forth their most authentic selves.”
HG: I understand you will be running in-person training in Sydney and Melbourne this January 2023. What can students expect to gain out of these training days?
TV: “It’s a very intensive training jam-packed with sacred knowledge and hands-on practice for those wanting to elevate their practice to a whole new level. On top of learning advanced manual skills in non-invasive face lifting, our students will get a massive amount of theoretical knowledge in facial anatomy, anatomy of facial expressions, conceptual knowledge on what factors and facial structures contribute to ageing, and so much more.
Students of NEOLIFTING will learn how to touch with awareness, mindfulness, compassion and zero judgment. They learn how to shift their focus, their internal attention to their fingers; once we do that, our hands become powerful healing tools to create meaningful long-lasting results for their clients and not only lift their faces, but lift their spirits to stay true to our slogan: NEOLIFTING – elevating from inside out.”
“On top of learning advanced manual skills in non-invasive face lifting, our students will get a massive amount of theoretical knowledge in facial anatomy, anatomy of facial expressions, conceptual knowledge on what factors and facial structures contribute to ageing, and so much more.”
The student
Josephine Burgio of SkinFaceBeauty
Hannah Gay: Josephine, briefly discuss your career journey working with the skin.
Josephine Burgio: “My career journey started over 33 years ago. I completed a Diploma of Beauty Therapy with Ella Bache. I then went on to work in their only owned salons in North Sydney which I later purchased from Hallas and owned for several years. During that period I won many awards including NSW Salon of the Year, Beauty Therapist of the Year, and had become their Diamond Salon, which was very prestigious.
Once becoming a mother of two, I sold the business. I also lived in Singapore for several years supporting my husband’s career. Once we returned to Sydney, I decided my love and passion for beauty was still burning bright, so I decided to start seeing clients again from home, servicing only a select few and balancing my work and family life.
The years have flown by very quickly and with the handful of clients I started with, primarily through word-of-mouth and recommendations, my business has grown to full capacity and my books are closed (for the time being).”
HG: When did you complete your NEOLIFTING training with PRO-AGE?
JB: “I completed the NEOLIFTING training back in August 2022. I was lucky enough to be the first group ever taught in Australia.”
HG: As a skin therapist, what motivated you to undergo this training?
JB: “I initially wanted to travel overseas to do my buccal intraoral facial massage as I was so keen on the technique and its benefits. Unfortunately, COVID impacted the beauty and travel industry and plans were put on the backburner.”
HG: What led you to undertaking this training with PRO-AGE over other training providers?
JB: “I had researched quite a few and many were online which, [where-as] I’m so hands-on in my learning. I had been watching PRO-AGE, and their approach to NEOLIFTING really caught my eye. As soon as I knew it was available face-to-face, I didn’t hesitate.”
HG: You mentioned in your testimonial video for PRO-AGE that you got more out of the training than the facial techniques alone. Discuss.
JB: “The five days of training were really transformative. Both Tatiana and Uma led us on a journey, not just to learn the technique of NEOLIFTING, but to learn about meditation, breathwork, psycho-emotional states and above all connecting with other like-minded therapists. I absolutely loved it!”
HG: Who is the ideal candidate for this facial treatment?
JB: “Anyone can have this treatment, although there are some contra-indications. [It’s best suited to] a client who is perhaps losing tone in their face, anyone who stores tension in the buccal area of their face (99% of women), or someone who wants an extraordinary facial treatment.”
HG: Why are you passionate about providing a more holistic anti-ageing experience to clients?
JB: “I’m always on the search for any treatments I can provide my clients before they feel the need for more invasive treatments. The principles of NEOLIFTING are very physiological and anatomical, which allows us to not just massage the skin and the muscles but also to manipulate the bone structure.”
HG: Any additional comments you would like to share on your experience, on the PRO-AGE team, or the training in general?
JB: “If you are a therapist and have been thinking of this training, you will not regret it; it’s hands-down one of the best in the industry.”
Course dates:
NEOLIFTING 5-DAY COURSE
by PRO-AGE Aesthetics Academy
SYDNEY | JANUARY 12-16 2023
MELBOURNE | JANUARY 19-23 2023
For more information on the PRO-AGE Aesthetics Academy NEOLIFTING training courses, visit this link.
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