Jessica Peris wears a number of hats: salon owner, manicurist, makeup artist and most recently, brand founder. Amid her busy schedule heading up The Beautique in Canberra, Jess founded By The Be. – a dreamy line of natural nail and body care products made right here at home, Hannah Gay discovers.
Hannah Gay: How did you get started in the beauty industry?
Jessica Peris: “From a young age, I loved anything that allowed me to be creative and to express myself artistically, however this wasn’t something I considered pursuing as a career. Without knowing exactly what I wanted to do, I went to study a Bachelor in Advertising and Marketing Communication at The University of Canberra. In my last semester, I assisted a friend in completing makeup at a runway fashion event. I had so much fun that I decided to study a short course in makeup with the intention of doing makeup as a side gig. I then signed up for a nail technology short course with my mum’s encouragement (she offered to pay for the course so I could do her nails for free!). I became obsessed with nail art and with the idea that you could paint so many tiny and beautiful, unique designs filled with happiness and fun. I fell in love with the entire industry, and so went on to gain my Diploma in Beauty Therapy.”
HG: Where did your passion for hand and nail care and nail design stem from?
JP: “I love working with my hands, and while studying nail art I thought our nails were another great way to express ourselves. Our hands are so important, and through the years I have seen our clients leave our space feeling so happy with a fresh set of gel polish. Getting nail design done is not for everyone, but hand care should be. We spend a lot of time focusing on our faces, we sometimes forget the stories in our hands. We hold so much power in our hands; they’re our vessels for creativity, healing, and kindness.”
HG: What prompted you to launch By The Be.?
JP: “By The Be. was something that was growing inside me for a while. I had always thought about creating a luxe cuticle oil, and it wasn’t until the ACT went into lockdown in 2020 that I had the time to pursue the idea. With constant hand washing and sanitising, our hands were worse for wear, and our minds were affected as well. By The Be. was created based on the relationship between the two. It may sound a bit cliche, but I was compelled to create a product that was in touch with both my spiritual and beauty sides, focusing in on overall mind and body wellness. It seemed like a very natural progression in my life to take that path.”
HG: Where did the name By The Be. come from?
JP: “When I decided to look into creating cuticle oils, I was simply going to make a line under The Beautique named “By The Beautique”. It was my boyfriend who suggested that I give it a shorter name, even though I wasn’t planning on creating an entirely new brand. From there, By The Be. was born. The ‘Be’ was initially an acronym that then grew into a life of its own. It carries much more depth now – to ‘just be’, whatever that might mean for you. It has a nice balance and as a brand name, it seemed to tick the boxes. The more we said it, the more it made sense.”
HG: The Beautique hosts a sizable in-store retail offering and e-commerce platform. What are some of the things you look out for when selecting brands to stock?
JP: “I love finding brands that encourage mindfulness and creativity. We also have great relationships with our suppliers, most of the people behind the brands are lovely and take a lot of pride in their businesses. I’m always on the lookout for something new and different. Since starting out from my home salon, I’ve wanted to stock items that aren’t what you’d typically find in a salon; finding things that enhance our client’s experiences as a whole, in our space and in their own.”
HG: You’ve previously offered DIY makeup workshops via your website. Is this a service you plan to uptake in 2022?
JP: “As much as I loved hosting our makeup workshops, I sadly don’t think I will have the time. With By The Be, and an excess amount of bridal makeup booked for 2022 (thanks to lockdown!), I am trying to take my own advice in prioritising my physical and mental health. I know I speak for a lot of others in the professional beauty industry: we struggle to create boundaries and are so used to caring for others that we often neglect ourselves!”
HG: What are some of the goals you hope to achieve for the salon, and how do you plan on going about achieving those goals?
JP: “To grow, to continue to improve our services and to keep things exciting for our clients. In October 2021, we launched our first line of loungewear/merch, so this is something we hope to continue with new styles in 2022. We based our styles on our most popular nail art designs, so this way we can keep creating fun items that we know our clients will love. We’re hoping to add more to our skin services and to welcome new members to our growing team. Other than that, we just want to continue offering a high-end service, encouraging hand and nail care as well as self care and wellness on all levels.”
[left to right] Photography by Martin Maras | Photography by Nathan Harradine-Hale | Photography by Kelly Tunney
This story originally ran in the January/February 2022 issue of Professional Beauty.
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