Confidence crisis in older therapists

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Rinn

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i'm 45 and working in the beauty industry from i qualified at 23. a friend recently passed a remark regarding my age and my work....she wondered did i have any worries with aging considering my occupation.
it doesn't bother me in the slightest, ok i don't look as good as i did then but i actually have more self confidence now and i also know what i'm doing now too. as for experience ..well that's a given.
but it got me wondering do any of the mature therapists here ever feel intimidated by a younger therapist (purely from an age point of view)
 
Absolutely not.

I guess some people might be intimidated but that would be self esteem or self confidence issues, not me though, I love where I am at in my life,career and business.

My younger therapists need guidance and turn to me for that as I have the confidence and experience they don't have yet but I am grooming and educating them to be up there! Some clients want an older therapist too.
 
Nah, a lot of clients like an older therapist. It makes them feel less self conscious. I live it when I can relate to a therapist around my own age (39!) :)
 
I am 55 and have been hairdressing for for forty years and beauty and holistic for 18 years and I like to keep up to date with all the modern styles and new things coming up in the beauty industry and feel I am as good and dare I say sometimes better than the younger up and coming therapists but I am also ready to learn anything new they bring with them. I think older ladies/gents may feel more comfortable with a mature therapist, and the young with the young. Just recently I did a young client and she made me smile by saying " you don't often see a grown up doing beauty". Me grown up, really. :lol:
 
The thought never crossed my mind. Would there really be clients out there that would choose a younger therapist because of their age? I find that a bit odd if it happens.

Personally I choose due to personal recommendation, ability, blah blah. although sometimes you have to take a risk.
 
I think age works to our advantage to be honest, the majority of my clients are in their late 40,s upwards and I think the majority feel more comfortable getting undressed when the therapist is a bit older, also we are more likely to understand their skin concerns a little more....having said that a good therapist is good regardless of age! One of the girls at college ( I was 39 at the time..they were all under 20) was arranging a night out and said ohh you should come theres some older bars there to, they do line dancing and everything!!
xxxx
 
Im 32 (on wednesday :biggrin:) and to be honest I feel more confident. All the girls working for me are 24 and younger, so I feel that helps keep me young in trend and humour! I feel that Im in a good position to guide and mentor them, but I still learn from them too.
Ok so sometimes, I look at them and wish gravity was still on my side, or that I didnt need to use 50 different face creams nightly, but I still feel up to date with the hair trends and that what matters!
Age = wisdom :biggrin::wink2: xx
 
I'd always choose an older therapist than a younger one. I know they could've just come into the industry just the same but I'd certainly equate age with experience! :)
 
Didn't go into beauty till I was 57! College was a little strange at first but I grew to love it.

I am what I am (mmm...that would be a good song title, wouldn't it?). I love being outside the "normal" profile, and I love the fact that many of my loyal clients were first-timers when they came to me.

On the other hand I just do facials, and I think being 60 puts me into such a different age range from the average therapist that I'm probably seen as a breed apart!

45 is just a youngster! xx
 
We 'mature' therapists are highly regarded and sought after! Most of my clients are over 35 (younger ones for SPMU and tatt removal mainly). Older clients are for serious facials and monthly 'grooming' AND SPMU.

They want to speak with someone with a LOT of experience - not only experience of skincare but life. We're perimenopausal/menopausal/short-sighted/have elderly parents/teenage kids/little kids (mine is 9!). We do gardening/are old punks and old New Romantics. We have full, busy lives and ex-husbands/new husbands. We have a LOT to discuss and they like the fact that you understand 'where they're coming from'.

My clients also refer their daughters to me!

We have SO much going for us - I could never think about being intimidated by my age! Bring it on!
 
thanks for your thoughts ladies.
i think there is a niche there for each and every one of us. the thing that holds anyone back is what's in their head . age is just a number and i think it's great that we all seem to be so confident in ourselves.

d'poppy you are an inspiration , starting out at 57!!! good on ya missus.xxxx
 
Didn't go into beauty till I was 57! College was a little strange at first but I grew to love it.

I am what I am (mmm...that would be a good song title, wouldn't it?). I love being outside the "normal" profile, and I love the fact that many of my loyal clients were first-timers when they came to me.

On the other hand I just do facials, and I think being 60 puts me into such a different age range from the average therapist that I'm probably seen as a breed apart!

45 is just a youngster! xx

If I lived near you I would come to you for facials so that when I get to 60 I can look like you -FAB! you are a great ad for your chosen profession.
 
If I lived near you I would come to you for facials so that when I get to 60 I can look like you -FAB! you are a great ad for your chosen profession.

May I thank-you. That's a lovely, and very generous remark xx
 
My clients love me because I'm down to earth, not slim, have stretch marks, kids, bags on Monday morning, and everything else that comes with age, I have them tell me they feel comfortable with me because I'm not so young (36) and I'm pretty happy as I am.
 
Really great thread missus!

I think the beauty of beauty and nails is its not age restricted, meaning people of all ages have treatments.

I personally dont mind the age of a tech or therapist, what i care about is passion, what they know, that they keep up to date and that they bottom line do a good job :)

My lovely mum who is 61 years young in mind and body, prefers an older tech or therapist as she just feels more confident around them. So its great the industry is accessible to younger or older professionals.

As someone in the industry myself i always adapt to who im treating whilst remaining professional obviously. Ive been lucky that ive worked with people of all ages in my previous life (lol) and have friends of varying ages which has stood me in good stead for now.

Love n hugs x x x
 
My clients love me because I'm down to earth, not slim, have stretch marks, kids, bags on Monday morning, and everything else that comes with age, I have them tell me they feel comfortable with me because I'm not so young (36) and I'm pretty happy as I am.

too true and i suppose they can relate to us and feel comfortable with us because of that.
 
Im 32 (on wednesday :biggrin:) and to be honest I feel more confident. All the girls working for me are 24 and younger, so I feel that helps keep me young in trend and humour! I feel that Im in a good position to guide and mentor them, but I still learn from them too.
Ok so sometimes, I look at them and wish gravity was still on my side, or that I didnt need to use 50 different face creams nightly, but I still feel up to date with the hair trends and that what matters!
Age = wisdom :biggrin::wink2: xx
Snap!!
I was 32 (going on 18!)in November,my boss is 44 (going on 21!) and our two other staff members are 21 and 22.I dont ever see the age gap difference and quite often one of our girls say to me "god i keep forgetting your 10 yrs older than me,and i say "so do i"!!!lol
I love being around them as i learn alot from them and mentor them as im currently completing my level 4 a1,and i still learn alot from my boss, who ive worked with for 15 years.
It works very well for us.
Age is just a number

Strolls off with zimmer in toe.......
 
At 52, I'm one of the older Therapists. I retrained during my late forties and have only been qualified for 5 years so I am a relative newbie to the industry. My clients range from 13 to 94 years old. Being older in the profession I believe has helped me gain a variety of clients......I am viewed as their friend, mum, aunt, daughter, counsellor and their therapist in more ways than one. I do not judge their wrinkles (after all I have my own!) their grey hair (I've got that too), spots, acne, excess weight or their stretch marks. What I lack in youth and beauty I make up with in life experience and I think that counts for a lot.
 
I think being older (42) is definately to our advantage. Many times I've had clients comment that its nice that I was 'normal', not orange and fake lol We also have life experience, confidence and can perhaps empathise with clients more because of this.
 
Speaking as someone who is quite self conscious of her age, I don't think it comes into the equation in our industry, as most of the post here have said it certainly does not put clients off, but relaxes them knowing they have someone with experience treating them. Whether it be life experience or industry experience!

The only way I think age does creep in, is in the hard physical work you Beauty Therapists do, all that massage must take it's toll, no matter how much you stretch between clients and how much you try to bend properly.

As a nail tech I know when I was working fulltime and doing mainly acrylic(L&P) enhancements, I needed regular massage on my back neck and shoulders to keep me going:eek: This despite sitting correctly, stretching, and of course applying smoothly to do less filing lol :wink2:

At least now I am working part time, and my services are more Gel polish than enhancements, but I still get the odd twinge ;)

Sometimes I do wish I was 10 years younger :sad:
 

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