More than skin deep
Anna Hayes from Skinvae might be new in town, but she’s an expert in her field – and knows how to build a successful business from the ground up.
Anna Hayes from Skinvae might be new in town, but she’s an expert in her field – and knows how to build a successful business from the ground up.
words DEBBIE GRIFFITHS | photos KATIE COX
Anna Hayes.
It’s common knowledge that the sun causes skin damage, but did you know modern phones also contribute to premature aging? Anna Hayes does – and with 18 years specialising in skincare, pearls of wisdom like that are common when chatting with the founder of successful brand, Skinvae.
“I’ve been in beauty since I was fresh out of school,” she says. “I grew up in Te Kuiti, studied in Hamilton when I was 18, and by 19 I had opened my first business. Before that, I worked for one other business for six months and that was Mount Skin and Body.”
It’s a full circle moment, with Anna recently adding that clinic to her string of businesses alongside Taupo and Cambridge. Recently she took over SELF_ in Mount Maunganui and rebranded it as Skinvae.
“It was a little nerve-wracking taking over the Mount clinic,” she admits. “My other two I started from scratch and picked my teams, but this was established and already doing well. When I told the girls what was happening it was great because they’d heard of my brand and were super excited to get our technology into their clinic. We put an emphasis on training, so the girls are upskilling weekly, which adds to their already huge knowledge.”
To say Anna has grit and determination is putting it lightly. A mum of two and Crossfit enthusiast, the 37-year-old entrepreneur rarely has downtime and loves it that way.
“I’ve grown up very driven in sport, representing New Zealand in triathlon for a few years, so I trained hard and worked hard. I had two jobs from the age of 14. My dad and my sister both had their own businesses, so could see that’s what I wanted to do too. I also like to call the shots; to be able to provide the treatments I want and to make sure I’m ahead of the game when it comes to trends and machinery.”
Skinvae in Mount Maunganui.
Anna makes no apology for focussing on skin – in fact, she takes great pride in being the ‘go-to skin clinic’ for her clients.
“We launched the Skinvae brand in Cambridge 11 years ago and that’s when we started specialising in skin. I love to see results and to take clients on a skin journey, particularly for people looking for non-surgical, non-injectable options,” she says. “We use DMK, Nimue and Pure Fiji, which have some amazing treatments. With skin, it’s never a one-session fix – especially with acne and pigmentation which can look worse before they get better – so we recommend clients sign up for a six-month plan to see real change.”
It’s more than skin, though, it’s the sense of connection, calm and confidence that’s infused during treatments.
“We have a lot of mums who come for the experience and it’s almost as though great skin is just an added bonus,” laughs Anna. “We like to educate about the importance of home care. Mums are often running around like headless chickens after everyone else, so their own ritual in the morning and night allows them to take a moment for themselves.”
Skinvae is at the forefront of innovation, attracting clients looking for cutting-edge solutions. Anna describes a new stem cell treatment from DMK, Stemzyme, as ‘revolutionary’ and says there’s been a big demand recently for body sculpting and tightening options.
“They call HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) the non-surgical facelift,” she explains. “As we age, we lose fat in our cheeks and our face drops. HIFU is a great alternative to Botox or fillers on either the brow or jawline, and you can use it on any part of your body – loose skin on your tummy, arms, or legs. It uses ultrasound energy to penetrate deep into the skin to tighten. It doesn’t get rid of fat, but it does work on the muscle and to stimulate collagen and elastin. You see instant results, but it takes three months to see the full effect.”
Anna urges teenagers, in particular, not to take advice from social media, which may result in them using products like Retinol that are too strong and could eat away at their skin barrier.
And her number one skincare tip?
“Use sunblock,” she says, without hesitating. “Our sun is horrific. If you’re going to buy one product, get a good SPF and make it one that also protects against blue light from phones and computer screens. We see a lot of people with more pigmentation and crepey skin on the side of their face they hold their phone up to. Even if you work in an office, wear sunscreen every day.”
After almost two decades in the industry, Anna knows that 80 percent of skincare results come from what people do at home and their professional treatments simply provide the extra 20 percent that push it further. With that in mind, her vision is to expand her chain of beauty clinics.
“We’re ready to be the number one brand for skin in New Zealand, but all I can say right now is watch this space.”