FINAL EVENT OF THE PROJECT ‘SKILLS FOR WELLNESS’ IN NICOSIA
On the 24th of February 2022, the final event of the project “Skills for Wellness: ‘Enhancement of VET Offers in the Wellness Sector’”, took place at A.G Leventis Gallery in Nicosia, Cyprus.
The transectoral occupational standards in the wellness sector developed during the project, targeted people that wish to work in the sector or people that already work in the sector and wish to upgrade their existing skills. The occupational standards developed, correspond to EQF 4 and focus on the following work areas: Facia, Neck and Decolte Treatments, Hand and Foot Treatments and Physical, Leisure and Relaxation Activities and Nutrition. Each work area includes training materials consisting of various activities adapted to real working conditions and assessment tools that serve as evaluation tools of the learners in using the training material.
During the event in Nicosia, professionals in the wellness sector, such as make-up artists, VET trainers, beauty salon owners etc., had the opportunity to get informed about the development and use of the Skills for Wellness training material and assessment tools, but also to learn about new trends in make-up application. The guest of the event, successful make-up artist Ilona G. Garamvölgyi, provided useful advice and gave a short make-up demonstration.
Event “Skills for Wellness”
In October 2021, the first event promoting the results of the Skills for Wellness was conducted in Cham, Germany.
The event had an international character: the representatives of the vocational education sector – mainly teachers and trainers – coming from France, Greece and Poland attended the event. During the event, the occupational standards as well as training materials with the assessment tools in English were presented.
Thanks to universal, modular and standardised character of the occupational standards, training materials and assessment tools, they can be easily adapted to the wellness vocational context in other countries. The English version of the occupational standards with training materials and assessment tools is also available in the Resources section.
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MICROPIGMENTATION: HOW TO REGAIN CONFIDENCE AFTER CANCER RECOVERY
Hair loss is one of the biggest impacts that cancer treatments generate, affecting also the eyebrows and eyelashes, which are one of the most important features on a person’s face, as they give us expressiveness and influence the intensity of the gaze. Thanks to micropigmentation, it is possible to regain that expressiveness during the cancer treatment without having to worry about making up the area daily.
Although in most cases hair grows back after a while, the physical change caused by hair loss negatively affects the self-esteem of patients.
Micropigmentation in cancer patients is one of the solutions provided by the world of aesthetics to hide hair loss on the eyebrows and eyelashes, and at the same time, it can be used to camouflage scars and draw the areola after breast reconstruction.
WHAT IS MICROPIGMENTATION?
It is a technique, also known as semi-permanent makeup that aims is to correct, beautify or balance certain features of a person. To do this, a series of pigments are inserted into the skin that give colour and shape to certain parts of the body: lips, eyebrows, or the contour of the eyes. In the same way, it is used to hide scars and reduce the impact of alopecia in those who suffer from it.
The pigments used in micropigmentation will be progressively eliminated by the immune system over time, so the effect will last between 2 to 5 years. Since hair loss is reversible in chemotherapy treatments, this technique is therefore ideal for that period in which side effects last. In any case, it is always possible to touch up the area if required.
It is advisable to carry out micropigmentation before cancer treatment, since it is contraindicated for the duration of said treatment and in this way, we also prevent the image change from being so abrupt. The pigments will be introduced behind the eyebrow hairs so that a double brow effect does not occur when they grow back. Something similar happens with the eyelashes. In this case, a shading is created around the eyes through small dots to obtain an effect that is as natural as possible.
WHAT TYPES OF MICROPIGMENTATION CAN BE DONE?
Paramedical and oncological micropigmentation:
- Pigmentation of areolas in mastectomized women
- Correction of scars
- Eyebrow pigmentation in women undergoing chemotherapy
- Vitiligo correction (trying to match the skin colour)
- Elimination of spots on the skin
Micropigmentation for aesthetic correction:
- Alopecia on eyebrows
- Absence of lip profile
- Populate eyelash area
- Darkening of the navel
- Or simply, get a mole
HOW TO USE MICROPIGMENTATION AFTER BREAST RECONSTRUCTION?
The procedure is like that of nipple tattoos that have already begun to be performed in public health, although in the case of micropigmentation the effect is not permanent. The pigmentation of the areola is carried out once the reconstructive surgery has finished and after having selected the colour, which will be as similar as possible to the one the patient had before. The results obtained are usually very natural, something that undoubtedly contributes to making patients feel comfortable with their body again.
Before undergoing a micropigmentation treatment, patients should make sure that they are in the hands of properly trained professionals and a centre that has all the sanitary guarantees. It is also important to take care of the hair during cancer treatment to postpone its loss as much as possible and ensure that it grows back strong and healthy once the process is finished.
CIFP LAS INDIAS AND ÁMATE (Breast Cancer Association of Tenerife) UNITED FOR PERSONAL IMAGE CARE IN CANCER PATIENTS
CIFP Las Indias is one of the Spanish Partner of the Skills for Wellness Project. In collaboration with ÁMATE (Breast Cancer Association of Tenerife), they provide help for the damage caused by the deterioration of personal image due to the chemo or radiotherapy process to which some cancer patients are subjected, a damage that adds to the struggle to overcome the disease. The students from CIFP Las Indias realize body painting make-up for Breast Cancer patients. The aim is to provide an integral service to people with breast cancer, curing their personal image and giving them visibility.
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SUSTAINABLE COSMETICS: THE FUTURE OF GREEN BEAUTY TAKES SHAPE
The demand for products containing natural ingredients and oriented towards environmental sustainability is a constantly growing trend in the world of cosmetics and other sectors. The economic survey of Cosmetica Italia (the national association of cosmetic companies in Italy) presented in February 2021 confirms that sustainable beauty is the trend of the near future.
There is still no legislation that clearly defines what a sustainable cosmetic or a natural product is. The survey includes the widest panorama of natural and sustainable cosmetic products estimating their total value at € 1,654 million, which compared to the general turnover figure of 6,367 million euros, shows the full potential of sustainable cosmetics.
BIO AND SUSTAINABILITY – KEY WORDS FOR THE FUTURE OF COSMETICS
More and more in demand, especially for hair and skin!
Sustainability and natural/organic are the keywords of the future in the cosmetic industry that has suffered an inevitable impact from the pandemic, marking a drop in turnover globally of 12.8% and in Italy of 10.2% (Source: Conjunctural Survey, from the Italian Cosmetics Study Center).
The demand for this kind of products is a constantly growing trend in the world of cosmetics, as well as in other sectors. The value of natural/organic cosmetics is 778 million euros, while sustainable/green ones are 876 million euros.
Among the product families, hair and scalp products account for 33.1% of the turnover of cosmetics with a natural and sustainable connotation, followed by skin care (30.6%).
SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY: DEFINITIONS AND RULES ARE STILL OBSCURE
The sustainable cosmetics sector still suffers from poor regulation, but also from the complicated definition of sustainability, because the supply chain and the life of the product involve a continuous use of resources.
It is not easy to imagine, in fact, how the greatest consumption of energy and resources occurs during the use of cosmetics. According to the research carried out by Quantis on behalf of Cosmetica Italia and reported by the newspaper “Il Sole 24 Ore”, the containers that do not allow the right dosage or products that require a lot of water to rinse are responsible for as much as 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the sector. Other factors also take their toll, of course: packaging accounts for 20% of emissions while the extraction of materials and transport both impact for 10%.
In short, creating products with solid environmental performance is not a simple matter!
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Know your customers
According to the magazine “Beauty Forum” (Edition D, 10/2021), there are five different kinds of customers:
- The ones that are often late and seem to be a bit forgetful.
- The ones that ask many questions to make sure they understand everything that is going on.
- The ones that are complaining frequently.
- The ones that are often in a hurry and do not have much time taking care about themselves.
- The ones that are afraid of starting a new treatment.
It’s important to be aware of this different customers to react accordingly. E.g. for the first group, you might need to send them a reminder for the appointment or advise them on parking possibilities near your beauty salon to ensure they are on time for their treatment. Skills for Wellness offers a variety of materials on how to deal with different customers.
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We will no longer use makeup as we did before: how the pandemic will change our beauty routine
The beauty industry is preparing for post-pandemic life: while the era of pharmabeauty opens in skincare, makeup is back in our drawers but with products different from those we used in 2019. A study was conducted to understand what legacy the pandemic left to cosmetics, how brands are preparing for ‘post-emergency’ life and what has changed forever in the way we consume creams and makeup.
Make-up: hybrid VS color
According to Lan Vu, CEO of Beautystreams, a trend agency specializing in the beauty industry, we will most likely no longer use makeup as we did before the lockdown: “we have grown accustomed to wearing less makeup and letting the natural beauty of the skin shine through. The greater attention to self-care will result in hybrid products that treat the skin and at the same time give color, ‘crossover’ products with a double make-up and skincare function, such as foundation and primer with cosmeceutical ingredients and mascara and eyebrow gels that promote the growth of hairs”.
Skincare: the rise of Pharmabeauty
Lan Vu talks about pharmabeauty: “From the pandemic we have inherited a renewed confidence in the power of science which, combined with germophobia and the need for security, has generated a new fascination for beauty products with a pharmaceutical twist.”
The anti-contagion rules have also influenced the skincare routine: the prolonged use of the mask, for example, has generated specific needs in the treatment of irritation, redness and blemishes, driving the sales of soothing creams and soothing textures from pharmacies.
Lan Vu confirms: “Self-care will remain so even with the return to social life: the lockdown has only accelerated a trend that began years ago that goes towards the fusion of beauty and well-being. In particular, after Covid-19 in terms of ingredients there will be a greater demand for health and immune boosts and a greater focus on products that act on the microbiome. ”
Among other skincare trends, the development of artificial intelligence will lead to an increase in personalized skincare, food supplements will become an increasingly important skincare sub-category and, to get rid of the stress accumulated between 2020 and 2021, rituals of self-care inspired by ancestral traditions will be back in fashion, which involve the use of ingredients that promote relaxation.
From green to clean beauty, up to pharma-natural
If there is a family of products whose growth is constant, it is that of cosmetics with a natural connotation and oriented towards environmental sustainability.
In particular, in the last year the concept of green beauty has evolved into that of clean beauty: “More and more brands will be evaluated for their sustainability and the transparency with which they communicate. Consumers, more and more informed, will demand products clean, created in a sustainable way but above all promoted in an honest and transparent way “, continues Lan Vu.
The original article with further information about the latest trends in the beauty industry is available in Italian here: https://www.repubblica.it/moda-e-beauty/2021/04/30/news/tendenze_beauty_2021_2022_quali_prodotti_skincare_trucco_profumi_compreremo-298530548/.
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VET institutions in Finland have minimized carbon footprint
by Janika Reunanen and Ida-Maria Mäkiranta
Last week the Finnish national skills competition Taitaja semifinal 1.-5.2.2021 was organized at Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions all around Finland. For the first time ever the Taitaja semifinal was organized locally at the participants’ own VET institutions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This way the competitors didn’t have to travel to one location, which was a very positive thing since some competitors would have had to travel over 1000 kilometers in order to participate in the Taitaja competition.
Sign-ups for the nationwide semifinal reached the highest number of 1 520 vocational education students since 2017. Those who give the best performance in the semifinals will participate in the Taitaja2021 finals, which takes place in Oulu from 18th to 20th of May 2021. The finalists will be published in the Taitaja2021 website: https://taitaja2021.fi/en/.
More than 50 skills are included in the Taitaja2021 competition, and Beauty Therapy is one of those skills. This year Beauty Therapy had 37 participants and 8 of those participants get to go to the finals. The Beauty Therapy semifinal results will be published on February 12th, 2021. The semifinal was a one-day competition, and the participants had to complete two competition tasks:
1. Professional lashes and eyebrow tinting and eyebrow shaping with steel tweezers
2. Manicure (hand treatment)
In order to organize the semifinal locally the semifinal organizers (VET institutions) needed functioning internet connection and an online meeting platform. In addition, the teachers at the VET institutions needed good ICT skills. In Beauty Therapy skill Microsoft Teams was used to record the predefined parts of the competition tasks. With the Professional lashes and eyebrow tinting the recorded part was the client reception and with the manicure and hand massage was recorded. In addition to recording, the competition tasks were photographed. Here is an example of red nails from one of the competitors.
Photos by Janika Reunanen
These aspects of the competition tasks were given an online judgement by a group of professional teachers and work life entrepreneurs. The measured aspects of the competition tasks, e.g. how the competitor used the products in a sustainable and economic manner, were evaluated by the semifinal organizer’s own teacher. Sustainable development was a natural part of the competition tasks since it is one of Skills Finland’s and also Sataedu’s values. Sataedu is one of the VET institutions that participated in the Taitaja2021 competition.
At Sataedu we encourage our students to cherish cultural diversity. We strengthen our students’ skills in lifelong learning and skills in adapting to the changing circumstances in working life and society. We take sustainable development into consideration when it comes to the content and the implementation of teaching. The students and graduated students understand the meaning of sustainable development in their own actions. Sustainable development and better ICT skills are a global goal, and these goals are also a key part of the Skill for Wellness project.
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Current events in the wellness sector in Finland
by Janika Reunanen
WHAT IS VOCATIONAL COMPETENCE IN FINLAND?
Vocational competence is a collection of knowledge and skills which a person applies to their work in their vocational field. Motivation and attitude affect in which way and how well the work is done. Communication and cooperation skills are highlighted in various social situations e.g. in customer service. In Finland vocational competence is acquired through vocational education and training.
The quality and appeal of vocational competence in vocational education is promoted with the help of Skills Finland Ry’s competition and coaching activities. These activities are supported by Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish National Agency for Education, providers of vocational education and training as well as companies and the working life.
By organising annually the Taitaja competition for vocational education and training students, the Skills Finland Ry, a non-profit organisation, aims to build the world’s best vocational competence in cooperation with its partners. The winners of the Taitaja event are sent as a team to represent Finland’s vocational competence in international Euroskills and Worldskills vocational competence competitions.
Currently the preparations for the semifinal for Taitaja2021 competition are underway in Finland, and due to the covid-19 pandemic the semifinal will be held at the competitors’ own educational institutions in February 2021. The finale for Taitaja2021 will be held in Oulu in May 2021. Hopefully the finale can be held normally in Oulu. The categories for the Taitaja2021 event are:
– Transportation and Logistics,
– Information and Communication Technology,
– Services,
– Construction and Building Technology,
– Catering Services,
– Manufacturing and Engineering Technology.
For example, Hairdressing, Beauty Care, Tourism as well as Wellness Technology are all separate genres under the Services category. Confectioner, Cooking and Restaurant Services are in the Catering Services category.
According to the research done by the partner countries in the Skills for Wellness project (Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Germany and Finland) the wellness sector differs greatly in these countries. Each country follows its own trends and the trainings have different levels and clear differences. A common basis for the different sectors in the wellness industry will be developed in the Skills for Wellness project. These sectors are Facial, neck & décolleté treatments, Body treatments, Hand & Feet Care and Beauty treatments, Physical, leisure, relaxation activities and nutrition and Health and Safety. The Skills for Wellness project and Taitaja competition have Beauty Care, Tourism and Nutrition in common. Especially health and safety are sectors which are considered carefully in Beauty Care tasks when the vocational competence is being evaluated.
If you want to get acquainted with the first-hand experience of participating in those competitions, you may also read the interview of Ms Ritva Kipinä, a lecturer in Beauty Care under the following link.
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The 5 beauty trends protagonists of the next seasons
The covid19 emergency has brought about several changes in the beauty world. Here are the 5 key trends of the next seasons according to WGSN:
1. REDUCE THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Several brands are working on reformulating, remaking the packaging or overhauling products to reduce the impact on the environment.
For example, the Dutch brand Naif’s uses recycled calcite granules for its Face Scrub, which it obtains from Waternet, a water purification system, developed to offer drinking water. Biovene, a Spanish brand, to reduce plastic has thought of a solid shampoo with apple vinegar, apple extract, shea butter and beeswax.
2. HAVE-IT-ALL (all in one)
Another strategy to reduce waste is to empower consumers to consume less by offering them multitasking products and multi-function beauty devices.
An example? The English make-up artist Frances Prescott has formulated the “Tri-Balm” a 3 in 1 product that cleanses due to the presence of vegetable oils and white onion, exfoliates thanks to pumpkin seeds and hydrates thanks to hyaluronic acid and natural antioxidants.
3. TOWARDS INCLUSIVITY
Male make-up: inclusiveness will be one of the main themes of the company of various brands.
In line with the trend towards inclusiveness, men’s make-up and skincare are continuing to grow in the name of efficacy and ever more inclusive beauty. Men’s products are evolving from solutions based on very scientific formulas to more natural solutions, and products that offer olfactory experiences are now replacing the fragrance-free products that first brought man closer to the beauty world.
4. SUPERFOODS ARRIVE ALSO IN BEAUTY
While there is a growing trend among consumers to include “superfoods” in their daily diets, these superfoods are enjoying the same interest in beauty market. These foods are natural, rich in antioxidants and vitamins.
Superfood, nutrition and well-being are closely related issues. The close connection between food and beauty deepens as the natural and organic market grows. The natural and organic cosmetics market was estimated at $ 11.5 billion in 2018 and is expected to exceed $ 23.5 billion by the end of 2025. We will see more and more brands taking superstar ingredients from kitchen shelves and putting them into cosmetic formulations.
The trend of many Asian brands will be to exploit the virtues of ancient beauty rituals to create natural anti-acne formulas. The green tea face mask of the Indian brand SkinYoga is composed of only 4 ingredients. This mask based on green tea, one of the most popular natural antioxidants, takes advantage of a green approach to treating acne.
5. LEVERAGE LOCAL INGREDIENTS
There is a growing tendency to favor ingredients from one’s own land and to place raw materials and their origins at the center of the narrative, paying particular attention if they come from distant places
An example of the trend is Biuwti Mulateiro Oil, a hair oil ideal for all hair types, enriched with mulateiro extract that nourishes, repairs, protects and eliminates frizz. However, the real strength of this product is that it is made in Brazil, where the mulateiro is made from a tree that grows in the Amazon.
For more details read the whole article in Italian language here (Article, 21 April 2020).
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Newsletter 2 is out!
The newsletter provides a sneak peek into Skills for Wellness’ key product – occupational standards – and describes the future steps within the project. As usual, it is available in English, German, Finnish, Greek, Italian or Spanish.
If you’d like to learn more about occupational standards, go to our Resources section and choose one of the language versions.
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The occupational standards are there!
Visit our Resources section and get acquainted with our recent development – occupational standards for the wellness sector. The standards describe the knowledge and skills that people working in the wellness industry should possess – they are distributed across 6 work areas:
- Facial, Neck and Décolleté Treatments
- Body Treatments
- Hand & Foot Care and Beauty Treatments
- Physical, Leisure, Relaxation Activities and Nutrition
- Hygiene and Safety
- Transversal Skills
There is also some extra information about the differences in training programmes and requirements to the qualifications of specialists in wellness sector in 5 countries – Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Italy and Spain.
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Check out our first newsletter! There you will learn which products the “Skills for Wellness” partners are going to develop, what fields of wellness activities will be covered in those products, and which skills and competences of wellness specialists will be addressed.
The newsletter is available in several languages: English, German,Finnish, Italian, Spanish, and Greek.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Project number: 2019-1-DE02-KA202-006180
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.