From Pastry Chef to Skin Care Specialist – Anne McBride tells her story.

Please welcome skin care specialist Anne McBride who joins us today to share her entrepreneurial story.

Anne is a professional reflexologist and trainer who hails originally from Scotland. She specialises  in anti-aging facial reflexology. Her journey from pastry chef to skin care consultant follows a long, windy and very interesting road.

In Scotland she worked as a chef in various hotel kitchens, and then became a chef for Qantas airlines in Australia. Diagnosed with endometriosis, Anne turned to naturopathy and alternative therapies to help ease her condition, which then led on to studying reflexology and remedial massage.

Unhappy with the range of massage oils available for therapists she created her own blends of massage and body oils for her clinic which resulted in the production of a successful skincare range, and a unique Japanese facial.

Read on, and discover more about Anne’s fascinating entrepreneurial journey to mid-life fulfilment after the age of 50.

Anne’s story : Skincare specialist in the making.

I always love the stories on Lifestyle Fifty about women in their 50’s. Aren’t women truly amazing in their lives and achievements, particularly as they reach their magic 50’s?

I’m honoured to have the chance to relate the story of my entrepreneurial journey from pastry chef to skincare specialist, and touch on the joy I’ve found in my fifties.

From Scotland to Australia

In the late seventies I completed High School in Scotland and then enrolled at college in an apprenticeship in cookery.   Scotland at that time was in the grips of a recession and I wasn’t interested in the traditional careers for women, which were nursing, teaching or secretarial.

I loved food, loved cooking and loved creating new recipes and enjoyed learning commercial French cookery and pastry cooking at college.

After working hard for the next few years in different jobs in hotels and institutions in catering I decided it was time to travel to Australia. My brother and his wife had migrated to Sydney a few years earlier and were enjoying life in Australia.

I very quickly found work as a special diet cook in a large hospital in Sydney and made new friends. Life in Sydney was busy and fast paced and I fell in love with the beautiful beaches, gorgeous sunshine and great weather.  

Friends introduced me to bushwalking adventures and camping and I developed a great appreciation of the Aussie outdoors.

I adored all the diverse foods and restaurants in Sydney and would spend hours in my kitchen trying out new recipes I had discovered.

Working for Qantas

Within a year I started working for Qantas as a chef. Back in the eighties all the flights that came into Sydney had their catering supplied all from the one Catering Centre.  

All the food was actually prepared and freshly made. Premium, luxury foods were used in business and first class in those days and the best foods were flown in from around the world for the menus.

Endometriosis diagnosis

I met my husband (now my ex-husband) while working for the airline. We bought a house together, got married and had two beautiful children.

In the early nineties I was diagnosed with endometriosis, so  I turned to naturopathy and alternative therapies to balance my hormones and heal my body.

Being pre-internet we were very fortunate to have great local libraries where I could access many different books on natural therapies and healthy eating.

My whole focus on food changed to healthy eating for myself and my family, and this was a major part of my healing.  

I was on a new mission now determined to introduce nourishing exciting meals and healthy lifestyle to my family.

I joined a reiki healing group and completed Level 1 and Level 2 reiki.  Although I didn’t know it yet this was the beginning of a new exciting journey in my life.

Reflexology and Remedial Massage

In 1999 we moved from Sydney to the lovely bayside suburbs of Brisbane.  In 2000 I started studying at the Australian Institute of Applied Science first of all for a Diploma of Reflexology, then Remedial Massage.

Working in my own home clinic gave me flexibility to work around my children’s school hours and activities. It was extremely rewarding and satisfying helping others to regain their health and wellbeing.

I wasn’t happy with the range of massage oils available for therapists. So I then started to create my own blends of massage and body oils for the clinic. (This was the creative cook part of me unleashed with carrier and essential oils now)

Creating a skincare range

My new blends became very popular with the clients and very soon I was selling face and body oils to clients and friends.  A huge bonus was that the eczema which I had suffered from for years had cleared up from using the natural plant blends that I’d created. My skin and complexion had never looked healthier and lots of people noticed.

Because of the demand for the products my partner and I have commercialised our natural blends to produce what has become a successful skincare range called Gorgeous Woman Skin Care.

A unique Japanese facial

Using my skincare knowledge and 20 years’ experience as a natural therapist I created a unique facial which is now known as the Gorgeous Woman Japanese Facial.  

The secret is in the combination – we use our skincare range together with anti-aging facial reflexology, facial acupressure and ancient Japanese and Ayurvedic face lifting massage techniques.  

This facial has been extremely popular with my clients and in particular ladies from 40’s onwards.  It is considered a natural alternative to Botox and gives the face a youthful, toned, sculpted appearance. The skin care products enhance the facial rejuvenation treatment to give an amazing result.

Benefits of a natural facial

All women want to look their best and taking time to have a natural Facial works wonders.

Rejuvenating the complexion increases their confidence with appearance and wellbeing.  The facial acupressure, massage and reflexology releases deep seated tension and stress not just from the face but the whole body while increasing chi energy flow.

It is so rewarding to watch my clients as they look in the mirror after having their facial.  The look of joy and delight in their faces is wonderful to experience.

Some of the younger clients have told me that they had been thinking about having Botox and fillers and since having their facials and using the skincare they realise they don’t need it nor do they want to go down that path.

I have had many requests over the last year to share my knowledge with natural therapists and beauty therapists who wish to diversify into offering natural facials.

I realise now that I am taking another direction in my life; specialising in training others in facial rejuvenation. 

Currently I am now compiling the course to teach others who want to become skilled in using my skin care products together with the facial rejuvenation techniques.

At 58 years young it feels great to be helping other women and to be able to work my own hours, have holidays and travel when we want to.

I am very passionate, happy and blessed to be doing what I love.  

I do hope this inspires other women to follow their passion and dreams.  Reading other stories of women in their 50’s I personally realise that if you put your mind, time and energy towards your goals absolutely anything is possible. 

Anne McBride
Redland Reflexology

Gorgeous Woman Japanese Facial Rejuvenation

Find out more about Anne and the Gorgeous Woman range here: Gorgeous Woman Skin care

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