Tiarna Windsor is passionate about skin health and prefers the holistic approach when it comes to beauty treatments. Her advice pertaining to business; always be kind, grateful, and open to new opportunities.
Tell us a little bit about Windsor Studio.
Windsor Studio Lash & Beauty is located in the heart of Bathurst, NSW. We offer brow services, facials, lash lifts, waxing, and makeup applications.
At Windsor Studio, our ethos is skin health and a holistic approach to beauty treatments, and we pride ourselves on authenticity and dedicating our time to each and every client. We are proud stockists of Ocosmedics, an Australian-made skincare brand designed for Australian skin.
What inspired you to start Windsor Studio?
My love for beauty derives from my Mum, a former hairdresser. I grew up in salons, and the smell of a perm lingers. Although hairdressing wasn't my first choice, I still loved the industry.
During Year 10, I practiced doing my makeup every evening and slowly started to post some of my work on Instagram. This led to many Year 12 girls' wanting me to do their makeup for their graduation. And so, from here, my love affair with all things makeup and beauty began.
Once I finished school, I completed a beauty apprenticeship at a local Medi Spa and Beauty Salon. During this time, I realised I wanted to own my own space one day, where I could focus on three primary services, Brows, Facials, and Makeup applications.
Fast forward seven years, a beauty apprenticeship, renting a room in a salon, moving into my own studio, getting married, a global pandemic, and a baby, now we are here.
What would you say makes Windsor Studio unique?
As the beauty industry continues to expand rapidly, I believe it’s essential to focus on what makes you stand out from the crowd and have a point of difference.
For me, it is about the experience. From the moment my clients enter the door, it's all about them. Finding time to stop and care for yourself is rare in this fast-paced world. I appreciate everyone taking time out of their day to spend at my studio. Whether it's a 15-minute brow wax or an hour-and-a-half facial, my job is to care for you.
What have been some of the challenges you have faced in starting your own business?
Many challenges come with starting your own business, but an obvious one that stands out was Covid-19 which put us into lockdown a month after I signed a lease for my studio. It was a tough time, but it allowed us to complete most of the construction and fit-out while all beauty salons were closed.
Currently, my challenge is not letting social media impact my direction. I am not the only one who gets caught up on random Instagram pages comparing myself to what other people in the industry are doing. I’d like to think I am pretty good at staying in my own lane, but it's easy to get distracted by all the noise on the internet. This year I want to make an effort to focus on what we are doing and offering as a business and not get caught up comparing myself to others.
What have you sacrificed at any given stage of your career?
Personally, my Saturdays! But it comes with the territory, and I don’t mind. People always think I’m crazy when I say Saturday is my favourite day to work, but people are always so happy on Saturdays, and I love the energy in the salon that comes with that.
Professionally, I sacrificed opportunities and business growth while on maternity leave. Somedays I struggle to decide who I want to be, the best Mum I possibly can be, or a businesswoman. I am teaching myself to juggle, as I love being a Mum and owning my own business, and I have worked so hard to have both. I have learnt more in the last 18 months than in the previous ten years!
What’s on the horizon for Windsor Sttudio Smith in 2023?
Since Covid, we've been heavily booked, catching up on postponed weddings. We have a couple of exciting things in the works for Winter, which I can’t say much about just yet, but follow @windsorstudio to keep you in the loop.
We also have some training days with Ocosmedics to keep us up to date with new products. It will be an exciting year, and I can’t wait!
Location: BATHURST| | NSW
Instagram: windsorstudio
Facebook: Windsor Studio Photography: Kylie Hobby Photography