Director of a luxury spa enjoys helping people turn from 'an ugly duckling into a swan'
Some people's memories seem to malfunction when they are asked what originally impelled them to follow their chosen career path. From an early age, apparently, they had a passion to perform as an overpaid equity analyst; they were inspired to make a lasting difference in the world of audit and accounting; or they were fascinated by the prospect of revealing the mysteries of an integrated global supply-chain solution to customers.
Luckily, Thea Wong suffers from no such confusion. She can recall exactly what first interested her in the spa and beauty business and has no hesitation admitting it.
'Oh, it all started out of vanity,' said the director of Spa at the InterContinental Hong Kong. 'I was quite self-conscious growing up and wanted to get some knowledge about grooming and beauty to make myself look good. So, I enrolled in a course while at school in Singapore and, shortly after that, started giving advice to my friends and cousins about skincare and make-up.' Those initial 'clients' were so impressed they suggested Ms Wong think about going full-time. After due consideration, she decided to do just that by signing up for a two-year course at a professional beauty college in the early 1990s, and putting aside thoughts of taking a degree in English literature, Asian history or law and perhaps becoming an academic.
'I love to read and share ideas, but I did not follow that track,' she said.
As she mastered the techniques and treatments then available for beauty, slimming and anti-ageing, what brought her the most enjoyment was helping people turn from 'an ugly duckling into a swan'. While working at beauty parlours and fitness centres, she also learned the importance of taking care of clients 'from the inside'.
'You have to look for what's inside them and what makes them confident,' Ms Wong said. 'Some people are stressed, tired or not feeling well and that affects their whole appearance. Beauty is both internal and external, so you should look into diet, work and sleep patterns, exercise and lifestyle, before thinking about their make-up, clothes and hair, or different spa treatments.' For this reason, it was important to be on the alert for signs of a poor work-life balance, inadequate exercise, and the basic failure to realise if you want to look good, you have to feel good first.