After working as a beautician for a number of years, it was time for Jolien Schepers (28) to take the step and become an entrepreneur.
In 2019 she founded Jolien Skincare, a beauty salon in the center of Amsterdam. Her salon is not about external beauty only: “Dyeing and plucking eyebrows is fun to do, but for me it’s also about the person inside. I want people to feel comfortable with me.”
I’m starting to get wrinkles. What should I do?!
This can of course be caused by many things. Do you drink a lot? Do you sleep badly? What do you eat? Are you getting enough exercise? All these things tell me what you need. Stress is also a big factor. Good facial care always helps, preferably mine, of course!
You can do all sorts of things to precent wrinkles. Using active ingredients, like vitamin C, B or A and a good moisturizer is a good place to start from. In addition, you can protect everything with a good cream.
Has there always been an entrepreneur hiding in you?
Not at all actually. At one point I felt that I was good at my craft and that I’d rather do it by myself When I really like something, I can get really passionate about it. Then, I also want things to go my way. Without having to answer to a boss. I need that freedom to be happy.
To keep their business going, entrepreneurs had to be creative because of the recent measures. How has the past time been for you?
I closed the salon for two months at the beginning of March. I had just moved into the new salon. I had invested all my money and energy and then you suddenly don’t know what the future will look like. That was hard. But at a certain point you notice that you don’t need much in life. After those two months I was allowed to open again with some small adjustments and it has never been this busy. I think I’m almost fully booked until January!
You practice holistic treatment methods. Can you tell something about that?
I’m not only concerned with the skin, but also with the person. When I treat someone I often feel stress. Then I keep asking questions and, if necessary, I use certain massage techniques in the treatment. Nutrition is also important. You can often tell from the face whether someone has allergies or is intolerant to certain food. In addition, I believe in the spiritual. That does not mean that I’m walking around carrying a dream catcher, but I do believe that we don’t relax enough. That is why I also use relaxation exercises and pressure points. Based on those pressure points I can feel stress and then I try to balance those energy channels. I also find it important that people feel at ease with me. And that they realize that every person has something beautiful, even if you have small lips or a big nose.
Botox and fillers are no longer taboo, even among young people. What’s your opinion on this development?
I find it difficult, because I personally love a natural look. I really appreciate it when people come into the salon with a beautiful energy, even if they have wrinkles. I think it’s a shame that young people are so insecure about their appearance. I have no judgment about it and I respect everyone, but I don’t like the looks of it. It is also not entirely clear what the long-term effects of these treatments are.
Do you get a lot of customers who have “had something done” about their appearance?
Well, almost never. Maybe every now and then I get someone in the salon who has had a shot of Botox in the forehead. But that’s no problem for the treatment. Massaging it, stimulates the muscles again.
I can imagine that skin care methods will continue to develop. How do you ensure that you stay up-to-date?
Especially by keeping track of people who are experts. I use products from Synergie Skin. They combine science with the use of natural products. Nowadays there are many natural brands, but it often turns out that those products contain toxins or insufficient active substances. When I look for new products, I meet with experts, do my research and that’s how I decide to use the brands I use.
Are there things people do when it comes to their skin care that are actually not that good at all?
It often goes wrong when people use too much Retinol, vitamin A and vitamin C. Using too much of this will even destroy the skin surface earlier. Many influencers on Instagram promote brands from their own experience, but every skin is different and therefore needs specific guidance. I think people should seek advice from experts before putting a product on their skin.
What does success mean to you?
I want to create a salon that’s about real quality, honesty, purity and with full attention to the wishes and needs of the customer. Deliver quality. And where people feel that I’m working with passion.
