Kamla Seecharan masters beauty care

Kamla Seecharan first opened a spa at 19, in her parents’ Sangre Grande home. She said being the only girl in her family and being around her mother sparked her interest in and love for skincare and makeup.

“Having a beautiful mother – and I must say, she was very glamorous – really got me into this field. Whenever she was going out, she’d always encourage me by asking, ‘Can you do my makeup?’ She’d always say that she found I did makeup pretty good. “

After this promising start, Seecharan went to her father to let him know she wanted to be an aesthetician, but nearly hit a brick wall at that point.

“He looked at me and asked, ‘Why do you want to be an aesthetician?’ and he followed up with, ‘First to begin with, what is an aesthetician?’”

Once she explained what an aesthetician does, her parents supported her in going on to become certified at Shaw College, London. Then she went on to work at friends’ spas before starting her own.

“It was quite a challenge working from my parents’ home, in the sense that we had other businesses, such as restaurants and bars. So the possibility of having the right clientele was low, and I felt as though I needed to get myself out there and out of that environment.”

When she first opened Skin Boutique by Kams, she offered basic services such as facials. But, she said, “Beauty changes as we breathe, so now, I have gotten into more high-care services such as mole removal, laser treatment and dermabrasion. I have expanded from years ago.”

Seecharan, now 54, has moved her spa from her parents home to a nearby building. It is a much bigger space and she is able to offer more services, including hairstyling. Because her speciality is skincare and makeup, she has hired a hairdresser to take care of customers who require that type of service.

But then, like many other businesses, hers took a hit from the effects of the covid19 pandemic, which she said would have driven her livelihood into the ground had it not been for the support of her husband. Seecharan said he helped her cover the rent until the restrictions were lifted and spas were once again able to open.

“It was really difficult to operate during the covid19 lockdowns, because I couldn’t have people come to my home, and people didn’t want me to come to their home. So it was a drastic downfall from 2019-2021.”

Since reopening, she has tried to offer packages where possible. Seecharan said she tries to cater for everyone, so she labels them silver, platinum or gold and offers an array of different services to match the prices.

“They are basic packages, but the clients are still very pleased with it, and it is affordable.”

As for the future, Seecharan said she hopes to open a school to teach her craft.

“I have clients (and) some of them have children, all of whom admire my work, so maybe one day I’ll start offering classes. I mean, we do have to look at the industry as well.”