Erin, aka @skinplusdubai

Of all the stories on this wall, Erin's is the most patient. Two full years passed between her first enquiry and her first day of training, and she'd tell you every month of the wait was deliberate.

“I wanted to save up and be able to comfortably do it, plus have my treatment room exactly how I wanted for launching. I always knew I would love to be part of the beauty industry, and I always suffered with my own skin, so I would love nothing more than helping others. One day, I thought to myself: this is what I’m passionate about, and it all made sense to do it.”

Overcoming doubts

“I did have doubts, yes. Mainly ‘what if this doesn’t work and I fail?’ But a big thing for me was other people’s opinions, especially other specialists. I had to keep reminding myself that they all started somewhere, so why can’t I?”

One exchange in particular carried her through the fear of launching publicly.

“I was so anxious about launching my Instagram page because I was scared of what people would think. Then, Kirsty did a Q&A on Instagram, and I replied saying I was nervous about others’ opinions. She replied with, ‘Stay in your own lane and focus on yourself.’ That stuck with me. In hindsight, I now realise you will only fail if you let yourself fail.”

Building Skin+ Dubai

Erin launched properly: a finished treatment room, a considered brand, and total commitment from day one. The results have followed.

“I would say I am proud of what I have built in the short space of time since launching. When I went into this, I put everything into it, and it’s paid off. The excitement of new clients coming through the door and my returning clients every month, it really is rewarding.”

“I always feel a sense of excitement and pride when someone says ‘she recommended me.’ It shows I must be doing something right. Word of mouth is powerful! I’m also so proud of completing my Level 3 qualification alongside working and managing everyday life.”

The moment it all felt real

“Looking back at my skin transformations and thinking, ‘Wow, I did that!’ It makes me excited and encourages me to keep going. Opening my messages from clients about their post-treatment results and seeing how happy they are literally makes my day.”

Her advice

“DO IT! I honestly loved it and didn’t want the week to end. So nice, I went back for my Level 3 and didn’t want that to end either! But be prepared financially. If you want to do it the right way, be ready to invest, because the first year of business is always the hardest.”

“Don’t run before you can walk. You don’t need to do everything all at once. Perfect where you’re at first and then expand. Take inspiration from others, but try to be creative and come up with your own ideas. That’s how you’ll stand out.”

Would she recommend the course?

“Yes! The training was very detailed and in-depth. We got to work on so many models throughout the week, alongside model demos. I love that the teachers come from a medical background, like nurses and midwives. Shoutout to the lovely Georgia: her knowledge is just amazing, and her way of teaching makes everything so easy to understand. No question was a silly question!”

“Also, the community you get from MSTA is incredible. I now speak with so many other specialists who are so helpful and supportive. Let’s be honest, we all learn from each other. There’s no gatekeeping here!”