Teen, mom stand firm for beauty

News

Teenager Tahj Reid and mom Suzette Buchanan are climbing the ladder of technology and beauty as they combine to generally make people look and feel better.

For Reid, a certified hair removal aesthetician, he is able to use his skills daily to help his clients present the best versions of themselves to the world.

At age 19, the Hillel High School graduate is a key principal of GPS to Beauty, one of the newest day spas offering non-invasive cosmetic procedures in the Kingston and St Andrew Metropolitan Area. Reid said that while many of the services offered are traditionally marketed to women, he has also observed growing interest among men.

“It’s interesting to see the shift in the attitudes of men towards these services from negative to positive. The modern man is embracing the idea that they too need to take care of their skin, just as women have for years, and that beauty services are not a luxury, but are necessary elements of a balanced self-care regimen” Reid said.

Reid’s business partner, Buchanan, is a woman who is no stranger to successful enterprise, having headed operations at Caymanas Track Ltd and the Universal Service Fund; as well as serving as a councillor for the Jamaica Labour Party in the Gregory Park Division of the St Catherine Parish Council, now municipal corporation.

While Buchanan has executive oversight for the business, she entrusts her son with running its day-to-day operations, working closely with facility Manager Odessia Benjamin, including developing service packages to meet the needs of their growing clientele.

“For instance, for Mother’s Day we had several curated packages for mothers and their spouses or adult children. The message is that there are services that cater to the needs of just about everyone to help individuals reach their wellness and beauty goals,” Buchanan said.

Setting up shop in September of last year could certainly be seen as a smart business decision as when the two opened the doors they became part of the growing health and beauty industry currently valued at over US$511 billion globally.

The six-day operation, located in King’s Plaza, offers services such as hydro-facials, ultrasonic cavitation for fat loss, laser hair removal, cellulite treatment, infrared skin tightening, full-body skin tightening, vaginal tightening, vitamin shots and full-body red light therapy, a service that has become a favourite among athletes including national women’s football Captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw.

The Manchester City player was on location to experience the service as the Jamaica Observer team toured the facility last Thursday. She gave the service high rating and recommended it not only for athletes but for those who want to give themselves a much-needed boost of energy.

Another service which gets her stamp of approval is the vitamin shot therapy administered by director of medical services and certified functional medicine physician Dr Orlando Thomas.

According to Dr Thomas, the shot is an excellent way for individuals to get the nutrients they need for a health lifestyle in today’s modern world.

“The amount of nutrients in foods has decreased over the last 100 years. Our diet has moved from raw, unprocessed foods to more processed foods, which can lead to lifestyle diseases. With these shots you are able to get much needed vitamins and minerals, slow the ageing process and even accelerate your weight loss programme,” Dr Thomas said.

According to Dr Thomas, there are shots (vitamins and amino acids) that allow people to lose up to eight pounds in a month. It’s therefore no surprise that with summer fast approaching, these shots have become the businesses most popular offering.

Executive Chairman Buchanan was quick to point out, however, that GPS is not just about making profit but also making a difference.

For Mothers’ Day, the business pampered three inner-city mothers with special beauty services and also provided them with monetary support. It was an initiative conceptualised and spearheaded by Reid, which he said warmed his heart as well as those of the recipients.

Tahj Reid does an ultrasonic cavitation on client Dr Alana Grant. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Aesthetician and facility manager Odessia Benjamin applies the finishing touches before putting Jamaica and Manchester City footballer Khadija “Bunny” Shaw through Red Light therapy, a full-body spa treatment. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Finished with a session of the ‘All Body Red Light’ therapy, Khadija “Bunny” Shaw seems all satisfied. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Client Donovan Marshall being attended to by medical aesthetician Venesar Raphael.