Oslo Skjønnhet og Velvære: When your passion becomes your job

Many of us may have a dream of a different life with a different job, turning our passion and interests into a livelihood. But following through on a dream can be scary.

Karina Hansen opened Oslo Skjønnhet og Velvære AS in December 2019. She had worked as a pharmacy technician at Akershus Hospital in Lørenskog, but it was the same routine every day, which became boring. She needed a new challenge.

Beauty and wellness had always been her passion and she dreamed of being her own boss. So, in 2017, Hansen took the leap and decided to train as a cosmetic therapist.

Clinic manager and owner Karina Hansen.

From grand opening to lockdown

After going back to school and finding the perfect premises for her clinic, the dream had come true. But in March 2020, Norway went into lockdown. While beauty clinics provide medical treatments, they are primarily places for those seeking to enhance their natural beauty and for self-care. They were not considered necessary enough to keep open.

“The dream felt shattered and at home I had a husband who supported me and my two children aged seven and ten,” says Hansen. “I had risked everything and the support from my husband has been there 110 per cent from day one.”

The timing of the clinic opening was unlucky, but amidst it all Lady Luck was smiling at her. “I remember dreading picking up the phone to call the landlord to ask if I could postpone the rent for maybe two months when the clinic was closed,” Hansen says. “When I called him, he abruptly said postponement was out of the question… because he would pay the rent as long as there was a lockdown, and that I shouldn’t have worried about it. A heart of gold is how I would describe him.”

Going from strength to strength

Oslo Skjønnhet og Velvære survived lockdown and flourished. The clinic has grown to a staff of six, including two skilled and responsible doctors, Dr. Trønnes and Dr. Austdal, who are amongst Norway’s leading course holders in injections, and one of whom is a bioengineer.

Three years later they are very successful, but Hansen does not rest on her laurels. She often travels around the world to keep up to date professionally and takes courses at Aesthetic studio Oslo. The beauty and wellness industry is an innovative one, always improving and developing new treatments and products. “We always aim to offer the best of the best when it comes to quality,” says Hansen. “Our aim is not to change you, but to highlight your natural beauty.”

Karina Hansen and Dr. Simen Austdal.

Popular treatments

The most popular treatments are medical injections like Botox and fillers, and laser hair removal. If booking laser treatment during the summer, it is important to keep treated area covered up as it makes the skin very sensitive.

Another rejuvenating procedure on offer is PRP injections. This is where the bioengineer comes in. This is a method where the patient’s own blood is used to stimulate repair and tissue regeneration in the body. With injections, any good clinic will advise the patient on what is best for them and what will give the best result. At Oslo Skjønnhet og Velvære, they will not do more than is necessary.

No needles needed

Injections are not for everyone, though. A fear of needles is very real, but the clinic offers needle-free treatments like Profhilo. It is a facial treatment based on hyaluronic acid which adds moisture and has a firming effect on the skin.

PRX-T33 is a biological skin rejuvenating treatment consisting of 33 per cent TCA acid, 3 per cent hydrogen peroxide and kojic acid which work together at the cellular level. They contribute to cell renewal and stimulate the skin’s own repair mechanisms, which improves the skin both directly and in the long term.

Mesotherapy is a treatment that is carried out in a number of areas to achieve a younger look. It uses an instrument called a Mesogun and involves the use of compressed air. This stimulates the skin and helps it restore its natural strength and glow. The method also reduces wrinkles and provides a good moisture balance in the skin. The clinic also offers beauty services like lash extensions, teeth whitening and skin and body care.

“I believe that one must always follow one’s heart and dreams in order to achieve what one wants in life, but of course one must also be realistic,” Hansen says. “It will never be easy at the start, but it is important to have great friends and family who are always behind you.”

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