NMIT beauty student wins national makeup competition

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) beauty and body therapy student Jill Archibald, of Nelson, has been announced as the national winner in the 2013 Wendy Hill Cosmetics Student Award. Jill's winning entry was for Professional Photographic Bridal Makeup for her work with model Zoe Lithgow.

The Wendy Hill team said Jill's entry "demonstrated excellent makeup techniques and used colour tones to particularly enhance her model's features, while keeping the makeup style natural and appropriate - her model really sparkled!"

Fourteen students from NMIT's Diploma in Beauty and Body Therapy took part in the competition which is open to all educational institutes around New Zealand. The Top of the South area competition was held at NMIT's on-campus beauty salon in Nelson on 24 October 2013 and the national winner was selected based on before and after photos of the winning entries from each region.

NMIT Beauty and Body Therapy Tutor Chanelle Taylor said the competition was a great way for students to build their confidence with makeup as well as having the opportunity to express and showcase their individual talents with makeup. "It's a great way to encourage the students to think outside of the box and create something unique and picture perfect", she said.

Taylor described Jill's win as "an absolute honour" for Jill and for NMIT - as hundreds of students around the country took part in the regional competitions. "The Diploma in Beauty and Body Therapy is a new course to NMIT this year, so having one of our students win this national competition has been a real blessing - and we are extremely proud of all our of students who competed", she said.

NMIT’s Diploma in Beauty and Body Therapy (Level 5) provides students with the skills and knowledge required to perform a range of treatments at a professional level within the commercial environment. These include manicure, pedicure services, depilatory wax service, facial treatments, make up, electrology, facial electrics, massage and spa therapies. The students enjoy specialised training in the on-campus beauty salon where they work with real clients. The course has been designed and is taught by industry-trained professionals.

Taylor said beauty and body therapy could be an amazing and rewarding career. Graduates could go into roles such as beauty therapist in a clinic, day spa or cruise ship, sales representative in the beauty industry, an administrator in a cosmetic company or a self-employed beauty therapist.

"You'll spend your days in the body-beautiful industry making people look and feel like a million dollars".