HISTORY
Margaret Hema, July 2017. Photography by Caroline Atkinson
Margaret Hema originally created HEMA skin care products purely for her facial clientele in Wellington, New Zealand. Her compelling concept was the non-use of exfoliants and skin tightening clay masks in both salon facials and home skin care regimes. The idea was to provide products that would maintain a healthy firm pore structure and a smooth even-toned skin surface.
In those formative years, clients, after they had their facials with Margaret, would take home hand-blended facial oils in a plain brown bottle with a hand-made sticker describing what was in the oil. The product had no name. The HEMA branding came three years later when due to demand - word of mouth spread the message and people wanted to stock her hand-blended products.
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Margaret Hema's professional commitment to quality skin care started in 1970 when she was working for Mary Quant as a skin care consultant in a large department store in Wellington. The store, known as the DIC, has long since gone but the original building remains. In the early 1970s Margaret took up a position as a Lancome beautician at Old South Head Road Pharmacy in Double Bay, Sydney. During the early 1980s, the years she was home raising her three children, Margaret continued to work, train and increase her professional qualifications. A selections of positions held, relevant training and qualifications follows:
1980 - Perfume and skincare manager, Belle Fleur, Eastbourne, Wellington.
Clarins skincare consultant, Sensations Skincare & Beauty, Manners Mall, Wellington.
1981 - Diploma - instructional and practical training in Parisienne Facial Techniques. March 1981. Jean Shirley, Aromatherapist, Double Bay, Sydney.
1983 - Diploma - instructional and practical training in Aromatherapy ~ Essential Oil Treatment. March 1983. Jean Shirley, Aromatherapist, Double Bay, Sydney.
1984 - Madame Maguy Rubie, Principal, Advanced Academy of Beauty Therapy, Cremorne, Sydney.
Diploma, ITEC, International Therapy Examination Council, England.
1986 - Margaret and the family returned to New Zealand. After working in two salons Margaret quickly established a Wellington client base. Initially she was the only person providing aromatherapy facials in Wellington.
1988 - At 42 Margaret Hema established her facially business, based at 29 Brandon Street, Harbour City Tower.
2013 - Margaret relocated her salon to 49 Courtenay Place.
2020 - At 74 Margaret retires her facial services and closes her salon. Her legacy is in each product she has created and produced.
