Kellie has the art of beauty

KELLIE King is hoping to make the world a more beautiful place this week by getting people to look their best.

For her job, she needs to be good at explaining things to people and persuasive enough to get them to follow her advice. She must be prepared to touch clients’ faces and bodies and have some knowledge of biology and chemistry.

She is also required to have artistic flare specialising in makeup, nail art or skin decoration. It’s a lot of demands to place on any young shoulders but Kellie is bearing up well.

She is one of two young students of beauty therapy who will represent Cork School of Commerce, this year’s host college, in the National Final of the World Skills Competition, which takes place this week.

Sharing the spotlight with 19-year-old Kellie, from Killarney, is 20-year-old Karen Keogh from Wexford.

Tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday they will primp and preen their models before a panel of six judges, competing against 10 other beauty therapists from VECs around the country.

Kellie and Karen will also turn their skills to transforming the working girl from her day-in-the-office look to the girl-on-the-town look.

Sheila McSwiney, their lecturer, said she has high hopes for the two, who, if successful, will go on to represent their country at the World Skills competition in Helsinki next year.

“They’ve come through all the preliminaries and they’re both excellent,” she said.

“We’re very proud of them for entering, and whatever the outcome, it’s a great experience.”