Peta-Gay Forrester spreading the science of beauty

With more than a decade of experience, seasoned beauty therapist and educator Peta-Gay Forrester is a firm believer in the boundless opportunities the field offers, and encourages others to not shy away from it.

"Back in the day, there was this assumption that, if you're in the beauty industry, you're dunce and couldn't get any other job, but that's not true. The beauty industry is a thriving," said Forrester. "Things have changed where you have doctors coming into the industry doing body contouring, enhancing the body, doing make-up, the whole works."

While growing up in Guys Hill, St Catherine, Forrester had always dreamed of becoming a doctor. However, after struggling to obtain the necessary CXC qualifications, she found herself devastated and at a crossroads, unsure of what direction to take in life. It was during this challenging time that a woman whose hair she had previously combed steered her toward the beauty industry, specifically hairdressing, an area for which she had a natural talent.

"In my community, I've been combing hair from I was a tender age and, once you're good at combing hair, you know your neighbours are going to want you to comb theirs," Forrester explained, adding that she came from a poor background.

"We really didn't have it. I grew up with my grandparents and we lived in a farming community, so our lifestyle was heavily dependent on farming and we had to live within our means and eat whatever we had," Forrester said. She eventually moved to Kingston and started attending the Vocational Training Development Institute and did the prerequisite courses - mathematics, English and the sciences - so she could acquire a diploma in beauty therapy from the HEART School of Cosmetology, now named HEART College of Beauty Services.

"I remember, when I went to the school, we were wearing full white at the time and I felt like a doctor, and it felt so good. Then I went to classes and listened to what the teacher taught and I realised it was in line with the doctor's services, because you have to deal with the sciences and you have learned about the anatomy of the skin and even the body on a whole," Forrester said.

After completing her studies to became a licensed beauty therapist, Forrester realised that she not only wanted to practise the trade, but teach it as well. So she went on to acquire her bachelor of education in applied technology in beauty services and, after teaching at HEART for eight years, and at the D'Marie Institute for another year, she eventually started her own institution and beauty supply store, Beauty Plus Academy and Supply Store.

"When you join this industry, there is so much you can achieve and you don't have to stick to one thing. You can branch off into so many areas and even be able to provide jobs for others," Forrester said, adding that one should never be discouraged to do what they are passionate about.