Australians spending big on beauty services for the dead

The recent boom in cosmetic procedures has raised the bar for many of us when it comes to our appearances. And, it turns out, the dead are no exception.

From false lashes and nails to hair extensions and contouring – grieving relatives are turning to cosmetically-trained morticians to farewell their loved ones at their beautiful best.

Undertakers across Australia are either upskilling on the latest beauty trends or recruiting specialists, like cosmetologists, as a growing number of families request top-end make-up and hairstyles.

News Corp has learned some relatives have even asked for their newly departed to be styled like the Queen and Elvis.

“Twenty years ago, we were just applying make-up. Now we are offering a range of beauty services akin to those offered in the modern-day beauty industry,” White Lady Funerals mortuary supervisor Bernadette Magee said, noting the extra services come at no additional cost.

“In recent years we began using hair straighteners and curling tongs to style hair, and in the past 12 months or so, we have started using nail swatches and beard trimmers.

The career of mortician beautician is growing. Trainee embalmer Nicole Vallance with some of the beauticians tools. Picture: Tony Gough

“Another major change we have seen is that when someone died 20 years ago, their funeral service was an occasion to mourn. Now, funeral services are more a celebration of life.”

Ms Magee said Australia was “very different” to the American funeral industry, where professionals treat and dress the deceased person after the mortician.

“In Australia, our industry has generally had to upskill embalmers and morticians to keep up with make-up and hair trends,” she said.

“We skill ourselves in the use of new products, for example bronzer, winged eyeliner and contouring, eyelashes, and hair extensions. These were unheard of years ago.”

White Lady Funerals trainee embalmer, Nicole Vallance, worked for more than 20 years in oral surgery before she followed in the footsteps of her dad as an embalmer.

“I have seen more families requesting beauty services, especially when their loved one was known to have their hair styled and make-up done a particular way,” she said.

“We even have requests for wigs. While we don’t supply wigs, we will style them and place them on a person’s loved one.

“We had a family request that their husband have a particular style of groomed beard. He never got around to shaving and styling his beard, so we did that for them.”

Trainee embalmer Nicole Vallance with some of the beauticians tools. The recent boom in cosmetic procedures has raised the bar for many of us when it comes to our appearances. Picture: Tony Gough

Sydney University’s deputy director of the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies Dr Katherine Kenny said the “practices of preparing bodies” is now reflecting modern beauty trends.

“Choosing outfits, hair and makeup for people having open-casket funerals has been something people have done for a very long time,” Dr Kenny said.

“This trend is taking tasks usually carried out by morticians or undertakers and having them performed by more specialised professionals like cosmetologists, hair and makeup artists, rather than the undertaker.”

Dr Kenny said the focus on beauty after death which was once “hidden from public view’, is now making death more a part of everyday life.

“Given that the taboos that surround death often cause people a lot of suffering when they experience the death of a loved one,” Dr Kenny said.

“I think anything that breaks down the barriers between life and death – or living and dying – definitely has positive elements to it.”

A mortician makes an annual salary of between $65,000 and $85,000.

Originally published as Australians spending big on beauty services for the dead