Ultimate Guide: Top experts for Geelong, Surf Coast year 12 formals
The votes are in, and now the top experts in hair styling, make-up artistry, spray tanning, nails, lashes and brows can be revealed. SEE THE TOP FIVE IN EACH CATEGORY
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Students celebrating their formals and end of year celebrations can relax knowing there’s a one-stop shop for their best in the region to help pamper and get them ready for big events.
The Geelong Addy asked readers to nominate the best hair stylists, make-up artists, spray tanners, nail technicians and lash and brow technicians to make it easier for year 12s to know where to go.
Readers then voted for the best in region in each category to crown a winner in each.
The top five can now be revealed.
Hair stylist
With 23 years experience and a passion for hair styling it’s no wonder Bex Nardi, founder of Berdi, has been crowned the best in her category to help year 12s get ready for formals.
She said it was surprising but “really nice” to be recognised for what she does.
”Styling is my favourite part of the job, it’s always been something I have loved.”
Ms Nardi first opened her own hair dressing business in 2010 before opening a second business for styling and blow dries called Blo Out Bar.
In 2023 she merged the two businesses under the Berdi banner.
“We get a lot of formal clients and a lot of regulars come in for blow dries weekly,” she said.
“We dedicate Saturdays now to all styling and events rather than any cuts and colours so we have big Saturdays when there’s lots of events around Geelong.”
The top five hair stylists in Geelong, as voted by readers, are:
1. Bex Nardi, Berdi
2. Emmalyn Richmond, Grovedale Hair Room
3. Candace Robertson, Style & Grace
4. Lis Jaima, MAKEUPARTLIS
5. Miranda Kiteski, Berdi
Make-up artist
Between raising four children and working as a teacher Sandra Tomasevic still has time to impress her clients and be voted the best makeup artist in Geelong for the second year running.
Ms Tomasevic, who is the face behind Sandra Tomasevic Makeup Artistry, has been dabbling in the make-up industry for 16 years, and for the past eight has worked to establish her business.
She said it was quite validating to win the vote and she felt supported by her clients and friends.
“I do put a lot of time and effort into the make-up business and my clients even though it is not my main career,” she said.
“It is my creative outlet so it’s something I do for self love and my me time.”
Ms Tomasevic said she was constantly training herself as new trends and products emerged.
“Trends are changing all the time so it’s all about upskilling,” she said.
“Make up products are constantly changing and evolving too.”
The top five make up artists in Geelong, as voted by readers, are:
1. Sandra Tomasevic, Sandra Tomasevic Makeup Artistry
2. Caitlin Roe, Caitlin Roe Artistry
3. Maddi Nicholls, Dear Boa
4. Makeup by Tania Ferguson
5. Christina Janeczko, Eyedo beauty
Lash and brow technician
Innika Hall, from Lash Baby salon, is well renowned as the best lash and brow technician in Geelong after taking out the title of best in the lash business last year.
She has now been recognised as the best tech to help year 12s get ready for formals as well.
Ms Hall said she could not believe she was voted best of the best.
“I am so grateful and quite proud,” she said.
“The best part of the job is making people feel gorgeous, when you give a client the mirror and they are super happy, feel confident and walk out with a kick in their step is really rewarding.”
Ms Hall is going into her fourth year of being a lash and brow technician.
“I wanted to do lashes to start with so, I did a course on it with my bestie and fell in love with it,” she said.
“I then picked up brows along the way at the salon I worked at as I did some training and fell in love with that too.
“I specialise in lash extensions, lifts and brows and I don’t really have a favourite.
“I am grateful for the team at Lash Baby because I don’t think I would be where I am without them.”
The top five lash and brow technicians in Geelong, as voted by readers, are:
1. Innika Hall, Lash Baby salon
2. Jaz Bratanavicius, Brow & Beauty House
3. Waxing Lounge Geelong
4. Lauren Williams, Bare the salon
Equal 5. Kellie, Blink Twice and Confiance By Meni
Nail technician
Emma Inglis, who runs Glow Nails from Soli Slaon in Belmont was voted best in the nail technician business for school formals.
She polled 26 per cent of the overall votes for her category.
It makes her a back to back winner after taking home the same title in 2023.
Ms Inglis is known for her bright and colourful nail work and clever patterns and art.
The top five nail technicians in Geelong, as voted by readers, are:
1. Emma Inglis, Glow Nails
2. Le Nailed It
3. Nails with Love Torquay
4. Kayla Welsh, Nails by KW
5. Nails By Antonia Dugandzic
Spray tanner
To round out the 2024 back-to-back winners, the team at The Sorority is once again the place to go for a spray tan ahead of a formal.
Laura Medved started The Sorority in 2019 and in that year she was spray tanning some of the women who attended the Brownlow.
Before moving into the beauty space, Ms Medved worked for the AFL.
She also was Brit Selwood’s spray tanner for her wedding to Geelong Cats legend Joel in January 2020.
The business is an in-studio spray tanning salon, based in Wandana Heights, and a mobile salon servicing Geelong, Surf Coast and the Bellarine.
The top five spray tanners in Geelong, as voted by readers, are:
1. The Sorority
2. Caroline Makin, I know a chick
3. Francesca DeAngelis, Beauty Casa Geelong
4. Smooth & Tan Beauty Salon
Equal 5. Mikaela De la Cruz, Koukla Beauty and Golden Days Tanning
Originally published as Ultimate Guide: Top experts for Geelong, Surf Coast year 12 formals
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