As owner of award-winning Perth clinic BLANC, Dr Clara Hurst knows a thing or two about good skin. Dr Clara Hurst perfected her craft as a cosmetic injector at the prestigious Harley Street in London and has since gained a large list of clientele, and cult following, for her signature natural and untouched look. Launching online early last year, Dr Clara Hurst is also the co-founder of The Secret: a results-driven and made-to-order prescription-only skincare brand, bottling her experience in the industry for at-home results. Below, Dr Clara Hurst tells us all about her passion for beauty, the products she can’t live without, and what a day in her very busy life looks like.
What drew you to a career in cosmetic procedures and facial aesthetics and then starting your own clinic and skincare label?
I’ve always had an interest in beauty, science and design so facial aesthetics was an obvious career choice for me. I actually trained as a dentist which gave me a deep understanding of head and neck anatomy, which is essential as a cosmetic injector. After graduating I went on to train extensively in the field of facial rejuvenation and non-surgical cosmetic enhancements.
While this area is my passion, I quickly realised that in order to achieve the kind of results that I wanted for my patients, we had to begin with the basics: healthy skin!
I saw firsthand how devastating issues like acne, scarring, pigmentation and rosacea could be for self-esteem and I wanted to use the knowledge I had gained from years in this industry to help people access solutions that really work.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love making people feel good about themselves! It’s so rewarding to know that someone is walking out feeling more confident and comfortable in their skin after working with you.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day sees me wake up early to get my kids ready for school, pack lunches, do two school drop-offs and get into my clinic by 8:30am.
I then rely on my amazing clinic manager to debrief me and give me a run through of the day before I begin a full day of back-to-back patient treatments. Typically I see around 15 patients before leaving the practice to do school pick-up, kids activities, make dinner and do the usual bedtime routine with my kids and spend some one-on-one time with them.
Around 8:30pm is when I have a quiet house; I can finally sit down to catch up on emails and clinic matters for an hour or so before going to bed ready to do it all again the next day!
One day a week is dedicated exclusively to managing my skincare business and consists of early morning breakfast meetings with our marketing and management team, Zoom calls with our PR agency, and making decisions about things like product development, website, packaging and events. My business partner and I are both very efficient and share the same vision for the future of the business so we are able to make quick decisions that our team can immediately put into action.
How do you find balance between family life and work life?
I have two kids and two businesses, so finding balance between family life and work life takes a lot of conscious effort. For me, building a team of amazing people who I can trust to keep the ball rolling when I’m away has been crucial. I also play tennis once or twice a week and get down to the beach as often as I possibly can.
Tell us a little about your approach to beauty and wellness...
My approach is very minimalist and science-based. I don’t have time for a 10-step skincare routine, so I stick to products and brands that I know and trust to achieve clinical results. When it comes to beauty I’ve always loved that effortless and ‘untouched’ look, not only in my approach to injectables, but in my personal style.
What is your daily beauty regime and how has it evolved?
These days I keep it super simple. Working in the beauty industry, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the products and fads and treatments that are available, but over time I’ve found (and developed!) my own hero products that have allowed me to strip back my beauty routine.
Most days I rely on my Medik8 oil cleanser, followed by The Essentials Set from The Secret Skincare and a tinted Mesoestetic sunscreen. Because I’ve invested heavily in the health of my skin, I have the luxury of letting it breathe throughout the week and leaving makeup for special occasions. You can’t imagine how much time this saves!
I am also big on supporting the skin from the inside out, so I incorporate the By Beth collagen into a smoothie most mornings.
Who are your go-to beauty brands?
I’ve tried and tested a lot of beauty brands in my time. Off the top of my head, my favourite skin-related beauty brands that I use to support The Secret Skincare are Medik8, Mesoestetic, Aspect and Omnilux. For my hair, my go-to’s are Kerastase and Olaplex, and for makeup I usually reach for Charlotte Tilbury and Hourglass products. I’m also a big fan of Tom Ford and Byredo perfumes.
By Beth offers a very Australian take on beauty. What do you love most about the place we call home?
What I love about Australia is the ability to live this incredible healthy lifestyle. I actually moved here when my daughter Sienna was small because she was born extremely premature and suffered a lot of health problems. I felt that the beautiful weather and clean air would give her the best possible start in life. Being born in Spain, a love for the sun and hot weather is in my blood and the Australian climate suits me perfectly
