Last week I had the distinct pleasure of being an invited lecturer at the 2nd annual Dermalogica Middle East Congress in Dubai. And what an event it was! Perhaps more important than the event itself (and all of the fabulous information that was shared with the attendees) was the impression that they made on me. What a wonderful group of skin therapists! We had male and female guests from UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Kuwait and Iran. These countries are very different from where many of us reside, yet I couldn’t help but notice they had the same questions, issues and dreams about their businesses as their skin therapistcounterparts from around the world.

I was especially impressed with the group of 65 (primarily women) from Pakistan. At first it was theircolorful traditional Salwar kameez attire that caught my attention! Then, upon speaking with many of them individually, I was taken not only by their dedication and commitment to our industry, but their personalstories of how skin care transcends beyond the business and helps make a difference in others’ lives.

This concept resonated with me because in my 31 years in this industry, I know all too well that it’s not the scientific lectures or the products that I help to develop that gives me a sense of personal satisfaction. Rather, it’s the one-on-one moments where a skin therapist conveys to me how Dermalogica and The International Dermal Institute have helped them in their professional business. It has helped them to be more successful, and in many instances their success has ensuredthat they can put food on their family’s table and pay for their children’s education. When I hear how many of these women themselves are now committed to helping others in their community, it gives me great pride to be part of this industry.

In particular, one delightful woman stands out in my mind. Ms. Nighat Misbah is a successful business woman responsible for 30 skin treatment centers in Pakistan, and has also dedicated herself to a cause that is incomprehensible to most of us. In Pakistan, many women are subject to having acid thrown in their faces, or being doused in kerosene and set afire, if they scorn their boyfriends/husbands or bring shame to their family. This horrific crime leaves these women disfigured and scarred for life. Mrs. Misbah has joined forces with her sister to form the Depilex Smileagain Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps these victims with the medical recovery process, then helps train these women in a trade or skill, empowering them on the journey of rebuilding their lives. Ms. Misbah is using her career as a professional skin therapist to give a hand up to women who are desperately in need. The work and help that this organization provides is nothing short of heroic and today they have successfully helped over 400 women! I urge you to look at their website: www.depilexsmileagain.com/zakat.htm

I couldn’t help but appreciate the irony of the title of my presentation at this Congress: Zero to Hero. I talked about how there are heroes amongst us and that heroestake all shapes and forms, including education and products that raised the bar in an industry such as ours. Ms. Misbah is truly a hero to many, and I applaud her for her amazing work with women in her country. It also reminds me that each and every one of us can make a difference. At Dermalogica, our campaign with joinFITE is a simple way that all of us can give a hand up towomen worldwide. The amazing thing is it’s at no cost to you! Simply encourage clients who purchase joinFITE products to log on to joinFITE.org and enter the unique code, found on the product package. Once your clients unlock the code, Dermalogica donates the funds on their behalf. It couldn’t be any simpler, and yet it can make a difference for a woman entrepreneur, that just needs a helping hand.

I look forward to my return visit to the Middle East, and maybe even a visit to Pakistan to visit my new friends.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 6:13 pm and is filed under guest blogger.