History

Origins - HEMA Skin Care

Margaret Hema orginally created HEMA skin care products purely for her facial clientele in Wellington, New Zealand. Her compelling concept was the non-use of exfoliants and skin tightening clay masks in both studio facials and home skin care regimes. The idea was to provide products that would maintain a healthy firm pore structure and a smooth even-toned skin surface.

In those formative years, clients, after they had their facials with Margaret, would take home hand-blended facial oils in a plain brown bottle with a hand-made sticker describing what was in the oil. The product had no name. The HEMA branding came three years later when due to demand - word of mouth spread the message and people wanted to stock her hand-blended products. Margaret started her own range of skin care products known and recognised worldwide as HEMA.

Margaret's objective from the outset was to give her clients a minimal method to obtain maximum results with each HEMA product representing excellence and skin care integrity. Good skin depends on a compact pore structure so the HEMA range is fortified with moisturising ingredients that both nourish and condition the skin.

History

Margaret Hema

Margaret Hema's professional commitment to quality skin care started in 1970 when she was working for Mary Quant as a skin care consultant in a large department store in Wellington. The store, known as the DIC, has long since gone but the original building remains and that is where Margaret now works in her studio.

In the early 1970s Margaret took up a position as a Lancome beautician at Old South Head Road Pharmacy in Double Bay, Sydney.

During the early 1980s, the years she was home raising her three children, Margaret continued to work, train and increase her professional qualifications. A selections of positions held, relevant training and qualifications follows:

1980
Perfume and skincare manager, Belle Fleur, Eastbourne, Wellington.
Clarins skincare consultant, Sensations Skincare & Beauty, Manners Mall, Wellington.

1981
Aromatherapy and Essential Oil training: Jean Shirley, Aromatherapist, Double Bay, Sydney.

1983
Diploma, beauty therapy Parisienne Facial Techniques: Jean Shirley, Aromatherapist, Double Bay, Sydney.

1984
Madame Maguy Ruby, Principal, Advanced Academy of Beauty Therapy, Cremorne, Sydney.
Diploma, Aesthetician, International Therapy Examination Council, England.

In 1986 Margaret and the family returned to New Zealand. After working in two salons Margaret quickly established a Wellington client base. Initially she was the only person providing aromatherapy facials in Wellington.

In 1988 she established her facialling business, based in Harbour City Towers, Wellington, where she still works today. A company was registered in 1999 and HEMA Skin Care remains a family business. Margaret's son, Quentin, the HEMA artist, designed the distinctive HEMA logo. Margaret's daughters, Donyale (Wellington) and Tamara (London) are active supporters of the company both locally and internationally.