Beauty Ace

Louise O’Loughlin is the owner of Iguazu Beauty in Rush, Co Dublin. An oncology aesthetics therapist and trainer, her business also distributes Repêchage and Lip Intimate Care

What’s your earliest memory?
I remember being about three and I would have to stand up in front of visitors and recite the capitals of each country in the world. Most kids learned rhymes and the alphabet, but my older sister taught me the capitals!

Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
My mother Colette. She was an incredible lady in every way. From home life to my professional career, there is nothing I do on daily basis where I don’t wonder what she would do or say. She took everything that life threw at her, good and bad, and made the very best of it. 

What was your first job?
My first official job was when I was 16 and I worked in a music recording studio in Dublin for the summer. That was very cool, and I got to meet some amazing people. 

Ideal holiday destination?
Iguazu Falls in Argentina, of course! But on a more realistic level, Fuerteventura is my favourite place with the family. I adore Italy too. I love to travel, so it’s hard to pick one destination.

Favourite food?
I love real Italian food. Sometimes the simplest of dishes are the most delicious. 

Favourite drink?
I have many, depending on what I’m eating or where I am. If I had to choose one, I love a really good pint of Guinness. 

How do you relax?
I play tennis. It is the only way I get to turn my brain off from work. I’m so focused on the game, it really is an escape. 

What was the last great series or film you watched?
I absolutely loved Peaky Blinders. It’s dark, but there is some fantastic acting from lots of local talent. 

Dream dinner party guests?
It would be my parents, my godparents, and parents-in-law. All bar one are now gone, and I would love to have them all back, even for one dinner with my family. David Bowie as entertainment would be the icing on the cake!

Do you cook and, if so, do you have a signature dish?
I love to cook when I have the time, but I dread the daily dinners after work. The one dish I would be known for is my paella, which is a great party dish. I can’t claim the recipe as it was passed on to me from family in the Canary Islands. 

Best piece of advice you have ever received?
Go with your gut. Often there is no logic to this, you just must trust your intuition. If something feels off, it’s generally because it is. Similarly, if you get a good feeling about something, go for it. 

Best piece of advice you’ve ever given?
Don’t waste your time worrying because it might never happen. We spend so much time worrying, and it is detrimental to our health. I have seen first-hand what worrying too much can do to people, and it's not good.

Have you learned any valuable lessons from the pandemic?
I learned to adapt. I couldn’t not work, so I changed the way I worked. I did everything online, from facial tutorials with clients on Facebook, to opening a distribution company. I also put all our training online, which not just saved us, but saw us train more people in lockdown than in the previous three years. I think we have all learned that we can adapt and get used to anything. 

‘I genuinely care about people and try to help them whenever I can, both in work and my personal life’

Favourite thing about yourself?
I genuinely care about people and try to help them whenever I can, both in work and my personal life. I think if we all cared for and helped people when they need it, life would be so much easier. 

What is the one skincare product you cannot live without?
For a skincare junkie, this is tough. I’m going to opt for Mineral Face Shield by Repêchage – it gives full protection all year round from sun, wind and cold, and it’s a great primer for under make-up.  

What, if anything, would you now tell your 16-year-old self?
The Leaving Certificate does not define you. You can be anything you want to be, you just might have to choose a different path to others. If I told my 16-year-old self what I am doing today, she would not believe me! 

How would you like to be remembered?
As a kind and good friend who worked hard trying to make a difference.