Hear No Evil
14 April 2008
By Janine Hill
She’s beautiful, has a loving fiancé, runs her own successful business, and isn’t yet 30.
By anyone’s standards, beauty salon proprietor Leigh Walker has it all.
Except for one thing: hearing. Leigh was only two when she was diagnosed with 75 percent hearing loss, and her parents were advised to teach her sign language and send her to a special school.
However, they bucked the expert’s recommendations, choosing instead to develop their daughter’s exceptional lip-reading and speech skills and put her through the regular school system.
Their decision set the course for Leigh’s life and meant that she remained open to everyone and every opportunity.
“I forget that I’m hearing impaired half the time,” she tells me.
Many of the customers at her Cotton Tree beauty salon, Lime Health and Beauty, remain oblivious to the fact that she cannot hear them.
Fourteen years of speech therapy means that Leigh speaks normally, and those customers who do detect a difference tend to pass it off as a cold or an accent.
Leigh’s startling ability to compensate for her lack of hearing was highlighted for her father, Graeme, some 20 years ago, when he left his daughter in the car with the windows up and air-conditioning on while he made a call at a public phone.
“At the end of the conversation, she could tell me everything I said. Her lip-reading ability was unbelievable,” Graeme says.
Alarm bells began ringing for the first-time parents when Leigh was six months old.
“Mum was cooking in the kitchen and I was sleeping in the pram. She dropped some pans or something and I didn’t wake up, so she became a bit worried,” Leigh says.
Later, they noticed how close she sat to the TV, and how she failed to respond when her name was called. They were given the brush-off at their first visit to a general practitioner.
“Like many other observers, the doctor assumed we were just being paranoid parents,” Graeme says. “His words will never leave me: ‘Look, she can talk and she is normal in every way. There is nothing wrong here’.”
Graeme and Sherril did not take no for an answer, and got a referral to an audiologist who thought his equipment was broken because it showed that Leigh was moderately to severely deaf.
He had assured the Walkers that there was nothing wrong with her. Three months later, tests by a Brisbane specialist confirmed that Leigh had a moderate to severe hearing loss, but even then, further tests were ordered under sedation because the incredulous team could not believe the result.
“Even at this young age, it was apparent then that Leigh had exceptional skills despite her adversity,” Graeme says.
“The specialist was astounded with Leigh’s ability to adapt and be responsive to things around her.”
She has never found her hearing a problem and has found the only limits set on her have come from other people – for instance, when an airline knocked back her application to become a flight attendant.
Leigh left Townsville and moved to the Sunshine Coast, where she built on the grooming and deportment skills she had learned through some part-time modelling by undertaking a beauty course.
She believes she has developed other skills to compensate for her hearing loss, and these have helped her in her chosen career.
Customers compliment her on her touch, which she thinks has possibly developed as a sense because she cannot experience the world through sound.
And she suspects she is also perceptive when it comes to people, possibly through having to rely on facial expressions and body language to make up for what she cannot hear.
The business has been going so well that Leigh hopes to franchise in the next few years, and she expects to one day step back as a successful businesswoman and raise a family.
Although she does not consider herself public speaker material, she would one day like to help families with deaf kids, perhaps by being on hand to simply answer questions.
Her message is reassuring for parents who have children with hearing impairments: hearing is something that she’s never missed.
“Some people would say, ‘I feel sorry for you’, but it works both ways. I’ve just adapted my life around it. I wouldn’t say I’ve ever regretted it,” she says.
“At this stage of my life, I’ve probably become quite proud of myself.”
Our top business women prepare for big night
12:00a.m. 6th August 2008
These women mean business.
Last night the Sunshine Coast Business Woman of the Year finalists gathered for a meet and greet as they geared up for their big night next week.
It was a chance to answer those last minute questions, speak to sponsors and settle the butterflies ahead of the gala awards ceremony next Tuesday.
Awards committee chair Kaitlyn Akers said last night’s event at Twin Waters Resort was a chance for all the finalists from the four categories to network without the pressure of waiting for the awards announcements.
“It gives them an opportunity to meet with the other women who have got to that same level in their business and careers and learn from each others’ experience,” she said.
“They can discuss what is involved next week and it just takes the pressure off the evening. It helps take all of that stress out of it and allows them the opportunity to enjoy the night and celebrate their achievements.”
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network awards and the four categories – corporate, micro small business, professional and young business woman - are hotly contested between the Coast’s female business workers.
To get to know this year’s 28 finalists ahead of the awards night, be sure to catch this week’s Style free with Saturday’s Sunshine Coast Daily
Last year's outstanding business woman of the year Vicki Clark with this year's Business Woman of the Year finalists Melanie Jacobson, Leigh Walker, Laura Miller, Marina Passalaris, Zahrah Groom, Megan Meineke and Sarah
Lime is Sublime
23 June 2008
It's not the first time that I’ve been in Leigh Walker’s expert hands.
The owner of Cotton Tree beauty salon, Lime Health and Beauty, has gained a well-deserved reputation since opening the salon two years ago.
She’s a therapist with a magic touch and a product knowledge that is always expanding.
It’s due that expansion that I’m here again today. I’ve been booked for the Ultimate Lime Facial ($125 for one hour and 10 minutes) as a way to experience the newest range on salon’s shelf – Indio.
Indio (which stands for industry only) is an Australian skincare company developed by the Cpl group, which has 25 years experience in formulating and manufacturing para-medical or cosmeceutical products.
Indio is constantly sourcing premium ingredients for its products which are designed to protect skin from the environment and help reduce visible signs of ageing.
I’ve had a taste of the at-home products and today it’s time to experience the range’s full effects.
I’m not disappointed.
The facial utilises Indio products ranging from Cleanse through to the Renew Peel, Glow serum, Face Lift Ultimate Hot Date Mask, Vitamin C serum, Eye Energiser and Energiser.
Each works in combination to rejuvenate the skin – and in my case, prepare it as best you can for winter’s onslaught.
Leigh begins with a brow tidy before relaxing my face with a warm steam towel infused with lavender essential oil.
The double cleanse with Cleanse follows (the natural fruit acids work to remove environmental pollutants.
Now it’s time to get serious.
Leigh applies the Renew Peel. It tingles but that’s all.
“As we age our skin regeneration rate begins to slow down, therefore our skin becomes dull,” says Leigh.
“This solution removes dead skin cells which stimulate the production of new skin cells. It unblocks pores, tightens the skin, reduces wrinkling, reduces superficial pigmentation and restores a more youthful appearance,” she says.
“It’s the perfect skin solution coming in to winter where our skin tends to be more dry. Regular professional exfoliation treatments enable better penetration of moisturisers and serums.”
A booster treatment using Glow Serum is next.
“This serum is packed with the master antioxidant, Alpha Lipoic Acid. It smooths and firms the skin, leaving it with a revitalised glow.”
While steam is applied to my face, Leigh warms up my feet with hot towels and a massage before losing me with her subsequent neck, shoulder, scalp and facial massage.
I’m no longer conscious and it’s only that I’ve had Leigh remind me of what comes next that I’m able to pass that information on!
Lift Ultimate Hot Date Mask is Lime’s most popular selling mask.
“It instantly lifts, brightens, energises and leave skin feeling fresh and firm,” says Leigh, who applies an eye lash tint and massages my hands while waiting for the mask to work its magic.
I’m vaguely back from the land of nod in time for the second booster treatment of the facial – Vitamin C Serum with a 12% concentrate.
“Everyone should be using a Vitamin C serum. It’s the answer to preventing and reversing the signs of ageing. Invest in a serum to help brighten dull skin and keep harmful free radicals at bay,” says Leigh.
Eye Energiser (packed with buzz ingredient Coenzyme Q10) is next, followed by a lip treatment and Energiser moisturiser (those Coenzyme Q10s again) to finish.
My skin has been treated to a cocktail of vitamins and the difference is visible as I walk out of the salon.
The real test, however, was the following week when people were still making comments about my “glow”.
Contact:Lime Health and Beauty
King Street, Cotton Tree
Phone: 5443 8201
www.limehealthandbeauty.com.au
indioskincare.com
Mineral Marvel
25 November 2007
By Nikki Parkinson
When Cotton Tree beautician Leigh Walker was looking for a mineral makeup range to introduce to her salon, she did a lot of research.
The owner of Lime Health and Beauty didn’t need convincing on the merits of mineral makeup as opposed to conventional makeup, she just need to find the right brand to best suit her clients.
She found that in Skin O2 Medical Makeup.
“Clients are really loving how it goes on so easily on to the skin – and the fact that we can put in on after a treatment without it ruining the effects of the facial or peel,” Leigh says.
According to Skin O2’s Sarah Gartner, this range is a special micro-ionised, pharmaceutical grade mineral makeup with vitamins and added antioxidants that let the skin breathe. It’s been designed by Gold Coast cosmetic surgeon Dr Aaron Atia, who created it to treat his acne patients. He recommends acne sufferers not use any makeup in their daily routine unless it is a high grade mineral makeup. This is an essential part of treating acne.
The results patients have from using Skin O2 and Dr Atia’s skin care regime have spoken for themselves, Sarah says. ”Although created for acne patients, there has also been a popular demand from patients undergoing anti-ageing treatments who choose to use medical makeup as it does not contain any talcs which can dry the skin and lead to unnecessary premature aging of the skin,” she says.
Skin O2 Medical Makeup has amazing coverage for acne scaring or vascular regions, it is made for the Australian environment with a natural sun protection that gives a loose powder finish without drying out your skin.
The natural shades adapt from Asian to Caucasian and Indian skin tones. It looks extremely natural and gives the skin a healthy glow.
The basic system uses a mineral compact which comes in four shades – Sheer, Caramel, Mocha and Sand.
Apply this with the Kabuki brush made from natural fibres for a non-irritating application and a premium makeup finish. Complete the application with a light spray of the Hydrating Spritz to set the minerals and give a dewy, long-lasting finish
Pampering for Two
2 September 2007
By Nikki Parkinson
There are two things that are guaranteed to relax me in an instant. The first: a glass of champagne. The second: a pampering session.
Combine the two and I’m halfway to la-la land.
And that’s where I find myself on a recent afternoon, sitting on the sofa in the chill-out room at Cotton Tree’s Lime Health and Beauty. Only this time, I’m not alone.
I’ve decided to allow my husband into the secret world of beauty treatments so he can find out what all the fuss is about.
According to owner Leigh Walker, Lime is a salon offering affordable prices with “a little bit of a spa environment”.
As she hands both of us a glass of bubbles and points us in the direction of the cheese platter, it doesn’t take long to get what she’s talking about.
By the time we’re led into the new couples room at the salon, thoughts of work and deadlines have all but disappeared.
This purpose-built room allows couples, friends and family members to experience the same treatments together.
Leigh says booking into the room has opened up the world of beauty and all things pampering to men – a mysterious notion most n