A conversation with Mária Futó, beautician and owner of Százszorszép Kozmetika in Földeák
I grew up alongside two sisters, so I experienced quite a lot of interesting and “girly” things through them. Undoubtedly, I found it quite strange how much they had to endure for beauty! For a long time, I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about! Especially my sister Marika, who would diligently pluck her slightly thickened eyebrows with tweezers while also coloring them black with a special pencil, along with her beautiful, long eyelashes. Moreover, she would powder her face thoroughly, a practice in which my mother also participated! Occasionally, they would even “highlight” their lips with lipstick. However, our patriarch, especially disapproved of the latter, so they had to wipe it off. Of course, when DAD was gone, some lip beautification would promptly reappear. My sister constantly squeezed (it bothered me) the pimples (acne) on her face. This led to the proliferation of the teenage girls’ “horror” on her face, followed by chamomile compresses, as well as covering her skin with various powders and creams. It was only then that I understood the purpose of all this facial care fuss when I had to experience this “horror” myself in my teenage years. My face was full of pimples. The same “situation” made it almost impossible for both me and my male classmates to approach the girls. 🙂 Of course, I didn’t bother with makeup! Later on, I enjoyed watching how they “beautified” themselves (not that they weren’t beautiful without it)! In my family, three people have learned the beautician profession. My sister’s partner’s sister, ILDIKÓ (who was my classmate for 12 years), but she didn’t practice it for long. The daughter of my older niece, Andika, KLAU, also learned it but chose not to pursue it. The third— I can confidently write that she is almost a family member; I have known her for a long time—Marcsi, MÁRIA FUTÓ, who is the partner of CSALA SÁNDOR BENJÁMIN/BENI. BENI, on the other hand, has been my “old” Friend, Brother, adopted nephew, “child,” thanks to whom this magazine could be born. He rushed to my aid, “saving my life.” To this day, he supports me emotionally and does his job when the devil of technology strikes me! 🙂 His parents are also family members to me! I love them! For me (too), it is clear that BENI’s love, Marcsi, has also captured my heart and become a family member. As a beautician apprentice, Marcsi earned great merits for herself, her parents, her former school, her mentor, and of course, for Hódmezővásárhely, but also for Földeák, her village, when she successfully participated in national professional competitions. I visited her salon and even asked for a “treatment” from her. I have known BENI‘s partner for a long time, so I can confidently say that she is a devoted, charismatic, energetic, independent, and truly feminine woman. I have confirmed that her professional competence, patience, and human approach can serve as an example for everyone, not just within the professional circles! Our clever, young “family member” dared to venture knowing that, besides her, two other “colleagues” were also active in the village, which has just over 3,000 inhabitants.
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Marcsi has come a long way
From 2018 to 2023, Marcsi was a student at Eötvös József Technical High School in Hódmezővásárhely, studying to become a beautician. During her studies, she opened up a new direction for the high school in Vásárhely, where they never expected that one of their students would go this far.
www.kultkocsma.hu
MŰMAG – Art Magazine For Everyone!
Founders:
CSALA SÁNDOR BENJÁMIN/BENI
Visnyei Ferenc/Visó
In 2022, Marcsi and her classmate, Kamilla, launched the school through the competition of beautician students.
Visó: I believe that the profession of a beautician is not popular by chance. It cannot be easy for anyone to work in this field, as there are many. More and more people are entering the profession, but few want to replace their entrepreneurs. They fear failure, perhaps also that they are not yet fully prepared for this work. What I can be sure of: a beautician is similar to a psychologist, a doctor, as it is a profession based on trust. If there is no mutual trust between the beautician and the client, then a good relationship does not work.
I don’t believe that working together is possible without trust. Besides trust, professional knowledge, kindness, and immense perseverance are also necessary! I discovered all of these qualities in Marcsi when I experienced the “touch of her hands” myself. Earlier, I deluded myself into thinking that a beautician mainly applies makeup, puts on lipstick, shapes and colors eyebrows. Of course, this was a huge misconception on my part! A beautician’s activity is by no means limited to these tasks. I had to realize that a beautician is not just a makeup artist. In addition to treating the external, visible symptoms of the skin, they also address the soul of the client. How can you “beautify” a face, and how do you manage to do that?
To gather the tiny pieces of the soul together
Marcsi: When we talk about beauty services, the word “cosmetics” holds significant meaning for those well-versed in the field nowadays. During a treatment, we try to not only care for the skin but also gather the tiny pieces of the soul, as the two are more closely connected than one might think. The functioning (or malfunctioning) of the nervous system, hormonal system, digestive system (to name a few) is most likely to manifest on our skin, producing various symptoms. As beauticians, we not only treat and uncover the symptoms but also strive to understand our client’s habits, mental processes, so that by revealing the cause, we can offer long-term assistance. This comprehensive mind-body (holistic) approach is what makes today’s beautician better, services more personalized, and the products used more effective. This is the secret to providing my clients with the utmost quality during every treatment!
Marcsi achieved the second place in the national competition of ÁSZÉV, while her classmate became the national champion with a gold medal.
Visó: How much time and what is needed to succeed in your profession?
Being continuously involved in the industry’s cycle
Marcsi: Nowadays, shorter 1-1.5 year training programs have become popular, but they will never provide the depth of knowledge as the 5-year courses. I learned in the old system, the 5-year OKJ system, which has been discontinued. After a beautician graduates from school, they may need to choose from various brands to work with in the future. We have to attend further training courses, be continuously involved in the industry’s cycle. We must not allow our knowledge to lag behind the industry. It’s essential to always choose training courses and workshops that are suitable for our clientele. After spending 5 years in the profession, we can also take a master’s exam!
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Visó: The face can be very expressive, especially when a beautiful, properly shaped eyebrow enhances it. When I think about the time you “plucked” my eyebrows, I laugh at myself. I never thought that a colleague, also a belove friend (who also wrote for our magazine), would convince me to visit your salon. It was easier than going to a stranger’s beautician. Thanks to Beni, this whole experience became even easier and more humorous for me! I didn’t regret it, and I wasn’t as surprised by how you treated me! You were patient, taking into account my groans and hisses when I initially chose tweezers (even though you suggested otherwise). Later, waxing turned out to be quicker and less painful. I hardly felt anything as I bid a sensitive farewell to my “Brezsnyev”-style eyebrows with your gentle yet firm hands! You know what I realized: I looked younger when you freed me from those hairs! Is there any truth to this? Unfortunately, that “fur” thickened again, so I need to schedule an appointment with you to get “treated” again! 🙂 Which method do more people choose: tweezers or wax?
Marcsi is a fan of tweezers
Marcsi: I find that my clients’ opinions are very divided on this topic; everyone has their own personal preference. Some come to me with specific requests, whether it’s about the shape of the eyebrows or the depilation technique (Depilation is one method of hair removal). Nowadays, it has become very trendy to combine both for an even more precise result. However, if you ask for my opinion, I still prefer tweezers 😊. For men, on the other hand, I always use wax, not only because of the amount of hair but also to avoid a feminine appearance! In the case of ladies, it’s impossible to remove smaller hairs with wax, so tweezers are the winner there. To enhance the effect of eyebrow shaping, I often recommend a semi-permanent eyebrow tint, which is also visible in one of the pictures! 🙂
Visó: From what I see and hear, more and more guys and men want to look stylish, take care of their skin’s health and beauty. Besides their lifestyle, they are regular clients of beauty salons. Have you been asked to do skincare for boys or men?
She already had several male guests
Marcsi: Yes, I have had several male clients. Most commonly, they come in for thorough cleansing treatments, which their skin usually needs every two months :). Contrary to popular belief, these extensive treatments (though the sensation varies for each beautician) are not painful and are quite tolerable. When performed by a qualified professional, the healing phase usually takes only a few days. Many choose weekends for these treatments, especially to address the marks left by acne, and this is also possible at Százszorszép Kozmetika :). Fortunately, I have received positive feedback from many guys and men regarding these treatments. One client, who used to experience inflammation in the beard area after shaving, hasn’t had any issues since the cleansing treatment (it’s been three months since then).
I believe that anyone who knows and loves Marcsi can be proud of her because she participated in the OSZTV competition last year, where she advanced to the second round, ranking 9th out of 366 participants. Based on the decision of a jury made up of master beauticians, she was able to reach the final of the Szakma Szár Festival. At the three-day event held at Hungexpo in Budapest, she left with a national bronze medal, securing the 3rd place.
Visó: I am sure that if our skin is healthy, we feel better. The beauty, elasticity, and moisture of the skin should not be neglected! We can do a lot for the health of our skin! Our lifestyle matters. What we eat, drink, etc. Still, what are the most important things we need to do to have well-groomed, healthy skin?
Ilcsi and Biola products
Marcsi: This is a very complex question. Every organism, its genetic makeup, the composition, quantity, and hydration of its cells, as well as its sebum, are diverse and unique, determining the nature of our skin, i.e., our skin type. I could provide general advice, but here I would like to emphasize that professional products not available in drugstores offer a higher quality and more cost-effective solution. In addition, a beautician, as a professional, can provide specific, targeted solutions!
At Százszorszép Kozmetika, I work with Ilcsi and Biola products, ensuring my guests a aromatherapeutic, soothing, and indulgent experience, allowing the soul to soar and gain strength during the treatments. On the other hand, the certified organic and Ecocert-approved products guarantee that harmful or artificial chemicals will not come into contact with the skin, even in the long run. I will soon expand my product range with new items. I believe that through the fragrance and composition of my creams, my guests can reconnect a little with nature, a treasure we often forget about in our hectic everyday lives :)!
Visó: Which treatments do you like to perform the most? How are facial treatments structured?
Personal treatment – skin diagnostics
Marcsi: Each of my treatments follows a protocol, but everyone receives a slightly personalized treatment based on what their skin needs. The treatment of every new guest is preceded by skin diagnostics. With its help, I get a broader picture of the guest’s skin condition, their home skincare habits, health status, sensitivities, etc. Only after this do I start the facial treatment.
Hydrating and Pore-cleansing Treatment
Marcsi: I really enjoy my hydrating and pore-cleansing treatment, the “Hydrofacial hydrating” treatment. Its uniqueness compared to other hydrating treatments lies in the incorporation of the hydrodermabrasion device, which uses vacuum assistance to clean the pores. We can add exfoliating acids to the water, enhancing the treatment’s effectiveness. I recommend this facial treatment with great affection to ladies and gentlemen aged between 20-35.
Visó: Competence. Where is the limit when medical assistance is needed, something you can’t “treat”?
Many people cross those boundaries
Marcsi: This is an interesting topic; unfortunately, nowadays, many people cross these boundaries. Fundamentally, a cosmetologist cannot perform a treatment that penetrates the dermis layer or causes permanent damage. Examples include needle-based treatments, such as mesotherapy procedures, treating inflammation under the skin, hyaluronic acid fillers, and, of course, Botox and similar procedures. The application of high-concentration acids, classified as medical peeling, also falls into this category. These procedures should be carried out by plastic surgeons or medical professionals. However, there are many examples where cosmetologists perform these dangerous services in aesthetic salons, requiring sterile conditions, at a lower cost. Naturally, as long as there is demand for these services, this issue will persist in the beauty industry.
Visó: Please share with our visitors why being a cosmetologist is a rewarding profession.
Humanity, dedication, and creativity
Marcsi: My profession is all about humanity, dedication, and creativity. Whether clients come to me with aesthetic issues, lack of self-confidence, or simply feeling tired, I can always provide assistance. They always leave the salon with confidence, feeling refreshed and with a smile on their face, which motivates me to continue developing.
Awarded by the General Assembly of Hódmezővásárhely City
Her performance in the OSZTV competition proved to be outstanding for the city of Hódmezővásárhely, as in 2023, the City General Assembly awarded her the title of “Hódmezővásárhely Young Talent.”
Visó: What are your long-term plans in the profession?
Marcsi will also compete in eyelash stylist competitions in the future
Marcsi: Starting my cosmetologist career with two national medals behind me has given me a kind of professional self-confidence and security. I am proud of my achievements so far, but I don’t want to stop competing. I believe that the beauty industry continually challenges its practitioners with new competitions. Therefore, after obtaining my professional qualification, we all continue to develop ourselves and promote our work. Secondly, I plan to participate in eyelash stylist competitions, where I can showcase the creative aspect of my work on the competition stage. Since these will be my first eyelash competitions, I don’t have many expectations yet. Each competition is a new experience, requiring a lot of practice, and in the long run, it always pays off! 🙂
