Andrea O’Shea is the founder of Kaizen Skin Body Being, a holistic Sydney beauty clinic, and Shenko Organics, a beautiful organic skincare line. At the heart of it, her passion is connecting others to their true essence and inner light through Kinesiology and wellness treatments at her clinic in Sydney's Paddington.
Andrea has been in the health and wellness industry for over 15 years. Hailing from Ireland, Andrea completed six diplomas in Dublin, including two Beauty Therapy Diplomas - C.I.B.T.A.C and C.I.D.E.S.CO, as well as Diplomas in aromatherapy, reflexology, electrolysis, media and theatrical make-up.
Despite having a wealth of experience, Andrea felt like there was something missing on her journey. After countless relaxing massages and facials, what she truly desired was to get to the real issue behind the symptoms her clients were presenting with. And so Kaizen Skin Body Being and Shenko Organics were born.
Keep reading for the interview.
Tell us about the holistic services you offer and the benefits your clients experience from your treatments?
At Kaizen, we offer a broad range of holistic services including Kinesiology, facials, skin needling, massage (from remedial to chakra balancing), light therapy, infrared sauna and retreats. Our clients experience so many benefits. They usually leave including feeling relaxed, connected, rejuvenated and like they've just had a holiday. I have created all of the treatments with healing the body as a whole in mind, therefore we work on a physical, emotional and mental level. We also offer ongoing support, as we want our clients to feel good long term.
We loved having you at The Green Edit event in March 2020 where you demonstrated a skincare ritual incorporating Shenko Organics. What makes these holistic facials oils so unique?
What makes Shenko Organics so unique is that it not only works topically on the skin, but also energetically. It is a ritual-based skincare range which was created to connect you with yourself. Each oil is a blend of organic rejuvenating oils, essential oils, crystal and flower essences to clear stagnation within the meridian pathways. They work on the law of the five elements: if we are in harmony, we have an even flow of energy through the elements. If there’s an imbalance, the skin is affected. But using Shenko oils works to bring you back into balance.
Each oil comes with an affirmation card. The ritual is to apply your five element facial oil and then use our guasha tool to massage into the skin while repeating your affirmation. The idea is that the ritual works to create positive change, giving your skin a luminosity.
Having experienced your transformative Kinesiology sessions, it’s clear that you are passionate about supporting and empowering your community to be the best version of themselves. Who would benefit from Kinesiology and what shift may one experience?
Everyone can experience benefits from a Kinesiology session. It’s all about bringing the person and their life into balance, so normally upon consultation we figure out which area of their life they need support in. We work with physical pain, anxiety, sleep issues, stress and more. We always set a goal for the session and then we test what might be holding them back from achieving it. Once you clear the stressors, the person will move toward that goal with ease. Normally people feel much lighter, happier and in flow. If there was physical pain, this is usually reduced significantly or gone altogether.
It’s clear that your take on beauty, wellness and health is one that’s holistic. What self-care practices would you recommend for busy people caught up in the daily grind?
For optimal health and happiness, I would advise taking time to quieten the mind every day. I also love breath work, so some deep breathing in the morning or evening works wonders. It is essential to create space for oneself. To be honest, this is part of the reason I created Shenko, to give the busy person a two in one, glowing skin and a peaceful mind. Do things that light you up, see friends laugh, tell jokes, hug, have balance where you can.
Which of your Five Element face oils do you reach for the most often?
I reach for the Fire Element Oil most often, followed by Earth. But to be honest it's not uncommon for me to use a few different ones at a time. For example if I feel I need more creativity or fire in my day I might pick fire element oil. If I wanted to be really focused and in the present I would choose Water. Each oil supports us in a unique way, which is so powerful.
