Bernadette Fares, a 41-year-old certified and licensed Beauty Therapist/Aesthetician, is an epitome of an empowered woman who pursued her passion and succeeded despite the challenges she faced. With a mantra in life of being “Healthy, Wealthy, Happy, and Confident,” Bernadette has been living her life to the fullest, inspiring others to do the same.
Her journey started in 2005 when she was hired from the Philippines to work as a waitress in a hotel restaurant in Dubai. Bernadette’s passion for serving people led her to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. She then shifted to the aviation industry, working as a ground handling agent and Inflight Service in Emirates airlines for five years. During this time, she gained valuable experience in handling multinational customers and delivering exceptional customer service with utmost professionalism.
However, Bernadette’s dedication to raising her three beautiful children made her stop working in the aviation industry. She took a break for almost a decade and faced the pandemic period, which became a turning point in her life. She decided to come back and follow her passion by pursuing her educational journey in beauty and aesthetics. With the support of her family, friends, and God’s blessing, she accomplished graduating and passing the government examination, obtaining her DHA license as a beauty therapist.
Bernadette’s ambition always drove her to seek the best standards in the world, and she believed that it could only be achieved by exposure to different cultures overseas. Her first job in the Philippines was in customer service and marketing for a year, followed by multiple job offers in Dubai, which gave her the opportunity to travel around the world and discover different cultures that had a significant impact on who she is today.
As a beauty therapist and aesthetician, Bernadette enjoys her work as it gives her the possibility to see the happiness and satisfaction on her customer’s face after each treatment. She is passionate about her chosen field and enjoys sharing her knowledge in beauty tips, advice, skincare, and creating personalized treatments for each client to achieve the ultimate result.
Working overseas transformed Bernadette’s personality and pushed her to the maximum to be more responsible, open-minded, resilient, and persevering. However, it was not always an easy journey for her. During her first year abroad, she struggled to trust people and felt homesick. Being alone in a strange country far from supportive family and in a different environment and culture built a lot of stress and pressure, especially after a long working hour. However, her husband and children provided the support she needed and encouraged her to overcome all the challenges and battles, especially during the pandemic. Her mother was always her biggest influencer in life, where her moral values of being honest, trustable, and respectful toward others are also her ideology.
For Bernadette, settling abroad is just a stepping stone towards achieving her dream of creating her own brand in the beauty sector, producing her own skincare products, and delivering the best treatment to the aesthetic industry. She also aims to expand her services and products in the future in the Philippines, providing more job opportunities and aligning beauty services with the best international practices and safety standards.
Bernadette’s advice to her fellow kababayans struggling abroad is to work on their dreams and be ambitious. They should set realistic and achievable targets on their goals and not give up easily. Instead, they should look at challenges as a measurement of their capability. Education should also be limitless, and they should be in an uplifting environment that respects their worth.
Bernadette’s journey is a testament that following one’s passion and pursuing education can lead to success, despite the challenges faced. Her dedication and commitment to serving others are an inspiration to those who are struggling to find their path.