By: Irina Tsyrenova

The First Beauty Conference for Russian-Speaking Cosmetologists Held in New York

What does it mean to be beautiful? Beauty industry experts agree that beauty is primarily about health and grooming.

One of the key tasks in the pursuit of beauty and eternal youth is learning to care for the body’s largest organ—our skin. This task is challenging without the help of a skilled cosmetologist. But how do you find a true professional in today’s diverse market? What if you could become such a specialist and earn well in the process?

These and other questions were discussed at the beauty conference “Current Issues in Cosmetology” in New York. This vibrant and informative event took place at the spacious G-Gallery venue in Manhattan. The conference was organized by two professional and experienced cosmetologists from Russia, Ekaterina Yumova and Olga Bibikova.

Both women have many years of experience in medicine and cosmetology, with professional medical education backgrounds. Upon arriving in the USA, Ekaterina and Olga could not imagine their lives without their beloved profession. They immediately underwent training in New York, validated their knowledge, and obtained licenses to work in the cosmetology field in their new country.

Today, Olga Bibikova and Ekaterina Yumova not only successfully help New York residents take care of their skin, but they also work with budding cosmetologists from the CIS countries and those who are just starting their journey in this profession.

In Russia, Ekaterina had her own clinic and a cosmetology school in her hometown of Ulan-Ude, where she helped dozens of cosmetologists begin their careers. Now, she conducts training in the USA, offering theory and practice, teaching ethical business practices, assisting in the early stages of work, and helping with the necessary paperwork.

“My goal is to teach you to work efficiently, safely, and achieve the results with optimal costs. The main principle is that health comes first, even before aesthetics. Today, healthy and well-groomed skin is accessible to everyone, not just a select few as it was before,” said Ekaterina Yumova at the opening of the beauty conference.

The organizers themselves spoke to the audience, sharing valuable experiences from their practice. For example, Olga has worked in some of the clinics in Russia for 10 years and held the position of department head in a hospital. Her medical education and extensive experience make her a quality expert in cosmetology.

“To be a specialist in the rapidly evolving field of cosmetology, you must constantly learn, attend conferences, and master advanced techniques. I addressed a highly important topic, ‘Complications in the Work of an Aesthetician: Prevention and Treatment Methods.’ Medical knowledge greatly assists me, and I want it to help budding specialists in the aesthetics field,” said Olga Bibikova in an interview with New York Weekly.

According to her, the conference was created for aestheticians to share their experience and broader knowledge about the skin and the diseases that future professionals will encounter in their work. Olga dedicated her second presentation to acne and rosacea, the common skin conditions patients seek help for. She explained which procedures and management tactics to use and when to refer patients to a dermatologist.

Ekaterina Yumova discussed what she considers an ideal procedure—atraumatic facial cleansing using cosmetics from her partner, Holy Land. Conference attendees appreciated the value of the lectures.

“I am training with Ekaterina and will soon receive my diploma and aesthetician license. I love the beauty field; I always wanted to work with women, seeing their happy, beautiful, and well-groomed faces. And, of course, it is interesting to listen to personal skincare information at the conference because every girl wants to look beautiful,” shared aspiring cosmetologist Evgenia Guzeva.

Moreover, the conference serves as a hub for networking and collaboration. Specialists communicate with colleagues, establish new partnerships, and exchange ideas.

“Such events provide support; I realized I am on the right path and now understand in which direction to move forward. These events are very necessary. I believe that when you don’t know where to start, you need to communicate a lot with interesting people. At the very least, it will give you new acquaintances, at powerful growth points,” said conference guest and specialist in permanent makeup and aesthetic cosmetology, Larisa Lygdynova.

Guest specialists in psychology and marketing also gave presentations. For a successful business, it is important not only to be a professional but also to know how to promote your services in New York’s competitive market. Psychologist Ekaterina Morokova spoke about the “impostor syndrome,” and marketer Lina Fleginski shared methods of attracting clients, including through AI.

“I really liked the lectures; everything was clear and understandable. I concluded that you just need to take action, learn, study, and try. Everyone has doubts sometimes, everyone is pretty much the same in this regard. My goal is to get an aesthetician education, then a license. In this field, you can develop very well, work for yourself, open your own cosmetic lines, earn a PhD, become a doctor. Cosmetology is a vast field for growth,” said conference guest Snezhana Golisoko.

The event is an important professional step for the organizers as well. They are creating a powerful community, providing knowledge to Russian-speaking students who have recently arrived in the USA and are not yet able to attend English-language beauty events.

“For me, this is a very responsible and important step on the path to establishing myself in the USA. Not stopping in my development is my life motto. I plan to become a doctor in America and continue to work in my noble profession,” notes Olga Bibikova.

For aspiring cosmetologists and beauty enthusiasts, the conference became a source of inspiration and motivation. In an informal setting, guests enjoyed socializing, a luxurious buffet, and no one left without a gift from the event’s partner, Pharma Cosmetics.

Ekaterina Yumova shared with us that they plan to hold conferences for Russian-speaking cosmetologists regularly:

“Our work is my love, my life, and I am happy to benefit people. The main inspiration is seeing how my clients change, how their skin, lifestyle, and worldview change. And, of course, if a cosmetologist comes to the conference, starts applying new knowledge, and gets excellent results, that’s happiness too. We plan to hold such events more often so that specialists can be the first to know about all the new developments in the cosmetology market.”

Published by: Nelly Chavez