FACIALIST CAREER CHANGE: INTERVIEW WITH SARAH LOUCHEZ, GOLD MEDAL WINNER OF THE 2026 BEST SPA PRACTITIONER AWARD
Facialism is attracting more and more people seeking a meaningful career. Sarah Louchez is the perfect example: a former optician turned facialist, she has just won the gold medal at the 2026 Best Spa Practitioner of France competition in the Glow Up & Radiance category. In this interview, she reflects on her professional career change, her passion for facial massage, and the reasons that led her to train in the LB Facialistes© Method to elevate her expertise to the highest level.
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Sarah, I am a facialist, wellness massage therapist, and founder of Saho Massage, a studio I created almost a year and a half ago. There, I support clients, including people recovering from illness or difficult periods, through facial and body massages as well as targeted treatments.
What is your professional background?
I have a rather diverse professional journey: I started as an optician, then worked in credit restructuring, and later joined the medical sector. It was a career assessment that changed everything and guided me toward care and massage, fields that had actually always been present in my life.
What made you want to become a facialist?
I became a facialist after discovering the richness of facial massage. Facialism is a powerful manual practice, sometimes enhanced with specific tools, that addresses a wide range of needs. It can release deep tension as well as restore the skin’s natural glow.
This path became an obvious choice for me: I deeply enjoy enhancing natural beauty without ever transforming it.
What is your philosophy as a facialist?
I do not yet consider myself a fully accomplished expert; when I observe Catherine Bourgeois or Delphine Langlois, founders of the LB Facialistes Method©, I know the journey is endless.
Thanks to my various facialist trainings, I am now able to provide highly personalised care: working on wrinkles and fine lines, releasing tension, or restoring radiance even in cases of extreme fatigue. Facial massage offers countless possibilities. I see it as a true “Swiss army knife.” Every face tells a unique story and deserves tailored care.
Congratulations on winning the Best Spa Practitioner title (Glow & Radiance category). Can you tell us about the competition?
Thank you very much, it is indeed a wonderful surprise.
The competition takes place in two stages. For the first round, we receive an invitation one week in advance and perform an initial massage. At the end of this stage, six finalists are selected.
In the second round, each candidate repeats the same protocol in front of the jury, who then establishes the final ranking. It is a rare opportunity—almost like a second chance.
In my category, “Glow & Radiance,” the brief was predefined: a 35-year-old woman with dull, congested skin and medium skin thickness. We had 20 minutes to address this concern through our massage protocol.
When the results were announced at the end of the day, I had the honour of winning the gold medal at the 2026 competition, in the Glow & Radiance category. A victory I still struggle to fully realise, and one I was very happy to share with my family, who were there to support me.
What can we wish you for the future of your career?
Many massages, meaningful encounters, and enriching moments. I love supporting people, welcoming their stories, desires, and needs whether for facial or body massage.
I would like to continue practicing, listening, and learning through new training courses to refine my skills and bring even more quality and precision to my clients.
Watch her exclusive interview on Instagram
DiscoverThinking about a career change into facialism?
Depending on your goals, the Academy offers a career transition pathway with or without a beauty diploma (CAP Esthétique).
- Discover the professional retraining program
- Book a free consultation
What is the LB Facialistes© Method?
Born from the union of the expert hands of Delphine Langlois and Catherine Bourgeois, the LB Facialistes© Method is the result of decades of experience and expertise. Two complementary backgrounds, one shared vision: to reveal each person’s uniqueness, because every face is unique and deserves a personalized approach. Together, they developed an exclusive method combining kindness, scientific precision, and the art of touch. Mastering a range of expert and meticulous techniques is the promise of an intelligent massage tailored to all skin, muscular, and emotional needs.
The strength of this innovative method lies in three key steps:
- Diagnosing individual needs through morphofacial analysis;
- Delivering a customized massage using fundamental and complementary techniques;
- Recommending self-massage techniques to extend the benefits on a daily basis.
Bringing movement and harmony to your face, the LB Facialistes© Method supports you over time.
What modules are taught in the professional retraining program?
The professional retraining program is composed of 6 modules. We begin by introducing you to the Fundamentals, a prerequisite before learning 5 innovative massage techniques: Initial Kobido, Gua Sha, Facial Detox, and Facial Stretching, culminating in the Advanced Training & Personalization module.
This final module allows you to strengthen your knowledge and learn how to create fully customized treatments through morphofacial analysis before taking the final examination.
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