Rachel McArthur on The Rise of Trauma Informed Beauty and Wellness

Beauty is evolving beyond the surface. In the second instalment of Hinton Magazine’s four-part interview series with Rachel McArthur, the skincare expert explores how compassion, awareness, and emotional understanding are redefining the way we care for ourselves. The rise of trauma informed beauty signals a shift away from perfection and towards presence — an approach that recognises the connection between mind, body, and skin. For Rachel, this movement is not a trend but a necessary transformation, where practitioners are trained to see beyond the visible and meet their clients with empathy, trust, and genuine care.

What does trauma informed beauty mean in practice for a client visiting a studio like Derma Dream?

It is a deeper awareness and mindfulness of looking at the root cause of skin and body conditions or ailments; to better assist in healing or preventing further breakdown as a whole. 

Why do you believe the industry is beginning to embrace this approach now?

I believe the industry finally realizes that everything is connected and getting to the root brings a more thorough and rooted understanding. This leads to achieving real results. 

How can brands and practitioners shift away from surface level beauty promises and create real change?

They can learn first for themselves and apply it to their own lives. From there they can seek training for a deeper awareness of this connection. 

What difference does it make when an esthetician is trained to understand trauma?

It ultimately allows the client to fully feel seen builds. This builds trust quicker leading to an approach and outcome that has incredible results. 

Do you think the wider beauty industry is ready to prioritise compassion over quick results?

I certainly hope so. It’s so time for this depth. Without it, we are only scratching the surface and leaving many without sufficient results or connection. 

How do you balance medical grade skincare with the more human elements of care such as empathy and listening?

Medical grade skincare is just a tool. We still need good tools as part of the thorough and well rounded treatment protocols. 

Can you share an example of how trauma informed care has transformed a client’s relationship with their skin?

I have found that many still have no idea. Recently I had a client who began having daily severe breakouts that seemed to be out of nowhere. Upon diving deeper to see what has been going on in her life, she discovered she had just come through the 1 yr anniversary of her fathers death. She was already trying to seek answers and trying to make many dietary changes. She was feeling stuck and in a position of feeling guilty over her diet and other areas. What we realised is that I could feel the weight of her loss in her skin. When we brought this to the surface she began uncontrollably crying as it never occurred to her that this could happen. After giving her a gentle routine to acknowledge her grief and a new simple routine for topical use, her skin began to heal. What we suppress, has to show up somewhere and the skin is a common place we can see that. 

What role do you see media and education playing in making this approach mainstream?

More training that is part of the basic training and education. I feel anyone that is physically touching another person should have mandatory training like this. It would change so many things for the better. 

In Rachel McArthur on The Rise of Trauma Informed Beauty and Wellness, Rachel discusses how the industry is beginning to understand that real healing starts at the root. She explains that trauma informed care allows clients to feel truly seen, creating an environment where deeper results can emerge both physically and emotionally. By blending clinical expertise with empathy and mindfulness, Rachel shows how even medical grade skincare can coexist with human connection. Her insights reveal a future for beauty that prioritises compassion over quick fixes — a movement that invites both practitioners and clients to slow down, listen, and heal with intention.