For some people, Tikkun Olam is just an expression. Other folks embody it into their everyday lives. Linda-Anne Kahn is one of those people.From the time she was a young woman, she has made a point of giving back. For example, right now, she is part of a group called the United Aromatherapy Effort, a group that hopes to work and coordinate with firefighters and first responders inCalifornia providing aromatherapy help. Kahn is spearheading a team that will be making aromatherapy personal inhalers and sprays for the first responders and firefighters who have congestion due to smoke inhalation. They will also be making inhalers for stress and anxiety for those who have lost their homes or have been evacuated.
An immigrant success story, Kahn was born in South Africa and arrived in San Diego in 1980 with her husband and two young children. Her husband had been a pharmacist in South Africa and she worked with him in their pharmacy as a beauty therapist, giving facials and massages.
However, neither one was happy with the political situation in South Africa and Apartheid. They wanted a better life for their children, so like many immigrants, they sold their business, packed up, and arrived in San Diego to start a new life from scratch.
They lived In the UTC area among many of their compatriots and attended the old Temple Beth El at the time when RabbiWayne Do sick was the spiritual leader. Her husband opened up a sheepskin seat cover business and her children attended the Jewish Academy. Kahn opened up a very small beauty salon called, Beauty Kliniek with some equipment she brought with her from South Africa. She worked there doing facials and massages, and she also wrote articles for the local community newspaper. As Kahn says, “You do what you have to do to survive in a new country”.
She slowly built up her clientele and hired another woman to help her. As the business grew over the years, the physical location did, too, and she expanded three times. She added more body treatments as well as classes on nutrition. Soon, Beauty Kliniek had become an entire wellness center with many loyal customers. (While writing this story, I found out several of my friends have been going there since the 1980s!)
However, when the economy tanked, it affected her business, and Kahn had to simplify and restructure, so she downsized in 2008. Today, she is back to doing the beauty basics and her place is now more focused on being an aromatherapy day spa that uses essential oils that she custom blends to meet specific needs.
Helping others, using aromatherapy, has been an important part of her life for many years as she is passionate about the beneficial effects of scented oils. She attends aromatherapy conferences allover the world. She is a member of the Alliance of International Aromatherapists.In addition, she is trained to do lymphatic massages which can help people with lymphedema.
What I like about Beauty Kliniekis that besides being a lovely, peaceful place that smells good, Kahn has made a point of hiring other immigrants to work with her. She has people working with her from Hungary, Italy, Iran, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Ukraine, and Vietnam, as well as Americans.
Kahn wants Beauty Kliniek to be a caring inviting place for both her customers and her employees. She believes in beauty for health and helping others.
Her latest endeavor is the Varenya Essentials product launch which was in November. Varenya Essentials is a natural skin care and essential oil synergy product line. It features peptides, vitamins, and antioxidant and essential oils. The essential oil synergies were created and blended by Kahn for specific conditions and to nurture the skin; and nurturing isa good word to describe Kahn herself.
For more information, visit www.beautykliniek.com.
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