AT just 21, a soft-spoken Penangite has made her mark on the global stage by winning a bronze medal and the prestigious Best of Nation Award at the WorldSkills 2024 competition, held recently in Lyon, France.
Wong Hsun Wei, who represented Malaysia at the competition, was over the moon with her remarkable achievement, despite facing stiff competition from 22 countries.
A student of SPIC International Beauty College at Wisma Leader, Hsun Wei excelled across a range of beauty skills, including advanced facials for both men and women, the use of AI machines, body spa treatments, pedicures, eyebrow and eyelash enhancements, manicures, nail art, and makeup.
“I still can’t believe I stood among the top three in the world during the competition. Winning the Best of Nation Award was something I never expected,” she shared.
“Competing on such a renowned international stage wasn’t easy, especially against seasoned professionals. I am incredibly grateful to my mentor for her guidance and support,” she told Buletin Mutiara.
Without the mentorship of Rehneel Leow, founder of SPIC International Beauty College, Hsun Wei said she wouldn’t have been able to showcase her skills and achieve this level of success in the beauty industry.
Hsun Wei noted that the competition was particularly challenging this year, using Artificial Intelligence (AI) equipment for the first time.
“Maintaining calmness throughout the process, especially during facials, was crucial. It’s easier to work on women, but facial techniques for men are different and more challenging,” she explained.
“On top of that, we only learned who our models were during the competition, and working with the varied facial features of Asian and European models presented another layer of difficulty.
“For the manicure and nail art categories, creativity was key, particularly when working with models who had short nails,” she added.
Leow, who accompanied Hsun Wei during the competition, said the four-day event tested the young beautician’s physical and mental endurance.
“The competition ran from morning till night, and points could be deducted for even the smallest mistake. At first, Hsun Wei was visibly nervous and struggled to maintain her composure. Fortunately, she managed to calm herself down, and her perseverance led her to success,” Leow said.
“The pressure was immense, but I encouraged her to stay strong until the final day,” she added.
A former state netball player herself, Leow expressed pride in her mentee’s achievements in the beauty industry.
“We provided continuous training for Hsun Wei at no cost to her. Everything was covered by our academy, and her job was to learn as much as she could,” said Leow, who is regarded as a senior figure and mentor at the academy.
Prior to this achievement, Hsun Wei had already garnered international recognition, winning a silver medal at the One Belt One Road Competition in Hangzhou, China, in June this year.
Leow hopes that Hsun Wei’s transformation will inspire more young people to follow in her footsteps, noting that success is achievable through hard work.
She also thanked all the parties involved in funding Hsun Wei’s participation in France.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting