Gel manicure and pedicure
Nail prep, cuticle work, gel application and safe removal, ending with a timed set on a model.
3 days, from$520
Learn the craft, then practise it on real clients
Lumen Academy teaches nails, lashes, makeup and skin in classes of eight or fewer. Start with a short course or take a full diploma, and finish with supervised hours in our student salon.
8students at most in a class
4 subjectsnails, lashes, makeup, skin
3 intakesweekday, evening, weekend
- Classes of eight or fewer
- Nails, lashes, makeup and skin
- New intakes every month
- Student salon open to the public
Short courses
One to five days on a single skill, for beginners and for working therapists adding a treatment. Nail and lash courses include the kit you train with.
Acrylic and gel extensions
Sculpting on forms and tips, shaping, infills and removal, with a live model every afternoon.
5 days, from$780
Classic lash extensions
Isolation, single lash placement, eye safety and aftercare, practised on a mannequin head before a model.
2 days, from$460
Lash lift and brow lamination
Patch testing, lifting and tinting lashes, then laminating and shaping brows to suit the face.
1 day, from$280
Bridal and occasion makeup
Skin prep, a base that lasts all day, eyes for photographs and a full bridal look on a model.
4 days, from$590
Facial treatments
Skin analysis, cleansing, exfoliation, massage and masks, and when to send a client to a doctor instead.
3 days, from$540
Makeup students bring a starter kit from a list sent before the course. Fees are guide prices and are confirmed when you enrol.
Diplomas for a new career
Longer programmes that cover the theory, the hygiene and the client care behind each treatment, with assessed hours in the student salon before you finish.
Nail Technology Diploma
full course, from$2,450
- Gel, acrylic, nail art and pedicure
- Training kit included, yours to keep
- 40 hours in the student salon
- Practical and written assessment
Makeup Artistry Diploma
full course, from$3,150
- Bridal, editorial and stage makeup
- Work on models of every skin tone
- A portfolio shoot in the final week
- Practical assessment on a full look
Beauty Therapy Diploma
full course, from$5,900
- Facials, waxing, lashes, brows and nails
- Anatomy, hygiene and client consultation
- 120 hours in the student salon
- Assessed treatments on real clients
A $400 deposit holds a place, and the balance can be paid monthly, arranged directly with the academy office. Our certificate records your hours and assessments; qualifications and licensing for beauty work vary by country, so check what is needed where you plan to work.
A student salon that anyone can visit
Twice a week the training floor opens as a salon. Diploma students treat paying clients at low prices, and a qualified tutor checks each stage before the client leaves the chair.
Treatments take longer than in a busy salon, because every step is shown to the tutor before the next one starts. Clients get careful work at a gentle price, and students learn to look after someone who is not a classmate.
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 to 16:00
- A tutor signs off every treatment
- Patch test at least 48 hours before any tint
- Ask for a slot through the enquiry form
From first question to first paying client
The same five stages for every diploma, whichever subject you choose.
Taster evening
Two hours to try the tools, meet the tutors and ask about fees. The $25 fee comes off the course if you enrol.
Enrolment
A $400 deposit holds your place. The kit list, timetable and reading arrive two weeks before the start.
Learn and practise
Theory in the mornings, then practice on hands, heads and models, then hours in the student salon.
Assessment
Timed practical work on a model and a short written paper. One resit is included in the fee.
Certificate and portfolio
The certificate lists every hour and assessment, and your course photos start a portfolio.
Inside the academy
Four teaching rooms and the salon floor, all on one level above the market.
Students and salon clients (example reviews)
Arrived on day one unable to hold a nail brush steady. By the assessment a full gel set took under an hour, and the tutor still checked every cuticle.
Evening classes made the makeup diploma possible alongside a full time job. The portfolio shoot in the last week was worth every late night.
The lash lift took longer than at a regular salon, but the tutor explained each step and the price was very kind. Booked again for brows.
Before you enrol
Is any experience needed before a course?
None for the short courses or the diplomas. Every course opens with hygiene, tools and safe working, and the first practice is on a practice hand or a mannequin head before anyone works on a model.
Will the certificate let a graduate work straight away?
That depends on where you plan to work. Qualifications and licensing for beauty work vary by country, and sometimes by state or region, so a licence or a registered qualification may be needed as well as our certificate. Ask at the taster evening, and check with the licensing body where you live before you enrol.
Does the academy find students a job?
No school can promise work, and we do not. Tutors help each student build a portfolio, prepare for a salon trial and talk through routes such as salon work, mobile work or renting a chair.
Can the fees be paid in parts?
Yes. A $400 deposit holds a place, and the balance is split into monthly payments that finish before the final assessment. Payment is arranged directly with the academy office.
What happens if a class is missed?
Missed practical hours can be made up in the student salon or in a later class with space. Missing the assessment means taking the next date, usually within a month.
Who can book the student salon?
Anyone aged 16 or over. Lash and brow tints need a patch test at least 48 hours before, and the tutor checks that the treatment suits you before starting.
Ask about a course or a salon visit
Tell us which course interests you and when you would like to start. The academy office replies within two working days with the next dates, the full fee and a place at a taster evening if you would like one.
- Classes of eight or fewer
- Monthly payments arranged with the office
- Taster evening fee taken off the course fee
Visit the academy
The front desk is open whenever classes run, and visitors are welcome to look around between lessons.
Reach the office
Second floor above the covered market, five minutes on foot from the main bus station
Academy hours
| Monday to Thursday | 09:00 to 21:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Saturday | 09:30 to 16:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
Taster evenings
On the first Wednesday of each month, from 18:30 to 20:30, try the tools and meet the tutors before choosing a course. Places are limited to twelve, so ask for one through the enquiry form.