Working at a medical spa in Vancouver, Esthetician Liam McGee knows the love of beauty goes deep. Today, as a successful graduate of the Global/Medical Esthetics Program at Blanche Macdonald and a thriving Esthetician at Project Skin MD, Liam reflects on a journey defined by curiosity, a deep-seated bond with family, and a resilience that turned a period of profound self-doubt into a launchpad for a brilliant career.
Liam’s mannerisms are soft and gentle, a trait perhaps rooted in an ingenious childhood lesson. Growing up in Richmond, B.C., things weren’t always smooth sailing between Liam and their older sister, Eliza. When the siblings would fight, their mother instilled a gentle and loving kindness through a unique form of “discipline”: a mandatory hugging timeout.
“She’d say, ‘Go hug each other,’ and would set the timer,” Liam recalls with a laugh.
After years of working side-by-side in smoothie bars and coffee shops, the sibling besties are now fellow Blanche Macdonald graduates practicing at Project Skin MD. As Liam puts it: “Ever since high school, we’ve done everything together, and now we work together at Project Skin MD!”
Liam describes the clinic as one of the best in the city. “Every day that I go to work, I’m genuinely so happy and blessed to be there,” they say. “In addition to dearly loving all my coworkers and clients, when I’m practicing, I just feel like I’m exactly where I need to be right now, and it feels like I’m doing what I was put here to do.”
In a lovely full circle moment, Liam returned to Blanche with mom in tow, this time as a client and model for this story.
High touch and high tech have been at the crux of Liam’s interests since high school. Long before they were a professional, beauty sparkled in the periphery. A passion for skincare led to the discovery of Paula’s Choice’s Beautypedia, which Liam devoured. Beauty and skincare felt like the perfect intersection of science, history, and technology: an ever-evolving space where innovation continually reshapes what’s possible.
Liam initially drifted through various interest-led courses without a clear career direction, explaining, “I just had no sense of where they would take me in life.” This period of uncertainty ended abruptly when a favourite esthetician’s social media post inspired them to tour the Blanche Macdonald campus the following day. That decision ultimately set Liam on a path to work at a medical spa in Vancouver after graduation.
“I wanted to have an interesting life and feel excited about my work. And that starts in school,” Liam says. “I didn’t want to be in just any class. Looking for the number one Esthetics school in Canada, a Google search led me to Blanche. It felt like Blanche would be a really exciting place to study. It also had the biggest name, and I think that that’s important too, because that helps you get into the spaces and make connections after school.”
Blanche’s hands-on curriculum, led by instructors with real spa experience, shaped Liam’s confidence and skill. It was an experience so transformative that they later encouraged Eliza: “‘Go to Blanche… it’s literally the best thing that ever happened to me.’ Going to Blanche was hands down one of the best decisions I ever made. I feel like it really was like the launching pad for a whole journey in my life.”
Career pivots aren’t always linear, and Liam is candid about the self-doubt and imposter syndrome they faced after graduation. “I just didn’t believe in myself; I completely disregarded all I’d learned and didn’t consider being an esthetician because I thought I wouldn’t add value to the industry,” Liam shares.
While working as a spa receptionist, Liam found a lifeline and a friend in fellow Esthetician Jimena Rivera, whose insistent encouragement urged them to return to their craft. The final turning point came when former instructor Olivia Maeng hired Liam at her salon, Liveo, a year after they had finished school. Liam notes, “I have an immense gratitude for her believing in me when I couldn’t believe in myself, because she gave me that chance to get my foot in the door and develop the skill set I needed.”
Today, Liam thrives in their independence, fully supported by a career they love. In an era where many young Canadians struggle with the cost of living, Liam feels fortunate to be self-sufficient at 22.
“I have everything I need,” they say. “Because of my career in Esthetics, I’m able to take care of myself. I feel really fortunate to be able to say that.”
Liam’s favourite modality by far is lasers, specifically Laser Genesis, which helped with their own personal skin concerns.
“I find it really magical to think how we induce healing simply by flashing a light on the skin,” Liam muses. “I always think about that quote: ‘Any sufficiently advanced technology, to any previous generation, would be indistinguishable from magic.’”
They embrace the rise of technology—“I’m just waiting for the day when sunscreen is just a pill that I can take”— yet Liam believes the human touch remains irreplaceable.
“There are things that the human touch can accomplish that technology can’t,” they explain. “Like the transfer of energy between myself and the client. For them to feel comfortable, vulnerable and safe to open up to me… a facial is something that’s working to address all of the other layers underneath the skin. And most importantly, it’s addressing the stress. Because when we hold stress in our bodies and stress in our tissues, it really messes things up. Just connecting with another person and feeling their hands on you is really beautiful.”
When asked what advice they would give to current Blanche Macdonald students, Liam’s message is one of perseverance.
“Believe in yourself. And when I say ‘believe in yourself,’ that also is about taking action after you graduate. I see beauty treatments and the whole purpose of beautification for myself and my clients as freedom. The freedom to feel complete, to show up in life the way you want, comfortable in our bodies and fully present in our lives. Finding my place in this industry has been incredibly empowering.”
From the “hugging timeouts” of childhood to the high-tech treatment rooms of Project Skin MD, Liam McGee has proven that beauty isn’t just skin deep; it’s the foundation of a life lived with purpose.
Follow and book a treatment with Liam on Instagram @liammcgee.skin.
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