The UK's top young beauty therapist, Joanna Thompson, will get her first taste of international competition as she heads to Helsinki for the world's largest skills competition -- WorldSkills.

Joanna, 21, who won the national SkillTherapy competition to represent the UK for beauty therapy, will be competing with beauty therapists from around the world.

In order to prepare for the event and hone her skills, Joanna has undertaken intense training with some of the UK's top beauty experts. This has included coaching at The Skincare Sanctuary Training Academy in the use of Mary Cohr products, the French cosmetic company whose products are being used at the WorldSkills competition. Joanna has also received training from Kate Jenkins of Beauty Express, Daphne Snelus (former BABTAC chairman) and two previous WorldSkills competitors, Jenny Bailey (second place in WorldSkills competition 1998) and Leanne Knighton (WorldSkills gold medal winner 2003).

Joanne, who works at The Spa at Henley-in-Arden said: "I feel very privileged to be the UK's beauty therapist competitor and am very grateful to everyone who has been involved in the training programme.

"I am looking forward to the competition and will use visualisation and meditation to help me combat feelings of stress in the run-up."