Our Story
from frustration to innovation
The Journey of Tzvia Hermann
Tzvia Hermann has always been blessed with a fabulous head of hair—like a woman’s crown, only bigger and better! But, as any woman with thick hair knows, having a full mane up top often means dealing with hair in places you’d rather not. As a young girl, Tzvia was teased at school for having upper lip hair, and like many, she spent years trying to combat unwanted hair everywhere else. She tried it all—waxing, shaving, tweezing, threading, epilators, and even over 20 IPL sessions—but nothing gave her the long-lasting results she craved. Today, she’s not only completely hair-free, but she’s also turned her frustrating journey into a thriving business, helping others achieve the confidence they always dreamed of.
Tzvia is a dynamic entrepreneur, loving mother of two, and devoted wife to her business partner and co-founder, Neil. From a young age, her entrepreneurial spirit was undeniable. At just six years old, she turned leftover balloons from her birthday party into a small fortune in coins—proving that business was in her blood. Growing up, Tzvia was deeply inspired by her mother, Chana, a single mom of three girls, who transformed a beauty business she started from her bedroom into a thriving salon. Witnessing her mother’s passion and unwavering dedication to beauty, Tzvia absorbed a powerful lesson: “When you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you radiate confidence and can take on the world.”
A Journey of Discovery & Innovation
After matriculating, Tzvia moved to the UK, where she spent nine years working in various fields—from hospitality and law to graphic design and fundraising. Throughout her travels in London, the U.S., and across Europe, she sought out the latest beauty and laser technologies, undergoing countless treatments in search of a permanent hair removal solution. She wanted something that truly worked—and when she couldn’t find it, she decided to create it.
Tzvia met Neil while living in London, and their paths would cross again when she returned to South Africa in 2008, bringing with her an unshakable passion for beauty, technology, and business. While working as a fundraiser for Afrika Tikkun, a children’s charity, Tzvia and Neil bonded over their shared entrepreneurial drive. That connection sparked an idea that would go on to revolutionize the South African beauty industry.
The Birth of The Laser Beautique
One evening, while watching The Doctors, a popular U.S. television show, Tzvia stumbled upon something that seemed almost too good to be true—a revolutionary, pain-free permanent hair removal laser. Intrigued, she immediately started researching the device and was thrilled to discover it was manufactured by an Israeli company, Alma Lasers Ltd. It felt like fate—Tzvia was already scheduled to visit Israel the following week. She seized the opportunity, met with Alma Lasers’ executives, underwent extensive training, and personally tested the technology. It worked. Tzvia realized she had found not only what South Africa was missing, but something the entire world had been waiting for—a pain-free, permanent laser hair removal device that was safe and effective for all skin types. Unlike traditional devices, which were excruciatingly painful and unsafe for darker skin tones, this innovation promised a breakthrough for everyone.
Determined to bring this cutting-edge technology home, she put together a business plan and, with Neil’s support, placed an order for the first Soprano laser machine in South Africa. What started as a small operation from a spare bedroom in her mother’s home quickly gained traction. Within a month, demand soared, and in December 2009, the first Laser Beautique clinic opened in Morningside Shopping Centre.
From there, TLB grew rapidly, opening branches in Bedfordview, Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. High-profile clients, including TV personalities like Devi Govender, Bongang Matheba, Pearl Thusi, became loyal fans, and soon, The Laser Beautique expanded into a leading aesthetic franchise.
An Industry Leader in Innovation & Training
Tzvia and Neil have always prioritized safety, results, and training. Recognizing that South Africa’s aesthetic industry lacked proper regulation, they made it their mission to ensure TLB therapists are the best-trained professionals in the industry. They implemented weekly training sessions, refresher courses, and certifications to uphold world-class standards.
Understanding the limitations of traditional laser technology, Tzvia sought a solution for non-pigmented hair (blonde, grey, red, and white hairs). In 2016, she discovered the Apilus electrolysis device, developed by Dectro International in Canada. After rigorous testing, TLB became the sole distributor of Apilus in South Africa, offering 100% permanent hair removal for all hair types.
BeauLasers
Creating a Laser Brand of Their Own
After years of using Alma Lasers, Tzvia and Neil embarked on their most ambitious venture yet: creating their own brand of lasers. Their experience gave them the unique ability to design devices that were not only more effective for clients but also more comfortable for therapists to use. This led to the launch of BeauLasers, a game-changer in the industry.
With their own laser technology, franchising became more affordable. By cutting out the middleman (distributor), TLB significantly reduced the cost of entry for franchisees. Now, one can open a Laser Beautique franchise with as little as R800,000, making premium aesthetic treatments more accessible than ever before.
Beautique Brands, Beautique Academy & TLB Scientific Skincare
As the aesthetics industry evolved at a rapid pace, traditional beauty schools struggled to keep up, leaving a gap in specialized training for advanced devices. Recognizing this, Tzvia organically expanded into education and distribution, launching Beautique Academy to provide internationally accredited laser and aesthetic training.
At the same time, she saw an opportunity beyond her own franchise. While The Laser Beautique offers a franchise model, many independent clinics could still benefit from cutting-edge technologies like Apilus for light hair removal and CooLifting for instant skin rejuvenation. Rather than keeping these innovations solely for TLB, Tzvia founded Beautique Brands, importing world-class aesthetic devices not just for her own clinics, but for others in the industry who weren’t the right fit for franchising but still wanted to offer next-level treatments.
Her latest venture, Scientific Skincare, takes her passion for results-driven beauty even further. Officially launching in 2023, this high-performance skincare range blends natural and advanced ingredients to repair, protect, and rejuvenate the skin, ensuring clients achieve healthy, radiant skin—inside and out.
A Legacy of Excellence
Today, The Laser Beautique has 14 state-of-the-art clinics across South Africa, and in 2024, TLB expanded internationally, opening its first clinic in Botswana. With a deep commitment to excellence, innovation, and empowering others, Tzvia Hermann continues to shape the beauty industry—not just by offering transformational treatments, but by ensuring every client leaves feeling confident, empowered, and beautiful.