ENTER the fragrant world of the beauty therapist, the high priestess of today's harassed women. Today's beauty therapist works in a scented temple, soothing and calming the exhausted bodies that come to prostrate themselves on towelled couches before her. It has even happened that the occasional client has nodded off.

"Sometimes if they're really, really tired, they'll be snoring after a facial," says Rachel Clifford, a beauty therapist who manages the Sheer Elegance salon in Dundrum Shopping Centre, Dublin. "You'd hate to wake them."

There are lulling tones coming from a radio playing in the background. The white-suited staff are smiling and gentle. There are no raised voices. The air is scented with aromatic oils. Potions and peace is the order of the day.

"We have a lot of people who come in with terrible back pains," she says. "They really do find that the massage helps." Clifford has noticed that over the past seven years more and more women are more prepared than ever before to spend money on themselves. They want to feel good. They want to relax.

Beauty therapists have to become expert at massaging tired tissue. As therapists, they bring harmony and serenity to the sore and weary. "Mothers with three children hanging out of them all day love to come in here for an hour and relax," she says. In her work, she explains that the emphasis is as much about calming the inner person as making the outer person look more beautiful.

Clifford always wanted to be a beauty therapist. She believes that it is important above all else in this line of work to have a pleasant personality. There are three other beauty therapists in the salon with her. Together they must create a warm, friendly atmosphere.

"At the end of the day, it's all personality and patience. They want to feel relaxed. You have to be clean and look well. Your nails must be spotless. But if you come to somebody and you are grumpy, they don't like it. You must smile and talk about something, anything but just be friendly.

She has never had any doubts about what she wanted to do. "Since I was young I've always wanted to do it. I was interested in make-up. I always knew that I wanted to do it. I used see my mother, who is quite glamorous. She was always into fashion and clothes. And I used to watch this friend doing her nails. It just stuck with me."

Clifford went "straight from school" at the Presentation Secondary School in Terenure to the Coogan Bergin Beauty School, which was then in Wicklow Street. "It was very good, they were all helpful." As for her teachers and her parents, no obstacles whatever put in her way. "They were really supportive at home. I wanted to do it because eventually I want to open up on my own saloon.

She remembers the fun of her year's training, practising on any willing subject at home. "I used to practise massage on everyone at home and do facials on my mother on the kitchen table."

She is concerned that people are not aware of the intensive study element that beauty therapy training involves. "I get a little bit insulted when people call us beauticians." She points out that in beauty therapy, students have to master areas such as electrolysis, waxing, red vein treatment and aroma therapy. Biology was an important subject during the training year for student who have to learn about the different layers of the skin, about the muscles in the body and about hair growth and so on.

"It's a lot more intense. We used a nurses dictionary during the course. We studied anatomy, physiology there's a lot of biology. Most women think its so glamorous. A lot of people feel intimidated by the beauty therapist." The job is unexpectedly hard-working and scientific in its approach.

At the end of the course, Clifford sat the three main exams, ITEC, CIBTAC and CIDESCO, the last qualification ensuring international recognition for graduates. After a further six months of learning on the job, she was qualified to work as a beauty therapist.

Her first job was at Anne Coughtin's Beauty Clinic in Rathfarnham. Since she qualified seven years ago, she has worked in one or two other salons.

Her eyes are firmly focussed on owning her own beauty salon. "I feel it's the only way to make money. Although I have my own car and apartment, I don't always want to be scrimping and saving."