Tapu started her first business at 14 years old, to working in hospitality, real estate and government, as well as chairing multiple governance boards. In 2016, she completed a course in eyelash extensions, and in 2017, established her home-based salon, Bubu’s Lashes. She later completed advanced courses in volume lashing, lash lifting, brow lamination, brow threading, makeup artistry, spray tanning and dermaplanning.

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In 2019, she opened her Beauty Salon and Beauty School called the Polynesian Beauty Academy and hired three full-time staff. After establishing a loyal clientele of 300 and training over 200 students based in New Zealand and Australia, she launched her first Pacific Beauty Tour in 2023, reaching women with limited access to professional beauty training in Samoa, Fiji and Rarotonga. In 2025, she won the Lash Industry Awards Educator of the Year Award as the first Pacifica recipient.

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In 2026, she is extending training to include Tonga, Asia and South America whilst launching Wellington’s first-ever Mobile Beauty Service.

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