Covid-19 closed beauty salon till July 2020
I thought it’s about time I emailed everyone on my mailing list to try and enlighten you when I will be opening again. I hope everyone is well. What is happening all over the world is incredibly scary and so much uncertainty on the future.
Following last night’s speech from Boris Johnson and clarity from Dominic Raab this morning we should be aiming to reopen 4th July 2020 onwards. I am happy for people to book in for then. We can simply rebook if we feel it’s not safe nearer time. Obviously, this isn’t set in stone!
This year I have decided not to increase my prices due to everything going on.
My daughter won’t be going back to school until September, so my hours will be limited to accommodate her homeschooling. Thankfully she loves reading! So she can bury her head in a book while I work. I will adjust my Google calendar this week.
To keep busy I am currently working on creating websites with my husband. I recently added an online shop to my website. I’ll be adding more items over the next month. Any product requests welcome!
If you know any local businesses that would benefit from an e-commerce addition to their website, please pass our details on. Andy was a software engineer at Aviva for over 15 years, so creating websites has been great alongside his photography business over the last couple of years. To stay up to date on what I am doing I do post the odd bit on social media.
A few people have asked how they can help us small businesses. A Google review goes a long way with me!
Hope everyone is well. Please keep in touch and don’t be shy if you need anything,
Liz
Beauty salon closed due to Covid-19 in the UK
What to look for when picking a beauty salon
Beauty parlour in Norwich
What to look for when picking a beauty parlour .
There are loads of beauty salons in and around Norwich, Norfolk area. I am putting this blog post together to help you choose, which beauty salon is best for you. Its aim is to help you in making an informed decision on where you want to book for you to suit your needs and requirements.
Home or salon based beauty parlour
This is down to personal preference. Most home-based beauty salons don’t have a receptionist, so making an appointment isn’t instant on the phone. Also, most of the online booking systems don’t suit home-based salons budgets. However, most salons have a way of booking by email now, which is far easier for most people.
I personally have a purpose-built extension on the side of the house for my treatments. It’s completely separate from the family rooms and private. It’s always best to check this as the last thing you want is a bikini wax in someones front living room with the family dog watching!
Is it in a quiet relaxing room? Don’t be shy in asking questions.
Hygiene in the beauty parlour
Massive point for me. It’s extremely important the last thing you want is to catch an infection from your beauty salon. Sadly training in cross-infection in the beauty salon is poor. I have extended training in this as my previous job was a dental nurse with the main part of the training in that was hygiene. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about policies in place to prevent the passing on of infections from one person to another. Here is my infection control policy.
Specialise - "Jack of all, master of none?"
Some beauty parlours seem to offer every single treatment under the sun! I personally would look for a beauty salon that specializes in the treatment you are after. For example, the Wax Works in Norwich only do waxing and have extended training in this field, so they really are at the top the game for this.
Waxing I recommend - The Wax Works
Spa day I recommend - Imagine in Blofield
Lash lift I recommend … me! Read more about the lash lift on the treatment page.
On this note check their treatment menu, they might not offer what you want. For example, not every beauty salon offers blackhead removal as part of their facial. For most, it’s just a relaxing treatment, but not targeting people's needs.
Is there a weight limit for my beauty couch?
I know this can be a very sensitive subject, overweight customers. We all come in different shapes and sizes, so I want to be able to provide the best treatments for everyone. It can be an extremely sensitive subject and no one wants to embarrass anyone, so I have written this blog to share ideas on the best way of handing this sensitive subject of client's weight in a respectful way and to prevent anyone from getting hurt or equipment broken. Please feel free to comment directly on this post with respectful comments. Any unkind comments won't be approved.
- Never ask a client their weight in a public area where people can over hear.
- State your equipment weight load on your info sheet you send all new clients. If you don't send one, then start sending one! I have things like where to park etc, to remove any stress leading up to appointment. This way if someone is extremely over weight it saves the embarrassment of having to ask them and you can possibly come to a solution of using a chair instead of laying down via phone call or email. Sometimes it can be much harder to discuss in person as people can feel embarrassed.
- Ask in a kind respectful way.
This is the paragraph I have added to my welcome letter:
Sadly I am not equipped for bariatric/ heavy clients (over 25 stone/160Kg and / or with BMI of more than 40). Weight limit sourced from the NHS. My salon couch weight capacity is 125kg/ 19 stone. The chair in my waiting area is tested to 100kg/ 15 stone. This is for your safety as my equipment has a max weight load and I would hate for anyone to get hurt.
Most beauty couches on the market are designed to fold down, but this creates massive limitations. They advertise as having load weight of often 270kg/ 42 stone (on Amazon), however load weight is very different to what these beds will actually take as all the weight is in one area when the clients sits before laying.
DEFINITION
The term Bariatric is used to refer to a person weighing over 25 stone (160Kg) and /
or with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 40.
My own salon couch has a weight capacity: 125kg/ 19 stone.
The Habitat chair in my waiting area is actually only 100 kg/ 15 stone.
It's important for this information to be on your risk assessment and to inform new clients, so no client is hurt by failing equipment.
Due to the design of these beauty beds I have added some wooden supports underneath mine to increase it's weight load, by reducing the span of the bed without any support.
As a business owner one of my biggest concerns is the customer not satisfied with the treatment they received, so any tips on handing this situation with care would be gratefully received.
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Beauty salon risk assessment
H&S Risk Assessment
I am sharing my risk assessment on my blog, which is normally sitting nicely on my shelf in the rare event of someone asks to see it! I want to share it, so other beauty salons take note and create their own if they haven't already. Also in the hope that people comment with suggestions on how to improve mine. It's hard being a sole business owner with no one to throw ideas about with. This risk assessment was actually given to me by a networking friend who ran an events company and she gave me tips on changing parts to suit my business' needs.
By creating a risk assessment you are highlighting any problems that might potentially occur and consciously reviewing how to prevent them from ever happening.
As you can see the risks in my beauty salon are very low. This might be different if you offer botox, sunbeds, laser hair removal etc.
My beauty salon risk assessment:
| Activity/Area | Hazards | Persons
at Risk |
Severity | Likeli-hood | Rating | Controls | Risk Acceptable |
| Waxing | Burns & scalds / pass on of infection | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Ensure that wax pot is maintained and checked regularly. Test wax on my skin before application on client. Disinfect equipment after each client | Y |
| Eyelash extensions/ tint | Injury / Allergic Reaction / pass on of infection | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Test patch done 48 hours before treatment. Quiet peaceful room to ensure no distractions. Good ventilation. Infection control policy. | Y |
| Salon room | Slips, trips & falls.
Beauty couch. Habitat Macadam Metal Folding Chair |
All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Kept clear of clutter & equipment regularly serviced.
Max weight 19 stone. Inform clients of the weight limit. Max weight 15 stone. |
Y |
| waiting around | Slips, trips & falls | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Room kept clear of clutter and free of hazards | Y |
| Nails | Cuts / pass on of infection | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Good x-infection control, maintain equipment | Y |
| Massage | Injury / allergy / pass on infection | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Take medical history. Ensure massage table is in good working order. Clean towels for every client | Y |
| facial | Injury / Allergic Reaction | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Medical history taken and ensure safe working environment. | Y |
| henna | Injury / Allergic Reaction | Client | 2 | 2 | 4 | Only use natural product to reduce risk / safe working environment | Y |
| Front garden | Slip, trips & falls | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Keep path clear of leaves and obstructions like bins | Y |
| Road / parking | Road hazards | All | 6 | 1 | 6 | Clear instructions to minimise stress & confusion | Y |
| Mobile at pamper parties | Slips, trips and falls / allergic reaction / pass on infection | All | 2 | 2 | 4 | Email in advance to ensure ample space for massage table & products. Test patches done prior to event | Y |
| Stall event | Slip, trips and fails | Visitors | 2 | 2 | 4 | Any electrical cable and equipment kept out of walking area and follow event organisers instructions | Y |
*Severity
|
**Likelihood
|
New year, better habits - Do you date your beauty products?
If you work in the beauty business then dating your beauty products is an absolute must. Personally, I simply use a black marker pen and write the date I opened the product on the bottom. However, on some products, I have to use micro tape and then write on that.
- Products like tint perform less efficiently every time they are exposed by opening the lid. After 6 months of opening and closing the screw lid the tint will hardly have an impact on dyeing hairs. You will often then find yourself googling: Why is my tint not dyeing the hair? or What is the best tint for brows? Also bearing this in mind the first client once you have opened the tube reduce the timings!
- Products are containing less nasty ingredients now, which is great! However, a lot of the ingredients such as alcohol were used to preserve them and give them longer shelf life once opened. I have recently found one of my lovely cream moisturisers turning into a watery consistency making it no longer usable. On this note try and reduce the contents of your bathroom cupboard! You don't need six open bottles at once!
- Another great reason to date the products you use is for working out if the treatment is cost-effective? For example, I used to offer express lashes, which aren't individually isolated they are just placed on top of your lashes for a night out and then removed a couple of weeks later as a temporary option to eyelash extensions. However, after dating my eyelash glue I realised that I had done two sets of express lashes within the 3 months which is the recommended lifespan of their glue. At £30 a bottle it was meaning the cost for each treatment was costing me at least £15 plus meaning I was working pretty much for nothing.
Find this logo on your beauty products. - Products like mascara and eyeliner sadly can come into contact with bacteria from your body when you use them. Therefore these products have a shorter lifespan. Tips to reduce this are to never use your finger in cream pots and use a spatula every time. Wash brushes very regularly. Keep products in a cool/ dry place.
Life span and dating your beauty products.
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Beauty and Skincare YouTube Channels to Fall in Love With
Beauty and Skincare YouTube Channels to Fall in Love With
Yesterday's generation was raised on glossy magazines and celebrity billboards telling them the latest trends. But in the age of YouTube,
a new sector has elevated content creators to popular influencers — some amassing millions of followers who religiously keep track of their next favourite lipstick. But who can blame them when many of these vloggers are adding much-needed diversity and personality to the mix? Plus, there's the assurance that these beauty vloggers are more or less just like us, building their skincare science and working on improving their craft for all of us to observe and learn from.
From new make-up mavens and Korean skincare gurus, to the pioneers who have been around since YouTube's ad-less days, these are the vloggers changing the beauty world. Try a tutorial or two at your next "ladies night in," like we previously suggested here on Elizabeth Smith Beauty. There is no better time to finally perfect that wingtip eyeliner.
Ruth Crilly
Having been a model for more than 10 years, Ruth Crilly is no stranger to make-up and beauty. As such, this fashion-model-turned-vlogger has made herself an authority when it comes to knowing which products look great on camera.
Don't let her glamorous model lifestyle intimidate you, though. Crilly's recommendations come from all ends of the price spectrum — whether it's her £45 Aromatherapy Bath Oil guilty pleasure, or her favourite £7.99 Bourjois drugstore foundation.
Image credit: A Model Recommends
Michelle Phan
Michelle Phan remains a household name in the industry, despite being in the beauty vlogging game for over a decade now. Lottoland describes the YouTube star as one of the platform’s best success stories, with Phan one of the first to earn millions from her beauty channel. Now, she is a renowned entrepreneur and make-up expert with three book releases to date.
Fans love her relatable and natural approach to skin care. The one ingredient she swears by? Olive oil.
Image credit: TIME
Manny Gutierrez
Dubbing himself "the boy beauty vlogger," Manny Gutierrez makes an art form out of reinventing himself using make-up. Creating unique and dreamy looks for his viewers, Gutierrez's tutorials are made for standing out and making a statement. His boldness and quirky antics have caught the attention of not just over five million subscribers, but also Maybelline executives. The global beauty giant has since made him their first ever male ambassador.
Image credit: Teen Vogue
Caroline Hirons
As a qualified facialist and brand consultant, Caroline Hirons' reviews are a fountain of skincare knowledge. Her approach to her YouTube channel has always been a no-holds-barred, no-nonsense look into how to take care of your skin well. She has since launched her first skincare product in collaboration with Pixi, and is the founder of the non-profit initiative Give and Makeup, which aims to provide everyday essentials to victims of domestic violence.
Image credit: Caroline Hirons
Dasha Kim
Korean skincare can be intimidating, but Australian-based Dasha Kim breaks everything down in ways that connect with everyone and will have you wanting to buy everything — from snail mucin to birch sap moisturiser. Just let her perfect, glass skin speak for itself.
Image credit: The Klog
Lewys Ball
At just 17 years old, he has amassed more than 300,000 subscribers for his gender norm-smashing approach to make-up. If that's not impressive enough, he is also the first male face of major cosmetics company Rimmel London. In their campaign video, he is quoted saying, "Anybody can wear makeup, no matter who you are."
Image credit: Teen Vogue
Credit to Shayne Cook
Skincare tip - bags under your eyes
Dark shadows under your eyes is such a common problem. It can really dent peoples confidence and can often result in people wearing too much make-up to cover it.
I am a strong believer in beauty is more about what you eat then what you apply to your skin. I know we all want the easy answer - take this one pill or apply this cream, but mostly it's about how much nutrients our bodies are getting from the foods we eat. I am educating my daughter every day that you need to "eat a rainbow" of coloured vegetables and drink enough water for her body to stay healthy.
- It can often be a sign of low iron in your diet. If you are feeling unusually tired I would recommend booking an appointment with your GP to take a blood test. Iron plays an important part in carrying oxygen around your body hence why you feel tired when you are low on it. I personally do not get on with the tablets GPs often give you, so instead use liquid iron as it's far gentler on my stomach. It's very important with skincare to really look at your diet and make sure you are eating a well-balanced diet. Make sure you have protein, carbs and veg in every meal. I take multi-vits as well as a balanced diet and have personally seen a great improvement in my skin's condition. I would go as far as to say it's worth booking an appointment with a nutritional adviser.
- Another common cause is dehydration. I would say very few of us actually drink enough drink each day. My tip would be always carrying a water bottle with you. I personally don't recommend adding lemon or citrus fruits to your water as it messes the ph in your mouth making you prone to tooth decay. It takes the mouth around 20 mins for the ph to re-balance after eating food or drinking citrus drinks.
- Always remove your make-up at night and follow a daily facial routine.
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I am always wanting to learn new things, so please feel free to comment on this blog with your own ideas.
Dark bags under eyes
How to stop biting your nails?
I feel this blog post might be a work in progress! My daughter Jessica just won't stop biting her nails and they are getting extremely sore. Please feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments
Things I've either tried or had suggested so far have been:
- Treat! Reward chart with nail polish as a treat at the end of the week
- Chewable jewellery.
- Nasty tasting nail polish
- Keep hands occupied while watching telly etc. Fidget tools are great for this.
- Squeezable ball, mini puzzle or similar
- Promise to paint their nails once they are beautiful or treat them to a manicure.
- Make sure school is aware and other caregivers
- Is it a learnt behaviour? Is someone else biting their nails around them? If yes this might need to be addressed first.
- Is anything causing the child to be anxious? Starting a new school?
- Buy books on keeping good hygiene to help educate young children. Children who bite their nails often get worms. Eggs get stuck under their nails.
- Hynoposis.
Why am I so worried about nail biting?
Nail and cuticle biting can damage the fingers and leave permanent scars. It can also leave the skin open to infections. I have personally known a friend of mine to got blood poisoning (septicaemia) and ended up on an antibiotic drip in hospital. I think it's really important to try and stop your toddler/ children to stop doing this at a young age before the habit lies too deep.
Please feel free to comment on this blog with your own ideas.
Ways to stop biting nails
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FAQ for eyelash perming & lifting
About lash lift
A eyeash lift is a procedure where you lift your own eyelashes and then set them with a perming solution from the root. The lift has evolved from the eyelash perm. They both use the same chemicals to change your natural lashes, however, where a perm would use a roller, a lift uses a silicon shield, that doesn’t curl your lashes, simply lifts them. The eyelash lift is a more modern look from the over curled perm that used to be very popular, and there are different shields available depending on how dramatic a look you would like. In my opinion, the lash lift grows out nicer than the perm as with the perm you often get curly hairs and straight hairs mixed in together. With the lift you are simply lifting the lashes and not curling them, so the growing out phase is subtle.
This gives your lashes a longer, thicker, fuller look emphasizing this from the front as it makes your eyelashes more visible from that angle. The eyelash lift lasts around 4-6 weeks before your natural lashes grow out and fall out as normal. Your natural eyelashes grow for on average 3 to 6 weeks with resting stage of 3-4 months. This is a faster life-cycle than the hairs on your head, which is around 3-5 years. The treatment is recommended every 4-6 weeks because not all the growth cycles are in synchronization.
Test patch needed at my Norwich, Norfolk salon.
Is an eyelash lift damaging to your natural lashes?
I often get asked if it’s damaging to repeatedly perm your eyelashes or repeatedly tinting your lashes at my Norfolk beauty salon. I believe this is because people compare the hairs on your eyelids to the hair on your head. With your eyelashes you are not repeating the treatment continuously on your lashes because it’s a lot shorter life cycle. You probably only repeat the treatment twice before you have a whole new growth of eyelashes. The hairs on your head (if you dye them), if shoulder length could be around 5 years old. Meaning that those hairs could have been dyed up to 6 times a year, which does make them brittle and snap off. This will not happen to your eyelash hairs or brows.
Who is this treatment ideal for?
This is ideal for swimmers or people who don’t want eyelash extensions or wear mascara daily. However, repeat exposure to chemicals such as chlorine in the pool water or heat for spa treatments might cause the lift to drop prematurely.
For some clients with fair natural eyelashes, I would recommend booking an eyelash tint as well. This isn’t needed for everyone. The tint is available in black or brown depending on what look you are going for. To read more about tinting go to the tinting page on the menu.
What brands do you use?
I use the brand salon system in my Norfolk beauty salon. There are loads of different brands available including LVL Lashes, Lash fx, Flirties and Lashbase. All the brands work on the same system of perming, setting and nurturing eyelashes. A test patch is needed ideally 48 hours at least before treatment to ensure you aren’t allergic or sensitive to the perming solution. All of these products are the same procedure, just different company packaging them.
What is the difference between LVL lashes and lashlift?
LVL stands for length, volume, lift it's the product branding by Nouveau. Nouveau offers training for lash lift called 'LVL lash lift', which is the same method as what Salon System or Lashbase offers. Nouvenau has copyrighted "LVL LENGTH VOLUME LIFT" to prevent anyone else from using it in their advertising. The method for this treatment is the same. It's lift, perm, set, tint, nourish. Each training company just calls it something different. Lots of beauty salons will advertise it differently depending on who they trained with. Hope this clears that up!
Brands available – All these brands use the same technique pretty much just a different company name. Some people include tint. The current guidance is that it’s fine to tint and perm on the same appointment.
LVL lash lift – LVL lashes
salon systems - (brand I use in my Norfolk salon)
Lashbase
Flirities
Are there different ways you can lift them?
A have a mix of different silicone eyelid shields available to create various lifts/ curls. The small shields give the highest lift meaning, if you do it too much the hairs can tickle your eyelids! The large shields give a more subtle/ natural lift. There are also more rounded shields giving a curl similar to the ones you get with eyelash curlers. Be careful when picking a shield type it’s not a great look when the lashes almost fold back on themselves and then takes time to correct.
Shields and rods
Your lashes are lifted using a plastic shield placed and secured on your eyelid. The shields I personally stock are Large, extra large, medium, small and extra small. Small giving the most lift and dramatic look. Your natural lashes are secured onto the shield and then set using perming and setting solutions. Just like you would perm the hair on your head. There are also rods available, to curl your lashes around, which give a curved appearance. However, it’s a lot more modern to have an eyelash lift now.
Before the appointment
Please arrive for this treatment with no eye make-up on as any make-up left on like mascara can interfere with the treatment. Also, it’s very timely for me to remove your make-up for you and I would hate to rush the procedure.
I can’t decide on whether to book in for lash lift or lash extensions?
Look:
They both have the advance of giving a semi-permanent look. They can both make your lashes black or dark brown, giving a fuller look (if tint is included in lift appointment). The only real difference is a lash lift won’t thicken your natural lashes, it simply lifts them. The extensions can have curly lashes applied to give them the lifted look. Most people find they want to apply a little bit of mascara still with the eyelash lift.
Time:
A lash lift is better for people with less time. It’s a one-hour appointment every 6 weeks. The extensions are normally infill appointments every 2-3 wks for one hour.
Money:
The eyelash lift is cheaper long term as it’s only one appointment every 6 weeks at my Norfolk salon. This might not be the same at other salons.
Maintenance:
The lash lift has no real aftercare after the first day. Just keep away from water as it can cause the lashes to drop for the first 12 hours. However, it is advised to apply castor oil daily to your lashes to nourish them. I personally use an old cleaned out mascara tube and pour castor oil into it, applying nightly before bed on both my lashes and brow hairs. You can wash your lashes as normal with the lash lift.
Eyelash extensions need to be cleaned and kept away from oils. Oils from sweat as well of creams in oils can cause the glue to come away from the natural lash. This needs to be done gently with oil-free cleaning solution.
Suited for:
A lash lift is ideal for sporty people who are very active and have little time.
Aftercare
- Avoid mascara for 8 hours
- Avoid steam or hot shower for 24 hours (relaxes perm and could drop)
- Don't rub eyes
- Use nourishing lotion on your lashes after perm like caster oil.
- Rebook for 4-6 weeks for your next eyelash lift.
Eyelash lift in Norfolk
Steaming your skin as part of a facial
Facial treatments are fantastic at giving your skin a healthy appearance. I would recommend having a professional facial monthly. However you can do a DIY facial at home. For me facial treatment is the ultimate treatment it's not only beneficial to your skin, but extremely relaxing. A facial treatment should be carried out in dimmed lighting with the smell of essential oils to enhance the experience. Never rush a facial treatment and always treat your skin gently.
Benefits of using a facial steamer for warming your skin:
- Warming the epidermis makes exfoliation easier. I personally use Kaeso products in my beauty salon.
- Warming the skin prior to blackhead removal is very important as it opens the pores making blackhead removal easier. NEVER try to remove blackheads without warming the skin first. You have around 20 mins before the pores start to close again. Always remove blackheads gently to avoid the risk of scarring the skin.
- Steaming your skin stimulates the blood circulation and lymphatic systems.
- Sebaceous gland activity is improved with steaming, which benefits dry mature skin. Sebaceous glands produce sebum, which is the oil that lubricates your skin.
Always use distilled water in the facial steamer. Never tap water. Take care of your professional steamer and clean it according to manufacturing instructions. This will avoid limescale build up and prolong the life of the machine.
This is not suitable for people with asthma. Please check other medical conditions before using. This is very important. If you have sensitive skin steaming can irritate your skin.
Keep the facial steamer around 30cm from your face allowing a fine mist to be directed at your face for around 10 minutes. Take care not to have facial steamer too close to your skin.
Cover eyes and any broken capillaries with cotton pads.
Steaming in facial treatment