Three Tayside beauty salons are looking to expand their offering in the new year after combining to capitalise on a gap in the local market.
Two of the operations – Waxologist and Tailored Beauty – are in Perth, while the third – The Beauty Company – is in Auchterarder.
The young ventures have now become sister salons offering different beauty experiences under parent company HW Opals.
The business partners are Debbie Cameron-MacPhee, Michelle Taylor and Sarah Marshall.
Waxologist and Tailored Beauty both opened their doors in separate premises in Perth’s Atholl Street in July 2020.
Spotting a gap in the market
The Beauty Company started trading in Auchterarder’s High Street in May this year.
On offer are a wide range of treatments including facials, massage, nails, waxing and hair extensions.
Debbie said: “After years spent working in salons where hair, beauty, waxing and nails all competed in one place, Michelle, Sarah and I saw an opportunity to hone in on specialised beauty experiences.
“Clients can benefit from expert knowledge and professionalism alongside a gold standard of expertise at their treatments.
“When the first lockdown happened, Michelle and I feared losing our jobs at another salon.”
She said they have capitalised on a gap in the market for bespoke hair and beauty treatments.
Debbie added: “After cultivating a loyal client base over the years, we decided to set up alongside each other in the city.”
Beauty salons joining forces
After winning best massage therapist at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Awards last year, Debbie teamed up with Sarah.
She has been in the beauty industry for more than 15 years. Sarah has also established a large client base in the Auchterarder area.
This led to The Beauty Company salon opening in the town.
Debbie said all three business partners had wanted to be their own bosses, with more control over their working environment.
She added that they were all very confident of success due to their previous experience in working in offices and hair and beauty salons more than 30 years combined.
Plans to grow Tayside beauty salons
Debbie said the HW Opals operations are all busy, and the partners are looking to grow the business to accommodate all the new clients seeking appointments.
The most popular treatments at the moment are for nails, waxing and facials.
Debbie said people want to be more groomed and want to take better care of their skin.
She added: “With the growth of social media, people are more aware of the different treatments out there and what results they can get.
“We have a wide range of clients from many areas aged from 18 to 65-plus.
“They come from as far as away as Campbeltown, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. We also have a client from Sweden who plans her waxing treatments for when she is here in Scotland for business.”
The salons now have a total team of six, all self-employed.
Due to the rapid growth of the venture, the partners are looking to build more treatment rooms to allow expansion of the team.
Debbie felt that the secret of success for the operations to date had been due to keeping up with current trends, working with well-known brands and offering professional services to all clients.
