REGULATIONS

• Beauty is an extremely complex business in comparison to owning a hair salon because of the regulations. As soon as you start to offer treatments you will need a beauty licence, which you have to apply to your local council for.

• Webster Whiteman pay £707 per year for their licence in Central London which allows them to offer a range of beauty treatments such as manicures, waxing and massage.

• However, the cost varies depending on the services you offer, as complex treatments such as lasering increase the costs over hands-on beauty treatments. The price also varies depending on which local authority you fall under, so it’s best to contact yours before you take on new services.

• Any beauty professional you hire should be qualified to at least NVQ/SVQ level two or three – depending on what treatments they do; it’s vital they have the correct qualifications for the treatment they are offering.

• If you want your beauty employee to be of a particular standard it may be an idea to check if they are member of a professional association. However this is not a legal requirement and should not be relied on as a steadfast sign of quality.

The beauty room at Clay Salon and Spa

• One of the most important things is to let your insurance provider know so that you are covered against any accidents and subsequent liability claims.

Ian believes it’s just a matter of

research: “There is a plethora of products and brands available; they’re all relatively good but some are exceptional, so it’s a case of doing your homework and making sure you’re doing what your clients want. “I wouldn’t solely rely on a survey

because your clients will probably say yes to everything. Look online, ask about and try the products out – then you’ll really know what’s best for you.” One of the many brands available

is the organic skincare range SpaPro, which can be offered for retail in-salon, as well as being used for a range of beauty treatments; from facials to pedicures. Beauticians have to undergo training

with SpaPro before offering any treatments to ensure they understand the range’s therapeutic benefits and use

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the products correctly. The training is free at their headquarters in the Isle of Sky, otherwise it’s £80 per day in London – but this is for an unlimited number of employees, making it better value for money. Initially, it costs £250 to set up – which

includes the training and one 30ml bottle of each product in the SpaPro range. You don’t need any specialised equipment above what a beautician would use, and because the products have a 12-month shelf-life there’s no minimum order. But why stop there? There is nothing

to stop you creating your own product line and reaping all of the profits. Burlingtons’ founder Clive Colman found makeup was very popular when he started offering makeovers in his salons, so he created new

that we had people coming in, getting beautiful makeup done in our business but going elsewhere to buy it.” And now business is doing so well,

beauty is achieving more profit than hair: “Cosmetics are now becoming a lot bigger than hair for us; it’s gone into Australia, Denmark, Thailand – it’s going to be a global brand,” says Clive. Clive’s range is so popular Burlingtons

has started selling to other salons, charging £1,300 for a stand of new

When you have loyal clients you have to look at how you can maximise that.”