Salon news 2020
Covid-19
An alternative art studio
So, the salon news appears to be we are facing several more weeks in lock down. I have no idea when I will be able to resume my beauty business and see all my wonderful clients again.
You can be assured I’m keeping myself busy, some days are better than others. Like many, I have found the need to occupy my mind by developing my knowledge and skills. I’ve done this on a professional level and on a personal level.
Artistic rescue
Personally, I have used my beautiful garden studio as a temporary art room. It’s been and remains to be a perfect place to find seclusion and concentration for creating pastel landscapes; it also allows me to complete my Diploma in Landscapes with the London art college. Art has been a fantastic distraction to all the news and these anxious times. You can checkout what I’ve been up to on my Instagram account @wendysimmonsart.
New salon skills
Early detection of skin cancer accreditation
So, what about professionally. Well, I first started with completing an online, skin cancer educational program. This is a program set up for professionals like myself, educating us to detect early signs of melanoma and skin cancer (MASCED) in association with SKcin. My job involves touching a lot of skin, in most areas of the body. It can be a very intimate industry and being able to spot signs and areas of abnormality is hugely important, especially as there are over 2,400 deaths from melanoma each year and a massive 86% are preventable (Cancer research UK 2018). Sun safety is also important and fortunately for me I have Eve Taylor products in the salon that I can recommend to help promote sun safety. Products such as Daily Skin Defence SPF 50.
The benefits include: –
Eve Taylor’s Daily Defence
- High protection formulation is ideal to use post micro-dermabrasion, chemical peel, laser or other advanced treatments.
- Protects against UV induced hyper-pigmentation and sun damage.
- Nourishing yet easily absorbed ingredients offer skin moisturising and hydrating benefits.
Eve Taylor is high quality, professional beauty brand and genuinely are easily affordable. A lot of my clients love the products.
Longing for summer
With all this sitting about, we certainly are looking for early signs of summer. We’ve had the good weather to help motivate us to go out for our daily exercise; those of us that are lucky enough to have a garden, or even a balcony or windowsills, can start planning pots with summer bedding plants. One of my favourite summer bedding plants is Geranium. The many colours from white through to the deepest of reds, evoke warm feelings of longer daylight hours and the sounds of nature buzzing around.
Diana’s greenhouse
It reminds me when I worked with my good friend Diana on Corbett Avenue, in Droitwich. I had a back window in the room that I rented, there was a greenhouse right outside it. A bit ugly you might think, but actually no. Diana was very good a keeping it filled with red and pink geraniums, it was a beautiful backdrop for the times when I would open up the back blind.
Geraniums are an uplifting flower visually, but when used in beauty products such as oils, creams and floral water it can also enhance your mood. Geranium when used in aromatherapy promotes emotional stability, alleviate pain and stimulate healing for skin wounds and reduces inflammation.
A good de-stresser!
Floral waters are produced during the distillation of herb and plant oils, I use these waters during my facials but they can be sprayed at home, on your clothes, bedding or just in the atmosphere without the worry of ruining materials with oils. Geranium Hydrolat is perfect in any stressful time. I’m using it all the time at the moment! Get in touch if you would like to order some.
Treatment for Cancer patients
All care giving professionals have varying degrees of empathy. We sympathise and want to do everything in our power to make you feel better, it’s our raison d’être.
None more so than when someone is diagnosed with cancer. A time when being pampered and looked after offers huge benefits. So when you are stopped from acting on those instincts, it’s disappointing and frustrating.
To operate as a Beauty Therapist we have to take out Public Liability insurance. This protects both the client and the professional should anything go wrong during or after a salon treatment. At a consultation you are at liberty to disclose any health conditions you feel may be affected by having a certain treatment in the salon. Cancer is one area we were always told we could not treat, during treatment or for a period of time after.
Click the image above to find out tips on how to look after your nails and skin during chemotherapy
Who told us this you may ask? Not our college tutors, not our natural instincts but our insurance companies!
Now, I’m not going to get into to the why’s and wherefores about this, however if you are told you cannot treat someone because you will not be covered by insurance, well, you’re going to have to do as you’re damn well told! We have to protect ourselves as well as you. The situation was just crap for all concerned, it really was….
The good news is policies appear to have changed!
Recently, I was researching CPD courses for cancer patients and stumbled across an article written for my chosen insurer, Association of Beauty Therapists, ABT. Upon reading, it seems that client’s with cancer are no longer excluded from treatments. As with any medical condition a Dr’s note is required, but that is still great progress compared to where I stood before. So many ladies I’ve not been able to help, I can now without fear. It’s amazing and am really, really pleased about that.
And finally…I great lock down offer for you
A lovely polish to paint with
Yes, it’s been a huge period of time since I prettied up anyone’s nails. In early lock down I was quick to act on getting kits together for my clients to remove their own gels. I know they’re missing having “Wendy nails” and I hope it won’t be long before you’re back in the Wendy House again, sat at my desk looking at all the colour’s behind me.
On a positive note The Gel Bottle’s nail polish and manicure range called Peacci have given me a discount code that l can share with you, giving you 10% off everything in their range. I have reviewed it, you can go see it on my FaceBook page. However, if you can’t wait, click the link below to their website for a closer look.
*When you purchase please remember to add the code below to make sure you get your discount.*
A great polish to use at home
(Btw l have no idea how long this will last for, they haven’t said)
Discount code- PEACCIK3UCYWF3G
Thank you for taking the time to get this far.
#staysafe and I wish you all good health. And thank you to all our front line workers in the NHS, transport, distribution, supermarkets and all public services.
Wendy