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The return of the beauty industry after Covid

17 January 2021

The beauty industry is one of the safest - Boris Johnson must get ...

The global beauty industry has been shocked by the covid-19 crisis, but the industry has responded positivity to the crisis. I spoke to a few owners across the beauty industry and asked them how they are coping since re-opening, the challenges they face and how long do they think it will take for the industry to recover.

‘When we closed our doors in March due to Covid 19, it was like we were living on a movie set it was so surreal. I was devastated but knew it was the right thing to do, being closed for almost 4 months was the hardest hurdle we have faced in business and being a new business of just 2 years as we were still building our brand and closing left us very unsure of the future and almost felt at one time we would be starting all over again but we knew we would be doing everything in our power to make sure our doors reopened.  We used the time to upskill and carry on learning about everything that we love to do. We made maximum changes in line with all guidelines to ensure the best customer experience and to have a safe salon for clients and staff members. We have always been an upbeat fast pace salon with walk ins always welcome and we have now had to extend appointment times to accommodate all the extra sanitising before and after each client. Hygiene was always at the highest standards at Darque but now we are above and beyond with very strict protocols in place, we have sanitisers all around our salon, PPE is worn by staff & clients, social distancing is very important and we are very firm with it, we have Perspex between sections and portable Perspex for any clients who may be extremely nervous. Our client numbers have also been reduced as we no longer have a waiting area and we are limited to the numbers in our salon at one time.  I feel like the salon experience still feels the same for our clients, just with a few twists. We have had amazing support from clients and great feedback with regard to all the work we have done to the salon to keep everyone feeling confident that safety is key when they enter. I do think our industry will take quite some time to bounce completely back to how it used to be if it even does, I honestly think this is the new normal now & I do think everyone will adjust to it and that amazing salon feeling that we all love will again return. It’s one of the safest places to be as our industry always has had the highest hygiene standards so after some weeks, I can see things getting better once everyone remains careful and all advice is always adhered to. We love what we do, and we are so happy to get back doing what we love the most and seeing our clients support us as soon as we open our doors is an amazing feeling. It won’t be an easy road but with passion and drive we will give it our all, we look forward to welcoming old and new clients back to Darque to experience the new salon experience’. Melanie, Owner Darque Tanning Studio & Blow Dry Parlour

‘Since covid shut us down, reopening will be a huge challenge for people especially within the beauty industry. We all need to make sure we protect ourselves and our clients with best practices and good product hygiene. I see the future being bright again, and I already have people rebooking back in – but it will take time’. John Paul Payne Makeup

Due to Covid 19, Gellicious Nail & Beauty Stuido & Gellicious Academy were closed from the 16th of March. Staff used this time to educate themselves on the virus and up-skill in salon cleanliness for a safe re-opening. Gellicious re-opened on the 29th of June following all guidelines set out by the HSE and we are delighted to welcome back our loyal clients that have stuck with us through this strange time. A constant effort is being made at Gellicious to monitor all updates regarding Covid 19 as both our clients and staff health and well-being are a priority to us. We hope to see you soon for your nail appointment, we have missed you all!

Kathy, Natalia & team – Gellicious Nail & Beauty Studio and Academy

‘I closed my salon doors on St. Patrick’s weekend and I never imagined it would be nearly four months before I held a set of tweezers in my hands again. While I’m delighted to be reopened I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit anxious as to what the future holds for my small business. The long term impact is that even when the Covid crisis is over people will still be very cautious about their intimate experience with their beautician. I think people are taking a step back and thinking ‘Is this the cleanest most hygienic place I can put myself in’. That being said the beauty industry has always adhered to strict hygiene procedures. I have totally revamped my salon with a new air purifying system and a sanitising unit, so I’m open for business looking forward to doing lashes for my amazing clients. Debbie Gibney – Lashes by Debbie Gibney 

Hair Makeup Skin

How much skin care products should you use?

22 October 2020
person holding white round ornament

We spend thousands of euro’s on beauty products throughout our lifetime. But how much of that is wasted?  I am going to help you portion control your beauty routine. That way, you can save your skin while also saving money.

CLEANSERS

Whether you’re opting for a cream, gel or liquid cleanser, look to squeeze out about one blueberry size and volume. 

EXFOLIANTS

  When portioning out grainy scrubs, keep it to one raspberry to cover both your face and neck. As a general rule, you should exfoliate once to twice a week. 

SERUMS

More is more, right? Wrong! Concentrated serums might offer double or triple the active ingredients of your anti-ageing creams and using too much on your skin may lead to irritation. A pea-sized drop is all you need! 

Instead of applying it directly to your face, place a few drops into the palm of your hand, and gently press the product into your skin. If your serum has a more solid consistency, a pea-sized amount should be enough.

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EYE CREAM

You need a lot less eye cream than you probably imagine, one grain of rice pair eye is sufficient. The rich emollients in eye cream have been designed to absorb deeply, so a small smear will do the job. Too much product will increase the risk of eye irritation and may even interfere with makeup application. Only apply the product around the bony eye orbits and not too close to the lashes as this can cause puffiness.

MOISTURISER

New technology in skin care helps active ingredients absorb and moisturize deeply, without the sticky, oily residue. For both morning moisturizers and night creams, aim for the volume and length of one almond. To apply, dot lotion all over your face and neck before smoothing it out for even distribution. A good tip is to apply serums and moisturisers onto damp skin as they will penetrate deeper into the skin and will be far more effective.

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SUNSCREEN 

This is one product where you want to be extra careful not to skimp. So how much is just right? For your face, a portion similar to one plump grape. For your entire body, you’ll need a shot glass-worth of SPF. 

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Celebrity Featured Posts Hair

My chat with celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons

18 June 2020
Hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons Launches Products at Primark ...

Kardashian-Jenner hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons, has teamed up with Irish retailer Primark on a new collection of hair care products. The line comprises shampoos, conditioners and masks designed for different hair types, as well as sprays, dry shampoo and hair oil. The range also includes a trio of styling products and a collection of hair accessories including clips, scrunchies and hair brushes. Andrew is from Ballinteer, Dublin and has made Los Angeles his home, I caught up with him to talk all things hair!


Sara: How did the collaboration with Primark come about?

Andrew: Working with Primark has been a dream come true. As an Irish native, I grew up shopping at Penneys – so did everyone I know – so to have a collaboration with them is really really special. We’ve been working on this collection together for the better part of a year, so I’m so excited that the products are finally available. I worked closely with the Penneys/Primark team to develop a haircare collection of really high quality, accessibly-priced products. We developed and tested several rounds of formulas to ensure we developed the best possible options.  

Sara: What can we expect from the range?

Andrew: The very first thing that we all notice is the health of the hair and this is why I have introduced in this range 3 hair type categories in my haircare collection which I am so proud of, to deal with the problems for all the hair complaints I hear from people ever day all over the world.   My shine collection will help give you that glossy red-carpet shine.  The volume will help anyone with flat lifeless hair to achieve the most beautiful volumes hair.  The repair collection with manuka honey will restore your hair to its original beautiful condition.

Sara: Which is your favourite product in the range?

Andrew: This is like picking a favourite child – why would you make me do that?! 😉 If I *had* to pick one… probably the Primark X Andrew Fitzsimons Hair Oil. It’s a luxurious oil that moisturizes the hair and provides brilliant shine without adding any weight. 

Sara: Tell us, about your career to date?

Andrew: When I was 13 years old I asked my mother to get me a summer job. I always wanted to have freedom and my own money, so my mum arranged a job at a local hair salon. I’d never really been interested in hair but I’d always watched my mum getting ready, like a lot of gay kids do, and I loved creativity so we thought it would be a good fit. Then at 16 I thought it’s time for me to get an agent, obviously!

I started working with celebrities when I moved to New York at age 21 after previously living in Paris for a few years. The first celebrity I worked with I think was Adele, who was coming to the US to promote her album. It was great to connect with another person from Europe and she and I got on really well. I got offered work in LA so I was back and forth and then decided to move there. The rest is history!

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Sara: What is the best piece of advice that you can give us about looking after our hair?

Andrew: All hair is very delicate so it’s always best to be gentle with your hair as a rule and to make sure that you have the right haircare regiment using the right products. Using some of our luxe oil after washing your hair will also give you that luxurious healthy hair that we all look to achieve.   I don’t usually recommend washing your hair every day unless you really need to.  If your hair is looking greasy or even just your fringe, use my fresh dry shampoo which is invisible with a fresh fragrance. Your hair will look fresh and clean.

Sara: Do you believe that dreams do come true?

Andrew: Yes, but with a lot of hard work and determination. For a long time, I didn’t really know why I was so driven. I’ve always just needed to move to different countries and move the goal posts when it came to my career, but I always trusted my decisions. It’s been a long journey, but I think a lot of it has to do with my mother teaching me self-belief and me saying “I’m going to do this no matter what.”

All Andrew’s products are available at Penney’s nationwide.