Business survival with the kids at homey

Hi all.

It's day 3 of the half term and I am wondering if all places all over the world have the amount of half term breaks that we do in the UK. It seems insane that they are at home almost as much as they are off school.

I think my point is that when you are self employed or running your biz from home it's an utter nightmare to keep the same consistency with the kiddie winks at home. For example, housework increases 10 fold so your workload increases overnight meaning that to invite clients into your house you are running around like a crazy person keeping it clean.
Making sure you have the work life balance is worse because an hour long pedicure seems like an age to a child so making sure they are busy seems like a task only Jesus can perform.
Getting any sort of paperwork done is near impossible as for some reason they are completly occupied all the while you are effectively doing nothing (not that this is even possible in a house with kids) but the second you sit to complete an important task they are all equally hungry, thirsty, bored and want to know what we are doing today, making the tasks last an hour longer than they should due to all the stop start explaining you have to do to keep their enquiring minds satisfied with the nessesity of the task at hand.

I enjoy my children don't get me wrong, keeping the balance between work and home, earning money and being with the kids is challenging to say the least. Not to mention my daily meditation has got to pot and having a bath in the day is no longer the peace, tranquility and reflective time it has been, so keeping calm and patient with the kids is a stretch to say the least.

Let's hope all of us mumtrepenures survive another holiday, may the sanity of work and school return to all as quickly as it can. Let's enjoy the precious moments with our children and breathe a sigh of relief once they return to school until Christmas holidays, hold on to your hats because that's a 2 weeker.

For now it's back to the grindstone.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

My Actiderm journey part 2

Hi everyone

So as you know from previous posts I work for a direct sales company called Actiderm as part of my beauty business. As I have had a chance to try out a fair amount of their products I do now have some firm winners within the line and some definite misses. This may be down to my particular skin type but also to do with value for money. I thought I'd share with you where I am currently the products that are absolute wins for me and any direct sales problems I have and am facing and where I plan to go with direct sales within my business.

As far as working with Actiderm and I'm not sure how this runs with other direct sales companies but it was sold to me as no minimums, no pressure just earn at your own pace. Now I found out very quickly that the higher up line you get the pushier they are about you stretching your personal targets, I totally understand they are in it for the money the more you earn the more they earn I get that but training became very focused on recruitment and high sales figures, I own my own business as well as parenting 3 children so getting out to sell, sell, sell is difficult. When I explained that my area is hard to generate sales their answer was move out of your area now for me what is the point I want an extra couple of hundred per month if I'm travelling to pamper events that costs me more in fuel pushing costs up and return down another issue. Last major issue is that due to yet another rebranding the packaging is changing, products and sizes are changing therefore stock levels have somewhat depleted leaving me at a place where the products that gain the most sales for me are constantly out of stock. Selling a product to someone for the sake of sales is not working smart it will put people off. I really hope this issue is resolved in September as promised or I will totally loose my client base altogether.

With the negatives out of the way I will talk you through my hero products from the line and the products that don't quite hit the mark for me.

I have fairly normal skin, in the summer slight combo on the oily side but in the winter slightly dehydrated so my skincare changes slightly according to time of year.

SKIN CARE

My first hit is with the detox purifying mask retailing at £16.50, for me worth every penny it uses that ionic clay type of thing to extract impurities and I also use as a spot treatment to dry up active breakouts, great for congested skin due to acne or hormonal breakouts. Eye and lip contour concentrate is one of the best eye creams I have ever used seeing results in as little as 2 weeks, who can argue with that, great for mature skin or to prevent the first signs of ageing at £23.50 for 3 months supply I'm not complaining. Collagen concentrate is great under your chosen moisturiser and just boosts skins texture there are better serums but it is a good one for those new to skincare, all serums are £23.50 which is good value in my opinion. Concentrated Hyaluronic serum can be used as a moisturiser for younger skins but as a boost if you are feeling dry, my husband utterly loves this product. Fresh start mask is the best product ever for uneven skin, a 15% glycolic is stronger than on the high street so is effective at giving your skin a renewed appearance after the first session. In my opinion the cleansers are overpriced for what they are you can get better at the chemist, the face creams with the exception of collagen night cream and no tox are very rich and even those need to be used sparingly.

BODY

The body scrub is nice, it could be to harsh for delicate skins and in terms of value it is only £10.50 but you receive only 150ml of product where if you buy something like soap and glory you get much more product for your money, however for at home pedicures this stuff is fabulous especially when your feet are tired from wearing flip flops all summer. Lipo sculpting wraps are an utter win they really work well and I have purchased many for myself the fluid doubles up as an anti cellulite body lotion. All of the body lotions are really nice, they are priced well and a little goes a long way they are very light in texture and due to the technology throughout the whole line they really work.

MAKEUP

I will start with base the two foundations are ok, I'd say they are more suited to dry skins as they are very rich and application is hard work, from a makeup artist point of view not great but for a night out the HD foundation is very full and flawless so fab for a night out or bridal so long as you set it with a powder at £20 I'm sure you can get better on the high street for every day use but for a full coverage night look it's good . Concealer, just yes, I love it, covers dark circles, blemishes, melasma, it's just so good I can't get enough £16.50 well spent. The powder products are the winners for me, I feel like they stay all day, the colour ranges are fab and they blend like a dream, the eye shadows need a primer base, and the bronzer has a slight shimmer across them so not ideal to contour but otherwise beautiful, the winning powder product is hands down the highlight powder its stunning. The creme lipsticks are lovely, lip liner nice and gloss is ok a bit overpriced for what they are but a nice addition to your makeup collection, eyebrow wax should be in everyone's makeup bag and the gel liner is great, I'd steer clear from the mascara and the  creme to powder shadow I think they are a waste of money in my opinion. A great way to buy the powder product is in the palettes a double saves you £3 and a triple saves you £3.40 plus you get them in a nicely packaged palette.

As I am running a busy at home/mobile salon I am interested in more direct sales as an opportunity to really connect with my clients, there are gaps in the Actiderm line that can be not only filled with my salon brand but with other direct sales products so I have joined another one this morning. I will blog about my first impressions very soon along with my direct sales journey. I really hope that the stock problem is rectified when the packaging is launched because this will make sales easier as well as the fact that I have decided to sell mostly online hosting virtual parties via Facebook. More on how this goes when I have figured out my routine.

I really hope this was somewhat incite full to some of you at least.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

Dont be a busy fool !!

Hi everyone

I don't know about anyone else in the mobile sector but I have a fair amount of business through the summer holidays. This consist of regular waxers, tanning and people wanting to spend real time and money on some proper pampering.
I've not run a single new offer through the holidays and have still been ticking over very nicely.

I plan on running a back to school offer but just on 2 treatments and if experience is anything to go by giving something for free rather than lots of treatments all with money off will bring you much more returning business.

Then there are the wide eyed, selfie loving, everybody's friend therapists that are breaking their backs cutting prices on all treatments to fill their diarys with customers wanting a bargains that either won't come back or will only come back if the price is right. Yes they are busy but they are not recouping enough money on gel manicures or facials essentially leaving them out of pocket therefor being busy fools.

Example :- Buy an express mani/pedi priced at £22 for both + £5 for gel polish( minimal products are used in these treatments and take no longer than 30 mins each) and get a free full body massage worth £39, again very little outlay in terms of costing but the client receives a free treatment saving them money. You use your brain with these clients, if using gel polish there is possibilities for rebook for removal and reapplication, reccomending regular back neck and shoulder massage means a returning customer, the possibilities are endless.
If there is a full menu with 10 or 20% off there is a lot of choice  which puts people off and you appear cheap, there is nothing wrong with a bargain but bargain hunters will look for someone cheaper than you and most of the time are full of complaints. Getting too familiar with your clients can be a bad idea too and may lead to some major puss taking on their behalf, we all know someone who says "my friend is a hairdresser and does it cheap/for free" don't fill your diary with people who aren't willing to pay full price, offering free treatments in return for reviews and reccomendation is a great idea if you are select but other than that keep the offers clean crisp and guenuine.

No one wants to be a busy fool so think about what you are doing and planning, the business will come to you, and when every Tom dick and Harry is offering the same thing at rock bottom prices and a fully booked just think to yourself it's not sustainable, build yourself a viable business not a value business.

We've all been there thinking how do they do it and if you look at the truth behind it all they can't !!

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

The Beautiful people

Hi everyone

I hope this post finds you well.

I have had a lot to deal with of late some good some bad, my dear Nan passed away. I had a birthday, my son had a birthday, my sister got married and in amongst it all I felt like I was a bit lost, I still do if I'm honest. So while my little boy is restring his sore head (he cracked it open at my sisters wedding reception, that's another story) I thought I'd get cracking with some of the things that have been on my mind lately.

Even tho this has a bit of a funny title all will become apparent, I hope......

So at the end of the school year my eldest daughter asks if she can get her nose pierced and dye her hair pink. Now I like to think I'm fairely open minded as a parent, I was 18 myself when my daughter was born and I remember very vividly thinking my mum knew nothing about being a teen. Being a teen in the 90's grunge era too we were all full of angst. I digress, I have no problem with this at all so long as the hair returns to a natural colour before school starts in September and the nose stud is not an issue, my little one having an answer for everything insists she can get a clear stud and the dye will wash out, this is all fine by me and I reiterate the fact I will not pay to have it rectified, her hair her nose, if she is old enough to have these things done she can take responsibility.

I have a point I swear......

My husband and I take her for the piercing and to buy hair dye, when it is done she looks beautiful. We do a stupid face selfie and I announce to the FB world my teenager is quite normal after all.the picture received nothing but negative comments, "what a mongy face" "why would you put that pic on FB" "omg what a picture" My initial reaction was anger, why would you write such horrid comments on a picture of a child clearly pulling a stupid face, what nasty people I have the displeasure to know, then when I thought about it all of these people put pictures of themselves and their children on FB that are fully made up, pouting faces, posing in their best clothes selfies. I HATE THESE PICTURES what are you teaching your kids people, only posing, made up pictures are acceptable, I don't comment on any of them because I believe to each his own but I do question why I joined the beauty industry if this is what we are creating. Then I took a long hard look at my daughter and took inspiration from her and remembered why I love the beauty industry. I love anything that makes you feel good about yourself, whether it be natural beauty or faked from top to toe if that's what makes you feel great then I'm happy, I want my clients to be left feeling like the best version of themselves no matter what.

We all judge, we are human its natural, some people need a good dose of judging. When it comes to beauty anything goes and for the most part it can be washed off and put on completely different the next day. I love the 60's at the moment, my daughter is going for a classier grunge look, the majority are going for pouty selfies but we're all different and I love it.

I'm not angry at the comments anymore, I don't feel the need to say nasty things about others even if I don't like what they do, say, think or how they dress. I'm secure in my own skin and love playing with makeup, hair and nails to change things up.

We are all beautiful people.

Lots of love

Mrs G XXX

Top Tanning Tips

Hi Guys

Today I thought I'd talk about the tanning advice I give my clients and some top tips I've picked up along the way.

First off I've mentioned this before I'm sure but you absolutely must patch test a brand new client. This protects you from any comeback incase of client reactions, and it prevents any likely hood that the client will react to the tan when full spray is applied. This must be done st least 48 hrs before the first tan.

All waxing, threading and shaving must be done 24 hours prior to spray tan as must a fully proper exfoliation with a mitt, exfoliating sponge or equivalent. Trying to exfoliate with a normal sponge, loufa or puff is not going to cut it this does not remove enough of the dead skin cells and will end up with the tan either going on patchy or wearing off patchy.

Hydration.... I advise every day, on the run up to the tan until the day, to keep moisturised with an oil free moisturiser. Most tanning companies sell pre and post tanning products as well as extending products that can be a great retail opportunity too, these products are compatible with the tan therefor will compliment the treatment. On the day of treatment the body must be free from any lotions potions, creams, perfumes and deoderants, these things create a barrier and can cause the tan to discolourso although the skin needs to be hydrated it also needs to be completely clean and dry on the day of spray.

Now most of that information you probably already know but there are a few other little tips I picked up that will ensure a perfect finish.

1. HANDS, be sure that at the very least barrier cream is applied to the knuckles and rubbed in thoroughly, tan will grab on the knuckles  especially when dry.
2. If the entire hand is dry applying hand cream all over immediately before tanning will help the tan absorb evenly.
3. The palms of the hands need a lot of barrier cream to prevent the 'baked bean' look.
4. Cuticles and nails on hands and feet should be protected with either barrier cream or vasaline, they can discolour with the DHA leaving the tell tale signs of a fake tan behind.
5. Dry areas need a little barrier cream rubbed in thoroughly to avoid that 'snake skin' look.
6. FEET, obviously the ankles and around the bottom of the feet are dry so extra cream should be used here, I also put a layer of barrier cream across the top of the feet because they catch a lot of the over spray making them very dark compared to the rest of the body.

After spray tanning the nails palms of the hands need to be wiped clean either with a baby wipe or prep spray on couch roll.

After care advice of  gentle showering off rubbing lightly with your hands under the water until the water runs clear without using soap as this will strip the tan.
 Pat dry do not rub as again this will rub the tan off.
 Keep moisturised with an oil free mosturiser.
After 5 days the tan may be starting to fade so a light exfoliation may be required along with some type of extender if the client requires the tan to last longer.
Showers are better that baths as soaking can cause the tan to wear off quicker.

So I hope this is helpful to anyone doing tanning treatments and anyone going for a tan for the first time and is unsure of the pre tan prep.

Until next time
lots of love

Mrs G xxx

Pro brand snobery

Hi everyone

Today is a bit of a random unplanned blog (as most are) because something popped up in one of the facebook groups I joined, the reference was 'Brand Snobery' A bit of a strange thing to talk about you may think but it occured to me that the obsession with pro brands really depends on the type of buyer you are yourself.

Lets start at the beginning. The question was raised about sticking to one brand of polish for your mani/pedi treatments, the lady in question was asking other therapist opinions about whether or not they stick to one brand and what brands they use, for the most part several of us agreed that to stick to one brand was much more beneficial to customers, it shows consistancy through the treatments therefor building client trust, some felt it didn't matter if you used a couple of brands so long as what you use is quality and others said use what you like regardless of brand whether it be from the local boots or your local pro beauty store.

Then came a little debate whereby one therapist claimed that she uses brands from boots and she has 100% return rate with happy clients and that using a pro brand is just brand snobery. I ( and most others ) feel that you should provide a service not readily available for all to do at home themselves. A cheapshot being thrown at discount stores selling OPI now and  how they dont like it. For a start if you are a professional going to a discount store to buy you products for professional use surely that brings your professionalism into question, if you are not prepared to pay out for products in the first place how can you charge for a first rate service? My opinion only of corse to each his own.

This got me thinking very hard about what clients think about the products used on them. I personally  feel that if I am going to spend my hard earned money on a luxury service such as hair, nails or waxing I want to know that the products being used are at the very least considered luxury but at best the professional range. Anyone can go and buy head and shoulders, veet or Barry M so why would I pay through the nose for it in a salon/spa or via a mobile professional. I opened up the question to my business page, I only got 2 responses but the two whom responded are like both ends of the client spectrum, One lady who never quibbles about price, rebooks for other treatments and loves the service said exactly what I did, to each his own but if I'm paying for luxury I want luxury in return. The other is a very different type of client, always wants a discount, moans about everything, expects appointments last minute then cancels and even said to me she shops around to get deals on everything so it is cheaper for her, her response was If the service is good and the right price I don't care what people use as their products.

This says a lot for the type of clients you want to attract to your business. There are those that will always compare the price, these ones expect a £100 service for £50 and will drop you as the provider for that service if they find it cheaper elsewhere and there are those that appriciate you are providing  luxury treatments, they know that for the most part they can not do this themselves for whatever reason and are prepared to pay the going rate for you to do it for them, these clients enjoy the treatments, products, atmosphere and come back for more without quibbling on price. I know exactly what type of client I want to attract and have turned people away for wanting a second rate service just to get it cheaper, you know they want just a set of gels none of the fancy stuff just gel polish then complain about the coming off too quickly, before you know it that 15 min client turns into an hour client but doesn't pay anymore.

Be wise about where you spend your money in your business, be sure of the types of clients that you want to attract into your salon/spa or mobile database, I am certain that if you are true to what you love then that will come across and you good clients will return. Brand snobery? I don't think so I think you set the standards. How high are yours?

Lots of Love

Mrs G xxxx

Actiderm Facial review

Hello peeps

This is quite an exciting one from a professional and consumer point of view.

As I have mentioned before I do some direct sales with Actiderm Cosmecuticles. They sell results driven skincare that is paraben free, SLS free and isn't tested on animals. They also sell make up that is free from all of those nasties and free from talc.

I am out doing 1 to 1 consultations with ladies wanting to try out the products and using them in my anti ageing facials for clients. The products are going down a storm, the results are immediately visable as well as ongoing with continued use.

This is a before and after of a lady who I saw a couple of weeks ago who as you will be able to tell was so happy with her facial she will be a regular.

I used much of the same products that I love to use in the mornings. Micellar lotion to cleanse, an eye mask to lift and tighten under the eyes (I use once per week on myself) and a fresh start mask which can only be used for 3 days on 3 days off as it is a 15% glycolic acid, a second cleanse to remove the masks, energising vitality lotion that has vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to aid hydration and prepare the skin for the next step, eye and lip contour concentrete that helps fight fine lines and wrinkles as well as under eye circles and bags, collagen concentrate that sinks deep into the skin to help rebuild the skins natural collagen building blocks plumping the skin, tightening smoothing base to do just that tighten the skin firmness, and collagen night cream that sinks in so well that I love it as an all round day and night cream.

The pictures speak for themselves. I use all of those bar the tightening smoothing base as I only use this before a night out so my makeup sits better, every morning. I feel for my normel to slight combination skin the combination is just perfect.

The formula's are water based so you are not left with a greasy feel to the skin, the serums are light yet powerful so the effects are immediate and the cleanser is so gentle it does not strip the skin of all of its natural oils. The overall texture of my skin has improved no end, pores are unclogged, scarring and pigmentation reduced leaving a fresher brighter appearance.

The only downside is that some of the face creams have a strange smell, I can't quite put my finger on what it is but it's just a bit strange. This smell does disappear after a while but I know that could be off putting to some people.

I am using more and more of the make up products so will undoubtably post some pics and a review soon enough.

Until next time

Lots Of Love

Mrs G XXX

Facial's in the mobile sector

Hi Everyone

Facial skincare is starting to be a priority amongst my piers as we are all in our 30's now and are frightened about the rate at which age is starting to show on our faces. As a professional I know that you need to start a skincare routine at the very least in your early twenties. My daughter is 14 and is wearing make up so cleanses twice daily, she loves a mask once per week and has a light hydrating moisturiser that she uses after cleansing. This is enough to keep those pores clear but not so much that it strips her skin. My daughter is lucky in the respect that she has a professional in the house to guide her but how do we reach out to those that dont have such a resource close to them.

I see so many teens saying I've tried everything but my skin still breaks out, or it works for a while then my skin breaks out. Now lets be truthful 9 times out of 10 these girls are not being honest about how they take care of thier skin using make up wipes or nothing at all to take off thier makeup or they are using cleansers that strip the skin of its natural oils therefor making the problem worse. Enter a facialist to give them the professional advice they deserve.

Ladies in thier 30's or 40's are stressed about skincare, age is setting in and excusses are racking up quickly as to why they do nothing with thier skin. Time is a big issue amonst working women and mothers or both working mothers as we are the ones that feel strapped for time and cash. A mobile therapist is the best option for them but I really believe that there is a stigma attatched to a mobile therapist not being a professional and visiting a salon is too expensive so they continue doing nothing.

Older ladies part with thier cash a lot more readily when it comes to looking after thier skin, they have time to take care of themselves and after having gone through the other stages they know that quality skincare is worth its weight in gold. These ladies would still rather lavish themselves in a salon enviroment over a moblile therapist that will visit them in the comfort of thier home, in thier defence they are probably thinking they don't know how much longer they are going to be able to get about so while they can the luxury of a salon is the way forward, and why not !!

The target demorgraphic for a good results driven facial at home to fit around you is those beautiful ladies in thier 30's  and 40's. But how do we catch thier attention ? What will make them take the plunge ? How do we market to that busy lady ? I'm Totally stumped for ideas, I know I'm good at what I do but trying to convince the cynic of today that  the results far out weigh the cost is another story. Still I am not one to give up I adore all things skincare and will be on the cause for the rest of my days as a therapist thats one thing I do know.

Until next time

Lots Of Love
Mrs G XXX

Is the french manicure outdated

Hello people

I get a lot of clients through my doors wanting manicures. Most of them say to me I don't want anything to bright, they go through the colour options and eventually choose the brightest pink or coral they can find, go figure. They also say things like 'well I want it to match my clothes' yet still choose the brightest colour they can find.

Call me strange but why not go for a french manicure ? surely that makes much more sense, a beautiful set of nails with a french polish look clean, chic, healthy, match everything  and you can jazz them up with glitter, crystals or a touch of art without taking away from the natural beauty that is a french polish.

I decided to do myself a french polish this week, I thought that a nice bit of sparkle on the ring finger just to add a little twist would be a lovely touch, well I got a little bit carried away with the glitter and ended up with it on every nail. I am now totally distracted by my shiny, healthy looking sparkly nails and what a fab twist to a clasic look. Perfect for this time of year, when the sun shines it catches the glitter and just looks beautiful.

Next time you get an indecisive client wanting thier nails done try a french polish with a twist and I bet they love it.

Lots Of Love

Mrs G XXX

Mobile therapist insurance

Hi all

Today's blog is a very serious one.

I know I'm fairly new to the industry but from the very beginning I had very specific ideas as to how I wanted to conduct my business. I wanted to train somewhere that provided worldwide recognised qualifications, and I wanted to be insured by a professional beauty insurer. This is not only because I wanted to provide the best sevice to my clients, it was to protect myself and my clients against any unfortunate mishaps that may occur.

This may shock you to learn that in the UK a massive 1/4 of  beauty professionals are operating without insurance. A poll taken by BABTAC revealed that 26% of therapists admitted to not having valid insurance and 34% of those had never been insured. And this is just in the UK I dread to think of the amount of people around the world that are operating in the same way.

What are we doing ? It is equally as important to protect yourself from the hefty costs of a claim as well as the clients you serve. They need to be confident that if something were to go very wrong they can persue a claim for compensation. I feel that this is so risky to be operating without valid insurance. It is so inexpensive considering the value you get as well as the peace of mind that you are protected. My insurance is with The Guild Of Beauty Therapists, it costs me £85 per year for full membership, I recieve a bi-monthly magazine keeping me up to date with new trends and treatments as well as suppliers, you can also put your name on the professional beauty register and they keep you informed of job oppertunities and beauty stuff for sale.

Surely the risk far out weighs the cost whether you  do tanning or nails or have a full repertoire of treatments under your belt.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR CLIENTS GET INSURED

Lots Of Love
Mrs G XXX

Offering tinting on your treatment menu

Hi everyone

A bit of a funny week as my internet is down at home so am having to work at my darling Dad's who has very kindly let me use his wifi so I can keep the momentum going. These things are sent to try us I suppose.

So eyebrows. I really try and reccomend an eyebrow tint to my clients or potential clients that want to take care of themselves but don't want to spend a lot of money. The difference a well shaped brow makes is amazing It lifts the entire eye and really shapes the face. Take mine for example, they are sparse and fairly light so when im doing my make up they kind of get lost on my face and then I use a lot of product which just doesnt suit me. In my opinion there is a time and a place for a strong brow and when you are rushing around in between school runs is not that time.

Lets be honest when you only have these to work with it's going to take a lot longer to get the makeup done in the mornings.

I let my client know that this treatment will not only make them look and feel better in only 10 minutes (thats with an eyebrow shape too of course) It will mean they do not have to spend as long on their routine in the morning, that is what all mums want, to look good in minimal amount of time with the least amount of effort.

Explaining the procedure beforehand is essential because I find that everyone these days is short on time. We are all rushing around and trying to meet deadlines so a 10 minute treatment that makes that much difference is a must for them and brings them back for regular tinting at the very least.

Just look at the transformation. I still look at these pics and cannot believe that all those brow hairs are mine, I was convinced that I didn't have that many even. All I need to do with my brows in the morning is run some tinted brow wax through them and I'm good to go.

You can use stencils and give a thicker highly defined brow if thats what the client wants or stick to following the natural brow shape to create a much more natural look, I prefer this way because that means every brow you do is different but you really create a defined fuller brow. You can add products of your choice to enhance treatments and create sales opportunity there are many brands out there that you can do ths with.

Always remember to perfom a patch test before any tinting treatment, eyes especially can be sensitive and you should refuse to treat if they decline a patch test, this only needs to be done prior to the first tint and it protects you and your client in the long run, you don't want any nasty law suits. 

If you are on the fence about offering tinting as part of your treatment menu I'd say just go for it, it's low cost and high return of clients so it's win win. The results speak for themselves.

Lots of love

Mrs G XXX

 

Procrastination wasn't the way forward

Hi everyone.

I have had  a very positive shift of mindset over the last few months of business, I've gained more full paying clients boosting my confidence no end and made some important decisions surrounding my brand.

This week life gave me lemons. Did I make lemonade ?? Nope I procrastinated about all the things I needed to do and did absolutley nothing. What a wally. I saw a few spaces in my diary and instead of using the time wisely to finish my website, fill paperwork for the new skincare company I'm going to use, make orders and generally just sort things out, I rushed around filling my time with useless tasks claiming I had no time to get any of my real jobs done.

I am now on Saturday morning and looked back over my week, there were some very important jobs that I could have done very easily within an hour or two each and felt like a bit of a prat for all the time I wasted. I have no one to blame but myself, I am the only one who can make changes and I chose not to. I have felt a bit poorley all week and had some family issues but really I know my work is my release from the stresses of everyday life so can't fathom why I made such little effort this week.

So just this morning I have finished the website and published it, there are a few tweaks that need to be done but overall I'm happy with it, read some coaching material, looked up recipies for cleansing balms, written a blog and kept up with my facebook posts. Faith in my ability is restored and I now need to set up a timetable for next week as I will not be making the same mistakes again.

This week has taught me that no1, we all have times that our goals will seem unreachable but thats ok no2 Time management is key to staying on track, no3 I need to concentrate on 1 thing at a time to achieve anything at all, if the entire list of 'things to do' is always in veiw the task at hand gets lost
I already feel better having got my website published, my pricelists are set for the 1st of june so I can now print off a few to have at home and when I got out to jobs or pamper events. My tasks for the week are set and I feel my focus has returned. Thank goodness this has only lasted a week can you imagine the mess I'd of got into had I of let this frame of mind get a hold of me.

I'm not sure there is a moral to that story other than have an end goal, work backwards from that to set the interim goals and focus on one thing at a time whether it be a week for a project or a day for ordering, facebook posting or blogging. Achieving one thing from a list of one is better than achieving nothing from a list of 50.

I hope this has been helpful.

Lots of Love

Mrs G xxxx

Virtual Learning. Yes Or No ??

Hello Everyone

So today I thought I'd touch on virtual learning.

A way of the future or not cut out for the beauty industry ??

Well if you are like me and are very busy and need to work to fund any type of learning, When are you going to find the time to go to college, or an acadamy or any other institute of learning ?

I was yearning for a change of direction so I could earn some proper money to support my family. Don't get me wrong my husband is a great provider but I need to have some independance and a place to flex my brain power just a little bit.

I wanted to do a make up course and couldn't go out to london plus after much discovery I found that most make up artists are self taught, all I needed was the basics so that I could move forward, Practice makes perfect right ?!?

The next thing I wanted was to be able to take any qualififcation with me all over the world, my hubby wants to move to canada one day, so I need to be able to work abroad. I found places that charge a fortune to give you a diploma that doesn't mean a thing. Then to my amazement I stumbled across virtualbeautycourses.co.uk they are the first in the UK to offer internationally recognised qualifications via City And Guilds. The courses are individual so you can do the sections that interest you and leave the ones that you are not keen on. The paperwork is delivered online and marked by your tutor who gives all the feed back you require, I seriously flet like I had my own teacher on hand whenever I needed them either via txt, email, skype or phone call. The practical videos are given online through your personal virtual learning portal and you watch them as many times as you like before you commence practice.

The first assesments are done via skype so you can remain comfortable in your own surroundings so they can give you any teaching points, hints and tips. Claire and Becky are so supportive and are really picky about the treatments being carried out to the best standard so the pointers are really helpful. You can rest assured your clients will be happy with your treatments when you are done so all the hard work is worth it. Once your skype assessments are done and they feel you are ready to do the final  assessments you get to do the final exams in house at their acadamy in Kent.

I can't rave about virtual beauty enough. Learning this way has been a god send as I have been able to work, start a beauty business and still be a mother and wife. If you are in 2 minds whether to do it or not bear a couple of things in mind, make sure the qualifications are recognised, check reviews, talk to them over the phone or skype so you can gauge if you will get along with the tutors.

Go for it. Be the best you.

Check out http://www.virtualbeautycourses.co.uk for a skill update or to start a new career now. You wont regret it.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

Are you struggling to focus ??

hello everyone

Are you struggling to focus too ??
Do you have a million GREAT business ideas but can't pin one down ?
Do you feel like you are going round in circles ??

Well guess what. Me too !!

I feel like at the moment I have a million great ideas floating around in my brain but as I try to grab one another one passes right on by.

Focus evades me a lot of the time which is making me so frustrated that I can't move anything forward. Then I did the most logical thing and asked google.

I don't know why I though that was a good idea because there is so much info out there that my mind is even more boggled after a good google session. I think the best bit of advice I got was create a vision board or book, in it you want to write your goals, visions and ideas for life and business. I think seeing this visually can help give focus. For me I have three main focus points within my business which each have more goals within them. Hey, if you don't start you can't move forward.

Is setting time frames a good idea ? Well maybe within certain areas but long term maybe not. I guess you have to do what suits you but beware of spreading yourself to thin it has been causing me more stress because I'm too tired to think of a schedule that I can stick to.

A bit of a ramble today but it's more to let you all know that we all feel like it is all too much sometimes and there is so much free information out there that works if you use it. Tomorrow I'm off to WH Smith to buy a posh book for my vision book.

I WILL HAVE FOCUS AGAIN

Lots of Love

Mrs G xx

Building a website for my business

Hello everyone

I relly hope that at least 1 person is loving my ramlings about the big bad world of beauty.

Today I want to address the scary prospect of building a website.

It seems that in the world as it is today we all need to be on top of the digital world, there's facebook, twitter, instagram, snap chat, pinterest good lord the list is endless. I have a fairly good grip of face book now and am in the process of getting my tiny brain around the intstagram thing, but the main thing to conquer is the dreaded website. I mean this thing has to sell you as well as your business, people buy people after all.

I kind of know how I want it to look and exactly what to write. I know that it has to have photo's and videos, tips and a link to my blog, an online booking system, place to leave reviews and to sign up to a mailing list, side note... create mailing list. Did anyone else get told the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes?? no me neither.

I am so excited to see it finished that it makes me nervous to start, how silly is that !! I know where I want to start and have the skeleton of it layed out on litle cards across my floor so why does it seem so difficult ?!?  I know exactly why, 1 I see  people getting it wrong all of the time and dont want to be one of those, 2 I'm scared of failure. This is the most ridiculous as it is failure in itself to not do something for fear of failing.

I made the decision right now that as soon as I finish this very blog I will make the start. There is nothing to stop me, kids are at thier Dad's house, husband is working nights and all the leg work is already done.

What stops you from making a start on your website ??

I started by researching where I can build a website for free, you can pay of course and I may need to pay for help with it eventually but for now I could do without the extra out lay. I did the same for all the add ons such as booking systems, blog, adding videos, email sign up. I'm not going to tell you which one to use because we all work differently but I would definately check out the websites themselves and see if you like how they navigate and feel to you. I wrote all the descriptions for all of the treatments I offer and have some stock photos ready but ideally you want 1 per treatment plus extra for background and before and afters. Make the photos and videos your own work, like I said people buy people. I cant think of anything else to say other than you can do it. Make your business work for you and be the best you can be.

What are you waiting for, get going and start doing.

Lots of love
Mrs G xxxx

Katherine Daniels pro skincare first impressions.

Hi everyone

So it will be no shock to you that I am hard to  please when it comes to customer service. I feel that just because you are a mobile therapist doesn't mean you should get second rate customer service. Who knows where each individual will be in 10 years, That mobile professional might have grown to be the owner of a multi million pound chain of spa's, bet you'd wished you had of given that little bit extra in the customer service department.

Ok now its time to name and shame a little bit. I currently use Monu as my pro skincare line. I love the products, they look smell and feel professional and luxurious. The lady that visited me was lovely and convinced me I was going to be looked after. I was kind of duped into buying the whole line, and promised training that I never recieved. The only communication I now recieve is to try and sell me something, not even a courtesy call to see if there is any help I need.

I FEEL LEFT IN THE DARK ON MY OWN.

I started the search for a more results driven line that has much better customer skills. I contacted a lot of those only a few returned enquiries, calls, emails. Katherine Daniels were the ones that shone to me. I saw the add in pro beauty magazine, it was clean, fresh, simple, well everything I love about a pro product.

I contacted them and within a day I had a call from them asking if I needed more information, the next day I recieved an information pack This contained enough information for me to know that I wanted to meet with thier rep. She called me to arrange a meeting.

Of course when I met with her I was prepared for all the spiel I felt like after my previous experience I knew what I was not going to buy into. This line is much simpler, The packaging is sleek and simple yet professional, The smell is not so overpowering that it would put people off but strong enough to smell like a spa type of product. The texture of everything is amazing, light yet powerful. I already have 2 1/2 days training booked into the diary to learn how to use thier techniques. They say that they like to keep in contact with all of thier clients no matter how small every 8 weeks or so.

Too good to be true?? all that was left to do was to try the products for myself because I believe you cannot recommend anything to your clients that you wouldn't use on yourself. OMG the micellar eye make up remover is the best micellar  I've ever used, I knew I loved it from the first use. It removed all of my mascara in less than a minute, the toner is refreshing and non drying (I left it a long time before applying cream)  and as it was night time I applyed the rich cream for dry skin, 1 word, delicious.

So far thumbs up for Katherine Daniels. Customer service is fab, products are fab and can't wait to see what results I will get after more uses, it's just ticking all the boxes so far loving it and very excited about having it as my main skincare product in my business.

The business relaunch is shaping up to be a very explosive one.

Lots of love
Mrs G xxxx

How do I price mobile treatments ???

Hello everyone

The sun is shinning here in the garden of England and it must of had a positive affect on my thought process because, as the kids are running round the garden soaking each other with water I found inspiration to write a blog post. Whatever works I guess.

Pricing my treatments has been a really hard process because you have to take into account all of the surrounding factors.

The first thing for me is that I am fairly newly qualified, Updateing my repertoire monthy almost.

The second is that mobile therapists are 10 a penny in this area so I need to be at least competitive, however I offer an entirely different service to the majoritiy of them. Having completed full courses as apposed to the short day courses that are available put me a little ahead on the knowlage front also. You get what you pay for after all.

I am not a salon but I also offer ant 'at home' service where I am working from my converted dining room, I'd say at least 60% of the time. This itself incurs over head costs in the form of, electricity, water and the constant redecorating to keep everything look professional and fresh. I want my clients to return happily.

I stalked the local competition looking at thier websites, flyers and shop windows. I realise that is unreasonable to expect people to pay the same sort of prices that they would in a salon as it is just not the same, on the other hand how any of these mobile therapists make any sort of a living is beyond me as they are all too busy playing the pricing war game that it is imposible to earn a wage.

I had to set a price point that was fair yet reflects the fact that when you come to me you get more than just a file and paint. In fact that is a service I just dont offer, if you want a cheap service you go to a cheap therapist in my opinion. I work out all of my costs down to the last penny per treatment, I double the cost price then add how much I want my hourly rate to be, it's that simple. If you earn £10 per hour as a cleaner why would you charge £3 per hour to give someone the benifit of your expertise when treating them to a luxury facial, it makes no sense. I have found that this puts me at a real prime spot in the market, I undercut salons, because I dont have the added costs of running a salon but I am slightly more expensive than a lot of the other mobile therapists.

This really works for me and keeps my passion for the job alive as I have worked hard to get to the standard I am at now, I do not want it to be de-valued by being cheap. The service I offer means that every client that walks through my doors rebooks because they get what they pay for. Salon service at home.

Don't cheapen yourselves. If you are knowlageable, skillfull and you take care of each and every client they will return to you and tell all thier friends how good you are. All you need now is some excellent marketing and some positivity and you will be running a successful business in no time. TRUST ME.

I hope this has given you some inspiration.

Lots of love
Mrs G xxxx

Rockerbilly style makeup (using Actiderm makeup)

Hello everyone

I did a rockerbilly make up look at the weekend for a friends 30th birthday and thought I would take you through the steps of how I achieved the look. But first here's the before.

 As you can see from the photo I have quite a lot of pigmentation. I think I have mentioned before that it is partly hormonal from being on the contraceptive pill and partly due to the hypothyriod conditon I have. It is called melasma and I hate having it but its just how it is. Foundation doesn't ever cover it properly so I learned to make my peace with it.

Let me first say that everything on my face was Actiderm makeup apart from the mascara, lipstick and eyeliner, all of the makeup is paraben free, talc free and anti allergen, the HD foundation is great for an oily skin although I'm fairly normal and it was fine on me. I have OCC lip tar on my lips, elf liquid eyeliner and a maybeline mascara.

First off I made sure that my face cream had fully absorbed before I applied my foundation, I personally find my foundation doesn't sit right if I don't wait. I used a buffing brush to buff this in and then used a tapping motion to build it up in areas that need more coverage.

I mix my concealer with a little bit of my foundation as I want it to be a little bit more seemless, I do use a brightening concealer but for this look I wanted to keep it as classic as possible so used a full coverage concealer. I used this under my eyes and for my blemishes.

While this was settling into my skin I moved onto my eyes. First I primed my lids, Then I set it with a face powder, I then layered the base colour down which was a little darker than a cream, now,because  I have hooded eyes I put the darker colour Just above my crease and in a strait  line across to the outer edge of my eye, I then blend this backwards and forwards and slightly up to give the illusion af a crease, if I were to put the colour in my actual crease it wouldnt be seen as the upper part of my lid comes down over the mobile lid. I didn't join this up to the lower lash line as I put liner there so I didn't need to join  it up.

This is a little liner trick that really works for hooded eyes if you want to achieve that real 50's flick. look ahead into a mirror and using your liner draw a line from the lower lashes up to where you want the flick to end, it will look weird to start with as you need to go back and fill in the gaps, I then did the rest of the liner at the lash line and just got it to as thick as I wanted as you kind of have to do 2 different parts to the liner for this to work. I then looked downward to fill the gaps in the first line, looking strait ahead again I drew across from the tip of the flick a line to where the upper lid meets the lower lid, again looking down I almost coloured in the outer triangle of the flick. If you want this to be as neat as possible then you need to carry it on to meet the liner on the lid, I like to be quirky so just left it as it was, it looked pretty cool when my eyes were closed.

I then took a face tissue pulled it apart and blotted my face just to make sure there weren't any oils resting on top of the foundation, this breaks it down over time and can cause oxidisation. I then set my base.

Curled lashes and added 2 coats of mascara.

A dark tinted  brow wax on an angled brush following the natural growth of the hairs, don't worry if it looks a little strong, just brush them through.

No bronzer, I am naturally very fair skined so it really worked for this look in particular, I put a lovely plum pink blush on the cheek bone and blended back to the hair line and a little way forward but not all the way to the apple of the cheek, I find this does not suit my face shape so I stick to the cheek bone .

High light on the very top of the cheek bone and cupid's bow.

Two layers of red lip tar applied with a lip brush blotted in between coats.

And voila the end result. I was so happy with the end result. I don't think I could ever get bored of playing with make up.

Hope you enjoyed reading about how I got this look. You never know I may even do videos one day.

Lots of love

How things have changed in such a short time

Hi everyone

I have been out for a long walk over the woods with the kids today. It was nice to get away from work for a while but it led to a little reflection whilst sitting watching the kids playing in the stream, don't panic yourselves it was a stream not Niagara Falls and I was sitting right there, I started to think of whe I first started to blog. I had read a lot of beauty blogs, you tubers and such, I suppose I thought I would model my own on that type of thing as it clearly works for them so why not?!? Well it doesnt work for me, not because I don't enjoy reviewing products, I really do, but how much make up do I really use and need on a day to day basis. The truth is I try a lot of stuff but I always go back to the same stuff I love. I refuse to waste my hard earned money on crap I dont need for the sake of a review.

That all being said I will still do reviews but only if I happen to find something that I've not tried before that replaces on of my firm favourites. I also try a lot of samples of professional products for my beauty business. In an industry that grows this fast its really not good to be left behind so I continually have samples sent out to me. Then I kind of relish the review process because I could never find very much that related to the moblie section of the industry and I am a bit, ok a lot fussy when it comes to using companies. Customer service wins me over big time, we get such a ruff deal in the customer service department and with no good reason, Im afraid you use poor sevice you loose my custom, end of. I will pass on all the info I gather from each company so it helps narrow down the possibilities for others, hopefully.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I found blogging so hard before and I couldn't understand why, all of these top bloggers and youtubers are so in love with what they do and I was convinced I loved that too so why wasn't I finding it that easy, I shifted my focus and found that every waking moment of the day I am either working in a job I adore or working on my job, my business, my baby, so why not blog about that. I love beauty fact finding, new ingredients, packaging, tans, skincare, nail specialists and when I first started I had no clue so if this gives just one new mobile therapist a little nudge of encouragement and steer into the right direction then I will be one happy lady. I may be a bit rambley at times but hey thats how I do it, if the inspiration strikes me then I pick up the Ipad and start tapping away at the keys, this gives me so much pleasure now.

I finally love what I blog.

Lots of Love to you all

Mrs G xxx

Caribbean indulgence 7.5 % review

Hi everyone

Tanning again. I'm a little obsessed with this one. I had patch tested a few people with this and they said to me that the colour was fab but it washed off really quickly. I was a little bemused because in theory it shouldn't have a lesser wear time because it's the same brand as the others I use so I thought what the heck I will give it a go myself.

Don't get me wrong I try every brand on myself before I try them on any clients as I personally feel I can't sell anything unless I can give an honest review of the product. I have tried the fresh indulgence at 9% and loved it as I am pale as milk therefor go 'orange' very easily, I've also tried the 8 % nouvatan and love that too. With that said I know the caribbean is a very true brown colour and I was very frightened as to how it would look but I need to try it for wear time, If it came to it I would have soaked in a bath of lemon for a week to fade it.

I got my husband behind the tanning gun, filled it up and off we went. First off the guide colour is excellent on this so great if you are just starting out as you can see where you are spraying, also good for the non spray tech in your life, the fresh indulgence or original doesn't have a very dark guide colour making it hard to see so I'd stay away from it until you are more experienced or get some and practice on family and friends until you get the hang of it. Anywho the smell of the tan itself is so fruity and fresh whilst it is being sprayed, this does turn into the biscuit smell when developed but that is the DHA, you can't escape it so lets just get over it.

In the morning the guide colour appeared no darker than when applied, to me anyway, it is a lovely true brown very natural tan looking, I rinsed as I would have anyother tan only using soap on my bits and underarms. It rinsed off well and quickly, I applied oil free moisuriser and off I went about my business. I showered everyday just as usual using the soft side of the sponge and my soap and glory shower gel. It was 5 days before I needed to do a light exfoliation to even things up then another 3 before real wear was showing. Altogether it was about 12 days several showers, long soaks in the bath and a few rounds of exfoliation before the tan had completely gone. Love Love Love it. 1 negative, wear around my bra line. This happens to me no matter what tan I've had, it really irritates me that where your bra moves about it rubs the tan away. Haven't discovered any top tips to stop this but rest assured I will write about them when I do.

I'm still not sure as to why this rubs away when patch tested but it wears just as well if not better than other tans I have tried. It must be the skin nourishing fruit oils. This company have a paraben free, organic DHA tan packed full of nourishing ingriedients that help prevent your skin from drying out, Thier customer service is beyond any I've encountered where nothing is too much trouble. The website is a breeze to navigate which is a must for me. I am very proud to stock them and as my business expands I will be stocking much more of thier retail products too. What else can I say. Well done Fresh Indulgence, you got me another booking in the diary just from wearing the tan, the lady thought I'd been away, I couldn't love the products any more.

Lots of love

Mrs G xx

Why do mobile beauty professionals get less customer service that salons!!!

Hello everybody

I hope this post finds you all well after the easter weekend.

I am sure I'm not the only moblie therapist in the country that is constantly trying new products am I ?!? You see I adore the skincare range currently In my kit. It feels, looks and smells luxurious. the results are good, not blow me away fantastic but good, I had great service from them when I was looking to take on a brand, they checked out whom they were selling to near to me and they assured me that the nearest was over 20 miles away. The thing for me was offering something different, because whats the point in offering the same as every other Tom, Dick or Harry. During the first few months they contacted me and assured I would have on site brand training. I of course was so excited because I felt like I'd been accepted as a professional in a very competitive industry.

Here I am 1 1/2 years later with no extra training (other than what I recived with my kit) thier website that is so hard no navigate that by the time I have compiled my order they experience some type of technical difficulty and I loose my entire order, and to top it off a lady that has a room in a spa less than 3 miles from me uses the same brand. She has done for years.

I feel so disheartened with the whole experience because I know how hard it is to find a reputable brand that will supply to a mobile therapist. I refuse to reorder anything  with them because I want to be looked after as they would a salon owner. Now I get it yes they wont get as much trade from me right now but month by month my business is growing, My clients want me to sell to them but I dont feel confident in the brand itself now, I pride myself in excellent client care and I can't say with 100% confidence that these people are going to treat my clients with same care that I do. Also who knows what the future holds, a salon, a spa, who knows think of the potential buainess they have now lost. Thier loss yes! But that does not help me now does it.

Not only have I got to try products out I have to restock my whole kit. I'm not overly worried about the spend as if the brand is excellent it's worth every penny to me and my clients but it's a huge risk that the same customer service issues may arise again. Trying new stuff is good fun, not only do I do it anyway I do it for a job, how fab is that but good,  no scrap that great products are nothing if you don't take care of the customer. I have emailed 3 companies this week and only heard back from 1 so far. Doesn't look good does it !!!

So why is it mobile therapists are getting such a raw deal ?? I mean I know why 'bigger' brands are reluctant to sell to us on the grand scale of things its just not worth thier while, but these smaller companies really need to think about whom they shun because they are not going to gain in the long run, conscientious small business owners or entrepreneurs if you will, will bin them before they allow themselves to be cast aside to fend for themselves.

Maybe I'm the strange one, maybe I want to much, but you've got to have standards otherwise whats the point.   So with this in mind when you are looking at skincare companies to stock, sell and use in your business look at every independent review that you can get  your hands on, if you were in the industry already you will know that I suppose but if like me you are new to it be careful about where you spend your cash, you want to make money not throw it down the toilet. Don't fall for the sales pitch untill you have heard from all the possibilities, read all the reviews and tried out all the samples. Find out when and where the 'Brand" training will take place, what manuals and marketing  material they supply. Be frugal, make the right choice for you and your business.

With that I'm off to read through all of my old professional beauty and guild magazines to see who will kindly speak to me and send me samples.

Speak to you soon

Mrs G xx

How I carry my mobile equipment around.

Hello lovlies

When I first started I had absolutly no idea what I was going to carry my kit's around in. The possibilities are endless and it left me stumped. I started looking at all of the pro beauty suppliers I could get access to and all of the cases that would fit everything in were so expensive and looked pretty flimsy from what I could tell, I also heard horror stories from much more experienced professionals that they had gone on jobs with these and at the top of a long flight of stairs the whole case evaporated sending hundreds of pounds worth of equipment flying down the stairs. The thought of it makes me want to cry. You invest a lot of research, time, effort and money on all these products and cases to keep them in and I don't know about you but I want to keep mine safe and secure from my door to car and clients door and back again.

I wasn't originally going to work from home so didn't have much in the way of storage for my products and of course the more courses I did the more products were needed and practice hours were spent in my house but for now things were needing to be kept clean and tidy away in some form of mobile case. Amazon was my next port of call but again pro cases were still expensive, it wasn't until I visited a cake maker friend of mine that I saw a tool box as a possibility. You think about it and it makes perfect sense, they are sturdy enough for a tradesman to keep his heavy tools and they come in all different sizes with wheels and handles to pull along. So I visited B and Q. My husband was of course in his element being a mechanic, tool boxes galore there were, I chose a 2 tiered one that has a deeper bottom box and little compartments, a lift out tray it's fab very useful and I get a lot of mobile use out of it, never has it let me down and best of all it was about £25. what a bargain. Well done B and Q top job.

I now work from home 50% of the time and do mobile 50% of the time and my tool box is still used for mobile use and to store my consumables in at home. I have a lot of storage so am not so worried about having a lot of cases hanging around as I used to be, mine tucks away nicely so it doesn't look like a builder uses my beauty room as well, I do have a pull along large briefcase also that came with my main skincare brand package which is great for the odd one or two small jobs. So if you feel like you are stuck as to what to get all of you mobile beauty kit into and you're on a budget or if you want some extra storage, give a tool box a go, it's been a god send.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

Beauty business marketing.... Or is it!!!!!!

Hello fellow Beauties.

Recently I have been doing a lot research into marketing my business, I have been out there for a while now and with very little advertising I am recieving a fair amount of business. The trouble started when I noticed that everyone (bar a couple of exceptions) always wants 'a bargain' I think this is because in our area there are a few mobile therapists and they are all getting into pricing wars with each other. This is not me. I don't offer a cheap service therefore you will have to pay good money for what I offer. There lies additional problems when A, I dont "own" a salon and B, my self confidence needs work. I began thinking that there has to be a way to market my business so that I get regular FULL paying clients. This also means I have to learn to market myself, thats a scary thought to me well to anyone who shares the lack of self confidence. I know I'm good at what I do, my client care is second to none and that I offer something a bit differernt to mobile clientele, How do I convince potential clients of that.

Along came Hollie.
 Now I don't know if  there is a boom in the industry where by Beauty business marketing is "The thing" at the moment, Or if I found it because I was looking but there is information everywhere., especially regarding growing your business. Hollie Power wasn't the first one I had seen but her presence really struck me. Her honesty about struggling when she first got started, how she has grown her business and the fact that when I implemented small changes suggested into my business I saw a change straight away. This lady gave me such inspiration to change how I market myself  because after all people are buying a piece of me when they buy thier treatments. Hollie offers membership into "The Beauty Project" and whilst this wasn't for me I wasnt going to let that stop me, She has shown me that I have knowlage that others don't, I dont mean other therapists I mean the people who use them, that is why they come to us, I need to shout it from the roof tops, and shout I shall.

I got inspired and have since been using the techniques in the videos and other forms of marketing I have come across and each day I see a change in myself and my business. I am scouring the internet to find out every marketing secret people will share with me and have some very exciting changes underway. I'm going for a big relaunch, it's time everyone knows how good I am at what I do. It's harder work than I thought but I love that I can do it myself breaking it down into manageable chunks makes it less over whelming. I am going to be using every free resource available to me and paying good money for the things that are important or that I don't have the skill for and I'm sure I will take you on the journey with me.

Step one for me was creating a logo. Now for those of you that have design skills you could do this yourself but I don't. I would prefe to use local business and wan't something that is mine that no one else can use. The wheels are already in motion for that and as soon as it is done it will make an appearance on my blog thats for certain.

That's all for now

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

My Actiderm journey so far

Hi

Today I thought I'd share with you my Actiderm journey. Whats Actiderm? I hear you cry. Well they are a cosmecuticals company that make fantastic skin and body care, diet aids and make up. Their motto is 'Using science to get the best out of nature' Thier products are 100% alergen and paraben free and with thier make up also being talc free and the added bonus of being cruelty free too.

I need to just give you a little disclaimer that I joined actiderm as an ambassador this month and for good reason too but this is not about me selling these products, its about why I came to join the Actiderm family and use them as part of my existing business.

It must be about 2 Years ago that I went to my first actiderm pamper evening. It's a kind of ann summers deal where you all go to a host's home and they demonstrate the products, you then choose to buy, and trust me most people buy as the results are undeniable. The consultant (as they were called then) demonstrated an inch loss wrap where the lady lost 8 inches in total from three points around her mid section, the wraps are not dehydrative so in order to loose the inches you need to drink at least 2 litres of water in the days running up to the wrap and the days folowing. I wont bore you with the science of it and quite frankly who cares IT WORKS !! There was also a demonstration where half a facial was performed on the host, the results were unbelievable, this lady looked as if one side of her face had been ironed. Needless to say I wanted a piece of this action, my skin complaint (and we all have one don't we) is melasma, dark spots, caused by hormones and thyroid medication. I am very self concious of them in the summer as no amount of covering conceals them the consultant suggested fresh start mask, a 15% glycolic acid mask that you use for 3 days on then 3 days off, I however use it for 3 days per week and otehr acids that are more gentle on all other days. It not only lightened my dark spots it refined my skin got rid of 80% of my blackheads and generally brightened things up. I now cant live without it.

It was a long while before I met the lovely Sara at a pamper event at christmas and we hit it off immediately, it was almost like we had met in a past life. Sara is an Actiderm ambassador and is in love with brand too and like me in the beauty business and after numerous conversations I made it very clear I wasn't up for at home sales again but I would host a party, I purchased wraps (for the first of 3 times so far) and more fresh start mask.

Being a beauty professional I am always on the look out for new and better products that really show results for my clients and for months I had been researching and trying out new products that have an anti ageing kick to them, natural is lovely but there is something missing when it comes to anti ageing. Nothing seems to meet the mark for me. Then a brand new joining offer atrted with Actiderm, no targets, no pressure to sell just great incentives and great products. I didn't jump in strait away but the more I thought about it the more I wanted in. If I could use this in my business and maybe earn some extra cash too it was worth thinking about, I'd seen the results for myself I really don't know why I waited so long to get stuck in, Worried about the pressure of being made to do parties again, it's such a tie when you are already working and have a family.

I jumped and hit the ground running!! Purchased my kit, got a website within 24 hours, got £250 sales on my launch party, and reached diamond ambassador status in the first month, I have 3 bookings in the diary that are not Actiderm related and more people wanting pamper evenings. I started the 7 day shred which im not going to lie I am sceptical about but more on that at a later date I guess, I'm only on day 2 so can't say as I've seen a difference yet.

When I sort out all of my new marketing, website, mailing list etc Actiderm will be featuring as part of my home and mobile beauty business and it will be a great asset I'm sure.

So that's my journey so far, with all the new and exciting things that constantly go on within the company I'm excited to be involved with the company. I'm quite sure it will also feature in many more blogs.

Thanks for reading

Mrs G xxxx

Beauty Business Blogging

Hi everyone

When I started my blog (can't even remember how long ago) I had grand designs on blogging 3 times a week and it being reviews and tutorials and life. Guess what!! Life got right in the way of that.

When you are training (still and probably always) running a house, business, looking after kids, husband (sometimes one and the same  thing) It starts to get hard to find  the time, or does it... I Started off by writing and re writing the same post again and again to get it perfect I genuinely do not have that kind of time, then I realised that actually there were times when thing are going round my brain and the kids are just making guns out of lego to shoot the halway baddies, and what am I doing, sitting with a coffee, reading a mag, watching re runs of made in chelsea (yes thats right and I flipping love it Lucy, Binky and Spencer are my faves) why not use that time to type down the thoughts in my brain.

I like to read random ramblings at times, it makes me feel like I'm not the only one on the planet that feels the way I do. Yes I'm a beauty professional, yes I love beauty and all things beauty and parenting faux pas and what people think in general. In fact one of the first rules of blogging (told by Vivianna does makeup and Lilly Pebbles if I remember correctly) is write about what you love. If you make it a chore it's not what you love anymore and just 1 more thing to do.

A bit of a short one but there's not much to say about it really, unless I decide to do a tutorial in pics or empties or 7 day shred, which all require planning or diary making, I will be a bit off the cuff, write whats in your head because thats what I like and I cant be the only one ..... right !!!!!

Lots of love
Mrs G xxx

The big bad world of being a beauty profesional

Hi everyone

Today I want to address the fact that being a part of the beauty profession is hard. Im not sure if I would have thought about doing something different had I of known but maybe I would of planned how I would handle bookings, clients, website, blogging, the list is endless especially if  you own your own mobile business.

How long does it take to be taken seriously in this industry ??
I have 'proper' qualifications and am wracking up the experience pretty quickly. I believe I can offer a different service to other mobile therapists in my area, using all the knowlage I gained whilst training to provide a salon style service at home. It is only as I write this that I realise that it's only through word of mouth friends and family that I have been gaining experience and building business. This has inevitably meant discounts, freebies late cancelations, I am loosing money and relying on these people to create my income and what thanks do I get, complaints, going to different places because of other offers or cheaper service. I am undervaluing myself for fear of rejection.

Do you know what, it stops now!! Yep thats right I'm making a stand. I spend hours reaserching and trying out products, building contacts, going over all my training material to keep refreshed, take new courses all to give the best service and use my knowlage to help others achieve the best skincare, tan, waxing experience etc... I am the professional. This will take time and a business mind which I am slowly getting to grips with.

I guess what I'm trying to say is there will always be someone more experienced that is threatened by your fresh approach, take it on the chin and move on. There will be the 'cheap therapist' trying to undercut you, show your worth and let them loose money.There will always be the person looking for  a luxury service at back street prices. It takes time to build a successful business, use all the tools at your disposal to market yourself well, be patient and don't be tempted to compromise what you set out to do in the beginning, above all carry on loving what you do, keep building your knowlage and providing your clients with the best serice you can. If you feel like giving up find a way to move forward, it's out there if you look hard enough.

A bit of a ramble but hey ho thats life.
Thanks for reading

Lots of Love

Mrs G xx