Beauty Shop POP UPS

Fazlin
Dec 12, 2018
4 min read

Christmas is the time of year when some of us who never go to beauty salons, get our hair done or nails manicured or simply treat ourselves for our Christmas party. Times are tough and money is usually in short supply from buying presents and attending all these parties.

This is also the time of year when we see the rise of the "Christmas Pop Up" shops selling cheap decorations and fairy lights that you know will pack up by Boxing Day. It seems everyone is trying to get a share of your hard-earned cash for things aren't quite as good a deal as they seem. It's a sad situation that the Beauty Therapy Industry is no different.

There are a number of individuals who in an attempt to boost their own income, capitalise on the season and the fact that most reputable salons are already fully booked with regular clientele who planned ahead of time. These pop up beauticians usually only operate once a year so their products are sometimes out of date. They have personal email addresses and only mobile numbers for contact . Mostly they are mobile only so there no way to establish credibility or experience, sometime friends have used these 'beauticians' but again no one has checked that they are insured or even qualified.

In many cases, they are not qualified and usually just have a talent for doing beautiful nails or make-up, this in itself is not a problem amongst friends; however if they are qualified they will know the necessary health and safety procedures to take with their equipment to prevent infections and cross contamination. One of the ways to avoid fungal infections is not sharing nail clippers or scissors ( see https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Fungal-nail-infection/ for further information). You can also get mycobacteria infections and staph infections and other issues.

(see https://cleanmyspace.com/manicure-pedicure-safety-how-safe-is-your-nail-salon/ for advice given to true professionals). Direct contamination can occur when there is an open wound or dirty equipment or towels are used. Infections such as cold sores, fungal infections, body lice etc.

These stories may seem over the top and worst case scenarios but they are not, these infections occur more often than you think . This time of year when your immunity is not at its best its easier for infections to spread. Any time you have the skin exposed or layers of skin removed such as with waxing and facials, you are exposing yourself to bacteria and infections.

Let me clarify, not all nail technicians and beauticians who pop up during this season are unqualified, some of them are qualified and insured and choose December as their launch month or only work on their business part time. That brings me to the next issue, insurance. It is your right and responsibility to check that the person working on you is insured. Why is this important you ask? Does having insurance add value to the session? A therapist will need to have a recognised qualification to have insurance in the UK. The qualification means that the therapist covered health and safety protocols during their training and that they are aware of the risks of the treatments and know how to minimise them. It also means that they aware of cleanliness and sanitation.

Insurance also means that the therapist is aware of the scope of practice. Generally a therapist will only practice the treatments which they insured for, for example I am certified for Hot Stones Massage however as am not insured for this, therefore I do not offer it as I would not be covered if anyone suffered from a reaction. I've known therapists who are insured to do nails but also offer facials using hand held machines with electrical currents on a clients face after buying it online despite having no clue about treatments and products for different skin types or reactions, or using MLM products where there is no product knowledge training or certification. Insurance also means that they will adhere to Health & Safety procedures as it will be condition in the terms. A therapist who is insured will most likely also be keeping up to date with changes in the industry. After all... Would you get on a bus if the driver didn't have a license to drive it? Probably not, but you expect the bus company to have performed due diligence and background checks before giving him the keys. Insurance companies check the qualifications of therapists before issuing them with cover.

What can you do to protect yourself from 'Rogue' uninsured or unqualified therapists?

Please check that the therapist is insured for the treatments that they are offering no matter how small. Most therapists will appreciate your due diligence as we pay a lot to have this.
Check that the therapist in qualified to offer the treatment they providing, even if its a mini session,
If the only way to contact them is via a generic or personal email and mobile number, please check their reviews and make sure that they are legitimate businesses or therapists.
When going for a facial with an unknown therapist at least get a copy of the consultation sheet showing what products have been used so you have some information should you get a reaction as these are unpredictable. In a worst case scenario you may need to pass this information to your doctor or pharmacist.

It is you skin, your face, your eyes, so make sure you check out your therapist if you have any concerns as reactions can be life changing or at the very least ruin your Christmas, remember it is your right to ask to see a copy of their insurance and liability cover, check that they are insured for the service that they're offering to you.

Be careful, be safe and have a wonderful Christmas.