Meet The Salon Owner - gorgeous glow ups and perfectly polished nails

She opened the business – Blue Beauty Cheshire – five years ago finally fulfilling her dreams.

Here in our latest Meet The Salon Owner feature, Siobhan, who is 37, tells us how she’s always been interested in nails and makeup and beauty – even as a little girl - and what her plans are for expansion in 2024.

If you would like to appear in one of our Meet The Salon Owner, Meet The Makeup Artist or Meet The Beauty Therapist features email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

Blue Beauty Cheshire opened at Siobhan's home five years ago

What’s the name of the salon/business?

Blue Beauty Cheshire

What’s the address?

Meadowsweet Road,

Mobberley

Are you the owner/manager?

Owner

How many employees do you have?

Just me!

Siobhan first trained as a nail technician

When did you open the salon?

I opened the salon in 2018.

Has it always been in the same location?

Yes

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

I grew up in Denton, Manchester and moved to Mobberley in 2009.

Tell me a bit about your salon/business

I started out as a makeup artist in 2016 and did this alongside working for another company doing admin. I decided that I wanted to do beauty full time so I trained as a nail tech. Once I had built up my nail and makeup client base, I could leave my part time job and do this full time. I trained in hair extensions earlier this year and now do this alongside makeup and nails. It’s a home salon where drinks and snacks are always provided and so are cuddles with the Italian greyhound, Rizzo!

Siobhan specialises in special occasion makeup

What do you do? What services do you provide?

All kinds of nails, makeup including bridal and evening, and hair extensions.

Why did you decide to open your own salon?

In 2018, I decided I wanted to do beauty full time rather than part time alongside my other job and had been doing it mobile, so when I had a beauty room made I could focus on this.

What’s your hair and beauty background?

I’ve always had a passion for beauty since I was at school in Manchester. I went to an all girls school and was very girly - I was never into the academic lessons we were made to do and my teachers used to let me do makeup on the other girls in class as long as I didn’t disturb the ones that wanted to learn. I had my son as soon as I left school so had to take any job I could to provide for him. My beauty dreams were put on hold until I was in a position to go back to college in 2016.

Why this type of business?

It was a passion of mine. As a child my sister wanted board games and cooking sets while I wanted makeup, nail varnish and model dolls I could practise doing their hair with.

Salon owner Siobhan McDonald

Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?

I was trading before lockdown and found it very difficult to have my business put on hold. The beauty industry was the last thing to open back up and wasn’t seen as an essential industry but to many of my clients it is essential. Having a couple of hours every few weeks with a beauty therapist who listens, makes them feel safe and heard, and where they leave feeling more beautiful is crucial for a lot of my clients. They kept in touch throughout lockdown and it was so lovely to see them when I was allowed to open up again. I considered giving it all up when we didn’t know how long we would be in lockdown for, as I didn’t have financial help from the government for a long time, due to rules about trading premises, but I am glad I changed my mind.

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

My clients become friends! It’s not a generic salon where I see someone once. I see my clients every few weeks and we catch up. I have been there for most of their special occasions - birthdays, weddings, baby showers etc - and they trust me with their secrets. I feel honoured to keep them! It’s not a salon where you don’t the people working there. My clients turn up early with a coffee and sit and eat snacks while I am with my previous client and we chat about their days.

Why do loyal clients return to your business?

Because they become more than clients. I tend to do clients and their mums, their sisters and their other loved ones, so I become a friend of the family. I have been invited to clients’ weddings, birthday parties and Christmas parties and I am even the godparent to a client’s child.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your salon?

Eventually I would like bigger premises and take on an apprentice. Once I have saved enough money, I would like to get a place where there is enough room to have different stations etc. Although me and my clients are very happy with how it is now, expansion would be the next step as well as my own line of cuticle oils so that my clients have no excuses not to look after their cuticles like they’re told to!

Siobhan has extended her skill set to include hair extensions