Northamptonshire eyebrow technician in a ‘worse position’ after beauty industry announcement

A Northamptonshire beauty salon owner has been left frustrated by the new Government guidelines, despite them allowing her to reopen.

Anna Gallagher, owns The Beauty Barn in Blisworth, which is a salon that gives four self-employed beauticians a place to work from.

Although she is the director of the company, Anna is also an eyebrow and eyelash technician, but due to the Government guidelines not allowing any facial treatments, Anna will not be allowed to welcome back her own clients.

Anna said: “I’m massively frustrated and I’m in a worse position now then I was before the announcement.

“As a company director I am furloughed, much like the rest of the country, but I will have to come off furlough on Monday as my business can open.

“But as a beauty therapist I only offer treatment in the facial area.

“I have to reopen but I will become a glorified cleaner for the nail technicians because I am not allowed to work.

“Everyone I’m speaking to, even outside the industry, is so frustrated for us and people want their treatments, it has been so long.”

The beautician is devastated by this decision, not only due to the PPE she already uses, but also because she does not feel that brow and lash treatment pose any risk.

Anna added: “We are already trained in hygiene and sanitisation and we already use PPE, so we have those products available.

“Also when we are working we are facing away from the clients. We stand behind them to do the treatment.

“It’s a massive part of the beauty sector that is being missed out on, which is why it’s frustrating.”

As a business, The Beauty Barn has received a small grant to help financially in March, but Anna says it was only meant to last until the start of July.

With coming off furlough as the owner but not being able to complete any treatments, the new guidelines will leave Anna in a difficult financial position.

“I don’t know how long I will be able to last,” she continued.

“All the financial help runs out now and we haven’t been offered any more.

“I don’t know what the future looks like if facial treatments aren’t allowed within the next month.”

Anna is planning to write to local MP Andrea Leadsom in an attempt to voice her views and concerns and show her the PPE that she uses and how safe she deems her treatments to be in the current climate.

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