Salon in the Spotlight: Mali Raj Beauty Room, Little Eaton, Derbyshire
By Callie Iley | 23 February 2022 | Feature, Salon & Spas
Ashleigh Hutchings opened her salon in her garden outbuilding in 2015.
“The opportunity arose as I had recently gone from full-time to part-time in another job. I worked every hour god gave me, which helped me build up a strong client base quite quickly.”
“I’ve relocated three times, ending up back at square one in my original location, where I’m definitely staying now,” Ashleigh explains. “I haven’t expanded and I don’t plan to expand any time soon.
“I offer many treatments, including gel nails, lash lifts and extensions, brow lamination, manicures and pedicures, body massages, waxing, tinting, threading, and makeup. The makeup I do is mostly bridal – I do several weddings a year on location.”
“I specialise in our Comfort Zone facials and eyebrows. I’ve gained a name for myself over the years through my clients as the brow queen,” she laughs. “This is through my signature brow package, which is my version of HD, or more recently, lamination.
“Some of the products I use include Comfort Zone skincare, Lycon wax system, Bio Sculpture gel system, Apres extension system, Brow Bomb for lifts and lamination, Footlogix and Navy Pro Tools.”
“I’ve recently been on maternity leave. While I was off, I decided to relaunch the salon, which included a full renovation. I chose a nude palette with calming and subtle décor. I also added touches that are in style at the moment, for example panelling and my pampas grass mirror, which I made myself. I chose this theme to create a feel of luxury but also serenity whilst performing all treatments.
“While renovating, I assessed my space, which is quite small, and found the best layout for me to perform all treatments with ease, and ensuring that clients are as comfortable as possible too,” Ashleigh enthuses. “I think the decoration influences the salon by attracting a diverse range of clients, which is what I both encourage and embrace!”
“I feel like my salon is unique, as it’s a very relaxed and intimate home-based salon,” she reveals. “I leave loads of time for each client and each treatment, so no one ever feels rushed.
“I add extra luxury touches to most my treatments. For example, I give scalp massages when performing lash lifts and I provide hand scrubs and massages with all gel polish applications.”
“I put the clients experience above anything else.”
“I have made the salon as environmentally friendly as possible. I use bamboo spoolies and cotton buds, and biodegradable wipes to clean my tools and surfaces from Navy Pro Tools.
I also opted for metal nail files instead of disposable ones, and switched to Lycon wax, which is made from beeswax instead of plastic,” Ashleigh states. “I am also working along side Comfort Zone skincare, who are always striving to do as much as they can for the environment.”
