Hi Charlotte. Tell me about your family.

I'm a busy mum of four, to Teague, nine, Amelia, seven, Elika, four, and Myla, two. I live with my mum, Maureen, in Cookham Dean. We are relatively new to the area, having moved here from London in summer 2015. 

 

I hear you have launched a new business…?

Yes, my new salon. It is a log cabin I had built in the garden and I have named
it Lottie's Health & Beauty, although I'm no longer called Lottie. It's named in honour of my grandmother, who was the only one who ever called me Lottie. Sadly, she is no longer with us, but I was lucky to share nearly 30 wonderful years with her growing up in London. We always dreamt of one day moving to Cookham Dean, and in 2015, we luckily found a house that was perfect for us. The first
day we came to see it, I saw an ideal space in the garden that I knew would be wonderful for a salon. I remember seeing a peacock in the garden and thought how lovely it would be if a client was having a massage in a beautiful log cabin, with the doors open, and looking up seeing a peacock.

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So you've always wanted to do this?

I have always had a passion for beauty, to know that someone can come to me, sometimes not feeling their best, but walk away feeling a million dollars is a truly wonderful feeling, and for them to come back time and time again is the greatest privilege as a beauty therapist. I like seeing how someone relaxes with me over time, to know that they feel at ease is wonderful, and to know that I can be a part of them feeling their best is a wonderful feeling.

   I have a passion for beautiful gardens, after being taken to so many National Trust houses as a child, although back then I didn't appreciate them as I do now.
I always thought how wonderful it would be to have a salon set in a tranquil environment and work in a peaceful environment, as a beauty therapist on my own, getting to know every client.

 

What did you do before?

When I said to you before I am a busy mum of four, this really is the case. I have worked for Virgin Atlantic for 15 years, flying long haul. I was the beauty therapist on board for six wonderful years until that position became redundant. I decided to stay with Virgin and continue to fly, but I now only fly part time. I have just packed this morning ready for my flight to LA tomorrow.

 

Did you have to do any training?  

I studied at Hammersmith and West London College for two years full time.
I passed all level of beauty leaving with levels 1, 2 and 3 in beauty therapy, as
well as the study of anatomy and physiology and an advanced nail course. I then went on to study Indian head massage in Windsor and Chemical Peels with Microdermabrasion, which I love to do.

 

What are you doing to celebrate the launch?

To launch Lottie's Health & Beauty I teamed up with a wonderful hairdresser called Jo Willment, as I believe beauty and hairdressing go hand in hand. Jo is a mobile hairdresser in Cookham with a vast knowledge of the hairdressing world. We live very locally to each other and she is also able to treat clients at Lottie's Health & Beauty so that busy people can have the best of both worlds in one place if that is something they desire.

   We had about 30 people that came over to my house in Cookham Dean so that they could see Lottie's Health & Beauty for themselves, whilst enjoying sushi, canapes and a glass of bubbly. I demonstrated a NeoStrata Chemical Peel with Microdermabrasion, so that they were able to see instant results themselves.
I think the were very impressed.

 

Any advice for people?

The best advice i have for people when it comes to beauty is that a good sun cream is a must. If you get into the routine of doing this every morning, you're well on your way to having beautiful skin.

 

Who is your idol?

My idol is my wonderful mum – she's always worked extremely hard. She taught me from a young age how important is is to make things happen yourself. 'Don't say it, do it,' is a favourite quote of hers.

 

What's the best part of having your own business?

The best part of having my own business is working for myself, getting to know
all my clients, working at my own pace and not making my salon a production line
so that people feel rushed. I love that people can come to me, not worry about parking, can have a treatment in complete privacy and not have products pushed on them to buy and feel uncomfortable. I believe that everyone I treat will always come back. Lottie's Health & Beauty is set in such peaceful surroundings, my clients can come and completely switch off, but then as a busy mum of four,
I understand that sometimes this cannot be the case, so I always want people
to know that they can bring their children too. I believe beauty treatments are a must for people, and nothing should stand in their way of getting these done
– everyone is always very welcome at Lottie's Health & Beauty. 

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07931111381

Lottie_gardenbeauty@hotmail.com

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Hello Jo, I've heard a lot about you from Charlotte. Tell me about you and your family – where do you live?

I'm Jo Willment. I'm married to Dan and we have three children; Bellarose, Ammora and Clarke. We live very happily in Cookham, Berkshire.

 

Tell me about your hairdressing business. 

Hair by Joanna is a client service offered at Lottie's Hair & Beauty and what better location than Cookham Dean? I have been a mobile hairdresser since 2005.

   Hairdressing has been a passion since my childhood. I already provide a mobile hairdressing service, 'Bringing the Salon to You'. The quality of service I provide is as important to me as it is to my clients.

 

How did you come to team up with Charlotte?

An opportunity arose to develop a niche in the market. Lottie's Hair & Beauty offers a fantastic location appealing to a clientele who value a range of high-quality services. Hair by Joanna will be part of that diverse appeal, positively contributing to the overall client experience.

 

What business courses or training did you do for your business?

I completed a two-year hair and beauty course at the Casio College in Watford and then worked at Michael Van Clarke's salon in London, one of the most stylish and luxurious in the capital.

 

What is the best part of having your own business? And the worst?

It's challenging, rewarding and there is a certain amount of freedom. Making sure you get it right can be stressful!

 

What's your favourite product?

I love wooden brushes with natural bristles. Using wood and not metal means that the wood won't conduct the heat making sure the hair strands don't over- heat and become damaged. A great tip would be to always smooth your hair first with a brush before using tongs or straighteners.

 

Who is your idol?

My mother!