Layla Turner meets Krystal Prince, a stylish mum and owner of The Glamour Room in Chelmsford
It sounds like it has been a busy few months for you…
The past few weeks have been crazy. We reopened on 12 April after being closed since Christmas, and it has been so busy – we are open seven days a week to accommodate all of the post-lockdown appointments. Of course, people have been without any treatments for months, so it was a struggle to get everyone booked in. Luckily I have my amazing team of six to help me out.
You also gave birth recently. How are you finding life as a new mum and running a business?
Going back to the salon after lockdown and trying to juggle work and being a mum was crazy, but it’s something I’ve got used to over time. She actually comes to the salon with me – she’s like another member of the team.
How nice is it to be able to welcome clients back to the salon?
It’s been amazing – I think of my clients like friends, especially my regulars. We really missed our clients and our clients definitely missed us. I always say, we’re not just beauty therapists, we’re actual therapists. Our clients come in after a stressful week and they can unload, have a gossip and leave feeling glammed up and stress free. It’s definitely a fun and friendly environment to work in.
For those who are not familiar with you, how would you sum up The Glamour Room experience?
Luxury, friendly and welcoming. I’m sure some readers can relate with having had a bad salon experience at some point – where you walk in and there’s a very cold and frosty atmosphere. We strive to make our clients feel comfortable and welcomed, we like to think of them as our friends. All of the staff are highly trained and extremely talented at what they do. We pride ourselves on our services and results.
What types of services do you offer?
We are a lash and brow bar, offering classic lashes, Russian lashes, lash lifts and brow lamination. Recently we have expanded our services to include nails, facials and non-surgical facials, so that’s very exciting.
What do you think makes you stand out from the competition?
How friendly and welcoming we are, our range of services, the team and the luxury feel. We love our salon – of course we have a boujee sofa and a “too glam to give a damn” sign to offer clients that oh so important Instagram aesthetic.
How long have you been working in the beauty industry for now – and how would you say it has changed over the years?
This makes me feel old – it will be 20 years this year. The industry has constantly evolved and that’s something I love about it. There’s constantly new trends – for example ten years ago it was all about thin, over plucked brows, now it’s the fluffier the better. I would say that clients are also more aware about what they are putting on their skin now, there’s a real focus on ingredients in skincare and I think clients are definitely more certain of what they want. There’s always new treatments and solutions on offer, which means there’s always something new for us to learn.
What’s the best thing about your job today?
Making people feel confident. It’s the best feeling. It makes me so happy to be able to offer that well needed time out for a pamper.
You have plenty on your plate right now, but are you thinking of evolving or growing in the future?
Yes – I can’t sit still for too long, I always have something up my sleeve. Actually, in the next few months we are moving and expanding the salon. We have a new location with an upstairs so we can offer additional services such as massages and waxing. During lockdown, I also completed my training qualification to teach all of the services [on offer], and will be launching The Glamour Room Academy in the next few months. It’s definitely going to be a lot of work, but it will keep me busy.
Finally, what’s your personal favourite beauty treatment?
That’s a difficult one, but I’m going to have to go with lash extensions. Between the baby and the business, I get no sleep, so the lashes help me look human.
