NKD Waxing opens second salon

PB-award-winning salon NKD Waxing opened a second site in Leicester in October.

Founder Rebecca Dowdeswell opened the original NKD salon in Nottingham in 2009, before relocating it to a larger four-treatment-room premises within the town centre in 2015.

The new Leicester salon has five treatment rooms and a two-chair lash and brow bar, where it offers HD Brows, tinting, threading and lash services. The salon has employed three therapists with plans to take on more as the business grows.

“The dream has always been to take the brand national, and after phenomenal success in Nottingham, branching into another city is the next step of the journey,”said Dowdeswell.

NKD is a finalist in the Employer of the Year category in the 2018 Professional Beauty Awards.

in brief

// Hunter Collective has opened a 2,000sq ft studio space in London for freelance nail techs, make-up artists and session stylists. Members will have use of styling chairs, a concierge service and multiuse space for photoshoots and meetings, as well as access to a programme of guest speakers.

// South African chain Sorbet has opened its fifth salon in Temple Fortune, North London, aiming to offer luxurious treatments at affordable prices.

// 75% of people think women look better with no or less make-up. The findings come from a survey by consumer make-up brand Sleek MakeUP into “make-up shaming”, conducted in association with anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label.

// 71% of customers saying it’s important that they recognise a brand before they make a purchase, according to researchbyUKmarketplaceOnbuy.com. 26% said they would be less likely to buy from a brand that’s recently changed its name.

// Polish nail brand Semilac has reached a business milestone with more than 200 UK salons using its products less than two years after launching. The brand aims to be in 300 salons by January 2018 and is “working on franchise model options,”says chief executive Monika Shine.

in brief

// Northumberland College has opened a new base for its hair and beauty training at Cattle Market in Hexham. The salon features a beauty therapy room, nail bar and a classroom to teach theory.

// The International Institute for Anti-Ageing (iiaa) has appointed Paul Naude to the new role of regulatory and scientific lead for Advanced Nutrition Programme. Naude will advise on product development and the new Skin Health Research Centre. He has more than 16 years of scientific and commercial experience.

// Nergish Wadia-Austin, founder and CEO of PHAB Standard, is returning to training from January 2018 with an updated curriculum of courses for salon and spa managers. Courses include Increasing Customer Spend and Leadership & Teamwork.

// There’s been lots of fundraising activity in the industry over the past few months. Sally’s network of UK stores has raised more than £67,000 for The Little Princess Trust, while hair and beauty salon chain Saks fundraised more than £100,000 for The Eve Appeal.

// Kaiya Swain, a former beauty therapy student from Sussex Downs College, represented the UK in the 2017 World Skills competition in Abu Dhabi. Swain, who now runs her own business, Kaiya Rose Beauty, competed as part of Team UK in October.