Salon Spotlight: Lemongrass & Ginger

Wow what a month we have just had - we are so thrilled to see all of our amazing salons going back to work and to do what they do best! It's been an incredibly tough year for beauty salons which is one of the reasons we decided to launch the Superstar Spotlight. We want to showcase our amazingly resilient Lycon users, give the whole community a little boost and demonstrate that hard work really does pay off! For this particular feature, we asked to hear from you - the Lycon lovers - to nominate your go-to salon/waxer.

We were absolutely blown away by the sheer quantity of amazing responses and found it incredibly hard to pick ~a winner~ but there were a couple of individuals that were mentioned by their loyal customers again and again. Today, we will be putting Heather Goodwin, the mastermind behind Lemongrass & Ginger, into the spotlight. So without further ado, we will let heather take it away from here...

I’m Heather Goodwin, I’m self-employed, running my own beauty business, Lemongrass and Ginger. I live in a small, coastal town just outside of Newcastle Upon Tyne. I pretty much wake up and wander to the sea every day. 

I fell into beauty by accident after training in hair. I started to develop allergies to hair dye and although I was committed to my training, I eventually had to stop. I was working in an Aveda Lifestyle salon at the time, and they asked if I wanted to do a beauty therapy course. I just went for it, and I absolutely loved it from the get-go.

I became self-employed in 2017. I realised I had enough experience and skill to go alone. It’s the best thing I ever did. And I’m still learning every day which I thrive on. I’d worked in the beauty industry for about 10 years prior to setting up on my own and I’d built up such an amazing client base. Word of mouth has become my strongest advert since then.

When I decided to go solo, I told myself I’d only do treatments I love. I absolutely love massage and you can’t go wrong with a good mani/pedi. There’s nothing more satisfying that a neat cuticle and no hard skin. I incorporate the Lyco’pedi range into my pedicures. Its smells so good, something my clients always comment on. And of course, I love a good Brazilian/Hollywood wax. Making my clients feel calm, removing every hair and seeing them leave the studio feeling confident is my main goal for every appointment. The name Lemongrass and Ginger came from the herbal tea. It’s a firm fave for clients especially after a massage. Personally, I love the aroma lemongrass. I’m a holistic therapist so the name really had to suit that side of me. 

I was so happy when we reopened. I’d kept in touch with a lot of clients in lockdown, worked hard getting everyone rebooked, then hit the ground running on that first day back. It’s been no stop since but honestly, this job is just lush. I meet such interesting people and I've missed it during lockdown.

My golden rules for fellow waxers: 

1) Get waxed yourself. You need to know exactly how your client is going to feel so you can empathise with them.

2) Don’t panic, no wax is too hard or too scary 

3) Don’t become complacent. It’s blows my mind that some of my clients have been with me for over a decade and it’s not something I take for granted. I keep on top of my training. I always ask about how they found their previous treatment, I ask questions that you can sometimes forget when you’ve seen people month after month. But it is so important. We change all the time. Our preferences change, our skin changes. I appreciate every person who comes in. And I hope they feel that when they leave.

How did you hear about Lycon, what are your favourite products and why do you love us 😉?

I’d seen Lycon at a few beauty shows, I always loved the positive vibe the team gave off. They were either chatting and laughing or waxing and laughing. Then I started using it in a salon I worked at and I instantly loved the hot wax. I used strip wax for my Brazilian waxes for so long, Lycon hot wax was a lightbulb moment.  I never use anything other than hot wax on the bikini. It’s a no brainer it terms of client comfort. And that’s primarily what you want - happy, comfortable clients. I like mixing the So Berry and Lycoflex Vanilla. It looks cute, smells good and has a smooth, incomparable texture. Those are firm favs. Another product I love love is the Lycotane Cleanser. If you could make a whole range in that aroma, I’d be so happy! 

Do you have any advice for a new beauty business just starting out? 

I started my business not long after I had my second son. I was looking for that balance between being a mum and working. Working for myself has given me that. I knew I had to use strong reputable brands and Lycon was a must for waxing. And it’s paid off. When it comes to pricing, I consider my experience and the quality of the products I use. I know a lot of people price for the area they’re in, but you can undersell yourself by doing that. It’s important to remain competitive but also do yourself justice

What are your goals for the future, and do you have a plan on how to achieve them?

I’m very life focused and love having a healthy balance between work and home. My goals post Covid are different to what they were 18 months ago. I have a clear vision of where I’m heading, I’m looking forward to growing my client base, extending my hours, and building an even stronger business. 

Finally, do you have any words of wisdom you’d like to share?

We’ve had a pretty tough year in our industry but we’re back to doing what we know, making people feel good about themselves. I never feel like I’m old enough or wise enough to share any wisdom. All I know is listening to people, laughing and being yourself creates a genuine business people seem to engage with.