Simply Abu Dhabi XX

2 1 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I O ur eyes are the windows to our souls, as the saying goes. So wemusttakecareoftheappearanceofoureyestomakethem appear as beautiful and enhanced as possible. Everyone's eyes and features are different of course. When we come to focusinonthedetailsofeyebrowsandeyelashes,somehavealittle,some have a lot. Neither is better than the other and all have the potential to be at their best. How do we do this? Well, if we haven't a clue, we can call in the experts. There aremanywho claimto have a handle on all things brow and lash, especially as it's been such an upward curve in terms of trend and maintenance. Throughthecenturieshowourtasteshavechanged,from thin brows to curved, bleached to bushy, we've almost seen it all. Lashes seem to have had an easier time of it, we all just want them thick and long. Bothcaseshaveremediesandyoucanachievewhateveryoudesire, even if youhave no hair to playwith in the first place,magic canhappen. With this inmind, I discover the holders of the magic wand. The team behind 'LashPerfect', 'HiBrow'and 'BrowPerfect'havegoneontocreate another new salon and spa treatment called 'Lola Brows'. This is a procedure where the thickness, shape, volume and colour of the brow can be enhanced to perfection. Using a specially formulated gel, mixed with pigment powder, each client can now have her brows tailored to her taste. I visited the salon just off Carnaby Street in London to have a try of the session myslef as well as talking to the founders about their growing empire, Beverly Piper andChristina Jenkins. Howdid you two ladiesmeet? Over 30 years ago, Beverley had her own salon and Christina was the product manager for the French skincare range GMCollin, which Bev stocked in her salon. What inspired or motivated you to become involved in the beauty industry? We have both been in it our entire working lives. Howdid it come about to set up your company? It was by chance, a very well-known makeup artist that used to do my hair, one day asked me what did I know about lash extensions. At the time,theywerenotavailableintheUKandhehadalotoffriendsgetting them done in America. Immediately, I was very excited about the idea and told Bev. The rest is history… What are your individual roles and what are the most interesting aspects of them? Mine is sales, marketing and the financial side of things and Beverley is in charge of product development, training and packaging. There are lots of other duties too which we do together, both of us have involvement in all aspects of our company. What has been your greatest challenge so far? We haven’t had any major challenges but lots of small ones. The biggest was developing the international market. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Coming from startup to now being an award winning, worldwide brand in just 10 years. How do you come up with new ideas and innovations? Attending international exhibitions is very important. We are able to see what is already out there, what’s coming soon and what is needed. How do you ensure a healthy work/life balance? It sounds a cliché, but you have to work hard and play hard. I also make sure I find time to travel. What product were you most excited about creating? Initially, Lash Perfect as our signature/first product. Recently, I have been very excited about LoLa Brows and am relieved that others share that feeling with me. Is there an element that you feel sets your products apart from others on the market? We aim to offer the very best in quality, training and customer service. What advice would you give to someone starting a business/brand? Your product has to excite you personally and be something you really know about. Identify your target market. What is your favorite product? Lash Perfect, as our first product and still to this day our most popular, so for that reason it is my favorite. Has anything surprised you about creating a cosmetic line and the services you provide? I am pleasantly surprised about how passionate our staff feel about our brand and how committed the salons we work with are. The brand loyalty feels very special. Lash Perfect