No Bitching in the Kitchen: Lydia on Therapy, Nails & Starting Over

She nearly left the industry after burnout, bitchy bosses, and a full-blown mental health breakdown. But Lydia didn’t just stick around — she levelled up, big time.

In this raw, honest episode, Amy sits down with Lydia to talk about:

• 💅 Nail trends, overlays, greenies, and builder gel myths
• 🧠 Therapy, dyslexia, and surviving toxic salons in her teens
• 🫶 Why Mooeys was the first place that finally felt safe
• 🔥 How she’s going from therapist to in-house trainer — and building her own version of success

It’s funny. It’s fierce. It’s got steak baguettes and emotional breakthroughs. If you’ve ever worked in beauty, been written off too young, or needed a reminder that people can grow in the right environment — this one’s for you.

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🌐 Explore more from the world of The Mooeys Group:

• 💅 Mooeys Salons – Book your treatments at: www.mooeys.co.uk
• 🐄 Franchise with Us – Ready to own your own Mooeys? Start here: www.mooeysfranchise.co.uk
• 💆‍♀️ Mooeys Professional – For therapists who are done using crap wax: www.mooeysprofessional.co.uk
• 🧴 Moo Skin – Love the products we use in-salon? Grab yours: www.mooskin.co.uk
  
  

Thanks for listening — and welcome to the Herd. 🐮

Transcript

Creative Stunts And Salon Launch Stories

SPEAKER_00 0:34

Welcome to Moo Chats episode three. And I'm with the lovely, lovely Lydia. Now I'm gonna do a little intro on you, Lids. Okay. Didn't expect this, did you? No. You have no idea what to expect, do you? I love that. So Lydia started working with us in Farnum nearly four years ago. And after a rocky start, she has blossomed into one of our most talented nail techs. Beauty therapist, but predominantly nails, aren't you? Lydia has a wealth of experience with someone in her 20s. She's worked in various salons but has truly shone in the last 18 months in Mimers. She's recently stepped into a management role alongside Lozza, running Hazelmere and working towards her teacher training qualification, which we will touch on. So she can be a certified in-house trainer, which we've had before, but this is going to be different, I feel, because the business is bigger. I'm so excited for this. When it comes to professional growth, I think Lydia has absolutely nailed it. She has taken every opportunity, every challenge, and every bit of feedback and absolutely ran with it. Lydia is a dream moo, she's super talented, an incredible team player, an awesome human to be around, and the perfect example of someone who makes a great moo and takes every opportunity she's given. I cannot wait to see what we can achieve together. So let's dive into Lydia's story. Cool, thanks. And it has been a rough start for you, hasn't it? So let's talk about where you started before. Because yeah, she'll been with us four years, and I really feel like I drag you along with me. I'm like, Liz, come on. Whatever we're doing, I take you to Carfest. If I'm opening, I open Winchester, it was like, Lyd, you're coming. And I do feel like I'm dra I'm not dragging you, kicking and screaming because you're always willing.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

Yeah, well, I'm always happy to, though. Like I enjoy doing different things. If I'm someone that I need to do different things, I can't be stuck doing like the same thing all the time. Because I just my brain just shuts down. So I love it. When there's a chance to do something different, I love it. I love to cut it out.

SPEAKER_00 2:33

And we love getting you out and about, don't we? And if I'm ever like Winchester launch was hilarious. It was. Uh, was it you that came up with a little mini cow idea? Yeah, moving them around. Yeah. Yeah. And then people finding them. Oh, it was brilliant. So Liz has done social media for us. You've done a bit of everything, haven't you? Yeah. Um, but that idea of the cows, like you've got what'd you get? 50 or 100 mini cows?

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Yeah, because that first came from um when Loz and I did Moose on Tour. I was gonna leave little cows in each salon for all the teams to find. That's a really good idea. Why didn't you do that? I can't remember. I can't remember why.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

The Moose on Tour was hilarious. You and Loz being out and about you were the best two to go do it. Yeah, you were, and it was meant to be fun, and it was meant to be like you guys just going out and showcasing the salons, wasn't it? Really? Um, I didn't see loads of content come out of that. You've probably still got it all. We've probably still got loads. Yeah, we could do another thing with it, maybe. But those little cows, and when we launched Winchester, you were like, I've got this idea. I'm gonna hide cows all over Winchester, and then we can run a competition. I was like, brilliant, go for it. And then you did, and we had like kids coming in with these little cows that they'd found to get like a five pound voucher, wasn't it? Yeah, it's brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I love that about you though. I love that creative edge, and I kind of want to give you as much freedom as possible to like just be crazy and creative with it.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

Because if we did move on tour again, I really want to get like one of those inflatable cow suits and get someone like running down the road. Well you? Yeah, or Loz. Um I feel like Loz would love it. Yeah. And like have that music and videos of it and that music that goes like of Loz with a cow costume.

SPEAKER_00 4:13

I think I'd like to see that. Yeah. Actually, I think it'd be great fun. We always had a joke that Martin would dress up as a cow, but I said I don't want an inflatable one. I wanted a proper mascot, like a Mooie's mascot, yeah, that does the tours. But every time we do a new salon, Martin goes out and does it. Because when we launched, I think it was Horsham, he had Willow, my eldest, on his shoulders and was walking around flyering, but she was holding the flyers. She was like two, 18 months old or two, and she was holding the flyers and handing them out, and they had a better reaction and response than any of our therapists. Because when we're in uniform and you're out there with flyers, everyone's like, No thanks, no thanks. It's very clear you're selling something. Yeah, but with a dad and an 18-month-old on his shoulders and a kid's handing you a flyer, how can you say no to that? Yeah, so they would end up just chatting to everybody, and we would just get a blue. I saw the guy and the kid, so I was like, Yes, that's the husband and mine, child. He's pawning her out, like using her, slave labour. She's always been the same though. Willow would be like, she'd done it at Carfest, didn't she? Yeah, she wants to do the spin-to-win game. Yeah, yeah, she loved it all. Yeah, but it was Carfest was great though. It was great fun, wasn't it? Like it didn't make us any money, but it was we had so much fun. It was so much fun. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:25

I don't go for the whole weekend for you.

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Yeah, that was I think that was a problem with Carfest. It was um I was there with the kids and the family, and I just couldn't do both. No, and they were getting stressed out, and and also we had so many staff doing half days. Yeah, if we'd done it again, we would do people just come and camp for the whole weekend, and like the I don't want my family there. I'd rather do it as a family or as as a start like working.

SPEAKER_02 5:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:53

Um, and I just think they were just a bit young for what we were trying to do. When they're older, it's easier because like Katie's kids, yeah, who runs Winchester were helping and doing all the work with us, weren't they? So it's but they're teenagers, so it's different.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Yeah, yeah. No, but I would go for the whole weekend.

Opening Before Perfect: Launch Philosophy

SPEAKER_00 6:08

Yeah, it was it was really good, and it we just talk to people, that's all we've done, wouldn't it? Give out caps and talk to everybody, which is what we're really good at. I feel like there will be a time when I won't be doing the salon launches, and it makes me feel a bit sad already, and we're not even there yet. But it does make me feel a bit sad because I think of all these launches we've done, and it is so much fun. It's like one of my favourite things about a franchise.

SPEAKER_01 6:34

When you have stuff, I found it's so much fun.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

Because you done the training as well, didn't you? Don't train some of the team and then went and done the launch and social media. Yeah, but it's busy, isn't it? And I think that's where you thrive when it's like that that nervous energy, all excited.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

Get lost if you're not doing something. Yeah. But there's always stuff to do. But I like it when it's like because we were on a time crunch as well. That's why I was like, it all needs to be done. Yeah, it was it was timing. Yeah, because there it wasn't the salon wasn't as finished as they thought, was it?

SPEAKER_00 7:05

It no, it I don't think I've opened the start again. I don't think I've opened one salon that's finished.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

No.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

Out of seven salons now, I remember when I opened Farnum, we didn't have a treatment room in the back. We boarded it all off, and all Martin's tools are in there. And we launched on a Saturday, Friday or Saturday. I think we done a Saturday and Sunday launch because we always do a two-day launch. And he'd been in there in the morning from about five or six, and at five to nine, when I was opening the doors, he was putting his tools in the back. Oh, yeah. Um, and we were doing show rounds, and I was like, that's not done yet. So all I'll show you is here, and the kitchen and the toilet, which is like the tiniest space ever, so you don't need to see that, so just look here. But that was a mega, mega busy launch, and I still remember Fee was one of our first people. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

I love Fee.

SPEAKER_00 7:56

Yeah, me too. Um, and she's been a client of ours ever since, hasn't she? Bless her. So um I think Horsham Horsham wasn't finished upstairs, so we've got upstairs and horsesham, so there was no treatment rooms done, there was no walls finished. Um trying to think. Gigi was done, Vanessa was definitely done. Yeah. Um there was always still work to do, but we could do probably show around. Was Newbury done? I don't think Newbury was fully complete upstairs. No, upstairs wasn't done, but the one treatment downstairs was. Uh and Winchester, no treatments were done. No, no, it's really common. Yeah. Because it's that whole thing of like just do it rather, it doesn't have to be perfect. If you're 80% done, then just start moving.

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

It's like selling something before you've actually got it. You need to just it's you can't everyone like focuses so much on perfection, and I think sometimes you just gotta go with it.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

Yeah, yeah. Well, as long as you can do the treatments and it's at a safe standard.

SPEAKER_00 8:55

Well, a launch is just file and polishes anyway, isn't it? Exactly. So you're like the dream team now for every launch. Yeah, I'll be there.

unknown 9:03

That'd be great.

SPEAKER_00 9:04

Well, the next one might be Aberdeen. I don't know when this is gonna go out, but yeah, it might be Aberdeen. You want to come and do that with me?

unknown 9:12

I'll come.

Quick‑Fire Warm‑Up And Preferences

SPEAKER_00 9:13

I'll definitely do that launch. So exciting. So I have lots to talk to you about, Lydia. But I'm gonna start with my quick fire warm-up just so that we find out a little bit about you. Yeah. Tea or coffee? Coffee. Do you drink hot drinks?

SPEAKER_02 9:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:31

Oh, I didn't know you did. I prefer iced coffee though. Oh weirdo. Uh favourite nail colour?

SPEAKER_01 9:38

Oh, nude.

SPEAKER_00 9:40

Yeah, you do love nudes, don't you? Um favourite treatment to have? Pedicure. I love a pedi. Actually, I would like to talk to you about dry pedicures today. Uh hugs or high fives? Hugs. Are you a hugger? Yeah. Oh, that's nice. Pajamas or no pajamas?

SPEAKER_01 9:59

No pajamas.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

Sexy. Um favourite treatment to do? Nails. Yeah, you are the nail queen. But what nail treatment is your favourite? I do love a fresh overlay, like a removal and redo at the moment. Yeah. Yeah, just making it look a removal and a redo. That is like a long treatment as well, but really good, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. And what are you watching at the minute?

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Two Broke Girls. It's just come on Netflix. Ah, I've heard about this. Is it good? I really like it. I find it really funny. What sort of things do you normally watch? I love Friends. Yeah. That's like more. Is that like literally on repeat for you? Yeah, that's my go-to from cleaning, put it up in the background. Um I actually love Call the Midwife. Do you? Yeah, I've been re-watching that as well. I find it really fascinating.

SPEAKER_00 10:49

I do feel like you have a granny soul.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Yeah, I do. Yeah. I don't like going out. I'd much rather be at home.

Pre‑Moo Experience And Workplace Bullying

SPEAKER_00 10:56

Watching Call the Midwife, knitting away, warm clothes, cup of hot chocolate. Yeah. Yeah, that's me. Granny vibes. I love that for you. Very cozy. Yeah. Um, okay. So let's go straight in. And I want to talk about your experience before Mooiz. Um, because you worked in a few salons. For someone so young, you have got a lot of experience, haven't you? So how old are you?

SPEAKER_01 11:23

23.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

Yeah. But you I feel like you've got like 20 years of experience sometimes. Yeah. So tell me about the places you worked in before Mooiz.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

So the last one was the one out the salon I was at the longest. Yeah. Um I left there and I went back. So I left during COVID because mentally I wasn't doing well and I didn't want my boss at the time to think I was taking advantage of furlough either. So I was like, I just want to leave because what? So you went and didn't take any pay either. I did for a while, but then I left. Um then they asked me to come back zero hours because they needed some more help. Right. So I was like, yeah, I'll do that. Um I just really struggled with the atmosphere of the team. It wasn't like movies at all, it wasn't a community, it wasn't like Los and I definitely I feel like we're like family more than anything else. And it was not like that. I really struggled with like bullying in the workplace. Um in what way? What happened? Um, so me struggling mentally, I spoke to my salon manager at the time, who was not much older than me, and I told her about how I was doing, and then I had a therapy session, and my nan picked me up and I just broke down and I called my boss, I was like, I can't come in, I just need to go see my mum because she was away. And she was like, That's fine. Um, call the business manager, and I called her and she sorted out my diary. When I got back, I found out that she'd told everyone that I'd just gone off on a jolly and she was telling everyone my personal business.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

Oh no, yeah, and it and it's a sensitive subject, but especially for someone so young as well. Yeah, yeah. Because you would have been like what 19? Yeah, I think I was even younger.

SPEAKER_01 13:15

I think at well, my mental health started from when I was about 14 and then yeah, and then I sorted it out when I was about twenty.

SPEAKER_00 13:25

Wow, do you mind talking about it? Like what happened from 14 to 19? You said you sorted it, how did you get there?

SPEAKER_01 13:31

I my parents divorced, and I kind of grew up and I realised I wanted to actually have my mum's surname because she I grew up with her.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

You and your mum have the most magical relationship. I always love seeing you together, and she's so awesome anyway, isn't she? Yeah, hopefully get her on. I feel like she's like a Mooie's mascot, isn't she? And she's a client of ours too, she always pays, yeah, she does. And she's like, um she's just a lovely lady, but she's like your biggest cheerleader in life, isn't she? Um, but I feel like we have so much in common. Yeah. And also we both want to see you win, we both want to see you do so well. Yeah. Um, but you do have a very, very, it feels more like than mother and sister. It's like a deeper soul connection. Yeah. Mother and daughter.

Mental Health, Family, And Therapy

SPEAKER_01 14:25

She's my best friend, yeah. Um, because we lived on our own for quite a long time. Yeah. Um, but my dad didn't take it well that I wanted to change my name. Um so you were still in touch with him. Yeah, I had I used to go see him every other weekend. Um, and I never really enjoyed going. I didn't feel like it was home away from home. Like a lot of people, well, one of a friend I had, she had divorced parents, and hers was a home away from home. Right. Um, and her dad made it lovely. Um and I never had that really. Um, and it kind of all blew up with my dad and his partner. Um, and I really like struggled. I couldn't see a way out of it um because it was affecting my mum as well. She was really struggling.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

And at that time, it so it was just you and your mum? No, no, no, she'd met her partner now.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

Yeah, so my stepdad, he married my mum when I was six. Oh, right, okay. Yeah, they did actually go out prior. Um, and then they had a break and then they yeah, got married. That's so cute. Um and yeah, so my mum was struggling. My stepdad, he struggled because he he wants to he is a fixer, he wants to get everything sorted. He couldn't understand why my dad was being the way he was or whatever, so he was trying to always fix, um, and it just didn't work. And I had to have a lot of therapy to realise that I just was better off without him in a way, or like my therapist needed to get me to a point where I was okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Yeah, and you got older, so you can make those decisions because what so you had therapy from 14 to 20? Do you say 1920?

SPEAKER_01 16:04

Yeah, yeah, I was in therapy for a long time. Yeah, all sorts of different types, and then I found the therapist that really worked for me, and she was incredible. And if I see her in fine, and now I still say hello and have a catch-up with her because she's just so lovely.

SPEAKER_00 16:16

Well, she's grown up with you, you know, like or seen you grow up, and then when you get to 1920, and like actually I can stand in my power and make my own decision.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

Yeah, yeah, she's just lovely.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Is that why your mum went into hypnotherapy?

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Do you think? No, she went into hypnotherapy because I was actually going away with my dad, and I went to Thailand and I had a really bad experience on the flight back, and it kind of gave me a phobia of planes. Um, and then I decided to go to Vietnam with him a few years later, but I really didn't want to get on flight, which is kind of a crucial element. So she found hypnotherapy for me, and I had four sessions, and I slept the whole way there and back, and that's what's like spiked her interest because she was like, How did that work? Yeah, how she gone from not wanting to get on a plane at all to them sleeping the whole way to Vietnam and back. And yeah, she's done it ever since. Amazing.

SPEAKER_00 17:07

Yeah, she loves it. What does she specialise in? What or is it just all hypnotherapy?

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Yeah, yeah, she's doing something else at the moment. I'm not sure what. I think it's more like post-trauma therapy. Okay. Um but I don't think you have to relive him.

SPEAKER_00 17:21

I think so it's not like progressive therapy.

SPEAKER_01 17:25

No, no, but um, yeah, she loves it.

SPEAKER_00 17:28

Oh bless her. So there's quite a lot to go through counselling like that age. So then I suppose you're then speaking to your boss about what you're going through, and then they use that night to basically bitch about you behind your back, which is disgusting behaviour. Sadly, very common in the beauty world. Yeah, like it's it's horrible, isn't it? There's some places that can be so stupid.

SPEAKER_01 17:51

They're hitting you when you're down as well, and it was just another thing. Um, and then something happened, and I just flipped and then I applied for mummies. I think it was a Thursday night I applied on Indeed. Friday Jade messaged me. I came in Saturday to see her, and Monday she gave me the job. And you had a zero-hour contract, so we had you straight away, probably. Uh no. By the time I was full-time there again. Um I think I worked a month's notice and then came over.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

Came over. Never look back. No. We've had you ever since. Yeah. What do you love most about it?

SPEAKER_01 18:26

I I mean, in my interview with Jade, I did say if there's any bitching, I don't want the job. Yeah. And good for you. Yeah, because I thought I've I've done my fair share and I'm over it now. And she said no, we don't tolerate it.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

So I was like, perfect, and then Yeah, we actually have a sign in the kitchen, don't we? It says no bitching in the kitchen. Yeah, I love it. Um and it's actually part of our values booklet now, isn't it? No bitching in the kitchen.

SPEAKER_01 18:47

Yeah, but I I just love that there isn't any there's well, you know, girls fall out when that happens, but it always gets dealt with, and it is when it's hard, when it's all girls and you know, hormones.

SPEAKER_00 18:59

It's it's difficult, isn't it? Especially when as when you're all working together and women start sinking as well. Yeah, and that's common, yeah, and you end up with a whole team, especially when you've got a team like Farnum, it's a team of like 10, and we've had 12 in there before. Yeah, you imagine all of that, and then all those hormones raging at once, and then all of the personal stuff, everyone's got their own drama, everyone's got their own personal situations, and then putting that all in a business and then saying, right now shut up and put a smile on your face and be there for all of your clients, it can be a lot.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

Yeah, and that's what I love, and it's it's sort of still like a family though. Like Laws and I are so close, we see each other all the time now, and a bit codependent, maybe potentially um, but even me and Sage, we started the same week and we're so close, and I love Sage dearly. Has she been with us that long?

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Yeah. Oh, I didn't know. Yeah. Because she's uh stays under the radar, doesn't she, Sage? She is a phenomenal nail tech, isn't she? Yeah. Yeah, I love Sage so much. Yeah. You actually go and have your nails done with her, don't you?

SPEAKER_01 20:00

We do each other's, like for birthdays and stuff. So um That's so cute. Because I'm the only one who will put up with her fussiness. I'm sure it's vice versa as well. I feel like I am less fussy. We are the worst clients. Oh yeah. Beauty therapists or nail techs. She knows it, so I can say that. Yeah. But yeah. And I also love how much you've helped me to grow. Like not just sticking with doing beauty as well though, but with the training or with the social media.

SPEAKER_00 20:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:30

I've not had that before. So I love how you've helped me develop as well.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Find the thing that sticks. And I feel like we're just throwing a bit of shit at the wall. Like, let's see what happens. Because there's there is something in you. Like, you are um you are very, very creative, but you do have you need have this need for attention or trying something new.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:51

But what we need to do is find that thing that you're really good at that you love that you're gonna stick with. And I think my gut is telling me that it's um training.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

Yeah, I do as well, because I used to teach singing and I loved that. That was one of the best. Yeah, so your moon name is Well, it's medium moon now, but it was musical moon that I gave to Rosie.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

Yeah, you did, didn't you? So medium moo, because you were doing all social media for work. I feel like I need to change. You're really good at it, but trying to do that in a management role as well, it's just too much, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 21:20

Yeah, but I feel like I need to change my moon name again at some point.

SPEAKER_00 21:23

Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 21:24

Yeah.

Finding Belonging And Team Culture

SPEAKER_00 21:25

That's a good one actually. What are we gonna change to? Well, let's get your training first. Yeah. And I think the reason we said about training is when I saw you what you were doing in Winchester, like you have this real eye for detail. Yeah. And you're very, very particular about how you do nails, which is the perfect way to be when you're a trainer. And I think with Moois, as like nails have evolved so much very, very quickly. Yeah, I and as the business is evolving, I don't want any outside noise. I want us to create our own ecosystem so that we all train eat we can train internally, we can do everything, we have our own products, and we just focus on our own lane. Yeah. Because you can get you can get sucked into the trends and the noise and everything else that's going on. But if we can just stay in around and just keep doing it perfect, perfect nails every time. But we've now got 60 therapists, 70 therapists in the in the company. Yeah, um, that's a lot of training requirements. Yeah. And you don't people don't just turn up being good, they turn up being pretty shit a lot of the time.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

Yeah, and that I know I'm guilty for I do like everyone to do it exactly how I like it.

SPEAKER_00 22:37

Yeah, but that's that's what you need to be when you're gonna be a trainer.

SPEAKER_01 22:40

Yeah, and I am like that, and I am a perfectionist. Yeah. Um, and I I do love teaching and training.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

Yeah, and if we find the right therapist, they will want to be trained to that level of perfection, but it's that photo finish, isn't it? Where every client has the same experience with they can choose a therapist based on their personality or who they get on with, but if that person's off, the whole purpose of the concept is that they can go to anybody else and get exactly the same. Yeah. And it's like it's a franchise model, it's like McDonald's, it doesn't matter where you go, you'll have the same cheeseburger.

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

Um, and I want that for us, but it's very hard when it's human nature. It's easier to make a cheeseburger the same every time than it is to have a set of nails done by a human being the same. And I am not down for robots yet.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

No, no, I'm not. Well, I hope it never happens anyway. Oh well. I hope not. But it's already happening, but I know, it's already happening with the bottom. There's a robot that does lash extensions.

SPEAKER_00 23:35

I mean, they're great results, but I don't think I would want that.

SPEAKER_01 23:38

No, I'd be terrified if it malfunctions or something, you could get jabbed in the eye.

SPEAKER_00 23:44

You get jabbed in the eye, you get um, but there are nail machines, and it I I up until very recently it was standard polish.

SPEAKER_02 23:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:53

So, and now it's a gel polish. But it takes the same time than having a gel mannequin, but it doesn't do any prep work.

SPEAKER_01 24:00

No, and you're also not having the conversation.

SPEAKER_00 24:02

No, but you still need a nail, you still need a nail tech or a therapist to do the cuticle work, prep the nail, shape it. And all the machines are doing at the minute is sticking on gel polish. I mean if that's gonna take 45 minutes or whatever it is, I think it was like six minutes a nail. Yeah, I can do nails in that time.

SPEAKER_01 24:21

Yeah, with all the prep.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

Yeah, exactly. So I'm not feeling too threatened yet by that machine. No, um, and I really believe that connection and community is at the heart of everything we do anyway. You can't get that with a robot.

SPEAKER_01 24:36

No, I agree. I mean I'm going to Farnham at the end of the month to do some training as well. Oh yeah. Yeah. Um overlays and extensions and bits.

SPEAKER_00 24:44

So why do you love overlays so much?

SPEAKER_01 24:46

I don't know. I think it's the end result that just gives me so much satisfaction. Yeah. Um and especially like seeing some clients' nail journey. No, they come in with really short. Nail journey.

SPEAKER_00 25:00

It sounds so wanky, doesn't it? Come here, bro, your nail journey. But it's true. Yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_01 25:05

They really struggle with bitten nails, or they want to stop biting, or they've got you know a wedding coming up, and now I see how long their nails are and they're asking me to take them down, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

Yeah. And to be natural as well. I think rather than just sticking tips on the end, well you can get the same results, but it's a little bit harsher, isn't it, putting a tip on.

SPEAKER_01 25:28

And it's not necessarily gonna, you know, depending how buttoned down they are, they're not gonna last. And then if they come off, then you're gonna bite them again. Yeah. So you're better off just putting an overlay on, letting them grow out and just doing it the slow way. So an overlay, just like explain it to us a little bit. Um, what is it? So it's build in a bottle by AB, and it's like gel, but it's harder and it's longer lasting and it's harder wearing. So when your nails grow out, it's not as likely to break depending on how long you leave it to grow out. Yeah, it's more flexible, isn't it, than acrylic, for example. So if you leave it six weeks, then they're gonna break, no matter what it is on your nails. But you can push to four and at a very maximum push, depending on how quickly your nails grow as well.

SPEAKER_00 26:17

Yeah. Um so then you just infill them. So you put the so it's like a you we do a gel manicure with builder base, which is for people that have like um a slightly bendy nail and it doesn't keep a gel polish on, right? Yeah, and then the overlay is a thicker, you have it on its own, or you can have it with a gel colour. Yeah, but it's for people that want to grow their nails, or for people that can't hold anything on.

SPEAKER_01 26:38

Yeah.

Training Vision And Standardising Nails

SPEAKER_00 26:38

I've got overla I do overlays on myself, don't look at my own. Same. Um and it means that I can have a length on my nail, but it's my natural nail. Yeah. No tips. Yeah, I mean mine are. It takes a while to they are like long, aren't they? Um but it takes a it takes a while. So how many treatments does someone need, do you think, to get like my length if they've gone bitten?

SPEAKER_01 26:58

If they're bitten, I'd probably say their fourth appointment, they could be around your length. Really? So three infils and then the removal and redo.

SPEAKER_02 27:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:07

Um, but again, it depends, like my nails grow so quickly. I only did them a week ago and they've grown out. Um everyone's nails are so different and they're growth, like some people don't get any growth really in winter, and then yeah, I've had people coming in and they've grown loads. Yeah. Um, and it depends if they're oiling their nails, if they're taking vitamins as well. Yeah, it all comes into it. But I found a lot of people as well find when they have the removal, their nails are actually stronger because they're not soaking them off all the time.

SPEAKER_00 27:37

That's a really good point, actually. So if you're having a gel manicure and removal, it's like every two weeks, three weeks of remove and redoom. When it overlays or with infills, it's what like it shouldn't really go more than three weeks, should it? Like two to two weeks. But three weeks, because otherwise you get the lifting, don't you? Yeah. And you can get four weeks out of it, but then you've got all the problems with the apex, haven't you? Which you know, this is where you're gonna come in with your education. Um, but it's okay getting four weeks worth. But if your gel is here, the weight is here too much, and that's when it causes bends, and also lifts, yeah. Yeah, and then what happens is it lifts.

SPEAKER_01 28:16

And then things get underneath, yeah. Um, because all the strength has moved down too far. It's like when I did that file video.

SPEAKER_00 28:24

Yeah, I love that video. That was really good. Yeah. When you put the files on and then they went it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:29

And it it showed what would happen at four weeks and plus.

SPEAKER_00 28:32

Yeah. Because I think people want to spend as little as they can, not not all the time, but they want to make it last as long as possible, right? And I totally understand that. But the health of your natural nail is so important, it's integral, isn't it, really? Um, and when we introduced the removal, like after three treatments of removal and redo, we we didn't get much backlash, and actually a lot of people understood why, but there's still some people that go, you're just trying to make more money because you want us to spend more, but we've seen a massive decrease in greenies and onicolysis, right? By introducing that.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

Yeah. Yeah. And why is that? I say because people are taking more care of their nails, and us as therapists are taking more care, and because we have that put in place, I think a lot of therapists feel that they can say, Look, I'm not gonna do it because I'm not gonna put my reputation underneath what you want, because I want to do the best treatment for you.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

So if someone who says they have a they don't want to do the removal and redo, yeah, okay. So yeah, therapists are sort of leading it a bit more and being the experts.

SPEAKER_01 29:40

Yeah, I mean I've had clients recently that have had onycolysis maybe on one nail, and I've said, right, I'm not gonna put it on that one because it could just be from hitting it and trauma, but putting a gel over it's not gonna help it.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

So onicolysis is when the nail plate lifts, right?

SPEAKER_01 29:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:54

You can get it from allergies, yeah, but you can also get it from trauma. Yeah. And trauma can be the weight of the product on the nail. Or if you hit it, like just in a card or anything like that. Or it can be from the lamps. Yeah, there's so many different reasons, but it can also be from medical problems or uh medication. There's so many different things, isn't there? And I think it it's like you're doing your clients a disservice if you stick on a moment.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

And she just had it on one. Oh, okay. So I decided to put them on the rest, but leave that one bare, yeah. Grow out, and then I can keep an eye on if it's on any other, so I can take it off. Yeah. And say to go get checked by a doctor if it might be an allergy.

SPEAKER_00 30:35

Yeah. But an allergy you'd normally see, wouldn't you? It would be that all red around the skin.

SPEAKER_01 30:39

I was very convinced it wasn't because her fingers were fine, there's no irritation, redness, anything. She said there was no itching. Yeah. Um, it was just a bit of lifting on the one.

SPEAKER_00 30:49

But if you didn't do the removal of media, you wouldn't see that. So, yeah, it's really important. And green is, oh, they always look worse than they are. If they're left, they're horrible. Yeah, they can smell. Can they?

SPEAKER_01 31:00

Yeah, if they're left too long, they can smell.

Overlays 101: Growth, Care, And Timing

SPEAKER_00 31:02

I've never had that. No, I have. But I don't do that many nails, so that was a long time ago, but they can't. Would you see it more with gel or acrylic? It was acrylic, I saw it with. Because you used to use acrylic in your old salon, like yeah, we don't we will never use acrylic in our salon. I couldn't I just don't want the smell. No.

SPEAKER_01 31:20

First time. Yeah, it is. But it's so harsh, isn't it? This it gives you headaches.

unknown 31:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

Very bad headaches.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

Yeah, I just I can't do it. And also I like that we have kids in here and dog like dogs, babies. I don't want that. I don't want any of that smell. No, it's true. You don't need it now with gel products, it's so much better. And you've got hard gel as well.

SPEAKER_01 31:38

So Yeah. If Biab's not strong enough, you've got hard gel.

SPEAKER_00 31:42

So what's the best way to prevent the green is first of all?

SPEAKER_01 31:46

Regular appointments. Yeah. Um, making sure when you're gardening or cleaning, you're wearing gloves because it's over absorption absorption of moisture and dirt and it's even water, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 31:57

As soon as water gets under that, even our tap water, if it gets under the nail plate and sits in between it.

SPEAKER_01 32:02

It's got the bacterium in it. You've dried your hands, but not underneath your your gel.

SPEAKER_00 32:06

Yeah, because people think it's fungal, don't they? A lot of people go automatically think it's fungal and it's tools, it's water.

SPEAKER_01 32:12

It's yeah. Water, dirt, soil, anything like that.

SPEAKER_00 32:15

Yeah, it's really common in gardeners, isn't it?

unknown 32:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:18

Um, so regular nail appointments, making sure even wearing like p rubber gloves underneath gardening gloves to make sure you're not going to get anything in. Because gardening gloves you always get soil in on your hands, even regardless of the gloves. Yeah, that's a really good idea.

SPEAKER_00 32:31

Yeah. Never, never thought about that. Like if we just buy a packet of vinyl gloves. Yeah. Not great for the environment, though.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

No, but underneath your gardening gloves or marry gloves.

unknown 32:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:40

Depending how big Can we like layer it up? You imagine all these people in the summer like protecting my hands. Lydia's told me. Yeah. And what about onicolysis, which is a lifting? Like, what can we do to prevent that? What's the best thing?

SPEAKER_01 32:54

Making sure every client's using low heat mode for gel for everything. Um, because over heat spiking can happen. What is that? It's when the gel setting on the nails, it creates friction on the nail and causes heat, and that's when you get that burning feeling, or some people say it's like a prickle. You should always tell your clients to take their hands out, wait for it to cool down completely, and then pop it back in and put low heat mode on again. Yeah. And they shouldn't get it again. But that causes a bit of trauma, doesn't it, on the nail bed if it's done continuously. Yeah, or if you're not telling your clients to take their hands out, or if they're just ignoring it and leaving their hands in, that will cause trauma. Yeah. And doing that over and over and over again will cause it to lift because sometimes it does just happen, or sometimes the client's not told you that it's burning. Yeah. Um, but I always say it, even if they've not told me it's burning, or as soon as they put their hand in. Yeah. I said, if it starts to feel hot or uncomfortable, take your hand out.

SPEAKER_00 33:57

Even on low heat mode. Even on low heat mode. And low heat mode is just like a button, isn't it? On the light.

SPEAKER_01 34:02

But um also checking it's actually on. Because sometimes you press it once, but it's not done the first time, so then it's turned off completely. So some people just press it, press it once, and the normal lab goes on. So making sure it's actually on low heat mode.

SPEAKER_00 34:16

Excellent. And then um also I do personally believe that some people's nails just can't take gel. No, they can't, they can't take builder gel. Like some people's nails are it's not even thin nails, it's just some people's like it I feel like if you it's the same, keratin, right? Nails and hair, and I think like I can only bleach my hair twice a year. If I do it any more than that, yeah, it breaks off, it falls out, split ends. It's the same.

SPEAKER_01 34:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

And it's still a chemical that we're putting on our nails, right? So some people's nails just can't handle it.

SPEAKER_01 34:48

No, some people it just doesn't work for the same as some biabs. Some biabs don't work for some people, but other colours do. Oh, really? Yeah. I've had one client that I kept doing her nails perfectly. I couldn't figure out what was going on because I've done them before and they were fine. And I just decided to change the bio and see what would happen, and they worked. That's so random.

SPEAKER_00 35:08

But some bias are more softer than others, aren't they? Yeah. Or B abs, some or whatever they're called. Um yeah. Fascinating, Liz. And this, my darling, is why you are gonna be an incredible trainer. So we're putting you through your teacher training. Yeah. And how's that going?

SPEAKER_01 35:25

Yeah, it's going well. I haven't been able to do any of December because what?

SPEAKER_00 35:29

What you mean you can't work your ass off in the salon and do your teacher training? Geez, Louise. It was manic. Yeah, it was busy, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 35:37

Yeah, I'm back up and running on it now because we've got more time in January. Yeah. Um, I'm still waiting for my last essay to be um graded. Yeah. So cool. That's fun.

SPEAKER_00 35:49

Um then we'll have you out on the road launching salons, but also doing the training for salons. So we take therapists that are fully qualified, don't we? And then we're training them in our way, which is why it's so nice to have an internal trainer. Yeah. Yeah. I'm so excited for this for you and for me, because I'm like standard, standard, stand it. Yes. Uh, what do you love most about being a therapist, Lydia?

SPEAKER_01 36:11

Um I love giving the clients the standard that is movies, but also personally for myself and making their you know, whether it's for a wedding or for a holiday or whatever, I love like them leaving happy and satisfied with their eyebrows or whatever. Um, but I also love meeting new like people that are really interesting, but I do love my regular clients as well. I know.

Onycholysis, Heat Spikes, And Prevention

SPEAKER_00 36:39

Some of them have come with me from my old job and so you were in Farnham, now you've come over to Hazelmith and running the show with Loz. Yeah. But yeah, you had a few clients follow you, didn't you?

SPEAKER_01 36:48

Yeah, quite a few. Some come from Fleet. Yeah, that's a bit of a trap as well, isn't it? Yeah. One client comes from ODM Way. Yeah. Um, not every time, but every now and then to see me. Um, but even from before movies, I have clients that have come with me. Really? Yeah, yeah, mother and daughter. That's really cool.

SPEAKER_00 37:07

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:09

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 37:11

Did you always know you wanted to do beauty? Um because it does get a bad wreck, doesn't it? It does. I was told not to do it at school. Yeah, my dad was like, he wanted me to be a lawyer. And he said, I think you'll make absolutely nothing out of being a beauty therapist.

SPEAKER_01 37:30

I think he was wrong on that one. Yeah, I was told not to do it at school.

SPEAKER_00 37:38

What by like the career advisors or teachers? Teachers, okay.

SPEAKER_01 37:42

Yeah, my curriculum support teacher told me not to do it. Dumb people. But that's the rap, isn't it, that it gets is the all the reps that are. But so many people drop out uh in college because they don't realise how hard it's gonna be doing all the theory.

SPEAKER_02 37:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:55

Um, but I did want to teach singing as well. Yeah, because you're like a stage stagecoach kid, aren't you?

SPEAKER_00 38:01

Yeah, yeah. My kids go to stagecoach as well. Yeah, I was like, other franchises available. But you were gonna work for them at one point as well, weren't you?

SPEAKER_01 38:09

Yeah, I used to. Um I used to work for them uh as a volunteer, then as an assistant, um, and then I d would do some lessons. Um and then I left. I can't even remember why. I left, started doing working in salons, that was probably why didn't have time.

SPEAKER_00 38:27

Also, it's every Saturday, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 38:29

And stagecoach is Saturday, so yeah, and it was Friday nights and Saturdays. Um, so yeah, that is what I wanted to do because I love teaching kids as well. I really enjoyed doing that, but not like in a school setting, so it wasn't as yeah, you've got to do this.

SPEAKER_00 38:43

Um it's so much more fun, isn't it? Teaching them singing, dancing and acting. Yeah. It's a bit different than teaching them like math. Yeah. I was thinking of something else, like I'm trying to think of like Willow's what she study in the Roman Empire or something.

SPEAKER_01 38:57

Oh yeah, way more fun than that. Um but I do still teach keep in touch in contact with my old singing teacher who's now taken over.

SPEAKER_00 39:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:04

Yeah, and I'm actually seeing her this month, so that's nice.

SPEAKER_00 39:06

Oh wowsers. So, what about your parents? How did they think? What do they think about you doing beauty? They loved it.

SPEAKER_01 39:15

Were they okay with it? Yeah. They have always very much been my my mum and my stepdad have always very much been just do what I'm what I want that makes me happy. Yeah. Um my mum always said that I'd thrive when I left school because school's so hard for me being dyslexic. Oh, right, okay. Did you know from an young age that my mum did when I was about six or seven? Um maybe even younger. I think I might have been actually No, about six, seven, yeah. Um and took me to see the specialists. They gave me like exercises to do to help strengthen my eyes and all of that. Um but yeah, school's really hard. A lot of teachers don't know enough as well.

SPEAKER_00 40:01

Not then, I suppose, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:03

I mean, you're only young, but it's quite evolved since then, isn't it? Majorly, majorly evolved, but even still, there's not enough teachers that know how to manage it. Yeah. They might know about it and like what it entails, but not necessarily like the other parts that aren't just work related. Yeah. Because you get so overtired being dyslexic as well. Um, it's like your brain kind of shuts down after a certain time of day. Um, and it's things like you know, for me it's changing plans a lot. Minute stresses me out, can't cope with it. Um, being punctual, I hate being late, really stresses me out, and all of that can come down to it. How? I've never known I've got to be.

SPEAKER_00 40:52

That makes a lot of sense.

SPEAKER_01 40:56

Los is dyslexic as well. Is she?

unknown 40:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:00

How do I not know that? I only I know about your dyslexia because we've been working through the teacher training. So we've been kind of looking at different ways that we can help teach w alongside you, right? So the when you're doing the different modules, you've really struggled, haven't you? Because it is quite intense doing teacher training.

SPEAKER_01 41:16

And how they've worded things as well.

Greenies, Gloves, And Aftercare Habits

SPEAKER_00 41:17

Yeah, it's very um like an education background. Yeah. So we've been trying to me and Katie, haven't we, from Winchester, have been like rewording it or trying to find another way of helping you understand what it means or what they're trying to get. Yeah. What information they're trying to get.

SPEAKER_01 41:33

And I it majorly helps me because I just if I'm if I'm just looking at it, I'm not even really taking in them what they're asking of me. I'm just looking at words.

SPEAKER_00 41:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:44

And it's not can't absorb it. No. And I I'm once asked for us to help me and it just yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

Two dyslexic people trying to help each other. I can't imagine that's gonna be a recipe that works.

SPEAKER_01 41:55

No, it was not. Yeah. Oh she tried so hard.

SPEAKER_00 41:59

Yes, I can imagine she did. Oh, that's so sweet. I'm really pleased that you didn't have any backlash of going into beauty because a lot of people do, and I know I put my finger up to my dad, but he genuinely was so anti me doing beauty, and I I hear that more often than not. People think it's for people that don't know it to do anything else, or can't do anything else, or that they're thick, or whatever it may be. But actually, some people are just creatives. I don't think my mum's ever not supported me in something though. You're very lucky.

SPEAKER_01 42:31

I am, yeah. Yeah. Um, with my stepdad, I think he wanted to do something else to what he has done, and he I think some part of him still does regret it, so he just didn't want me to do that.

SPEAKER_00 42:47

Oh so as we know, you love nails and you're always on top of trends, yeah, aren't you?

SPEAKER_01 42:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:54

So what do you think we'll be seeing in spring this year? What's your premonition?

SPEAKER_01 43:00

I have already seen a lot of trends coming out, and I've I've clocked on what's happening. All of them. So you know there was the clean girl money last year. Yeah. And the princess money. It's still gonna be, but what's the princess money? It's the clean girl money, just a different name. It's the same thing. So this year it's called the neutral manicure, and it's the same thing, they're just doing it different names every year. Polka dots are really in the sheer still.

SPEAKER_00 43:23

Do you think that's gonna carry on? Yeah. I do love a polka dot, especially because everyone likes the nude, and I think the gold polka dots look really beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 43:30

Yeah, or white or silver. Um, but I think because they came in so late last year, I think they'll come into this year, but more spring colours than autumnal.

SPEAKER_00 43:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:40

Um, a lot of those have been in. I think chromes are gonna come back. Really? Especially like the iced chrome where it's just the lazy.

SPEAKER_00 43:50

You love them, don't you? Yeah. With French though, we're still gonna see that whole Hayley Hailey Bieber nails.

SPEAKER_01 43:57

I don't know so, but I think I mean I did it not long ago. I did the chrome just over the builder, and then I did the French on top. That was nice. Yeah. Because normally it's just iced over the whole.

SPEAKER_00 44:10

Yeah, I see. I'm not I'm not a lover of the iced or chrome nails with the French. I still I do still love that kind of doughnut glaze nail. I think that's beautiful. Yeah, but that's doesn't suit me, but I do think it looks beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 44:24

But that's what the iced one is.

SPEAKER_00 44:26

I I think the clean girl money is gonna be sticking around for a while. That's something we're launching or we've been working on, isn't it? Because um everyone's got their own version of it, and it's a bit like the Russian manicure, but I don't I'm not a fan of the Russian manicure. It's very brutal. It is, and and actually I don't I don't think it's always necessary, and I think it's just a fad, you know, like it's it's actually just a really good manicure, but with lots of cuticle trimming.

SPEAKER_01 44:52

And I think it can cause more cuticle growth. I agree. Yeah, because it's so much away.

Teacher Training And Internal Upskilling

SPEAKER_00 44:59

We're doing a more gentle Moois version, aren't we? Which is more nurturing, sort of more exfoliation, more skin nourishment, lots of kind of lovely skin and nail treatment. Pedi with the hands, a peddy for the hands, but with a choice of um builder or like a really lovely treatment manicure nail polish. Yeah. I think that'll be I think it'll be um really popular. So we're gonna be launching that soon.

SPEAKER_01 45:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:25

Finally. Um, what's your favourite builder colour? Dolly. Didn't even have to question. Or fancy.

SPEAKER_01 45:32

The new one. It's slightly pinkier, but still pink.

SPEAKER_00 45:35

I mean, how many bottles of Dolly do you reckon we go through?

SPEAKER_01 45:38

Oh god, so many.

SPEAKER_00 45:40

Yeah, it's a firm favourite, isn't it? We go through so much builder gel in our salons.

SPEAKER_01 45:46

Yeah, but Dolly is the one that we're constantly buying in. Yeah. It's just works for pretty much anyone. Yeah, I like 19. Still my fave. It's peachy.

SPEAKER_00 45:56

Yeah, I like that. Um, what do you think is the best nail shape to have? I'm an almond. Which is yours. I mean yours are like stilettos, aren't they? Yours are pointy. That's not I don't think that would suit everybody though, would you?

SPEAKER_01 46:09

No, no, but I don't think there's any they're like Kardashian nails, aren't they?

SPEAKER_00 46:13

Yeah. Yeah. I feel like you've got Chloe vibes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:17

Um I don't think it is one shape suits everyone.

SPEAKER_00 46:19

No, but what's the sh best shape for strength? Because there's a lot of shapes that are really bad for strength, isn't there? Because there's a lot of nail techs that go really far in. Yeah. Or like that stiletto look is great and it's what you see on all the celebs, but they have the nails done and removed every week. So uh what you what's like for the normal human that hasn't so what's that like a straight and a rounded?

SPEAKER_01 46:44

Yeah, because you're not taken away from the sidewalls, yeah, because that's what takes your strength away. Um, and then because a lot of people also don't like the sharp edges, so it takes that away, but also you're not going to catch it as much if you've got really sharp edges from a proper square, you're more likely to catch it and chip it. So squavable or rounded. Yeah, like a gentle almond type. Still more square, so you're not taking from the sideboard as much. Yeah.

unknown 47:11

Hmm.

SPEAKER_00 47:12

Thanks, Lynn. Um, have you got like um a time in Mouis ideally, like that is like a real memorable moment, or a time that you like stuck with you of being like really lovely or one of your favourite moments in the salons? Um because I we're dealing with people all day and we kind of live their lives with them, don't we? And we kind of I feel like we go through so many pivotal moments with people, with our clients, and we're so like we are part of them, their lives. Yeah. Is there a time that you can remember that you kind of like that you will take with you forever?

SPEAKER_01 47:54

Um to be honest, most of it. Just there's always something over the years. Jay's always really supported me and throughout many things. Um, and she's been really supportive of like when I was really ill years ago, and my mum had to keep calling her with doctor's notes. Yeah, I remember that. Bless her. I was off for a whole month and it was like the busiest month of the year, and I felt awful. But she told me off for calling her myself, yeah. Um, because I was so ill. Um when my granddad died as well, she was really supportive and helpful with that. Um, but also Loz, um, when she asked me to come here with her, that was probably my one from last year. Really? I just didn't see it coming at all. Did you not? No. Oh, we called that. I did not see it coming at all.

SPEAKER_00 48:44

But I thought you put yourself forward for it.

unknown 48:46

No.

SPEAKER_01 48:47

Huh?

SPEAKER_00 48:48

No. I thought you were like, I'm in, I'll do it. No.

SPEAKER_01 48:51

So she just pulled you along, did she? Yeah, she just she well, she actually scared the life out of me. I was at work in Farnham and she was like, um, are you free to call me later? And I was like, I feel that's the worst thing you could say to someone giving them no context.

SPEAKER_00 49:06

Like your boss saying, Can you call me later?

Career Views, Dyslexia, And Support

SPEAKER_01 49:08

Oh god, it's the worst, isn't it? I need I need to talk to you about something. Yeah. When you have no like context if it's good or bad.

SPEAKER_00 49:13

So I was like, uh nothing to worry about, I do need to talk to you. Would be a really good way to start that.

SPEAKER_01 49:17

Yeah. So I was like, Uh, is everything okay? And she went, Yeah. I was like, okay. And then um, yeah, called Child was like, Are you okay? She was like, Yeah, I've got a question for you. I was like, alright. She was like, Do you want to come to Hazelmere with me? I was like, bearing mind I was going on holiday in two weeks, and then she was going the week I got back. I was like, Right, okay. She was like, You can think about it. I just need to know by tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 49:41

I was like, Alright, that's fine. I'll give you less than 24 hours' notice to make this big decision.

SPEAKER_01 49:47

Yeah, so um I was going into the sun in the morning anyway, I can't remember why because it was my day off. Um, and yeah, I just said yeah, I'll come because she was in as well.

SPEAKER_00 49:57

And Donna was there looking very upset about the whole thing. I know, we did take her two strongest, didn't we? But um, I think it was one of the best moves for you.

unknown 50:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:06

And I think you're like a little powerhouse, dynamic duo.

SPEAKER_02 50:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:10

And I think she brings you out of your shell as well. I think she kind of makes you feel a little bit stronger and a little bit braver. You've got very different styles for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:25

And what's the worst situation you've ever been in? Worst circumstances, a beauty therapist or worst experience.

SPEAKER_01 50:30

Not at Mouis, not had one, but um Have you not? Not really, no. Not a really horrific one that stands out. Come on then, tell us your worst. Um, I've been doing acrylics and I didn't have enough knowledge on nails at all. And I hadn't been told about greenies or what they were. Oh. And I had a client and I took them off and I could well I took the colour off and I could see something through the acrylic because it's clear. And I took the acrylic off, and all her nails were completely green, like dark, and they smelled oh, like you said earlier, they smelled I've never known that.

SPEAKER_00 51:05

Yeah, that must have been on for a long time. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 51:08

And I didn't know about how they came about, I didn't know what it was, had no idea that lifting and like them putting it. But you were just doing nails then, weren't you? Just started doing acrylic as well. Right. And I just hadn't been taught enough about it. Um that was my own.

SPEAKER_00 51:27

What happened? How did you deal with it?

SPEAKER_01 51:30

I literally just said I need to get my manager. Yeah, but there wasn't one in. Oh, okay. So I was like, we're just gonna take it off, I'm gonna cut them right down, gonna give you a cuticle oil, and they're not gonna charge you.

SPEAKER_00 51:42

Yeah, because sometimes you can buff a little bit of greeny out, can't you? No, that was not buffing out, no? No, no, that had gone right through. And oh bless her. Did they stay on or did they fall off? Did you see her again? No, she didn't want to come back.

SPEAKER_01 51:55

Oh understandably, but yeah, um, but I got it in the neck for it.

SPEAKER_00 51:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:00

But I was like, what is it though? Like how has that happened? I it's cat is so much more common with acrylics, isn't it? Yeah, it is. Um, but also not having enough nail knowledge or training. Because if I'd had the knowledge, I would have known to look helpful at any lifting. Yeah. Like taking it all off, redoing it all, but I didn't have any of it.

SPEAKER_00 52:25

Yeah. I I feel like it's all evolved very, very quickly though, as well, isn't it? Oh, I think that's a good thing. I mean like what we learn at college in beauty, you don't learn how any of that. You don't learn about you don't even learn much about nails to be fair, you just learn how to paint. Yeah. And a bit of cuticle work, isn't it? Yeah. And just because you're qualified doesn't make you knowledgeable. No. And it's all the additional training that you need to do, all the advanced training. We're seeing that, aren't we, when we're doing recruitment. We're seeing that we we actually recruit on the personality, don't we? Like that's our key. Recruit someone that's got a good soul and a good heart and it gives a shit. And if they give a shit, we can teach them all the rest.

SPEAKER_01 53:00

Exactly. But colleges should be teaching more.

SPEAKER_00 53:03

No, I know, but then the two then the tutors need to know how to do it in the first place. Yeah. Wowzers, lids. What are you most excited about doing this teacher training being given?

SPEAKER_01 53:17

Yeah.

unknown 53:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 53:18

And also seeing where like Los migrow with hazelmare. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 53:23

Do you want her to buy it as well?

unknown 53:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 53:26

It'd be wicked, wouldn't it? In the conversation all the time with her.

SPEAKER_00 53:30

Yeah, it would be so cool. Yeah. It would be so cool for her to um to end up with her own salon.

SPEAKER_01 53:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 53:37

She'll be a brilliant business owner.

SPEAKER_01 53:39

I do talk to her about it all the time, but then she said to be like, But I'm gonna have to fight over you with Amy, and I was like, I'll just be both.

SPEAKER_00 53:44

No, because you'd stay here with her and her team. That's what I mean and then I'll just have to pay her your day rate when I need you. That is what I would do. We could share you. No, I've I've shared before, I can share again. It's absolutely fine. Um so, lids, what's for dinner tonight?

SPEAKER_01 54:02

I actually have pork in the fridge, but I never want steak.

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SPEAKER_00 54:06

Pork? Yeah. Do you know what? I don't think I ever hear anyone say I've got pork. Like an actual pork chop or like a No, like the belly slices.

SPEAKER_01 54:12

Oh, tendonoin.

SPEAKER_00 54:13

Yeah. What would you do with that?

SPEAKER_01 54:15

No idea. I'm just gonna figure it out as I go. Are you a much of a cook?

SPEAKER_00 54:20

Because that I feel like that's quite a like grown-up thing to cook, isn't it? I'm gonna do a pork tendonoin. Oh, yeah, I did so cook bolognese last week. Oh, did you?

unknown 54:28

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 54:29

That's nice.

SPEAKER_01 54:30

It was really good. It was probably. I'm really intrigued what you're gonna do with the pork though. Yeah, I'll send you a picture later. But what would you put with it? Like like broccoli.

SPEAKER_00 54:39

So you just have it on its own?

SPEAKER_01 54:41

I'll season it, but I don't know what I'm gonna do. I'll figure that out. Okay, so if you don't have the pork, what's up? I'm kind of fancying a steak. I love a steak. What sort of steak do you have? I think I've got rubbeye at home.

SPEAKER_00 54:56

Nice, and how do you do it?

SPEAKER_01 54:58

Sereer, but medium rare.

SPEAKER_00 55:01

But what sauces? Like, look, come on, we've got to we've got to elaborate a little bit on this.

SPEAKER_01 55:05

I love it, but I like it in a baguette as well. What the steak baguette? Steak baguette. Okay, any sides? Yeah, I like spinach with it and mushrooms. I need more iron.

SPEAKER_00 55:19

I mean that sounds a lot more appealing than the pork tenderloin, doesn't it really?

SPEAKER_01 55:22

But I'm very iron deficient, so I when I crave steak it means I really need some iron.

SPEAKER_00 55:26

And does it help? Yeah, yeah. But that's why you have spinach as well, I suppose. Yes. Boost my energy. Steak. Oh, it makes me want a steak now. I love a steak. I love a steak. My kids love a steak as well with poppy tomatoes. Have you ever done like they're just the easiest thing, but both of the girls know how to make them. Do they? Yeah, just like um plum tomatoes, a little bit of um olive oil, just a small amount, salt and oregano, and then bake them. But you have to take them out before they split, yeah. And then let them cool a little bit. But it's a certain time, it's not actually long, it's like 10 or 15 minutes. And then when you take them out and then you eat them, they burst in your mouth. Oh, I don't know. They call them poppy tomatoes. And Willow's favourite, like her dying meal, is a fillet steak, poppy tomatoes, and potato stars. They don't do them anymore, it's really annoying. Tesco's used to use potato stars, which were like the most crispiest, perfect potato condiment, like potato side, even. And then I make a homemade mushroom sauce. Oh, I love homemade. I know. And she's like, that is my favourite. I want that. How a ten-year-old, I mean, what a bougie little ten-year-old, isn't it? Yeah. But those poppy tomatoes, they love them with scrambled egg, they love them with everything. See, my Rylodine meals just avocado on toast, bit of salt.

SPEAKER_01 56:38

Nice, not even a chili flake. Oh, yeah, maybe a little chili flake, but just classic avocado on toast with a bit of salt. I could just eat it. Oh, yeah, nothing. I feel like we need to jazz this up. Get your poppy tomatoes with it, a bit of bacon. Yeah, I'd normally have it with uh poached egg and some tomato like tomatoes, bacon. Got mushrooms. I know I'm really hungry now.

SPEAKER_00 57:01

Got some shortbread here. I know. Thanks, mum. Thanks so much, Lyd. It's been lovely talking to you.

SPEAKER_01 57:06

I love talking to you.

SPEAKER_00 57:07

And I cannot wait to see what you do with this teacher training and like the next year ahead. I'm really excited. Yeah, I'm very excited. Thanks, L.