As the summer holiday and festival season draws to a close, we start to turn our heads to festive celebrations and New Year’s Eve – but, in my opinion, no excuse is needed to treat yourself to a glow up!
With parking in walking distance, and appointments available from Tuesday – Saturday (with an 8pm closure on a Thursday!) Glambox on Norwich’s St Benedicts Street is ideally located to get you feeling, well, glam!
If you are missing that summer glow, Glambox offers Bondi Sands spray tanning as well as a variety of facial treatments to bring back your summer glow. But the salon’s real party piece is its eyelash enhancements.
Industry statistics are looking strong for those in the beauty industry, with a report by PolicyBee highlighting that women who visit salons regularly spend £1,000 a month on average on beauty treatments.
Charlotte Croft, owner of Glambox and its training academy, Saint Benedicts Beauty & Lash Academy, agrees that the industry, particularly eyelash enhancements, is seeing no signs of slowing down.
“I’ve been offering eyelash extensions for 15 years, and it’s only gotten busier and busier. There is always a new skill, tip or trick to learn within the industry that keeps what we offer fresh and exciting for clients”, she said.
Charlotte has always been surrounded by the beauty industry with her mum owning her own salon, and her sister too growing up to own her own salon.
After completing a Beauty Therapy qualification at Great Yarmouth College, Charlotte pursued her passion for lashes, training under Lucy Argent at The Cambridge Lash Company.
From humble beginnings, Charlotte set up her first business working from her mum’s converted garage, before she embarked on independently building up her client base working throughout Norwich, Cringleford, and Cambridge.
“I launched my first independent salon in Norwich in 2012. Over the course of five years the demand grew and grew, and so I need more space, more beds, and more staff to keep up,” she shared.
Establishing Glambox on St Benedicts Street in 2017, the salon has grown from strength to strength.
“I love where the salon is based now, it’s in a prime location in the city surrounded by plenty of hairdressers, bars, and restaurants, meaning you can incorporate your treatment with other occasions,” Charlotte added.
Glambox has grown from just three treatment beds to 11 – seven in its open plan lash space and four of which are in private rooms, as well as three nail desks, a pedicure area, and a spray tan room.
15 staff members ensure that you can always get booked in for your desired treatment, but booking often needs to be made well in advance. Bookings can be made online through the Fresha app, in person, or by calling the salon.
Research into online booking trends shows that 67% of customers prefer online booking, with 54% of appointment bookings that occur during working hours are made on the go.
Charlotte agrees, saying that “most of our clients book online as they find it easier and more efficient. We chose to use Fresha as it’s accessible, really simple to use, and allows us to list our monthly offers”.
As well as an extensive head to toe treatment list, including threading, HD Brows, brow lamination, and microblading, the team can also facilitate spa parties and private events.
A unique offering from Glambox, as well as full sets and standard infills of Classic, Hybrid, and Russian Volume lashes, the team also offer express infills lasting just 15 or 30 minutes.
“I’m always looking to bring unique offerings to the salon, and our express infills have always been very popular,” shared Charlotte, “There are plenty of salons in Norwich, but I believe we offer the best experience for our customers. Our team is great at building rapport, becoming friends to our clients as well as their technicians”.
When the salon is closed for treatments on a Monday, Charlotte runs a successful beauty academy – Saint Benedicts Beauty & Lash Academy.
Responding to demand and inspired by her own experience of learning in the beauty industry, Charlotte launched the Academy in February 2020.
Offering training in eyelash extensions and brow lamination, clients can also benefit from a 10% discount to use across the academy’s exclusive professional product range. The range includes the Academy’s own brand of lashes, glue, eye pads, tweezers, and lash shampoo.
“The academy has been developed to provide high-end training for beginners, and I love that I can share my expertise with people looking to start their journey in the industry,” said Charlotte, “we also offer training to qualified technicians looking to improve and update their skills in a professional, welcoming and well-equipped environment”.
With demand of Glambox’s experienced and expert team not slowing down, Charlotte sees the opportunity to grow again, this time keeping its existing location.
“I’m looking at the possibility of opening another salon on the outskirts of the city. This will give customers who don’t have easy access or the time to get into the city another opportunity to experience what Glambox has to offer,” she explained.
Increased demand is also seeing the need for Glambox to employ more staff, with both full-time and self employed opportunities to view on its website.
To find out more about Glambox wide range of services, visit: glambox.co.ukFor more information about Saint Benedicts Beauty & Lash Academy, visit: saintbenedictsbeautyacademy.co.uk