Theatre make-up artist opens beauty studio to help with hair loss

She has just opened The Mane System in Birkenhead - a private studio offering hair extensions and bespoke hair loss solutions.

Here in our latest Meet The Stylist feature, Eloise, who is 27, tells us how she got started in the hair and beauty industry, who her inspiration was growing up, and why it’s so important to help clients become a better version of themselves.

If you would like to appear in one of our Meet The Salon Owner, Meet The Stylist, Meet The Makeup Artist or Meet The Beauty Therapist features email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

Eloise offers bespoke hair loss solutions

What’s the name of the salon/business?

The Mane System

What’s the address?

I own a private studio based in Laird Health and Business Centre in Birkenhead.

Are you the owner/manager?

Yes - I own the studio and am the only employee.

When did you open the business?

The studio has just opened within the last few months. We had a tight turnaround of three days and managed to transform what was an old GP room into a beautiful and tranquil studio to welcome my clientele into.

Has it always been in the same location?

I originally offered make-up and hair up appointments as a mobile stylist and artist and would travel for events and occasions.

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

I didn’t. I am originally from Farnborough in Hampshire, but after meeting my partner at The Empire Theatre, he was based in Liverpool and so we both moved to Wirral just over six months ago.

Tell me a bit about your salon/business

The Mane System is a private studio offering hair extensions and bespoke hair loss solutions. I am passionate about creating personalised solutions and empowering men and women alike to have the hair they deserve, while in a comfortable, safe and private environment.

Before and after extensions

What do you do? What services do you provide?

I offer Individual and Nano hair extensions, Celebrity and Invisible Weaves, tape extensions, Mesh Integration Systems and wig customisation.

Why did you decide to open your own salon?

I have worked in theatre touring for almost 10 years now and have toured the UK, Ireland and Japan with productions such as The Bodyguard, We Will Rock You, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman and most recently Disney’s Aladdin. I wanted to create roots and build a future in a career where I felt like I was making an impact on people’s lives on a more personal level. I have always worked with hair and beauty and theatre has been my passion. It has been an incredible opportunity to open the studio and it’s allowed me to engage more with clientele, hear their stories and really feel like I’m making an impact.

What’s your hair and beauty background?

My background is predominately in theatre so working with wigs, hair and make-up on large scale productions. I have a first class degree in make-up and hair design, which is where I have my foundation knowledge and from there I further qualified in other beauty treatments such as gel nails and lash extensions. It took me a while to hone in on what I love, which is hair. I decided to train again with Sharni Knighton in Mesh Integration Methods and Elrae Hair in hair extensions and from there we now have The Mane System.

Why this type of business?

My aunt has always been involved in hairdressing, owning her own salons and hair extension business so she was my inspiration growing up. She was successful in something that wasn’t a ‘typical’ job for me to see. My mum is a nurse, my dad worked in estates and my sister had ambitions to be a teacher. I saw how my aunt worked and really appreciated that it was so different from what I’d seen so this was a career I wanted to pursue. Throughout my career, from session styling to working within bridal and then theatre, you can really see how much of an impact hair has on someone. We all know how having a bad hair day can have a negative effect on us. I want to provide a positive environment where customers can relax, spend time on themselves and leave feeling like a better version - with even better hair.

Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?

I wasn’t. This was in the midst of when theatre was the first to close and the last to reopen so I worked as a receptionist during this time. It was such an isolating time for many of us so having this contact in a professional environment where it was ‘allowed’ was really taken advantage of by customers. People really enjoyed just talking and having human interaction and so getting to know people even in this sense made me want to work with and meet a wide variety of people.

The studio opened recently at Laird Health and Business Centre in Birkenhead

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

I don’t come from a traditional hairdressing background, which means I see things in a different light. I take on a holistic approach looking at the best way to achieve your final hair goals and will often combine methods to create a bespoke look. In terms of my hair loss clients, I am here for every step of the journey. I have extensive experience and knowledge working with wigs and hairpieces, so I can mend, style, wash and maintain these. I am an extensionist, so when this is a viable option, I am here for them, and when other methods fall short, I now offer Mesh Integration. To have a cohesive selection of services is extremely important to ensure that I can adapt to my clients and evolve with them as their needs and requirements change.

Why do loyal clients return to your business?

I am an adaptable individual and my services all complement each other. The other element which my clients love is the private factor of my studio. It isn’t a chair next to anyone else in a large salon and I only work 1:1 with my clients so my care and upmost attention is on you through the duration of our appointment. I have eradicated the need for a highly medical feeling environment which can sometimes come when trying on wigs as a result of health factors but I also don’t feel like a commercial salon where you may feel out of sorts.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your salon?

I am hoping to grow and build my clientele in this area and really make an impact here. In the future, I would love to open more into the postiche side of things, where I can stock wigs and toppers for people to try and customise, but I am sure that will be a natural development as the business grows.