Friday morning in Camberwell. Screeching bus brakes fill the air as people carry shopping back home along the crowded streets. A man with a beer can is singing “Maybe I’m because I’m a Londoner.” (sic) The beauty shops and hair salons are a hub of activity as a variety of weaves, extensions and nail treatments are underway. I have decided to visit a salon and nail treatment parlour to talk to beauty therapist Rachel while she treats and paints my nails.
Snipe: What do you like most about your job?
Rachel: Today I might have 10 different customers, 10 different lives, maybe a teacher, lawyer, single mum, I can teach them something about beauty and they can teach me something about life.
S: This shop is very tasteful, but a lot of nail places around here have a sort of 80’s vibe about the decor, why do you think that is?
R: I don’t know really, it’s everyone’s personal preference how they have their shop.
S: Some of the nail extensions I have seen around Peckham are quite extreme, do you like that look?
R: Well I‘m more about the natural look. If I went and did everything in my profession, like if I had my eyebrows tattooed on, had extensions, full make up, you wouldn’t really trust me would you? My job is all about image really. People are wanting to change something about themselves, looking for improvement. but I think if you do too much you end up looking like Jordan don’t you?
S: …which could be a bit scary. Hair salons in this community seem to be vibrant places – would you agree that they are important socially?
R: Yeah it is, especially the hair dressers. It’s gossip time I think that’s what hair and beauty is about. People come in and we have a chat about what has been going on. At my previous job there were people that came in all the time.
S: Sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough places where people can come together..
R: Yeah I would agree with that. Community is important especially when we live in an area where everything is not really peachy is it?
S: Also there are so many kinds of people that live here, but it can be frustrating sometimes that we all live quite separately ..
R: Yeah – everyone is kind of in their own lives. But here it’s just nice to relax, to chat about things. This is beauty therapy, and you know, like with a therapist you can get some things off your mind.
S: It’s strange how beauty is something you think of as being quite physical but there’s something about this that is actually quite therapeutic and soothing mentally …
R: Yeah it is, I guess it’s just letting yourself unwind and not think about something in that moment, you know you are just thinking about what colour nail varnish you are going to put on.. But you know, most of beauty is about home care, that’s what I believe. I mean you can come in for a facial but if you’re not doing anything at home, and following your own beauty routine, having a balanced diet, then how’s it going to work? You are just giving your money to someone for nothing really.
S: Around here there is an abundance of fast food. Do you think it’s difficult for people around here to maintain that balanced diet?
R: There’s nowhere for me to eat here, I don’t eat chicken or chips I think it’s about quality rather than quantity. Less healthy foods are cheaper so people say buy it, if you can’t afford it though then what can you do really? Food should be at a lower rate especially for people growing up – teenagers are eating a lot of fast food, and you can see why their skin becomes oily.
S: Have you always considered beauty to be an important part of your life?
R: I fell into it. When I was 15 I left school I was one of those girls that didn’t really like school. I was quite intelligent though. I left school in July, in September I decided I wanted to go back to school and they didn’t let me back, so I never got to do my GCSEs, I got sent to Lewisham college but I was learning the same things, and it felt like I was already educated and I always had the option of beauty, and eventually I thought – I’m going to try it.
S: Do you think you have made the right decisions?
R: For the meantime I think there are so many areas in beauty to explore – if you want you can be the best nail technician. I’m interested in being a beautician on a cruise ship and there’s competitions, you could be the best nail technician in the UK.