32-year-old Shanthi B., is a beautician based in Ramnad. But she travels to Madurai to attend to her clients and earns close to Rs.5000 on a single visit. Though she runs a parlour, she's sought after for the exclusive home services she provides. “I plan five to six appointments for a day, hop on to a train in the morning, finish all of them and go back home by the evening passenger. Increasingly, customers are preferring to avail beauty and spa services at home,” says Shanthi, who has nearly 20 such regular takers. Like Shanthi, there are a couple of amateur beauticians who visit homes. Either on a bike or an auto-rickshaw, they take pains to carry all the necessary beauty products and sometimes even the equipment to cater to the clients' needs. Kavitha Jeyachandran, who has been in the business for two decades observes that it's the middle-aged women who prefer home services. “In a small town like Madurai, middle-class home-makers and women above 40 feel it's still a taboo to visit a parlour. And that's one reason why they prefer getting a facial or a pedicure done at home,” says Kavitha. “Also, they have the privilege of keeping an eye on kids or taking care of their household chores even while getting the service. In the middle of a facial, they can still check on the dal that's cooking or attend to the doorbell.”
Dharini Srinivas, a psychologist, echoes Kavitha's observations. “As a working woman, I find it difficult to spare hours at the parlour. This is a convenient option where I can relax at home and get my beauty need attended. Even my daughter who works in Chennai, avails beauty services at home whenever she's in town,” she says. “Spa treatments like waxing and body massage are best to be availed at home. You feel special and pampered in your comfort zone.” “There's an exclusivity factor in getting a beautician do a facial for you at your home. Unlike in a parlour, you are the only client and there's privacy,” says Kavitha. Beautician Jansy Rani who has opened a parlour six months ago says that the number of clients demanding home services is increasing. “I have worked at many spa chains and over the years, people have started liking my services. Now they call me home for anything from a simple pedicure to bridal make-up packages,” she says.
However, one downside is that the homes may not be as equipped as a parlour. “We have to make them lie on a bed or sit or recline on a normal chair for facials. Hair spa is also difficult to do at home, as the washing and dying need to be done at the washing basin or the bathroom,” says Shanthi. “But in upscale pockets like Chokkikulam and K.K.Nagar, there are some posh houses with an in-built parlour room. There are few rich clients like business women, doctors and engineers who have a parlour-like set up at home including the furniture and necessary equipment like steam room,” she reveals.
Another feature of the home-servicing beauticians is that they charge nominal rates. Facials start from Rs.400 onwards and pedicure or manicure may cost Rs.600. Make-up and spa services including bridal range from Rs.5000 to Rs.15,000. If it's easy money and a trusted customer base for these beauticians, it's a package of comfort and style for the customers. So the next time you feel lazy or hard-pressed for time to visit a parlour, dial these visiting beauticians.
