An inspiring mum-of-three has taken the plunge to launch her own salon after 14 years working as a beauty therapist. 

Vanita Hirani opened H&H Nails & Beauty, on Maxwell Road in Beaconsfield, on September 4 and wants the public to know they are ready for business. 

Speaking to the Free Press, she said: "The first week I opened, I was so, so very nervous. I was thinking, what have I done? How am I going to build up a new client base? I was even thinking about trying to find a part-time job somewhere nearby just to have on the side to help me pay the rent."

But four weeks in, Vanita says she is finding her feet and is excited to be welcoming in more and more new customers each day. 

The salon, named after her two daughters, is offering a range of beauty services from waxing to manicures to massages. But Vanita hopes her unique selling point of having 'toxic-free products' will help draw customers in. 

Explaining, she said: "All of the polishes and products we stock and I have chosen are toxic-free. We don't use OPI or CND, I want to only use products that are kind for nails and skin. 

"In this area, I don't believe anyone else is offering this. I wanted to give people the chance to try something a little different that is better for your body and kinder to you," she said. 

OPI products have been found to contain 'chemicals of concern' which have ingredients that could be harmful to humans, according to scientific studies.

Vanita says she wanted to move away from these products - and said all of her products are HEMA-free. 

Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) chemicals have been used in gel nail polishes for decades but has been linked with causing allergic reactions, ranging from nails falling off to skin rashes and even breathing problems. 

The 38-year-old said her father-in-law helped transform the shop into a salon ahead of its opening last month. She will celebrate her first full month of trading tomorrow.

Vanita says she wants to get the message out to residents about her salon's location. It is in the town centre but slightly tucked away, just off the top of Maxwell Road between the cut-through to Post Office Lane. 

She said there hasn't been much passing trade yet - something she hopes will change with new signs to direct people to her salon outside Shaw Trust charity shop. 

Prior to opening her salon, Vanita worked for seven years as a beauty therapist in Gerrard's Cross and five years previous  at a salon in the Eden Centre in High Wycombe. 

"I chose Beaconsfield as the location to open my new store because it's in the middle of the two places I worked before. I looked at a couple of locations in London but nothing felt right," she said. 

Reflecting on her 14 years working in the industry and describing why she loves her job so much, she said: "For me, it's the clients. It's very nice meeting different people. I love meeting new people every day, listening to different people, it opens up your mind and just makes me so happy."

Her advice for those starting out in beauty therapy is to keep the customer at the front of your mind. She said it's about making customers feel good and happy with their service.

H&H Nails & Beauty is named after her two daughters, who are 16 and 13, who she hopes one day may want to take over as a family enterprise. 

Currently Vanita says she is working seven days a week to get her new business off the ground but she has recently hired her first employee, so hopes she'll be able to take a day off a week to spend time with family.

At the end of a long day, Vanita says she returns to her home in Wembley to see her husband and three children - including her eight-year-old son who gives her a "big hug". 

  • H&H Nails & Beauty is open seven days a week on Maxwell Road in Beaconsfield.