05 Nov The Story Behind Sirens Beauty Salon, Durham

The Story Behind Sirens Beauty Salon, Durham

When people walk into Sirens today, they see calm confidence. A beautiful, welcoming space that’s grounded in knowledge, warmth, and care. What most don’t see is the years of trial, rebuilding, and quiet persistence that made it what it is.

My journey in hair and beauty began in 1996, when I started a full-time qualification in both hair and beauty therapy. It was a three-year course that set the foundation for everything that followed. By nineteen, I had opened my first salon. It lasted three years, just long enough to teach me what not to do. I was too young, too inexperienced, and had a lot to learn about business and people.

After that, I spent several years renting rooms, working freelance, and building experience wherever I could. The turning point came when I joined Saks, where I finally received the kind of training and industry exposure that reshaped my future. I began attending professional events, learning from industry leaders, and taking my career seriously.

In 2011, I began teaching in both college and private education. I decided to back that experience with further study, completing a foundation degree in complementary therapies, my teaching qualification, and later a Level 6 in human biology, nutrition, and the study of the brain, along with management and the therapeutic use of complementary therapies.

Starting Sirens

Seventeen years ago, I took a job in Durham to teach at a private training centre. When the space above became available, I saw an opportunity. The city centre had very few salons at the time, and even though the building was in poor condition, I decided to take the leap.

I had £5,000 in the bank from a whiplash injury, money that I used to renovate and open what would become Sirens. The space needed complete rebuilding. I sourced furniture from charity shops, recycled materials, and even framed wallpaper as art. Looking back, it’s amazing that anyone came through the door, but they did  and many of those first clients are still with us today.

In the early years, waxing was our biggest treatment and the backbone of the business. I also ran my training school at the time and often used my teaching income to pay staff and cover salon bills until we could stand on our own feet. Every improvement that followed came from reinvesting, rebuilding, and learning.

A Growing Team and a Shared Journey

Over the years, our team has changed,  some for the better, some we don’t talk about but every chapter has shaped who we are today. Each person, each challenge, and each success has added to the experience and lessons that have built the salon’s heart.

We’ve had a lot of fun along the way. There’s been laughter, long nights, and plenty of trial and error, but through it all, one thing has stayed the same: our incredible base of loyal regulars. Many have been with us since the days of recycled furniture and makeshift décor, and they’ve watched us grow into the salon we are now.

Sirens has become a real community. We’ve seen students come and go, watched them grow up, move away, and return for visits. The salon carries a sense of energy that comes from people feeling at home here. It’s warm, familiar, and full of life.

Achievements and Recognition

Only a couple of years after opening, our work started to be recognised. We won two local business awards in one night, followed by a social media award the same year. From there, we began entering lash competitions and consistently placing, leading to one of our proudest achievements — winning Professional Beauty’s Educator of the Year, one of the most respected awards in the industry.

In 2025, we entered the Scratch Awards for the first time and were honoured to achieve third place for Salon of the Year and second place for Service to Industry.

These awards reflect years of dedication to education, skill, and genuine care for our clients and our industry.

The Sirens of Today

This year, we completed a full salon refurbishment, modernising our space and refining our focus. We chose to remove our hair section and dedicate ourselves entirely to advanced skincare, beauty, and wellness, the areas where we truly excel.

Sirens has always evolved with our clients, and it always will. Every change has been driven by experience, education, and the belief that people deserve a salon where they feel understood and cared for.

We’ve built something lasting. Not because it was easy, but because it mattered.

Sirens is more than a salon. It’s a story of growth, resilience, and community and we’re proud to keep writing it, one appointment at a time.