Abu Dhabi: Festive seasons usually involve numerous meetings with friends and family, and the ongoing rush at beauty salons, nail parlours and spas is a testament to residents’ efforts to put their best foot (or hair or face) forward during Eid.
Beauty centres across the capital are reporting their highest customer numbers in the weeks leading up to Eid, as women book appointments to style their hair, paint their nails and get soothing massages and facials.
“I had to wait more than an hour to get my nails done at my favourite nail parlour in the capital. And although it was nearly closing time, I could see more and more women still coming in,” S.S., a 26-year old media executive in the capital, told Gulf News.
“Booking an appointment with a specific hairdresser or beautician is also difficult at this time of the year. But you want to look nice for Eid, so you are forced to brave the crowds,” she added.
The last five days before Eid are always very busy, with more than 300 customers coming in every day for a manicure-pedicure and other nail treatments, said Aiza Malillin, marketing manager at the Nails parlour in Muhairy Centre.
“At this outlet, we do not offer booking for manicure-pedicures, but are fully booked for our threading, waxing and massage sessions. In fact, most clients coming in for nail services will have to wait quite a while. And if you don’t want to wait, it’s best to come in as soon as we open in the morning,” Malillin added. Nails has three other branches in the city, and the rush is evident at all of them.
But the biggest demand is for centres that offer henna art for women, especially as applying henna is a popular Eid-related tradition in South Asian and Arab countries.
Trupti Gokani, owner of the Beautiful Henna Centre on Airport Road, said the establishment was seeing more than a doubling of clients.
“Everyone loves a little bit of henna, so we see long queues of women who are willing to wait till their turn comes around. This is why we tend to stay open from 7am to 3am in the week before Eid,” she said.
The centre charges about Dh20 for a side of henna on one hand, and all 15 artists are constantly busy.
The services of hair salons are also very much in demand, with many women going in for haircuts, styling, dyeing and blowdrying.
“There is at least a 20 per cent increase in customer numbers during the period, and the night before Eid is always the busiest. The biggest influx of clients is also usually young women in their 20s and 30s,” said Imelda Balaoro, assistant hairdresser and manicurist at Amisque in Tourist Club Area.
The La Poupee Beauty Centre on Airport Road is also fully booked, with women of all ages showing up to do their hair, get a manicure and pedicure or for waxing.
“We increase our timings till midnight to deal with the increased demand before Eid,” said Karen Trina, a receptionist at the centre.
But it is not just Muslim women who are gearing up for Eid. A number of non-Muslim residents are also heading for beauty treatments and haircuts ahead of the upcoming break, said Tara Kidd, manager at the Glamour Hair Salon.
