‘You’ve lifted a weight off their shoulders’ - Anderson

Gail Anderson makes it her business to ensure her clients not only look great, but feel great.

Gail opened Dun a Ri Holistic & Beauty Therapies a decade ago, operating from a room in her home on the outskirts of Kingscourt town.

“Now I’m set up in a log cabin at the side of the house that’s purpose built for this. We’re here since Covid 2020, and it’s working well,” she happily reports.

At the time Gail was also holding down an accountancy job.

“I was retraining and working in this part time as well, so there was a lot going on. I didn’t mind that it was part time because I had a lot of training to do,” she recalls.

The volume of training Gail has undertaken is apparent when you see the range of treatments she offers, including: facials, massage (hot stone, deep tissue, dry cupping, holistic and pregnancy), hopi ear candling, reflexology, reiki and holistic sinus treatment. Gail also offers make-up and tan application, eyebrow shape/wax/tint as well as offering facial waxing.

“It took a while to build it up. When I started out it was all beauty, and now there’s been a huge move to the holistic end over the last number of years.”

Gail estimates that about 75% of her business is now on the holistic end.

“Reiki and reflexology are probably my two main areas,” says Gail.

Given the level of dedication it requires to become an accountant, the Celt notes it must have been a brave decision to switch career.

“That’s why it took about eight of those 10 years to drop it,” she replies with a laugh.

She gradually moved away from part time work in accountancy, as her beauty and holistic business increasingly demanded her attention.

“I got busier and had to focus on one thing or the other. My work here was suffering because of the accountancy work, and I decided, this is not what I want. I’m putting more effort into somebody else’s business than my own, so something had to give.”

Focusing solely on her own business has paid off. Gail has been accredited with the All Ireland Business All Stars three years running: Lifestyle Leader 2021, Master Practitioner 2022 & Cavan Holistic & Beauty Salon of the Year 2023.

Her mission statement reads: ‘Here I will help you to help yourself to better health.’ Pursuing this goal gives Gail enormous job satisfaction.

“You see such a difference in people. Some people come in and they are so drained, no energy, in a bad mood.

“When they are going out you can see the life brought back into them. Within the space of an hour you can see people relaxing, you’ve lifted a weight off their shoulders,” says Gail.

Her work is “pretty consistent all year round” although she notes the first three month of the year are especially busy.

“It’s like going to the gym, everyone is on a mission you be good to themselves so January, February March are always very busy months,” she says noting that her phone has begun to ping with make-up bookings for confirmation and communions.

Given the “intense” demands of running a one person operation, where she could be answering text messages at 10pm from people looking for appointments, she admits treating herself to a pampering.

Does Gail often go for treatments?

“Not often enough. I need to practice what I preach!”