In an era when so many small businesses go to the wall, Jayne’s Hairdressing Salon in Tea Gardens has celebrated a remarkable milestone.

Jayne’s Hair and Beauty has just marked its 25th birthday.

“We opened 7 December 1991 when the shopping centre was brand new,” Owner Jayne Ireland told News Of The Area.

Jayne has been cutting and perming for more than 30 years.

“I went to TAFE and my mother actually followed me 18 months later doing hairdressing when she was 40,” Jayne said.

“She helped me, until I had my first child, then she made me choose between her being a grandmother or a hairdresser, you can’t have both Mum said, so I chose Grandma.”

I learned how to be a working mother from my mother, I had an excellent mentor.’’

When Jayne first trained it was the blue rinse set, French rolls and perms.

“When I started everyone came in every week to have their set, but that changed with the invention of the blow dryer and hair straightener.”

Men’s hairdressing has also changed with demand for ‘man-scaping’ and product.

“The young men now are much more conscious about their styles.”

Beauty work too has become the norm.

“I do waxing, pedicures, manicures, lash and brow tinting.”

“When I started doing beauty work 25 years ago it was very much a luxury, now it’s almost a necessity.”

In a reflective mood, Jayne said, “This salon has been the stable influence in my life and my children.”

“It’s been the one thing that’s stayed the same.”

As for the future, “When I started the salon I was only a young woman and I stood out the front and said this is it for the next 25 years, I’ll raise my kids and that’s what happened, but as I got to that 25 years I thought, what am I going to do now and I walked around for a while and then decided I’ll put in another 25 if I last that long.”

By Margie TIERNEY