Nailed it

Damian Stevens, who runs Beauties Factory UK, says sales of the nails were so huge over the summer, they had to race to keep up with demand. Damian launched the make-up and beauty store online in 2008 and it’s been such a success, he opened a shop in Darlington and now has plans to open stores in Northallerton and Durham next year.

Beauties Factory UK stocks 2,500 products, from basic foundations, mascaras and lipsticks to a Dust Collector machine for perfect manicures.

With a focus on affordable prices, it has everything from glittery eye shadows and sparkling body powders to heat-styling tools for hair extensions.

Although it is a global brand and already well known in the US and the Far East, Damian and his wife, Jane, are the sole distributors for the UK and EU and are hoping to raise its profile in Europe.

“People like to be able to see the products and get a feel for them and living near Darlington, it seemed an obvious step to build the shop around everything else we’re doing,” he says.

The biggest part of the business is nail art, which has soared in popularity despite the recession, with unusual nails again a big hit on the autumn/winter catwalks. The trend is thought to be due to the fact it is relatively inexpensive compared to other products and has instant impact.

As well as a wide selection of designs, including butterflies, flowers, bananas and Swarovski crystals (which can also be used to embellish clothes, cards and mobile phones), there are nail files, nail glues, nail art wipes and nail strengtheners. You can even buy a moveable display “practice hand”.

Thanks to celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and singer Nicki Minaj, false eyelashes are also big business, with everything from eyelash glue and curlers to “Korean” style eyelashes.

Prices range from 99p for little gem stones to add a bit of bling to nails and toes, to professional make-up trolleys for £265.

Colours on display at the shop

At 6ft 4in and just short of 20 stone, Damian looks more like a rugby prop forward than the usual make-up and beauty assistants you’d see behind a cosmetic counter.

He was in the Army for 12 years and served on the frontline in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland before falling down a ravine in 2008 and breaking his leg in several places.

He underwent four operations, but was told six months later that he would never make a full recovery and should start thinking about an alternative career. It was then he came up with the idea of starting a business online.

“I was looking for things to do and buying and selling over the internet struck me as quite interesting because it would give me the opportunity to work for myself,” he says.

Damian started off selling items including supplements and golfing products before taking on the distribution for Beauties Factory UK.

“I didn’t have a burning desire to sell makeup,”

he laughs. “It just seemed to fall into place really. I literally started it from the kitchen table and built up the website, but soon it got too big for one person. I was on the laptop and Jane was sitting next to me packaging up the products. We started with ten products and we’ve now got 2,500. We were putting boxes wherever we could find space. We took over the garage, then moved to a larger house where we used the conservatory and when we outgrew that we started using storage units. Eventually, it grew so much we opened the shop.”

colours on display at the shop

They have now taken on two extra staff so Damian can run the business side while Jane and the sales assistants can offer advice on make-up and beauty. The site offers frequent promotions, with regular customers receiving a free gift with each purchase.

After last year’s Christmas rush, which saw them working through the night and packaging until 4am, Damian is gearing up for another successful season.

“It can be stressful, but one thing the Army taught me was how to deal with pressure,”

he says.