Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Atlantic Airways, opened Body and Soul, a beauty salon in Virgin’s Heathrow Airport lounge in February last year. Jane Breeden, a British beauty therapist who performs in-flight beauty services for Virgin Atlantic, says that the airport salon is doing quite a business.

“We do manicures, pedicures, waxing, eyelash tinting, eyebrow tinting and shaping, and shoulder, neck, and back massage at Body and Soul.” Breeden says. “Treatments are done to help clear the sinuses before a person flies, to relieve stress, and to help combat dehydration. The services are free to first-class passengers, who are entitled to use the Virgin Atlantic Airways clubhouse where the salon is located.”

The airline’s lounge houses a game room, bar, library, music room, and the salon. Fourteen beauty therapists, as cosmetologists are called in England, work there. The beauty therapists perform makeup applications, manicures, and massages in an open area. In two side rooms they provide facials, back massage, full-body massage, and waxing. In one room, the “living room,” clouds bedeck the walls and ceiling, and jets and jetstreams burst out of the clouds. The other room, the “dream room.” spoils small flying Dumbos and sheep-covered walls.

According to Breeden. beauty therapists in England must go to school full-time for a year. They are then qualified to perform all beauty services — from waxing and facials to haircuts, massages, and nails.

Staff Writer

Editorial

Read more posts written by Staff

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.

Read more about