Welcome to SUBOO Journal
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A monthly blog dedicated to creating and showcasing the positive, diverse, and inspiring women within our community. The founding objective of SUBOO Journal is to continue shining a light on local female lead brands, businesses, and entrepreneurs who inspire us. From this we can build a powerful community, who are equally dedicated to creating positive change and impact.
This month, hopes are high – with a path out of lockdown just around the corner! With restrictions easing, we know our beautiful community can’t wait to get back to their favourite salons, spas, and treatment centres. With this in mind we are shining a light on supporting local Aussie businesses and introducing you to the incredible Natalie Ferrari, she’s the founder of The Parlour Room - a Sydney based nail & beauty bar and leading destination, dedicated to offering a refined and relaxed beauty experience.
In our virtual Q&A with Natalie, we dive deep into learning more about her business, her life and the tips she has for self-care during this time.
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What inspired you to start the Parlour Room?
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I grew up always thinking I would eventually have my own business. So when I fell in love with beauty, wherever I worked I took it as a step towards learning as much as I possibly could so that when it came to creating my own, I could really offer everything I thought would make for the perfect customer experience. I was only 24yrs old when I started TPR and at the time, it was very much a case of the right place, right time when the store front came up, but I also new from experience, there was a gap in the market for a really luxurious, but at the same time, warm and welcoming salon to enjoy all your favourite beauty treatments.
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What is the most rewarding part about running a business designed to empower women to feel confident?
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The amazing women you get to meet along the way and seeing how much of a positive impact the salon has on all the clients who walk through those doors. Between the staff and the clients, it’s such an incredible community and everyday I'm so grateful that I get to contribute to this.
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What would be your advice be for anyone wary of backing themselves in the business world?
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Have a good support system around you. There will be plenty of times when things don’t go your way, or it feels too hard, but hang in there. Even after having run a successful business for over 9 years, there’s still days where I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing - it never ends, so it’s important you have a team in your workplace and those at home that you can lean on, and will keep you going. You don’t need to do it alone!
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With Sydney in an intense lockdown what are you doing to keep yourself positive during this time?
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This lockdown has been a bit different for me, as I am 16 weeks pregnant. I found the first trimester quite difficult so I spent most of the lockdown lying on the floor eating dry crackers & feeling sick. I was really lucky that I had my team to keep things going while I couldn’t. While I can catch myself at moments getting overwhelmed by certain news etc or lockdown delays, you really can’t go past just reminding yourself to breathe and that you can get through things. Take one step at a time. It might sound a bit corny but if I look back, everything always turned out ok in the end, even if it took a bit of time so I just try to keep trust in that.
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Self care during lockdown is more important than ever at the moment, when it comes to a self-care routine, what does your ideal routine look like?
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My routine again has changed with pregnancy. I’ve found myself so sensitive to smells that I can’t use a lot of products which I used to anymore. My skin has also had a lot of pregnancy flare ups whereas normally I never get breakouts.
At the moment I follow a simple skincare routine that consists of a cleanser, exfoliant, serum, moisturiser and SPF during the day. I’ve also been religiously applying bio-oil and body creams to try help with my expanding boobs and belly.
Outside of skincare, I’ve been trying to commit to my daily Pilates with fluid form and have recently been trying my hand at baking... There’s been a few failed attempts but I’m getting there!
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The Parlour Room is still continuing to service its wonderful community during lockdown, what can someone expect from a virtual service?
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We are here to help in any way we can. Our inbox and DM’s are always open, but we’ve also got our virtual skin consultations which are there to give our clients a chance to ask any questions about their skin concerns or particular products they want to start using but aren’t sure if it’s suited to them. We also have our at-home manicure and soak off kits to help keep everyone's nails strong and healthy in lockdown and are always available by email for any questions if our clients are attempting to tint brows by themselves or discourage them from trying any rogue DIY Tik Tok treatments.
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You're about to become a Mum! Congratulations – what excites you the most about this new chapter?
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I am really close to my mum so having a little girl makes me feel very excited to continue a relationship like the one I have. I also feel like she will be surrounded by so many amazing & inspiring women that are in my circle and that is something really powerful to have. I’m also most excited to see my gorgeous husband as a dad as I just think he will be so wonderful.
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A quote you live by?
Focus on the good and the good gets better.
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Here are SUBOO we deeply thank Natalie for allowing us to virtually sit-down with her for our Q&A!
