Appleton's Emma Elizabeth Slattery worked as a beauty therapist but was so fed up of answering the same questions she's written a beauty bible tackling everything from skincare to health and fitness. Amanda Griffiths reports

As a beauty therapist specialising in facials, Emma Elizabeth Slattery kept being asked the same questions by clients; how do I get rid of dark circles under my eyes, or reduce puffiness? Although happy to answer these, and dispel any other beauty myths they might ask her about in person, Emma decided it might be a good idea to write a series a leaflets her clients could then take away and read.

‘Once I started writing it all got a bit out of hand,’ says Emma who lives in Appleton and works out of treatment rooms in nearby Lymm. ‘When I got to page 37 I thought “this is no longer a leaflet”,’ she laughs.

The series of leaflets has now been published in a book, Beauty; The True Story, on sale in branches of Waterstones in Knutsford, Manchester Deansgate and Warrington.

‘It covers everything from tanning to waxing and skin care to cellulite,’ says Emma. ‘I’ve included beauty rules, do’s and don’ts; things like what moisturiser you should choose and explain how to determine your skin type to choose these. There’s a section on make up application and the shelf life of different products as well as sections on health and wellbeing; It’s everything you need to know about beauty really.

‘I’ve worked hard to keep each topic short and quite simple to follow. I didn’t want to be speaking to the reader but with them, as if they were one of my clients.

‘I’ve really enjoyed writing it,’ says the mother-of-one who is carving a name for herself in Cheshire’s beauty industry circles, having launched her own natural skincare and bath range as well.

‘I went self employed in the beauty business to spend more time with my son, Oliver, who would be in bed by the time I’d got home from working in Manchester,’ she explains.

‘I started treatments in October last year and really forged forward with the products in February this year.

‘I have always made my own concoctions for my mum, friends and family. I remember one day I was struggling to get an order of creams for my treatments delivered, mum suggested I use the ones I made for the family instead.

‘I started using them in facials and would give out samples to clients; people would be asking what I’d use and I started making a few for my clients. One of my ladies in particular in Prestbury has all the products in my range; it’s quite strange walking into her bathroom and seeing them all there.

‘She asked me if I could produce a gift box for her mum who was turning 70. I did , that was on the Friday and on the Monday I started getting calls from all her friends asking if I could do them for them as well; and it’s grown from there.‘It’s been really intense – it has gone from a small group of people to getting 800 hits on the website the first week I launched it.’

Emma’s product range currently includes ten products including moisturisers, body lotion, sea salts and hand and foot lotion, ranging in price from �13 to about �30. They are available online at www.beautybyemmaelizabeth.bpweb.co.uk and a select number of local boutiques and salons as well as Emma’s own, Emma Elizabeth Beauticians in Lymm, they are all hand mixed by Emma using natural ingredients, essential oils and plant extracts.

‘The biggest thing for me is that those ladies have really well known products on their bathroom shelves. The fact they have put them aside and are now using mine is the biggest compliment I could ask for!’