WHEN the beauty salon that Sarah Pearce and Robyn Wright worked for went into administration, the two friends feared for their future.

The two beauticians were two of a number of people who lost their jobs when the salon chain Cuticles went into administration in March.

Miss Pearce, 31, from Cogges, had worked in the town’s High Street branch for the past five years. She said there had been no reason to suspect the business was struggling.

She said: “We all got a text on the Thursday night saying there would be an urgent meeting the next day.

“A few of us had checked our pay before we went into the meeting, and it hadn’t gone in.

“The owner basically turned around and told us that the company had gone under, and that we wouldn’t be getting paid. We were given ten minutes to collect our things.”

Miss Wright, 19, said: “It was very worrying, and I was really shocked by it all. Especially with everything that is going on in the economy.”

The pair started to look for work in other salons, but Miss Wright said there simply was nothing available.

“No one was taking on staff, and I knew that if I found a job working in an office, then it would be hard to go back to being a beautician,” said Miss Wright.

Miss Pearce added: “I’ve got young children, so I needed something that fitted in with my family, plus I enjoyed doing beauty.”

So the pair decided to work together, and pooled their life savings to open their very own beauty salon, Envy — four doors down from the one they used to work in.

Now they are hoping to buck the recession and make a go of the business.

Miss Pearce said: “It’s definitely a bit of a risk in this economy and I little scary, but I think that people will still want to maintain themselves during the recession.

“People like to treat themselves and be made to feel better, and that is the service that we offer.

“We are also very positive and have had lots of support from our family and friends. Plus a lot of our old clients have heard about us and are coming back to us.”

Miss Wright said that since the salon opened on April 22, the business had done well, hitting all its weekly targets. They also had an unlikely guest stop by to see how they were getting on in their new venture — Witney MP and Conservative Party leader, David Cameron.

Miss Wright said: “I was quite nervous. But he was really nice and said that it was great to see a new business doing well.”