Former oil and gas worker launches Aberdeen beauty salon

When Marcia Wilkes was made redundant from the oil and gas industry, she knew the time had come to finally pursue her passion.

But she’d never have believed that her hard work would lead to her launching her very own beauty salon in Aberdeen, complete with a gorgeous boho interior and a dedicated team.

From delays caused by the pandemic to having faith in herself, the 34 year old has come a long way.

And WYLD, which fittingly stands for what you love doing, has finally had its grand unveiling, with eager customers making sure Marcia is kept busy.

But she hopes in time that she can take a step back, having given fellow beauticians a chance to shine in a competitive industry.

Marcia caught up with Society in-between clients, and explained why WYLD, which can be found on Holburn Street, will be as inclusive as possible.

“I’ve only been in the industry around four/five years, after I was made redundant from the oil and gas industry,” said Marcia.

“I decided to take a very different direction.

“I was never very academic at school. I loved music and played in bands when I was younger.

“I also loved art and doing my own makeup, but I was never really taught that those kind of passions could be career options.

“As I was in Aberdeen, I went into oil and gas instead.”

Marcia felt her life was “spiralling” after she was made redundant, and then went on to suffer the loss of her dad.

So she decided it was now or never, and enrolled at The Academy of Makeup in Glasgow.

“When I left school, the last thing I wanted to do at the time was go into more education,” she said.

“But I decided it was time to do something for me, and I got my full makeup qualification.”

It was far from plain sailing however, after Marcia came up against an incredibly competitive industry where there are few opportunities on offer for new starts.

“I didn’t realise how difficult an industry it was to get into, with no prior experience and no job on the side as income,” she said.

“So I started doing brows, and then I was approached by The Brow Houz and asked if I would like to do brows there.

“I was incredibly lucky and I jumped at the chance. I don’t think I would be where I am today, were it not for The Brow Houz and the support they gave me.

“It was a fantastic team to work in, with excellent in house training.”

Many beauticians work long hours, and Marcia is no exception.

She hopes that by opening her own business, she can eventually take a step back.

“I think you reach a certain age and you begin to think about settling down, and getting to a stage where you work a little less,” she said.

“It has been none stop for quite a few years now, working ridiculous hours under the sun.

“In the future, I hope to be not quite as hands on.

“What was really important to be me with WYLD, was creating somewhere which is inclusive of everyone.

“It can be quite an intimidating industry, and I wanted to open somewhere to get rid of that stigma.

“I want people to love being here, coming here, getting pampered and working here.

“When I’m with clients, I actually feel like I’m with friends.”

Marcia initially spied the former hairdressers in November, but the pandemic meant the lease was not signed until January, when she was then met with lockdown.

“In a weird way, lockdown has been slightly beneficial,” she said.

“It pushed my plans back slightly, but it has been good to have the time to focus on everything.”

The WYLD aesthetic was the combined vision of Marcia and interior designer, Robyn Parks.

Laid back with a boho vibe, the gorgeous finished product is everything Marcia imagined.

“I honestly couldn’t be happier with it,” she said.

“It just feels so chilled and relaxed, which is exactly what I wanted.

“I’ve had so much help and support from my other half and his father, and I’ve also had support on the social media side of things.

“I do think social media is important, I’m more likely to look for a business on Instagram than on Google.”

Moving forward, Marcia hopes that opening up another salon in a different city might be on the cards.

“I don’t know if I’m getting ahead of myself, but dream big eh,” she said

“My big hope for WYLD is that it will provide a stepping stone to the industry for new comers.

“I want to offer extensive in house training, because I know how difficult it was for me at the start.

“I love that creative feeling. Making someone feel amazing about themselves is worth more to me than any amount of success or money.

“When I was still working in oil, I don’t think I’d ever have believed that I could go and open my own salon.

“But I have, with an incredible support network behind me.

“There will always be a little voice in the back of your head saying that you can’t do it.

“But you absolutely can, just go for it.”

You can find out more at https://www.instagram.com/wyld.aberdeen/