Westgate laser and skin clinic founder says first anniversary reached because of ‘push’ and support of late husband

A Westgate laser and skin clinic boss who has marked one year of business says her husband was the driving force to starting out on her own before he passed away.

Julie Stokes says husband Danny had run his own groundworks and civil engineering business and helped her with the practicalities of starting  JS Laser and IPL Skin Clinic.

Danny passed away in April from heart failure aged just 56.

Julie, 55, said: “I was in beauty years ago but then went to work for the NHS and worked through covid.

“My husband had heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. When he started to decline I decided to retrain (in beauty/aesthetics). I found it helped with coping and I could make it work around me and be at home.

“He pushed me so much, I wouldn’t be doing it without him. He would say things like ‘open a business account’ when I thought it would just be going along day to day. I had to also come to grips with social media and a bit of AI to help me.

“It was a bit scary and very daunting.”

Prior to opening her clinic Julie had rented rooms at other salons but says she was “too OCD” and needed her own space to make sure it was clinical and clean for clients.

The laser and skin clinic offers everything from tattoo and hair removal to aesthetics, ‘million dollar facials’ and lash and brow treatments.

Julie is joined by Brandy Hunt, who specialises in fine line tattoos, and Leah Tutton who is in charge of lashes and brows.

Brandy recently created a design for Julie using Danny’s ashes made into ink.

Mum-of-two and nan-of-five Julie said: “The reason the anniversary is special to me is because of Danny. He got everything ready for me before he passed away.

“With this I can work around my family, my grandchildren. When Danny was really poorly and he was in hospital and then the hospice we said how important family was.

“Life is too short. This meant I could work around caring for him and now I work around me and focus on the important things like my grandchildren.

“We were together 37 years and married for 25 years and he just wanted me to do this.”

The business is a huge change from Julie’s IT role with the NHS and involved some intensive training in London but has paid off.

Julie has also focused on raising money for Pilgrims Hospice in Dan’s memory. Family and friends have raised in excess of £600 and also been able to buy a weighing chair for patients in the hospice who find it difficult to stand on the scales. Julie is now arranging an auction night with a John Terry artwork created by her son Ben as one of the lots.

The one year anniversary of the clinic was marked with a  party last Saturday (July 26). Julie is now hoping to expand the team by adding a nail technician.

JS Laser and IPL Skin Clinic is based in St Mildred’s Walk (behind Staple) and welcomes both male and female customers.

Find the clinic on facebook by clicking here and the website here