I’ve had £1.5k of Botox, filler & waxing by sneaking a beautician in during lockdown – I’d rather be ill than look rough

Not so Janey Harwood, 28, who since quarantine was announced has spent £1,500 on bootleg beauty treatments including Botox and fillers, mobile beauticians and tanning and even waxing treatments.

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Janey, from Peterborough, Cambs., admits she is addicted to fillers and other beauty treatments and isn’t worried about breaking lockdown rules because everyone else is doing it.

As health secretary Matt Hancock refuses to set a date for when hair salons will be allowed to reopen, her attitude is sure to ruffle some feathers - but she's not fussed.

She even went so far as to say she'd rather get sick then let herself go.

Now she shares her story with Fabulous:

When lockdown was announced, I was horrified.

It wasn’t being stuck at home that terrified me, it was not being able to have beauty treatments.

My hair was due for a cut and colour that week - and I was booked in to get my lip fillers topped up.

Normally, I go to the hairdressers every four weeks, get a spray tan every three weeks, my nails and a facial done every fortnight, as well as Botox and fillers every three months.

As a teenager, I had thin lips and lank hair and was bullied for how I looked. Ever since then, I've been addicted to getting fillers and Botox.

I started having fillers and Botox six years ago, when I was 22, determined to put off the ageing process.

I love Kylie Jenner's pout and the way she always look like she's just stepped out of a beauty salon.

Since I started getting fillers, people tell me I look like Emily Ratajkowski.

I love it and would never put the bins out or pop to the shops for a pint of milk without a full face of make-up and perfectly groomed hair.

When lockdown hit, I wasn't prepared to live any differently - despite the rules on social distancing and socialising.

My palms went clammy at the thought of being without my Botox and filler treatments, to me they're essentials.

Just because we're in quarantine doesn't mean you can let yourself go, not with all those group video chats on Zoom.

When my aesthetician rang to cancel my lip filler appointment, I begged her to do a home visit.

I even offered to sneak into her clinic at night so no-one would know, or tip her £100, but she told me she couldn't risk it.

For me, the thought of living without fillers and Botox is even worse than getting sick.

Janey Harwood28

I was so angry - but then a friend told me about a mobile beautician called Lavina*, 25, offering Lockdown Bootleg Beauty Treatments.

For obvious reasons, she can't advertise her services, but has been finding a steady stream of clients through word of mouth.

Already working as a mobile therapist pre-lockdown, Lavina's self-employed so wasn't eligible for furlough or benefits.

At the time, the government weren't offering anything to self-employed people, and she wasn't prepared to lose out just because of coronavirus.

I rang her immediately, explaining I'd been recommended by a friend, and she agreed to see me.

We're both young, in our twenties, so we figured it's low risk.

On April 2, Lavinia came to my house for the first appointment. She even parked down the road, so no-one could tell which house was coming into.

I was impressed. I told her to come in through my back entrance, which leads to an alleyway, to stop any busy body neighbours calling the police.

It felt exciting - like we were in a James Bond or spy movie.

Lavinia had everything in her kit, just seeing her put on her surgical gloves filled me with relief.

She wore a mask and left her coat outside, as well as covering her shoes with covers like the ones they use in operating theatres and a PPE gown.

Lavinia put 1ml of filler into my top and bottom lip, as well as topping up my Botox on the brow line.

I felt a wave of relief as the needle went in. The results were amazing.

Having the treatment was even more satisfying, because of how hard it had been to get during quarantine.

I didn’t ask for her qualifications, she seemed like she knew her stuff.

Janey Harwood28

I didn’t ask for her qualifications, she seemed like she knew her stuff.

Lavinia charged £500 - which is £150 more than I normally pay - but I thought that was fair enough during quarantine.

While we chatted, she told me she had more than 40 clients using her lockdown bootleg services.

Lavinia also gave me a spray tan and waxed my legs and bikini line.

The next day, video chatting with my friends, everyone complimented me on my tan - which they thought I'd got naturally by sunbathing.

I just grinned and said it was from working from home in the garden.

Before she left, Lavinia gave me the number of her friend who works as a mobile hairdresser.

I booked her for black market hair cut and colour in the second week of April.

Like Lavinia, she came a 8pm on a Wednesday night and had a full PPE kit on.

She put foils in for my highlights and trimmed my hair and fringe.

What Janey's spent

Laviniafirst

Fillers and botox - £500

Tan - all over spray - £100

Waxing - £150

Lavinia's second visit

Botox and fillers top up and cheek filler - £300

Waxing and facial - £200

Mobile hairdresser

Hair cut and colour - £250

TOTAL - £1,500

The hairdresser charged £250 in cash - £100 more than I normally spend - but it was worth every penny.

My quarantine hairdresser told me she had dozens of clients all willing to pay £50 to £100 more than usual at the moment.

I don't really see the issue, she needs to make a living and always took proper precautions.

Lavinia returned two weeks ago, putting an extra 1ml of filler in my bottom lip, as well as some cheek filler.

She waxed me bikini line, underarms and legs, and gave me a facial. It cost another £500 - and was worth every penny.

My hairdresser has also been back, giving me a second trim and recolour last week.

She's going to become my regular hairdresser now. She told me business is booming at the moment.

I refuse to believe what I'm doing is wrong. I haven't been ill and neither have my bootleg beauty experts.

I'm convinced the risk of passing on coronavirus via haircuts or injections is minimal.

There's nothing selfish about wanting to look good. I have friends and family members who've used mobile beauticians too.

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To combat Covid-19, we need to stay healthy and that includes looking after your mental health.

I consider these treatments an essential service, as my mental health is directly linked to looking good.

Personally, I'm sick of people moaning about people breaching lockdown.

Let's face it, people are popping to their friend's houses, thousands of people went to the beach for bank holiday weekend, and there's really no difference between getting filler injected and sitting on a packed tube.

I'm sure those people on beaches and trains are more likely to get coronavirus.

For me, the thought of living without fillers and Botox is even worse than getting sick.

I am addicted to the treatments and I refuse to let lockdown get in the way of that.

*Lavinia is not her real name.

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