Beautician Builds a Ladies-Only Zone for Beauty, Privacy and Confidence

By Andrea Hendricks

FOR Bibi Aarifa Sahadeo, beauty is about far more than appearance. It is about helping women feel confident, cared for and comfortable in their own skin. What began as a genuine love for makeup and beauty has grown into a business and career shaped by perseverance, compassion and purpose.

Sahadeo began taking makeup seriously in 2018. Over the years, her interest in makeup application developed into a wider passion for the beauty industry. Today, she is the proud owner of XOXO Salon & Spa Ft Makeup by Aarifa, located in Industry, East Coast Demerara, where women can enjoy a variety of beauty and self-care services under one roof.

The journey was not an overnight success. “I had to push myself, but I kept going because I genuinely love what I do,” Sahadeo recalled.

As her experience and confidence grew, Sahadeo wanted to create more than a place where clients received a service. She envisioned an environment where women could also enjoy the experience, one that felt comfortable, relaxed and welcoming, where they could feel beautiful and cared for.

Opening the salon was also an important step towards independence. Sahadeo wanted to build something of her own: a brand that reflected her personality, values and enduring love for beauty.

At XOXO Salon & Spa, the focus is on creating a private, comfortable and personalised experience for every client. “I want each woman to feel welcomed, respected, relaxed and truly cared for throughout her appointment,” she said.

The salon and spa cater exclusively to women, which is especially meaningful for hijabi sisters who may wish to remove their hijabs while receiving beauty services. The space is designed around comfort, privacy and respect, allowing clients to feel safe and at ease.

Sahadeo works strictly by appointment, creating a calm, unhurried atmosphere in which each client has dedicated time and their full attention. For hijabi clients in particular, the one-on-one setting offers the reassurance of receiving services in a private space.

Cleanliness, attention to detail and client satisfaction are also central to her work. “I am constantly learning, improving my skills and adding new services so I can continue offering my clients something better,” Sahadeo said.

The wide range of services offered by XOXO Salon & Spa includes makeup, hairstyling, hair treatments, hair colouring, nails, manicures, pedicures, facials, hydrofacials, massages, eyelashes, eyebrow tinting and mehndi or henna designs, among others. Makeup courses are also available.

For Sahadeo, the salon’s women-only approach responds to a genuine need. Many women value having a place where they can set aside their worries, enjoy personal care and be themselves. She considers it particularly important that women who wear hijabs can receive beauty services without compromising their values or privacy. She also believes the ladies-only setting is distinctive, as there are hardly any spas in Guyana offering a similar zone.

That commitment to care extends to the locally made organic skincare products she incorporates into the business. The line includes lip scrub, facial soap, body scrub and face scrub, made with local organic ingredients. Offering products that benefit clients’ skin while supporting local producers is an added point of pride for Sahadeo.

The skincare line was born from her own experience. “I suffered from severe facial scarring after being burned by harsh chemicals in face paint. I visited countless doctors and tried to find help, but unfortunately, I wasn’t getting any results. That experience led me to create my own skincare formula with great success.”

After consistently using the formula, Sahadeo saw tremendous improvement. The scarring cleared, and the pigmentation on her face disappeared. That transformation inspired a skincare line that offers the gentle, natural care she wishes she had known about while struggling with scars. Because it grew out of her personal experience, she hopes it will help other women feel confident and comfortable in their own skin.

Balancing family life and work has been one of Sahadeo’s challenges, but the support of her husband, mother-in-law and children has helped ease the demands of being a businesswoman. Her journey has also strengthened her resilience. In 2018, she experienced bullying and many difficulties, but instead of allowing them to break her spirit, she turned each stumbling block into a stepping stone.

Now 28, Sahadeo is proud of the woman she has become. She views challenges differently, knowing she can overcome them and learn from them as she moves forward.

Her work is also closely tied to her mother’s legacy. The current salon was once her mother’s space, a comfort zone and workplace where she built herself up. Years later, Sahadeo is following the same path.

“She’s no longer here with me. I miss her very much. I truly believe she is proud of me. Every step I take, every milestone I reach and every time I walk into the salon, I feel like I am carrying a small piece of her legacy with me,” she said.

For Sahadeo, success is not simply about owning a business. It is about carrying on her mother’s legacy and turning it into something meaningful, something for which she will always be grateful. If her work reaches beyond Guyana’s shores, Alhamdulillah. And if God has something even greater planned for her life, she is ready to welcome it.

For now, Sahadeo remains grateful for her journey and focused on serving the women in her community. She intends to keep learning, improving and growing XOXO Salon & Spa into something she can proudly call her own.

For information or to book an appointment, follow XOXO Salon & Spa on Instagram or call (592) 723-6748.