THE feel-good factor plays a big part in mum and daughter Tracy Potter and Eve Jordan’s business, The Hair Fairy.

Ms Potter, 47, can empathise with her customers, many of whom are seeking wigs or hairpieces due to medical conditions or treatment for cancer.

The Gateacre Brow business is all about boosting self-esteem, although this also extends to a makeover for a girls’ night out, or even men who feel more comfortable in a woman’s wig.

“Also, we have people who want to change their image, like girls who want to change from a blonde to a brunette, or people who just aren’t happy with the hair they have,” said Ms Potter.

“We do a lot of hairpieces, like buns or pony tails. Big hair is the fashion at the moment.”

Ms Jordan, 25, added: “We have girls who have eight rows of extensions. It does look fabulous.”

And she revealed that they recently washed, cleaned and re-curled Father Christmas’s beard: “There were more than 200 pin curls in it – it was an experience.”

But the inspiration behind The Hair Fairy was Mrs Potter’s alopecia condition, which began when she was 11 years of age.

She said: “Wigs weren’t that good then, they were very synthetic and there was a lack of styles or choice.”

Her alopecia was confined to patches, so she opted for hair extensions which she learned to weft into her hair.

However, the service she received left a lot to be desired.

Ms Jordan said: “I used to go with mum to these shops and I would not want to be in these places. I said, ‘do we really have to be here?’ It wasn’t a nice experience.”

So they decided they would try to turn a daunting experience into a nice one, offering service with a tea or a coffee and a chat.

Ms Potter had been a clerk, then an office manager, with Royal Liver since she was 16, but had been making hair extensions in the evenings and at weekends for 15 years and supplying customers throughout the UK.

In 2002, she left Royal Liver and worked with her daughter from home on the venture which had become a business in its own right.

She said the lack of outlets for people in need of wigs or hairpieces led to them opening their shop last September: “A busy high street might not be the best place because people could be conscious of going into a wig shop, but we saw this building and fell in love with it. It is a really pleasant area.”

She said the attitude of big banks proved a hurdle: “They were saying ‘no’. On the news, they say they are willing to lend to small businesses, but it was a real struggle.”

Eventually, Merseyside Special Investment Fund came to their rescue and ensured they could open for business.

Most of their clients want wigs, rather than extensions or hairpieces, and they offer a specialist service from Steph Munn, who studied under stylist Trevor Sorbie, to cut wigs.

Ms Potter explained: “You can’t cut a wig the same way as normal hair because they will have 40% more hair in them.

“Steph is a professional hairdresser who is up to date with all the current styles and cuts.”

She said the aim is to provide a quality service to make a person’s life better: “We want to make a difference to people’s lives who have lost their hair or are going through treatment for cancer.” Ms Jordan believes that their sympathetic approach is in marked contrast to many outlets where she believes the emphasis is “all about the hard sell”.

She added: “In a lot of places, it’s just a job.

“But we want people to leave us feeling good and happy with what they have got and what they have bought, and the service.”

The Hair Fairy, in conjunction with Clatterbridge, Broadgreen and Royal Liverpool hospitals and the Linda McCartney Centre, accepts NHS vouchers towards the cost of wigs and has also recently started a Tuesday event for women who are undergoing treatments on how to look good.

Ms Potter said: “A lot of drugs can affect their skin, so we deal with skin care and things like eyebrows, if people lose them.

“It is also a social support group. It is a nice atmosphere and out of the hospital environment.”

The business also offers evening appointments to fit in with clients’ treatments. Ms Jordan said hospital appointments and treatment can make planning a day very difficult: “People sometimes can’t give a definite time, but we can sort them if they can’t get here until, say, 7pm at night.”

And The Hair Fairy’s reputation has already travelled far and wide, explained Ms Potter: “A young girl from Derby lost her hair and had some bad experiences with some shops, but she came to us and now she recommends all her friends to come here and travel to us.

“And, if someone is travelling from a distance, Eve can pick them up from the train station and bring them here. We also do home visits.”

Ms Jordan said: “Each month is getting better. People come back and with an appointment we can give them an hour, or give them a lot of time.”

Ms Potter added: “We are still striving to be better at what we do and get out there more.

“We hope to do more support groups, and we are also developing our basement for the hairdressing side.”

This will include a private area offering a toupee service for men, she revealed: “People want privacy.”