Let’s dive in with our chat about Ellie’s career as a tooth gem tech, and what it’s like owning a small, up and coming beauty business in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Check out the creative work from the Doll Parts girls over on their Instagram @dollpartsmcr and Ellie’s lavish tooth gem sets @bucktoothgems.
Tell Us About Yourself:
I’m Ellie, 28 and the owner and director of Doll Parts. Tooth gem technician and owner of Bucktooth Gems, which we operate within the salon as well!
Unleash the Insight: Transition Into Tooth Gem From Beauty
At the start, I was working with these amazing, creative nail techs! When doing so, I discovered that I didn’t get the same sense of pride out of my work as they were! The eagerness to do cool, creative bits! So, I wanted to do something that I could take a picture of and be like, “Sick! I did that!”.
Nobody was doing tooth gems in Manchester, I thought it would be a really on-brand service that our clients would like!
How Does Being A Tooth Gem Tech, Differ From Being A Beauty Tech or a Makeup Artist?
In terms of appointments, the main difference is that it’s a very one-sided conversation. You don’t have the same back-and-forth with clients cause obviously they can’t talk back to me…
Dentistry is just like being a nail tech but in the mouth, which I will stand by forever! It’s really accurate. Tooth Gem Technicians also have similarities to being a piercer, a lot of the sets I do can be fairly quick. Sitting somewhere between beauty and body modification.
Are There Any Other Tooth Gem Techs That Inspire You?
In terms of her industry domination, Lana from Crystal Canine (@crystalcanine) inspires me a lot as a business person. She did an incredibly big set on FKA Twigs. More outrageous, scattered sets like that would be cool.
In terms of their style, there is a studio called Arts (@arttttttsss) which I think is in Russia. It’s a tattoo, piercing and tooth gem studio. The other one is London based and is called Anya (@anyamaneechai). The work she puts out is really interesting, a combination of pop-ups and working in Dubai. Her work is brilliant, and so is she at what she does.
Do You Know What Your Move Lavish Gem Set Is To Date?
Lavish set to date is the one I did on a Fuggler (a funny ugly plush monster for context)! We worked out that the recommended retail price for that would be about £800.
Just so you know, there is a Fuggler in the salon that is rocking probably the most expensive tooth gem set in Manchester, which I am thrilled about!
What Has Been Your Worst Experience On A Job?
About 10 years ago, I was doing hair modelling but also doing makeup a lot.
In the Royal Albert Hall modelling for the Alternative Hair Show. At that time, I was like 5ft9 and about 8 stone in weight. Still, I was the biggest and the shortest by quite a way! Standing in the queue to practice the runway with these beautiful, tall models. I felt so short next to them…which is insane isn’t it?
There I am, with these people, who seem to be coaches for modelling. Telling you right now, they could smell my fear! I get to the front of the queue and this woman looks at me, dead in the face. She has never spoken to me before, “Let’s not swing our arms like we’re popping off to Tesco.” I hadn’t even started! I hadn’t even tried! She could just tell I was going to be rubbish at it. From there, I moved into doing more makeup, which is where everyone thought I belonged anyway!
What Has Been Your Favourite Pop Up Event?
My favourite events to do are always the ones at Cow Vintage (@wearecow). You have such a sick time there, and it’s handy cause I can just run across the road with my stuff. It’s nice to meet other local creatives and also strengthen my relationships for both the salon and the tooth gems with local brands.
The most challenging pop-up I did, even though I really really enjoyed the event and have attended again since, was the Culture (@culturemcr) pop-up. Just because you’re providing a service that requires a lot of precision, in a dark room where people are getting progressively more under the influence… It’s challenging, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
What Would Be Your Dream Project?
I am a huge nu-metal fan! From Korn to Slipknot…if I could pick my dream client or situation it would be one of those band members, on a crazy shoot with someone like Rankin. Doing close-up tooth gem shots, fun and silly but with metal influence. Get me on that Kerrang stuff!
What Inspires Your Own Personal Fashion/Beauty Style?
My oldest friend who lives in Glasgow, they always say that they dress nu-metal with walking-dad influences – I dress walking-dad with nu-metal influences.
I really like this whole super simple, Ancoats clean girl look and I think combining that with gender-neutrality. Mix in some gorp-core walking fashion and some heavy metal stuff is where I’m at.
What Would The Next Step For Bucktooth Gems Be?
It’s difficult to think about Bucktooth Gems in that way. I have recently taken over full ownership of Doll Parts. Juggling keeping the tooth gems ticking over, but also trying to grow this business.
Bucktooth Gems products maybe, as Doll Parts grows and it is becoming established in the Northern Quarter. I am enjoying the creativity of seeing clients, working with influencers, having a good time and doing the pop-ups. As long as I’m still dominating the market in the way that I am, I’m happy with that.
Doll Parts Has Made A Name For Itself In Central Manchester. Have You Created A Community Through That?
A lot of people ask me quite often whether or not I think I’ve created a community, and I think I’ve planted a seed of a safe space. One in which a community can grow. I take a hell of a lot of pride in who I’ve chosen to work here, but beyond that it’s very much a team effort. Not only the staff, but also the clients!
Where Would You Like To See Doll Parts Heading In The Future?
I am so proud of the beauty studio we have, endlessly proud of it, but I never saw Doll Parts as only just being a successful salon. This is Phase One, you need something from which to launch a brand. I do see this as the tiny flagship and see it becoming like world domination really! My masterplan is not created yet of what that looks like, but I intend to do something that contributes to our growth and everyone that belongs here!
Any Advice For Small Business Owners?
Nobody is trying to gloss over the fact that this is a difficult time to own a small business. What is happening, I believe, is people are focusing so hard on the fact that this is a difficult time to own a small business, that they’re not having fun! The minute you stop having fun, just get out…it’s over! There’s no point, dude.
My advice would be, you have to make enough money to pay the bills, the staff, the taxes…you have to get on with that and do it, that’s unfortunately the world we are in. Get it done, but then make sure you never stop doing the fun stuff! That other stuff f*cking sucks, but write that off as it’s happening and then focus your energy on getting excited about what else you can do!
