I’d love a pet hyena if I lived in Africa”, says Tracy Ejuetami, as I sit down for a gel nail treatment in Jagwa Beauty Salon. “Do you know they have 52 teeth? We only have 32.” This is a trip to a nail bar like no other. Tracy’s Jagwa has been a feature in the centre of Seven Dials for 27 years and Welsh-Lebanese Tracy and her British-Nigerian DJ daughter, Alero, make a fabulous make-over duo.

Entering Jagwa is a bit like a trip to Acorn Antiques meets Glow Up. It’s not just a hub of beauty secrets and treatments, it’s a trip to a West Hill cultural centre. Put simply, Tracy and Alero know everything and everyone. As my nails get denuded and dipped, I hear about local news and gossip. 

The door constantly opens and heads appear as people drop in and out, warmly greeted by the pair. Jagwa attracts people of all genders as they seem utterly non-judgemental about who wears what or wants what. 

Another permanent feature is Rupert, her snoozing Staffy/Jack Russell cross, who curls up under a chair in a cosy coat. Rupert greets all newcomers with a wagging tail and a friendly sniff. Suddenly, someone arrives and whisks Rupert off for a healthy trot round the block. “Oh, Wiz is a music video director”, says Tracy. “We’ve known him for years – he always takes Rupert for his constitutitonal”.

A main characteristic of a visit to Jagwa is how mother and daughter remember names, stories and want to know genuinely how you are doing. Tracy’s led quite a life: starting in Ghana, the North of England, via Italy and Norway, she landed in Brighton and started Jagwa. (The shop’s name is derived from an ex-boyfriend calling Tracy a ‘Wild-cat Jaguar with green eyes’.)

Beginning as a make-up artist, Tracy trained further as a therapist and foot health practitioner. She whizzes round the local area four times a week goes off to treat peoples’ feet. “I see all ages: from eight years to over a hundred. My oldest was 108. I hate seeing people suffer, and foot health is so important as we get older. It’s the difference between being mobile and being miserable and shut in. I can’t bear to see it.” She says she loves seeing people improve themselves and feel better.

At Jagwa you can also get massages from Russian Tania, or facials, hairstyles, pedicures, eyebrow shapes. “I see a lot of bad fillers and botox”, says Tracy, “If people want to look younger they need to moisturize like mad.” 

Tracy believes men need to look after themselves more and our diets really affect our skin. “Keep your skin healthy (your biggest organ) and the rest of you will be well.” All the while, people are popping in for their next treatment. They sit, with Rupert snoring under the chair, and smile and chat and I feel I am in the middle of a lovely friendly social event.

She’s even been a bit of a dating guru, matching people up. “I suggested one of my lovely male clients meet my daughter and now they are married”, she says with a cheeky grin. “I hate those dating apps, I think the personal touch is so much better.” Alero says she’s glad her mother’s suggestion led to a wonderful outcome: her Brighton wedding last August. 

As my nails are smoothed and honed into green, purple or red beauties, I get the feeling that I am an honoured guest. I’m offered tea, coffee or water, and I feel like I am in a community of artistic and creative people. 

“I brought these in for you”, says Tracy, hauling out a bag full of wonderful teacups covered in black cats, “I was decluttering and remembered you’re a cat woman – would you like them?” I’m thrilled. They’re wonderfully eccentric. I love them. But the bigger part is that Tracy remembered me and brought them in. “Oh, I gave away some lovely dresses today, too”, she says, “I’m glad they’re getting some use”. 

Whenever I spend an hour with Tracy, I come away having had a wonderful far-ranging conversation alongside an excellent beauty treatment. Not only do we talk about hyenas, Tracey’s favourite animals, we often end up laughing like them, too.

Tracy’s top beauty tips:

•Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise – keep your skin healthy to keep well;

•Avoid fizzy drinks and rubbish food;

•Don’t pump fillers and botox into your skin – if you want a lift find a very good surgeon;

•Learn to like yourself and how you look – enhance what nature gave you – learn to accept and like yourself.

l Jagwa is open 6 days a week.

119 Dyke Rd, BN1 3JE

01273 276793