![The Beauty Room at Oberon Pharmacy is run by the experienced Hayley Byrom. Picture by Oberon Pharmacy The Beauty Room at Oberon Pharmacy is run by the experienced Hayley Byrom. Picture by Oberon Pharmacy](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/206252786/6486df7b-c900-4fac-9d34-31baf748ecc3.jpg/r0_46_900_554_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Beauty Room is the latest venture to open at Oberon Pharmacy in a growing list of specialist services on offer to the local community.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
With pharmacies in regional areas looking to increase what they can offer customers, the beauty treatment room at is a welcome addition. Oberon Pharmacy already offers a podiatrist service on Wednesdays.
On a Thursday, customers can now book in for brow and lash treatments, waxing and facial treatments.
Pharmacist and owner Jennifer Precians said the addition of the Beauty Room, run by Hayley Byrom, is a natural fit for the business.
"It's also being in a small town - actually all of Oberon residents had to drive all the way to Bathurst to go to a podiatrist and elderly people and traveling (is difficult)," Ms Precians said.
"We are always on the lookout for different things we can offer or bring to the town that aren't on offer already.
"For something like a beauty room, because we have our consulting rooms already here, we're just utilising them on different days."
![Customers can book in for brow and lash treatments, waxing and facial treatments at The Beauty Room. Picture Oberon Pharmacy Customers can book in for brow and lash treatments, waxing and facial treatments at The Beauty Room. Picture Oberon Pharmacy](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/206252786/76ef6140-9b6c-4720-bec4-02405fbf0b3b.jpg/r0_192_600_842_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ms Byrom has more than 12 years experience in the beauty industry including a diploma in Beauty Services.
After joining the pharmacy in 2021 as a retail assistant, the pharmacists asked Ms Byrom recently if she would like to open The Beauty Room.
Thursday, January 25, was the opening day and Ms Byrom said she plans to offer more services soon.
"Dermal therapies is my forte - I do really like to offer facials and skin care," she said. "In the next month or so I'll be introducing the facials and looking at the more intense skin treatments.
"I found when I was working in retail at the front (of the pharmacy) that a lot of people were coming in for skincare and were after some help with their skin.
"We can incorporate the two as well. When they come in wanting some skincare and we can also offer that (treatment)."
Pharmacies look to innovate
When the federal government's 60-day prescription dispensing policy took effect in August 2023, rural and regional pharmacies feared a drastic cut in revenue.
The CommBank Pharmacy Insights report from 2023 said almost 80 per cent of pharmacies would begin charging for previously free services to offset the impact of the 60-day dispensing.
![Oberon Pharmacy part owner and pharmicist Jennifer Precians. Picture by Oberon Pharmacy Oberon Pharmacy part owner and pharmicist Jennifer Precians. Picture by Oberon Pharmacy](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/206252786/52e167d3-e5a0-4e21-b03d-556fe69733d1.jpg/r0_2_370_224_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ms Precians said the pharmacy has been hit by the changes and was exploring ways to maintain staffing levels.
"We're trying to come up with different ways to keep our staff employed and expand our offering without relying on that government money coming in," she said.
"We do a lot of free services like free deliveries and we do free blood sugars and free blood pressures and whatnot.
"Some pharmacies did start charging but we thought no we'll wait and see what happens and charge if we have to. At this stage we haven't had to and hopefully we won't."
The Beauty Room has an opening special during February - book any facial waxing and receive a free jelly mask application and relaxing hand and arm massage.