Gaza City – Amani Dweima has arrived at the beauty salon with her 16-year-old daughter, Aya.
The 39-year-old wants her eyebrows shaped, while Aya desires a full face of makeup for an upcoming wedding celebration after iftar.
“It is my niece’s wedding,” Amani explains. “We are honoring the bride with a small family gathering before she joins her groom in their tent.”
Noor’s Salon
The salon is a modest blue tent housing a single table adorned with a worn mirror, hair removal tools, moisturizers, and makeup items.
Outside the tent in al-Shujaeya east of Gaza City, hangs a white sign hand-written with the words: “Noor’s Salon” near the entrance covered by a curtain.
This is the salon of Noor al-Ghamari, a young woman who abandoned nursing school to pursue her passion for beauty care.
She established the salon about three weeks ago on a damaged pavement when she and her family returned to the north after being displaced to the south.
After welcoming Amani and Aya, she begins to prepare a small amount of sugaring paste, gently kneading it before starting her work.
“Since opening, many women have shared heartbreaking stories with me … of losing their families and loved ones. They arrive exhausted, their faces bearing the weight of their sorrow,” Noor shares.
The concept of a beauty salon amidst a war may seem unusual, but both Amani and Noor agree that taking care of oneself can provide solace to women.
“Women come to me from tents, overcrowded schools, or the ruins of their destroyed homes.
“I seek to offer them a moment of comfort, a brief escape. My primary aim is for them to depart feeling slightly lighter, a tad happier,” Noor expresses.
Amani, who had been displaced to Deir el-Balah and recently returned to the north, initially did not consider visiting a beautician during the early days of the war.
Eventually, she came across a similar salon in Deir el-Balah and began to visit as often as possible.
“Attending to myself alters my mood, particularly when I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror. I always strive to present myself well.
“The tragedies surrounding us are ceaseless. Paying a visit to a beauty salon serves as a small escape from the hardships engulfing us,” she shares.
Upon returning to the north, she was “elated” upon discovering Noor’s Salon and promptly shared the good news with her neighbors and relatives.
Beauty amidst war
Noor believes that the war has been especially harsh on women in Gaza – robbing them of their homes, security, and the ability to engage in self-care as they focused on survival.
“I encountered numerous women whose skin had been completely scorched by the sun due to residing in tents, constantly cooking over open fires, handwashing clothes, and lugging heavy water containers,” she mentions.
“In addition, they lack privacy in the overcrowded displacement camps, not to mention the fear, bombings, and all the terrors of war.”
Nevertheless, she points out that women of all ages feel that self-care is essential for them.
“I encountered numerous women who could not tolerate a single stray hair on their face or eyebrows. Some visited me weekly, while others came regularly or occasionally,” Noor remarks.
She recalls an encounter with a client, a woman in her early thirties who had experienced a great trauma when her parents and all her siblings perished in an Israeli air raid.
Coping with her loss led the woman to lose all motivation to engage in any activities.
“I felt a profound empathy for her,” Noor reflects.
“I provided her with a comprehensive treatment – threading, eyebrow shaping, a haircut, along with a complimentary face massage and mask.
“As she gazed at herself in the mirror, tears of joy welled up in her eyes.”
Holding onto aspirations
Israel’s war on Gaza commenced just as Noor was envisioning, formulating plans for her own – physical – salon.
Similar to everyone in Gaza, her life and aspirations were upended as she, her parents, and eight siblings were compelled to move south following Israeli evacuation orders.
For the initial two months, her sole focus was on survival and assisting her family, she recounts.
“However, after the initial months, once we settled in a displacement camp in the south, I heard women expressing sentiments like: ‘If only there was a hairdresser or a salon nearby so we could pamper ourselves a bit.’
“I would reply: ‘I am a beautician!’” Noor chuckles.
“The women would seize me as though they had discovered a treasure, and I would immediately commence my work.”
Some women visited her, while she visited others in their tents – adapting to their needs.
Today, her work serves as a vital source of income for her and her family during the war, although she is unable to charge her five to eight daily customers much.
“I reside here, I comprehend the reality,” she elucidates, explaining her decision to keep her prices low.
‘The war has aged us’
Amani appears agitated as Noor concludes threading her face.
She inquires about dyeing her hair, but Noor is unable to fulfill her request.
“There is no water available in this vicinity,” she clarifies. “Hair dyeing necessitates running water, and my tent is situated on the pavement, encircled by ruins – there is no water, no electricity, nothing.
“I make do with basic equipment and only provide fundamental services.”
Amani sighs, running her fingers through her graying hair concealed beneath her hijab.
“Previously, I only had a few gray hairs. However, now, they are abundant. This war has prematurely aged us,” she remarks with a wistful smile.
Turning her attention to Aya, Noor discusses the color of her dress to select complementary makeup.
“I brought my daughter along today so she could pamper herself a bit – as a means to uplift her spirits,” Amani conveys, smiling at her daughter, who has her eyes shut during eyeshadow application.
“I want her to grow up recognizing the importance of caring for oneself, irrespective of circumstances.
“Additionally, I aim to bring her some joy. The devastation we have witnessed during this war has been truly heartbreaking.”
As Noor adds the finishing touches to Aya’s makeup, she speaks longingly about her aspirations.
“Above all else, I yearn for this war to conclude so I can expand my business, transition to a proper salon, and offer an array of services.
“Nevertheless, my message to all women is this: Prioritize self-care, regardless of the circumstances. Life is fleeting.”
