A SMALL beauty company is beginning to drum up more business just a few months after moving to its first standalone premises.

Cyan Beauty revamped and fitted out an empty shop unit on Jeffrey Street in Edinburgh, thanks to £15,000 of funding from Royal Bank of Scotland.

Rachel Sylvester, owner of Cyan, had previously operated from a room within a hairdressing salon in the Dalry area of the capital.

The company offers cosmetic services such as nail decoration, massage and teeth whitening as well as nipple tattooing for women who have undergone mastectomies and eyebrow tattooing for those with alopecia.

Ms Sylvester says having her own brand above the door and being in an area with higher footfall has resulted in customer numbers growing since opening in August. She said: "Pretty much all of the [old customers] have come with me. It is a much better location than the last one so everyone was pretty pleased. I'm getting a lot more business than I did in the old place and Jeffrey Street is a good street with lots of boutiques and specialist shops."

The business now employs four other technicians and Ms Sylvester is still looking to add to her staff. The 34-year-old, is also hoping to target the corporate market in the capital and is working in partnership with other small businesses. She said: "I've approached Scottish Widows and there is quite a large [Edinburgh] Council building nearby as well.

"The other things we are doing is working on a promotion with hairdressers and bars where people can get their hair done, their nails done and then go for a couple of drinks."

Ms Sylvester got her small business loan at a discounted rate and with no arrangement fee because of RBS's participation in the Funding for Lending Scheme.