N°8 Beautique: From the basketball court to the treatment table

N°8 Beautique opened its doors at 8 High Street on Tuesday, 8 April, this year – the culmination of a career path that has taken Ilona from the basketball court, through 13 years of mobile massage work across London, to her own studio in Ipswich town centre.

"Looking back, I think life was always guiding me towards massage therapy — it just took me a few years to recognise the signs properly," she says.

An early introduction

Ilona's first experience of massage came long before any formal training. As a young child, she found herself acting as an informal therapist for a relative under significant pressure at work.

"When I was very young, my aunt worked as a director at one of the national banks, which was an incredibly stressful and demanding role," she explains. "I remember being only five years old and regularly giving her face massages because it helped her relax and release stress."

But her ambitions at that age lay elsewhere. Sport, and basketball in particular, dominated her early years.

"My childhood dream was actually to become a PE teacher specialising in basketball. Sport has always been a huge part of my life."

A sporting foundation

That sporting grounding has remained central to Ilona's professional identity. Alongside her qualifications as a massage therapist, she holds diplomas in sports coaching and performance, as well as a Level 2 qualification in personal training.

"My background in sport has strongly influenced my approach," she says. "As a former basketball player, I developed a deep understanding of physical performance and recovery."

That understanding informs the treatments she now offers, which include sports massage, deep tissue massage, lymphatic drainage and a range of more specialist options — from Japanese Kobido and Korean Korugi facial techniques to treatments designed to relieve tension associated with TMJ disorders.

From London to Ipswich

Before opening N°8 Beautique, Ilona spent 13 years building her practice in London, working primarily as a mobile massage therapist.

"For many years, I worked as a mobile massage therapist across London, treating a very wide range of clients from all backgrounds," she says. "Over the years, I also worked with a number of celebrity clients, including people connected to the entertainment and fashion industries, such as Rita Ora, Cara Delevingne's stylist, and David Beckham's stylist, among others."

The move to Ipswich, she explains, was both personal and practical. "I moved to Ipswich after meeting my partner, who is originally from here. At the same time, I was looking for a change from London life. After many years in the city, I wanted a quieter and more peaceful lifestyle, and Ipswich felt like the perfect place for a fresh start and to build my own business."

Building the studio from scratch

Setting up an independent business in Ipswich town centre has not been without its challenges. When Ilona took on the unit at 8 High Street, the space was not ready for clients.

"There were no treatment rooms when we first took over the property, so we created everything ourselves step by step," she says. "It was a lot of hard work, but also very rewarding to bring our vision to life."

It's a feeling I'm very familiar with, having undergone an extensive renovation project of our own with our newsroom on Upper Brook Street.

She works alongside an experienced beautician, broadening the range of treatments and services available under the N°8 Beautique name.

Treating modern aches

The treatments Ilona offers are often shaped by the demands of contemporary working life.

"Clients come to us with many different issues, but the most common problems are related to modern lifestyles and desk-based work — especially neck, shoulder, and back tension," she says.

The studio also caters to more specialist needs. "We also help clients recovering from cosmetic procedures, including post-operative lymphatic drainage massage following liposuction surgery."

A first visit, Ilona explains, begins with a conversation rather than a treatment. "A first visit usually begins with a consultation, where we talk about the client's needs, lifestyle, and any pain or tension they may be experiencing. From there, we tailor the treatment to suit the individual client."

The studio is open from 10:00 to 19:00, with bookings taken through its website or via WhatsApp.

Early signs

In the weeks since opening, the response from Ipswich, she says, has been encouraging.

"The response so far has been very positive and promising. We are proud to consistently receive five-star feedback from clients, and it has been wonderful to see local people supporting the business."

Her ambitions for the studio over the next year or two are framed more around atmosphere than expansion.

"Our goal is to create a warm, friendly, and welcoming environment where people can truly relax and enjoy our services both mentally and physically. We want N°8 Beautique to be a place where clients can switch off from everyday stress, take time for themselves, and leave feeling refreshed, healthier, and happier."

The bottom line

Thirteen years after taking up massage therapy in London, Ilona has chosen Ipswich as the place to put down roots — and the town's high street has gained an independent studio whose owner is, by her own admission, finally doing exactly what she was meant to do.

"I have now worked as a massage therapist for 13 years, and I genuinely love what I do," she says. "It is a career that combines helping people physically and mentally, and I cannot imagine doing anything else."

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