It’s no secret that many businesses are suffering in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic – especially ones that require proprietors to be in close contact with their clients.

Yet one creative nail technician – 40-year-old Belfast resident Tasleem Yasir – has developed an ingenious solution. Letterbox manicures.

The whole idea actually started out as a joke when Tasleem’s husband Raja thought he’d make her laugh by requesting a ‘letterbox manicure’. Once Tasleem had set up her manicure table, Raja sat patiently on the other side of the front door as his wife began buffing his nails.

All the while, their 16-year-old son Mohammed recorded the process.

Initially, Rasleem posted the clip online as an amusing way to cheer up her customers and clients, but soon after the video was online, she started being inundated with requests. And not just from her regular local customers, but from people all around the world. Which is slightly impractical, but presumably it’s still nice to have that support.

Although Tasleem, who usually works from home and who was incredibly concerned abut the viability of her business in the wake of the government lockdown, isn’t actually offering it as a real service because of health concerns, it has nevertheless eased her anxiety and raised her profile significantly.

“It was really worrying being a mother who’s self-employed,” she said. “I’m totally out of work. I was in my studio doing some clearing up and my husband was tidying the driveway. He put his hands through the letterbox and shouted ‘Excuse me miss, can you do my nails?’.

“He understands how to make me laugh. Even just clearing the driveway, he stuck his hands through and we were laughing.

“My husband is very patient to let me do his nails. He was quite impressed with the manicure. He always tries to cheer me up. In life I’ve been through quite a lot anyway, so he always tries to make me laugh. My poor husband is laughing because I’m forcing him to let me do his lashes now, too.”

The video has since been shared over 135,000 tines, and while it may not have resulted in any extra income, it’s certainly lifting spirits.

“Everyone is loving it and it’s making them laugh,” said Tasleem. “All my friends are stressed about their nails and eyelashes”