Two Moray beauty businesses receive nominations for Scottish Beauty Industry Awards
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TWO Moray businesses have received nominations for the prestigious Scottish Beauty Industry Awards 2023.
Elgin-based Ultimate Hair and Beauty and Lhanbryde-based Hailey Dallas Brows will represent Moray talent at a ceremony in Glasgow this October.
Now in its fifth year, the awards celebrate the contributions of individuals, salons, spas, and beauty brands that have left a mark on the industry.
Ultimate Hair and Beauty owner, Catherine Smith, who stays in Elgin, first opened her salon in 2007.
This is Catherine’s fourth time being nominated for the award but it will be her first time getting to celebrate within her new salon premises, after she relocated in October last year.
It has been a very successful year for Catherine in her new salon at 25 High Street. Her clients have all followed her to her new salon and she is already almost entirely booked up for December.
“It’s nice to feel so appreciated by your clients," said Catherine on being nominated. “You work really hard and then to have that feedback from people… it’s just amazing.”
Catherine is supported by her long-time staff hair stylist Claire Campbell and beauty therapist Elvira Jaganjac, who have worked at Ultimate for 13 years and 16 years respectively.
To celebrate a win at the Scottish Beauty Awards would mean the world to Catherine and her team.
“I would just be over the moon”, Catherine said. “I’ve been 16 years in business and it’s just something you would dream of after being in business for that long.”
Moray’s second nominee is also feeling hopeful. Hailey Dallas Brows has worked in the beauty industry for over 20 years and has attracted regular clients from as far off as London.
Hailey specialises in microblading which involves implanting hair-like strokes of pigment into the skin, giving the appearance of fuller looking brows.
After training in Serbia under the brow master Branko Babic from PhiBrows, she became celebrated for her own unique ‘one-pass’ technique, which involved far less trauma to the skin.
It is fair to say that Hailey was surprised by her nomination…
“I thought it was a scam!” she said. “When I realised it wasn’t I was delighted and chuffed. I wasn’t expecting it so it was a bit of a shock.”
On winning, Hailey said, “I’m not one of those people that win things so to win something I’m really passionate about would be amazing. I love my work.”
Hailey was delighted that Catherine has also been nominated, as the two are friends. She also acknowledged the significance of being nominated from Moray.
“I think you sometimes get forgotten about in this neck of the woods because you’re so out of the way. People might think you’re behind the times.
“I feel very lucky and I’ve done a lot of training to keep up my skills. You need to stay ahead of the game with these treatments because they’re changing all the time.”
The winners of the Scottish Beauty Industry Awards 2023 will be announced during a ceremony at the Glasgow Marriott Hotel on October 15.
A spokesperson from the Scottish Beauty Awards said: “We were overwhelmed by the caliber of entries we received this year.
"The passion and dedication displayed by the finalists are truly inspiring and reflect the vibrant and ever-evolving beauty scene in Scotland.
“We congratulate the finalists for their remarkable achievements.”
For further information on the Scottish Beauty Awards 2023 visit www.facebook.com/TheScottishBeautyIndustryAwards
