Beauty awards launched by Blidworth app creator sees big wins for Mansfield area

The SOS Beauty Awards ceremony launched in 2023 to celebrate the success of SOS Beauty mobile app by Faye Finaro.

Faye, a model of 14 years who has worked in the education industry through sales and marketing, launched the networking app after identifying a need for online industry support – going on to win the innovation award and being commended in the best new business category at your Chad Business Excellence Awards 2022.

Faye said: “I identified that the hair and beauty industry needed a lot of support, especially with running the promotional and online side of business.

“I also thought the award ceremony was a good way for businesses to gain recognition and receive exposure.

“I contacted sponsors and it took off from there. Sponsors thought it was great to support smaller businesses, especially the self-employed sector.”

The lavish red carpet event saw 180 guests from the hair, beauty and aesthetics industry attend a ceremony at Nottingham Crowne Plaza hotel, with 25 categories up for grabs.

The judging panel included globally-renowned experts including Nottingham-based Karolina Grzelewska, a celebrity hairstylist who sits on global judging panels.

Faye thanked everyone for their support and congratulated all the winners. She said: “It is great to showcase local talent on a national stage like this.

“We are honoured to have so many local winners and we hope this encourages other local businesses to get involved in next years awards.”

Award nominations for 2024 are now open at sosbeautyawards.co.uk

Winners

Award winners included 16-year-old Melissa Platts, from Mansfield, who was named rising star for starting her own beauty business and showing extremely high standards in her practices.

Kymberley Green, a Mansfield Woodhouse-based mobile nail technician won mobile business of the year.

Hayley Varnam, who runs Kirkby-based Love Laser Clinic, was named laser therapist of the year.

Amy Elliott, owner of Dreamy Hair and Beauty, Newstead, was named hairstylist of the year, and a finalist in the salon of the year.

She said: “I was absolutely speechless. I was amazed to reach the finals let alone win, it means so much to me to have achieved this after going out of my comfort zone to enter.

“After being a mobile hairdresser for 12 years, I decided to take the risk after a pandemic to open my own salon, so from opening a salon in Newstead village in the community centre just over a year ago,

I saw the awards advertised and thought ‘I’m going to go for it’. Being a small salon with no other staff, I didn’t expect to get as far as I did.

“I was thrilled when I got the certificates through for salon of the year and hairstylist of the year finalist. To thern go on and win hairstylist of the year is amazing. Winning the award has boosted my confidence and I plan on continuing to expand my business and take on an apprentice in the near future.”