A beautician who lives in Preston has won a category at the National Hair and Beauty Awards.
Reena Parekh, 44, who owns M:ask Beauty on Lytham Road in Fulwood, won ‘Semi-Permanant Makeup Specialist of the Year’ for the North West.
She said: “I was so overwhelmed and shocked. The last two years I have been in the final, this year I didn’t expect my name to be called out.”
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This year’s event winners were announced at a ceremony held at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel on 7 April, a huge event with over 300 people celebrating a range of different categories.
Reena started ‘The Brow Bar’ business in 2010 as a ‘one man band’ where she was one of the first people to introduce eyebrow threading treatment to Preston.
She had a small unit at St George’s Centre, with two chairs which was ‘so successful’ – having long queues on a daily basis – that after two months she had opened her own salon. It was one of the first offering brows, beauty and lasers in St George’s.
“When I think about it now, it was such a whirlwind. I never thought I would come this far.”
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Originally from Birmingham, Reena moved to Preston and started a family. She wanted to become a nurse however, ‘life happened’.
The skill of threading came after she took an interest in threading when she attended a wedding in India at 11 years old.
She said: “I was there for six weeks and every day I would just watch the threading.
“The lady started teaching me and gave me my own kit to take back to England – she said ‘maybe one day you will open your own salon’ and I have.
“I have always wanted to do something of my own and make something of myself. My husband has been so supportive.”
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In the face of lockdown restrictions, Reena’s salon, like many others, faced many challenges although her ‘loyal base’ of customers became a ‘beacon of hope during uncertain times’.
Reena got the business back on its feet and thanks her husband and customers for their support.
M:ask Beauty has since expanded and opened their aesthetics, skin and laser clinic on Lytham Road – specialising in semi-permanent makeup, laser hair removal, eyebrows, lashes and beauty.
She also plans to expand the business into a makeup training and beauty school, although it is ‘just a dream’ at the moment.
Following this award Reena has now been shortlisted in the top 10 for the UK’s Nation’s Hair and Beauty Awards 2024. You can vote for her here.
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