Bexhill permanent makeup artist comes top in UK award

India Gabrielle received the accolade from the UK Permanent Makeup Conference (PMU) and Awards.

The conference and awards ceremony, which is usually held every year at Heathrow where candidates fly in from all over the world to meet, demonstrate their techniques, educate and recognise the best talents within the permanent makeup industry, had to be held live over Zoom this year due to lockdown.

Permanent makeup is a cosmetic procedure to create long lasting eyebrows, eye liner or lip definition and colour, eliminating the need to draw them on every day.

India, whose clinic is in Bexhill, was recognised for her work which saw her make it not only as the UK’s Best Permanent Eyeliner Artist of the Year but also as a finalist for the UK’s Best Permanent Lips Artist of the Year category.

She said: “It couldn’t have come at a better time. The competition nowadays is really fierce so this news has really boosted me. I am so passionate about my work, obsessive actually. I love making my clients even more beautiful than they already are.”

India, who holds the highest qualification there is within the permanent makeup industry, spent the beginning of her career commuting between clinics and salons over the south east before building her business working from a clinical treatment room at home over the past five years, while training with the world’s best masters to perfect her art.

India’s clients travel to her from all over the UK, as well as flying in from overseas.

The beauty industry has been hit hard this year due to the ongoing pandemic.

India was just about to sign a contract on a new facility where she had plans to create a clinic and training academy when lockdown happened and unfortunately had to pull out before then spending almost five months not being able to work due to the first lockdown.

She said: “It has been a rollercoaster of a year. I missed my work and my clients so much. It wasn’t a good time for me. I know lots of people enjoyed being off work but I felt lost without a cause.”

Since getting back to work, India decided to move ahead with her expansion plans to open a clinic and training academy.

But within days of signing contracts, the Government announced the second lockdown.

However, India said she is feeling optimistic about what the future may hold.

She said: “This time around, I am determined to turn this situation into something positive. It might seem like a crazy time to be expanding in the middle of a pandemic and a second lockdown, but I aim to use whatever time I have to improve my systems, get more organised and use it as an opportunity.

“Permanent makeup is becoming increasingly popular as women are realising they can look their best all day long with brows that always look perfectly groomed, smudge free eyes and beautifully defined and tinted lips – enhancing their natural beauty and significantly saving time.”

India is planning to open her clinic and training academy in spring 2021 and is looking forward to welcoming back existing clients, and new, as soon as possible.

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.