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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Nadia Breen

Roberta Mechan recognised for outstanding contributions at NI Beauty Excellence Awards 2023

The founder of Northern Ireland’s first and longest established International Beauty College has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to the beauty industry.

Roberta Mechan, owner of Roberta Mechan College of Beauty, picked up the accolade alongside 27 of NI’s top hair, beauty and aesthetic businesses at the Northern Ireland Beauty Excellence Awards 2023.

Proudly sponsored by West Coast Cooler and judged by an independent panel of experts, the awards, which, due to the popular demand of previous years, introduced six new categories this year and saw a record number of entries from a host of homegrown salons, clinics, spas, specialists and products across Northern Ireland.

Read more: Dr Martina Collins opens up on offering 'non-surgical face lift' in NI

Unfortunately Roberta Mechan, who founded her world leading beauty college over 40 years ago, was unable to attend the awards on the night and the award was accepted on her behalf by her daughter-in-law Arlene Mechan.

Arlene said: “On behalf of Roberta, I’d like to say thank you so much. I know that Roberta is honoured and privileged to be a part of this industry alongside so many hard-working and talented industry professionals and I am honoured to accept this award on her behalf tonight.

"It is incredible to see how the beauty industry has evolved in Northern Ireland over the years. When Roberta started her business in the ‘70s I am sure she never could have imagined what a wonderful career she’d have, and how many therapists and salons would be trained under her name.

“Roberta has always been so passionate about helping those in the beauty industry to develop and grow as industry professionals and she would like me to say thank you to every person who has attended the college and clinic as without them, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

NI Beauty Excellence Awards 2023 Award winners (Press Eye)

Lisburn Road based salon, Radiance Day Spa stole the night, picking up a whopping three awards for Beauty Salon of the Year, Beauty Business of the Year and highly commended for Skincare Salon / Clinic of the Year. Some of this year’s new categories included Salon / Clinic Team of the Year which was won by JAX Hair and Beauty and Salon / Clinic Interior which was scooped up by Eclectic in Bangor as well as the award with the most entries, Mobile / Home Business of the Year, won by Sarah Callan Facialist in Portadown.

Dr Bonny in Stranmillis returned to the awards this year and picked up the Aesthetics Clinic of the Year and Larne Dental Care won the Cosmetic Dental practice of the Year category.

The newly introduced category, the West Coast Cooler People’s Choice Award, was chosen by a public vote to celebrate those working in the industry who have gone above and beyond for their clients and was won by Jay Miller from Jay’s Barber Club in Belfast who also won the award for Barber/ Make Grooming Salon of the Year.

Jay Millar from Jays Barber Club, winner of the trophy for Barbers / Male Grooming Establishment of the Year and the Trophy for West Coast Cooler People’s Choice Award (Press Eye)

Other winning businesses on the night included Spa Sanctuary, Aspire School of Beauty, Blush Newtownards, Scissor Sisters Banbridge, Olivia Muldoon Hair and Makeup Ltd, Chloe Henning Professional MUA, Aesthetics By Jane, 4Beauty Group- SKINICIAN, Brows & Co., The Laser Clinic NI, Kim Annesley Hair, Berkeley Aesthetics, Hair Loss Rehab, Hair & Co, Hair by Ciaran, La Bella Vita, Broad Lane Beauty, Katie Smith Aesthetics and Rouge Skincare and Beauty.

Tasked with the job of whittling down the hundreds of award entries to finalists and judging the awards to find the winners were make-up and skincare specialist Katrina Doran, Medical Director at Woodford Medical Dr Mervyn Patterson and owner of Pearl Beauty, Elanna McGowan.

New to the panel this year were nail expert and Renew Beauty, BioSculpture and Elim Educator, Ingrid Graham, Dr Martina Collins, Principal Dentist and owner of Martina Dental & Skin Clinic and last year’s winner of Overall Contribution to the Industry, founder and former CEO of Vita Liberata, Alyson Hogg MBE.

Speaking of the awards, event organiser and owner of Weir Events, Sarah Weir said: “It has been a privilege to bring back these wonderful awards again which just keep getting bigger and better. They are an opportunity to recognise and showcase the diverse range of talent and innovation of the ever-growing beauty industry in Northern Ireland. I can’t wait for next year’s awards already.

“We received a record number of entries which is a demonstration of the booming beauty industry in Northern Ireland as well as the passion and determination of so many of our industry professionals. Congratulations to all of our winners, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you all.”

The awards, which were once again hosted by TV royalty, Pamela Ballantine, took place on Saturday 13th May 2023 at the Crowne Plaza, Belfast.

The 2023 Awards, organised by Weir Events, were proudly supported by title sponsor, West Coast Cooler ; media partners, Daily Mirror and Belfast Live ; Official Car Partner, Charles Hurst Landrover, with event partners: BTL Aesthetics - Creator of. EMSCULPT NEO & EMFACE and innovating aesthetic solutions for over 30 years; Davines - Italian hair care brand, whose ethos is to ‘Do our best for the world, creating the good life for all through beauty, ethics and sustainability'; Pearl Beauty - a vegan and cruelty-free cosmetic beauty brand; Med FX , supplier for all aesthetics and skin rejuvenation product needs; BF Mulholland - a full service dental products supplier; Shop Beautiful - a supplier of premium, professional grade beauty brands; DermaFrac UK- medical facial experts; and Design NI - a website and design agency.

Beauty Excellence Awards 2023 Category winners:

Aesthetics Clinic of the Year

Winner - Dr Bonny Clinic

Dr Bonny Armstrong and team from Dr Bonny Clinic with the trophy for Aesthetics Clinic to Watch (Press Eye)

Highly Commended - Verve Medical Aesthetics

Aesthetics Clinic to Watch

Winner - Katie Smith Aesthetics

Highly Commended - Alora Rejuvenation

Skincare Salon / Clinic of the Year

Winner - Rouge Skincare and Beauty

Highly Commended - Radiance Beauty and Day Spa

Barbers / Male Grooming Salon of the Year

Winner - Jays Barber Club

Beauty Salon of the Year

Winner - Radiance Beauty & Day Spa

Beauty Salon to Watch

Winner - Broad Lane Beauty

Day Spa / Boutique Spa of the Year

Winner - Spa Sanctuary

Cosmetic Dental Practice of the Year

Winner - Larne Dental Centre

Hair, Beauty or Aesthetics Educator / Training Provider of the Year

Winner - Aspire School of Beauty

Hair and Beauty Retailer or Supplier of the Year

Winner - 4Beauty Group- SKINICIAN

Hair Salon of the Year

Winner - Hair by Ciaran

Highly Commended - Golden by Danielle McAlonan

Hair Salon to Watch

Winner - Hair & Co

Hair Loss Specialist of the Year

Winner - Hair Loss Rehab

Hair Extension Specialist of the Year

Winner - La Bella Vita

Highly Commended - Morgan Barr Hair

Brow / Lash Specialist of the Year

Winner - Brows & Co

Highly Commended - The Brow Babe

Makeup Studio / Artist of the Year

Winner - Olivia Muldoon Hair & Makeup

Creative Makeup Artist of the Year

Winner - Chloe Henning Professional MUA

Nail Salon of the Year

Winner - Scissor Sister Banbridge

Highly Commended - Blush Newtownards

Salon or Clinic Interior Design

Winner - Eclectic

Semi or Permanent Makeup Specialist of the Year

Winner - Aesthetics By Jane

Highly Commended - Beauty Ink By R.D

Specialist Salon or Clinic of the Year

Winner - The Laser Clinic NI

Mobile / Home-Based Business of the Year - Hair

Winner - Kim Annesley Hair

Mobile / Home-Based Business of the Year - Beauty

Winner - Sarah Callan Facialist

Mobile / Home-Based Business of the Year - Specialist

Winner - Berkeley Aesthetics

Team of the Year

Winner - JAX Hair and Beauty

Highly Commended - Beyond Skin Clinic

Beauty Business of the Year

Winner - Radiance Beauty and Day Spa

Christine Mackin and team from Radiance Beauty and Day Spa, winner of Team of the Year, Beauty Business of the Year and Highly Commended for Skincare Salon / Clinic of the Year for NI Beauty Excellence Awards with Ashlee Coburn, fashion and lifestyle influencer and content creator, Oh So Femme (Press Eye)

Outstanding Contribution to the Industry

Winner - Roberta Mechan

West Coast Cooler - People's Choice Award

Winner - Jay Miller - Jays Barber Club

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