A MUM-OF-TWO who was twice made redundant has done the double at a prestigious awards ceremony.

Emma Geddes twice lost her job at the Royal Bank of Scotland and decided to go it alone.

Setting up her own business, Brow&I, she was named Lash Extensions Specialists of the Year South East and Classic Lash Technician of the Year at the Scottish Nails, Brows, Lashes Awards last month.

The awards are dedicated to those working in the beauty industry and showcase those who promote excellence and set trends.

Emma, who is based at her mum and dad’s home on Haddington’s Dunollie Gardens, travelled to the awards with friend Catriona Mitchell.

However, she admitted she was not optimistic of picking up a prize at Glasgow’s Marriott Hotel.

The former Knox Academy pupil said: “I was grateful for it.

“I’m working on my own in an industry where girls every day are doing day courses and people are popping up all around.

“It is hard and I think ‘should I go work in a salon and expand more’ but I work around my children.

“It works for me, so why change anything?”

East Lothian Courier: Emma Geddes (left), pictured with friend Catriona Mitchell, was celebrating doing the double at a prestigious ceremony in Glasgow

Emma, who is mum to five-year-old Bella and four-year-old Romeo, previously won the Lash Extensions Specialists of the Year South-East prize at the awards in 2019.

On that occasion, she went and picked up the award in her bare feet after taking off her shoes.

History repeated itself last month when she was again an award winner and again had taken her shoes off.

Emma, who described the double award win as “a confidence boost”, laughed: “I do that on nights out! I always take my shoes off!”

Each of the award winners gave a speech, with many citing the challenging times that the industry had faced at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Left in tears

Emma told the Courier that she just froze when she was on the stage and gave a short speech.

The 28-year-old admitted that she was left in tears when she found out she had lost her job.

The bombshell news came as she moved into her home in Haddington with now-husband Bradley.

She said: “Looking back now, if I had not been made redundant, I would still be stuck in Edinburgh in the bank and unhappy.

“I would not have left the job that I thought was secure but it has all worked out for me.

“I think it was the travel for the job up to Edinburgh.

“It was taking 90 minutes in the rush-hour traffic and I was stuck at a desk 9am to 5pm.”