A self-employed make-up artist from Tranent has been recognised with a national award at the Scottish Make Up Awards for the second time.

Mirren Mckinlay, 20, runs her own business in Tranent having been doing make up since she was 15.

Mirren, a former Ross High pupil, lives at home with her mum in Tranent and began doing some work at a beauty shop when she was just 15.

After building up a strong client base, she decided to form her own business, Mirren Mckinlay MUA, from her home in 2019.

She told the Courier: “I have been working in make up since I was 15 when I did some work at a salon up the road.

“I built up a few clients and then I thought I could try doing my own business from home.

“I’m amazed at how quickly it has grown. I’m running this as my full-time job and I really love doing it.

“I’m kept busy with clients all day usually which is great because I love doing make up.”

East Lothian Courier:

Mirren’s efforts were recognised first in 2020 by the Scottish Make Up Awards in the Freelance Make Up Artist of the Year South East category which she won.

She has now been awarded the same prize for the second time at the 2023 awards at a ceremony at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Glasgow on Sunday.

Reflecting on the award, Mirren said: “It felt amazing to win it for the second time.

“I hadn’t expected to win at all so it was such a shock.

“It was great because when I won in 2020 there was no ceremony because of Covid so that was sad.

“So it was nice to get to go to the ceremony this year. It was a great experience and I loved being a part of it.”

Mirren said that being active on social media has helped grow her client base in the few years she has been in business.

She said: “I’ve done a lot of work to try and promote the business online. I use Instagram a lot to show some of the work I do and that gets a lot of attention which is good.

“I think being so active on social media is important.”

Mirren said that while she is happy with her client base at the moment, she would like to own her own shop one day.

She said: “I think things are going really well at the moment. My mum is really supportive of me and I’m happy with how work is.

“But I do hope to grow the business one day. I’d love to own my own shop one day in the future.”

A Spokesperson for The Scottish Make-Up Awards said: “Scotland’s make-up industry is truly exceptional, and it’s an honour to recognise and celebrate the talent and dedication of the professionals who make it so remarkable.

“The Scottish Make Up Awards 2023 winners are a testament to the creativity, innovation, and passion that make Scotland one of the leaders in the global beauty industry.

East Lothian Courier:

“We are proud to recognise the outstanding achievements of this year’s winners and to support the growth and development the country’s thriving makeup industry.

“Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists of The Scottish Make Up Awards 2023.”

Anyone looking to book an appointment with Mirren should contact her on Facebook or Instagram at Mirren Mckinlay MUA.