Preston beautician Imogen Southwood ranked among the top 100 beauty influencers in the UK receives Enterprise Vision Award nomination

Imogen Southwood,who owns 5 star rated The iLashed Academy in Ashton on-Ribble has been selected from almost 1,500 nominations and entries as a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur category. The event, now in its 12th year, showcases and celebrates women in business in a wide variety of industries from social enterprise and small artisan businesses to ground-breaking innovators and global brands, and is sponsored by UCLan and Natwest Bank.

At just 23 years of age Imogen is a master lash artist, trainer and a mentor for other young women looking to get into the beauty industry; alongside this she also has her own global brand of lash products and award winning beauty salon. She also ranked 28th on the National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF) as one of the top 100 Influencers throughout the UK for 2022. No stranger to being rewarded for her hard work and talent, Imogen, who has cultured a following of over 70k on social media also made the finals for 'Best New Salon' in 2021.

She said: “I am delighted and incredibly honoured to be chosen as a finalist in such a prestigious award, especially when these awards are dedicated to women, women play such an active role in the community and we are important contributors to the economy so its great to be recognised."

Asked what her favourite part of the job is, Imogen, who attended Our Lady's Catholic High School in Fulwood, added: "It would have to be enhancing a person's natural beauty and seeing the smile on their face when the lashes they have chosen are set, clients who have turned into life long friends and also watching the women she has trained go on to run their own successful businesses. Although the vast majority of my clients are women, men are starting to have the lash lift appointments as well which I welcome."

Imogen and her team are keeping their fingers crossed for Friday, September 29, when the winners of the awards will be announced at a glamourous event held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Another worthy recipient is

Claire Robinson, proprietor of Chic Happens – an online and in-store clothing boutique and homeware business located on Market Street, Chorley. The former solicitor founded the store to offer an alternative way of shopping through the creation of videos showing the clothing on real people and providing style tips.

For more information and to book tickets click HERE.