We're highlighting the shortlisted salons in our competition in the News & Star. Each of the establishments will be featured over ten issues.

Sophistique Beauty Specialists has been nominated by News & Star readers as one of the ten finalists in its 'Best Beauty Salon 2024' award.

The salon, located in Wigton's Hetherington House is owned by Sophie Cakans who opened her business a week before the first Covid-19 lockdown was announced in March 2020.

After being informed that Sophistique had been chosen by News & Star readers to feature in the final ten of the 'Best Beauty Salon 2024' award, Sophie was on hand to express her delight.

She said: "I am over the moon, it is a bit of a surprise but it is a nice shock.

"I have also just won two Female Boss awards, Best Beauty Therapist and Best Beauty Salon 2024. 

"It is nice to finally see the salon get the recognition that it deserves. I have built the business from scratch and going through Covid, it was not a great time to start a business.

"The business has been thriving ever since and it is now nice to see the rewards of what I have built."

Sophisique offers a wide range of services from nails and HD Brows to micro-needling and laser hair removal among others. 

It is this variety as well as the salon's attention to detail that Sophie believes makes Sophistique stand out.

She said: "I think like that I actually listen to them and understand what they want out of the service and being able to offer that.

"All the products that I bring into the business I will test six months before it goes out to the clients and that puts us apart because people know that what they are getting is good quality because we are testing it ourselves."

For Sophie, her favourite part about being in the salon business is the connections she has built with her clientele and the community she has built around Sophistique.

She said: "Your clients become more like your friends and you go through life with them as you are going through life and you get to know them on that personal level.

"I love talking and listening to people and it is the most rewarding thing about the job, it is not about the money, it is about communicating with people and making them feel good."