Ellite Beauty Bar: Sheffield woman, 26, fulfils dream of opening her own salon in Hillsborough

Laura Caine has achieved the dream of many after opening her own beauty salon on Middlewood Road, Hillsborough. Set over two floors, a team of beauticians will be offering services from nails and lashes, to microblading and Botox.

Ellite Beauty Bar, previously known as Sunkiss, has been completely ripped out and given a £15,000 refurbishment with all new furnishing and flooring.

The 26-year-old first began working at Sunkiss five years ago, and started out as an assistant making cups of tea and sweeping the floors. Over the years she was given training in different beauty services, but when she found out the owners were selling the business she told herself “just go for it”.

Laura, from Norfolk Park, said: “No-one in my family has their own business, so I'm the first one to have my own shop. It's such a big building, it just feels amazing to own something on my own.

“I didn't have much experience really to begin with, they trained me up at the salon. I started from the bottom on minimum wage for five years, and now I’m here. Being on minimum wage has been hard, but over the years I’ve just been trying to save every penny.

“I've got girls here now who have started where I did, and it's nice to show them that you can work your way up.”

Laura was officially given the keys in May, and hosted an official opening day last week following the completion of the renovation works which her fiance Ashley, and her parents Sharron and Michael Caine all helped with.

Laura said: “It's a black business as my dad’s Jamaican. I don't know of many black businesses around here. It feels good to be a part of a minority, and showing that you can do it.

“A lot of people tell you 'you can't do this', or that you need a degree in business. I think just go for things if you believe you can do it. Don’t doubt yourself.

“I would love to open like a few more in the future, but this is quite a big step for me. I've got four members of staff so I’ll just concentrate on this for now.”

To celebrate the opening, all new customers until the end of August will be given six-minutes to use on the sunbeds for free.

Ellie Beauty Bar is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm, and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays.

To book an appointment, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/ellitebeautybar