‘I can’t explain how it would feel to win’: Northampton lash artist shortlisted for award from thousands of entries

An independent Northampton lash artist has been shortlisted for an award from thousands of entries.

Anda Livia Partene, 31, only started offering treatments two years ago and has made it to the final in the ‘lash stylist of the year’ category at the 2023 UK Hair and Beauty Awards.

Anda, who is proud to be representing the town, said: “I can’t explain how it would feel to win – I can’t imagine it. I’m so pleased to have reached this point in two years and it proves that hard work pays off.

“A lot of hard work has gone into this. I’m always looking online for tips on how to be the best I can, and I take my time with clients.”

The lash artist says if she has to spend three hours on a client to ensure she has done a proper job, she will.

Anda balances doing lashes alongside caring for her four-year-old son. Her husband works Monday to Thursday and she welcomes one client when he finishes work at 6pm each evening. On the weekends when he is not working, he looks after their son and Anda does the lashes of two clients each day.

The lash artist’s journey began around two and a half years ago when she was intrigued to know how lashes were applied, and her sister-in-law encouraged her to do a course in classic extensions. She did this, as well as doing a volume lash course.

Ahead of starting her business, Anda practised on her sister for four to six months, which she described as the “best help”.

Anda has made a shortlist of 50 lash artists up and down the country, and will learn her fate at the awards ceremony in April 2023.

This will not be the first time Anda has been up for an award as she was named ‘best newcomer’ at the 2021 Lash Awards, and placed 14th in this year’s UK Hair and Beauty Awards in the same category she is a finalist in next year.

The lash artist had to submit a number of forms, certificates, pictures and videos of her work to make it this far, and now eagerly awaits the results.