A FAST-RISING hairdresser apprentice has been recognised for her dedication after being nominated for a prestigious award.
Rubydoll Powell, 18, who is an apprentice at Lipstick and Locks salon, in Halstead High Street, has been nominated for the apprentice of the year gong at the UK Hair and Beauty Awards.
The trainee is currently studying an NVQ hairdressing level 2 diploma and decided to enter this year’s awards after being encouraged by salon boss Abi Cutter.
Spurred on from a previous awards application last year which she did not get through to, Rubydoll who is dyslexic, spent two weeks meticulously putting her application together.
After putting “blood, sweat and tears” into it, she sent it off on Valentine's Day and three days later found out she had been shortlisted.
She said: “I was absolutely over the moon. All that hard work - I was so pleased with myself.
"I worked so hard on the application, every single day I would read over it."
The UK Hair and Beauty Awards is an annual ceremony celebrating the industry.
The red carpet event will take place at the International Convention Centre, in Centenary Square, Birmingham, on June 1.
Rubydoll left school at 16 and always knew she wanted to become a hairdresser thanks to her natural flair for it.
She said: “I love styling all sorts of hair. I love chatting to people and making them feel confident.
“If you choose something you love, you don’t feel like it’s work at all.”
Day to day, Rubydoll’s role is to look after her list of clients which she sourced herself, helping other stylists on jobs, and undergoing regular training.
When she finishes the apprenticeship she hopes to take on a level three diploma before becoming a self-employed hairdresser and salon owner.
To get this far is already a massive achievement for Rubydoll and to win would be "amazing".
She said: “It would mean everything to me.
“It is hard being an apprentice, it would bring it all together.
“I would love to show other people who are apprentices that there is a light to the end of the tunnel and if you love something you should throw yourself into the deep end and go for it."
To find out more about Rubydoll’s work, go to instagram.com/x.hairbyrubydoll.x/.
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