A HOME salon has been shortlisted for the finals of an award eight months after it was established.

Absolute Beauty, a beauty home salon based in Merriott, has been shortlisted for Best Home Salon by the Hair and Beauty Awards UK.

Laura Holland, owner, spent three years in Crewkerne building a clientele within a local hairdresser and then decided to bring the business to her home address in Merriott “taking another leap of faith”.

She is now looking forward to the finals which will take place in June 2024, but “to have a business recognised and continuously supported is the trophy overall”.

Laura also said: “I restarted Absolute Beauty during a time of uncertainty and doubt during a global pandemic with nothing but hope of it working.

"Being a solo therapist I have worked every minute possible to build Absolute Beauty.

“Firstly, creating a salon within a local hairdresser in Crewkerne, where I spent three years building a clientèle, to then taking another leap of faith bringing the salon to my home address in Merriott.

“Four years on I am working my ultimate dream and have spent every moment creating a safe haven for all.

“A place of calmness in the crazy we live in. A place where mums can relax with or without their little ones, a place of safety and trust.

“I am absolutely ecstatic to be shortlisted and recognised after only eight months of being a home salon.

“My clients have been so incredibly supportive and the amount of encouragement I've received is overwhelming.

“I'm very much looking forward to the awards ceremony in June, but with or without a winning placement, making it this far is a huge honour.

“To have a business recognised and continuously supported is the trophy overall.”