BEAUTY salon staff are getting glammed up in preparation for an awards ceremony that pits them against the best in the business.

Niche Nails & Beauty, based on Witney High Street, could be crowned Boutique Salon of the Year for the South West & Wales at Sunday’s Professional Beauty Regional Awards 2018.

The nomination is the culmination of 12 months of hard work from salon staff, with Niche also shortlisted for Nail Salon of the Year at the Professional Beauty National Awards 2019 in February.

Owner Natasha Barker, from Witney, said if the salon won she would dedicate the prize to its loyal customers, who she calls the ‘Niche Family’.

She said: “We have a one-in-five chance of bringing the award home to Witney.

“I am so proud of Niche and my team on getting this far already, and we will continue to enter awards in the future whatever the outcome.

“Our customers are just as proud and excited as us.

“We are so lucky to have the most loyal and supportive clients, and they are the reason we constantly strive to offer world class service alongside the best treatments.

“Giving them an ‘award winning’ salon would be incredible.”

Mrs Barker, 33, dreamed of opening a nail and beauty salon from before she started her first beauty qualifications aged 16.

Ten years ago that dream came true after she rented space within a local hair salon, before moving to its current location in May 2015.

The team has grown to six beauty specialists and nail technicians, with Mrs Barker still working in the salon offering nail treatments.

She is also an educator for leading company Creative Nail Design (CND), offering nail classes to students looking to enter the nail industry or nail technicians looking to excel at their career.

Mrs Barker entered Niche into the Professional Beauty Awards at the start of this year and answered a series of questions regarding staff training and personal development, the salon’s philosophy and marketing initiatives.

Once Niche was shortlisted, the salon had an official visit which included a meeting and a treatment of choice for a member of the awards organising team.

Having wowed the judges, the team will travel up to Manchester for the ceremony, but Mrs Barker admitted there was one important decision to be made.

Mrs Barker said: “We can’t wait to attend the ceremony – now all we have to do is work out what to wear.”