CEO and founder of Cosmetic Couture, Maxine McCarthy has hit headlines this week with the inspiring story of how she became a self-made millionaire by building her aesthetics empire. Nationwide publications such as The Mirror, The Daily Mail, The Scottish Sun, Wales Online, The Nottingham Post and the Derby Telegraph all featured articles about Maxine on 4th March 2023.
The articles explain how Maxine built one of the UK’s largest cosmetics training providers in the UK, Cosmetic Couture, which has also expanded into Cyprus under the name Marine Aesthetics.
It is a true tale of success following Maxine as she left school in Salford at 16. The articles delve into her time as a member of a girl band playing all across the north of England and supporting chart topping acts.
She later became a professional boxer, something she attributes to her success in the beauty industry. Maxine retired undefeated from boxing in 2013 and set her sights on the world of aesthetics.
She brought her fighting spirit with her though after learning to fight for her place in a male dominated world, and that gave her the confidence and skills she needed to navigate her way to the top, becoming the Queen of Aesthetics.
Maxine’s Cosmetics Journey
Maxine began her career in cosmetics in 2009 when she saw an advert for a botox and dermal filler course aimed at non-medics working in the beauty industry. While Maxine was not a beauty therapist herself, she was able to draw on her past university experience studying anatomy and physiology and so was allowed to join the course.
After completing the course, she gained experience working in a salon and on the road, perfecting her treatments and broadening her aesthetics knowledge. In 2010 she made the decision to open Cosmetic Couture with a mission to empower other non-medics to find the same level of success as she had.
Cosmetic Couture has taught thousands of students, helping them to create their own successful aesthetics careers. With a current database of over 56,000 students, the award winning company shows no signs of slowing down yet.
Courting Controversy
It hasn’t always been easy for Maxine and she’s had to fight her corner more than once, even against celebrity names like Piers Morgan on ‘This Morning’ and Jeremy Kyle on the Kyle Files.
When Maxine led the first ever non-medical cadaver dissection at Newcastle University she attracted outrage from medically trained professionals and online abuse from trolls. However, she’s always come out on top and will continue fighting for the rights of practitioners from a non-medical background like herself.
Since then Cosmetic Couture has gone from strength to strength winning awards and cementing its reputation as one of the best aesthetics training providers for both medics and non-medics alike.
Maxine’s Recent Awards
Maxine is no stranger to winning awards, both for herself and for Cosmetic Couture. Here are just some of the awards and nominations we’re listed for in the last couple of years.
- International Aesthetic Awards. First in 2020 when we were voted the UK’s No 1 aesthetics training academy as voted for by the British Aesthetic Awards 2020. And again in 2022 when we were awarded Best Training Academy in the UK as voted for by the International Aesthetics Awards 2022.
- Educator of the Year as awarded by the Professional Beauty Awards
- Hair & Beauty Awards. Maxine is a 2023 finalist for the Best Aesthetic Practitioner and Cosmetic Couture is a finalist for the Best Training Academy
- Maxine is also a finalist for Entrepreneur Trailblazer for her innovative idea of creating her industry-leading Pathway to Aesthetics course for non-medics.
Maxine’s Charity Work
Maxine has always tried to give back through her various charitable endeavors. She created her own gym called Probox Fitness in Winton, Manchester in 2012 with the aim to help others get out of trouble by improving their fitness and focusing on boxing. Maxine and ProBox Fitness were featured in a BBC 2 documentary Auction Hero Episode three, raising money to support her cause.
After discovering how difficult it is for non-medics to work under attack in the aesthetics industry, Maxine created the Association of Cosmetic Practitioners Britain. The ACPB is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting non-medics working in aesthetics as well as raising standards across the industry.
Maxine has also paved the way for non-medics to gain insurer approval through her series of insurer approved aesthetics courses such as the hyaluronidase course.
Maxine in the spotlight
Due to Maxine’s fascinating past and ongoing success, she is frequently invited to popular podcasts and series.
She recently appeared on Emily Abraham’s Love Luxury Podcast talking about her life as a former boxer and marveling aesthetician.
Maxine also featured on the Faces podcast, talking everything Cosmetic Couture and all about the ACPB.
So, with her experience and flair for business, it’s easy to see why our CEO Maxine McCarthy has been in the limelight recently. Stay tuned to hear more from her as she continues to fight for the place of non-medics in the aesthetic industry.
