St Andrews make up artist shortlisted for wedding award

A St Andrews woman said she was “touched” after finding out she had been shortlisted for a major award, six years after starting her business at her home.

Slap by Steph Devlin is on the shortlist to win the freelance hair and make up award at the Scottish Wedding Awards.

Steph (37), who is now based in Dundee, will find out if she has won on February 27.

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The former Madras College pupil said it was “amazing” to have been put forward for the award, adding: “I talk about it as if I’ve won it already. I never thought I would be recognised.”

Steph quit her office job six years ago and admits it has been slow growing her own business.

“It has been hard work,” she said. “I did free work to get experience. No one really tells you how to get a business going. It’s hard when it’s so competitive. It’s trying to stand out above everyone else.

“It’s now dawned on me that customers are looking for me, rather than me looking for people. I’m now more confident saying ‘this is my business’.

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“It has been slow, but it has made me more patient and more determined.”

Steph says every customer is different and that talking to them and getting them to open up is the key.

“You’ve got to get to know someone really quickly,” she said. “Someone’s ‘too much’ is someone else’s ‘that’s not enough’. You have to be friendly. The chattier the better.”

For more information about the business, visit www.facebook.com/slapbystephdevlin.

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