Studied at West College Scotland? ✅
Hosted Scottish Beauty Awards 2025? ✅
Miss Great Britain 2025 finalist? ✅
Winner of Beauty Awards UK Makeup Artist of the Year 2025? ✅
Judge for Beauty Idols Scotland 2026? ✅
Blended to Perfection: The Journey from Student to Award-Winning Makeup Artist
What a year it has been for Nicole Young, a former Makeup Artistry student at our Greenock campus, who has achieved all of this while running her own business as a Makeup Artist.
Nicole’s journey started in 2016, during the Beauty Guru Era on YouTube. Nicole would spend hours watching tutorials, practicing techniques and experimenting with different looks. When one of her looks went viral, Nicole decided to make makeup her main focus and she took action.
Nicole was inspired by lecturer Isobel Donald and her impressive career in film & television makeup, so she took the first step and applied to study Makeup Artistry at West’s Greenock campus in 2018. Asked to describe her time at college, Nicole reflects fondly:
The support from the staff was amazing and allowed me to pursue my passion while raising my daughter and juggling other priorities. It was a space where creativity was encouraged, which helped me grow as a makeup artist.
Following her time at West, Nicole went on to complete a BA in Teaching in Further Education. Although teaching remains a long-term goal, Nicole has largely focussed on makeup artistry and decided to pursue freelance work after graduating from West in 2021.
That decision quickly paid off. Within the first year of launching her business, Nicole’s work was featured in Vogue and Elle online following her contributions at London Fashion Week. Since then, Nicole has collaborated with global fashion brands, including White Fox and Quiz Clothing, and she is now preparing to work at New York Fashion Week this September.
Every step so far has been a learning experience, and I’m excited to keep growing, and building on what I’ve achieved so far.
Reflecting on her achievements, one milestone stands out: winning Makeup Artist of the Year at the UK Beauty Awards 2025.
As a Glasgow-based artist, receiving national recognition was incredibly meaningful.
Nicole has also played a prominent role within Scotland’s beauty scene, hosting the Scottish Beauty Awards and celebrating industry talent. This year, Nicole will return as a judge for the makeup category—an opportunity she is incredibly proud of.
We were delighted when Nicole recently took time out of her busy schedule to speak to our students about getting into the industry, and to demonstrate a beautiful red-carpet look. Nicole’s story is certainly inspiring, and it shows what can be achieved when students stick in and work hard. For those who are considering a career in makeup artistry, Nicole has some advice:
I encourage anyone who wants to work in beauty to consider looking into the courses available at WCS. Without their support, I wouldn’t be where I am today!
