Louise is a 32-year-old small business owner from Droylsden, Greater Manchester. She has taken her personal life from modest means to the lifestyle of a jet setting beauty business dynamo. Her long blonde hair is made into perky curls. She’s just as colorful and playful as the world of her brand P. Louise that has made her a household name and pulled in £71 million in earnings this past financial year. Her story, a narrative of grit and passion, demonstrates the impact of ambition combined with creativity.
Paige’s story starts with her mom’s own experiences as a young single parent. Having given birth at only 15 years old, other people were always going to question her ability. This experience gave Paige the notion that she could beat the odds. As a young girl herself, she became a key caregiver for her younger brothers. At the same time, her mother worked around the clock just to keep a roof over their heads.
Although Paige encountered numerous obstacles along the way, she never lost faith in her educational journey. She even graduated, proving to the world that having five kids doesn’t prevent anyone from pursuing their dreams. She first went to college to get a degree in children’s social work but then discovered her love for the beauty industry. Once she dropped out, she took an audacious step. She was able to borrow £20,000 from her grandmother to start up her own beauty salon.
In 2014, Paige opened the P. Louise Makeup Academy with optimism. But she was not satisfied with the early results. Undeterred, she grew her talent and personal beauty style, influenced by drag makeup, into a thriving beauty business with a rabid following. As time went on, P. Louise grew into a household name across the globe and is on track to bring in 138 million in revenue this year.
When P. Louise went viral in August 2024, she broke TikTok Shop UK’s records. Her campaign raised more than £1.5 million in the first 12 hours! This out-of-the-blue success came from an organic decision to open a TikTok shop. Paige reflects on this moment with astonishment, stating, “I didn’t realise it would be such a sensation which helped me fund what we have today.”
Her creative instincts in the realms of marketing and product development have propelled her success to stratospheric heights. “We started selling product off the hook and couldn’t keep anything in stock,” she recalls of the overwhelming demand.
Over the years, P. Louise has become widely known for its signature base products. Specifically the Rumour Base eyeshadow base number one in the country – all due to beauty influencer NikkieTutorials on YouTube. That brand’s growth powered a recent relocation into a larger and roomier 36,000 square-foot Stockport warehouse. This brand-new flagship includes both a retail store and a cafe, designed with the intention of bringing in tourists.
This October, Paige will open their first ever retail store at the Trafford Palazzo within the Trafford Centre. That’s a huge milestone for her growing empire! She hopes to encourage others through her journey and is passionate about creating a space for self-expression in her work environment.
None of my staff have ever come out to a workplace where they could actually just be themselves. I’d like to see that be different for them. Paige shares. It’s wonderful to walk into the studio in a tutu, to wear fairy wings and be just completely free.
Reflecting on her journey, she conveys a message of hope: “I hope that anyone that steps into my world realizes that anything is possible.”