'I left school in Salford at 16 - now I'm millionaire with a Lamborghini and a Cheshire mansion'

A multi-million pound Cheshire mansion, a string of luxury vehicles and a stunning home in Cyprus.

It’s a lifestyle most of us could only dream of. But there’s one mum-of-two who made that dream a reality – by turning her beauty business into an aesthetics empire.

Maxine McCarthy first found success in professional boxing before going on to create Cosmetic Couture, one of the biggest aesthetic training providers in the UK.

The 43-year-old, from Salford, has helped train thousands of practitioners over the years – turning many students into some of the most well-known names in the industry.

READ MORE: 'I started my Etsy business with £10 - now I make six figures'

Her hard work means she now owns a million-pound house with indoor swimming pool, a professional gym, a podcast room and giant gorilla sculpture on the roof of the garage where she keeps her Lamborghini.

Despite her success, the mum says she’s been stalked and suffered horrendous online abuse over the years.

“I created a multi-million pound business that has gone international over a decade,” Maxine said. “It’s won awards and I’ve opened a second [business] in Cyprus.”

Born and raised in Salford, Maxine left school at 16 with six GCSE’s and headed to Spain to live with her dad. On her return to the UK, she joined a girl band – playing all over the north of England supporting chart-topping acts.

And it was during her time in the band that Maxine got her first taste of the beauty industry – glamour, beauty, TV and a love of looking great herself.

Musical differences led to her leaving the band, which is where she discovered her love of physical training. After enrolling at university to study sports science, Maxine began training at a boxing gym in 2007.

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