I left school at 16-but now I'm a millionaire

The 'Queen of Aesthetics' Maxine McCarthy has come far from her roots in Salford, writes Paige Oldfield

- Paige Oldfield

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.

Her hard work means she now owns a million-pound house with an 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."