Darlington beautician won national Beauty and Hair award
Emma Kane, 38, owner of Two Hoots Wellbeing on North Road, has been named the North East Beauty Therapist of the Year at the British Hair and Beauty Awards.
Despite being diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and twice losing the ability to move the left side of her body after two strokes, Emma has remained determined to continue her passion and help others.
Emma Kane, 38, owner of Two Hoot’s in Darlington, has won national recognition (Image: EMMA KANE) Her first stroke in 2020 left her unable to move her left side. She had just given birth to her son, six months prior.
Emma said: “Just six months after having my boy, this stroke scared me to the point where I thought I would never be able to hold my children again.”
Remarkably, within eight months, she had regained her strength and returned to work.
But in 2023, tragedy struck again when she suffered a second stroke, resetting her progress and once again taking away movement on her left side.
Medical staff later discovered a calcification in her fourth ventricle, which controls the spine and nerves, leading to her FND diagnosis.
The Two Hoot’s wellbeing services salon at 312 North Road in Darlington (Image: EMMA KANE) Emma continues to live with the condition. When tired, unwell, or under stress, her symptoms return- sometimes affecting her speech.
Despite the difficulties this brought for her she managed to secure her own beauty spot in the July of 2024.
Still, she pushed forward. In July 2024, after more than 20 years in the beauty industry and a decade of being self-employed, she opened her own salon – Two Hoots Wellbeing.
The salon takes a unique approach – charging clients based on time rather than specific treatments, and focusing on both mental and physical wellbeing.
Emma and her 17-year-old daughter Chloe, who works for her (Image: EMMA KANE) Emma said: “I always felt like people come to beauty salons to fix problems they have with themselves. So we do a consultation one-to-one with everyone to talk about how they are feeling physically and mentally and then decide what treatments would work best for them.”
Emma also employs her 17-year-old daughter Chloe, who, like her younger brother Bobby, five, is autistic and shares her mother’s passion for the industry.
Originally from Skipton, Emma moved to Darlington more than two decades ago and has built a loyal customer base thanks to her person-first approach to beauty therapy.
Her award win was made even more special by the fact that someone anonymously entered her for the competition.
Emma said: “It’s very humbling, that anyone could think that much of me.
“After going through a lot and it still affecting me day to day, this award win just makes it all worthwhile. I am doing things beyond my wildest dreams.
“After that first stroke and how scary it was, I never thought I would be here now.”