Video: Portglenone mum's delight as hundreds welcome first LMD Beauty Superstore to Northern Ireland

Portglenone businesswoman and social media powerhouse Louise McDonnell has opened her first ever LMD Beauty Superstore in Northern Ireland.

Hundreds of beauty lovers plus an array of social media stars and business owners joined the mum-of-one in launching her new superstore at the Fairhill Shopping Centre in Ballymena.

The store, which will employ 12 staff, brings together Louise’s own LMD Cosmetics brand alongside other major international beauty brands she has worked with since launching her career.

Louise, who first began undertaking makeup classes in her utility room in 2008, has forged her career as a professional make-up artist and has made up thousands of faces in that time.

She is renowned for her expertise and makeup artistry, having worked on many famous faces, including Lauren Goodger, Chloe Ferry, Katie Price, and SoSu Cosmetics/Dripping Gold CEO and social media sensation Suzanne Jackson, as well as working to create the perfect look for thousands of brides and bridal parties, and people who just love makeup.

Already Louise owns three companies, Louise McDonnell (content creator brand), LMD Cosmetics (beauty products and accessories) and now the opening of LMD Beauty in Ballymena will see the merging of two previous store sites from Magherafelt and Ballymena into one large superstore.

Louise, who is preparing for her wedding to her partner Neil in 2025 and has one daughter Alara age 3, explained: “This is beyond my wildest dreams, from starting out in my dad’s house, to now owning the largest independent beauty store in Northern Ireland, I am really excited and grateful in equal measure!

“Our new 24,000 square foot LMD Beauty Superstore will provide free 15-minute match up consultations in the main store, house our offices and have a content room where any business can come and use the space to create content for their channels – complete with movement for backdrops, professional photos and props.

"I have worked with so many excellent brands so alongside my own, I am delighted to bring them all to Ballymena, and to also have some very exclusive brands in store too.

“I fully understand how important the store will be as a business, and I want to use it to support businesses too, especially those wanting to create content for social media. I am really excited about the future and looking forward to working with our brilliant talented team on developing the next chapter of LMD here from Ballymena.”

Reflecting on the opening, LMD Beauty store manager, Beth McErlean, added: "We are blown away by how popular the new superstore is, we are welcoming people from as far away as Co.Louth as well as our brilliant local community of shoppers here in Ballymena. The store is just buzzing and we are really pleased to see how everyone is reacting to having the new Superstore up and running!"

Within her business Louise has created her own brand LMD Cosmetics which has over 20 lines and currently works with major brands including BPerfect, Bellamianta, Azio Beauty and Polished London, among others and bases her partnerships on brands she believes in.

With the opening of her superstore in Ballymena, Louise will now become the only independently owned beauty superstore curated by a make-up artist selling key brands.

Louise will exclusively stock a number of brands in Northern Ireland only, as well as teaching through classes and courses tips on make-up, and classes on becoming a MUA, how to undertake bridal makeup and learning how to take the professional makeup look home.