Born and raised on a council estate in Bolton, Mitchell Halliday faced adversity from an early age. His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was only six or seven, and his father became her primary carer. A teenage separation of his parents added further strain, yet Halliday kept a resilient outlook that later proved vital for his business ventures.
School years brought a new set of challenges. At secondary school he was frequently bullied for his flamboyant style—shaving his eyebrows, wearing six-inch Buffalo platform shoes and a full face of makeup that recalled the Spice Girls era. These experiences hardened his skin and taught him to own his uniqueness, a trait that now defines the visual identity of his brand.
From singing in clubs to makeup artistry
At sixteen, Halliday left home and began performing in Bolton’s working-men’s clubs to fund his studies at a music college. His vocal talent caught the eye of talent scouts, landing him a spot on The X Factor in 2016 with the boyband No Getaway. Although the group did not progress, Halliday’s confidence remained intact; he later reflected, “I think I’ve always been destined to do great things.”
Music eventually gave way to colour. A stint as a makeup artist at the salon Pout Patrol allowed him to refine his craft while sharing tutorials online. His daring looks attracted a massive following, quickly surpassing one million Instagram followers and collaborations with numerous YouTubers and Instagram stars. Halliday describes his niche as bridging the gap between behind-the-scenes artistry and influencer-driven content.
Launching Made by Mitchell and the TikTok breakthrough
With a solid online presence, Halliday spent eighteen months developing his own line, which officially launched in October 2020 under the name Made by Mitchell. The debut product, Blursh—a liquid-to-cream blush—embodied his signature neon aesthetic and unapologetically bold packaging. The brand’s headquarters now sit in a colourful office at Potato Wharf, Manchester, reflecting the same vibrant energy that characterises its founder’s creative mind.
In 2026 Halliday achieved a milestone that cemented his status as a pioneering beauty entrepreneur: he generated ££747,800 (approximately $1 million) in just 24 hours through TikTok Shop. The rapid sale propelled Made by Mitchell’s valuation to over £30 million and made Halliday a millionaire at the age of 26. “Really just throwing ourselves into the unknown,” he said of the launch, underscoring the blend of risk and instinct that fuels his ventures.
Today, Halliday continues to expand the brand’s global reach while remaining rooted in the lessons of his early life. The story of a council-estate kid who turned personal adversity into a multimillion-pound empire illustrates how authenticity, daring creativity, and strategic use of new platforms like TikTok can reshape the beauty industry.
