Editor’s Comment

We’ve had a makeover! Hopefully you noticed a change as soon as you picked up this issue, and as you flick further through its pages we hope you’ll agree that this cleaner, modern design reflects the fresh, current content we’re producing.

We decided it was time for a refresh and tried to create a look that encompasses both a professional image and a contemporary edge. Striking this balance can be difficult, as salons and suppliers across the UK will understand only too well.

One sector that’s had a real image change of late is mineral make-up. With fashion-led lines that tap into wellness and influencer trends, mineral brands are shaking off their classic “salon staple” image. Find out how in our feature on page 76, which also looks at the new formulations entering the market to bring increased skincare benefits to both mineral and non-mineral make-up, making it a more seamless sell in the salon.

Skincare is another sector that’s continually reinventing itself in response to changes not only in the lifestyles consumers lead but also the buzzwords they latch on to. Skincare that treats the effects of blue light emitted by devices such as mobiles and tablets is a prime example of these two drivers overlapping, creating the potential for a highly lucrative revenue stream.

We delve deeper into the research behind the products making these claims, as well as analysing the other modern pollutants impacting skin health, on page 62.

We also meet two business owners who are reinventing their brands in a different way. One is a supplier turned operator opening its first flagship clinic (see page 88) and the other a primarily hair salon group making deeper strides into beauty (page 57). For both, the key to success has been making changes while staying true to the core principles on which their brands were founded, a balance we should all be looking to strike.

Editor @eveoxberry