Editor’s Comment

Attracting more, and the right sort, of people to follow careers in beauty is an ongoing challenge, but one of the best ways is undoubtedly to show them the potential of this prosperous and diverse industry.

While there’s nothing wrong with spending a few hours a week doing lashes or nails, a career in beauty therapy could equally lead to product and treatment development, training, or running a business that employs 100 highly trained skin specialists.

In this issue, we celebrate that diversity as we find out what skills and training it takes to make it as a product distributor (see page 168) and to make the step up from a spa manager role to one that involves overseeing six separate properties and teams (see our interview on page 71).

For many, a career in beauty is all about the job satisfaction that comes from changing the skin and, in doing so, having a real impact on clients’ confidence and wellbeing. Being able to significantly improve the appearance of acne, for example, can be life-changing for some clients. So, the news this month that we could be closer to a treatment that helps clients achieve that without damaging the skin’s delicate microbiome has been welcomed by the industry (see page 15). And for more on the latest research around the microbiome, including the products that can be used to strengthen the skin’s barrier and reduce inflammation, check out our feature on page 122.

The Professional Beauty exhibitions have always been about showcasing the variety of specialisms in our market, but this year, the North event will offer a huge increase in business content (see page 103), to help you grow your skills and profits, no matter which sector of this thriving industry you work in.