NEWS

Organic and natural beauty sales up 13% during pandemic, but greenwashing a growing concern

The Soil Association’s new Organic Beauty & Wellbeing Report recorded a 13% growth in sales of certified organic and natural products, signifying its 10th consecutive year of growth, with half of consumers stating the pandemic made them more likely to buy organic beauty and wellbeing products.

The report also found that one in six consumers now buy organic and natural products, and 28% of those are aged 16–24, the largest age group buying into the market. Meanwhile, only 9% of those aged 50-plus are buying organic beauty and wellbeing products.

The shift to organic and sustainable beauty has been accelerated by online shopping, according to the report, with 28% of consumers saying the move to online shopping made them want to buy organic products.

Half of consumers want to buy beauty and wellbeing products that are better for the environment, with 41% stating that waste packaging is the number-one reason beauty products are bad for the planet.

Meanwhile, 45% agree that organic beauty products are better for the environment, and 56% think beauty brands should do more to reduce their impact on the planet.

Additionally, almost a quarter of consumers expected to find no controversial ingredients in their products, and 49% are worried that beauty and wellbeing brands are “greenwashing” their environmental credentials – two in five do not trust marketing claims on beauty and wellbeing products. With greenwashing a growing concern among consumers, accreditation is important to show that a brand’s values are aligned with their customers’.

These results were revealed during The Soil Association’s Beauty & Wellbeing Insight webinar, which was hosted by Sallie Berkerey, managing director at CEW UK, and featured a conversation between Camilla Kay, beauty director at Glamour and Fiona Campbell, senior business development manager at The Soil Association.

New report shows skin conditions’ impact on mental health

New data has revealed the emotional impact skin conditions have on people’s mental health, with 79% of eczema sufferers admitting to missing work due to flare ups and 46% of acne patients more likely to develop major depression.

This insightful review, conducted by skincare brand La Roche-Posay in collaboration with GlobalSkin –a non-profit organisation comprised of skin patient associations from around the world, also found that 47% to 60% of people with eczema have sleepless nights and 50% of those with atopic dermatitis feel stigmatised by society.

Meanwhile, 50% of acne sufferers will self-isolate and 80% of patients suffer from skin side effects during cancer treatments. “Whether big or small, skin issues are a matter of public health today,” said Laetita Toupet, global president at La Roche-Posay. “We tend to underestimate the impact they have on people’s lives.”

A staggering 1.9 billion people around the world are currently fighting skin conditions which alter the quality of their daily lives, stated the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

La Roche-Posay is raising awareness about the impact of skin issues around the world with a new video campaign that features real people, giving a voice to those who suffer from skin conditions while also amplifying that they are not alone.

Associations urge Government to unlock unpaid Covid-19 grant money for struggling salons

Industry associations The British Beauty Council, Babtac, and the National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) are pushing for the Government to “unlock” the coronavirus grant application process quicker as many beauty businesses are on the brink of closure.

These bodies have written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government urging him to step in to work with local authorities – to expand the eligibility criteria and speed up the fund allocation process. To date, only 13% of the £1.6 billion Additional Restrictions Grant monies available to local authorities has been allocated to businesses desperately in need.

The bodies are asking beauty businesses to join their call by writing to their local MP and have even drafted a template letter to use, as well as asking salons to share this news on social media using #beautyonthebrink.

Richard Lambert, chief executive of the NHBF, said: “The problem we have is that councils have been holding on to this money or setting the eligibility criteria too narrowly, meaning that the money is not getting to those that need it.”

Lesley Blair, Babtac’s chief executive, added: “We urge all our collective members to use their own voices to support our efforts. Our coalition have provided a template letter for just such purposes.”

76% of women prioritise facial skincare over body care

76% of UK women place more importance on their facial skincare regime than their body care routine, with 29% admitting to not knowing how to look after their skin from the chin down, found a study by women’s razor brand Venus.

Almost a fifth (17%) spend more than 30 minutes per week on their facial skincare routine, compared with 41% who said they spend less than five minutes looking after the skin on their legs and 45% who admitted spending under five minutes on their arms.

More than a quarter (28%) spend at least £20 per month on beauty products for their face, compared to just 7% who would spend the same amount on skincare for their body, the report found.

Beauty therapists launch The Skin Collaborative to help educate the public on skin health

A group of UK beauty professionals have come together to launch The Skin Collaborative – an online platform to educate consumers on skin health, from hormonal breakouts and pigmentation, to fine lines and sensitivity.

The platform’s mission is to bring together the expertise and experience of these professionals so the general public gain a better understanding of how to care for their skin, with a focus that nobody is better placed to help them do that than a qualified beauty therapist.

There are 19 professionals working on The Skin Collaborative, including aesthetic medicine doctor Dr Raquel Amado; facialist and clinic owner Maria Rylott-Byrd; and The Beauty Guru owner Sam Marshall. The group also talk about a different skincare topic on Clubhouse every Friday at 7pm.

On International Women’s Day (March 8), The Skin Collaborative launched its #thefacebehindthefilter campaign, which encourages clients to ditch the filter in a bid to help them feel confident in their own skin. “It’s important for people to realise that perfection just does not exist. The filtered pictures we see in the media do us all a disservice,” said Rylott-Byrd.

Innovative salon owners recognised in Babtac’s Inspiring Beauty Awards

Five beauty professionals were celebrated for showing positivity and vision during the coronavirus pandemic at Babtac’s first-ever Inspiring Beauty Awards 2021.

Abigail Oleck Hewett, owner of Beau-Skin London, won the Charity Champion Award for helping her local community during coronavirus; while Katie Millington, owner of Love Beauty Gatley, took home the Best Business Pivot during Covid Award for the way she changed her business direction to improve her bottom line.

Meanwhile, Katie White of Re:lax Skin Studio and Skin School was recognised for her innovative ways of communicating with clients, winning the Excellent Use of Social Media and Comms during Covid category; while Sonia Haria, beauty director at The Telegraph, took home the Industry Expert Supporting People Working in Beauty Award.

Lastly, Caroline Hirons, blogger, therapist and founder of campaign BeautyBacked, won the Outstanding Contribution Award for her dedication to the beauty industry.

Salon owners launch their own product lines during coronavirus lockdown

After a difficult year for the beauty industry, many salon owners have created their own product lines as a new way to generate revenue during coronavirus lockdown.

Lauren Halley, owner of Lauren’s Beauty Room in Nottingham, launched an online shop specifically with salons and spas in mind.

In February 2021, Halley opened her online store to the public, retailing luxury silkware (pictured) such as eye masks, pillowcases and scrunchies. Wanting to set her brand Silk Beauty Co apart, Halley also opted to wholesale these products exclusively to salons and spas – an aspect of her business which has flourished.

Meanwhile, Lizzie Cawdron and Alicia Clough (pictured), beauty therapists based at Lunula Nails and Beauty in Derby, have been spreading positive vibes during lockdown.

In January 2021, they launched online store Project Positivity, which sells merchandise such as T-shirts and sweatshirts featuring feel-good affirmations and cheeky one-liners designed to spread positive vibes.

The website also features a blog offering insights into how to stay motivated during this difficult time, including five-minute mood boosters.

Wellness for Cancer launches wellbeing app Kaleidoscope View for people touched by cancer

Charity Wellness for Cancer has created Kaleidoscope View –a wellbeing app designed for people touched by cancer. The app includes wellness content on topics such as sleep and anxiety from leading spa and wellness brands Kamalaya, Six Senses and Biologique Recherche, as well as cancer-specific content covering surgery and end-of-life.

It also features guided meditations designed to help those dealing with cancer activate their autonomic nervous system to facilitate healing. Charity founder Julie Bach was inspired to create the app after recognising that most wellness tools for people touched by cancer are learned at cancer centres or through cancer support groups, and that the wellness industry has the tools to facilitate learning in a more healing environment.

“I want to make wellbeing more accessible for people with cancer,” explains Bach. “In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many people have been introduced to the idea of online content and this creates a formula to reinvent how wellness programming is created and delivered to cancer patients and thrivers.”

CBD brand OTO enters spa market with courses accredited by Cibtac

CBD brand OTO has launched into the luxury spa market with its Cibtac-accredited CBD Sensory Spa Experiences training.

The programme, 80% of which will be delivered online, aims to educate beauty therapists in the uses of CBD, allowing them to master the OTO Sensory Treatment protocols as well as furthering their understanding of ECS (the endocannabinoid system).

The programme aims to bridge the gap between CBD education and its use within the spa sector. OTO has also developed CBD Spa Oils, each offering a blend of grapeseed oil with coconut carrier oil, containing 25mg CBD per 25ml.

Medik8 receives investment from private equity firm Inflexion

Skincare brand Medik8’s parent company, Pangaea Laboratories, has received an investment of an undisclosed amount from mid-market private equity company Inflexion. With this investment, Medik8 plans to enhance its relationships within the professional beauty and aesthetics industry while also growing its digital channels internationally.

In recent years, Medik8 has turned its focus to sustainability and ethical manufacturing, as well as continuing its science-based research and development of skincare products. Recent launches include Sleep Glycolic and Crystal Retinal 20 (pictured).

Medik8 founder Elliot Isaacs said: “In the past three years, the brand has experienced phenomenal growth and we are thrilled to be partnering with Inflexion, who have the passion and expertise to help us accelerate our international ambitions.”

Skin Evolution launches free virtual training for beauty professionals during coronavirus

Distributor Skin Evolution has extended its online offering for beauty professionals with a series of free training sessions from botanical skincare brand Dr Renaud.

Attendees will explore the brand’s botanical formulations and ingredients and how they work on different skin types, as well as providing online retailing advice to help businesses boost their bottom line.

The company is also offering Skin Evolution Salon Social sessions via Zoom, giving therapists the opportunity to connect with social media experts in a casual environment. Beauty professionals can book either training session by emailing office@ skinevolution.co.uk.