13 mins
NEWS
Chancellor Rishi Sunak praises the beauty industry as “essential”, “creative” and “the best of British business”
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has praised the innovation and entrepreneurship within the beauty industry, calling the sector “essential” and “the best of British business”.
Sunak made the remarks at the start of British Beauty Week in September, which is run by the British Beauty Council, stating: “thank you for everything you have done to keep going over the last year.
“The beauty industry is the best of British business: you are creative, entrepreneurial and innovative – no wonder you are worth £30 billion to the UK economy.”
He also spoke highly of the industry’s ability to empower clients, stating: “if anyone ever doubted, the [coronavirus] pandemic brought home that the services you all provide are essential services – something we recognised in Government when we reopened beauty services much earlier than lots of other businesses.
“Because what you give people is something that is impossible to measure in all the spreadsheets that I see – confidence, self-esteem and a sense of wellbeing. That is no small feat and I applaud you for it.”
However, while some were happy that the beauty industry was finally being recognised by 10 Downing Street for its value and expertise, others felt that the platitudes needed to be followed by action.
Mia Xj, owner of Paragon Beauty London, commented on Pb’s Instagram post: “while it’s nice to hear praise for our efforts as a whole industry –a pat on the back for each of us – it’s just words though, as per usual with any Government. Words without action mean absolutely nothing.”
Yet, Debbie Wilson, owner of Polished Nail and Beauty Boutique, was thankful the sector was being praised for its contribution to the economy, commenting, “at last some appreciation and recognition for everyone’s hard work and commitment, [long] may it continue.”
Brits don’t research beauty treatments enough before booking in for them
Experts recommend that Brits considering beauty treatments should spend at least three hours researching the clinician, clinic, materials used and price before even having a consultation.
Research by pharmacy and aesthetics supplier Primed Pharmacy revealed how long Brits take looking into a range of treatments, from botulinum toxin to dermaplaning.
Beauty treatment searches saw an increase from March 2021 to August 2021, with searches for “beauty treatments near me” rising by 60%.
The study revealed the more invasive beauty treatments are what Brits spend the most time researching, with the top five being:
1. Botulinum toxin – 2.8 hours
2. Weight loss injections – 2.7
3. Other fillers (cheek, under eye, nose) – 2.5
4. Lip filler – 2.4
5. Dermaplaning – 2.2
Older clients do the most research, with 55 to 64-year-olds spending on average 3.7 hours researching botox, the report found, and over 65s spending three hours researching weight loss injections.
Primed Pharmacy chief executive Qadir Hussain said, “it’s important to remind people of the risks involved with booking a beauty treatment without carefully researching the treatment...and the clinic or salon.”
News in brief
Gharieni’s MLX I³dome treatment has been shown to dramatically cut the recovery period for muscles after exercise. A new study found that those who had the treatment after a workout saw their blood PH improve and muscle soreness decrease. Gharieni chief executive Sammy Gharieni said the study was “a game-changer that we had not thought about before”.
Lucknam Park Spa and Hotel has appointed Jessica Grant Sloyan as spa and wellbeing director. With almost 20 years’ experience, Sloyan will focus on creating innovative spa and wellness experiences. She previously worked for spas including Whatley Manor and Gainsborough Bath Spa.
Salon group Saks has opened a new salon in Leeds. Millie’s Beauty has been converted into a Saks venue and the hair and beauty team have undergone training with Saks. The hair and beauty salon is the second new location for the salon group in the past year.
BC Softwear has partnered with Soho House. The agreement will see the textile supplier for luxury hotels and spa supplying 10 locations; eight in London, and two new locations in Paris and Rome set to open soon.
Dermalogica has been awarded a Princess Royal Training Award for its Clear Customer Experience Training Programme. The award marks the second time the skincare brand has been recognised by HRH The Princess Royal. The brand has also launched its first standalone kiosk concept at Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, offering skincare advice, treatments and products.
Exeter and Edinburgh named the Uk’s best cities for skin health and wellness
Exeter and Edinburgh are the places to be for healthy skin, according to recent studies. Research by UK Saunas discovered that Exeter is the best city in the UK to live in for “skin wellness”, based on an array of factors such as pollution levels and Google search behaviours from residents on “skincare routines” and “facials”.
Each UK city was given a score out of 48 in the categories mentioned above, before being given an overall ranking. Exeter scored 41 out of 48 for Google search behaviour around skincare routines, 46 out of 48 for facial search volumes, and 34 out of 48 for pollution levels, giving it an overall ranking that put the area in first place for skin wellness.
Chester came in second with a score of 31 out of 48 for skincare routine searches, 48 out of 48 for facial search volumes, and 32 out of 48 for pollution levels; while Dundee came in third place, Norwich fourth and Cambridge fifth, the report found.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh topped a list of cities around the world where skin is least impacted by the environment. The study by beauty retail site Lookfantastic scored cities out of 10 after looking at four environmental influences: air pollution levels, average temperatures, annual sunshine hours and the estimate of smoking prevalence.
Edinburgh scored 8.24 out of 10, placing it first; while Manchester came in third with a score of 7.88, the report found.
Laser hair removal named most popular treatment for PCOS sufferers
Excess facial and body hair is the biggest concern among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with weight gain a close second, according to results of a new survey.
London clinic group Pulse Light Clinic conducted an exclusive survey for Professional Beauty Group among its patient base who suffer with the condition. 78% said excess hair was a concern, with the next most common symptoms being weight gain (57%), irregular periods (56%), thinning hair or hair loss (33%), and severe acne (18%).
65% have sought aesthetic treatments to help with their symptoms, with laser hair removal the most popular (74%). Food intolerance tests and laser facials were among the other answers given.
70% said these treatments helped to ease their symptoms, and 81% said they had helped improve their confidence.
News in brief
Salon group and franchise Mooeys has opened its third franchise in Hampshire. Mooeys Petersfield is the fifth branch from waxing and nail specialists, Mooeys Ltd, and provides a range of waxing and nail services as well as other beauty treatments.
Nottingham has been named the Uk’s best city for beauty lovers, with a high number of positive reviews for salon treatments, plus good quality beauty retail options, found a new study by hair clinic Longevita. London, Sheffield and Birmingham were the next highest scoring cities.
NAF! Stuff PRO has rebranded to NAF! Pro. The name change comes as the company wants to distinguish between the professional range, NAF! Pro, and the consumer products available from NAF! Stuff. The brand will continue to use one website, nafstuff.com
The Randolph Hotel has appointed Made for Life Organics to develop a new wellbeing concept. “wellness at The Randolph” will deliver holistic therapies using the brand’s organic products to visitors at the Oxford hotel, which is part of the Graduate Hotels group. The spa will also offer Tea and Therapy sessions teaching self-care techniques.
Pure Skin has announced Denise Van Outen as celebrity ambassador for Resculpt. The device uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic muscle stimulation to build muscles while burning fat. Van Outen said “resculpt will be perfect for targeting the muscles in my stomach and buttocks.”
Only 42% of natural skincare products are actually natural, finds study
The word “natural” is being misused to market non-natural skincare products, with only 42% of those marked up as “natural skincare” being truly natural, according to a new study.
Research conducted by skincare specialist The Derm Review analysed the ingredient lists of the top 100 best-selling natural skincare products and found that more than half (58%) contained synthetic ingredients, while all the “natural” serums in the study contained at least one synthetic ingredient.
Nearly eight in 10 (78%) “natural” face masks in the study contained synthetic ingredients, the report found, with the average number of synthetic ingredients in these skincare products being 2.4. Meanwhile, the data also found that skincare products marketed as “natural” are, on average, 24% more expensive than regular skincare items.
The top synthetic ingredients found in natural skincare products were ethylhexylglycerin, found in 24% of the products in the study, phenoxyethanol (22%) and sodium ascorbyl phosphate (13%).
While these ingredients are generally safe, the study concluded that the “natural” marketing claims could be misleading.
Guyliner and violet mascara top 2021’s trending make-up looks
Guyliner has made a return and reigns supreme in the top five make-up trends for this year.
Searches for the eye make-up look for men increased by more than 282% between 2020–2021, found research by Note Cosmetics, which analysed data from Google searches.
Guyliner has been regularly worn by celebrities in the past but is becoming more prevalent among younger generations, who take inspiration from the likes of singer Damiano David from band Måneskin.
Bold eye looks in general were a common theme on the list, with violet and blue mascara searches up 200% and 78.79% in that period respectively, found the report.
The top five make-up trends for 2021 are:
1. Eyeliner on guys – 282.28% increase in searches
2. Violet mascara – 200%
3. Graphic liner – 191.67%
4. Blue mascara – 78.79%
5. Black lipstick – 58.46%
News in brief
Germaine de Capuccini was the sole skincare brand to supply the goodie bags at the 26th National Television Awards on September 9. Attendees took home the brand’s Timexpert Radiance C+ Illuminating Antioxidant Cream and either For Men Finishave or For Men Hydra-elements.
A new campaign has launched challenging Facebook and Instagram over their policies around banning accounts that share images of nipple reconstructions. The World Medical Artists campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact the treatment can have for people who have been through breast cancer.
Spa brand Ishga has announced two new appointments to drive growth. Lucy Mingo, who has worked in therapy and management roles across the UK and Europe, joins as business development and account manager. Cara Hosie is the new head of marketing.
Comfort Zone has partnered with The Swan Hotel and Spa in the Lake District following a multimillion-pound investment. The Holte Spa draws inspiration from the outdoors and its natural surroundings and will be partnering with sustainable brands to provide a wellness experience that incorporates authentic bathing traditions and rituals.
Luxury spa group Barons Eden has launched wellness treatments at its Hoar Cross Hall (pictured) and Eden Hall spas. These include limited-edition “winter Glow” packages, which include a three-course lunch, use of the spa facilities, and a soothing 60-minute body and face treatment.
UK could allow animal testing for cosmetic ingredients, campaigners warn
The UK could allow animal tests for cosmetic ingredients for the first time since 1998 after the Home Office told animal protection organisation Cruelty Free International (CFI) in a letter that it had “reconsidered its policy”.
The Government told CFI in August that it was aligning itself with a decision made last year by the appeals board of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on cosmetics testing, which said that some ingredients used solely in cosmetics need to be tested on animals to ensure they were safe.
The Home Office has insisted that UK law has not changed but accepting the Echa’s ruling could lead to a much wider use of animal testing. The CFI is asking people to sign and share its #targetzero petition, which is pushing to drive the phase-out of animal experiments.
In reaction to the concerns, cosmetics giants Dove and The Body Shop launched a European Citizens’ Initiative titled “save cruelty free cosmetics – commit to a Europe without animal testing” in partnership with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Humane Society International (HIS) and other anti-cruelty organisations. The group is urging other beauty manufacturers to pledge support.
Prestige beauty sales up 11% in first half of 2021
The prestige beauty market saw an increase in sales in the first half of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.
Research by analyst The NPD Group found that prestige beauty sales rose 11% overall, with skincare up 7%, between January and June 2021.
The figures suggest that the market is recovering towards pre-pandemic levels, compared to the same period the previous year when sales were down by 22%.
E-commerce saw a rise of 23% in prestige beauty sales compared to the previous year, due to the various lockdown stages. However, in positive news for salons and spas, in-person sales accounted for 64% of all prestige beauty sales in June 2021, following the lifting of restrictions in the UK.
Diary dates
// October 4–6 TPOT Virtual Conference Online The theme for the new virtual event is Cancer Care: An Integrative Approach. tpot.org.uk/events
// October 17 Professional Beauty and World Spa & Wellness Awards The Brewery, London The industry’s biggest party will celebrate the best beauty, spa and nail businesses and individuals during a glamorous black-tie event. 020 7351 0536 professionalbeauty.co.uk/awards
// October 16–18 Salon International Excel, London The Uk’s top exhibition for hairdressing professionals, comprising seminars, competitions and live stages. 020 7351 0536 salonshow.co.uk
// October 17–18 Professional Beauty London Excel, London The flagship show from the PB Group will return, running alongside hair show Salon International.
There will be conferences and seminars for beauty, spa, nails, aesthetics and more. 020 7351 0536
PROFESSIONALBEAUTY.CO.UK/LONDON
// November 30–december 3 Global Wellness Summit Boston The international conference for spa and wellness professionals, now in its 15th year, has changed location. +1 212 716 1199 globalwellnesssummit.com
Shop Beautiful announced as UK distributor for Forget About Age
Distributor Shop Beautiful is bringing premium cosmetics brand Forget About Age to the UK. Forget About Age is an anti-ageing skincare range for those who don’t want to undergo botulinum toxin or filler procedures, with the key ingredient being Argireline –a peptide that disables the natural release of muscle-contracting neurotransmitters without the use of needles or requirement for aftercare.
The range includes Instant Hydration Serum, which acts as a base; Instant Teint Love, a concealer to erase blemishes and wrinkles; Instant Eyes Love, a serum that targets crow’s feet and puffiness; and Instant Wrinkle Eraser, used to create a tightening and smoothing effect on the skin. Shop Beautiful is offering PB readers 25% off the range until the end of October 2021 with code PB25 on shopbeautiful.co.uk.
Minetan Professional launches in the UK with Aston & Fincher
Professional Australian tanning brand Minetan has launched in the UK with distributor Aston & Fincher.
Having found success overseas, Minetan Professional aims to bring together cosmetics, skincare and tanning, with a range that covers all colour bases and shade depths so therapists can deliver a bespoke skin finish.
Each formula contains the brand’s Skin-true Shade Technology, with a set of bronzers and tanning actives that adapt to skin tone. The formula is free from parabens, vegan-friendly and uses 100% natural DHA.
Products include 1 Hour Pro Spray Mist and 1 Hour Express Self Tan Foam. The range is available online and in-store with Aston & Fincher.
Salon group Pure Spa & Beauty partners with Image Skincare on treatments
Award-winning group Pure Spa & Beauty has announced a partnership with Image Skincare to offer the brand’s most popular treatments in its salons. The following nine locations are now officially part of the Image Pro network: Purley, Coventry, Renfrew, Union Square, Cults, Rose Street, Bristol, Lothian Road and New Haven.
These salons will offer six Image Skincare treatments to target different concerns, including the Signature Image Facelift Enzyme Treatment, designed to bring relief to dry, dehydrated and sensitive skin, as well as the Anti-ageing Facial and the brand’s popular Illuminating Facial.