15 mins
NEWS
Beauty associations call on new Prime Minister for measures to support industry
The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) and British Beauty Council have called on new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss to introduce measures to support the beauty and spa industry.
The NHBF has requested the introduction of a small business energy price cap with grant support.
This was echoed by the British Beauty Council, with Victoria Brownlie, chief policy officer, saying,
“We urge our new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, to give equal priority to business support on energy costs, and not just focus on domestic households. If we don’t support our salons and high-street businesses, many households will not have the jobs to pay bills at all.”
The NHBF also requested that Truss, who became Prime Minister on September 6, take a series of other actions to give immediate support to beauty businesses.
These include the reintroduction of 100% business rates relief, targeted apprenticeship incentives for small and micro businesses, restraint on increases to National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, and a fairer tax system with a crackdown on tax evasion.
Richard Lambert, NHBF chief executive, said, “The sector is in the midst of the cost-of-doing-business crisis, with energy bills rising at an exponential rate, supply price inflation at levels not seen for a generation, increases to staff costs and a skills crisis that is putting the future health of the sector at risk.
“The sector has ridden the rollercoaster business environment over the last two years and survived, due to its own steely resilience and the vital support provided by governments across the UK. With continued support from the UK Government, we are confident that the personal care sector will continue to play a crucial role in the UK’s economic recovery, thriving high streets and community wellbeing.”
Acne and oily skin among the most searched-for client beauty concerns
“Acne getting worse” has been named the most searched beauty worry in 2022, with over 8.7 million views on YouTube and 60 monthly searches on Google.
The data, compiled by HD Brows, used Ahrefs search data combined with YouTube views to determine the most searched-for beauty questions across four categories – skin, brows, lashes and acne.
Skin issues and acne accounted for six of the top 10. Oily skin as a result of monthly hormonal changes came in second place, with over 200 searched and 3,560,000 YouTube views.
Skin concerns seem to be affecting make-up application as well, with “dry skin with foundation” amassing 3,480,000 YouTube Views and 150 monthly Google searches, placing it fourth in the list.
Eyebrows appear to be another cause for concern, with YouTube views for “where have my eyebrows gone?” and “how to fix weird eyebrows” at 3,490,000 and 3,400,000 respectively.
The top 10 most searched for beauty worries
News in brief
Ardencote in Warwickshire has completed a £1.5million spa development. Outdoor facilities include a pool, hot tub and Tyrolean kilo sauna. Inside are eight treatment rooms and a thermal suite comprising an aromatherapy steam room, Himalayan salt sauna, tepidarium, ice fountain, monsoon experience shower and foot spa.
HydraFacial has become a patron of the British Beauty Council. Lauren Gibson, HydraFacial country manager UK and Ireland, said, “The very nature of beauty is changing at warp speed, and we want to help shape and support the community in the company of some of the UK’s most pioneering beauty brands.”
Skin Masterclass has launched as a two-day, CPD-certified course designed to help skincare professionals double their revenue and consultation bookings. It has been created by skincare formulator and consultant Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz and is a digital training and licensing programme.
Glowing Flow Wellness Specialists has been launched by spa experts Patrizia Bortolin and Stefano Battaglia, offering bespoke wellness project management, marketing strategies, team coaching and creative brainstorming. The duo are looking to work with hotel owners, hotel groups and corporates, spa consultants, arcitects, spa directors and brands.
Louella Belle has appointed Suzanne Clayton as brand development manager. Clayton, better known as Souz, previous owner of Souz Nails & Beauty, runs Facebook forum Nail Tech Awareness and is also a well-known session tech, having worked on multiple shows and shoots.
Beauty and nail salons helping to revive high streets
Top growing independent retailers
Independent beauty and nail salons are giving British high streets a glow up, according to new data analysed by SME Insurer Superscript.
The data, sourced from Local Data Company, identified the UK’s top growing independent retail categories on our high streets.
In addition, a survey of 1,500 people by Superscript showed that over half of Brits are more likely to visit a health and beauty shop on the high street than any other type of independent retailer, while one in four said salons will continue to bring them to the high street despite cost of living rises.
One in five people revealed that they like to prioritise their spare cash on looking and feeling good.
Meanwhile, a sense of loyalty to beauty therapists (37%), and the ability to catch up and have a chat (33%) ranked most highly in reasons salons are growing so much in popularity.
UK named third most body-confident country
The UK has been revealed as the third most body-confident country, according to new data from online beauty retailer Cult Beauty.
The research, which analysed Google searches, Instagram hashtags and online articles, placed the UK in third position, behind India and the USA.
The UK received a total result of 42,120 across monthly Google searches for body-inclusive terms, number of Instagram posts using body confidence-related hashtags and number of articles around body confidence.
News in brief
Luxury nail bar chain Townhouse has opened its first East London location. Townhouse Liverpool Street is the group’s fifth salon. The treatment menu ranges from colour refresh manis for customers on the go to luxury treats for a more indulgent experience.
Novalash has announced submissions for LASHoff 2023 are opening this October 3. Lash techs can enter four categories: Lash Artist of the Year, Best Classic Lashes, Best Volume Lashes and Fans’ Choice. Visit novalash.com/lashoff for information.
Lynton is opening a second training academy in London, in addition to its Cheshire training centre. Partnering with the Royal Wharf Aesthetic Clinic, the facility will offer OFQUAL-regulated qualifications, including VTCT Level 4 qualifications in Laser and Light-based hair removal and skin rejuvenation, Level 5 Laser Tattoo Removal and Level 4 in Skin Needling.
The British College of Aesthetic Medicine has appointed Dr Catherine Fairris as president. Currently director of the Wessex Skin Clinic in Winchester, Dr Fairris has been a member of the board since 2019, was appointed director of education and events in 2020 and, earlier this year, became vice president of the association.
Galderma has announced the expansion of its UK team as Kate Gibson joins the company. Gibson will take on the role of regional business manager for London and will head up a team of account managers covering the region.
Top 20 most-searched spa terms revealed, from “deals” to “serenity”
The top 20 spa search terms of 2022 have been revealed, showing the key words that attract clients to book a spa day or spa break in the UK.
“Spa deal” comes in at number one, with “afternoon tea” and “bed and breakfast break” at two and three respectively, in the study from booking site SpaSeekers.
Wellness has been a huge trend for spas in 2022 and this looks set to continue, with terms such as “refresh and revive”, and “serenity” also featuring in the top 10. SpaSeekers’ director Jason Goldberg said, “Wellness terms such as ‘refresh and revive’, ‘serenity’ and ‘mindful’ are key for catching people’s eye, so worth considering when creating a package.”
Top 20 spa buzzwords of 2022
1. Spa deal
2. Afternoon tea
3. Bed-and-breakfast break
4. Indulgent break for two
5. 2-for-1 spa day
6. Refresh and revive
7. Indulgent/indulge
8. Serenity
9. Tailor-made
10. Mud rasul experience for two
11. Simply
12. Mindful
13. Cream tea
14. Spa time together
15. Just for me
16. Essential
17. Natural energy
18. Rejuvenate
19. Twilight
20. Head-to-toe
Rising costs and shortage of skilled workers named barriers to small business growth
The majority of small businesses expect no or negative growth next year due to rising operating costs and ongoing recruitment issues, according to new data.
The Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Small Business Index report for Q2 2022 found that the combined proportion of small firms that predict that they will stay the same size (38.7%) or downsize or even close their business (14.7%), at 53.4%, outweighs the 46.6% who predict they will grow in the coming 12 months.
The slower growth predictions coincided with the highest-recorded proportion of firms saying their costs are higher than a year ago, at 89%, and with the highest level of producer price inflation for four decades.
Fuel (cited by 64%) and utilities (63%) were the most-mentioned causes of this increase in costs, both up from the first quarter (60% and 58% respectively), and far higher than this time last year.
Lack of access to appropriately skilled staff was also noted as a significant worry, mentioned by 34% of businesses that expect to grow as a limiting factor.
News in brief
Manor House Hotel in Alsager, Cheshire, has expanded its facilities, with a new outdoor area featuring steam, sauna and relaxation chalets and a large alfresco pool. The area also features outdoor shower and bath experiences.
Celebrities are turning to CACI for treatments, as House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock recently had a Synergy facial ahead of the show’s London premier. TV presenter Maya Jama also had a CACI treatment, visiting celebrity facialist Shane Cooper for a facial toning microcurrent treatment.
Safiya Nygaard has been named the richest beauty influencer, and is estimated to earn £154,859 per sponsored post on YouTube. Beauty mogul Huda Kattan took second place, with combined earnings per post across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube estimated at £146,040.
Amanda Harrington London has announced that the self-tan brand is closing. Harrington, who launched the brand 2019, will remain chief executive of In Parlour and continues to provide contouring tan services.
Dr Vali has launched By Dr Vali 360 Experiential Centre in London’s Selfridges. The experience assesses individuals across 5 key divisions: Skin Lab, Face Lab, Hair Lab, Body Lab, and Wellness Lab. Each is evaluated to deliver and curate a treatment plan that starts with Dr. Vali’s signature 360 consultation, to help map a completely personalised journey.
White Rose Beauty Colleges acquired by Learning Curve Group
National training provider Learning Curve Group (LCG) has acquired Yorkshire-based White Rose Beauty Colleges.
LCG, which already has hair and beauty academies across the northeast of England and London, will see the addition of a further 3,500 learners each year in nine new locations and 170 employees as part of the acquisition.
White Rose is a Centre of Excellence with ITEC, a Flagship Centre with VTCT and a Habia Centre of Expertise, as well as achieving a Grade One -Outstanding result in its most recent Ofsted inspection.
LCG will now be delivering training from over 60 locations across England and Wales to add to its existing apprenticeship, community and adult education provision.
White Rose founder and principal Karen Lee-Cooke said, “Learning Curve Group shares the same values as White Rose for transforming lives through learning. Together we will be able to bring our range of multiaward-winning qualifications and training programmes to more learners across the UK than is currently possible, as well as benefiting from an even larger breadth of provision.”
Pinterest launches trend-led Beauty School
Social media platform Pinterest has opened the doors to a Beauty School.
In partnership with household beauty names including La Roche Posay, the first-of-a-kind school features brand activations and creator workshops informed by Pinterest’s insight-led trends.
The school features workshops and panels spanning across hair, beauty and skincare, based on the beauty trends which are set to dominate this winter 2022 season.
Sessions include “make-up from day to night” with Joy Adenuga, “nail art tricks for beginners” with Aamirah Essof, and “beyond the filter”, a panel discussion on how to positively nurture and enhance skin.
Belinda Boakye, head of creator marketing at Pinterest UK, said, “We’re so excited to launch our first Beauty School… to bring the online magic of what you can find on Pinterest, to a real physical space for the first time.”
News in brief
The Dr Pawpaw team has completed The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, raising £4,669 for charity partner Teenage Cancer Trust. Four team members, including co-founder Pauline Paterson, trekked 26 miles up and down three of Yorkshire’s peaks; Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside.
Lynton Lasers has promoted Rhiannon Smith to manager of its growing training team. Smith, who first joined Lynton in 2010, will work alongside Dr Samantha Hills, Lynton’s clinical director, and be responsible for Lynton’s team of specialist clinical trainers.
Mavala’s new Power of Pink campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) will support charity, CoppaFeel! for the second year running. £1 will be donated from every purchase of four products, including a limited-edition Power of Pink Mini Colour nail polish and Candy Tinted Lip Balm.
Cellcosmet has launched its SwissCellSpa Experience treatments into the White Room salon in Knightsbridge, London. Cellcosmet chief executive Tancrède Amacker said, “We are delighted that our highly effective revitalising facial and body programmes are now available in such a prestigious London salon.”
French skincare brand Phytomer has partnered with Louis Burton to sponsor him for Route du Rhum, a single-handed non-stop, non-assisted transatlantic race from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre (3,570 miles) in November. Burton will use Phytomer’s Solution Soleil Ocean SPF50+ because it offers high protection and is safe for coral.
Unique Skin named as the sole UK distributor for Celluma
Celluma LED light therapy devices will now be distributed in the UK by Unique Skin, following a new partnership deal.
Unique Skin is an aesthetic dermatology business that distributes brands including Dermaceutic Laboratoire, Circadia by Dr Pugliese , Exceed Micro-Needling and Freezpen Cryotherapy to more than 1,500 clinics, salons and spas in the UK and Ireland.
Celluma’s parent company BioPhotas said the new partnership will support Celluma’s growth across the UK and Ireland.
Celluma has 13 devices, including hero product Celluma Pro, an all-in-one LED light therapy device, with FDA-clearances and medical CE indicationsfor-use including the treatment of acne, ageing skin, wound healing, and a variety of muscle, joint and pain conditions.
BioPhotas president and chief executive Patrick Johnson said Unique Skin’s “dedicated team has the capability to support our large professional customer base and to grow our commercial operations over the coming years as we continue to innovate in this sector”.
Image Skincare appoints first KOL
Image Skincare UK has named Dr Pradnya Apté as its first ever key opinion leader (KOL).
Dr Apté is a medical cosmetic practitioner and owner of aesthetic clinic Skin Southwest in Exeter, which offers all of Image Skincare’s professional peels including enzyme, chemical and self-neutralising, along with the brand’s homecare.
Image Skincare UK regional sales manager Leigh Wilson said Dr Apté’s “dedication to patient satisfaction to meet and exceed their expectations and empower them to feel confident in their own skin is a true reflection of our own values”.
Dr Apté added “I have been using the brand since 2014…I have seen consistent excellent results with my patients for a variety of skin concerns.”
Fresha creates new automated text notifications
Booking platform Fresha has introduced six new automated text notifications to help salons keep their clients informed.
In addition to its existing appointment reminder text message, Fresha now offers: appointment confirmation text, including date, time and address; appointment reminder, which can be scheduled to go at a time of the salon’s choosing; rescheduled appointments; and cancelled appointments. With the latter, the client can also be sent information about late cancellation fees.
The last two new automated texts are: no-shows, automatically sent if a client misses an appointment; and a “Thank you for visiting” message prompting them to rate and review the salon, and giving the option to leave a tip.
Diary dates
// October 2-3
Olympia Beauty Olympia London
Trade show with competitions for nails, lashes and massage. 01959 569867 olympiabeauty.co.uk
// October 8-10
Salon International ExCeL London
The hair show returns with an all-new beauty zone (see page 74) and line-up of business speakers. 020 3841 7370 saloninternational.co.uk
// October 17-18
Cosmetics Business Live Business Design Centre, London
A platform for brand owners, manufacturers, suppliers and retailers to come together. 020 7193 6701 hpcimedia.com
// October 25
UK Spa Association Autumn Networking Event Grantley Hall, Yorkshire
A meeting for members and nonmembers of the association. 07384 628932 spa-uk.org
// October 31-November 3
Global Wellness Summit Tel Aviv, Israel
An international conference for spa and wellness professionals, now in its 16th year. +1 212 716 1199 globalwellnesssummit.com
// November 6-7
Professional Beauty and HJ Ireland CityWest Dublin
Discover new trends, pick up skills and network at Ireland’s leading show for beauty, spa and hair professionals. 0844 586 8195 professionalbeauty.ie
Treatwell merges with salon software brand Uala
Salon booking and review site Treatwell has completed a merger with Italian software company Uala, which operates across southern Europe.
The group will continue under the Treatwell name, as a marketplace for beauty and wellness bookings by website and app and also as a management software (SaaS) for the sector.
Treatwell now aims to expand its workforce with an additional 600 employees by the end of 2023, with an investment of up to £34 million.
Treatwell said strength lies in the combination of the two specialisms: bookings and users by Treatwell, and management software by Uala.
Treatwell chief executive Giampiero Marinò (pictured) said, “The union with Uala can only be an added value: it is the leading management software for beauty salons in Southern Europe, capable of helping managers to better organise their business.”
Angela Taylor named Dermalogica education director
Dermalogica has appointed Angela Taylor as education director for the UK and Ireland.
Taylor has been with Dermalogica 21 years, most recently as international head of regional education EMEA, supporting international distributor markets with education training, support and strategy.
Dermalogica UK general manager Mark Hermann said, “Angela is a strong leader who has been fully responsible for creating the strategy and direction for all international education over the last three years, so I cannot wait for her to bring all of this to the UK and Ireland.”
Taylor added, “Since I started my career as a professional skin therapist I have always believed that education is an incredibly powerful tool.”
Phorest announces Summit speakers
Phorest Salon Software has announced details of its next Salon Owner Summit.
The event will be held at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on January 8–9, 2023, and will host an international salon audience from the UK, Ireland, US, Canada, Australia and Germany.
Speakers will include entrepreneur and author Liz Earle MBE, chief product officer of Phorest Salon Software Paddy Monaghan, US salon business consultant Geno Stampora, and self-development coach Roxie Nafousi. Tickets are available via salonownersummit.com