13 mins
NEWS
MPs launch investigation to prove value of complementary therapies
A cross-party group of MPs has launched an investigation into the value of complementary therapies in supporting physical and mental health and wellbeing and taking pressure off the NHS.
Co-chaired by Carolyn Harris MP and Judith Cummins MP, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Beauty and Wellbeing (APPG BAW), will explore how complementary therapies can support both health and the economy.
The Group has launched a call for written evidence to understand:
• The value the sector brings to the UK’s economy and society
• How complementary treatments can play a preventative role in supporting people’s health and wellbeing, or support those with existing health conditions
• How the NHS can be better integrated with the sector
• Skills gap facing the industry and how we can attract talent
• How has the pandemic changed demand
• How to ensure the long-term growth of the sector and ensure those that work in it are able to make a good wage.
During summer and autumn, the APPG invited sector experts to give oral evidence.
Having collected evidence, the MPs will present a call to action to Government with recommendations for how to support the sector’s future.
The deadline for call for evidence submissions is midnight on November 11.
Carolyn Harris MP and Judith Cummins MP said, “Great steps have been made to secure the beauty industry greater recognition in Parliament and Government; however, the value of complementary therapies in supporting everyone’s health is not being adequately recognised.
“We look forward to receiving representations from across the industry as we seek to make recommendations to the Government.”
Information on how to submit responses and eveidence is available at baw-appg.com
59% of Brits don’t know whether their beauty therapist is qualified or insured
New research has revealed that just under two thirds (59%) of Brits don’t know whether their chosen beauty professional is insured, or even qualified.
1,000 female beauty consumers were surveyed as part of the launch of Salon Rated, a new platform from the founder of tools brand Navy Professional, to help consumers in the UK find professional, qualified hair and beauty service providers.
The survey also showed that most consumers use social media to find a new beauty professional, with 87% turning to Instagram and 48% relying on word of mouth.
With the beauty industry lacking regulation, consumers should be doing some form of research before booking a treatment, but three fifths (60%) admitted they don’t know how to do a background check on salons before making appointments. A further 75% were not even aware that the beauty industry is currently unregulated.
63% also admitted to having no idea what products their beauty professionals use, and almost half (43%) have never received any type of aftercare advice from their salon.
News in brief
Elan Spa at Mallory Court Hotel has partnered with Temple Spa and is now offering the brand’s menu of face and body treatments. Temple Spa has also been named a sponsor of the Elan Spa Academy, the spa’s apprenticeship scheme for talented and aspiring beauty therapists.
Labskin and the University of Bradford’s Centre for Skin Sciences have announced that the first commercially available lab-grown “pigmented” skin-equivalent has been developed. These new pigmented models mimic the skin’s microbiome, which allow skincare ingredients and formulations to be tested on a greater diversity of skin types.
Sweet Squared was named as Nimue’s International Distributor of the Year at the 2022 Nimue Conference in South Africa. The event also saw Carol Macniver from Cmac Beauty Oban, Scotland, named as Nimue’s International Therapist of the Year 2022, following her win in the UK leg.
Salon software business Phorest has launched its Autumn Collection, a mix of product updates and new features including PhorestPay Card Terminal, Online Store with options for in-store pick up, promotions, free shipping, Account Integration, Phorest Reports and new client self-check-in app PhorestGuest.
Evolve Organic Beauty has committed to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. The brand has already achieved COSMOS Organic and Natural, Certified Vegan, Certified Cruelty Free, Carbon Neural and Plastic Negative status, and is in discussions about creating an industry-wide ingredient sustainability database or standard.
Licensing for non-invasive cosmetic procedures: latest update
While there is still no published timeline for when licences for cosmetic procedures will come in to force, the Joint Council for Cosmetic Procedures (JCCP) has said in a statement, “The consultation on which procedures are to be covered by the new licensing scheme is likely to begin in the early New Year.”
It added, “It is anticipated that a further consultation will then follow on the licensing of premises later in 2023.”
The statement said the new licensing scheme is likely to include highstreet cosmetic treatments which can cause serious harm when not carried out correctly or in a safe environment: “The scheme must at least cover injectable toxins, dermal fillers, vitamin infusions, platelet-rich plasma replacement therapy, cogs and threads, cryolipolysis, sclerotherapy, invasive chemical peels, a range of laser and light procedures and hair restoration surgery,” the update said.
News in brief
CACI treated brides-to-be at the Bridal Beauty Festival, at the Rosewood London hotel, where attendees had access to skincare advice from CACI experts and were gifted Rejuvenating Hand Masks to get hands weddingring-ready. Complimentary Express Synergy facial treatments were available, with one bride-to-be winning a professional treatment at the brand’s Knightsbridge flagship.
Everlasting Brows has launched a Pigmentology Master training course for permanent make-up artists. The course will train PMUAs in colour theory, skin tones and undertones , what is necessary for successful colour correction and more, with various assessments throughout.
Lumenis has launched Aesthetic Aspire, a bi-annual customer magazine intended to shine a light on company news and educate on industry trends from the aesthetics world. The magazine will also spotlight Lumenis’s brand partners, key opinion leaders and the people behind the brand.
Ragdale Hall Spa, Leicester, will now be retailing the full Medik8 product range within its beauty boutique. The spa is also offering professional Medik8 treatments, including the Platinum Face and Body Rejuvenating Ritual Treatment, which is exclusive to Ragdale Hall Spa.
Sarah Deacon has been appointed 3D Aesthetics’ national sales manager within its cosmeceutical division for Lesielle UK. In her new role, Deacon will develop and deliver a growth plan for the new cosmeceutical division and build a sales team for the new brand.
Cost-of-living crisis driving financially inclusive beauty trend
Consumers are demanding fairer pricing, greater product efficacy and more honest business models as the cost-of-living crisis continues, according to a new report from beauty buyers’ club Beauty Pie.
The Beauty Futures 2025: Beauty, Beautility and the Rise of the ‘Question Everything’ Economy report, released in partnership with consultancy The Future Laboratory, found that a period of financial uncertainty, increased free time during the pandemic, and greater access to information has created a generation of hyper-knowledgeable consumers.
These beauty consumers expect brands to provide more honesty about their products – from efficacy to supply chain.
As consumers continue to re-evaluate their spending and become more knowledgeable about mark-ups, the report predics there will be demand for radical fairness across everything from price point to product efficacy.
This will change associations of higher price being linked to quality, placing more pressure on brands to prioritise shared values and demonstrate fairness, the report found.
Brands are also increasingly seeing consumers turn away from wanting to be “sold” products, instead turning to their peers for product recommendations.
More salons and spas launch academies in a bid to tackle the recruitment crisis
The Daniel Thwaites Spa Group and salon chain Mooeys have addressed the therapist recruitment crisis head on by launching their own academies.
In September, Daniel Thwaites, which runs six hotel spas across the UK, launched The Spa Academy to give people the opportunity to work at a Daniel Thwaites spa while completing a Level 2 or 3 apprenticeship.
Roles include wellbeing holistic therapists, leisure team members and personal trainers. Those taking part will be able to do training onsite, with dedicated time to study and assessments taking place either onsite or remotely via a training supplier.
Meanwhile, Mooeys has outlined plans to launch a Sponsorship Programme to recruit trainee beauty therapists and train them in house.
During the 26-week intensive training programme, students will cover all treatments offered within the salon chain through the brand’s fully accredited Babtac and Beauty Guild training courses, including nails, waxing, brow lamination and lash lifting.
News in brief
Dermalogica announced the launch of a “Sun Ageing Cream”, as part of its “SPF is for life not for Summer” campaign. The spoof product, marketed to help you age 24% faster, was “launched” to raise awareness about SPF damage after it was reported 3.7 million Brits don’t do anything to project their skin in strong sunlight.
Finnish payment and booking service provider Book Salon is launching in the UK. The start-up offers payment terminals and a payment processing service, in addition to its website builder, online booking systems, and cash and accounting reports, and specialises in the hair, beauty and wellness sector.
Renova, a new medical and aesthetic clinic in Poole, has made a 10-year dream a reality for owner Jim Westwood. The clinic, which Westwood began planning a decade ago, will offer a range of aesthetic services, from injectables to tech-based treatments.
Strictly Come Dancing pro Nadiya Bychkova prepared for the opening show with a body-sculpting treatment from Endospheres. The treatment produces a vibration and pressure combination that performs “vascular gymnastics” on the body for muscle recovery and shaping.
Suzanna Clayton, brand development manager for Louella Belle, attended Footlogix’s Train the Trainer class in Belgium with educators Metta Francis, Sharon Baker, Claire Harris and Clare Hoosen. The event saw the team joined by 75 others from 19 countries for two days of demonstrations, product training and networking.
Only 17% of women believe racial beauty is accepted by society
Just 17% of women think that racial beauty is truly accepted by society, according to new data.
The report, titled Forces of Beauty, from Driving Racial Equality in Aesthetic Medicine (DREAM), surveyed 4,000 women, aged between 21 and 65, about what inclusive and representative beauty looks like today, with a focus on how Eurocentric ideals affect women of colour.
The data found that just 17% of women felt that racial beauty is accepted by society, and one in four Black, Hispanic, and multi-racial women believe society’s standards of beauty are racist.
Just over half (52%) agreed that “anyone can be beautiful,” despite only 11% saying that society makes them feel beautiful.
The report will be brought to life through a video series produced by Shutterstock Studios, featuring four women sharing their stories and experiences.
The DREAM Initiative also involves a royalty-free gallery of diverse images on shutterstock.com, which we have featured above and on this month’s cover.
Sephora launching into the UK with store and website
Renowned beauty retailer Sephora is set to launch in the UK, taking over Feelunique’s website and opening a store in spring 2023.
On October 17, 2022, the Feelunique website, which Sephora acquired a year ago,became sephora.co.uk.
It will sell brands exclusive to Sephora UK, including Tarte Cosmetics, ILIA, Skinfix and its own Sephora Collection, alongside premium brands including Pat McGrath Labs and Fenty Beauty.
The online launch will be followed by the opening of a store in London in spring 2023. To celebrate its UK launch, Sephora hosted an event in London on October 20 at One Marylebone.
Chris de Lapuente, chairman and chief executive of Sephora, said, “We are delighted to bring Sephora to the UK [which] is home to a dynamic beauty and wellbeing market that Sephora will aim to surprise and delight through our trademark knowhow and creativity.”
Diary dates
// 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
// January 26–28, 2022 IMACS Annual World Congress Palais des Congres International expo covering aesthetic procedures. +33 (0) 140 738 282 imacs.com/en
// February 20–21 Professional Beauty Dubai Festival Arena, Dubai The biggest industry event in Dubai includes live stages, workshops and competitions. +971 (0) 4375 7300 professionalbauty.ae
// March 5 Professional Beauty and World Spa & Wellness Awards 2023 The Brewery, London The biggest and most established awards for the industry returns. 020 7351 0536 professionalbeauty.co.uk/awards
// March 5–6 Professional Beauty London 2023 ExCeL London PB London returns with stellar education, competitions networking opportunities and some of the biggest brands. 0344 443 4411 professionalbeauty.co.uk/london
// March 5–6 World Spa and Wellness Convention 2023 ExCeL London Global networking event for both independently run and group spas and hotels, taking place at PB London. 0344 443 4411 professionalbeauty.co.uk/wswlondon
Cosmeditech opens second Experience Centre
Cosmeditech has opened its second Experience Centre in Birchwood, Cheshire, with a showroom for its full product range and a training centre for existing and new customers.
Following the opening of its first centre in Dublin in July, the company has opened the second to support its customer base in the north of the UK.
Peter McGuinness, founder and managing director of Cosmeditech, said, “For most salons and clinics, technology is perhaps the largest investment they will make, so having this facility allows them to visit and try out any of our devices to reassure them that they are investing in the best equipment for their business.
He added, “It represents a significant investment in our business and the support we can provide customers before and after their investment in new technology.”
Louella Belle and Duet Diabetes team up for diabetic awareness
Louella Belle and Duet Diabetes have launched the Evergreen Diabetic Foot Awareness workshop, designed to help beauty and wellness therapists to understand the diabetic foot and feel confident about when to carry out treatment.
Students will also learn what advice to give as well as when to encourage clients to seek care from a healthcare professional if they spot signs of foot problems.
The session is pre-recorded by an experienced podiatrist from Duet Diabetes and available to view virtually on louellabelle.academy. The workshop is certified after completing and passing the course and exam.
CACI’s new website and refresher training
CACI has created a Refresher Training Course, to be held at its head office in Elstree.
The course is for therapists previously trained and certified by CACI who need additional support.
The half-day course will include hands-on practical and revision of the signature treatment with the support of CACI’s training team.
Managing director Dean Nathanson said, “The refresher course is a great way for us to maintain treatment standards.”
The brand’s website has also had an update, now incorporating the CACI brand story, award wins, treatments and technology menu, blog, clinic finder and shop. Salons can access the professional portal, including marketing and training materials. The site has been mobile optimised.