13 mins
News
Mind-skin connection, solid and powder formulations, activism and digital duality to lead beauty trends into 2025
Over the next two years, the beauty industry will see solid and powder formulations replace liquids, new launches tap into the impact of emotion on skin and an increase in both activism and AI.
Trends prediction agency WGSN forecasted the future of the beauty industry in 2025 in its latest report, sharing six key trends.
The first is Flex-abilities, whereby the continuation of multiple global crises will see stress become more prominent.
“Emotional beauty” is set to grow, with the connection between mind and skin at the centre of product development, recognising the effect of emotion on skin conditions.
In addition, there will be acceptance of indulgence – for example, if partying makes you happy, do it but use products to avoid the skin consequences.
The second trend is Layered Realities, which focuses on a fusion of real and virtual through use of avatars, and mind-link technologies, such as platforms that measure emotional response to scents through brainwave activity.
Trend three is Resource Ready, where businesses will use resource scarcity as an opportunity for sustainable production, via lab-grown alternatives to rare natural ingredients, as well as compostable packaging.
Fourth trend Urgent Optimism will see people losing trust in political processes. WGSN says we will see more activism from beauty brands around inclusive beauty, and the challenging of filtered images and unsubstantiated terms, such as “clean beauty”.
Preservation Mode is trend five and focuses on our history of overconsumption. As well as more sustainable ingredient sourcing, this will mean a switch from liquids and creams to solid and powder formats that have a longer shelf life and are easier to transport.
Last trend Strategic Imaginations involves more multi-sensory design, using AI tools and neuroscience. Creative storytelling will also become even more important in the product sales process.
Women feel most confident about their looks when they are in their 60s
Ageing is a huge concern to many women approaching mid-life, but a new study suggests this dissipates when women reach their 60s, allowing them to feel more confident.
A new survey of 1,000 British women, by collagen supplement brand SoBodyCo, found that 66% of British women aged 60-69 claimed to feel confident in their appearance – more than any other age group, and significantly higher than those in their 20s.
This is despite 29% saying they had expected to feel most confident in their 20s – whereas actually only 53% of this age group reported feeling confident about the way they look.
British women aged 70-79 were the second most confident group, with 57% claiming to feel this way about themselves.
This coupled with the fact that almost one in three (31%) women claim to have felt more confident with themselves as they have grown older is great news for the 84% of women who say they dread the ageing process.
The survey also revealed the female celebrities aged over 50 who British women are most inspired by, in terms of appearance, health and fitness, with Jennifer Aniston (53 years old) topping the list, closely followed by Davina McCall (55) and Dame Helen Mirren (77).
News in brief
The Massage Company (TMC) has opened its first North of England location in Altrincham, Cheshire. TMC has an existing franchise portfolio of seven centres. Altrincham, the eighth, will have 12 treatment rooms and a team of up to 20 massage therapists working at the 2,700 sq ft site.
French skincare brand Phytomer has partnered with the new 7 Sky Spa in London. The spa’s owner, Maxim Martin, said. “To complement our exotic treatments and heritage techniques from Thailand and Bali, we selected Phytomer as a representation of modern innovation, sustainability and results.”
Salon group Saks has hit a major milestone, having raised £200,000 for gynaecological cancer charity The Eve Appeal. The salon teams did outdoor activities including a Wing Walk at 140mph, a 12k Total Warrior obstacle run and Walk To Remember: a 29-mile trek along Hadrian’s Wall.
Celebrities are loving the recently launched CACI Micro-Touch facial. TV presenter Emma Willis visited CACI head office not long after her BBC Comic Relief challenge to reach the summit of Cairn Gorm Mountain, while Made in Chelsea star Lucy Watson and presenter Vick Hope both enjoyed their facials at CACI’s London flagship Lisa Franklin Clinic Privé.
The Bulgari Spa London has launched four new healing treatments by Ayurvedic brand Mauli Rituals, centred around female wellbeing. They feature a sensorial take on massage by including Ayurvedic dosha-specific sound therapies curated by four leading women in wellness: Estelle Bingham, Alice Law, Athena Ko and Dr Tara Swart (pictured left to right).
Revealed: the UK’s most popular beauty and aesthetic treatments
Laser hair removal, builder gel and microblading are among the most searched beauty treatments in the UK, according to new data from beauty retailer Justmylook.
The list comes from analysis of TikTok views, hashtags and videos made of beauty and aesthetic treatmentrelated videos, using Exolyt data.
In partnership with aesthetic safety body Saveface, Justmylook also investigated 2,824 aesthetic treatment complaints from Saveface’s records of the past year, to find which treatments had the highest complaint rate in 2022, in order to raise awareness of the potential risks.
The findings showed that dermal filler was the most complained about aesthetic treatment in the UK in 2022, while facial lasering was found to be the most complained about beauty treatment.
Beauty professionals urged to review Level 5 Aesthetic Practitioner - Skin Rejuvenation standard
As part of the Government’s apprenticeship reforms, the draft Level 5 Aesthetic Practitioner Skin Rejuvenation Trailblazer standard is now available for review.
To ensure the standards reflect industry practice, the Beauty Professional Trailblazer Steering Group is urging beauty and aesthetic professionals to participate in the process via the survey.
The Level 5 standard was drawn up by the Beauty Professional apprenticeship steering group, consisting of employers, training providers and awarding organisations, following Institute of Apprenticeship and technical education quality guidelines.
The standard has been designed to provide a progression step up from the Level 3 apprenticeship.
It includes skin rejuvenation using chemical peels, microneedling, lightbased skin rejuvenation, mesotherapy and cryotherapy, plus modules on health and safety management and infection control, client consultation, informed consent and risk assessment management.
Links to both the draft standard and the survey can be found at professionalbeauty.co.uk/aesthetictrailblazer
News in brief
Black Skin Directory has launched a new website, featuring a library of skincare articles alongside updated glossaries of treatments, skin conditions and ingredients. The directory was originally founded in 2018 by aesthetic therapist Dija Ayodele.
Thierry Cheval, managing director and chairman of L’Oréal UK & Ireland, has been appointed chair of the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Perfumery Association (CTPA). Chris Barron, general manager personal care for Unilever UK&I, takes Cheval’s former role of second vice-chair.
Celluma has received certification to European Council Medical Device Regulation 2017/745 for its low level light therapy devices. Patrick Johnson, chief executive of parent company BioPhotas said, “This certification…means that in addition to its legacy products, the Celluma will be available in the European Union and other countries that rely on certification to the MDR.”
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa has announced its commitment to sustainability and conservation in 2023. Plans include rare breed cattle to graze its 400 acres, keeping stronger grasses while encouraging plant diversity and helping insects and flowers to thrive. It will also plant and protect trees into the established ancient woods. 10,000 have already been grown in the past 15 years.
Salon System hosted a Wellness Experts Event for its professional beauty experts in recognition of their hard work and brand support. The event was an opportunity for the experts to join the Salon System team and discuss all things beauty.
97% of women worldwide feel judged for how they look
A survey of over 10,000 female-identifying women aged over 18 years old has revealed global attitudes to the judgement that women face over their appearance.
97% of women believe they are judged on how they look, and 61% have received negative comments or abuse about their appearance, according to research conducted in urban and suburban areas across the UK, Germany, Spain, Mexico, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Interestingly, abuse and appearance-based commentary were lowest for the women surveyed in the UK (48%), while the highest levels were reported in Mexico (68%).
The findings were juxtaposed, however, by the empowering suggestion that women are still passionate about their appearance autonomy: 88% of those surveyed said that they believed women should be free from social judgement, and 90% stated that they should be able to do whatever they want with their appearance.
The survey was conducted by aesthetics company Sinclair, for its MaiLi hyaluronic acid fillers brand and the launch of its “My Power” campaign, which says no to judgement.
Townhouse buys Tana Ramsay’s salon All About the Girl
After 12 years in Battersea, London, Tana Ramsay, wife of chef Gordon Ramsay, has handed over the reins of her All About the Girl beauty salon to nail salon group Townhouse.
The location on Northcote Road was closed in March then reopened in April as a flagship Townhouse location, featuring its signature design and treatment menu.
The existing All About the Girl team will continue to be employed at Townhouse.
Ramsay said, “I’m delighted to see my team move over to Townhouse and look forward to seeing them developing.”
Dermalogica launches Cibtac-regulated Level 4 Microneedling and Skin Peeling
The International Dermal Institute, in partnership with Dermalogica, has launched regulated Cibtac Awards in Microneedling and Skin Peeling Treatments.
These Level 4 Awards offer practical and knowledge-based Ofqual-regulated qualifications that provide learners with the skills and knowledge to carry out recognised microneedling and skin peeling treatments.
Both have been developed in line with the National Occupational Standards (NOS), which provide an industry standard and are identifiable by employers as appropriate for working as a skin practitioner.
News in brief
Founder of the Massage4MentalHealth campaign Hayley Snishko ran a presentation at Cosmoprof in Italy, showcasing her winning massage techniques. Snishko was invited as Cidesco’s VIP guest, having won its Global Massage Therapist of the Year for Western Massage 2022 award.
Sustainability consultancy Cyd Connects ran sessions through B Corp Month (March) to offer practical advice and support to beauty brands. The ten one-hour virtual workshops provided a guide through the B Corp Impact Assessment, and an understanding of business’s sustainability through the five B Corp Impact Areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.
Georgina East, founder of facial transformation methodology Sknfluence, is opening a new clinic at 1 Harley Street, London. The facility will allow East to build a more personal relationship with her client base. Sknfluence promotes long-term solutions to change the health of clients’ skin.
MatisParis’s Age B-Mood Moisturiser won the Editor’s Choice Award at the 2023 Beauty Shortlist Awards. Nicola Fisher, French Beauty Expert’s managing director, commented, “We are very excited to see this innovative new formula being recognised on a global level and by reputable industry experts.”
Lumenis has appointed Sharon Shire as UK customer service manager, and Gigi Tilavi as London and South East sales manager. Country manager Andrew Greenwell said the appointments illustrate Lumenis’s ongoing investment to its UK customers.
Hand Picked Hotels launches spa therapist apprenticeship programme
Hand Picked Hotels has launched a Spa Therapist Apprenticeship programme across the group, working with national provider Armonia Training Academy. Designed to attract and nurture future talent, the programme will equip apprentices with practical skills and insights needed to work in the spa industry. On completion, apprentices are guaranteed a role at Hand Picked Hotels, which has 11 spas within its 21 hotels.
Apprentices will have onsite training at Hand Picked Hotels’ spas as well as a seven-week residential placement at Armonia Training Academy. Each will be assigned a personal mentor within the spa and from Armonia to support them.
Lesley Bacon, group health club and spa manager, said, “Being able to furnish our talented future therapists with the very best skills is invaluable.”
Jessica Reeves, who has just joined the newly launched Spa Therapist Academy, said: “I have been eager to start a career in spa and beauty for a while and this is a perfect entry point for me.”
Timely partners with Tom Chapman to launch virtual mental health training
Timely Business Management Software and Tom Chapman, founder of The Lions Barber Collective, have joined forces to develop a four-pillar mental health training Virtual Masterclass to give beauty and hair professionals the tools needed to support clients facing mental health struggles.
The Mental Health Masterclass, available to all beauty and hair professionals is a two-hour training course which takes the learner through four pillars of awareness; Recognise, Ask, Listen and Help.
CACI professional product line gets a fresh rebrand
British brand CACI has unveiled a new look for its professional product line, featuring 10 products used in CACI treatments.
The sleek new design uses opaque peach rectangles along with a rose gold metallic font to highlight a keyword that identifies the action of each product at a glance.
Some of the product names have also changed to reflect the key benefits of each product.
Products involved in the rebrand include Hydrate Hydro Moisturiser and Sculpt Body Sculptor Oil.
Crystal Clear Skincare partners with Dress for Success charity
Crystal Clear Skincare is working with Dress for Success – acharity that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing them with a network of support, professional workwear, and development tools to help them thrive.
In March, the brand sponsored the Dress for Success Power of Women Awards and presented Brenda Edwards with the Crystal Clear Face of Resilience Award, following her return to television after losing her son Jamal.
In other news for the brand, Crystal Clear will be trialing a four-day work week for employees following the results from the largest ever four-day work week trial.
The trial showed staff wellbeing improving dramatically and business productivity enhanced during a four-day week.
Fresha climbs the ranks in Top 100 Global Marketplaces
Fresha, the beauty and wellness booking and management software platform, has debuted on the Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Top 100 Global Marketplaces list in the 59th spot.
The California-based venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz compiles the Marketplace100, assessing companies based on comprehensive marketplace activity scores.
These criteria include annual gross merchandise volume (GMV) from Bloomberg, as well as performance data from Apptopia and SimilarWeb.
Fresha’s founder and chief executive William Zeqiri attributes the company’s ranking to its substantial global impact and market leadership.
Premier Software acquired by Journey Hospitality
Premier Software, the spa, leisure and wellness management software business, has been acquired by hotel technology company Journey Hospitality.
Core by Premier Software is already fully integrated with Journey Hospitality’s booking platform ‘One Journey’ as a result of a longstanding working relationship.
Premier Software was founded in 1994 and is a spa and wellness management software company with over 500 customers, including The Belfry and The Landmark.
The business will operate as a separate division alongside Journey’s existing product, agency and consulting brands, and will be headed by Oliver Cahill as managing director.
Diary dates
// May 19–20 Aesthetic Medicine Live Olympia London The medical aesthetic show returns with new product launches and both clinical and business education programmes. 020 7351 0536 aestheticmed.co.uk/london
// May 28–29 Professional Beauty & Hair Ireland RDS, Dublin The Ireland edition of the show features leading suppliers, live stages and awards. 0844 586 8195 professionalbeauty.ie
// June 10 Global Wellness Day Worldwide The annual event is a not-for-profit day that aims to raise awareness about living well and increasing motivation. +90 216 571 49 00 globalwellnessday.org
// July 2–4 Spa Life UK Convention Cotswolds Water Park Hotel, Gloucestershire Meetings and education to help spa professionals grow their businesses. 01268 745892 spa-life.international
// September 24–25 Professional Beauty North Manchester Central The largest beauty exhibition in the North returns with product launches, education, competitions and more. 020 7351 0536 professionalbeauty.co.uk/north
// October 15–16 Olympia Beauty ExCeL London Now under the Professional Beauty Group umbrella, Olymia Beauty will run alongside hair show Salon International. 020 7351 0536 olympiabeauty.co.uk