11 mins
NEWS
Dopamine beauty and accessible diagnostics among top trends for 2024
Salon software brand Fresha and trend forecaster WGSN have unveiled their Future of Wellness Report for 2024, highlighting 11 industry-shaping trends.
These insights were gathered by analysing 600 million Fresha bookings, more than 2,000 social media accounts, consumer surveys and expert interviews.
11 beauty and spa trends for 2024:
• Dopamine beauty – consumers will seek wellbeing through bold experimentation and the connection between mental health and beauty.
• Prioritised indulgence – self-care routines are becoming a necessity, leading to a rise in the “maintenance day” and hybrid salons offering multiple services.
• Pet wellness – a surge in pet ownership will drive pet-friendly beauty and wellness services.
• Phygital exploration – augmented and virtual reality will enhance beauty consultation experiences, allowing clients to experiment.
• Cultural intellect – cultural understanding will influence skincare services, promoting inclusivity and tailored communication.
• Modern males – men will continue to embrace beauty and wellness services.
• Gender-fluid futures – salons will aim to be inclusive, avoiding gender assumptions in language and services.
• A makeover for add-ons – salons will offer personalised complimentary services and partner with local business to enhance the client experience.
• Multisensory wellness – beauty and wellness services will engage all five senses for a holistic experience.
• Health tweakments – consumers will desire a healthy appearance and embrace more treatments beyond the face area.
• Accessible diagnostics – smart salon tools will offer hyper-individualised care, bridging the gap between beauty, wellness and healthcare.
The report emphasised the need for beauty and wellness providers to adapt to changing consumer expectations, particularly by enhancing emotional client care and catering to evolving market demands.
90% of Brits try DIY treatments, with 52% then seeking professional corrections
90% of Brits have attempted beauty or hair treatments at home before seeing a professional, with 68% of those claiming to do so to save money.
A survey by local services marketplace Yell also found that, as well as saving money, saving time was is a driving factor for DIY beauty, with 42% giving this reason.
Meanwhile, 23% of respondents admitted attempting beauty treatments at home “because it looked easy on social media”.
18-25-year-olds are least likely to be trying to save money when they try DIY, instead being inspired by influencers who make it look easy online.
The most common at-home DIY beauty treatments (excluding hair) are face masks (55%), waxing (33%), teeth whitening (33%), fake tan (28%) and nail extensions (18%).
Meanwhile, 10% of those surveyed said they had tried home lash extensions, 7% had attempted at-home brow lamination, and 7% had tried a DIY lash lift.
A bad at-home treatment means a swift trip to visit a professional to get it fixed. 52% of those surveyed have had to get an at-home treatment corrected by a professional, with 62% of those surveyed admitting to spending between £50 and £500 on getting things fixed.
An average of £123 per person is regularly spent on top of the original DIY price to fix mistakes.
News in brief
Caroline Larissey has been appointed chief executive of the National Hair & Beauty Federation. Formerly director of quality and standards, Larissey has continued to champion the voice of employers and practitioners, acting as a conduit between the industry, professional bodies, Government agencies, departments and ministers on issues that affect the sector.
VTCT has opened entries for this year’s VTCT Excellence Awards, dedicated to celebrating talent within private training organisations and colleges from across the UK and Ireland. VTCT is now inviting training establishments to nominate the most deserving students, colleagues and apprentices across more than 17 different sectors to receive recognition.
Studex has opened a new office in Dublin, trading as Studex Ireland. The localised base will ease the delivery process, making partnering with Studex more cost effective, and elevate the piercing programme in Ireland, with more local knowledge and support.
Keith Conniford has joined the board of Babtac and Cibtac. Having previously been chief executive of the Hair & Barber Council, Conniford is passionate about regulation and brings with him a wealth of skills and experience.
The Lanesborough Club & Spa, London, has partnered with Ground Wellbeing to offer an exclusive new signature massage. As part of the treatment, visitors can choose from a selection of Ground Wellbeing luxury oils.
Global personal care and beauty market to reach £1,178 billion by 2027
The global personal care and beauty market is projected to rise 5.7% to reach a value of $1,436.7 billion (£1,178bn) by 2027, according to the Global Wellness Institute’s Global Wellness Economy Monitor 2023.
In 2022, the global market for personal care and beauty (defined as consumer expenditure on products and services for personal hygiene and appearance, covering body, face, skin, hair, and nails) reached $1,088.7 billion (£809.5bn), showing resilience after a 13.3% decline in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Notably, the sector rebounded with a robust 13.4% growth in 2021, resulting in an 8.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2020 to 2022.
The category accounted for a significant 19.4% of all wellness spend in 2022.
Europe is the second biggest region for beauty sales with a value of $303bn (£247bn).
Meanwhile, the spa sector of the wellness market was worth $104.5 bn (£85.2bn) in2022, according to the report. This represents a 22.3% CAGR from 2020 to 2022. It is forecast to reach $156.1bn (£127.2bn) by 2027.
The UK was named the seventh biggest spa market globally, worth $3.2bn (£2.6bn), with a CAGR of 23% from 2020 to 2022.
Overall, the global wellness market is worth $5.2 trillion (£4.2tn) and is continuing to recover post-pandemic, increasing by 12% annually since 2020 and reaching a 14% higher value than the previous record year of 2019.
The total market is predicted to grow another 52% by 2027.
Kate Moss launches spa treatment and joins British Beauty Council as ambassador
Supermodel Kate Moss has been named the first global ambassador for the British Beauty Council, as she launches her first professional treatment.
The ambassador appointment was announced as British Beauty Council (BBCo)'s British Beauty Week kicked off at the end of October.
Moss, who also owns wellness retail brand Cosmoss, will help raise awareness and the reputation of the British beauty industry worldwide.
Commenting on her appointment, Moss said: "Beauty is more than skin deep, it’s the heartbeat of the creative industry that’s helped build my career, and the careers of so much creative talent, from hair and make-up stylists on set to the magicians behind the brands.”
Separately, Moss’s Cosmoss brand has launched its first ever professional treatment, The Cosmoss Ritual, at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane.
The treatment was created by spa director Taffryn Ellis and the spa’s lead therapist team and includes a hot stone massage, facial, gua sha and Cosmoss tea.
Ellis said, "Inspired by the brand’s story, the needs of our guests and Kate’s own daily rituals, we have created a unique experience."
News in brief
East Sussex National Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa has taken on Voya Organic Beauty, with a menu offering treatments that encapsulate East Sussex National. Guests can also enjoy Voya treatments inspired by the ancient Irish tradition of seaweed bathing and harness the benefits of hand-harvested seaweed.
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa in Keswick has introduced scream therapy. The unique offering provides a powerful means to alleviate emotional tension, reduce anxiety, and nurture a profound sense of emotional relief. Primal scream therapy often takes place in a therapeutic environment.
The Beauty Rebellion and Tribe 517 are collaborating to bring The S.E.L.F Method to spas. Using Tribe 517 products and techniques, clients are invited to the treatment room for a body-positive spa experience. The Beauty Rebellion has designed a course, named The Body Positive Practitioner, to empower and educate therapists. It covers compassionate dialogue, cultivating a positive spa culture, plus innovative techniques and tips to support your team.
BTL Aesthetics has appointed Tim Taylor as managing director, following the departure of Zbynek Pistak. Under Taylor’s leadership, BTL hopes to build on its market momentum, introducing new aesthetic, physiotherapy and wellbeing energy devices.
From beauty to publishing: Anne Eckersley, former director of R. Robson, which distributed Guinot in the UK, has written a series of books under the name of Anni Rose. The series, Recipes for Love, comprises six romantic novels rich with comedy and is available on Amazon and Audible.
87% of beauty businesses losing income due to “friendly” clients
Beauty salons are among the small businesses most frequently losing revenue by not charging full rates to friends and family.
Research by directory Yell.com found that more than 90% of beauty business owners said they spend longer with “friendly” clients, with 87% also admitting that they don’t charge for this time.
According to the survey, 86% of small business owners work with clients that have become friends, or already were, though these numbers rise to more than 94% for those in the beauty sector.
The research surveyed small business owners from across the UK and found that three quarters (75%) find it hard to set boundaries with their clients, with 98% replying to business queries during their personal time.
Of those who’ve attempted to set boundaries with their clients, three in five (59%) have been met with negative responses.
The study, which surveyed just over 250 owners of small businesses (up to 50 employees), sought to discover how business owners separate the professional from the personal, and the impact this can have on their finances.
TPOT Shine Your Light Awards recognises inspiring spa and beauty professionals
The winners of the third TPOT Shine Your Light Awards were announced at Refettorio Felix, London, on November 8.
The awards were established in 2019 by Michelle Hammond, founder of The Power of Touch (TPOT), to celebrate individuals in the spa and beauty industry who go above and beyond to help others and make a difference. The winners are:
Inspirational Therapist (employed): Ciara Ryan, head therapist at The Spa at The Kingsley, Cork, Ireland
Inspirational Therapist (freelance): Fiona Murphy, founder of Sparkle Through Chemo Inspirational Trainer: Emma Holly, founder of Restore Therapy (scar therapy courses)
Inspirational Leader: Laura Meeson, director of spa at Premier Software and cancer touch therapy advocate.
Inspirational Consultant: Anni Hood, spa consultant and founder of Well Intelligence.
Inspirational Charity Contributor: Yvonne Ebdon, general manager of the UK Spa Association and a leader and campaigner for baby and child loss charities.
Inspirational Contribution to Health & Wellness lifetime achievement award: Tanya Wheway, renowned consultant and former Champneys director.
Diary dates
// December 2-3
The Beauty Beat Tavistock Place, London
The exhibition dedicated to meeting the beauty needs of women of colour returns. hello@thebeautybeat.co.uk thebeautybeat.co.uk
// February 19-20
Professional Beauty Dubai Festival Arena, Dubai
The biggest industry event in Dubai includes live stages and competitions. +971 (0) 4375 7300 professionalbeauty.ae
// March 3
Professional Beauty and World Spa & Wellness Awards 2024
The Brewery, London Celebrating the top UK salons, spas, clinics, teams and individuals. 020 7351 0536 professionalbeauty.co.uk/awards
// March 3–4
Professional Beauty London 2024 ExCeL London
PB London returns with stellar education, competitions, networking opportunities and biggest brands. 0344 443 4411 professionalbeauty.co.uk/london
// March 3–4
World Spa & Wellness Convention ExCeL London
A global networking event for independent and group-run spas, hotels and wellness professionals taking place alongside PB London. 0344 443 4411 professionalbeauty.co.uk/london
// March 22–24
Beauty Düsseldorf Messe Düsseldorf
A trade fair for beauty, aesthetics, nails and spa. +49 (0) 211 4560 7600 beauty-duesseldorf.com
Government directs jobseekers to careers within “booming” beauty industry
The Government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has called on jobseekers to consider a career in beauty.
The department said there are currently more than 4,000 beautyrelated vacancies live on the Government’s Find a Job portal.
These include beauty therapist, merchandiser and lecturer roles, as well as other positions to suit different levels of experience.
With an annual worth £20 billion to the UK economy, the DWP said the beauty sector is an important part of the Government’s drive to grow the economy.
Diane Whitbread, one of the DWP’s employer engagement advisors, said: “This booming sector offers a range of exciting roles and skills development along with progression opportunities and a new sense of purpose.
“Our Jobcentre network can provide crucial advice to all jobseekers and my dedicated colleagues, including work coaches, stand ready to help people begin rewarding careers within this dynamic industry.”
Comfort Zone debuts Face Space concept
Comfort Zone has launched social treatment concept “FACE SPAce”, to the UK via a partnership with Darlington spa Rockliffe Hall.
Designed for those looking for a more social and educational spa experience, Face Space’s treatment experience takes place away from traditional treatment rooms, placing clients in front of full-length mirrors in an open space. The idea is to give guests educational interaction with the therapist, while observing the visible lifting results on their skin in real time.
Initially launching at Rockliffe Hall, the treatment menu features five lifting treatments, each lasting 55-minutes, to treat a range of skin concerns, with a further three 25-minute ‘add-on’ treatments for neck, eyes and hands.
Vagaro launches website builder service MySite
Beauty business management software platform Vagaro has launched Vagaro MySite in a bid to make it easier for professionals to create business websites.
MySite allows unlimited customisation options to showcase a salon’s brand offerings and saves time by automatically updating itself whenever the user changes their services, products or hours of operation on their Vagaro account.
The interface is designed to be easy for beginners to use, with drag-and-drop templates and sophisticated designs.
Vagaro vice president of marketing Charity Hudnall said, “MySite is an absolute disrupter... The forward-thinking functionality that allows the site to update itself will help our users save time, allowing them to focus more on what they love.”