NEWS

Almost half of Brits have experienced adult acne, according to new report

Almost half of Brits have experienced adult acne and 57% admit they feel self-conscious about breakouts, according to a new study by acne skincare brand 47 Skin and market research company Onepoll.

The nationwide survey of 2,000 18-to-65-year-olds also found that breakouts are in the top three skin concerns in the UK, with 27% of respondents reporting this, alongside dryness and wrinkles.

Some 21% of respondents thought that they would only experience breakouts as a teen when growing up, yet 46% had experienced acne later in life too.

When it came to understanding the causes of adult acne, 50% believed that eating greasy food causes breakouts, with 41% believing that chocolate is a main culprit.

Interestingly, 39% believed that poor hygiene is to blame – highlighting the misconceptions of acne and how this perpetuates the negative perceptions around it.

Over a quarter of respondents worried about SPF causing breakouts, making them less likely to wear it.

Taking a closer look at how acne affects wellbeing, the study found that 48% feel selfconscious and 37% feel unattractive when they have breakouts, while 27% feel embarrassed.

Meanwhile, 35% said breakouts impact their mood and overall wellbeing, with 21% worried about the long-term effects of breakouts on their skin, while 27% admitted to comparing their skin to others and feeling inadequate.

When it came to the triggers for negative feelings, 46% of 18-34-year-olds believed that social media has made them feel conscious towards their breakouts.

Londoners are the most concerned about breakouts in the UK (41%), followed by Yorkshire (30%).

Meanwhile, those in Yorkshire (24%), followed by Northern Ireland (23%) and South East/East Midlands (both 21%) admitted to knowing the least about skincare.

New project aims to cut skin cancer by changing tanning perceptions

A new research project led by Swansea University is aiming to cut cases of melanoma by educating children about tanning.

Charity Cancer Research UK predicts there will be a record 20,800 cases diagnosed this year – up from an annual average of 19,300 between 2020 and 2022.

The new project will develop a sun-safety educational toolkit to be used in the Welsh curriculum.

SunChat: Sun Safety Conversations about Healthy Attitudes to Tanning, will explore the subject using three key methods.

1. Workshops with school children aged five to eight, to understand their perceptions of tanning and their existing sun-safety habits.

2. An online multiple-choice survey with parents and carers of primary school children to better understand their attitudes and behaviours towards tanning, both for themselves and their children.

3. An informal online focus group with primary school educators, to better understand their current perceptions of tanning.

Dr Julie Peconi of Swansea University Medical School, one of the lead researchers for SunChat, said: “We know that overexposure to the sun as a child greatly increases the risk of skin cancer in later life, making early and accessible sun safety education and promotion of sun-safe behaviours key.”

Demand for perimenopause products and support sees faster growth than menopause

Searches for perimenopause advice and products have increased by 106% in five years, outpacing menopause search interest by four times, according to new stats.

The research, by supplement brand Valerie and research company &facts, found there were more than 200,000 monthly searches for perimenopause, which could indicate a rising interest and awareness, but also a lack of education, causing people to turn to the Internet for information.

Furthering this idea, the study reported a 1.5 times higher demand and searches for information on perimenopause than menopause.

It also indicated that more than 70% of consumers are still in the research and learning phase when searching online, showing that this is likely just the beginning of the conversation around perimenopause.

When it comes to product-specific searches, interest in perimenopause products takes up 23% of menopauserelated searches.

However, only 11% of periand menopause products are specifically targeted to help with perimenopause.

Information was drawn from a combination of Google search data, Amazon product data, behavioural data, and predictive analytics from &facts’ software.

Menopause and perimenopause care is seeing improvements all over the country, with developments into personalised HRT, advanced treatments and diverse research being carried out.

Health and wellness influencers have negative impact on mental health

Followers of wellness influencers showed higher uptake of exercise and fruit and vegetable intake, but also lower mental health, in a recent study.

The study, published in the Journal of Psychological Research on Cyberspace, surveyed 1,022 young adults (aged 18-25) across the UK, US and New Zealand on their lifestyle habits, including measures of social media usage, dietary and exercise habits, and mental health.

For dietary and exercise behaviour, the study looked specifically at vigorous exercise and fruit and vegetable intake.

People who followed health influencers were shown to exercise more vigorously than those who didn’t and ate more fruits and vegetables.

To understand the mentality of the group, the survey looked at overall wellbeing, as well as signs of distress.

Although followers of health and wellness influencers were shown to have better overall wellbeing, they also had higher levels of distress and low mood, compared to non-followers.

NHBF calls on next Government to support the beauty industry

With the general election planned for July 4, The National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF) has called on the new Government to recognise the wide-ranging value of the sector and implement targeted policies and reforms to help it thrive in the future.

The NHBF unveiled its Manifesto 2024: the value of hair & beauty: careers, communities and wellbeing in May, highlighting the sector’s vital role in the UK economy and communities.

Key recommendations for the next government include VAT and business rates reform, and targeted support for employers, including improving the provision of apprenticeship funding, encouraging social prescribing and creating a level playing field through aesthetics legislation.

The report also showcases positive wellbeing and sustainability initiatives and calls for targeted green incentives.

NHBF chief executive Caroline Larissey commented, “Our manifesto sets out a positive vision for the future and how the next government can better support the creativity, entrepreneurship and public service displayed by our members every single day.”

Trend watch: sleep retreats boom in UK spas

The number of spas launching sleep retreats is on the rise, as sleep quality drops in the UK.

In 2023, the average person in Britain slept 5.9 hours per night, down from 6.1 in 2021, according to data from Nuffield Health, and only 36% considered the sleep they get as “good quality”.

On social media, “beauty sleep” has been a huge topic of conversation, with influencers discussing elevated night-time routines including “sleepy girl mocktails”, and health trackers.

The spa industry is responding to this demand with a spike in the number of new sleep retreats to help clients get a good night’s rest.

Scarlet Hotel in Cornwall has introduced a two-night Restorative Sleep Break, including the 90-minute Sarvanga treatment, an oil-based experience drawing on ayurvedic practices that aids sleep, immune system, joint pain, anxiety and fatigue. It also includes meditation and mindfulness classes, bedrooms equipped with sleep aids and a late checkout.

Meanwhile, The Spa at Bedford Lodge in Suffolk hosted a Sleep Sanctuary Spa Evening in June, with sleep consultant Melanie Davies, offering specialised sleep sessions, and two hours of access to the spa’s heat and hydrotherapy facilities.

At London boutique hotel group The Zet ter, the new Sleep Retreat Package includes a selection of sleep and wellness gifts along with a bespoke specialty sleepy mocktail.

Salford and Edinburgh named top locations for beauty and wellness

Salford, Edinburgh and Stockport are among the top beauty and wellness hotspots, according to a new study which analysed the number of beauty businesses and their customer ratings.

Electrical retailer Currys uncovered the UK’s beauty hotspot destinations, analysing the offering of hair, nail and massage locations listed on booking platform Treatwell compared to the population of those areas. It also uncovered the average rating of the service to crown the best places to live if you’re looking for beauty treatments.

Beauty industry pays tribute to Jon Mills

The industry has paid tribute to Jon Mills, UK and export manager for Hive of Beauty, who passed away on May 3.

Throughout his beauty career, Mills was responsible for the growth of a number of major brands in the UK, through roles including managing director of Sothys UK, general manager of The Eyelash Design Company and sales and marketing manager at uniform company Corporate Trends.

Mills was diagnosed early last year with terminal cancer and decided not to continue with debilitating treatment but instead to enjoy his life to the full while he could.

Akeen cricket and rugby player, he enjoyed many games in his last months.

Several beauty industry colleagues gathered to celebrate his life at his funeral on May 24 and a memorial service on May 31.

TikTok outlines how to get your beauty business noticed this summer

TikTok’s new SMB Beauty Playbook outlines tips to help beauty businesses get noticed on the social media platform. Three of the key lessons are:

1. Think of TikTok as a search engine: TikTok’s research showed that six out of 10 consumers say “how-to” videos are the most popular forms of content in their product discovery journey and 26% find brands and products from tutorials.

2. Creative success stories: TikTok recommends generating engagement with educational videos that tell your viewers about the latest tips and hacks for the products you provide and highlight the benefits of your services. Answer questions such as “what do your competitors lack that you have?”, “why would someone want to buy your service?” and “what does your service do really well?”.

3. Create an organic strategy for TikTok: The 100 brands with the highest engagement rates post an average of 4.2 times a week. TikTok suggests using narratives for these posts such as founder POV, vlog styles or virtual vs real.

Betel charity launches salon with royal visit and support from Aston & Fincher

Aston & Fincher has played a crucial role in launching a new hair and beauty salon at Anchor Point, a community centre and headquarters of the Betel charity in Birmingham.

The opening was marked by a visit from Prince William, who toured the premises, interacting with staff and supporters.

Betel supports individuals overcoming addictions, offering long-term residential programmes.

The salon, On-Point, opened on June 1, providing Betel residents opportunities to relearn and acquire new skills.

Aston & Fincher contributed hair and beauty supplies, furniture and extensive training to ensure the salon’s success. Oliver Fincher, chairman of Aston & Fincher, said, “It was an honour to be invited to join the team and welcome Prince William to Anchor Point. His presence emphasised the importance of supporting local businesses and the positive impact they have on the community.”

Hive of Beauty acquires +Maskology and +Serumology brands

Hive of Beauty has acquired the +Maskology and +Serumology brands from Beauty Pro. The brands offer professional sheet masks, serums, and body care, certified vegan and derived from plants.

Created with sustainability in mind, the products use unusual sources for ingredients like soybean for hyaluronic acid and squalene from olives. The formulas aim to maximise impact on skin, while minimising impact on the planet.

Hive of Beauty is a supplier of professional beauty products to therapists, salons, spas, and colleges, with over 20 years’ experience.

Hive operations and marketing manager David Sneddon said, “We are excited and eager to build upon the fantastic brand and products that have been created. We would like to thank the team at Beauty Pro for their professionalism, diligence, and assistance throughout this process.”

Salons Direct to stock The Gel Bottle professional range

Professional nail technicians can now access The Gel Bottle products through industry supplier Salons Direct.

The partnership allows UK nail techs to purchase The Gel Bottle’s most popular products alongside their usual supplies, including Gel Polish, BIAB, Hema-Free BIAB, and TGB Spa.

The professional nail range is an addition to the brands’ existing partnership, as Salons Direct already stocks The Gel Bottle’s consumer brand products.

To celebrate the launch, Salons Direct created CGI footage of a giant TGB polish landing at its Liverpool headquarters.