NEWS

Brits are spending up to £4.4 billion a year tackling acne

Acne sufferers in the UK are spending up to £738 per person per year on non-prescription skincare products to combat the condition, with the mental health cost of treatment rising as high as £2,000, new research has found.

This comes after news that UK health and beauty spend is up by 7.3% in 2024.

Meanwhile, acne rates in UK adolescents are among the highest in the world with adult acne care now its own billion-pound industry, with 4.8 million adults affected.

The research, from salon software supplier Fresha, found that sunscreen (£196 per year), moisturiser (£150), and face scrub (£141) are among the acne-fighting skincare products that consumers are spending the most on per year.

Meanwhile, acne-fighting toners (£40), chemical exfoliators (£45), and cleansers (£76) are receiving a lower spend per year.

Prescription NHS skincare starts from as little as £16 for azelaic acid but go up to £55 for topical retinoids, found the report.

The study also investigated the mental health cost of suffering from acne, which often causes depression in sufferers.

The NHS cost of CBT therapy to combat this ranges from £360 to £2,000, depending on number of sessions needed.

The research highlights a significant unmet need in adult acne care which can be supported by the professional beauty sector.

Microneedling and skin tag removal named among the UK’s most in-demand aesthetic procedures

The Brazilian butt lift (BBL) was the UK’s most searched-for cosmetic procedure this year, followed by microneedling and skin tag removal, according to new data.

The new research also showed that searches for aesthetic procedures increased by over 80% over the past two years.

The study, by London’s Harley Street Skin Clinic, analysed internal data and Google search data from September 2023 to August 2024 to reveal the cosmetic procedures that the UK is the most interested in.

The UK’s most-searched cosmetic procedures

1. BBL (708,000 searches)

2. Microneedling (667,000)

3. Skin tag removal (603,600)

4. Blepharoplasty (323,900)

5. Microdermabrasion (242,60 0)

6. Tummy tuck (198,000) 7. Labiaplasty (173,200)

8. Photodynamic therapy (140,300)

9. Mesotherapy (124,000)

10. Breast augmentation (121,000).

Topping the ranking was the BBL, with 708,000 searches. The “Brazilian butt lift,” involves inserting silicone-filled implants and/or removing fat from other parts of the body before injecting it into the buttocks.

Meanwhile, non-surgical BBLs involve injecting dermal filler into the buttocks, which is often composed of hyaluronic acid.

Following in second place was microneedling, seeing a high influx of searches in the last year at 667,000.

Rounding out the top three was skin tag removal, with popular methods for this including cryotherapy (freezing), ligament (tying off), and electrolysis.

NHBF survey reveals recruitment challenges despite recovering industry

While the beauty sector faces ongoing economic pressures, particularly in recruitment and rising business costs, the overall picture is one of gradual recovery, according to new statistics.

The National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF) shared insights from its latest quarterly State of the Industry survey, conducted in September 2024.

It found 46% of businesses reported making a profit, 41% are breaking even and only 14% are making a loss – an improvement from 16% in July and a reason for optimism as the sector adjusts to wage increases and fluctuating prices.

Meanwhile, 76% of businesses are concerned about wage increases, 55% about energy costs and 52% about trade supplies.

To manage these challenges, 50% of salons are raising prices, 47% are holding off on hiring new staff and 26% are reducing staff hours.

Recruitment challenges persist in the beauty sector, with businesses struggling to hire across key roles. 53% have maintained their workforce size, while 18% saw a decrease and 18% experienced an increase in staff.

While hair positions were named toughest to fill, 11% said they are struggling to fill beauty therapist roles.

The NHBF surveyed 493 participants, representing a cross-section of the personal care sector in the UK. Businesses from city centres, town centres and villages were all represented.

Skin ages faster in Bournemouth and London than the rest ot the UK, shows new study

Sun exposure, UV index, pollution and alcohol all have an effect on skin health.

Beauty retailer Look Fantastic analysed such metrics to find out which UK cities are the best for maintaining youthful skin.

The data found that high sunlight exposure is making skin age faster in Bournemouth.

Bournemouth experiences 1,648.2 sunlight hours annually, the second highest in the UK behind Brighton.

This, coupled with the country’s highest UV index of 3.08, exposes residents to higher levels of UV.

London is also identified as a particularly bad city for the skin thanks to a high-stress quality of life.

The capital has a high noise pollution score, meaning many residents may struggle to achieve quality, uninterrupted sleep

Stoke-on-Trent was named the best city for ageing slowly, with a score of 84.2. It has low noise pollution at 21.43, meaning that residents can get a good night’s rest, and only 1112 hours of sunlight a year, with an average UV index of 2.67.

UK named 8th most affordable country for beauty

The UK has been ranked the eighth most affordable country for beauty items, at 4.78% below average for skincare, makeup and haircare.

Online discount platform Wethrift analysed the prices of four iconic beauty products – one each in the skincare, makeup, haircare and fragrance categories – and calculated a total price for all four luxury beauty products in each country.

Canada was found to be the most affordable country for beauty, with a total price of $257.11 (£201.72) for the four products, which is 33.86% below the global average.

The study found Thailand to be the most expensive country, with a total price of $468.12, which is 20.42% above the global average.

Asian countries such as India, Hong Kong and Malaysia rank high among the most affordable beauty products.

Comparatively, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea are among the countries among the most expensive beauty products.

European countries, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, Greece, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden, are the most expensive countries for beauty overall.

India is the most expensive for makeup specifically, with Canada coming in as the most affordable.

In terms of skincare, the South Africa was the most affordable and the Netherlands averaged as the most expensive.

36% of people share beauty products, despite hygiene risks

A new study has highlighted a trend for personal hygiene tools such as nail clippers, tweezers, and even skincare products being commonly shared among family members, friends, and housemates, despite the associated hygiene dangers.

Online retailer Beauty Pie surveyed 2,000 adults and found that one in five share skincare products, potentially risking bacterial contamination and skin irritation.

Men are much more willing to share, with 60% admitting to using their partner’s products, compared to just 25% of women.

Nail clippers are the most commonly shared item, followed by tweezers, hairbrushes and skincare products such as moisturisers and serums.

One in five (20%) adults share serums, moisturisers and cleansers, with a quarter of women (25%) sharing these items with their partners and 60% of men using these products without their partner knowing.

Andreia Professional expands into UK market with Salon Services

Portugese brand Andreia Professional has signed a deal with Salon Services and Sally Beauty to launch its nail products into 423 stores in the UK, Ireland, and central Europe.

The partnership is intended to bring Andreia’s nail products and educational support to a broader market of professionals in-person and online.

The launch will feature Andreia’s key collections, including Gel Polish – a professional-grade colour with four weeks’ wear; True Pure, a Hema-free, vegan-friendly range with three weeks’ wear; Hybrid Gel, a gel-finish polish designed for natural nails; Builder Gel, a low-viscosity, self-levelling, three-in-one builder and Lab Range, an advanced treatment line.

For maximum impact in-store, the products will be displayed in Andreia furniture customised for each location.

Paul McLintock, Andreia Professional’s country director for the UK & Ireland, said, “Our partnership is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our quality products, while also providing the education and resources professionals need to succeed.”

Sally Europe’s senior director of marketing Dara Goolsby added that the partnership “will ensure that Sally Beauty’s network of nail professionals’ benefits not only from [Andreia Professional’s] premier product lines but also from its dedication to training and ongoing support.”

Sinclair hosts beauty and aesthetic professionals at the World Experts Meeting

The World Experts Meeting 2024 took place in Barcelona on October 18-19, where aesthetics brand Sinclair brought together a group of experts to deliver clinical sessions, showcasing the latest injection techniques, protocols, digital recommendations, and innovative content.

The meeting attracted an international audience of 800 attendees and featured 33 speakers, 22 lectures, nine panel discussions, and treatment demonstrations.

The theme for WEM, “Catalyst for Regeneration,” underscored the significant impact that collagen stimulation can have on both the face and body.

Beyond the scientific agenda, Sinclair offered access to a Digital lab, where delegates could explore website audits, social media strategies, and techniques for creating engaging content.

Sinclair’s digital experts demonstrated how to edit videos using AI to stay ahead of the latest trends and showcased methods to boost digital presence.

Delegates also had the opportunity to delve into the research behind Sinclair’s products by visiting the immersive Innovation Lab.

Here, scientists responsible for the development of Sinclair products demonstrated their properties, and hands-on experiments allowed delegates to discover the science underpinning Sinclair technologies.

The portfolio of energy-based devices was displayed for the 800 attendees to view next to several poster presentations that were submitted.