EDITOR’S COMMENT
New research has shown that urban living triggers almost three times more inflammation in people with sensitive skin compared to those who live in more rural areas (see page 8).
City-dwellers are usually exposed to higher levels of pollution and stress and have poorer quality sleep, all of which leads to inflammageing. We explore the growing phenomenon in more depth in our advanced skincare feature this month (page 46), looking at why consumers are investing more than ever in products and treatments to protect and repair the skin barrier.
We get the expert lowdown on how therapists can tackle the root causes as well as the physical results of inflammageing and how to train the skin to heal itself.
Of course, overuse of active ingredients can also lead to an impaired skin barrier and news this month revealed that 20% of UK women have felt pressured by social media to use products that are too harsh for their skin (see page 10).
All of this indicates a growing need for expert skin and beauty advice and, this month, we celebrate the best experts in the business as we reveal the shortlist for the Professional Beauty Awards 2026.
From the therapists and electrologists offering lifechanging treatments to the spas and salons that excel at customer service, marketing and retail, turn to page 16 to find out the names to watch within the industry next year.
The winners of the awards will be announced on March 1, following day one of our new event, the Salon Growth Summit. With the flagship Professional Beauty London show moving to October next year, spring and summer will be all about more intimate education and networking events, including London’s Salon Growth Summit in March, plus three Regional Growth Summits across the UK, held from April to June. Find out more on page 7 and watch this space for more detail on what promises to be an exciting new chapter.
Editor