Professional Beauty London 2026

THE place TO BE

With packed education stages, hands-on product discovery and conversations turning into new business, Professional Beauty London 2026 proved the value of bringing the industry together in person

Professional Beauty London welcomed 22,378 visitors to Excel London on October 4–5, bringing beauty, spa and aesthetics professionals together for two days of education, innovation and business. Co-located with Salon International, the event offered a chance to explore the latest launches, experience treatments and technology first-hand, learn from industry leaders and reconnect with colleagues.

Across the show floor, salon owners compared equipment, therapists discovered new techniques and suppliers met professionals planning their next investment. It was a reminder of what happens when an industry steps away from its screens and meets face-to-face.

Professional Beauty Group's managing director Mark Moloney said, “Professional Beauty London has always been about bringing the profession together, and while the show continues to grow in scale and ambition, it is important we never lose the essence of what makes professional beauty special.

“This year delivered that balance brilliantly. From the unique World Spa & Wellness Convention and four packed stages covering professional beauty, aesthetics, business, skin and longevity, to Nailympia, the National Massage Championship and outstanding education, there was something to inspire every part of the profession.

“Most importantly, it brought together the brands, salon owners, therapists, spa professionals and innovators who continue to drive this industry forward.”

The industry comes together

For many visitors, the show is a fixture in their professional calendar. Wioleta Janik, director of Harmony Massage, has attended for almost 20 years, since college. “I love coming here every year because it's a great place to meet other brands, test, try, and what I love the most is you can educate yourself on all sorts of different things,” she said.

Louise Tilden, founder of Louise Tilden Beauty Therapy, also first visited as a student. Since then, the event has helped her choose suppliers and invest in devices to expand her treatment offering. Her advice to other professionals? “I would recommend every interested student, any student, any salon owner, to come, mix with all these amazing people, take part in the stages, go and hear people speak because it's such a source of inspiration.”

Innovation in action

The exhibition floor offered an opportunity to compare brands, explore emerging treatment categories and try products and devices before making purchasing decisions. Exhibitors represented professional skincare, nails, lashes, spa equipment and advanced treatments, while developments in LED, skin diagnostics and regenerative skincare provided plenty to investigate.

Jamie-Lee Jones, director of B-Unique Beauty & Aesthetics, brought her team to research equipment purchases. “We’ve been looking into bringing in some new machinery into the salon to start offering some new treatments so we’ve been speaking to quite a few different brands about that,” she said. “It’s so hard to make a decision because there are so many really good brands at the show.”

Knowledge is power

Education was central to the two-day event. The Professional Beauty Stage hosted interviews with makeup artist and entrepreneur Ruby Hammer, Blink Brow Bar founder Vanita Parti and celebrity facialist and salon owner Joanne Evans, alongside panels on training, business and live treatment demonstrations.

The Skin & Longevity Stage explored the science and practice behind evolving treatment approaches, while the Business Stage addressed the everyday challenges of running a successful salon. The IIAA Active Ageing Stage added specialist perspectives on skin health and professional treatments.

For Dr Kai Rajeswaran, aesthetic practitioner and GP, the learning opportunities were a highlight: “The educational stages were excellent, with a great variety of speakers and topics, and the live demonstrations were a real highlight, giving the opportunity to see techniques in action and take away practical learning.”

Beyond the stages

The Cidesco Workshops brought international educators together for hands-on learning in massage, facials and holistic approaches. The World Spa & Wellness Convention welcomed spa leaders to discuss the future of the sector, while the International Manufacturers and Distributors Forum connected brands and distributors exploring new partnerships.

PB’s Power Hour Round Tables gave salon owners space to discuss practical challenges, including client retention, profitability and growing their businesses.

Nailympia London and the National Massage Championship added a competitive edge, celebrating the technical skill of professionals working in nails and massage.

The power of connection

Alongside the product discoveries and education, visitors repeatedly highlighted the value of meeting in person.

“Every year I come to Professional Beauty London and have done since my college days,” said Gemma Jarvis, owner of Beauty Lounge Tankerton. “I love connecting with people and with the brands. You always learn so much from others – you just can’t beat that in-person connection.”

Elly Makinson, aesthetics professional and host of The Contraindication podcast, agreed: “There’s a real energy to having so much of the industry together in one place, sharing ideas and building relationships what’s next.”

Business in the making

For exhibitors, the show was about much more than visibility. It created opportunities for meaningful conversations with existing customers, new prospects and professionals ready to make decisions, demonstrating why physical presence still has a different value.

Misia Pearce, co-founder and director of Luxury Skincare Brands, reported strong leads, including visitors planning a new spa who trialled Estime & Sens products overnight and returned the next morning ready to proceed. “So that in-person connection is so important,” she said.

Professional Beauty Systems also welcomed new business. “It’s been exceptionally good for us, extremely busy,” said head of marketing Gerard Gavan. “We met some great new customers. Getting in front of the professionals who use our brands is extremely important.”

Meanwhile, for Matis Paris, that visibility was even helping to rekindle relationships with former accounts.

“The show has probably been the best one of the year for us,” said Jayne Austin, business manager UK at Matis Paris.

“We've met some new potential clients, which is exciting. But for us as a brand, what we've had is people that were with us 15 years ago, not anymore, and now they're coming back.”

Together, those experiences illustrated why a physical exhibition still matters: visitors can see, test and question products, while brands can build relationships with the people making decisions in salons, spas and clinics.

The next major event will be Professional Beauty Spring at Olympia London on February 28–March 1, 2027, then Professional Beauty London returns to Excel on October 10–11, 2027. Register your interest at professionalbeauty.co.uk/london