Looking to be inspired? Amanda Pauley explores nine of this year’s best beauty industry book and podcast releases to help get you motivated...
1.) Beauty and the Best 2
After the success of Beauty & The Best, consultant Susan Routledge has edited a successful follow-up book which sees 22 established salon owners document their experiences working within the industry. Beauty & The Best 2 covers these leaders’ business highs and challenges, along with how they’ve navigated their careers over the years.
Contributors include: Justyna Rostek, Rachel Cobley, Suzanne Jennings, Josephine Bennett, Karen T Jones, Catherine Carter, Barbara Booth, Rachaelle Demicoli, May Gordon, Clare Porter, Michelle Stead, Sarah Virgo-Harris, Katrina Atkinson, Annorah MacKnocher, Anna McCarthy-Birch, Laura Bateman, Felicity Hoddinott, Kate Killeen, Stephanie Podmore, Fiona Mccall and Elizabeth McCarron.
Price: £12.99 paperback; 77p Kindle
2.) Power of Make-up
MUA Lan Nguyen-Grealis launched Power of Make-up during coronavirus lockdown 3.0 to unite those working in the make-up industry. Nguyen- Grealis takes listeners through her little black book of UK fashion and beauty contacts, exploring their secrets to longevity and how they are working to tackle inclusivity and diversity head on.
Her guests have included make-up artists Ruby Hammer, Daniel Sandler and Phyllis Cohen, and TV presenter Lisa Snowdon. “During the pandemic, I felt the need to do a podcast so I could share motivational insights from collaborators I’ve worked with who inspire me every day. I wanted to show the value of our relationships,” says Nguyen-Grealis.
Price: free
3.) Hair & Beauty Charity Cookbook
To continue to raise funds for hair and beauty professionals who have been affected by illness, disability, bereavement, homelessness, domestic violence or financial hardship, the Hair & Beauty Charity has launched a virtual cookbook. The charity collaborated with industry titans to create 50 delicious recipes that range from lobster chilli linguine to slow-cooked wagyu beef brisket wrap.
Contributors include celebrity spray tanner James Harknett and facialist Nichola Joss. “This e-cookbook was born from an idea during the third lockdown. Hairdresser Errol Douglas MBE posted an old image of a cookbook we created more than 10 years ago, and it got me thinking how much fun it would be to do it again,” explains president Samantha Grocutt.
4.) Black Skin: The Definitive Skincare Guide
Dija Ayodele, skin expert and founder of The Black Skin Directory and West Room Aesthetics clinic, is launching a fully illustrated and comprehensive guide for black women to care for their skin. Ayodele will share her advice on the best ingredients for black women to look out for and how to deal with issues that affect darker skin tones such as hyperpigmentation and keloid scarring, as well as dispeling the myths that plague the industry about black skin.
“My mission has always been to ensure that all black women are seen in skincare. I’ve witnessed the anxiety that black women experience in accessing information and treatments to care for their unique skincare needs. It stops here,” said Ayodele. The book is set to launch in November.
Price: £20 hardback
5.) Salon Boss Mindset Mastery
Business coach Jessica Crane teaches salon owners how to reach success in their business. The consultant reveals her process to getting your salon business back on track post-coronavirus, covering the importance of strategy, the skills to execute your goals and the power of belief.
Other key things covered include how to identify the blocks holding you back. “A lot of salon owners feel like they have been in survival mode for more than a year and although we are not completely out of the woods yet, it’s time to get a recovery plan in place,” says Crane.
6.) Rubbing Shoulders with the Best
Kathy Scott is a property lawyer who left her law career to launch a massage business, and now she’s sharing the secrets to her success. Scott explains how she took her business Hands On At Work from a one-person team to more than 100 self-employed massage therapists around the country.
She covers factors such as how to build the business you dreamed of, why low prices don’t do you or your clients any favours, and how to market your business without the “ick” factor. “People who go into this industry see it as a vocation and forget their business head... but we still have to keep an eye on the commercial side of things,” explains Scott.
Price: £12.99 paperback; £5.99 Kindle
7.) British Beauty Council Career Insights
This podcast seeks to inspire those starting out or looking for a route into the beauty industry. Elizabeth Barnett Lawton, president of pillar, education at the British Beauty Council (BBCo), interviews the UK’s top talent in beauty, hair and wellness, asking them to divulge the secrets of their careers and explain the skills you need to succeed.
Guests so far have included Jo Malone, founder of Jo Loves, session tech Marian Newman and cosmetic scientist Sam Farmer. “A shared experience from someone who has ‘made it’ in their field can make all the difference to someone starting out,” says Barnett Lawton.
8.) The Future of Spa and Wellness White Paper
Professional Beauty and World Spa & Wellness have created a report that delivers practical advice on the key aspects of running a spa. An incredible 44 spa executives – split between 10 directors and 34 managers – from across the globe have shared their insights on the best practices that will take your spa to the next level.
Key aspects include how to care for and motivate spa teams, driving engagement from online to on-site and how to thrive in an ever-changing market. “From methods proven to deliver results, to the new KPIs to adopt for the year ahead, this report offers a roadmap to the operational changes needed to ensure stability and deliver growth,” says Eve Oxberry, editor of Professional Beauty and the White Paper.
Price: free
9.) Skin in the Game
Jane Wurwand has written a book about her journey launching professional skincare brand Dermalogica and what it took to turn it into the success it is today. In “Skin in the Game” Wurwand tells an entrepreneurial story of disrupting the skincare industry, sharing her real-world experiences in business and life and the important lessons she learned along the way so others can follow in her footsteps.
Other key topics covered include how to find your authenticity and seize your potential; discovering the work that will infuse your life with meaning; what a work-life balance should mean to you; and why you should never shrink yourself or allow others to shrink you.
Price: £18.99
10.) The Art of Pregnancy Waxing
Created by award-winning waxing specialist Marta Zaczkowska, this book is an invaluable reference guide for established beauty therapists already offering intimate waxing services. Zaczkowska talks through the three keys phases of this niche waxing treatment – the before, during and aftercare phases – as well as carefully explaining the pregnancy waxing process.
The book also covers key factors such as the booking process, initial consultation, preparation, patch testing, the treatment, aftercare and the post-pregnancy plan. Zaczkowska also explains when to start and stop waxing treatments, the need to perform an ongoing risk assessment, hygiene and safety standards, and the need for maintaining detailed clients notes.
Price: £4.99 (kindle); £13.99 (paperback)