End-of-year trends set to impact 2015

Eve Oxberry's Editor's Letter, December 2014

Ending a year that saw tougher training drawn up for aesthetic treatments, and branded express treatment chains hitting the high street, it’s reassuring to see the future looks bright for the professional treatments and products market.

Client spend on treatments is on the up, while innovations such as multi-functional products are driving growth in professional skincare. Read more about both in the news pages of our December issue.

We also take a closer look at some of those multi-functional innovations, as well as the machine, nails and make-up launches that shaped the professional market in 2014.

2014 saw the landscape shift for high-street salons, with branded chains such as fBeauty making their debut, and Blow Ltd and Cheeky opening more branches. Meanwhile, retailers including Primark and Superdrug launched new in-store treatment offers.

The independent salon market responded with an increased focus on service and business development, plus a spate of new franchise models that give therapists the chance to become part of a brand, while still running their own business.

EF Medi-spa launched a salon franchise, while skincare brand Guinot revamped its own offer with the plan to open more next year and A Brush With Beauty brought the structure of franchising to mobile therapy.

The trend for a more branded approach to mobile services looks set to continue into 2015, with a raft of new models launching. While Priv, Prettly and Gina Conway Privé are not franchises, they all aim to cherry pick mobile operators to provide a high-end branded service. Read more about them in the December issue.

One of my highlights of 2014 was undoubtedly the February night at London’s Guildhall where we celebrated the best in the business at the Professional Beauty and World Spa & Wellness Awards. And this month we’re excited to announce the movers and shakers that will be vying for the prizes next year. See who made the 2015 shortlist on page 23 – and make sure you join us to celebrate the winners on February 22.