Professional Beauty North closes on a high

Almost 15,000 visitors hit Manchester Central on Sunday and Monday for the biggest launches, trends, education and networking opportunities at Professional Beauty North 2018.

The final visitor number over the two days was 14,798*, an increase on last year's total. There was also a significant rise in the number of salon and spa owners within that total, cementing the reputation of PB North as a serious business event for sourcing new suppliers and opening orders. 

Spa equipment brand Nilo Spa Design exhibited at the show for the first time this year, and UK manager Irina Kuzina said, “We got 200 quality leads, which is brilliant. Manchester has always been in our hearts but we never could have imagined how much quality is in the beauty world here. We will 100% come back next year.”

Also exhibiting for the first time was well-known nail professional Gemma Lambert, who brought her distribution brand The Nail Team to the event. "It's been brilliant. We've been so busy for two days solid," she said. "We definitely need to have a bigger stand next year."

A new feature for this year was the spa zone. Centred around a champagne bar, the area featured bespoke-built stands for high-end skincare and spa brands such as Image Skincare, QMS Medicosmetics and Aromatherapy Associates. 

Mary Cohr also exhibited in this zone, and UK managing director Chris Gillam said, “It was a very busy event. We generated the volume of leads that we would expect and we will definitely come back and exhibit again next year. It’s a good thing for us having a bespoke stand here, it works really well. If we get a new customer or two out of the event then it’s actually a very cost-effective exercise. We come because we need to be here in the North. Although officially Manchester is the third biggest city in the UK, in reality I think it's the second. It’s a fantastic place.”

Also new for this year was the Salon & Spa Networking Lunch, where business owners from across the UK met to discuss the biggest challenges in the market and share the solutions that have worked for them. Attendee Lesley Caster, owner of City Retreat in Newcastle, said, "I think it's great to be able to get together with other salon owners and managers and look at the common problems that we all share but usually have to face alone. It's nice to be able to get around a table to share ideas and help each other."

The show also featured a packed programme of education, with Live Stages and multiple competitions, including the first ever North Lash Championships. 

In fact, Professional Beauty North has expanded at such a pace that next year the show will move to a bigger venue at nearby Event City, providing more space for even more new features, major brands and fresh content. Save the dates now and join us next year on October 13–14 at Event City. 

(*awaiting ABC audit)