Editor's comment: The changing role of the beauty pro in the age of social media

The growing strength of social media channels has played a major role in the increasingly blurred line between the professional and consumer beauty markets.

Just as anyone with a smartphone is suddenly a photographer, anyone with a YouTube channel can now present themselves as a make-up artist or nail technician, regardless of whether they’ve had any training.

Our make-up feature in the July issue of Professional Beauty further explores the impact of social media on the profession and offers some advice on how to raise your profile as a skilled MUA, without resorting to the extreme looks or image retouching methods that many of the insta-famous make-up influencers use.

Elsewhere in the salon market, the biggest impact of growing internet use has probably been seen in retail sales. While competition from online channels can sometimes make in-salon retail more of a challenge, it’s a revenue stream that most manufacturers can’t afford to ignore. And of course, increased consumer recognition and loyalty for a brand can play a part in driving people into spas for treatments.

So, the news this month that Darphin is pulling out of the UK spa and salon market to focus solely on retail has been met with some disappointment, but not necessarily surprise, by the French skincare brand’s pro accounts.

We’ve seen many professional brands shift their focus to retail in recent years, although most have retained a foothold in salons and spas, and many will be hoping that Estée Lauder’s more radical repositioning of Darphin is not the shape of things to come.

In the July issue, we also take a closer look at the challenges you’ve experienced in your bricks-and-mortar businesses. Our feature on the three winners of our SOS Support Our Salons campaign revisits each property to find out how they’re using their prizes to transform their businesses.

The July issue is out now. A digital version can be bought online for £1.49 – or it's just £9.99 for 12 issues. The print edition is just £37 for an annual 12-issue subscription. Make sure you’re always the first to read the news and trends by subscribing online.