Introducing Marie Claire's The Power Of Beauty campaign

Plus the importance of supporting the industry and all it can do, too

Glow Up star Maya Jama kicks off our spring campaign, The Power Of Beauty, over at Marie Claire UK. Stay tuned throughout the month of May as we celebrate the transformative power of beauty and champion the industry we love.

If the last year's taught us anything, it's that we desperately miss our hairdresser and manicurist when we can't go visit them. That's why our Spring campaign at Marie Claire UK is dedicated celebrating The Power of Beauty. This May, we're taking the opportunity to celebrate the transformative power of beauty and throughout the month celebrating the industry we love.

Introducing the Power of Beauty campaign 

This month, we've got the wonderful Maya Jama fronting our campaign and chatting candidly about what her version of beauty looks like. As she hosts the third series of Glow Up, and as all the hair and beauty salons open across the UK, we're really celebrating the re-openings, and championing just how powerful the beauty industry can be.

We spoke to #FilterDrop activist Sasha Pallari about her mission to teach everyone to be happy with the skin they're in, top make-up artist Nikki Wolff shares insight on the beauty boom already hitting the UK, and entrepreneur Ofome Eyanagho, winner of Avon’s Beauty in Colour competition and founder of vegan skincare range The Glow Pot, reveals the challenges of launching a beauty brand as a woman of colour.

Not forgetting four fabulous Gen Z beauty creatives on why it's great to be back in business after lockdown and the ongoing highs and lows. Plus we have top tips on how to grow your personal brand like a beauty influencer from go-to tech guru Chloe Watts who's sharing her secrets.

Sounds good like your (make-up) bag? We thought so, too.

The Beauty on the Brink initiative

Back in February, we wrote about the Beauty on the Brink campaign - a call from some of the UK's most-respected beauty journalists and experts for the government to support their industry in the same way hospitality has been supported.

“We’ve been the poor relation in terms of government help and support, compared to say the hospitality industry,” said Millie Kendall, MBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council, at the time. Using the government-led Eat Out To Help Out scheme to get the hospitality industry back on its feet in August as an example, she highlighted the support the hospitality industry, in particular, seems to have garnered.

Beauty salons, on the other hand, were told to stay closed for longer and couldn't swivel their business models to takeaway overnight, either. "Beauty has had no such help or options, suffering the longest business closures. When they have been allowed to open, many businesses only managed to run at 70% pre pandemic capacity," said Kendall.

Beauty and Style Director of Marie Claire UK Lisa Oxenham agrees, sharing some sobering stats. "Almost 5,000 salons have closed their doors for good. Despite the industry's large economic contribution, there's been no emergency funding made available," she explains. November stats indicated that 40% of spas and 62% of salons weren't sure their businesses would survive the financial year.

This is what the Beauty on the Brink campaign wanted to highlight, urging the government to help save our salons. At the time, a letter signed by a roster of respected beauty journalists was sent to Rishi Sunak. Publications like Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Grazia, Elle, Stylist, and, of course, Marie Claire, are asking the government for a temporary VAT cut in line with the VAT cut hospitality industries were granted, and an emergency supplementary fund for hair and beauty businesses, too.

"I'm so proud to stand united with my media and beauty journalist peers to support the amazing hair and beauty services industry," says Oxenham. "We're asking for the support that this valuable industry needs and deserves."

How can you help? 

That's what our whole campaign is about - The Power of Beauty is an editorialisation of a pressing issue and a real celebration as salons open their doors once more.

Want to know how to help? Now salons are open, you could make a habit of booking appointments ahead of time. Simple actions like this give salon owners a clearer idea of income.

Make sure to attend appointments and don't cancel at the last minute. Plus, you can buy beauty products from your favourite salon's online store.

Even sharing the campaign online helps make some noise about the cause and keep this vital conversation going. The beauty industry deserves better.

#BeautyOnTheBrink #ChopTheVAT #ThePowerofBeauty