The help needed after a year of uncertainty

The past year has been incredibly tough on everyone and the beauty industry is no different. With salon closures, lack or clarity and too much uncertainty and practically no help from the government, the industry has been in turmoil.

Which is why Caroline Hirons, beauty industry veteran and advanced aesthetician, launched Beauty Backed in August 2020. The campaign raised money for those struggling and gave them a voice, which it achieved. Tenfold. It raised a massive £600,000 and pushed to get beauty salons open, alongside the British Beauty Council and BABTC (British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology).

Beauty Backed has now been given Trust status, which it hopes means it will be able to help even more people in the beauty sector, especially with the reopening of salons and the industry on April 12th.

‘Over the last year, we have witnessed much of our industry struggle to stay open and viable. As a sector representing an 88% female workforce, with 82% of business owners as women, we need to stand together and make a change.

“We see ourselves in our colleagues and as past and present beauty business owners, we understand the hardships Covid-19 has created alongside the repeated delays in re-opening our sector and lack of individual sectoral funding support.

“As Trustees we are truly passionate about the beauty industry and are delighted to be instrumental in taking Beauty Backed from a movement to a Trust. Our initial goal is support as many beauty professionals as possible to get back to work.’

The trustees include Alexandra Forbes (who launched the campaign with Hirons last year), Lisa Potter-Dixon, Dija Ayodele and Lesley Blair. One of the first things they did was set up the Back To Work scheme, which aims to provide independent beauty practitioners with financial support, PPE, stock and somewhere to turn when things get tough.

To help the Trust with this, there is a team of 20 beauty insiders who are offering up time, support and advice to help.

If you are in the industry and feel like you need someone to talk to or advice,for more information.

Article original featured in Marie Claire.