Editors' Top Reads: News from Lookfantastic, Harvey Nichols, John Lewis and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.beauty team.
Lookfantastic search trends highlight top K-beauty brands and products
K-beauty continues to reshape the global skincare landscape, with trends like “glass skin,” sheet masks, and ingredient-focused formulations driving sustained consumer interest worldwide.
New data from Lookfantastic highlights the K-beauty brands and products experiencing the strongest growth in search demand over the past three months.
Among brands, Beauty of Joseon led with over 48,000 searches, followed by Laneige with more than 36,000 and Erborian with over 19,000. These brands are closely associated with hydrating, barrier-supporting and skin-refining formulations that align with the core principles of K-beauty.
Search interest in individual products and key ingredients also continues to rise, reflecting growing consumer curiosity about targeted skincare solutions and evidence-led formulations. For a full breakdown of the standout products and ingredients driving this trend, read our summary here.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
John Lewis unveils exclusive beauty rewards and offers under revamped loyalty programme
John Lewis is going for it at the moment and it's good to see. The beloved-by-the-middle-class department store has got is fashion mojo back and it also has its sights set on being a major force in beauty.
It's not going to let the likes of Sephora and Space NK muscle in on its territory and has invested considerable sums in its beauty halls, bringing on a host of new brands. To ensure its customers keep coming back, it has just unveiled further benefits to its newly revamped loyalty programme.
MyJL Beauty members get a range of benefits such as exclusive discounts on premium brands, rewards, content, competitions and a new beauty box that is free to those who spend £200 or more and scan their card at checkout. Come on, if you'd spend £175, you're going to lay down an extra £25 to get your free box! It's a smart move.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
Harvey Nichols debuts in-store wellness hub with Pilates studio and beauty clinic
I was very intrigued to read about Harvey Nichols’ new wellness destination at its Knightsbridge flagship, which brings together beauty, fitness and athleisure fashion into a single space.
In my mind, this move makes perfect sense. We’re seeing increasingly more interplay between these areas, and consumers are looking for more immersive retail experiences.
And what an experience to look forward to - you can seamlessly walk from your Pilates class over to the smoothie bar, then browse the shelves to have a look at the latest Vuori shorts, and finally book yourself in for a relaxing skincare treatment at the Harvey Nichols Clinic next door.
As Lucy McPhail, Beauty Director at Harvey Nichols, commented: “Wellbeing has become a core part of how modern luxury is defined by our customers.”
The changing face of consumer demand for beauty is also something we explored in our latest exclusive report, Beauty’s Boom. Within the report, we look at consumer habits and how they are evolving with the next wave of growth - driven by new retail formats, technologies and more tech-enabled stores.
Camilla Rydzek, Senior News & Features Writer.
How I started in beauty: Industry expert and founder Anna Teal
Anna Teal has built an impressive career, rising from an apprenticeship at Boots to become CEO of Australian skincare brand Grown Alchemist, a role she stepped down from in March after three years.
Now entering a new chapter, Teal is also developing AFIMA, a new wellness brand she describes as “still early, but rooted in a white space I care deeply about”.
Alongside this, Teal is working with founders, operators and investors on growth, brand strategy and scaling businesses. She has also launched a Substack exploring beauty, wellness, business and the realities of building something from the ground up.
In this interview, Teal looks back on her early career, outlines her plans for the future and explains why she remains deeply inspired by brand founders.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
New ‘Voices of Retail Report’ highlights what’s needed to drive growth on UK high streets
Independent retailers are the beating heart of the UK high street and some 650 UK of them, along with 2,000 consumers, contributed insights into this report from our friends at trade shows Spring and Autumn Fair. (Have you ever been to these shows? Do go, it will blow your mind).
The report attempts to lay out a blueprint for success in today's most challenging of business environments. Much of it you may feel your know, but it's good to have your thinking validated or challenged every once in a while. Brand story telling and community wins out over price, for instance. I guess we all know that but maybe we don't adhere to it.
There are some encouraging stats in here though with the most uplifting being that more than 70% of independent retailers are experiencing growth or static business. I really didn't expect it to be that much, and I'm glad it is. Around 80% of consumers say they prefer independent retailers, so I guess it makes sense.
The downside is though, that while many retailers are experiencing growth, only 28% are in a position to actively invest to drive that growth. When we get a clearer idea of who our Government is in the coming weeks, I hope someone on the business side takes a look at this. A less hostile environment for businesses would be most welcome. Our economy could seriously benefit if our retailers could invest in pursuing opportunities they know are there for the taking.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
