Highlights from TheIndustry.beauty Summit: Beauty [Un]Bound

TheIndustry.beauty’s debut summit brought together some of the UK’s most forward-thinking beauty leaders for a day of networking, insight and strategic thinking.

Under the theme ‘Beauty [Un]Bound’, the programme of panel discussions, keynote interviews and expert presentations offered fresh perspectives on the forces shaping the future of beauty retail, giving attendees from Space NK, Harrods, Lush, Shiseido, Medik8, Aesop, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Rituals, Clarins, Philip Kingsley, Neom Wellbeing, Bio Sculpture, Elemis, Fenwick, L’Occitane, Thim Beauty, Gatineau, Jo Loves and more valuable insight and inspiration to inform their strategies.

Taking place at The Forum in London and hosted in partnership with logistics expert Bleckmann, the event provided a platform for industry leaders to explore emerging trends, share ideas and forge valuable new connections. Speakers included representatives from Boots, The Estée Lauder Companies, Kiko Milano, Holland & Barrett, Douglas, Sarah Chapman and Diptyque, among others.

We also heard from sponsors Noatum Logistics, Flixmedia, SoPost and Outform, who shared valuable insights through a series of expert presentations. Here's the highlights...

Keynote interview - Margaret Mitchell

Describing herself as a “beauty junkie at heart”, Margaret Mitchell joined Kiko Milano this summer following a successful tenure at Space NK as Chief Commercial Officer. Since 25 August, she has served as Executive Vice President for North and Central Europe and Global Commercial Strategy at the Milanese cosmetics brand. She kicked off the summit by discussing her experience, what attracted her to the brand, the omnichannel growth opportunity and the evolving role of AI in commerce and the beauty industry.

Key takeaways:

- Kiko operates in 70 countries through different partnerships and channels. It has a store-first heritage, but every channel is important and represents an opportunity for growth. "How do we cut through? How do we reach new and existing customers? That’s the obsession. It’s not easy. We have to be constantly thinking about that," Mitchell revealed.

- In-store, Mitchell said the aim is to create an environment where customers can explore, ask for advice and have a friendly, approachable experience with make-up that is centred on them and their individual self-expression.

- She added that beauty lends itself particularly well to in-person experiences. "We’re all human, and people want to be around other people and see products in real life," she emphasised, also referencing how meaningful activations such as pop-ups can be in bringing a brand to life.

- Mitchell added that she has seen many brands go viral but struggle to sustain that momentum, noting that the difficult part is not necessarily cutting through, but maintaining that momentum over time. “Trends change and move quickly, so brands have to decide whether to chase them or stay focused on what they do best. It’s not one or the other - it’s a bit of both. Making those trade-offs is part of the job of a brand.”

Beauty, unbound by friction: Building the supply chains behind better customer experiences

Summit sponsor and global logistics expert Noatum Logistics led the next session, with Head of Airfreight Laura Odell sharing the company’s role in supporting the beauty industry. The company aims to give brands the agility to enter new markets, scale efficiently and consistently meet customer expectations. Odell highlighted the importance of working closely with brands to deliver a seamless, end-to-end customer experience.

Key takeaways:

- Odell suggested that one of the key challenges for brands is managing so many channels while ensuring that end users have the same experience. “Consumers expect choice, speed, visibility and frictionless returns wherever they shop,” she noted.

- When it comes to demand, Odell shared that facilities need to be designed with scalability in mind, allowing capacity to be increased quickly when demand spikes. “Whether it’s a viral moment or a seasonal spike, the aim is to ensure brands have the capacity and flexibility to respond,” she said.

- The session also identified a common growing pain for brands: a lack of understanding of what is happening behind the scenes. "Customers are interested in what happens in the backend: what delivery options are available, whether returns are simple and whether everything is fulfilled smoothly. Loyalty can be won or lost in those post-purchase moments," Odell shared.

- It also highlighted the importance of transparency, with regular meetings, market knowledge and proactive communication helping brands stay informed.

Holistic Horizons: Navigating the Confluence of Wellness and Beauty

Beauty and wellness are becoming increasingly interconnected in consumers’ everyday routines. The boundaries between looking good and feeling good are not just blurring, but dissolving entirely. That was the key message of the next session, which brought together Global Wellness Expert Rose Ferguson, Diome founder Jianne Jamil, and Holland & Barrett Beauty Category Director Vicky Kelly. The panel explored how brands are navigating the convergence of wellness and beauty.

Key takeaways:

- Holland & Barrett is continuing to redefine the role of beauty within its wider health and wellness proposition. "We know beauty and wellness are converging, and customers are shopping by concern rather than category. So, it’s about how we can be credible and trusted while supporting more than just the supplement journey," Kelly noted.

- The session highlighted the importance of trust and credibility, whether through store-colleague training at H&B or Diome’s approach of being backed by experts and professionals. "Education is so important in the wellness space - I don’t gatekeep information. If I can share the correct information with people, then I will," Ferguson added.

- It also identified a lack of understanding around the foundations of wellness, with the panellists noting that everyone is looking for a quick fix. They stressed that sometimes, people simply need better sleep, a healthier diet or less stress. If the basics are in place, then supplements can be considered. “We’re living through an epidemic of poor sleep and heightened stress, in environments that don’t allow us to truly recover and build resilience over time. We need systems that support us," said Jamil.

- Key trends identified for the future included the microbiome and nervous system regulation. The panellists also highlighted community and emotional wellbeing as often-overlooked areas, alongside personalisation, recognising that everyone has different needs and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Formulating the Truth: How to build beauty content that convinces the human and the machine

Chris Grimason, Chief Commercial Officer at Flixmedia, shared an insightful presentation on the evolving digital beauty experience. While physical stores continue to play a powerful role in beauty, the online experience can often feel more rigid, making it increasingly important for brands and retailers to optimise digital content to drive engagement and, ultimately, conversion. But what do the metrics really tell us about shopper behaviour? And, more importantly, which types of content are actually influencing consumers and driving conversion?

Key takeaways:

- Grimason started by acknowledging the confines of online retail. "Beauty is incredibly personal. In-store, brands understand this intimately, but online is more rigid. Technology cares about scale and efficiency, but that isn’t very personal," he noted.

- Flixmedia looks at intent, style and tone, with customisation, usage instructions, before-and-after images, benefit statements and eco-friendly messaging among the factors that data suggests can boost dwell time.

- One benefit of e-commerce is the ability to measure how intent drives conversion. Grimason highlighted some of the consumer priorities that are currently being underserved across fragrance, skincare and cosmetics. “There’s a disconnect between what the brand thinks works and what actually works for the customer,” he said.

- Grimason emphasised that brands and retailers need to “dig under the hood” to understand what is happening on-site and what is driving conversion.

What If Beauty Retail Could Move at the Speed of Culture?

Following the discussion on digital, the summit turned to the in-store experience, with a presentation led by Clare Cryer, VP Growth EMEA at Outform, exploring how retail must evolve to thrive in a time of perpetual change. The session focused on strategy-led design that is both productive and capable of carrying a brand story throughout the customer journey. Cryer was later joined by Donna Regii, Vice President of Beauty at Outform.

Key takeaways:

- Cryer acknowledged that beauty is thriving globally, but is particularly dynamic in the UK. “Beauty is driving the speed of culture, with brands and product launches constantly shaping the conversation. The messaging is continuous. It has incredible power to shape the way people think and influence their expectations,” she said.

- Stores are becoming continuously evolving ecosystems, with the physical journey becoming more relevant and responsive. With 60% of shoppers visiting stores for inspiration, retail is no longer simply a place to sell - it is a platform to tell your story.

- Stores are there to let customers experience products, make trial effortless and exciting, and provide reassurance. Some 82% of shoppers also say the ability to easily compare products is an important driver of purchase.

- This raised the question of whether brands should start thinking of stores more as platforms than destinations, and rethink how physical displays are used. “Investment in bricks-and-mortar is staggering and fabulous. But it’s about how you create a next-level experience. There’s a constant desire for immediate gratification, insatiable newness and speed, creating an ongoing tension," added Regii.

Unboxing growth: How strength in the supply chain drives scale

Bleckmann explored how a strong and agile supply chain can help brands unlock growth, while highlighting its tailored logistics solutions for businesses of all sizes. Stephanie von Albert, Chief Assortment & Purchasing Officer at Douglas, and Lewe Goldmann, Group Operations Director at Cloud Nine, joined Isabel Schoormans, Client Service Manager at Bleckmann, to discuss everything from managing scale and responding to fluctuations in demand to delivering seamless omnichannel experiences and reducing returns.

Key takeaways:

- von Albert leads Douglas’ assortment and purchasing function across 22 countries and 1,900 stores, as well as its online business. At this scale, seamless and reliable logistics are critical to delivering a consistent customer experience across every touchpoint. “We want people to shop seamlessly, whether online or offline,” she said.

- That same flexibility is equally important from a brand perspective, as Cloud Nine’s experience demonstrated. “Resilience is key. It can be hard and take time, but you have to build that flexibility into your supply chain,” Goldmann added.

- For Bleckmann, that starts with visibility and collaboration. “At Bleckmann, forecasting is key - but we’ve also learned that the forecast is never going to be completely right. That’s why transparency between us and our clients is so important, alongside open communication and a strong partnership. We are like an extension of your brand," explained Schoormans.

- The conversation then turned to the importance of creating a distinctive brand offering. From pre-sale through to post-sale returns, the session closed with a discussion of education as a powerful tool for reducing returns.

Read the full session in our in-depth write-up here.

Hyper-growth, high identity: Creating and identifying scaleable and specialised beauty brands

Following a lunch filled with networking, our next panel brought together three powerhouses in beauty: Colette Laxton, co-founder of The Inkey List; Marina Kalenchyts, co-founder of Wonderskin; and, from the retail side, Billie Faricy-Hyett of Cult Beauty, Lookfantastic and Dermstore. Together, they explored the world of hyper-growth brands - whether you are one, aspire to be one or are stocking them.

Key takeaways:

- A common thread between the two brands on the panel was that both were founded to address a gap in the market - whether that was education, accessibility and transparency, as with The Inkey List, or product innovation, such as Wonderskin. But the real challenge is building a business around that initial opportunity. “You can’t build a brand around one product, but you can start with one product and then build around it. You start painting a picture of what you want the brand to become. For us, long-wearing, high-performance beauty is the idea," shared Kalenchyts.

- For retailers, Faricy-Hyett highlighted the importance of innovation, as well as supporting brands. “Introducing new brands is about finding the gaps, identifying white space and translating that for the consumer. We see ourselves as custodians and we have a real role to play in representing brands in the best way possible," she said.

- Faricy-Hyett also reflected on the challenges of forecasting. "If only we had a magic crystal ball when it comes to forecasting. So many times, we’ve been caught off guard. The real skill is knowing how to turn around an unexpected performance - whether a product has gone viral or hasn’t performed as well as expected - and then playing to those strengths. Both come with different challenges. We take a role in coaching the brand through that journey, working hand in hand with them on either path," she added.

- Looking ahead, Laxton shared her excitement about the future of beauty. “I’ve never been more excited about beauty. We’ve been talking about omnichannel for 10 years, but now it’s real, it’s here, and navigating how we play across different channels and engage with different customers is the challenge. But I’m so excited about it.”

Your media plan is broken, how to make a real first impression

Jonathan Grubin, founder and CEO of sampling platform SoPost, headed up the next session, joined by Luke Evans, VP and GM for Estée Lauder, Tom Ford, AERIN and Aramis. The discussion explored the role of product sampling in beauty, and how putting products directly into consumers’ hands can help brands build trust, drive trial and create more meaningful connections with their audiences.

Key takeaways:

- 42% of UK marketers worry that they are wasting budget because they lack visibility into results.

- Grubin emphasised that media can tell you about a product, but beauty is more personal than that. "What trial delivers is the taste, touch and smell - the first use of a product you’ve chosen to try in your own home - and it goes so much further than advertising,” he said.

- 85% of impressions don’t last long enough to create recall or drive purchase. “The more you can grow trust and confidence, the more you can see a meaningful and measurable impact on sales," shared Grubin. This is where sampling -and SoPost - comes in. An ad tells a consumer that a product is good; a product sample lets them find out for themselves.

- Data has to be at the heart of everything. “Getting samples into consumers’ hands is critical, but you need to be able to measure it. It’s expensive, so you need to understand its impact," added Evans.

The iconic advantage, how to stay distinctive and desirable

Evans continued into the next session, sharing insights into how premium and luxury brands can remain distinctive and desirable in an increasingly competitive landscape. Drawing on his experience across Estée Lauder, Tom Ford and Balmain, he explored how these brands maintain their heritage and desirability while continuing to evolve.

Key takeaways:

- With Estée Lauder celebrating its 80th anniversary, Evans described leading the brand in the UK and Ireland as a career-defining moment, while reflecting on its legacy.

- He highlighted the importance of taking inspiration from what is happening in the wider market, while retaining the ability to innovate around core products and within the brand. “It’s about finding the right balance. For us, we’ve got to focus on what has made us iconic and our legacy, but also think about how we can continue to evolve," Evans explained.

- He also discussed the strategic decision to fully acquire Tom Ford, spanning eyewear, fashion and beauty, describing it as an important move for the company and highlighting the common thread across the different businesses.

- Reflecting on the company’s wider period of change and transformation, as well as the broader market, Evans shared: “The beauty industry is flying. It’s all about the product - giving people a spark, energy and excitement.”

Resonance and relevance: How brands and retailers can stand out and stay at the forefront in a fast-paced and crowded market

Two more iconic names in beauty took to the stage: Grace Vernon, Head of Boots Ignite, Foresight and Trends, and Emma Dawson, CEO of Vieve, to discuss how brands can identify opportunities, build meaningful connections with consumers and navigate the path from emerging name to established beauty player.

Key takeaways:

- Boots Ignite was introduced as a platform designed to find, launch and scale new and emerging brands, working closely with founders to help them enter and grow within retail. “We identify brands in two ways: trend spotting and using data. We look at TikTok, Instagram and Google searches, and use that information to prioritise which brands to watch," revealed Vernon.

- However, Vernon also noted that sometimes it simply comes down to a feeling. “Data is important, but you can’t beat gut feel and the belief that you’re onto the right thing. You get a feeling for which brands are going to resonate with customers. Often, it can be the founder - the tenacity, the drive, the vision and the identity they have for the brand," she added.

- For Vieve, Dawson reflected on the significance of a customer-first strategy. “Our founder, Jamie [Genevieve], truly puts the customer first and wants to be at the heart of the brand. It’s about how you build that customer relationship,” she said.

- Dawson also touched on the importance of being confident in your own lane and your decisions. “Everything we do makes sense for us; we’ve never followed the crowd. For example, we’ve been really considered and purposeful in our distribution strategy," she shared.

The Luxury Imperative: Cultivating High-Value Distinction in Beauty and Wellness

The final session of the day brought together Amanda Morgan, Managing Director UK at Diptyque, and Sarah Chapman, founder and skincare specialist of her eponymous clinic and brand, to discuss the importance of luxury, heritage and distinction in beauty and wellness.

Key takeaways:

- With a 65-year heritage, Diptyque remains uncompromising in its approach to authenticity. “Staying true to the brand and protecting its integrity has always been important to us. We don’t compromise on what the brand stands for - whether that’s distribution, product or scale. Our heritage is our anchor and there’s so much storytelling within it," said Morgan.

- This is particularly evident in Diptyque’s approach to retail. The elevation of its retail spaces has created environments where the brand can tell its story in greater depth. It is about selling an experience, rather than simply selling products.

- Chapman agreed, stating that elevation is really important – from the space and décor to the finer touches. “Luxury is about precision and attention to detail. It’s about providing a highly personalised service. We’ve always done that, from when I worked in a small treatment room to where we are today. Every person is treated as the most important person. It’s those little elements and touches that make the difference,” she added.

- The session finished with a discussion around product and the importance of carrying brand heritage forward while continuing to innovate. For Diptyque, this comes back to heritage and storytelling, while for Chapman, it means translating the expertise of the treatment room into products that consumers can use at home, bringing together efficacy and sensorial experiences.