In Conversation: Aila Morin, Colette Laxton, Isabel Malbois, in their own words

TheIndustry.beauty continues to spotlight the visionaries redefining the beauty and wellness landscape, showing how creativity, purpose and community are driving meaningful change across the industry.

The conversations last month uncovered the lessons, inspirations and challenges shaping today’s beauty leaders, revealing how thoughtful innovation, compelling storytelling, and a focus on real consumer needs help brands stand out in an ever-crowded, trend-driven market.

Here’s a closer look at the discussions, with links to read more.

Elle Sera's founder on inside-out beauty, intelligent formulation and community power

It’s no secret that wellness is booming - but how do consumers cut through the noise? In a landscape often dominated by fleeting trends, celebrity endorsements and one-size-fits-all solutions, Elle Sera is carving out a distinctive space.

"We don’t chase trends; we build products women genuinely need. That means seeking out the brightest minds, innovating properly, making products that actually pack a punch and then making them look brilliant, glamorous and memorable," founder Elissa Corrigan told TheIndustry.beauty.

In this interview, Corrigan shares the journey behind the brand, the philosophy underpinning its formulations, and the community-led approach that continues to shape its evolution.

How I started in beauty: The Inkey List co-founder Colette Laxton

In our content series, How I started in beauty, we explore the early careers of some of the industry’s most influential leaders, as well as how they hope to evolve in the next chapter of their professional journeys.

Delving into her career, The Inkey List co-founder Colette Laxton, shared: "Understanding how to earn respect, use my influence to impact decisions, and be someone people genuinely want to work with was the most valuable lesson I have ever learnt! Most of my success has come from favours and people going out of their way to give me a chance when I needed it."

Having begun her career at Boots, Laxton reflects on those formative experiences and how they continue to shape her leadership approach today in this interview.

How I started in beauty: Neom Wellbeing CEO Isabel Malbois

In another spotlight from this series, Isabel Malbois, CEO of Neom Wellbeing, looks back on her early days at Lancôme and the lessons that defined her career trajectory.

"My first job in beauty was when I joined L'Oreal back in 2007 as a skincare product manager for Lancôme, which was one of the leading brands in Ireland at the time. It was very much a baptism of fire - I remember being asked on my first day to forecast a new launch," she said.

Malbois also discusses her current leadership role, the advice she would give her younger self, and the industry figures she has long admired in this insightful read.

The Interview: Aila Morin, founding CMO at Merit, on marking five years of a minimalist beauty trailblazer

As the clean girl aesthetic continues to influence consumers across generations, minimalist makeup shows no signs of slowing down. One brand riding that wave is Merit. To mark its fifth anniversary, our co-founder Lauretta Roberts caught up with founding CMO, Aila Morin.

"Five years feels quite surreal - they say that’s when brands lose their way, so it’s made me more aware than ever of the discipline we’ve applied to our founding principles," revealed Morin.

Morin, who previously worked on the roll-out of accessible luxury jewellery brand Mejuri, also explores Merit's approach to NPD, launch cadence and ambitions for the future.

The Interview: T3's Julie Chung on pioneering the premium hair tool category and UK expansion plans

As competition in the hair tools market heats up (pun very much intended), it’s becoming an increasingly contested category for market share. However, one brand that has been shaping the space for decades is T3, which is now focused on accelerating growth in the UK.

"Our intent is to execute a relatively straightforward expansion plan. As a self-funded company, we are very diligent in our incremental steps. Fortunately, we have many insights and have made many of the early mistakes from our long history in the US market," admitted co-founder Julie Chung.

In this exclusive interview, Chung reflects on pioneering premium hair tools, the science-led thinking behind the brand, and why the UK represents a significant growth opportunity.

The Interview: Nima Jalali on building Salt & Stone into bodycare’s breakout brand

Another US brand strengthening its UK presence is Salt & Stone - and its momentum is unmistakable. From bathroom shelves to gym bags and across Sephora’s bestseller lists, the brand seems omnipresent - even as its founder has largely stayed out of the spotlight.

Since launching in the UK with Sephora in November 2023, it has become the retailer’s number one deodorant and second-largest bodycare brand. Yet behind the sleek packaging and cult-favourite scents is a founder whose path into beauty was anything but conventional.

"Not coming from the beauty industry pushed me to look beyond it for inspiration in how the brand shows up. Those experiences have defined Salt & Stone’s performance-driven and design-led approach," shared Jalali.

He also delves into the years before the hype and the personal turning point that led him to launch Salt & Stone, showing how a former professional snowboarder quietly built one of prestige bodycare’s fastest-growing brands.

The Interview: LUMIRA founder Almira Armstrong on storytelling, sustainability and its UK launch

Shifting focus from the US to Australia, we finally turn to Sydney-based fragrance house LUMIRA, which recently launched in the UK at Boots.

Discussing the retail partnership, founder Almira Armstrong shared: "Boots felt like a natural partner because of its evolving approach to beauty and fragrance. The retailer is investing in discovery, education and niche brands in a way that aligns with how we want customers to experience LUMIRA."

Known for its perfumes, candles and bodycare inspired by travel, nature and mood, LUMIRA places sustainability and storytelling at the heart of its brand. Co-founder Antony Hawman sat down with Armstrong to explore the vision behind the business and its UK ambitions.