TheIndustry.beauty Awards Winners' Interview: James Read, founder, Self Glow by James Read

In this series, TheIndustry.beauty continues to celebrate the achievements of the winning brands from TheIndustry.beauty Awards 2025 through a collection of dedicated interviews.

With the Awards dedicated to 'The Innovators' of the industry, we set out to uncover the forward-thinking strategies behind their success. From our winners, we discover everything from the importance of innovation and the trends influencing the next wave of beauty to the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the sector today.

Self Glow by James Read received the award for New Brand. Tanning legend and founder James Read discusses the core values that drive Self Glow by James Read and how they are reflected in the business, the importance of customer feedback in the development of the brand, how the brand maintains its position as a leader in the industry, and more.

What are the core values that drive Self Glow and how are they reflected in the business?

At Self Glow by James Read, our core values guide everything we do. Inclusivity and diversity are at the forefront, we believe beauty is for everyone. That’s why we use natural food extracts like cocoa instead of synthetic colour guides, allowing our formulas to work beautifully across all skin tones and genders. Sustainability is also central to our mission. From recyclable packaging, glass and cruelty-free testing to responsibly sourced ingredients, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact. We source many of our ingredients locally within the UK and EU to help cut our carbon footprint and I believe there's still more we can do. Transparency is another key pillar for us. We want our customers to feel confident in what they're putting on their skin, so we’ve begun listing the percentages of key ingredients in our products to build greater trust.

Self Glow is more than just skincare, it’s a daily ritual of empowerment, self-expression, and confidence. We're constantly innovating, combining high-performance ingredients with science-led formulations that deliver visible results without ever compromising on quality. Ethical practices are embedded in every step of our supply chain. We also embrace a holistic approach to beauty, seeing it as an essential part of self-care that supports the mind, body, and skin. And most importantly, our customer is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to create products that genuinely make people feel good, inside, and out.

You launched Self Glow last year. What inspired the creation of this new brand?

The inspiration behind our new brand came from a shift I was seeing across the beauty industry, especially in skincare, makeup, and fragrance. Beauty was evolving into something more luxurious, more intelligent, much more skincare led. Customers were no longer just looking for products that looked good, they wanted formulas that worked. They were drawn to ingredients with purpose: biotech innovations, fermented actives, skincare backed by science. But most importantly, they wanted products that did it all multi-tasking, effective, beautifully crafted, a product that fitted into your beauty routine.

When I looked at the sunless tanning space, I felt it had lost its identity. It wasn’t evolving with the rest of beauty. That’s when I knew I wanted to reimagine it. I trained as a facialist to really understand the skin on a deeper level and began developing a range that truly felt like skincare first. I envisioned something that didn’t look or feel like a typical self-tanner, something elevated, modern, and uncompromising. Yes, it’s a self-tanner, but the magic is in how it seamlessly becomes part of your beauty ritual, like a serum or a moisturiser. I call it "non-comprisable beauty". I believe in staying in your own lane, don’t look left or right, just focus forward. That way, your vision remains clear and true to you. And that’s exactly how Skincare That Glows was born: a category-defining range built with purpose, intention, and a deep respect for skin.

What has the consumer response been like since the launch of Self Glow by James Read? How important is customer feedback in the development of the brand?

I’m truly overwhelmed in the best possible way, by how much Self Glow has grown over the past 12 months. It’s been such a journey, and I genuinely believe that this growth is down to the quality of the products and the trust our community places in us. Every product I create goes through an intense testing process. I won’t launch anything unless it’s perfect. There are no shortcuts. It must feel right in every sense. What’s made this journey even more meaningful is staying connected to our customers every single day, whether that’s in-store, on social media, or through reviews. I make it a point to personally respond because our customers voice matters, their feedback isn't just appreciated; it’s essential. It shapes what we do. It helps us grow, refine, and evolve.

I truly believe that without our customers, there is no brand. Your loyalty, your thoughts, your experiences, they are at the heart of Self Glow. Customer feedback doesn’t just influence our direction - it drives it. It inspires me to deliver better service, create even more beautiful products, and to never settle. This brand was built on passion, but it's grown through connection. And for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

As a new brand, there’s so much more on the horizon. Can you share any exciting plans or developments we can look forward to?

I’ve never felt more creatively alive. Right now, I’m pouring everything I have into pushing boundaries creating not just great products, but next-level innovations that redefine what’s possible. The new launches for 2026… they’re going to break the self-tan mould all over again. I’ve gone deep deep into the world of skincare, formulating like I’m building high-performance skin treatments first, and only then adding that signature glow. This isn’t just about tanning anymore. It’s about elevating skin. Elevating confidence. Elevating everything.

We recently launched the world’s first sunless facial at The Hotel Chelsea in New York. That moment felt like the beginning of a global shift, and it was just the start. We’re taking this vision worldwide, starting with the UK and South of France. I’ve always believed self-tanning could be more than what it’s been. And I truly believe the professional tanning space is on the edge of a huge transformation. In the next 12 months, we’ll see the industry evolve and I’m committed to leading that change. This is my mission. To reshape how the world sees sunless tanning. To reimagine what it can be. And I won’t stop until we’ve changed the game, forever.

What do you believe made Self Glow stand out to the judges?

I was honestly overwhelmed with gratitude, it meant so much because it proved we’d created something truly special. I didn’t expect to win, so when my name was called, I was incredibly emotional. It was a moment that meant the world, not just to me, but to the entire team who poured their hearts into this. I have so much respect for the judges, forever grateful.

What was the significance of winning the award for New Brand?

I was honestly overwhelmed with gratitude, it meant so much because it proved we’d created something truly special. I didn’t expect to win, so when my name was called, I was incredibly emotional. It was a moment that meant the world, not just to me, but to the entire team who poured their hearts into this. I have so much respect for the judges, forever grateful. It meant everything to me and to the amazing team who made it all possible.

What does it mean to be an innovator in the beauty industry today?

I’m driven by the desire to make a real impact, to create products that stand out and truly make a difference. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. I believe the key is to look beyond the traditional beauty box: to research deeply, to listen closely to what people truly want, and then to create something that shifts their perspective. I want someone to experience our products and say, "Wow, that was amazing". That moment of transformation, that’s what I live for.

What trends are influencing the next wave of innovation in beauty?

One of the most powerful forces shaping the next wave of beauty innovation is the rise of biotechnology, it's revolutionising how we source, formulate, and think about ingredients. We're seeing lab-grown actives and sustainable bio-identical compounds that not only reduce environmental impact but also deliver enhanced performance and consistency.

Alongside this, there’s a major shift toward high-performance skincare ingredients, the kind traditionally found in advanced clinical treatments, now being integrated into everyday beauty routines, including categories like self-tanning. This fusion of science and skincare is allowing brands to create multifunctional products that go far beyond surface-level results.

Consumers today want more than just a "beauty fix", they’re looking for real efficacy, transparency, and innovation that respects both their skin and the planet. The brands that thrive will be those bold enough to push boundaries, rethink traditional formulas, and deliver products that surprise and genuinely improve the way people experience beauty.

How do you maintain your position as a leader in the industry? What strategies are critical to staying ahead of competitors and meeting consumer demand?

I believe in staying true to our own path, driving innovation with purpose, and creating products that genuinely deliver on their promise. For me, it's never about following trends; it's about setting them. True leadership in beauty means constantly pushing forward, thinking differently, and always staying one step ahead.

As the New Brand award was presented by Orean, we asked the company how it helps brands create meaningful impact - and what emerging brands must do to truly stand out in today’s competitive market.

At Orean, we partner with beauty brands at every stage of their product journey - from concept through to shelf. Our services include formulation development, product innovation, testing, regulatory compliance, manufacturing, and sustainable packaging solutions. Whether supporting emerging indie brands or well-known global brands, we offer both custom formulation and private label services, tailored to our partners’ visions. We translate trend insights into commercially viable, high-performance products - helping brands not only stay relevant, but also drive meaningful impact through sustainability, inclusivity, and ingredient integrity.

How do you define innovation in the beauty industry, and how is it reflected in the services you offer?

For us, innovation is about solving real consumer needs in smarter, more sustainable ways - and doing so with speed, precision, and purpose. It goes beyond trends; it's about anticipating change and creating future-forward formulas that help brands stay ahead. We integrate scientific research and ingredient breakthroughs into our R&D process to deliver advanced, market-ready formulations. Innovation also means flexibility - offering scalable options for start-ups and strategic support for established brands looking to grow and upgrade their range.

You sponsored the 'New Brand' category - in today's competitive market, what do new brands need to do to truly stand out?

New brands must have a clear purpose, a differentiated voice, and an authentic connection to their audience. Product alone isn’t enough - storytelling, transparency, and value alignment are essential. The most successful new brands we see are those that focus on one problem or niche, do it exceptionally well, and evolve with their customer.

What trends are you seeing that beauty brands should be preparing for?

Examining the emotional impact of personal care, we currently observe a divergence between "wellness" and "science-led" skincare. We believe there is a significant opportunity for brands to explore the skin-brain axis, developing products that quantify the end benefit's positive impact on the consumer. "20% firmer skin", whilst scientifically measurable, doesn’t connect to the emotional element of why consumers love skincare. Brands that can validate the relationship between skin biochemistry and emotion will give their communities a reason to believe.

TheIndustry.beauty The Innovators Awards will be back for 2026. Find out more at theindustry.beauty/awards. For sponsorship enquiries, please email partnerships@theindustry.beauty