UNiDAYS, British Beauty Council and Sephora UK name 2026 Student Beauty Shadow Board winners
UNiDAYS, the British Beauty Council and Sephora UK have announced the five winners of the 2026 Student Beauty Shadow Board, a mentorship and grant initiative designed to connect further education students with careers in beauty.
The winners were selected from nearly 600 applicants, representing a 23% increase compared with the previous year. Each will receive a £3,000 grant, participate in a year-long project with Sephora UK and attend workshops led by industry professionals.
At the end of the 12-month programme, one member of the Shadow Board will be offered a paid 12-month internship with Sephora UK.
The five winners study a broad range of subjects: Tejal Vadukul (Real Estate), Liv Camacho Wejbrandt (Engineering & Design), Tito Idowu (Dentistry), Estelle Morris (Integrated MSc Cosmetic Science) and Sahara-Love Campbell (Accounting and Finance).
Their proposed areas of focus also vary. Vadukul aims to support community-based spaces where people can gather and learn about beauty. Camacho Wejbrandt is interested in applying engineering principles to product development and sustainability.
Idowu plans to explore inclusive product development that reflects students' experiences, while Morris wants to encourage greater inclusivity in period care and protective haircare for swimmers. Campbell hopes to use her finance background to support affordable and transparent sustainability initiatives.
Vadukul said: "For me, beauty has never just been about products - it's about shared experiences, self-expression and the meaningful experiences that bring people together. This is an incredible opportunity, and I'm looking forward to learning from our amazing mentors and my fellow winners, as we explore new ways to make the industry more accessible, student-focused and inclusive."
During the programme, participants will visit Sephora UK's London head office, a retail store and its distribution centre, while also attending Sephora Beauty events. The initiative is designed to provide insight into different areas of the business through workshops and mentoring from senior industry figures.
Sabina Ellahi, Head of Brand & Communications at Sephora UK, said: "Through a series of immersive workshops at our London Head Office, we will welcome five winners to connect with teams from across the business, hear from industry leaders and experience the world of beauty retail first-hand."
As part of the application process, candidates were asked to identify a current success within the beauty industry and present an idea for how it could be further developed.
The judging panel was chaired by Jessica Hewitt, Global Head of Beauty and Wellness at UNiDAYS, and included Emma Dawson, CEO of Vieve, Sabina Ellahi and Jacqui Burchell, Chief Commercial Officer of the British Beauty Council.
Dawson said the standard of entries made judging "a brilliant challenge" and that she was looking forward to working with the winners throughout the programme's workshops.
The Student Beauty Shadow Board forms part of an ongoing partnership between UNiDAYS and the British Beauty Council. Through the partnership, UNiDAYS supports the council's Future Talent programme, which aims to encourage emerging talent into the beauty industry through education and STEM initiatives.
