I was never encouraged to work in the beauty industry at school. There was a massive stereotype that beauticians and hairdressers and those wanting to do make-up artistry weren't very smart. Beauty was considered a last resort for students who weren't interested in anything else - or rather hadn't yet made up their minds - which I think is ridiculous.
The British Beauty Council reports that the hair and beauty industry supports almost six hundred thousand jobs. These roles contribute almost £30 billion pounds to the British economy and can lead to six figure salaries. But the value of beauty careers is still underestimated, making it difficult for young people to realise the diverse opportunities available to them in the industry. Which is where the [Future Talent Programme]{href='https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbritishbeautycouncil.us19.list-manage.com%2Ftrack%2Fclick%3Fu%3D9e622213d8220e25ceeeab128%26id%3D999b343a6e%26e%3D0e135ee919&data=05%7C01%7Cannie.vischer%40graziamagazine.co.uk%7Ce2a0033c42da4cccb23208db09158da1%7C0e79f3f34eeb48ed815e2876c379e863%7C0%7C0%7C638113760406813887%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qG%2Fk13UP4pV005tBbGn0JX12RggMgtHIZpbIpG5ppzw%3D&reserved=0' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} comes in. Supported by the Department for Education, The [Careers & Enterprise]{href='https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbritishbeautycouncil.us19.list-manage.com%2Ftrack%2Fclick%3Fu%3D9e622213d8220e25ceeeab128%26id%3Dce6141bd25%26e%3D0e135ee919&data=05%7C01%7Cannie.vischer%40graziamagazine.co.uk%7Ce2a0033c42da4cccb23208db09158da1%7C0e79f3f34eeb48ed815e2876c379e863%7C0%7C0%7C638113760406813887%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=clgX41x0smPJHU%2FVQDbzLfpzrLtyMM2ZDV5GxrzSDv4%3D&reserved=0' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} Company and STEM Learning, the programme will be seeded out via The Careers Hub Network, to schools across the UK to inspire and educate young people, those in the overwhelming whirl of their most formative years, about all the beauty industry possibilities they never knew were at their fingertips. It's an initiative that is very close to my heart.
There's a wealth of career opportunities available in the beauty industry, particularly nowadays. Working in labs, as chemists, developing formulas, product design, sourcing ingredients – there are so many ways to go with it.
I love working in this industry. Over the years I've built up experience working on the shop floor, being a brand founder and everything in between.
The first job I ever had in beauty was at LUSH. I worked there part time when I was still in high school and it was my first introduction to the intricacies of ingredients and their myriad benefits. I took up make-up artistry at college and started working at Estée Lauder. I used my discount there to gradually build up my kit. My passion for make-up and beauty lead to me growing a loyal online following on YouTube and and social media and eventually launching my beauty brand Vieve.
My partnership with The British Beauty Council today feels like such a natural one. The beauty industry is an amazing place. The sense of community within this industry is unparalleled. People are so ready to lift each other up, to support each other. The spirit of the beauty industry as a whole is so inspiring and I feel very, very grateful to work within it. If every industry was like the beauty industry I think that world would be a different place. When you are passionate about your job, it makes it so much easier to put everything into it. And when you put everything into it, you get the most back.
I never undertook an apprenticeship in the beauty industry, but the jobs that lead me to where I am - arranging bath bombs in LUSH, counter makeovers at Estée Lauder - were an intrinsic part of my career path. Practical experience and mentorship is hugely important. Pretty much every great hairdresser started off by sweeping hair on the salon floor. Myself and so many other makeup artists started out by working for free. It's almost like interning for your own business. A lot of makeup artists also make a name for themselves by assisting other makeup artists that are more established.
Apprenticeships in the beauty industry are far more available now than they used to be, and well worth looking into if you're keen to start out or pivot your way into the industry. How are you meant to get experience until someone gives you a chance like that? I really want to look into it with my own brand, Vieve. Inviting young people, and people that are just starting out in the industry along to shoots, for example, so they can see how it works. Without dedicated mentors and practical work experience, how do you ever learn?
And in the interim, scope out social media. The beautiful thing about platforms like Instagram and TikTok is that you can curate your own feed of mentors. There's such a huge wealth of knowledge coming from really inspirational people - it's there on tap for you. Founders of brands, huge makeup artists and creatives in the industry all share so much online. Listen to podcasts, watch videos, read articles about these people. You can learn so much. My heroes are people that I find really inspiring and are doing things that I want to do in a way that I admire. I think Jen Atkin's approach to business and her brand Ouai, for example, is hugely inspirational.
For so long the beauty industry as been considered fluffy and shallow by those not in the know, but I think the tide is turning. Few can ignore how much the industry makes moves to bolster self-esteem and confidence nowadays. And when people feel good about themselves, the effect on the people that they care about is huge. Dive into the beauty industry and you immediately become a part of that.