Sephora and the British Beauty Council, in partnership with student discount platform Unidays, have unveiled the winners of the debut Student Beauty Shadow Board.
The mentorship and grant initiative, which will be led by Unidays, was created to support and spotlight the next generation of beauty industry leaders.
Five winners have been chosen to form the inaugural board after competing in a nationwide selection process.
Applicants were asked to pitch their future-facing beauty solutions across topics including innovation and technology, sustainability, creativity, marketing and science.
Millie Kendall, CEO of the British Beauty Council, said: “We are so delighted to be welcoming the winners of the Student Shadow Board competition to their first industry workshop, where they will have 1:1 mentorship with industry leaders.
“I have had the pleasure of watching all of the winning submissions and they all showcased a unique and fresh approach to some of the key challenges facing the beauty industry.
“This is just the start and I am excited to see the development of the Shadow Board over the next year.”
The winners, selected from an estimated 500 entrants, are students studying a range of subjects from cosmetic science, pharmaceutical science and digital marketing in fashion.
The first meeting of the newly formed Student Beauty Shadow Board took place last week on 4 June in London.
The competition winners met with industry leaders, including representatives from Unidays, Sephora, the British Beauty Council and Vieve founder and CCO Jamie Genevieve.
Unidays has also partnered with the British Beauty Council for two years to support its Future Talent programme.
The initiative encourages emerging talent entering the beauty industry and supports further industry innovation through education and STEM.
Jessica Hewitt, Global Head of Beauty and Wellness at Unidays, said: “We are thrilled to partner with the British Beauty Council and Sephora on The Student Beauty Shadow Board initiative.
“This incredible programme is all about giving the next generation of beauty talent access to mentorship, industry insights, and – most importantly – a seat at the table.
“We recognise that today’s beauty students are tomorrow’s visionaries, and we are committed to empowering them to shape the future of an industry they already influence so profoundly.”
Sabina Ellahi, Head of PR & Communications at Sephora UK, added: "Inspiring does not even begin to describe the types of entries we received for the Student Shadow Board – the calibre of entries showed how much passion the students had not only just for breaking into the beauty industry but also being a part of the movement to drive meaningful change in the industry.
“What was most impressive was seeing how the students intersected the many facets and verticals of the beauty industry with their line of studies, highlighting so many skill sets, expertise and knowledge at the forefront.
“We are excited to spend time with the students and further guide their vision so they can confidently step foot into this fast-paced and ever-evolving world of beauty."