The competition started in March 2025, the British Beauty Council, UNiDAYS and Sephora reached out to UNiDAYS’ community of 29 million student members, inviting them to pitch ideas on how they would shape the future of the beauty industry.

Five winners were selected from over 400 applications. Their submissions were evaluated on creativity, proactivity, initiative and implementation. The successful students have since taken part in a series of in-person mentorship sessions with Jamie Genevieve, founder of Vieve, alongside experts from the British Beauty Council, Sephora UK and UNiDAYS. Together, they have worked to develop the students’ ideas into initiatives designed to address some of the industry’s most pressing challenges including sustainability and how the sector can inspire more young people to pursue careers in beauty through education and employer engagement. Students also received a £3,000 grant as part of the initiative.

The selected students represent a range of disciplines – including cosmetic science, pharmaceutical science and digital marketing in fashion – bringing diverse perspectives and innovative thinking to the programme. Throughout the workshops, they received real-time feedback from mentors, while also having the opportunity to share valuable insight into how the next generation views the future of beauty.

One of the students, Ojoachenyo Onuh, who is studying Pharmaceutical Sciences, was also invited to join a panel during British Beauty Week 2025 supported by Sephora UK, titled ‘Shaping Future Talent, Responsibly’. The panel explored the importance of representation at every level of business in nurturing a socially sustainable beauty industry.

The Final Workshop

This session focused on the British Beauty Council’s Education & Careers pillar, exploring how the industry can better position itself as a meaningful, aspirational and rewarding career path for young people. Working as a Shadow Board, the students collaborated to present a fresh perspective on how the Council and beauty employers can inspire the next generation of talent to join the sector.

Discussions focused on two key themes: education and industry perception, and employer value and culture. Students highlighted that careers in beauty are often underrepresented in schools and universities, where sectors such as finance, technology and the civil service are more commonly visible through careers fairs and events. While beauty brands may appear on campus through retail roles or product promotions, these interactions rarely include conversations about long-term careers in the industry.

Participants suggested that greater engagement with universities – including guest lectures, careers fairs, networking opportunities and expanded internship programmes – could help improve awareness of the wide range of roles available across the sector. Retail roles were also recognised as a key entry point into beauty, but students noted that there is often limited visibility of the pathways from shop floor positions to head office roles in areas such as marketing, product development or strategy.

Alongside this, the group explored what today’s graduates value when entering the workforce, including company culture, purpose-driven work and opportunities for progression. The workshop concluded with the students presenting a series of recommended actions for the British Beauty Council and beauty employers to implement over the coming year – aimed at strengthening the industry’s talent pipeline, improving perceptions of beauty careers and ensuring the sector continues to attract and retain the next generation of professionals.

The Student Shadow Board will return in 2026. Keep an eye out for the competition launch on the UNiDAYS website here.

Meet the winners of the Student Shadow Board 2025:

Ojoachenyo Onuh
Studying: Pharmaceutical Sciences

As a pharmaceutical science student, Enyo advocates for a significant shift in the transparency and efficacy of beauty products. As part of the Student Beauty Board, Enyo wants to challenge the current landscape that’s dominated by online trends and misinformation to a new era where products are always effective, transparent and rooted in proven science and world-class expertise.

Bethany Cookson
Studying: Marketing

Drawing on her personal struggle with acne, marketing student Bethany is passionate about celebrating all skin types in the world of beauty. Believing beauty is about reality, not hiding, she urges brands to make a permanent cultural shift. As part of the Student Beauty Board, Bethany will champion the inclusivity of acne and skin texture in marketing and beauty education, envisioning a future where everyone feels represented and confident.

Rachel Igwe
Studying: MSC Cosmetic Science

As a cosmetic science student and a beauty adviser, Rachel hopes to change the lack of diverse shade inclusivity in beauty products. She is passionate about creating dedicated spaces in stores for inclusive products that are marketed equally, urging brands to diversify skin products, with the aims for a future where finding inclusive beauty is effortless.

Penelope Helbest
Studying: Media & Communication

Penelope believes that everyone should have the tools to feel beautiful and access makeup. She highlights how mobility issues can create significant barriers to enjoying beauty products and passionately advocates for more inclusive packaging and tools. Drawing on her personal experience, she’ll urge big brands to listen to the needs of disabled people and develop products that are more ergonomic and easy to use – for everyone!

Tyrese Walters
Studying: Digital Marketing in Fashion

As a member of the Student Beauty Board, Tyrese is calling for more “realness” in the beauty industry, celebrating real stories, real skin and real education for all. His personal experiences with eczema and navigating his mixed-race hair have instilled in him a passion for the representation of diverse skin conditions and specific hair types, valuing honesty and individuality.