Caroline Hirons, the advanced aesthetician and skincare truth-teller, has rightly earned a title as the beauty industry’s fairy godmother.
In 2020 she co-founded Beauty Backed to help support the many professionals in the community who suffered immeasurably at the hand of the pandemic. The initiative has since evolved into a trust offering resources and funding to help bolster the industry that contributes so much to our economy and, of course, to our collective wellbeing.
This year, Hirons is building on the foundations. “Our aim is to further support businesses and individuals in financial need through our Grant Programme,” she tells Harper’s Bazaar. “Interestingly, through this process, we are offering more and more individuals support with access to further training, thus simultaneously strengthening their business model and making the industry safer.”
The trustees have put in place two grant programmes that will provide support to those most in need: a ‘start-up grant’ for individuals whose plans to enter or continue a career in the beauty industry were cut short due to the pandemic, and a ‘support grant’ for those previously established in the industry but that need help to recover and evolve.
The focus on education is key to increased transparency in the beauty world at large, something that’s set to take centre stage, with consumers demanding honesty from brands and industry figures. Indeed, “exaggerated claims and fearmongering” is what Hirons wants to see the back of in beauty this year.
“I would love to see less selling through fearmongering, far more credible, qualified talk of what we’re good at (which is a lot) and continued growth,” Hirons tells us. “It’s the best industry in the world and I won’t hear different.”
Her recent side-project powering her passions is a collaboration with skincare brand StriVectin. “Last year, someone on Instagram asked me what I use to get my glow. My answer was ‘Menopause. And the tears of my enemies. Lol.’ The folks at StriVectin saw the exchange on my Stories and asked if I wanted to bring Tears of My Enemies to life with them as a product to help raise money for Beauty Backed Trust.” The result is a limited edition Hyaluronic Phyto-Nutrient Facial Mist, which will see all profits from sales turned into donations. “Winner winner chicken dinner,” as Hirons puts it.
The partnership is a meeting of minds. “Like me, the StriVectin team are obsessive when it comes to their science,” she says, and – naturally – the spritz is supercharged with skin-boosting ingredients. Predictably it’s already sold out on strivectin.co.uk, though there's still stock left on Hirons' blog, and if you’re in the market for more than one facial mist also try the restocked Hirons-endorsed Curél Deep Moisture Spray. “I have used this product every single day,” she wrote on Instagram. “You need this. I do not say this lightly. Trust me.”
Another launch she's recently shared her approval of is the much-hyped No1 de Chanel – the fashion house’s new cosmetics, skincare and fragrance sub-line which comes with a sustainable approach. This too plays into her hopes for the move away from misleading marketing. With some describing No1 de Chanel as ‘clean’ – a contentious word, and elastic concept, in the beauty industry – Hirons was pleased to point out otherwise. “I’m happy (actually, I’m absolutely thrilled and relieved) to report that this is not the case,” she wrote on her blog. “They are talking about sustainability in a great way, with no mention of the c word.” She “loves” the Red Camellia Revitalizing Cream, calls the Red Camellia Revitalizing Serum “the star of the range,” and the Red Camellia Revitalizing Lip and Cheek Balm her “perfect red”.
Here’s to all of Hirons’ hopes for the industry materialising as much as her impact on sales do. If anyone can influence change, she can.
N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Serum
N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Cream
N°1 DE CHANEL Red Camellia Revitalizing Lip and Cheek Balm
