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For years, the professional beauty industry has been focused almost entirely on the face. Skin health, anti-ageing, injectables, and advanced devices have dominated treatment menus — while traditional body work quietly slipped into the background. But 2025 is signalling a shift: body treatments are making their return, and this time, it’s all about detoxification, lymphatic health, and results you can both feel and see. From Old-School Massage to Modern-Day Relevance Manual detoxification of the stomach (once a core part of traditional massage education) is resurfacing as clients search for treatments that not only relax, but also support digestion, bloating, and overall wellbeing. What was once a routine step in massage is now becoming the main event, reframed as a targeted, therapeutic approach to gut health and lymphatic flow. These techniques, when performed with intention, can support the body’s natural elimination pathways, stimulate circulation, and deliver a lightness that clients notice immediately. And with digestive health and gut–skin connections becoming mainstream conversation, it’s no wonder this “old-school” modality is enjoying a renaissance. Endermologie Makes a Comeback Alongside manual techniques, devices like Endermologie are re-entering the treatment room. Originally celebrated in the 90s and early 2000s for body contouring, this vacuum-and-roll technology is now being revisited for its lymphatic drainage benefits. Practitioners are positioning it as a gentle but high-impact adjunct to both wellness-focused and aesthetic treatments, marrying the nostalgia of a tried-and-tested device with today’s holistic beauty demands. Clients, particularly those with busy lifestyles, are craving treatments that deliver high impact with little downtime — and Endermologie fits that brief perfectly. Its ability to support detoxification, reduce fluid retention, and improve skin tone means it’s being embraced not just for cosmetic outcomes, but also as part of a broader wellness narrative. MLD Enters the Aesthetic Space Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD), once reserved for medical or post-surgical contexts, is also finding its way into the aesthetic space. Many clinics are integrating MLD into facial and body protocols to elevate results, reduce inflammation, and add a deeply therapeutic element to treatments. What’s driving its rise? The consumer’s evolving definition of beauty. Today’s client is less focused on “perfect” and more focused on balance, wellness, and longevity. Combining MLD with relaxation-based services bridges these worlds beautifully: aesthetic treatments that enhance appearance, paired with mindful therapies that calm the nervous system and support the body’s natural rhythms. Why It Matters for B2B Brands For B2B skincare and device brands, the return of the body treatment isn’t just an industry curiosity — it’s a commercial opportunity. Those who act early can create real cut-through by: Developing signature massage sequences  (think: pressure-point facial massage or a branded stomach detoxification protocol) that stockists can easily implement into existing treatments. Designing wellness tools and retail add-ons  that extend the treatment experience into at-home care, bridging professional services with consumer rituals. Collaborating with specialists in lymphatic drainage or detoxification , forming brand partnerships that elevate credibility and unlock co-branded campaigns. By meeting the demand for modernised body treatments, brands position themselves not only as product suppliers but as solution partners — creating deeper loyalty with stockists and more compelling stories for the end consumer.

One of the more surprising insights I’m seeing as I work with brands, wholesalers and distributors in the professional beauty industry is this: how many are still operating without a CRM. On the surface, it might not sound like a big deal. After all, wholesalers have been managing their stockist networks for decades with spreadsheets, notebooks, and inboxes. But scratch beneath that surface, and the cracks start to show: Contact chaos  — Without a centralised system, keeping tabs on who the actual POC is at each clinic, what their preferred method of contact is, and whether their details are even up-to-date becomes near impossible. No visibility  — Reporting is limited (or non-existent). Meeting notes live in notebooks or staff brains. Forecasting, retention, or even something as simple as “when did we last check in with that stockist?” becomes guesswork. Knowledge walking out the door  — Perhaps the biggest risk: when a team member leaves, so does all their institutional knowledge. Those relationships, nuances and follow-ups walk right out with them, leaving the next person starting from scratch. In an industry where relationships are everything (stockist loyalty, clinic advocacy, brand reputation) relying on memory or manual systems is more than inconvenient. It’s a foundational weakness. A CRM isn’t just about data entry; it’s about protecting relationships, scaling visibility, and creating continuity no matter who’s sitting in the seat. And yet, I’m continually surprised at how many distributors haven’t taken the step to implement one. At Inside Industry, our team has recently completed the implementation of CRMs (including full integration with wholesale purchasing and reporting software) for two multimillion-dollar skincare companies. If you’d like to explore what this could look like for your business, we’d love to chat.

In consumer retail, the wellness tools aisle isn’t a niche—it’s a destination. Adore Beauty and MECCA now give devices and tools their own shoppable real estate (think LED masks, gua sha, microcurrent, cryo), complete with guides and curated sub-categories. That’s proof of demand and a clear signal that tools are no longer an “impulse add-on” but a defined category customers seek out. And the bet is only getting bigger offline: MECCA’s new 4,000-sqm Melbourne flagship (the largest beauty store in the Southern Hemisphere) leans into experiential beauty and wellness, validating the space at scale. Meanwhile, the at-home beauty device market continues to outpace broader beauty growth globally. In short: B2C has moved. The professional channel? We’ve barely scratched the surface. Why now (and why it sticks) Ritual > impulse.  Clients want micro-moments that fit weekday life: 5–10 minute rituals that de-puff, sculpt, soothe and maintain results between visits. Nervous system × lymphatic.  Sculpting, drainage and regulation are becoming mainstreaming, and they're bridging wellness with wellbeing. Margin maths.  Compared with consumable retail, tools often deliver higher ticket and stronger margins. They're also easier to add into multi-product packs and perfect for gifting in seasonal times. Three models to learn from 1) Cecily Braden Cecily Braden Spa & Wellness built a global community by anchoring tools in credible, culture-honouring education (e.g., Gua Sha Facial Fusion, Thai Herbal Poultice). The brand sells tools and  certifies technique - protecting outcomes and lifting perceived value. For pro channels, this is the blueprint: lead with anatomy-aware training, then retail the ritual. 2) FaceGym FaceGym shows how a studio-led concept scales tools. “Facial workouts” translate to easy-to-follow home routines and hero devices (EMS/microcurrent) that extend results and anchor premium price positioning. Same language across service, social and shelf: lift, tone, tighten—then take it home. 3) GESKE GESKE’s play is breadth + software: a wide family of affordable devices tied to an AI-guided app that nudges consistency and personalisation. The hardware is the entry; the app is the retention—hinting at where loyalty goes next: content-led habit coaching, not just one-off gadgets. What to stock (and how to position it) Touch tools (entry price, high attachment):  gua sha, facial cups, acupressure, dry-brush. Position:  nervous system, lymph, sculpt. Electro-beauty (mid to premium):  microcurrent/EMS, LED, RF. Position:  tone, glow, maintenance between pro treatments. Recovery & prep:  cryo tools, de-puff wands, cleansing tech. Position:  pre-event ritual, post-treatment care. Global coverage and investor interest peg the at-home beauty-tech segment in the mid-teens of billions, growing faster than the wider category - driven by LED, microcurrent and cleansing technology. You don’t need every fact or figure to understand the context of the category - just the direction of travel and that tools are gaining share of mind and wallet. B2C has already trained clients to shop the tools . The professional edge is to package credible technique, name the ritual, and make it effortless to buy at checkout and online. Do that, and wellness tools stop being “gadgets” and start becoming method multipliers - with margin to match.

Category creation is when a brand doesn’t just launch a new product or service - it names and leads a new way of doing business . Instead of competing for a slice of the existing industry pie, it bakes a different pie and invites the industry to try it. In professional beauty, where many offerings can look and sound the same (facials, devices, education, wholesale), true category creation gives founders a language, a model, and a movement that others then adopt. Below, a quick insight on what category creation is - and two industry examples doing it with confidence and clarity: aglow and Home of Aesthetics. What category creation is (and isn’t) New rules of value.  Category creators often shift how value is priced, delivered and measured (e.g., recurring revenue over once-off bookings; curated access over cold outreach). A movement which becomes market norm.  The brand educates the market, names the model, and builds community around it until competitors begin to copy the language. Why category creation matters within industry Pricing power & predictability.  When you design the playing field, you also set the economic logic (think subscriptions, retention, contracted revenue). Moat through language.  If the market repeats your phrases, you’ve won mindshare. Faster adoption curves.  Clear category stories reduce buyer confusion and make change feel obvious - especially for time-poor clinic owners. Case study 1: aglow — productising predictable care with beauty memberships aglow has planted a very clear flag: beauty memberships  as a growth engine for salons and clinics. Their category story is simple and sticky: “treatment plans on a membership” - small, regular instalments for clients; stable, recurring revenue for the business. aglow positions itself not as another generic payments add-on, but as beauty-specific membership infrastructure with the playbooks, support and tooling to run a membership-first clinic. Why it’s smart category design Clear name of the game.  “Beauty memberships” is plain English. Owners immediately grasp the model. Economic promise.  The point of difference centres on predictable cash flow, higher client retention, and higher average spend. Specialist stance.  “We’re membership specialists, not a booking system.” That line draws a hard category boundary and lifts perceived value. Behaviour change.  When teams roster, plan cash flow, and set sales targets around members (not one-offs) you know the category has landed. The effect:  aglow isn’t selling software; it’s selling a new revenue lever. And when a model sticks, it rewires how owners build teams, purchase equipment and scale - all classic signs of a category taking root. Case study 2: Home of Aesthetics — the “middle-woman” marketplace for B2B beauty Home of Aesthetics (HOA) is carving out a professional-only wholesale marketplace and directory that connects brands with the true decision-makers in clinics and salons. Instead of relying on trade shows, cold BDM outreach or scattered vendor lists, HOA frames a new centre of gravity: a curated, pro-only one-stop shop  for the Australian professional channel. Why it’s smart category design Solves both sides.  Brands gain targeted discovery and distribution; clinics gain time-saving research, simpler procurement, and curated visibility across categories - from skincare to consumables and business services. Professional gatekeeping.  By sitting firmly in the B2B lane, HOA separates itself from consumer marketplaces and generic directories. Ecosystem energy.  Live demos, education and networking turn a directory into a community , accelerating adoption and trust. The effect:  HOA’s category is essentially the “beauty trade marketplace”—a middle-woman that formalises how discovery and purchasing happen in the industry channel, and in doing so, changes how both sides budget, sample and scale. Why category creation is hard Behaviour change + education load.  People resist change, and early adoption is rife in business, but moreso in our industry. It's difficult to get people onboard and get people to start using new language. Cold start.  You're starting completely fresh. If no one has ever done what you're doing, then it's a higher hill to climb. Copycats + stamina.  Our industry mimics fast. Own the narrative :  think trademarkable language, a community first mentality, proprietary data, and tight messaging then stick with it. Category creators don’t win by shouting louder; they win by changing the conversation. aglow has reframed skin and aesthetic services as membership-first businesses with predictability and loyalty baked in. HOA is formalising a professional B2B marketplace that shortens the gap between the brands and the people who actually decide. If your brand is sitting on a model that genuinely rewires how clinics buy, sell, or deliver outcomes, start today .  That’s category creation.

If you work anywhere near the dermal segment of the professional beauty industry, SKINCON is the one weekend a year where you can feel the future of our industry arriving in real time. This September in Melbourne, the Australian Society of Dermal Clinicians (otherwise known as ASDC) all in on skin conference sharpened its focus on evidence, collaboration and practical change - and three launches/concepts stood out for clinics and brands planning their 2026 roadmaps. 1) An academic home for dermal science (led by Dr Frank Perri) The first dedicated Academic Journal for Dermal Sciences  was announced —spearheaded by Dr Frank Perri, longtime educator and life member of the ASDC. For a profession that’s matured rapidly inside multidisciplinary teams, a peer-reviewed journal is more than a fun magazine; it’s infrastructure for the dermal segment. Expect clearer standards, stronger citations for treatment protocols, and a more direct bridge between research and clinic rooms. 2) Personalised formulations via compounding (with Lane Khin) Personalisation is no longer a throwaway line to get more bums in beds - it’s a method of prescription. Under prescriber oversight through the platform My Skin Compounding , compounding turns “custom” into clinical: selecting the right  actives at the right  percentages in the right  vehicle for this  skin. That might mean adjusting azelaic vs. retinoid load for tolerance, pairing pigment modulators with barrier support, or shifting the base from gel to cream as the barrier recovers. Perfect for those not quite suited to an off the shelf product or one time use situation. NB: Compounded medicines require a valid prescription and compliant supply chain; clinics should integrate with a reputable compounding pharmacy and maintain rigorous informed-consent and aftercare pathways. 3) DermScreen: dermatologist second opinions on demand (founded by Dr Philip Tong) Bridging the community-clinic-dermatologist gap, DermScreen  (and its referral workflow, DermAssist) gives practitioners a secure way to submit clinical/dermoscopic images and receive rapid advice from consultant dermatologists - often within 24–48 hours. For regional practices and busy metro clinics alike, that means faster triage, clearer escalation, and better client peace of mind when something looks “not quite right.” For the beauty/skin sector, it formalises the “when in doubt” pathway and lifts the bar on duty-of-care and documentation. Together, these three shifts tighten the weave between evidence, precision care, and timely specialist input. For clinic owners, this is the cue to go beyond “great treatments” into systematised skin health: documented protocols, measurable outcomes, and trusted referral loops.

Did you know?  On average, many careers in the professional beauty industry stall out around the 3–5 year  mark. I wanted to understand why - so I asked people who’ve left  the industry what pushed them out. The answers were honest (at times heavy) and incredibly useful for anyone leading a salon, clinic, spa or brand right now. What leavers told me (in their own words) “Straight up—the culture of being held back and not allowed to flourish.” “No more growth where I was. Culture changed, and a new role popped up with more money.” “Pay rate too low and I loved spa, but my wrists with massage and facials did not.” “Working late nights and weekends, low pay, stress on the body, energy output.” “Became a nurse after 10 years because I wanted job security, higher wages and more fulfilment.” “Wage, and work/life balance.” “I left the floor from physical pain.” “The environment, unfortunately. I felt the heaviness in the industry and needed to work on my mindset.” “Security, income, long hours. I couldn’t get income protection because of this industry.” “I’ve left a few times for the bitchiness and bullying—also twice for babies.” “To raise my babies and re-find my passion.” The common themes Limited growth  (no clear path beyond the treatment room) Wider industry culture  (the “heaviness”) Team culture  (politics, bullying) Low pay rates Physical exhaustion  (wrists, backs, repetitive strain) Late nights & weekends Mum life  (and thin support structures) Lack of regulation  (and knock-on effects like insurance/income protection limits) Unequipped leadership  (great therapists ≠ trained leaders) Client expectations  (emotional labour, instant results) Burnout Industry isn’t as glamorous as imagined   (hello, feet and vaginas) Okay—so what do we do about it? Here’s what leaders can put in place now  to keep great people longer: Clear career pathways Map roles beyond therapist: senior therapist → educator → clinic manager → operations → BDM/brand roles. Show the ladder and how to climb it. Community over competition Create peer circles, mentoring, and safe spaces for case reviews. Normalise asking for help. Support the humans, not just the KPIs Regular 1:1s, mental health days, realistic targets, and access to EAP/wellbeing support. Price for people, not just products Lift menu prices to sustainably fund wage progression and benefits. If your margins can’t carry fair pay, the menu is underpriced. Share the physical load Stagger high-strain services (e.g., massage blocks), rotate modalities, and invest in ergonomics and micro-breaks. Flexible, rotating rosters Weekends and late nights shared fairly. Offer split shifts, school-hours options, and roster visibility weeks in advance. Better parental policies Paid parental leave where possible, phased return, job-share options, and predictable hours. Self-regulation and standards Adopt best-practice protocols, documentation, and safety even where regulation is light—this helps with insurer confidence and client trust. Leadership training (not just promotion) Teach feedback, conflict navigation, coaching, and performance conversations. Don’t throw new managers in the deep end. Transparency with clients Set realistic outcomes, aftercare, timelines, and boundaries—reduce emotional burnout by aligning expectations upfront. (Nothing to solve for the feet and vaginas—sorry. Occupational reality.) The “boomerang” effect: many come back—and thrive Surprisingly, several people who left eventually returned—and are now loving it: “I’ve been in the industry 25 years but took time off after year 10 from burnout. I now run two businesses and back myself with lots of training and self-care. We need to ensure therapists are qualified and ready when they leave training, and gift tools so we don’t burn out young.” “For all the things I didn’t like 18–20 years ago, those are the things that brought me back in the last four years—connection, energy, flexible hours, improved education, client experience and touch.” It’s not all doom and gloom It’s worth celebrating that more than 32 people  told me they’ve stayed in beauty 20–33 years . Longevity is  possible when growth, culture, pay, and wellbeing align. If you’re a salon or clinic owner Audit your menu pricing  and margins with wages in mind Publish a career ladder  and talk pathways in every 1:1 Put leadership training  on the calendar (and budget) Redesign rosters  for fairness and flexibility Implement physical load management  and wellbeing rituals If you’re a therapist on the edge of burnout Ask for a pathway convo —what’s next and how do you get there? Track strain and satisfaction  by service; request smarter scheduling Ring-fence education and recovery  time like you would a client booking Remember: leaving doesn’t have to be forever. Sometimes a pause is the path back. Bottom line:  People don’t leave because they don’t care. They leave because the job, as currently designed, asks too much for too little. Redesign the work (pricing, pathways, culture) and we’ll keep our best people for far longer than 3–5 years. Victoria University is currently carrying out research to continue to dig into this topic. You can have your say too by completing this form

Some brands don’t just sit on your shelf—they live in your clinic. They show up in your consults, your protocols, your team meetings, and your before-and-afters. What’s the common thread? A founder with a story, a standard, and a stubborn kind of love for great skin and great service. Today, these names are global. But once upon a time, they were a spark, a kitchen bench, a late-night lab session, a single clinic placing a first order. This is a gentle celebration of the founder-led voices that shaped our industry—and still do. INSKIN Cosmedics — Maria Enna-Cocciolone Maria is the definition of salon-first. Her leadership has always felt like a hand on your shoulder - steady, practical, and deeply respectful of the professional channel. You can feel her industry-obsessive energy in the way education lands, the way campaigns consider real treatment rooms, and the way partners isn’t a buzzword; it’s the brief. Starting with a dream in her garage, landing in a multi-market global skincare distribution brand. Synergie Skin — Terri Vinson Terri brings scientist-meets-storyteller energy: equal parts lab coat and luminous glow. You can hear her voice in every “why” behind an ingredient and every promise kept by a protocol. It’s clean science with a heartbeat - products that feel clever without being complicated, and education that makes you want to grab a whiteboard pen and explain skin to everyone you know. A brand you can both trust and talk about. Murad Skincare — Dr Howard Murad Long before “inside-out” became a hashtag, Dr Murad was gently reminding us that skin is a reflection of the life we live. There’s a kindness to the Murad legacy: credible, clinical, and beautifully optimistic about what’s possible when topical care meets daily habits. It’s that rare mix of authority and warmth—like the favourite lecturer you never forget, bottled for your backbar. Dermalogica — Jane Wurwand Ask a room full of therapists where their love for skin began, and you’ll hear Dermalogica stories. Jane’s imprint is everywhere: in the reverence for consultation, in the choreography of a great service, in the belief that education is the industry’s love language. Dermalogica doesn’t just train therapists; it helps create them. A founder’s vision that turned standards into second nature. Bella Bronze — Jasmine Scarr Born from the tanning room, Bella Bronze carries the confidence of a specialist who knows exactly what “that post-tan glow” should look like - and how to make it effortless for busy salons. Jasmine’s touch shows up in the details: the tones, the timing, the campaign moments that make clients say “book me in.” It’s doing it while building it thats both inspirational and aspirational to the tanning segment of the industry. Bestow Beauty — Janine Tait Janine brought ritual back to skin health. Bestow is gentle but resolute: a daily nudge toward nourishment that supports everything we do in clinic. There’s poetry in the way this brand bridges results and self-care - education that feels like encouragement, and products that make consistency feel achievable. A founder who made “healthy skin from within” feel both elegant and everyday. Founder-led brands tend to have a pulse you can feel. Decisions are closer to real clients. Education is lived experience. Values don’t need sign-off—they’re already signed into the DNA. And when a founder’s conviction meets a therapist’s craft, magic happens: clearer consults, happier clients, stronger teams, and a sense that we’re all building something bigger than ourselves.

Founders, I hate to say it, but I'm finding i'm repeating myself multiple times a week - so i'm just going to put this out here and take it as tough-love with a side of strategy. 1) You don’t have a real point of difference (yet) What I’m seeing:   Too many look-alike brands chasing the same buyer with the same promises. If I can swap your logo with a competitor’s and nothing breaks, there’s POD. Your “why us” reads like ingredient bingo or “clean, conscious, results-driven”—which everyone can claim. Stockists can’t repeat your advantage in one sentence, so they default to price or whoever shouts loudest that week. Make it practical:   Write your Onlyness Statement in one line: We are the only [category] that [distinct outcome] for [specific buyer] because [credible proof]. 2) Your positioning is off What I’m seeing:   Price, proof and promise aren’t aligned. You’re “premium clinical” at a mid-market price with coastal-lifestyle visuals. Your audience definition is “salons who care about results” (that’s all of them), and your promise sits smack in the most saturated lane. The result: clinics can’t place you on their shelf or in their head. Make it practical:   Map a Positioning Triangle:  Audience → Pain → Promise 3) Your messaging is missing the mark What I’m seeing:   Website and deck copy that sounds like a template (“by therapists for therapists”, “science-backed”, “community”). It’s safe, vague, and interchangeable. You’re describing features, not meaning; categories, not claims; and you’re borrowing language from whoever you looked at last. Invest in someone to make your works sound like magic. Make it practical:   Develop your tone of voice with one storyline and phrases you actually say. 4) You need to do the work before  you’re on salon shelves What I’m seeing:   Everyone wants stockists yesterday. Founders launch, fire off cold DMs with a wholesale PDF, sponsor something shiny, and expect orders to appear. But clinics back what feels familiar and low-risk: names they’ve seen repeatedly, a clear “why,” and results they can picture on their own clients. In our industry, decisions are relationship-led and proof-led - think multiple touchpoints over a quarter: hear of you, learn your philosophy, see a credible result, then ask peers. If that awareness runway doesn’t exist, your outreach reads like a stranger asking for marriage. No awareness, no air time, no shelf space. Make it practical:   Block a 90-day awareness runway and do the work - no stockist outreach until day 91. 5) You’re lighting money on fire at events and sponsorships What I’m seeing:   Big spends on expos, awards and glossy PR with no lead capture, no qualification, no nurture, no pipeline stages, and no post-event follow-up owners. Everyone had “a great chat” and then… crickets. You call it “brand”; it’s actually waste. Make it practical:   Draw your Sales Flow on one page (Capture → Qualify → Call → Trial → Proposal → Onboard → 30/60/90) and assign an owner + asset to each stage. 6) “We provide education” isn’t a differentiator anymore What I’m seeing:   Every brand “does education,” but very few operationalise it. No curriculum, no calendar, no assessment, no outcomes. It’s an afterthought PDF or a one-off webinar. Clinics value education that moves revenue and retention - not just a nice morning tea and slides. Make it practical:   Decide your lane: make education either a monetised program (method, levels, certification) or  a tight support system - then name it and publish the calendar. 7) You (yes, you) need to get on camera What I’m seeing:   Founder invisibility. You want trust without showing up, hoping the product will talk for you. In professional beauty (relationship-led, referral-heavy) people buy into people. Your origin, beliefs, and standards are the shortcut to credibility, and you’re hiding them. Make it practical:   Record four 60–90s founder videos this month (origin, who you serve, your method, one protocol tip) using a simple Hook → Belief → Proof → Invite. Pick the weakest link above and give it a name, an to-do point in your notebook, and a date. Clarity matters: a sharp message, aligned positioning, and a tight sales flow will outperform another “brand awareness” budget splurge every time. If you want eyes on your triangle, messaging or sales flow, that’s where I roll up my sleeves. Reach out and book a chat.

Over the past few weeks, Australia’s sunscreen category has faced an uncomfortable stress-test. Consumer group CHOICE  reported that 16 of 20 products it commissioned for testing didn’t meet their labelled SPF; shortly after, Ultra Violette  voluntarily removed Lean Screen SPF50+ from sale, disclosing that fresh, independent testing produced a wide spread of results across multiple labs. The TGA  has since reiterated that variability in the current in-vivo (on-skin) SPF method is a known issue and is reviewing the evidence it has received. Several other brands have temporarily paused specific SKUs while additional tests run. This isn’t an ordinary PR dust-up. It’s a manufacturing and governance moment - especially for founder-led brands who work with contract manufacturers (CMOs). The message is simple: if you outsource the product, you still own the science, and single-method “passes” no longer satisfy your stakeholders. Why the current baseline is under pressure In-vivo testing (ISO 24444) (the long-standing, human-panel method that underpins label claims ) has strengths. It mimics real-world use and a well-documented weakness: noise. Human skin responses vary, panel composition matters, and subtle execution differences between labs can shift outcomes. The TGA has publicly acknowledged this variability while it reviews data and next steps. In parallel, the standards world is moving: ISO 23675:2024  formalises an in-vitro pathway for determining SPF on an analytical substrate - faster, more repeatable, and powerful as a monitoring tool alongside in-vivo. It doesn’t replace on-skin efficacy requirements in Australia today, but it gives brands and manufacturers a second lens on formula and process consistency. Dual-method validation, in plain English In-vivo (on-skin):  Required baseline for therapeutic sunscreens in Australia. It answers the clinical question (does this protect people in use?) but is inherently variable. In-vitro (instrumental):  Measures UV transmission through a standardised film. It’s faster, cheaper and highly repeatable, so it’s ideal for surveillance  across lots, and for catching formulation or process drift early. Together, the two methods reduce risk: in-vivo establishes claim-level efficacy; in-vitro tracks lot-to-lot consistency so you see smoke before there’s fire. The trust gap your customers (and stockists) now see The sequence of events has trained the market to expect more than a single certificate: Independent confirmation and transparency.  When Ultra Violette disclosed the spread of results (SPF 4 → 64  across eight tests) and withdrew the SKU, it set a new reference point for data-led decision-making - even if the path there was messy. Precautionary pauses while testing runs.  Multiple brands (including Aspect and Aspect Dr) have temporarily halted sales of particular mineral sunscreens pending fresh tests - a sign of stronger post-market control and an acknowledgment that SPF is a distribution, not a fixed number. Regulator posture.  The TGA continues to investigate, explicitly noting the variability in in-vivo results and signalling further updates. Expect closer scrutiny of methods, surveillance and claims governance. What this means if you work with a manufacturer If you partner with a CMO, the bar has moved from “do we have a pass?” to “do we have a system?”. In practice, brands are increasingly asking their manufacturing partners for: A two-track testing architecture  (in-vivo for claim; in-vitro for surveillance) across development, validation and the product’s commercial life. Evidence of robustness across labs  (ring-testing) and across lots (not just a pilot batch). That expectation has been normalised by recent disclosures and reporting. Post-market vigilance  that looks beyond headline SPF to signals that correlate with drift (for example, viscosity/rheology bands and dispersion stability for mineral filters) paired with timely re-testing when those signals move. (This is industry best practice in quality systems, reinforced by how quickly lot-level issues can surface publicly.) Proportionate consumer communication (clear status updates, refunds or exchanges where appropriate, and dates for the next data point) delivered in cooperation with retailers if a pause is warranted. Recent retailer responses show how quickly shelves can change when confidence wobbles. The point isn’t to overwhelm your manufacturer with paperwork; it’s to demonstrate a repeatable, inspectable process that can withstand scrutiny from consumers, media and regulators when questions arise. A note on “public interest” and tone Given the community concern about sunscreen efficacy (and the TGA’s active review) brands communicating about their testing approach, surveillance, and decisions are participating in a legitimate public-interest and industry conversation. The most credible pieces separate verifiable facts (with dates and sources) from clearly labelled interpretation, and avoid speculating about causes until data supports it. Where to from here For founder-led brands that outsource production, the way forward is surprisingly straightforward: Treat SPF like a clinical-grade claim wrapped in consumer packaging. Build (and disclose) a dual-method validation and surveillance story you can stand behind. Align your manufacturer, retailers and comms so that when variability shows up—as it sometimes will—you move quickly, transparently and proportionately. Done well, this moment becomes an opportunity to increase trust rather than lose it. NB: Facts and links current as at 1 September 2025 (AEST). This article is general information for industry professionals. If you believe any detail is inaccurate, please get in touch so we can review and, if needed, correct promptly.

Regulatory guardrails are tightening: the TGA restricts public references to prescription-only injectables, and (on top of that) AHPRA's new higher-risk non-surgical cosmetic advertising guidelines, coming into force on 2 September 2025 , will further lift expectations across imagery, influencer use and messaging. In this environment, the clinics that win won’t be the ones naming products - they’ll be known for judgement, ethics and consultation-first care. Now is the moment to build a personal brand that communicates how you assess, educate and decide, without crossing compliance lines. Why “now” matters The rules just tightened TGA’s guidance makes it clear: don’t directly or indirectly promote Schedule 4 medicines to the public (this explicitly includes “anti-wrinkle injections”, “dermal fillers”, brand names, nicknames, hashtags, price lists, testimonials and before/afters). You can  promote consultations. ( Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) ) The next wave lands September 2, 2025 AHPRA's new guidelines for advertising higher-risk non-surgical procedures add extra constraints across social, influencers, images, and messaging - lifting the bar on disclosure and safety framing. ( AHPRA ) Enforcement is real Infringement notices are being issued; recent legal commentary notes fines up to $13,320 per breach (individuals) and $66,600 (companies). That’s per contravention, not per campaign. ( Clayton Utz ) When you can’t name or show the Rx, the only thing left to differentiate is your expertise: your framework, ethics, patient selection, complication management, consultation process, and philosophy on “why/when/if”. That’s also, your personal brand. Think of personal brand as your go-to and always-on channel when product-based advertising is off-limits. What to spotlight (and stay compliant) Teach your audience (without naming Rx) Build content hubs on ageing biology, skin integrity, lifestyle factors, prevention, and multi-modal care paths. Teach how you assess faces, not what you inject. Use neutral language and avoid references that lead a consumer to a specific S4 medicine. ( Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) ) Safety signals as the hero Publish your consultation flow, red-flag criteria, cooling-off stance, aseptic protocols, emergency readiness and referral network. This aligns with Ahpra’s patient-safety emphasis for higher-risk non-surgical procedures. ( AHPRA ) Consultation-first offers Swap “Anti-wrinkle from $X” for “Facial Aesthetics Consultation: discuss options to reduce the appearance of wrinkles” - language the TGA itself uses to illustrate compliant service advertising. CTAs should drive to assessment , not a medicine. ( Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) ) Case education (not testimonials) Turn outcomes into de-identified clinical reasoning stories: the concern, assessment thinking, risk/benefit lens, adjuncts (skincare, SPF, lifestyle), and aftercare. Avoid patient testimonials and influencer endorsements for higher-risk procedures. ( AHPRA ) Image strategy that passes the sniff test Retire before/after galleries and “single-image promises”. Use diagrams, sketches, treatment planning screenshots (no Rx names), and standardised photography only where your board allows—and with risk/context copy. ( AHPRA ) Own your media Build email lists, long-form blogs, webinars and media angles around safety leadership and ethical aesthetics. Owned channels future-proof you as platform policies and regulator guidance evolve. (TGA also reminds advertisers that “health-professional-only” content must not be publicly accessible.) ( Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) ) Influence via you , not influencers Ditch paid “I got my injectables at…” content. Do podcasts, panels, op-eds and clinical education where you  are the talent. AHPRA's advertising FAQs are explicit about influencer use and testimonials for these procedures. ( AHPRA ) Bottom line: with TGA restrictions already in play and Ahpra’s higher-risk advertising guidelines landing on 2 September 2025, the only differentiator you can lawfully scale is your clinical judgement. If a new patient landed on your site today, would they understand how you think, how you decide, and how you keep them safe? If not, that’s the work. Put your name to a clear philosophy, make consultation the hero, and show your standards (education, risk, and ethics) everywhere your brand shows up. Build recognition around the clinician, not the molecule, and you’ll create demand that outlasts rule changes and algorithm swings.

Okay, we're coming into the final legs of the year - that's a little crazy, no? The last quarter of the year is where momentum compounds. If you’re going to network, learn, or lock in a little brand visibility before we turn the page on 2025 - this is your cheat sheet. Save it, share it with your team, and start planning travel and budgets now. At-a-glance (Sep–Nov) 2–4 Sep  — The Fresh Life, Brisbane. ( thefreshlifeconference.com , Aesthetic Medical Practitioner ) 12–14 Sep  — SKINCON25 (ASDC), Melbourne. ( The ASDC , 10times ) 14–16 Sep  — HAIR The Movement (Sharon Blain OAM), Sydney. ( AHC , beautyhubmagazine.com )• 15 Sep  — NOISE underground hair show (evening), Sydney. ( Hair The Movement ) 22 Sep  — The Aesthetic Business Masters – Perth. ( Humanitix , Mocha Group ) 12 Oct  — La Pelle: Beyond Pink – The Skin Side , Melbourne (12:30–4:00 pm). ( La Pelle ) 17–19 Oct  — The Wellness Summit + Spa & Wellness Awards, Gold Coast. ( The Wellness Summit + S&W Awards ) 19 Oct  — Australian Hair Industry Awards – Business (Gala), Brisbane (7–11 pm). ( Mocha Group ) 15 Nov  — The Beauty Industry Celebration  — Prêt-à-Prep × Lash Rescue, Melbourne (7–11 pm). ( Humanitix ) Hair HAIR The Movement — Sydney (14–16 September) A three-day, first-of-its-kind education experience bringing 30+ masters together across cutting, colour, barbering, editorial and avant-garde—helmed by industry icon Sharon Blain OAM  at The Fullerton Hotel. If you need a creative reset before Christmas trading, this is it. ( AHC , beautyhubmagazine.com ) Don’t miss:   NOISE  — the underground hair show on 15 September  in a secret Sydney location. High energy, high inspiration. ( Hair The Movement ) ANZ Hair Industry Awards – Business (Gala) — Brisbane (19 October) The night of nights for salon business excellence—now at The Star, Brisbane  with a 7–11 pm format. Dress code is chic/smart evening wear; expect a full house. ( Mocha Group ) Beauty / Skin / Aesthetics & Wellness The Fresh Life — Brisbane (2–4 September) An immersive aesthetics conference set at Howard Smith Wharves  with training, hands-on demos and serious networking. Great for clinic owners and cosmetic nurses who want both strategy and skills. ( thefreshlifeconference.com , Aesthetic Medical Practitioner ) SKINCON25 (ASDC) — Melbourne (12–14 September) A boutique, evidence-based program for dermal clinicians, therapists, nurses and skin-obsessed pros. Venues:  Scientific plenary at Rydges Melbourne (186 Exhibition St)  on Fri–Sat; Clinical workshops  on Sun at 370 Little Lonsdale St . Theme: Inspire . ( The ASDC ) The Aesthetic Business Masters — Perth (22 September) A one-day business and growth intensive for aesthetic clinics, hosted at Perth Zoo . Ideal for owners/managers ready to tune up pricing, marketing and operations before peak season. ( Humanitix , Mocha Group ) La Pelle: Beyond Pink – The Skin Side  — Melbourne (12 October) A Breast Cancer Awareness Month event centred on oncology-safe dermal care. Includes lunch, education, and ways to sponsor patient care kits. 12:30–4:00 pm  at 131 Lonsdale St . Dress with heart; bring your team. ( La Pelle ) The Wellness Summit + Spa & Wellness Awards — Gold Coast (17–19 October) An immersive, nature-set summit at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat , culminating in the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Awards. Come for ideas, stay for the industry-wide reconnect. ( The Wellness Summit + S&W Awards ) The Beauty Industry Celebration — Prêt-à-Prep × Lash Rescue — Melbourne (15 November) End-of-year industry party at LOLA St Kilda  from 7–11 pm . Food, drinks, DJ, door prizes—and a pink/white/red dress code. A joyful way to toast your 2025 wins. ( Humanitix ) So, which one are you going to? If you're big on FOMO choose one event to network at and one to learn at, that way you get the best of both worlds!

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a brand in the professional hair and beauty space pull off a campaign that makes me stop, smile, and think: “That’s how you do it.” Launching a new arm of the brand Exo-Grow , Dermapen World has done just that. And while the brilliance might not be obvious to everyone at first glance, to me, this campaign is one of the most considered, well-executed strategies our industry has seen in years. Before we get into the strategy, let me set the stage. Dermapen isn’t some fly-in-fly-out player; it’s a brand stocked in 107 countries globally, and proudly Australian owned and made in Melbourne by Corri and Stene Marshall. With Tracey Hughes as Brand GM, they’ve built an international reputation for excellence — and now, they’re doubling down with the launch of Exo-Grow . Their campaign, called You Will Believe , is equal parts aspirational and inclusive. The creative direction? Beautiful, healthy hair and glowing skin shown through diversity of age and gender, captured on bold black and white mediums. RE:GEN Roadshow, Melbourne Enter the RE:GEN Roadshow Here’s where things get really clever. Instead of following the traditional “spend a fortune on an expo stand and hope people notice” playbook, Dermapen launched the RE:GEN Roadshow . It kicked off in June at Hair Festival, then rolled through Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, South Australia, Western Australia, and wrapped at Beauty Expo Australia in August. On stage and on tour? Tracey Hughes, Corri Marshall, Dr Andrew Christie, and Andrew Hansford — names that carry weight in both aesthetics and hair. At each stop, the industry wasn’t just introduced to Exo-Grow  — they were immersed in it. They didn’t launch one product (as roadshows typically do). They launched four. And by the time Beauty Expo arrived, attendees weren’t just vaguely aware of a new brand. They’d seen it, touched it, tested it, and fallen in love with it. Why It’s Genius Here’s the kicker. Most brands treat expos like one giant awareness play. They pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into a stand, create a visual playground, and leave with little more than impressions and sore feet. Awareness is nice, but let’s be honest: you don’t build a global empire on awareness alone. Dermapen flipped the script. Their roadshow filled the awareness bucket ahead of the expo. By the time they reached the Beauty Expo floor, they had something far more powerful: momentum. The industry was primed. The mission was clear. The products had already been trialled. (hello, roadshow goodiebag!) And the expo wasn’t about introducing  anymore — it was about acquiring. Awareness plus acquisition, in one seamless flow. That’s the genius. Hair Meets Aesthetics: The Dream Partnership Another layer that makes this campaign so powerful is the way Dermapen is deliberately positioning Exo-Grow  at the intersection of aesthetics and hair. Andrew Hansford put it best: “It should be a marriage made in heaven.” Needling in aesthetics, supported by targeted retail products or even a Dermapen home version from the hair side — it’s collaboration, not competition. Cross-referral, not siloed segments. If you’ve ever wondered how two powerhouse categories in our industry could work together more tightly, this is the blueprint. And let’s not overlook the product innovation itself. At each roadshow stop, Dermapen introduced three brand-new SKUs — something almost unheard of in professional launches. Not drip-feeding. Not waiting a year between drops. Just confidently opening the gates and letting the industry in. The lineup included: Sip & Sup  – a supplement packed with Vitamin B and amino acids for skin, nails, and hair. Exo-Grow LED Laser Cap  – delivering 630nm LED technology. DP Scan  – with AI algorithms to analyse skin, scalp, and hair. …plus more coming before the year is out. It’s ambitious, yes. But it’s also refreshing — and it signals Dermapen isn’t playing small. What Dermapen World has pulled off with Exo-Grow  isn’t just a brand launch; it’s a masterclass in strategy. They’ve shown that you don’t have to choose between awareness and acquisition, between hair and aesthetics, or between ambition and execution. This is the kind of campaign that elevates the whole industry. And honestly? I could not love it more.