British Beauty Council invites students to shape future of industry via mentorship & grant opportunity

The British Beauty Council has launched The Student Shadow Board, alongside UNiDAYS and Sephora UK.

Via the initiative, young people across the UK can apply to receive mentorship and grant support, by pitching their future-facing beauty solutions across topics like innovation and technology, sustainability, creativity, marketing and science.

They can either submit an entry video up to three-minutes long or a written entry of maximum 500 words answering: ‘What’s one change you’d love to see in the beauty industry, and how would your background help make it happen?’

Photo credit: @jamiegenevieve

Applicants will be shortlisted, before pitching their ideas to a judging panel of beauty experts from the British Beauty Council (BBCo), UNiDAYS and Sephora UK. The panel will be led by BBCo advisory board member, make-up artist & founder of the VIEVE cosmetics brand, Jamie Genevieve.

She comments: “This is an amazing opportunity to spotlight the power of next-generation talent for the beauty industry: something which personally resonates with me, as I found my feet as a make-up artist as a student. It will be inspiring to witness the professional development of the winners throughout the programme.”

“This programme isn’t just about mentorship and grants – it’s about giving students a genuine seat at the table where industry decisions are made.” – UNiDAYS beauty category lead, Jessica Hewitt

Five winners will be chosen via a number rating system covering creativity, proactivity, initiative taken, implementation and more. They will be announced in May 2025 and receive mentorship opportunities via a programme of exclusive events, plus a £3,000 grant from Sephora UK.

The programme aligns with the British Beauty Council’s commitment to ensuring clear routes to beauty sector careers are accessible to young people, and better educational practices are implemented industry-wide.

Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of BBCo, comments: “Young people are the brains of tomorrow’s beauty industry, so this is the perfect opportunity to scout some of the most impressive talent. Not only that, the next generation are more in touch with the workings of the beauty industry than any other, so why not tap into their ideas to propel our sector forward?”

The Student Shadow Board has received more than 700 applications, with entry closing 20 April 2025.