What’s in store for beauty this year? One thing we can thank the pandemic for is showing us the importance of our local communities and encouraging us to support small independent businesses, say Samantha Freedman and Margot Vitale. The pair are the founders of Curate Beauty, a revolutionary digital wholesale marketplace for independent beauty and wellness brands. With people staying in more, and worrying about their health, Curate has seen a move away from outward facing beauty, to more self-focused wellbeing. Supplements are now the second most searched term on their website, with brands like Supernova Living Life Powders and Tonik being particularly popular, while sleep-focused brands like Holistic and Kalmar have grown by 70 per cent. And with spa days largely off the agenda, at-home pampering has grown massively. Candles – like those from Elm Rd. – are now Curate’s most searched items. You can discover all of these brands and more at the Curate pop up at Urban Retreat, which is open until the end of this year.
2-4 Hans Crescent, SW1X (urbanretreat.co.uk; curate-beauty.com)