A-Beauty: Claiming Space in the Wellness and Beauty Industry"

"Why melanin-rich communities deserve equal footing in the global beauty conversation"

Wellness Practitioner Helen Equagoo Cockle discusses the rise of A-Beauty and the importance of championing diverse voices in the wellness and beauty industry

Having worked in wellness for 30 years, I can truly say it's the only career where it's rare to see someone who looks like me. Throughout acupuncture training, extensive reflexology, acupuncture and massage treatments, the story is largely the same.

Helen Equagoo Cockle's A-Beauty article published in FHT Magazine Autumn 2025, discussing claiming space in the wellness and beauty industry for melanin-rich communities

I now immerse in the beauty space. As a long-time champion of under-represented voices - working in the BBC and groundbreaking charities - I've witnessed the slow pace of fair representation for people with melanin-rich skin. The beauty landscape shows we're in deficit here too.

THE RISE OF EASTERN BEAUTY MOVEMENTS

K-Beauty (Korean Beauty) emerged in the West in 2011, reaching its peak in 2015/2016 with its 'ten step skincare' and 'glass skin' trends. J-Beauty (Japanese Beauty) remained quieter - 'the sleeping giant' that has now 'woken up'. (Statista, 2024)

Both movements gained momentum through cultural exports - K-Beauty through K-pop; J-Beauty through anime - but what neither addressed was the beauty expertise of the African diaspora.

MY A-BEAUTY AWAKENING

I was busily applying my glass skin serums while simultaneously using my tried-and-trusted cocoa and shea butters when I had my wake-up moment. It struck me: we have K-Beauty, we have J-Beauty, but where on earth is African Beauty? Where are we in the mainstream conversation?

Yes, we have generational knowledge about what's good for our skin, a richness of understanding passed down through families for centuries. But we need to see ourselves in the main arena, not relegated to smaller areas in beauty sections.

As a wellness practitioner who has spent years studying botanicals, I began to see the disconnect more clearly. The beauty industry had positioned K-Beauty and J-Beauty as gold standards while our knowledge - although equally sophisticated and equally effective - remained marginalised. We had Korean formulation techniques celebrated globally, while our own botanical expertise is treated as niche.

That moment of clarity, and the fact that I'm actively contributing to A-Beauty through my botanical research and skincare developments, became the genesis of A-Beauty.

A-BEAUTY: MORE THAN ANOTHER TREND

A-Beauty is more than another trend. Trends are temporary. A-Beauty is about claiming space in the beauty world on equal footing: it's about recognition, appreciation and an industry-forward approach to honouring clients, products, educational standards, and creating understanding.

When K-Beauty and J-Beauty emerged, they were positioned as revolutionary, introducing innovative ingredients and unique skincare - permanent fixtures in the global beauty landscape. A-Beauty deserves the same recognition.

This isn't about cultural appropriation. It's about establishing high-quality formulations and innovations as foundational elements of the global beauty conversation.

At the core of A-Beauty sits inclusivity. It's about making sure our allies in this industry feel confident to ask questions and gain knowledge. This is about permanence, not exploiting. It's about equality, not exploitation.

THE BRITISH BEAUTY GAP

Despite the success of brands such as Fenty, the reality in Britain remains stark. The Black Pound Report 2022 revealed the UK's multi-ethnic consumers market represents a £2.7 billion opportunity, yet nearly half in 10 Black female shoppers can't easily find suitable cosmetics and skincare. A worrying to the Project E (October 2022). Two Black British women with two different hair types feel that any of the top 10 haircare companies cater to their hair type.

TONES OF BEAUTY: WITNESSING A-BEAUTY'S LONDON MOMENT

I was delighted to find out that Tones of Beauty was happening. When I learned the UK’s first Trade sho dedicated to Multicultural beauty was launching at Excel London I knew I had to be there ! This was the validation of everything A-Beauty represents.

Walking through the doors, I felt something I'd never experienced at a mainstream beauty trade show: I belonged.

My key takeaway was profound. Industry professionals have been pushing doors open for a long time. These weren't newcomers, but seasoned professionals who'd been advocating and innovating for years.

I met educators revolutionising how we understand melanin-rich skin, practitioners whose textured hair expertise rivalled anything in mainstream education. These individuals weren't asking for a seat at the table - they'd already built their own tables, complete with knowledge and innovations the broader industry desperately need.

Tones was thoughtfully created by BtoB Events' founder James Hill, with Lola Maja - a wonderfully dynamic force with years of experience and accolades, including being listed in Vogue Leading Ladies' the 100 Most Inspiring Nigerian Women - curating as Head of Education.

Hill's vision, combined with Maja's expertise, elevated Tones beyond a simple trade show into a genuine knowledge exchange. This was infrastructure building, not fake-performative inclusion trilight. Real innovators. Real action. Real movement.

VALIDATION AND WHAT'S NEXT

Witnessing Tones did indeed validate my A-Beauty vision completely. I met incredible professionals whose approaches exemplified everything A-Beauty represents - specialists with professional certifications and deep expertise who simply needed better pathways and approaches. These encounters were so inspiring that they'll be featured in an exclusive A-Beauty roundtable. This will be available as a pre-recorded webinar during the FHT's Annual Training Conference 2025

Here we will seek to explore how the entire industry can benefit from this pool of knowledge. We'll examine how to have these conversations authentically, improve professional standards through this expertise, and show innovation can balance both practice, values and income.

If you haven't already signed up, tickets are available to buy throughout the duration of the conference.

Visit fht.org.uk/conference - you don't want to miss out!

THE PATH FORWARD: OPENING THE CONVERSATION

Beauty students should be trained in A-Beauty expertise (not as an optional add-on, but as fundamental, valuable education).

A-Beauty isn't coming - it's here. The question is whether the beauty industry will recognise this as a legitimate movement worth this name space, or continue treating it as peripheral. For those ready to lead, the knowledge, experts, and platforms await.

PUTTING A-BEAUTY INTO PRACTICE

My botanical research and wellness expertise led me to create Equaa - a premium skincare brand for melanin-rich communities. Our debut product, Volta Radiance Facial Oil (£75), embodies the A-Beauty philosophy: botanical formulations rooted in generational knowledge, elevated through scientific innovation, and optimised for melanin-rich skin.

Discover Volta Radiance at www.equaaskincare.com