BABTAC Unveils T.I.M.E Initiative at The Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Government recently asked the public whether they think procedures should be licensed and regulated. A campaign fighting for safer beauty treatments. T.I.M.E provides the framework necessary to ensure that consumers are aware of what to ask when booking a service with a beauty professional to ensure they hold the correct qualifications, insurance, and training.

With dozens of MSPs in attendance, last night saw the unveiling of the initiative at The Scottish Parliament.

BABTAC (British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology) unveils T.I.M.E initiative at The Scottish Parliament

With Scotland leading the way in beauty industry regulation, T.I.M.E is an initiative that helps consumers signpost their way to safety.

Did you know that in Scotland and England, anyone can legally perform Botox fillers or laser treatments with zero qualifications? No training, no safety checks, nothing. A recent survey found that 1 third of Scottish doctors have treated a botched cosmetic procedure, some patients as young as 16. That could all be about to change…

The Scottish Government recently asked the public whether they think procedures should be licensed and regulated. A campaign fighting for safer beauty treatments. T.I.M.E provides the framework necessary to ensure that consumers are aware of what to ask when booking a service with a beauty professional to ensure they hold the correct qualifications, insurance, and training.

With dozens of MSPs in attendance, last night saw the unveiling of the initiative at The Scottish Parliament.

Led by BABTAC  CEO Lesley Blair MBE, legendary Caroline Hirons, Founder of Skin Rocks, Managing Director of iconic spa brand, Guinot, Myriam Welsh and owner of award-winning salon, Urban Retreat and The Academy College, Jenny Storey, along with support from Sharon Ashton MSP.

Sharon Dowey, MSP

“With no formal oversight leading to unsafe practise and consumer harm, it’s important for us to have a voice in the conversation around regulation. Bringing the T.I.M.E campaign to Scotland will facilitate and empower people to ask the right questions when going to the salon for a treatment. Consumers are not aware that it’s an unregulated industry, but with beauty a significant contributor to the economy,  it’s important that we provide the tools and raise awareness around this important issue.”

Lesley Blair MBE, CEO at BABTAC says,

“Previous statistics have proved that most consumers assume, sometimes incorrectly, that all therapists hold fit for purpose qualifications. Due to the lack of regulations governing both the industry and the standardisation of training not all 'training certificates' are always what they seem. We saw an urgent need to educate the consumer through the T.I.M.E initiative on how to identify professional therapists and services.

What’s equally important is to also shine a light on the many skilled and ethical therapists that are in our industry. We need to empower and support them in promoting their professional and safe services. Often a difficult task against seemingly similar but cheaper options. The rise of ‘TikTok’ 'tutorials' is also proving damaging, with unqualified people promoting themselves as experts on social media, which as well as risking consumer safety, can diminish the price point of treatments.

With the media regularly reporting treatments going wrong, our industry is under scrutiny. It's therefore more important than ever for consumers to be able to identify and support true professionals. While Scottish Government is currently seeking to further regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures (NSCPs) which we support and advise on, this will not happen overnight. This is why T.I.M.E can also be used as a tool to assist the Government before and during the legislation process.”

Caroline Hirons, industry expert, and founder of Skin Rocks and Beauty Backed Trust says,

“The speed of new treatments being developed makes it even harder to put industry regulation into place and modalities are ones where qualification must be checked. While it’s positive that therapists are upskilling, due to lack of regulation, we have cowboys in the system. Another challenge we’re facing is that trained beauty professionals are now competing with content creators who may be good in front of the camera, but don’t hold appropriate certification.”

Jenny Storey, owner of award-winning salon Urban Retreat and The Academy College says,

“It’s a saturated market right now regarding unregulated training courses so integrity matters. It’s a big challenge as unfortunately people tend to choose speed over quality. If you don’t have the right training you can’t get appropriate insurance so it’s also about protecting yourself long-term. We’re at the forefront of educating spas and salons so we also need to make sure the consumer is educated in what official qualifications look like.”

Myriam Welsh, Managing Director of skincare brand Guinot says,

“As a treatment led brand, education is key for us we absolutely feel aligned with the T.I.M.E initiative.  Although it’s a difficult conversation to have, you trust a therapist with personal details about your life so you should be able to trust that they’re in the treatment room. It’s about providing protection and consumers alike.”