On Monday, CEW UK celebrated the 20th anniversary of the annual Achiever Awards at a ceremony at The Rosewood Hotel in London to recognize outstanding talent and contributions to the British beauty industry.

The awards, which saw a number of well-known faces in attendance – including Alexia Inge, co-founder and co-CEO of Cult Beauty and author, entrepreneur and Green & Blacks founder Jo Fairley – are sponsored by Unilever and voted on by industry insiders.

“Whilst the past two years have been shocking and challenging for all of us in a variety of ways, we have learned to be agile and creative in the way we work and think to survive and thrive, and it has been inspiring to see the industry work together and collaborate more than ever before in many different ways,” comments Sallie Berkerey, CEW UK managing director. “I am proud that CEW supports a great number of individuals and businesses in the beauty industry every single day, and this is what lies at the heart of our day-to-day activities.

“2021 marks the 20th year of the CEW Achiever Awards, an event that recognizes outstanding talent and contributions to the beauty industry. Our nine deserving honourees play different roles in the industry, but all share common attributes such as tenacity of spirit, entrepreneurial mindsets, ridiculously high levels of talent and skill, and the common goal of creating a positive impact within our industry for the good of all. They are great role models for future generations and CEW is thrilled to honour their achievements this year.”

Our nine deserving honourees … are great role models for future generations and CEW is thrilled to honour their achievements

Among the accolades were the Digital Innovation Award, which was won by Ailish Lucas, AKA, The Glow Getter (pictured). The award looks for businesses that continue to innovate in digital technology to meet the growing expectations of the modern beauty consumer. The Glow Getter online platform helps indie beauty brands learn marketing and social media skills to clarify their message, create ‘raving fans’ and grow their revenue.

“I am hugely excited and honoured to have won the Digital Innovation Award from CEW sponsored by Google,” says Lucas. “It’s almost unbelievable that a small brand like myself would win such a prestigious award. I’m so grateful that I get the opportunity to help indie beauty brands every day to grow their dream business, and to be recognized for it is a dream come true.”

The Young Achiever Award went to Madeleine White in recognition of her entrepreneurial talent, innovative approach and clear vision for her brand Juni Cosmetics. Combining her passion for make-up, wellness, animal welfare and sustainability, she launched her luxury cosmetics in 2018. Juni Cosmetics has sustainability at its core; its products are 100% plastic-free, vegan, and focus on high-performance, organic ingredients.

Other winners included: MUA and brand founder Lisa Eldridge who received Lifetime Achiever award; Aaron Chatterley, Feelunique co-founder, who was given a Special Industry Award; and ‘ultimate artisan’ International Hairdresser of the Year, Errol Douglas MBE, who also took home a Special Industry Award.

A full list of award winners can be viewed on the CEW UK website.