Meet Millie Kendall, The Woman Shaping the Future of British Beauty
Few names carry as much weight in British beauty as Millie Kendall’s. As the co-founder and CEO of the British Beauty Council, and an MBE to her name, Millie’s influence extends from bathroom shelves to boardrooms. We caught up with her to talk about spending £100 on a mascara and the state of British beauty, and what it really felt like to be recognised by the Crown for doing what she loves most.
Millie’s Beauty
What does beauty mean to you? Confidence and self-esteem.
What’s the first product you ever truly fell in love with? Shu Uemura Nobara Foundation.
Describe your morning beauty routine in three words. Hydration, lotion, and cream.
Is there a product or scent that feels like you in a bottle? Cecile by To The Fairest London.
What’s your ultimate self-care ritual when you actually get time to switch off? Sleep and a Facial.
If you could only use three products forever, what would make the cut? Shu Uemura Face Powder Camel 8, Nuxe After Sun Cream, and Subtle Energies Aura Protection Mist.
Has your relationship with beauty changed over the years and how? Not really, I still love it now as much as I did when I was 11years old.
On Brands & British Icons
Which British beauty brands do you think are really leading the charge right now?
I think that the beauty tech world in the UK is setting the agenda; brands like LYMA and CurrentBody are really driving growth and bridging the gap between services and at-home treatments. With The Beauty Tech Group launching onto the London Stock Exchange, the segment is putting beauty on the map in new ways at a time when longevity and wellness are at the forefront of consumer attention.
Any up-and-coming founders or indie labels we should have on our radar?
I think that the indie fragrance landscape in the UK is a force to be reckoned with. I love the brand Ffern, which makes unique fragrances on short runs. Lauren Bowker has recently relaunched THEUNSEEN and has seen huge success with her light-activated SPECTRA product – I will always be a fan of Bowker’s, she is always creating products that really aren’t on the market.
Do you think there’s such a thing as a “British beauty look”?
I think we have always been a little more fun and grungier with our beauty looks here in the UK. Some of the most famous and moreish beauty imagery from the likes of Corrine Day back in the 90s is the perfect example of the unmade-up, imperfect, British beauty look.
Whose beauty ethos do you most admire, past or present?
Off the back of the British beauty look, I think Emily Wood is a real trailblazer in the beauty space at the moment. She is putting the fun back in makeup. I also really admire Kay Montano, whom I have worked with for years. She is all about subtle application and tweaks to create the best version of yourself.
What’s your biggest luxury splurge and your everyday high street hero?
I am always a sucker for an innovative format or packaging and have been known to spend £100 on a mascara from Hourglass, which had a wand with no bristles. Currently, though, I am using the CurrentBody hair mask every day, my hair is such an integral part of my beauty routine, and what I spend the most money on, so I’m excited to see the mask’s effects. In terms of budget products, I always have bobby pins in my makeup bag for taming my bangs between blow-dries – that’s a real high-street hero.
Industry Insight & Influence
You were awarded an MBE for services to the beauty industry. What did that moment mean to you personally?
It was weirdly quite surreal; I don’t think it quite hit me until much later. My mum and dad both cried but I think the general perception of our industry by people outside it became more obvious to me post the MBE.
What does British beauty do better than anywhere else in the world?
Fusing the old with the new, the legacy and heritage with technology and advancement, creativity, and commerce.
British Beauty has always been known for being at the forefront of sustainability. The industry began pushing environmental boundaries long before green issues became headline news. The Body Shop has been pioneering social change since the mid-1970s, whilst Neal’s Yard Remedies and Yardley are continuously championing more sustainable practices in various overseas markets too.
What do you think has been the biggest shift in beauty since you first entered the industry?
Aesthetics for sure, my mum was an early adopter of plastic surgery, so am I, but I never expected it to be this widespread and commonplace.
The industry is moving fast. Where do you see the most exciting innovation happening right now?
I think there are loads of exciting things happening in the beauty treatment space, which is being coupled with increasingly efficacious products at home. For example, microneedling treatments are hugely popular and developing, and Korean beauty, of course.
How is the British Beauty Council helping push forward inclusivity, sustainability, and representation?
As an organisation, we are dedicated to raising the reputation of the sector and taking it to the next level. This can only be achieved if we work collaboratively to make all of these things better. We work with brands, industry leaders, emerging founders, policy makers and more to ensure that an equitable, growing, representative industry is at the forefront of how we all work.
What’s one misconception about the beauty industry you’d love to change?
It has always been my mission to bust the myth that beauty is ‘fluffy stuff that girls play with’. I will die on that hill, especially now we know the industry contributes £30.4bn and employs close to 700,000 people.
Looking Ahead
What excites you most about the future of beauty in 2025 and beyond?
Technology, for sure, I love how we are adopting this so wholeheartedly.
And finally, when you received your MBE, did it feel like a full-circle moment or just the beginning of another chapter?
I received an OBE in 2022, so it was definitely the beginning of a journey. In fact, I didn’t realise until probably 2016 how far I could continue to go in my career.
