A night of celebrations shines the spotlight on UK’s high potential beauty innovators
London, United Kingdom — Growth Studio, Boots and TikTok Shop are thrilled to announce ByErim and Make Waves as this year’s ultimate Breakout Beauty UK prize winners, presented at a Grand Finale, hosted by HSBC Innovation Banking on 1 December 2025.
After weeks of evaluation and a night of live pitching to a panel of industry experts, retail partners, investors and press, ByErim and Make Waves rose above an exceptional slate of programme finalists to take the top prize. Founders, Erim Kaur (ByErim) and Oliver Batiste and Owen Machon (Make Waves) have secured a guaranteed Boots listing across 10 stores and a combined prize value worth over £350,000 from headline programme partner Boots and supporting expert partner, TikTok Shop.
“We were truly blown away by the final pitches and are looking forward to continuing conversations with several of the brands following the programme” says Grace Vernon, Head of Global Foresight and Trends at Boots and No7 Beauty Company. “We are very pleased to announce Make Waves and ByErim as our chosen two ultimate winners and cannot wait to see them in store in 2026!”.
Grace Vernon adds “Make Waves is already taking the deodorant space by storm. Founders, Owen and Oli have identified a significant gap in the market and are scaling at pace. I truly believe a partnership with Boots and Make Waves will shift the future of the deodorant market in the UK and I’m excited for us to take on the big players.
ByErim is tapping into the growing hair health market with a focus on trichology, ayurvedic ingredients and fragrance led formulations, catering to a diverse audience but really specialising in the south Asian community. Erim as founder is also a real stand out. Her vision for the brand and experience in trichology and content creation is set to build a brand that lasts – and we are very much looking forward to working with her to grow and scale her brand in the UK”.
Paul Finch, Growth Studio Co-Founder and Breakout Beauty UK Designer adds “ByErim and Make Waves embody exactly what Breakout Beauty UK was created to amplify. They are innovative, fearless and purpose-driven brands that are setting new standards for the beauty industry. We’re proud to support their growth and excited to see how they reshape the beauty landscape in the months and years ahead.”
The Grand Finale event also saw special recognition prizes awarded from programme partners Bird & Bird & FDD International for selected programme finalists (see below for a full Breakout Beauty UK cohort list).
Stria Lab secured the Innovator Award, Clear for Men & Ominira Naturals were jointly awarded the Impact Award and Best Brand Award went to Project Plump. FDD International gave a Special Recognition Award to Louis Watkins, Founder of Clear for Men for his skincare brand that blends self-care with mental health advocacy.
Breakout Beauty UK was launched by Growth Studio in 2025. It is the world’s first of its kind accelerator programme designed to support the next generation of high potential UK beauty founders, ready to become global household names.
Following applications from more than 200 beauty founders nationwide, this year’s 12 strong cohort stood out for their diversity and product innovation that championed heritage, sustainability and community impact. 80% of the finalists were female, with the final 12 proudly championing underrepresented BAME talent across the industry. Over six weeks, 12 finalists gained unparalleled access to mentorship, investment guidance, retail opportunities, and award-winning business development support curated by Growth Studio.
Backed by Ambassadors, Trinny Woodall and Mitchell Halliday, the programme also attracted headline partners Boots, TikTok Shop, HSBC Innovation Banking, FDD International and was supported by Bird & Bird, the British Beauty Council and Venrex. An exclusive global Beauty Board added insider insights and expertise to the programme including Marina Kalenchyts (Wonderskin), Michael Douglas (MD London), Colette Laxton (The INKEY List) and Jamie Genevieve (VIEVE)
Full cohort list for 2025 Breakout Beauty UK
- Beard Surgeons – Luxury scented grooming for men, founded by three childhood friends, reinventing beard care with style and substance.
- BYERIM – A luxurious, inclusive hair and beard care line rooted in founder Erim Kaur’s cultural heritage of hair oiling and self-expression.
- Clear for Men – Created by 24-year-old Louis, this skincare brand blends self-care with mental health advocacy.
- Contour Cube – The viral ice facial tool designed by Sarah Forrai, combining innovation, beauty, and practicality.
- Project Plump – Clean, clinically proven, needle-free plumping products inspiring self-confidence and authenticity.
- Make Waves – The award-winning, refillable, gender-neutral antiperspirant brand championing sustainability and performance.
- Miriam’s Collection – Hair and skincare powered by the centuries-old Yao women’s rice water rituals, reimagined through modern science.
- Ominira Naturals – Science-led, heritage-inspired solutions for textured and Afro hair, made from pH-balanced, hand-infused botanicals.
- Spots & Stripes – A pioneering tween/teen brand tackling skin and haircare with 100% natural, effective, age-appropriate formulas.
- Stria Lab – Science-first skincare born from motherhood, offering evidence-based solutions for stretch marks and body confidence.
- Tootilab – Curl care with attitude, blending inclusivity, science, and sustainability with 100% Prevented Ocean Plastic™ packaging.
- 2bTanned – A vibrant, inclusive tanning brand built to celebrate every skin tone, confidence, and individuality.
