CIEH Beauty Conference

Studex UK Ltd

The Studex name has signified trust and safety for over 45 years and is recognised as the world’s largest manufacturer of Piercing equipment.  Studex products and systems are designed with the safety of the operator and customer in mind. Piercing jewellery is pre-sterilised and loaded touch free, with piercing instruments manufactured to FDA medical device standards in Los Angeles.
System 75 and Medisept Nose Piercer offer a safe, gentle and sterile piercing process. With an established training programme, endorsed by HABIA and Primary Authority assurance, Studex offers partners support every step.  Built on expertise, Studex represents Piercing You Can Trust™.

Andrew Rankin, Partner at Regenix Cosmetic Medicine and Trustee of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP). Andrew is a registered nurse, independent prescriber and he has held various training and advisory roles over the last 16 years. He was a board member of the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) and then vice chair until 2018. In 2014 he was a member of the Health Education England Expert Reference Group’s review of cosmetic qualifications. He is chair of the JCCP Practitioner Register Committee and co-chair of the JCCP Clinical Advisory Group, where he coordinates industry experts and regulators in addressing cosmetic concerns. Andrew is a technical expert for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), ensuring organisations wishing to offer certification (of persons) services in the cosmetic industry meet the appropriate standards of competence. He is also a member of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) medical devices expert register.

Caroline Larissey, Director of Quality and Standards at the National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF), the largest UK trade association for hair and beauty businesses. Caroline is also Vice President at the Federation of Holistic Therapists. Acting as a conduit between Government and industry, Caroline works with industry and awarding organisations, professional bodies, Government agencies, departments, and ministers on issues such as training, apprenticeships, standards, qualifications, codes of practice, quality assurance, funding, and business practice. She is also an active chairperson, ambassador, advisor, and board member of various industry, Government, quality assurance, regulatory, education and training groups across the sector. 

Professor David Sines CBE RN RMN RNMH RNT PGCTHE PhD FRCN FRSA FHEA. David is currently a professional advisor to Health Education England and works closely with primary and community care workforce strategy and transformation in London. He was Chair of the Health Education England Stakeholder Engagement Committee that produced the HEE (DHSC approved) Education and Training Framework for Non-Surgical Cosmetic interventions in 2015 and was subsequently appointed as Independent Chair of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners in January 2016.

David was until recently Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean and Professor of Community Health Care Nursing at the Faculty of Society and Health at Buckinghamshire New University and holds the position of Provost at the University. He was previously Executive Dean for the Faculty of Health and Social Care at London South Bank University and Head of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Ulster. Since obtaining his PhD in social policy, David has held four Secretary of State appointments, including to the UKCC and NMC. He has been a Governor of three NHS Foundation Trusts in London. He held an Honorary Appointment with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust as Associate Director of Nursing. He is a Fellow of the RCN and received a CBE in 2010 for ‘Services to Health Care’.

Kathryn Darwin, Commercial Business Manager at Studex. Having joined the company in 2002, Kathryn has worked throughout the business that services piercing partners, from independent salons, jewellers and pharmacies through to large retail chains. Working with local authorities and local government for the registration and licensing of cosmetic piercing, Kathryn is dedicated to promoting compliance and best practices within the Studex training programmes and promoting safe piercing. Experienced in working with multi-national retailers, Kathryn spends time working with the global Studex Head Office, based in Los Angeles, and contributing to the international network of Studex offices.

Lesley Blair MBE, CEO of the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC) and the Confederation of International Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (CIBTAC). Lesley has worked tirelessly to uphold the values and objectives of these prominent not for profit organisations, while also advising on a number of leading industry and government boards and charities. An experienced highly qualified industry expert, Lesley is also a fierce advocate for the standardisation of fit for purpose qualifications to ensure salon ready graduates and the highest levels of professionalism.

Sarah Clover, Barrister at Kings Chambers. Sarah specialises in licensing law. She is nationally recognised as an expert in all areas of regulatory licensing, and served as the Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee in 2016/2017, reviewing the Licensing Act 2003. Sarah has supported the drafting of the amendment to the Health and Care Act 2022, introducing the new regulatory regime for cosmetic procedures. She will be involved in the development of the emerging licensing system.

Dr Sarah Jones, Senior Environmental Health Advisor for Welsh Government. Sarah graduated as an environmental health officer in 1985 and spent the next 8 years working for local authorities in South East Wales. After completing her master’s in Public Health she lectured on the undergraduate and postgraduate environmental health programmes in Cardiff Metropolitan University. Following her PhD, she focussed on the management and control of communicable disease of which special procedures played a prominent role. Since 2018, she has been a Senior Environmental Health Advisor for Welsh Government. Her primary role involves the introduction of the mandatory licensing scheme for special procedures under Part 4 of the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 mandatory licensing scheme.

Victoria Brownlie, Chief Policy Officer at the British Beauty Council. Victoria has more than fifteen years’ experience influencing government policy and lobbying on issues from animal welfare to local government, the construction sector and business. During the pandemic, Victoria was instrumental in securing vital financial support and reliefs for the personal care sector. She worked with governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure the salons on our high street, the brands that supply to retailers, had businesses to return to as the pandemic eased. At the British Beauty Council, Victoria is a champion of the sector for the role it has in the race to net zero, STEM, regulation and the future of the UK’s position in the world as a positive trading partner.