How Many Beauty Businesses Are in the UK in 2026?
April 2026 · Data sourced from Companies House
The UK beauty industry has boomed in recent years. There are now approximately 70,765 active beauty and personal care companies registered at Companies House — covering hair salons, nail bars, beauty treatments, cosmetics brands, and personal care services.
Beauty Companies by Region
The Beauty Boom
Beauty is one of the fastest-growing sectors for new company registrations. The low startup costs, the influence of social media, and the shift towards self-employment have driven thousands of new beauty businesses in the past five years. Many of these are sole-person companies — a single beautician, hairdresser, or aesthetics practitioner trading through a limited company.
Young Companies Dominate
The beauty sector has one of the youngest age profiles of any industry. A large proportion of beauty companies are in the 0-2 year startup bracket, reflecting the ongoing wave of new entrants. This high rate of new registrations is balanced by a relatively high failure rate — the sector also sees significant numbers of companies being struck off or dissolved each year.
Browse Beauty Companies
About this data: All figures are sourced from Companies House bulk data, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Data reflects the latest available snapshot as of March 2026.