Beauty Trade Shows in London

If you want to see, test and buy the newest products and equipment, London's trade shows are hard to beat. The city hosts exhibitions for every corner of the industry, and many of them are free for professionals who register.

ExCeL in the Docklands is the main stage. Professional Beauty London fills its halls each October with brands across beauty, nails, lashes, skin and aesthetics, with the World Spa and Wellness Convention alongside it for spa operators and buyers. Salon International and Nailympia London, both held each October, give hair and nail professionals their own show floors. Tones of Beauty Expo arrives at ExCeL in early summer. For aesthetics, ACE at the Business Design Centre each March is a key buying event for clinics, with Wigmore Presents in April, The Aesthetic Show UK in June and Interface Expo in November adding more exhibition space for practitioners.

Each London trade show is listed below with dates, venues and entry rules, so you can plan your buying trips for the year.

Getting to the exhibition halls

ExCeL is served by Custom House station on the Elizabeth line, with direct trains from Heathrow, Paddington, Bond Street and Liverpool Street, and by Prince Regent on the DLR. London City Airport is close by. The Business Design Centre is a few minutes on foot from Angel station, and the Queen Elizabeth II Centre sits in Westminster, near St James's Park and Westminster stations. Olympia London has its own station at Kensington Olympia.

Where to stay

For ExCeL, hotels on Royal Victoria Dock are the most convenient, especially if you plan to carry stock or samples back each day. Stratford and Canary Wharf are also well placed. For Islington and Westminster venues, a central hotel near a Tube line works well.

Buying tips

• Register early. Free trade tickets for many shows are only available before the doors open.
• Bring proof of your profession, such as a business card or qualification, for trade only shows.
• Make a list of what you need and set a budget, as show offers can be tempting.
• Pack a wheeled bag for purchases and samples, as the halls at ExCeL are large.