The city enjoying a beauty shop boom

Charlie Evans, head of retail at Space NK, said the store's Birmingham opening would be its most important in recent months

As self-described "ultimate beauty destination" Space NK prepares to open its second largest UK store in Birmingham this week, experts explain how the booming make-up industry is helping to alleviate the city's high street challenges.

Beauty influencers were invited for a sneak peek inside Space NK's huge new branch in the Bullring - even a room full of empty shelves was enough to excite followers five weeks before opening.

Content creator and journalist Rose Gallagher said it was the brand's ability to offer shoppers an experience that made it so special.

"One of the things Space NK do really well is curating niche fragrances - and fragrance is one of those things that, even though you can see it and learn about it online, you want to try it and you want to smell it.

"It's that experience you can't get through a screen that you're now going to get in the city and it's just going to bring more people together and out and about."

Shopping centre staff will be bringing out the crowd control barriers again with thousands expected to attend Space NK's opening on Thursday.

It was a similar scene in November when French beauty empire Sephora opened in the Bullring.

The UK's first Korean beauty brand, Pureseoul, also chose the centre for its second store outside of London last year.

Rose Gallagher said beauty fans wanted a shopping experience rather than shopping online

Across the country, the beauty and personal care industry is rapidly expanding, making a direct contribution of £15.9bn to the UK economy last year, according to the British Beauty Council.

The boom is in direct contrast with the UK's high street picture with 13,500 shops closing last year - an average of 37 a day, figures from the Centre for Retail Research show.

River Island is the latest casualty, having to shut 33 stores to stave off collapse.

"Since the pandemic the high street has unfortunately really struggled. We're losing many of our much loved brands," said Professor Sarah Montano, professor of retail marketing at the University of Birmingham.

"But what we're seeing is a real surge of beauty brands opening here in Birmingham.

"Beauty is doing well in comparison to the rest of the high street because they've really focused on what consumers are looking for and they're offering something different and really meeting their needs."

Diversity and innovation

Professor Montano said with women making over 70% of all consumption decisions, the rapidly expanding sector is targeting that spending.

"What we're seeing is beauty entrepreneurs really focusing on diversity and offering a great range of products that suit everybody but also really innovating in beauty products as well," she added.

Sephora's famous black and white bags are a regular sight in Birmingham now

At the Bullring, the beauty boom has helped increase footfall, which is estimated to reach 50 million this year.

Birmingham's location in the Midlands means it is attracting make-up, skincare and wellness enthusiasts from across the country.

Nita Chambers, brand partnership lead at Hammerson, which owns the shopping centre, said: "It's a completely different world post-pandemic, its been a real change to the retail landscape.

"Beauty is consistently one of our best performing sectors, and it's one people will travel for.

"We like to think of ourselves as the beauty capital of the Midlands and we've got so much to offer and so many brands that want to be part of our Birmingham catchment as well."

Nita Chambers, from Hammerson, said the Bullring was the "beauty capital" of the Midlands

TikTok and Instagram beauty influencer Yasmin Hussein said it was the range of products drawing customers back into brick and mortar shops.

"Birmingham needed a store like Space NK to come, it's what was missing," the 27-year-old from the city said.

"There's loads of brands stocked at the store that everyone knows and loves and it came at the perfect time."

Founded in 1991, Space NK first opened its doors in London's Covent Garden in 1993. It stocks over 130 beauty brands and has more than 80 stores across the UK and Ireland.

Charlie Evans, head of retail for the chain, said the Birmingham opening was part of a big expansion over the last 12 months.

"Customers have been calling out - shouting out - to be in Birmingham and we've had some really big cities - but Birmingham is our most important," she added.

The two-storey store will open at 10:00 BST, creating 40 new jobs.

The first 500 customers will receive a goody bag, as well as a Birmingham-themed challenge in the shape of a bucking bronco to take on.

'It's more than just make-up'

Retail is not the only area where beauty is thriving, with more people taking up college courses to work in the growing industry.

Sandwell College in West Bromwich has had a 55% increase in student admissions across their hair and beauty courses.

Student Niamh Coffey said she was drawn to beauty as a career because make-up makes her feel confident.

The 21-year-old said: "I like how make-up makes me feel. I think it's really creative and I like making people feel like their best selves, whether that's with make-up or with nails or lashes."

Demi Leigh told the BBC pursuing a career in beauty was a surprise for her - but now she loves it

Roseanna Wiggins-Lambert said the rise of beauty influencers online helped shape her make-up dreams.

"[I watched] influencers online and on YouTube, to see how they did their make-up because I always struggled.

"It was really hard to follow them but I got there in the end."

Demi Leigh, 19, left a job working with children to pursue beauty because she thought there was more to the industry than "just make-up".

"It was a big shock and a step up. I never saw myself doing it but now I can't see myself not doing it," she said.

"If you don't see yourself doing it, give it a try - you'll love it."