The heating’s on, the inbox is in overdrive and the gingerbread candles are holding the nation together. October did what October does best — a little chaos, a little magic and a few moments that made the late nights worth it.
From beauty award wins to brand launches and events across the UK, here’s a look back at what kept the FDD team busy this month.
A Hair-Raising Day at Salon International
Danni and Abbi spent the day exploring what’s new (and what’s next) in the world of hair at Salon International — where Wahl fades met Dyson tech and Kérastase pulled in a crowd that could resurrect the dead. This year also debuted The Textured Hair Stage, putting curls, coils and waves firmly in the spotlight. Between live demos, bold colour transformations and spin-the-wheel luck (with questionable prizes), it was a day of pure industry inspiration.
Beware of the Breakout
Daniel, Rob and Dawn joined Boots and Growth Studio for the launch of Breakout Beauty — an accelerator programme designed to supercharge the next generation of UK beauty founders, helping high-potential brands get a step up on their way to becoming the next global household names.
The event spotlighted a line-up of innovators shaping what’s next in British beauty — from gender-neutral deodorant and purpose-led skincare to heritage-rooted haircare brands ready to go global.
FDD joined as a headline partner, alongside Boots, TikTok Shop and HSBC, with support from Bird & Bird, the British Beauty Council and Venrex.
Under the Lash Line
Last month, Ardell raised the bar for at-home artistry with its new Value Cluster Packs — the first on the high street to offer 100 clusters in a single pack, now available at Boots. The line-up introduced two Seamless Underlash Extensions:
Wispies — soft, fluttery layers with effortless lift.
Light as Air — elongated, weightless volume with a barely-there finish.
Each pack includes 100 knot-free Undies™ clusters and DUO Longwear Adhesive for custom shape and all-day hold.
To complete the ritual, DUO Glue launched its Gentle Lash Glue Remover — a conditioning balm that melts away adhesive while keeping lashes calm and clean.
A Spooktacular Month for Dots
If anything’s ghosting us this season, let it be spots…
Our OG Dot snagged a nomination for “Spot Prone Saviour” at The Beauty Awards — proof that even the smallest dots can make a hauntingly big impact.
Then came a message straight from the set of SAS: Rogue Heroes (Season 3) — the makeup team wanted our patches for the cast, so naturally we delivered. (Even heroes need a clear complexion before battle.)
To round things off, we treated our TikTok followers to a Back-to-School Giveaway — because whether it’s lectures, late nights or library stress, no one deserves a surprise breakout this semester.
Lash & Brow Magic
This October, RapidLash proved there’s beauty in the long game and even longer lashes.
@leilalayzell (238k) gave us another story shoutout, showing her ongoing love for our lash and brow serum — clearly under its spell.
Meanwhile, @tonss__ (56k) revealed her seven-month transformation after we gifted her back in March — proof that patience really does conjure the best results.
The Peach Awakens
No tricks, just treats — Anua’s Peach range made its in-store debut at Superdrug, marking the range’s first high-street placement.
Meanwhile, Boots and Look Fantastic introduced two new PDRN SKUs, featured in a dedicated PDRN edit across Ignite spaces.
A Scented Moment
Madison, Badur, Francesca and Atlanta joined Thirsty The Agency for the SMOOCH BODY influencer event — celebrating the brand’s UK debut on shelves at Boots. The evening drifted between scent, sound and soft light — a celebration of confidence wrapped in cloud-like mists.
Power, Pride & Perfect Curls
Danni and Abbi headed to Sainsbury’s HQ in Coventry for this year’s Black History Month event, themed Standing Firm in Power and Pride. They represented two of our Black-founded, women-led brands — Mielle and Camille Rose — celebrating curls, coils and waves in full force.
The space featured educational boards tracing Black history — from its origins and the civil rights movement to the natural hair movement shaping today.
And because learning’s always better with a bit of friendly competition, they hosted a question game where staff matched cards to win prizes (and left with goody bags filled with haircare favourites).
Mint Condition
Last month, Eco Style featured across five stories on Superdrug’s Instagram — reaching over a million followers and spotlighting the Rosemary Mint Oil Gel in support of @atehjewel’s (51.9k) ambassadorship.
The stories highlighted the gel’s key benefits and a 3-for-2 offer on selected curls, coils and waves products — all linking seamlessly to shop online.
Heritage in Every Twist
For Black History Month, Superdrug teamed up with @Awacham (1.2k) to celebrate texture, tradition and self-expression — through a timeless style: Bantu knots. Showcasing Camille Rose, she used her go-tos — Curl Love Moisture Milk and Curlaide Moisture Butter — to bring the look (and the story) to life.
Under a Good Hair Spell
Between our haircare brands starring in Superdrug’s Black History Month FSU and The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam taking Gold at the Pure Beauty Awards, it’s fair to say October had great volume.
Frizz? Never heard of her.
Miles That Mattered
While most were counting pumpkins, Danni and Abbi were counting steps — smashing their 62-mile challenge (88 miles total) and raising £615 for Refuge, alongside thousands nationwide. Together, participants raised over £122,000 to support women and children experiencing domestic abuse.
A month packed with launches, recognition and impact — all powered by the FDD team. We’ll see what November brings (besides more candles).
Written by Abbi Little