The Edinburgh School of Beauty

What The Edinburgh School of Beauty does

The Edinburgh School of Beauty is a privately held, founder-owned beauty therapy training institution based in Edinburgh, Scotland, founded in 2014 by Louise Caithness. It operates as a VTCT Approved Centre and ITEC Accredited Centre, delivering regulated, internationally recognized qualifications to aspiring and practicing beauty professionals. The school serves multiple student segments including career-focused beauty professionals, career changers (often from nursing, medical, or dental backgrounds), school leavers aged 16+, and international students requiring visa support documentation.

The core curriculum consists of two primary courses: the VTCT Level 2 Award in Provide Facial Skincare and the VTCT (ITEC) Level 3 Certificate in Access to Aesthetic Therapies, both priced at £1,800 inc VAT. Delivery is via a blended learning model combining online theory modules with 5 consecutive days of in-person practical training at the Edinburgh academy (8 Haddington Place, EH7 4AE). The school also sells an ancillary line of professional student kits (facial, waxing, tinting, manicure, pedicure, massage, gel polish) through its own e-commerce storefront, priced from £55 to £165 per kit.

The business is sales-led with the website as the primary channel for course promotion and enrollment; prospective students apply through online forms and are managed via email correspondence. The school is operating at full capacity for 2026 on a cancellation-only basis with active waiting lists, and is exploring capacity expansion for 2027. The team comprises 5 employees including the founder and trainers (Derna, Lynsey, Kim), all of whom maintain active practices as therapists, with claimed industry experience of 20-30+ years.

Name

The Edinburgh School of Beauty

Legal name

The Edinburgh School of Beauty

Website

https://edinburghschoolofbeauty.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Edinburgh School of Beauty is a privately held, Edinburgh-based vocational training institution founded in 2014 by Louise Caithness, delivering VTCT and ITEC accredited beauty therapy qualifications (Level 2 and Level 3) to aspiring and career-changing beauty professionals via blended online and in-person learning, with ancillary student kit sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beauty Therapy Training

NAICS

Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSALANAB

Esthetics & Skincare Training Programs

Home & Personal Services/Personal Care & Beauty Services/Beauty Schools & Training (Cosmetology/Esthetics/Nails)

SECONDARYHSALANAJ

Massage Therapy Schools & Certification Programs

Home & Personal Services/Personal Care & Beauty Services/Beauty Schools & Training (Cosmetology/Esthetics/Nails)

SECONDARYEDAAAGAM

Beauty & Personal Care Skills (Makeup, Skincare, Hair Styling)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Personal Enrichment & Hobby Learning (Arts, Crafts, Music, Cooking)

Keywords

• Beauty therapy training
• Vocational beauty courses
• Accredited beautician training
• Aesthetic therapy education
• Facial skincare qualifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition Fees: Primary revenue stream from VTCT accredited beauty therapy courses. Students pay tuition for facial skincare qualifications and aesthetic therapy certificates. Course fees range from £1800 per qualification.
2. Student Kits and Supplies: Sale of professional student kits including facial skin kits, waxing kits, tinting kits, manicure/pedicure kits, massage kits, and gel polish kits to support practical training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Edinburgh School of Beauty delivers VTCT and ITEC accredited beauty therapy qualifications, primarily the Level 2 Provide Facial Skincare and Level 3 Certificate in Access to Aesthetic Therapies, through a blended model of online theory and in-person practical training. It also sells branded student kits (facial, waxing, tinting, manicure, pedicure, massage, gel polish) via its own online store to support practical coursework.

Product overview

The Edinburgh School of Beauty is a beauty therapy training institution offering accredited qualifications and practical training courses. Their core educational products include the VTCT Level 2 Provide Facial Skincare Qualification (a foundational course for aspiring facialists delivered via blended learning with online theory and in-person practical training) and the VTCT (ITEC) Level 3 Certificate in Access to Aesthetic Therapies (a fast-track qualification for advanced aesthetics progression). The school also sells supplementary student kits including the Level 2 Facial Skin Kit (£165), Level 2 Waxing Kit (£115), Level 2 Tinting Kit (£55), Level 2 Manicure Kit (£75), Level 2 Pedicure Kit (£75), Level 3 Massage Kit (£55), and Level 2 Gel Polish Kit (£95) to support hands-on practical training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VTCT Level 2 Provide Facial Skincare Qualification

Quantifiable outcome

• Students graduate with qualifications required to become practicing and fully insured beauty therapy professionals

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust)coreOthersAccreditation body providing regulatory oversight and certification for beauty therapy qualifications. The school operates as a VTCT Approved Centre delivering regulated awards.
• ITEC (International Therapy Examination Council)coreOthersInternational awarding body for beauty and spa qualifications. The school delivers ITEC-accredited certificates recognized globally.
• Investors in PeopleminorOthersPeople management accreditation organization recognizing workplace excellence and staff development practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust): UK awarding body that accredits ESB's qualifications and those of hundreds of other beauty schools. Not a competitor but the closest ecosystem participant: directly tied to ESB's value proposition and whose standards shape the addressable curriculum.

Emerging players

• Essential Nails Training: UK nail and beauty training provider selling accredited short courses and student kits via e-commerce. Comparable in kit-led e-commerce model and direct-to-consumer vocational training, though narrower product line focused on nails.
• Aesthetic Training Academy: UK-based training provider focused on advanced aesthetics and Level 4+ qualifications, including career-changer entry pathways. Overlaps with ESB's Level 3 access-to-aesthetics offering and progression narrative, though positioned further up the qualification ladder.

Regional players

• The Manchester School of Beauty: Regional beauty training school in Northern England offering accredited beauty therapy qualifications. Closest geographic comp outside Scotland; comparable course portfolio and student mix, but serves a different catchment and does not directly compete in Edinburgh.
• Midlands Beauty Academy: Regional UK beauty training academy delivering accredited qualifications in the Midlands. Comparable course structure and target learner profile but different geographic catchment; functions as a UK-wide comp on regulated beauty training.

Broad incumbents

• City & Guilds (Awarding Body): Major UK vocational awarding body that accredits beauty and complementary therapy qualifications at scale across hundreds of training centres. Comparable as the regulatory backbone of UK beauty vocational training, with overlapping accreditation pathway (VTCT/ITEC are alternatives to City & Guilds).

Direct peers

• The Beauty Academy: Long-established UK private beauty training school delivering accredited beauty therapy and nail qualifications. Comparable in customer base (adult learners and career changers), accredited curriculum, and direct-to-consumer enrollment model.
• Academy of Beauty Professionals: UK private training provider offering accredited beauty therapy and aesthetics qualifications to career-changers and school leavers. Closely comparable in customer segmentation, course pricing, and blended delivery approach.
• London School of Beauty & Make-Up: UK-based private beauty training school offering VTCT-accredited vocational beauty and makeup courses. Directly comparable in delivery model (accredited vocational training for aspiring therapists), target customer (career changers and school leavers), and price point.
• Carlton Institute: UK private training provider offering VTCT-accredited beauty, aesthetics, and complementary therapy qualifications with blended online and in-person learning. Direct comp on accreditation pathway, blended delivery format, and progression from Level 2 into advanced aesthetics.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EdSchoolBeauty
• Facebookfacebook.com/edinburghbeautyschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/edschoolbeauty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theedinburghschoolofbeauty

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Edinburgh School of Beauty