Beware the toxic avengers. A gang of Marvel anti-heroes? No, but in terms of skin ageing, just as threatening. The expression refers to environmental aggressors and Mintel, who coined the catchy headline, say in a recent report: “The cosmetics industry has been awakening consumers to the immediate, visible and personal effects of pollution that threaten our skin.”

The UK beauty industry is in the pink. Employing more than one million people and worth £17 billion, it is forecast to grow 16 per cent by 2016. Despite the recession, retail sales in the UK beauty market grew 15.5 per cent from £6.1 billion in 2008 to an estimated £7.1 billion in 2013.

Marcia Kilgore knows a thing or two about being a successful female entrepreneur in the beauty industry. Founder of Bliss Spas, Soap & Glory and Fit Flop, she believes in the power of personality.Speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in London earlier this summer, she said: “If you’re an entrepreneur, find something that you really love and are passionate about, and use yourself. It’s so easy to sell that.”

Speculation may run wild about her personal life, but one thing is certain – actress Jennifer Aniston has great hair. Yet she has been mindful to not simply endorse a haircare line for the past decade, but to invest financially and become the co-owner of Living Proof, an MIT-formulated haircare range.