Jamie Genevieve tapped to to judge mentorship programme backed by Sephora and British Beauty Council

Make-up artist turned brand founder Jamie Genevieve will head the judging panel for The Student Shadow Board, a new mentorship and grant programme launched by the British Beauty Council, Sephora UK and student platform UNiDAYS.

The initiative will award five students £3,000 each, alongside mentorship and direct access to industry leaders. More than 700 students have already registered their interest since the programme was announced.

For Genevieve, now founder of Vieve, the scheme is a chance to support young talent at the same stage she once was. “I know first-hand how important it is to have access to the right opportunities early on,” she said, adding she was excited to see the creativity and innovation students bring to the table.

Applications are open until April, with candidates asked to submit ideas in areas including innovation, sustainability, marketing and science. Winners will be announced in May and will gain access to mentorship events and networking opportunities designed to accelerate their careers.

For creators, the programme shows how beauty’s biggest institutions are taking student voices seriously. By putting an influencer-founder like Genevieve at the centre, the Council and Sephora are acknowledging that the next generation of beauty talent may come from the same creator-to-founder pipeline that has reshaped the industry in recent years.