The beauty influencers GLAMOUR editors turn to for inspiration

As beauty editors, part of our job is to stay on top of all the essentials, trends, influencers and launches that keep the beauty-verse spinning, then curate the need-to-know info and inspo from all the noise. But, we'd be lying if we didn't admit to having inside help – from indispensable PR contacts who let us know incoming intel way in advance, to experts in the field who help us translate extensive lab-speak into mind-blowing pass notes.

That said, social media is as much a part of our jobs as it is everyone's life, and we've been known to be #influenced, by the top insiders who have the qualifications to back up their advice and set the trends that go on to explode.

So, here's seven ‘influencers’ the GLAMOUR beauty team swear by…

The Hairvoyant

Top hair stylist and trend forecaster Tom Smith has an in-built compass when it comes to identifying the hair trends that will take off long before anyone else has sniffed them out. His predictions – including Expensive Blonde, Cowgirl Copper, Herringbone Highlights and Botticelli Waves – have gone on to go stratospheric, generating millions of views and engagements on TikTok. But alongside tapping up what we want, he's able to share how we can get it, too. Given his 15-years of in-salon experience, Tom's able to give a behind-the-scenes take on the scaffolding that goes into a covetable new hair cut or the mixology that a shade refresh requires. Each season, he serves up an edit of the cuts and colours that will headline the following months, and the accuracy? Whewf.

The Nail Artist

Anyone switched into beauty trends will be intimately familiar with the ultra-viral “glazed donut nails” by this point, but are you familiar with its creator? Zola Ganzorigt was responsible for the milky pink chrome design that put Hailey Bieber's mani on the map. And since, she's been responsible for numerous looks that have influenced top nail trends. See last summer's favourite blueberry milk mani, Zola set the scene with a Tiffany blue chrome design in the Spring. Likewise the pastel animal print manis that the cool girls are wearing have Zola to thank for their popularity.

The Curl Whisperer

For the juiciest, bounciest, healthy-looking texture, top hair stylist, Michelle, is an absolute curl architect. Alongside posting achingly beautiful hair inspo, Michelle includes an explainer in her captions with step-by-step intel on how she unlocked each look to educate, inform and empower her followers – and we love to see it. Plus she has a 360 approach to making curls shine, from bespoke cutting to the prettiest colour techniques to play up curl patterns (we see you: spotlight highlights).

The Formulator

As a beauty journalist, I've sat through plenty of new product immersions with men in white coats trying to follow the emerging (and very convoluted) science. Despite knowing my L-ascorbic acid from my niacinamide (necessary for the job), I don't have a science degree, so I rely on formulators who can bridge the gap between the lab and the product in front of me. Daniel Isaacs, director of research at Medik8, is a master of this. His analogies just make sense and he's able to inform without losing you along the way, so you emerge feeling like you could be a scientist. Plus, he's responsible for developing over 80 unique formulations and is the inventor behind two patents in skin brightening.

The Derm

Dr Anjali's decision to become a dermatologist was a very personal one. Having struggled with acne and her skin, she found herself able to relate to patients on a personal level, and driven to make a difference to their skin and self esteem. To share what she's learnt during her extensive years of study and on-the-ground experience, Dr Anjali published her book, The Skincare Bible, which breaks down the best products, routines and tips for all different skin concerns in a clear and concise way. Likewise, she's a joy to speak to when it comes to expert quotes for skincare features. Her approach to ingredients (and their benefits) is thorough, considered and strikes the perfect balance between being in-depth and informative, without feeling overcomplicated. She regularly hosts Instagram lives on her own page to answer followers questions and provide advice.

The Makeup Artist

Nikki Wolff is the artist behind some of the most beautiful and iconic looks that you'll have come across on the red carpet and social. She's in the Little Black Book of celebrities including Dua Lipa, Simone Ashley, Hailey Bieber, Yara Shahidi, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kris Jenner and Sabrina Carpenter, but she'll also regularly post sleek but experimental makeup inspo on her grid, with a tutorial and breakdown of the products. Her aesthetic is soft glam with a modern twist to keep thing interesting –from graphic liner to statement glitz or retro references.

The Aesthetic Doctor

When it comes to the world of aesthetics, tweakments, skin rejuvenation and non-surgical procedures, it's so important to find a trusted voice who can give you the run-down on emerging treatments that are worthy of attention (along with those that are not), and the inside intel on what to watch out for and how each ingredient and procedure works on skin. To say Dr Ejikeme is an expert in this field is an understatement. She's trained at the University of Bristol, Imperial College London, Ivy League's University of Columbia (where she completed a fellowship in head and neck surgery) and Queen Mary in London. But, when she's not training the top plastic surgeons, dermatologists, doctors and dentists from around the world, she offers bespoke treatments to clients at her Adonia Medical Clinic. And when she's not doing that, she's lends her expertise to her followers where she regularly posts videos breaking down ingredients and treatments, or answering questions.

For more from GLAMOUR's Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk