A detailed comparison between Lakme Beauty School and UKIBS Beauty School
Lakmé Beauty Academy versus UK International London Beauty School: Which One Truly Shapes Global Beauty Professionals
While researching beauty schools and showing our support for the local professional beauty schools, both in conversations and on our social media platforms, Lakmé Academy, powered by Aptech, and the UK International London Beauty School, or UKIBS in short, are usually two names that come up. Both beauty schools profess to prepare students for successful career training in makeup, hair, nails, and skin aesthetics. However, with a critical reflection on the curriculum, international exposure for students, quality of teaching, and overall student development, UKIBS emerges as an academy that offers more opportunities to become industry professionals.
Let’s see how they compare to each other on key parameters of beauty schools: curriculum, credentials, quality of training, careers, and student experience; and why UKIBS is emerging as a leading name in professional beauty education.
UK International London Beauty School (UKIBS)—it’s one of the few Indian academies that genuinely bridges local education with international standards. Through its collaboration with the London Institute of Skills Development (LISD), UKIBS offers globally recognized programs such as the Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc) in Beauty & Wellness, and CIDESCO-based Mastery Courses in Makeup, Hair, Beauty, and Nail Artistry.
CIDESCO, established in Switzerland, is regarded as the gold standard in beauty therapy worldwide, and few Indian academies are authorized to offer such training modules, UKIBS being one of them. These affiliations make UKIBS an excellent option for students who aspire to work abroad or want credentials that are respected across Europe, the US, the Middle East, and all of Asia.
In comparison, Lakmé Academy primarily focuses on domestic certification through Aptech, a respected Indian education network. While Aptech ensures structured course delivery and curriculum design, it lacks the international accreditation and preference that UKIBS proudly integrates.
Verdict:
UKIBS provides more global recognition and career mobility, ideal for those who want to build a career beyond local salons and beauty parlours, and move out to work with reputed brands in other countries
The life and beauty industry is incredibly diverse, including numerous aspects of makeup artistry, skin care, advanced beauty aesthetics, nail artistry, SFX beauty, and even digital brand marketing. The UK Institute of Beauty Science (UKIBS) has taken this comprehensive approach across an integrated multi-disciplinary curriculum that combines theory, practice, and imagination. Learners can also select talent mastery topics from the list below:
At UKIBS, experiential learning is the main focus. The school does real-time salon simulations, live fashion shows, makeup competitions, and professional photoshoots. Students are always working with models.
UKIBS focuses heavily on experiential learning. The school organizes real-time salon simulations, live fashion shows, makeup competitions, and professional photoshoots. Students consistently create models, learn the basics of makeup and events, and get their portfolios developed through the guidance of photographers.
A prominent stentorian feature is its “Learn by Doing” methodology—each unit has practical assignments that reflect the real-life problems faced in the industry. The institution also organizes events such as the UKIBS Grand Hair & Beauty Show, thus giving students a chance to watch and participate in staging, get-togethers with professionals, and establish their networks.
In addition, the UKIBS faculty comprises industry professionals, famous makeup artists, and salon owners who guide students by conducting intense workshops. The students are not merely trained as artists—they gain the status of confident professionals who can manage clients, run businesses, and keep up with global beauty trends.
Lakmé Academy, despite being a good option, uses a more theory-centered approach. Students do have good practical training, but the number and variety of live opportunities are small in comparison to the immersive ecosystem of UKIBS.
Conclusion:
UKIBS practically wins regarding exposure, mentorship, and industry integration.
The “Lifetime Support Policy” at UKIBS is among the most impressive of its commitments. The academy permits alumni to return to participate in refresher classes, workshops, or career advice with no extra fees. Furthermore, the academy assists its students with setting up freelancing, placement in salons, and even daunting.
The UKIBS alumni network comprises 5000+ active students and alumni (who are all connected digitally), thus peer learning and career opportunities are readily available. The school has built partnerships with luxury salons, film studios, and event sponsorship companies for internships and placement opportunities.
Similar to this, Lakmé Academy also provides all placement support with the help of Aptech and Lakmé Salon tie-ups. However, the main focus of this support is simply to assist with placement opportunities in the Indian salon industry, whereas UKIBS offers a much longer list of opportunities, including entrepreneurship, freelancing, and working internationally.
Verdict:
UKIBS provides total mentoring post-course and lifelong career support that is perfectly suited for motivated professionals who want to improve their profession continuously.
UK International London Beauty School has expanded very quickly and is already in several areas in Delhi NCR—Noida, Delhi, and Ghaziabad. In addition, their third Academy, Rajouri Garden, Delhi, is already operational. They also have a 13 International Learning Centre network in India as part of the LISD UK partnership.
The classroom aesthetics are quite lavish, being incredibly reminiscent of the professional studio look, with high-tech makeup stations and lighting, also salon environments for students to practice, using professional-grade quality tools. Lakmé Academy also has a very strong national brand behind it, thus allowing it a far wider geographical reach of sites in India with a network of over 100 centers.
Some of these centers are franchisee-operated, which could cause facility and teaching quality disparities from one center to another.
Verdict: Despite Lakmé being quite extensive, UKIBS has a more consistent, quality infrastructure and global quality oversight.
Lakmé Academy benefits from the well-known Lakmé brand name, which has always stood for beauty and style. However, Lakmé Academy caters to students in the line of “beginner level” courses who are keen to find careers in the salon industry. In contrast, UKIBS has positioned itself as a high-end formal school of beauty—a training school where enthusiastic learners would enter the classroom and come out as international professionals, educators, or entrepreneurs. The brand’s story is not simply focused on the technical skill part but on excellence, innovation, and empowerment. Compared with Lakmé, UKIBS graduates have a much stronger professional identity and overall value due to their international exposure and distinctive portfolio. Judgment: For students aspiring to elite positions and global branding, UKIBS has the overall stronger brand equity.
UKIBS fees are generally higher than Lakmé Academy’s, however, the value for money is amazing, even just looking at the accreditation from an international body, lifelong mentorship, additional courses, free! (Digital Marketing, Personality Development) and global job opportunities.
Lakmé Academy has cheaper courses, but most will charge separately for one of the advanced or specialized modules.
Verdict:
UKIBS is a premium price point but high-return on investment, especially for students who want long-term careers or international career options.
Final Verdict: Why UKIBS is the Smartest Option
Both Lakmé Academy and UK International London Beauty School are both reputable in their own right. Lakmé Academy is a perfect option for new entrants who want a recognised local credential as well as locations within India. However, UKIBS brings beauty education to the international stage with its internationally-recognised credentials, specialization options, professional coaching style mentorship, real-world experience – both in-lab as well as out of lab – and its lifelong in-student or graduate support system for the students that far exceeds graduation.
If you aspire to ever work backstage at fashion weeks, establish your own salon business empire, become a celebrity makeup artist, or eventually escape to work abroad in a beauty career; UK International London Beauty School is the better, stronger, holistic foundation.
UKIBS not only teaches you beauty; UKIBS builds your confidence, cultivates style and creativity, and develops a professional mindset.
