Creative HEAD April 2023

Sparkswill fly

Our blondes are electric

Quickerthan aray

of light

theligh ts

All my bright tomorrows

There is something about blonde that is hard to resist. A lightness, a brightness that helps eyes to pop and highlights skin with a fresher frame. Are you ready for that spark of love?

All of the lights…

Those bright sparks will be heading your way, searching out the very best and utterly bespoke blonde finishes. They want blonde that is cared for, radiant with beautiful condition, tailored to them. And with nearly half of all salon colouring services revolving around blonde, this is a serious business.

In partnership with Wella Professionals to mark the launch of the new BlondorPlex Cream Toners – a capsule collection of blonde perfectors that transform tones in just five minutes – Creative HEAD invited blonde goddesses Christel BarronHough and Daisy Goord out to play. Could there have been a more perfect pair? Founder of the colour specialist salon brand Stil, Christel excels at beautiful colour with a hint of the unexpected. Alongside her was social media sensation Daisy, princess of all things pale and platinum. This was a shoot to dive deep into the nuances of light, depth, tone, finish, to experiment with the electric possibilities of tailored toning. Welcome to the bright side…

…all of the lights

A Creative HEAD shoot in partnership with Wella Professionals

PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Barron-Hough

HAIR COLOUR Christel Barron-Hough and Daisy Goord for Wella Professionals

HAIR STYLING Ryan Humpage and Angelo Vallillo

ASSISTED BY Scott Evans, Daisy Hewitt and Kirsty McNicoll, Wella Professionals

MAKE�UP Wendy Turner at Frank Agency

FASHION Maria Angelova at Stella Creative Artists

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS Matthew Lloyd and Ken Street

REPORTAGE PHOTOGRAPHY Kinga Gurba and Leo Hoang

MODELS Leah Gibby, Filiz Gunther at Zone, Jess Hope at Nevs, Emelle Smith at Base

PRODUCTION The Creative Partnerships Team at Creative HEAD

SHOT AT Iris Studios

FULL CREDITS AT creativeheadmag.com

Lightest Pearl

Blonde is always coveted, but this paler pearled tone has something of the exclusive to it. It’s pure and clean, finding that ideal balance. The tone hits just the right note of neutral, and when the light strikes? It will reflect and refract that light back to the eye of the beholder. It’s brighter, it sparkles.

“It’s that perfect sort of blonde. It hits the light, it’s always so bright. You don’t lose brightness in any lighting…”

DAISY GOORD

Sienna Beige

A delicate touch of rosehued sienna beige becomes altogether more enticing, a playful smile within a nude foundation that offers something unexpected. It’s a lustre you’ll lust for…

“Sienna Beige is perfect on blondes who want to see an iridescent tone”

CHRISTEL BARRON-HOUGH

Crystal Vanilla

Delectable and delicious, this milky shade is (soft) serving us a clean cream of vanilla. There’s a delicate gold that elevates this tone, delivering a shimmer of warmth that’s refined and radiant.

“Crystal Vanilla is very much in fashion. This season it’s taken on a vanilla crème brûlée tone”

CHRISTEL BARRON-HOUGH

Pale Silver

Silver is always sought out by those wanting the futuristic, the forward facing. It sparkles with the icy promise of a good time yet to be had, and there’s a little danger with this silver bullet of brilliance – everyone’s eyes will be blinded by this blonde’s beauty. This is a cool, fresh finish that will dance under the spotlight…

“This look is timeless, whatever the style”

DAISY GOORD

Can’tfght the moonligh t

Illumination is inspiration. Every decade has its own blonde icon, its own relationship with a shade of light that speaks to the times. We hear the cries of “blonde is back”, but does it ever really leave? This is a palette that saturates popular culture, and our burning love for blonde speaks to the need for the brighter, the bolder. It's a burst of energy that delivers the dopamine we need, the hit of happy. Blonde isn’t just a choice, it’s a statement, a lifestyle, an everlasting love affair.

I love things to be quite feminine, iridescent, multi-tonal and, when I work with a blonde, that’s exactly what I can create using different tones. It’s endless”

CHRISTEL BARRON-HOUGH

“I have naturally very dark hair, but I always stay blonde. It’s a colour that makes you feel bright, it makes you feel light and, for me, it’s just my personality!”

DAISY GOORD

Christel Barron-Hough

Daisy Goord

FULL BEAM CREAM

Make beautiful blonde fantasies come true in a flash, with the new BlondorPlex Cream Toners from Wella Professionals

Iconic, memorable, show-stopping – these words are synonymous with the world’s most famous and fabulous blondes and, aside from serving major inspiration, blondes are serious business, delivering you the best colour money-maker.

Whatever a client wants – from a stage-ready Monroe bright to a classic Blake Lively dark honey hue – they need the right toner. Enter BlondorPlex Cream Toners from Wella Professionals, your perfect bond-building pairing for the most beautiful blondes. Use BlondorPlex’s capsule collection of four shades and an innovative booster for ultra-cool neutralisation to perfect any blonde, all the way from icy coolness to more neutral, bright and biscuity tones.   Suitable for all hair textures and after all lightening services,

BlondorPlex Cream Toners work in just five minutes, meaning you can forget about unwanted warmth or brassiness in a flash. Broken blondes aren’t allowed either. With BlondorPlex’s PLEX technology, think realigned hair cuticles, high shine and up to 90 per cent less hair breakage.* Its low ammonia content works to banish brass so there’s no cheap cover-up. You’ll only be seeing strong, clean blondes from root to end.

Mix on a 1:2 ratio with Welloxon Perfect Pastel 1.9% in the bottle applicator, or 1:3 for a softer result. Grab the bottle applicator to whip through that service or apply with bowl and brush for a more saturated effect, the choice is yours. And with a compact shade range, this is the perfect product for freelancers with an eye on space.

Great for a golden beige, this is perfect for all levels and delivers a deliciously creamy blonde.

For cool cats after a moon-bright blonde hue, this eradicates yellow and pale-yellow underlying pigments.

This offers a more intense, cool blonde by the neutralisation of orange. The result is icier if the underlying pigment is lighter.

All done in just five minutes, BlondorPlex Cream Toners offer a super-express service that delivers dazzling results. Its creamy consistency allows for a swift application and an easy rinse, which is good news for your salon’s water and energy bills, the planet, and your precious styling time. Clients are sure to love the speedy service too, there’ll be no more stiff necks at the backwash, only bright smiles for these bond-built, beautiful blondes on high beam. Want to know how to keep them coming back? Let’s shine a light...

/36 CRYSTAL VANILLA

/16 LIGHTEST PEARL

/96 SIENNA BEIGE  Sienna Beige works on all underlying pigments for neutralisation to achieve a rose blonde tone

/81 PALE SILVER

/86 ULTRA COOL BOOSTER Mix it with another shade to eradicate unwelcome warmth or brassiness. It’s a strong superhero – too intense to use on its own!

THE GUIDE TO BITE-SIZED BLONDES

Stop blonde maintenance being a bore for busy clients and boost frequency of visits with the Blonde Life Cycle by Wella Professionals

Going blonde can be a transformative experience for clients, with bolder, brighter hues a sure-fire way to elevate the mood and bolster confidence. But maintenance can be off-putting, so that’s why Wella Professionals has devised the Blonde Life Cycle, there to help make lightening services more bite-sized and easy-to-understand for clients. It’s a practical way to structure your services that’s more digestible for your guest while increasing their salon visits.

SPEED BLEACH & TONE

ULTRA BLONDE

Bleach & Tone

FOUR-MONTH CYCLE

APPOINTMENT ONE

Full head lightening service, root service and cleansing mid lengths to ends, including toning service.

APPOINTMENT FOUR

Three weeks later, toner top-up and treatment.

CORRECTIVE BLONDING

APPOINTMENT THREE

Six weeks on from initial appointment, root touch-up and toning service.

APPOINTMENT TWO

Three weeks later, toner top-up and treatment.

ULTRA HOME CARE

Great blondes aren’t just made in the salon, the good work should continue at home. Blonde clients need aftercare products that repair and moisturise, or they won’t sparkle. Make them happier right through their colour life cycle by advising on the best homecare regime with the Ultra Home Care Range from Wella Professionals. Hold a consultation during their first appointment to understand their homecare habits, then prescribe the perfect solution.

ULTRA LIGHTS

Partial Lightening

SIX-MONTH CYCLE

APPOINTMENT ONE

Full head foil or balayage application with a toning and treatment service.

TRANSFORMATIVE BALAYAGE

APPOINTMENT FOUR

End with a toning and treatment service.

APPOINTMENT THREE

Eight weeks after the initial appointment, do a blonding top up, half head or face-frame and T-section application

APPOINTMENT TWO

Four weeks later, top things up with a toner and treatment.

HIGH-IMPACT FOILING

POWERFUL, PROFESSIONAL TOOLS. NOW IN GOLD.

Powered by advanced lithium technology for the ultimate cordless cutting performance. Our heavy-duty Super Motor range of professional grooming tools are now available in a gold finish. Featuring ultra-sharp Japanese Steel blades and a high-torque brushless motor for consistent fast blade speed, even through longer, thicker hair. And the Titanium Foil Shaver gives exceptional crisp fading and blending.

BABYLISS.COM

As Earth Month is marked in April, it’s a signal to again consider just how sustainable businesses are. There’s always a concern that putting green actions into high gear will be matched with an equally high bill. Right now, with the cost of doing business seemingly ever on the uptick, can salons and barber shops also afford the cost of making their spaces and practices as sustainable as possible? Our special (from page 62) illustrates that you don’t need to break the bank to make a conscious difference. From small steps to larger changes, we have a host of ideas and inspirations to consider.

We’re also celebrating creativity in this issue, as we sit down with Most Wanted Creative Talent Marlon Hawkins (from page 48); and with salon owner, stylist and now photographer Michael Young (from page 54) to find out more about what is driving the work that they’re passionate about.

Passion is also thrumming throughout our showcase of our 2022 It List winners, as we give each artist their own space to invite us into their world.

You’ll feel a little brighter about the future of our industry, knowing that we have exceptional talents like these driving us forward…

JOIN US!

Spring has finally sprung, and what better way to emerge from the long, dark winter than with an illuminating photoshoot? Our April cover partnership with Wella Professionals outshone all our expectations, and there’s even more of it to see online! If you feel like 2023 is going to be your time to shine, then you simply must enter the Most Wanted and It List Awards. Don’t delay, turn to page 78 to see all the categories, you have until 22 May to get your entries in. Finally, Salon Smart enjoyed a sunny return to The Chain and Buoy Stores in London. It was a day of incredible stories from salon heroes and business experts. Find out what we learnt online, and take a look at the gallery of the event on Facebook @creativeheadmag. creativeheadmag.com/events

Editorial dir

BEAUTIFUL HAIR IS AGELESS

NEW JOICO YOUTHLOCK FORMULATED WITH COLLAGEN

Our truly transformative collection maintains youthful bounce, shine, and manageability while locking in strong, lustrous hair. Formulated with collagen this collection will be loved at any age, but especially by those with mature locks.

www.joico.eu #joicoeurope #youthlockhaircare

WHAT’S INSIDE

OUR CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

AMANDA NOTTAGE

DEPUTY EDITOR

ANNIE MAY BYRNE NOONAN

ART DIRECTOR

NICK JABBAL

CHIEF SUB EDITOR

ADAM WOOD

MARLON

DIGITAL DESIGNER

EVA VESTMANN

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT AOIFE CONNELL

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

KELSEY DRING

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

LAURA TUCKER

CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

JENNY BROOKS

CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR

JOANNA ANDERSEN PUBLISHER

CATHERINE HANDCOCK

SOPHIA HILTON, NOT ANOTHER

LUKE HERSHESON, HERSHESONS

KAYE SOTOMI, CHOP CHOP LONDON JORDANNA COBELLA, COBELLA

FRAZER WALLACE, HAUS STUDIO ASHLEIGH HODGES, HAIRDOTCOM

LUKE PLUCKROSE, SAKS CLAIRE MARTIN-KENNEDY, CLHAIR

LEAH HAYDEN-CASSIDY, UNIT8

ROB WHITE & LEE NASH-JONES, NASHWHITE

ALL THE BENEFITS OF A BOND BUILDER ON THE GO

Uberliss has a range of retail products to help support that core care for clients. This revolutionary leave-in spray includes a powerhouse of healthy hair ingredients, including our game changing patented submicron technology.

• Patented Bond Technology

• Betaine

• Smoothing Ceramides

• Vitamin E

The Uberliss Bond Healing Spray strengthens, moisturises, and hydrates all hair types, offering heat protection, detangling and reinforcing bonds.

STRONG, HEALTHY HAIR IS JUST A SPRAY AWAY!

A SELECTION OF THE ESSENTIALS IN THE KNOW

T Level delayed until ‘at least 2024’

The roll out of the T Level quali cation in Hairdressing, Barbering and Beauty Therapy has been postponed until “at least 2024”. The implementation of the new vocational quali cation aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds was due to launch this September, having already been delayed by two years.

“We have taken this decision to protect the quality of T Levels and to ensure that they continue to lead to great outcomes for all students,” said Sue Lovelock, the civil servant tasked with delivery of the programme at the Department of Education (DfE), in a letter to T Level providers affected by the delay. She stated there was “more work for awarding organisations to do”, before the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and regulator Ofqual would be clear that the T Level would be “capable of meeting the high-quality bar required by both organisations to enable them to be taken into delivery, and that will not be possible in time for launch this September.”

Jo Barker, co-founder of YOKE The Salon and part of the T Level Action Group for Hairdressing, Barbering and Beauty, said of the delay: “I’m disappointed. It seemed clear from our rst virtual meeting that the DfE hadn’t really considered how T Levels would allow students to slot into an actual career within our industry.”

She added: “Hopefully they will use the time wisely to consult the industry properly, to create something that feels cohesive and less like workplaces are just being delivered ‘work experience’ students.”

Ian Harrold, founder of Attitude Men’s Hair in Liverpool and a member of the IfATE route panel for hair and beauty, said skills levels were a big issue behind the delay.

He said: “Eighty per cent theoretical-based training is never going to work for a hairdresser. And they [the DfE] don’t seem to want to shift that.”

It all falls down at the 45 days of practical placement, Ian said, as he believed participating salons would not be properly assessed. “Unless the salons are vetted, students will end up at places where they’ll just sweep the oor. That’s one of my biggest fears,” he added.

The DfE has told education providers developing T Level Transition Programmes (TLTP) for hair and beauty routes they can go on and deliver their TLTP this year as planned, on the proviso that they commit to “deliver the T Level” in 2024.

VISIONARIES TEAM UNVEILED

REVLON PROFESSIONAL HAS revealed its Visionaries Team for 2023. Ashley Long at Directors, Dodge MacKay at Andrew Jose, Danny Malone at Macc Hair, Emy Roccabella at Danilo Giangreco, and Jessie Stride at Pink Soda beat the competition at the Revlon Professional Academy in Leeds where finalists displayed their colour and cutting skills in front of judges including the award-winning stylist Emma Simmons from Salon 54. The group win a year-long mentorship programme led by Revlon Professional’s global ambassador, Mark Leeson.

Spring Budget update

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has revealed in the Spring Budget where the 30 hours of free childcare bene t will be expanded when both parents are working. It will be introduced for two-year-olds in April 2024, and September 2024 for those aged over nine months. Corporation tax will increase, with businesses making a pro t of more than £250,000 paying 25 per cent tax from April this year. Companies with pro ts between £50,000 and £250,000 will pay between 19 per cent and 25 per cent.

A s h ley Long

Jessie Stride

Dodge McKay

Danny Malone

Emy R occabella

BOOK IT!

FOIL IT WITH JACK HOWARD

ENJOY A MASTERCLASS on lightening darker bases with balayage sensation and L’Oréal Professionnel Paris Artist, Jack Howard. Watch in real life in London, or tune into the virtual broadcast on the L’Oréal Access education platform, and learn how to give darker haired clients a stunning balayage finish that’s blended to perfection. Avoid high contrast or stripy colour with Jack’s signature enclosed application.

WHEN 16 May, London and online CONTACT lorealaccess.com

Hairdressers and barbers need time-ef cient ways to chill. Simple Habit is a meditation app designed for busy people searching for some much-needed rest that take as few as ve minutes. Download from your app store, in-app purchases available.

simplehabit.com

Hair Sanctuary leads help for foster carers

FOSTER CARERS OF Black and mixed heritage children can access advice on caring for Afro and textured hair from Manchester-based salon The Hair Sanctuary, in a pilot scheme launched in collaboration with Manchester City Council. The pilot involves carers working for the council and includes courses to teach the essentials of natural and protective hair styling, and how to support children to embrace their cultural identity and appearance. Further related schemes are expected to be rolled out in the future.

Everybody’s talking about…

L’Oréal Colour Trophy

DARK ARTS AT RUSH

The 2023 RUSH After Dark event saw displays from the RUSH Art, Session, Colour and Education teams in front of a crowd comprising more than 40 RUSH salons. The audience was treated to myriad nishes, from salon-friendly cut and colour looks to avant-garde creations and editorial work. The team also welcomed guests from Kao Salon Division to celebrate its new partnership with the brand.

The iconic L’Oréal Colour Trophy may be closing in on its 70th anniversary, but this year’s competition illustrates just how fresh it continues to be. Its mission is simple; to uncover talent from across the UK and Ireland –and that’s why the introduction of the new L’Oréal Colour Trophy Moving Image Award category is so thrilling. It’s open to entrants both working in a salon or as an independent, who can create a Reel on Instagram or TikTok that lasts a maximum of 55 seconds featuring a nished hair look. It’s a brilliantly creative way to showcase just what you can do – but hurry, the deadline for entries is 10pm on 17 April.

lorealcolourtrophy.com

Naomi Brooks, owner of The Hair Sanctuary

SEANHANNA CELEBRATES 40

CATCH-UP

Most Wanted Legend Sam McKnight has collected an MBE from the Princess Royal for his services to fashion and beauty.

Krysia West, owner of Perfectly Posh Hair and an educator at Postiche Academy, is the new ambassador for hair supplement brand Glowwa

YEARS

Eun Sook Halls was crowned Salon Stylist of the Year and Seanhanna Wimbledon scooped Salon of the Year at the 2023 Seanhanna Awards, as the group celebrated 40 years in business.

Guests partied at the iconic Vauxhall nightclub FIRE, and enjoyed exciting hair shows from artistic director Yesmin O’Brien with colour director Lloyd Court. Phoebe Carraro and Amy Farrow, members of the New Generation Team, also hit the stage to show off their creative work.

Davines is ramping up its We Sustain Beauty campaign for Earth Month and doubling its contribution to the Rodale Institute, which pioneers regenerative organic agriculture, to €50,000 (£43,750).

Andrew Barton London Education is partnering with Coleg Gwent, one of Wales’ largest further education colleges, to help lecturers enhance their teaching curriculum. Andrew has also joined the Fellowship for British Hairdressing’s board.

Salons are missing a real retail opportunity

More than half (51 per cent) of clients would like to buy products from their regular salon but only 28 per cent frequently do, according to new research by Phorest Salon Software, revealing the missed retail opportunities for hair salons. Yet the data also found positive news about the potential of product subscriptions, as 39 per cent would be ‘likely or very likely’ to join to a product subscription service with their hair salon.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S PLANS

Newly elected NHBF president Amanda Lodge-Stewart (pictured, inset) is keen to outline the organisation’s commitment to lobbying the UK government on the issues that affect the hair industry. This year, alongside regulation for aesthetics, the focus is on these key areas:

• Securing further business support through the cost of doing business crisis. This includes short- and medium-term nancial assistance, fair taxation and a crackdown on tax-evasion.

• Addressing the challenges around skills by securing further support on employer incentives for apprentices (particularly to encourage more young people into the sector) and enhanced levels of funding for the Hair Apprenticeship Standards in the future.

• Positioning the sector as making an important contribution to the economy in terms of economic value, wellbeing and a sustainable future. In terms of levelling up across the UK –including in deprived areas, high streets and local communities

– it means supporting youth employment and adult reskilling. The NHBF will also promote the industry’s role in social prescribing and acting as an addition or alternative to squeezed NHS services in a time of strain on public services.

“A lot of what we do is behind the scenes but has a hugely positive effect on the industry,” explains Amanda. “In 2022 the NHBF secured wider distribution of the Additional Restrictions Grants to personal care businesses and the setting up of the Close Contact Fund in Scotland in January. We helped extend support on energy bills through the Energy Bills Relief Scheme until March 2023. In the November Autumn Statement, the government announced business rates reform with a 75 per cent discount on business rates. We were also responsible for an amendment to the Health and Care Act 2022 delivering a regulatory regime for aesthetic non-surgical cosmetic procedures.”

She continues that it’s NHBF member and industry statistics, in addition to feedback, that helps the organisation achieve change.

“Government needs to know these are industrywide issues, and our quarterly State of the Industry surveys have been instrumental in providing this crucial information.

“As president I will work to continue this great work and provide the day-to-day business support and services that professionals, salons and barber shops need to be both successful and pro table.”

@nhbfsocial

To find out more information and how to join the NHBF, call 01234 831 965 or visit nhbf.co.uk

FOR A FULL LIST OF WINNERS, HEAD TO CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM

The 2023 winners

Tezuka Beauty Salon

THE SHOW: ERDEM

THE ARTIST: ANTHONY TURNER FOR OLAPLEX Centre-partings and low ponytails were integral to this show, emulating Victorian heroines. “We were inspired by the more riotous women of the 19th century,” said Anthony Turner, “and so when it came to the creation of these looks, perfection went out the window.” Olaplex’s new No.4D Clean Detox Volume Dry Shampoo helped create looks that suggested “something that was once intentional, that has now become beautifully weathered”.

LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W23

FROM VICTORIAN HEROINES TO A BIT OF EVE AND GWEN STEFANI, HERE ARE SOME OF LFW’S HAIR HIGHLIGHTS

THE SHOW: CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS MA

THE ARTIST: MARC TRINDER AT TRINDER STUDIO FOR L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL PARIS

Youthful and nonchalant, the vibe was effortless hair as if the models had styled it themselves. The show saw 20 MA students present their collections on the BFC Mainstage, with Yaku Stapleton scooping the L’Oréal Professionnel Paris Creative Award 2023.

THE SHOW: EMILIA WICKSTEAD

THE ARTIST: SYD HAYES FOR WELLA PROFESSIONALS

Shine was the key message for the hair looks here, as Most Wanted Legend

Syd Hayes delivered an ultra-polished and elevated look, working with models’ natural hair texture to create exible structure to the middle partings. Wella Professionals

Luminous Oil was the must-have –super-shine without any heaviness.

THE SHOW: ASAI

THE ARTIST: ADAM GARLAND FOR AUTHENTIC BEAUTY CONCEPT Long conversations between Adam and the designer centred on how the hair was going to re ect 22 completely individual looks. Some re ected the silhouettes; some utilised the Polly Scott print pieces of stocking, while others referenced the 2015 Let Me Blow Your Mind video by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani.

Photography by Rebecca Mayne

Images courtesy of Authentic Beauty Concept, L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, Olaplex, and Wella Professionals

“Do

I

hair colouring technology before ‘clean’ was a thing.

Our mission has always been to help hairdressers and their clients live healthier lives by pioneering safe, clean colour technology and kinder haircare.”

Topchic Zero from Goldwell offers reliable colour results with a sustainable edge; including a vegan formula that’s 94 per cent derived from natural ingredients.

In-salon service

kaosalondivision.com

Project Sukuroi Gold

Smoothing Balm from Australian favourite O&M is inspired by kintsukuroi the Japanese art of repairing pottery with gold lacquer. It guards against heat styling damage, restructures and repairs weakened hair, and smooths the cuticle scales for a silky nish.

RRP £35.50 sbs-hair.com

The Grow Beautiful bag, launched with Davines’ We Sustain Beauty 2023 campaign, is made with responsibly sourced cotton and is carbon neutral. Gift it alongside Davines purchases. uk.davines.com

Tea Tree Special Detox from Paul Mitchell features two stellar scalp products. With a Foaming Salt Scrub and a Kombucha Rinse, hair is shinier and softer too.

Salt Scrub RRP £27.55

Kombucha Rinse RRP £25.60

salon-services.com

inventor

is a next-generation bond-building range that repairs chemical, thermal, and mechanical damage on all hair types and textures. Use it alongside in-salon treatments or sell as a take-home kit.

In-salon service

Take-home RRP £46

sweetsquared.com

ALFAPARF Milano Professional’s leave-in products

– Semi di Lino Diamond Extraordinary All-in-1 Fluid and Semi di Lino Nutritive Detangling Fluid – have been reformulated. They’re now vegan and offer heat protection to 230˚C.

All-in-1 RRP £18.25

Detangling RRP £15.90 xpertprofessional.co.uk

The new NC and NBA shades from

permanent hair colour range create dazzling coppers and cool brunette hues. With full grey coverage and high shine.

In-salon service

joico.eu

LuxeBlond, the new effortfree blonde-care range from System Professional, keeps blondes shining while repairing hair bre from the inside out –with 99 per cent less breakage.

RRP from £24.50

uk.wella.professionalstore.com

JOICO’s LUMI10

Created by Eric Pressly,

of Olaplex, epres

Offering permanent or tone-ontone effects, PureTone from ASP Expert Haircare comes in 35 intermixable shades and 10 toners.

Shea butter and argan oil boost shine and it’s free of ammonia.

In-salon service

asphair.com

STOCK IT!

LAUNCHES AND INNOVATIONS READY TO HIT YOUR SALON SHELVES

Andis has teamed up with award-winning barber and educator John Mosley –

vital funds for youth uplift programmes. RRP from $200 (£164) thepopularnobody.com

AKA Popular Nobody – to create a stunning range of tool designs while raising

Shanti, co-founded by stylist Angelo Vallillo, offers superfoodcharged shampoos, conditioners, and all-natural ayurveda supplements for hair growth and general wellbeing.

RRP from £16 shanti.world

BlondorPlex Cream

Toners from Wella Professionals consist of four dynamic shades and one innovative booster to perfect any blonde look in just ve minutes. Ideal for a cooler touch.

In-salon service

JOICO’s new YouthLock haircare contains collagen and offers everything from a Shampoo to a Blowout Crème to give tired-out tresses a youthful boost.

RRP from £20.70

joico.eu

uk.wella.professionalstore.com

COLOUR VISION

GIVE YOUR SKILLS THE BEST THERE IS WITH THE NEW WELLA DIPLOMA, AND FIND OUT HOW ILLUMINA CAN GIVE YOUR CLIENTS THE LUXE SERVICE THEY DESERVE

GET GRADUATING

Hairdressing just got even smarter with the new Wella Colour Higher Level Diploma. It is a history-making move as the first degree-level certificate of its kind, and will help students dive deeper into the intricacies of colour to produce top-of-their-game colour experts.

Designed by Wella’s Senior Education Team and Glasgow Clyde College, students will experience an intensive learning journey and gain all the skills they need to become expert colourists.

Over the course of 18 months, students will develop practical skills, learn about academic writing, understand the impact of the economy on their colour business, and study subjects such as leadership, psychology, and client protection.

Upon completion, students will achieve the highest level colour qualification possible, and even participate in a graduation ceremony at Glasgow University. Enrolment for the first cohort begins in summer 2023, look out for more information coming soon.

To view all Wella education, download the Wella Education Book at wella.co.uk/educationbook

THE COLOUR CLINIC IS OPEN…

EVERY ISSUE WE SPEAK TO A WELLA PROFESSIONALS COLOUR EXPERT ABOUT A KEY CHALLENGE AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT. LEE-ANNE MCNAUGHT, STYLE DIRECTOR AT CHEYNES HAIRDRESSING (@LEEANNECHEYNESHAIR), EXPLAINS HOW ILLUMINA CAN ACHIEVE A GLOSSY AND EXPENSIVE FINISH WITHOUT THE MAINTENANCE…

“There’s such a great variety of colours to use and intermix with Illumina. One of the best things about it is the multi-faceted tones and dimensions that run throughout every shade. With trends such as balayage we can achieve the ‘lived-in look’ but still deliver expensive-looking hair.

“Some of my favourite finishes are achieved by using Illumina 6/16 into 9/60 and ending with 10/36. The ability to be able to use these wonderfully subtle tones yet still have an incredible sheen and gloss dimension and a violet undertone is such a gift as a colourist.

“I love using these shades to achieve either 100 per cent coverage on grey or white hair or a blending service with the unique no-yellow tones and no long-term commitment. This, alongside the glossing service, makes Illumina a must-have in our salons.

“I absolutely love using copper tones on my own hair as well as on my clients’ hair, particularly 7/43. And, if we needed any more reason to love Illumina, it’s delivered in sustainable packaging too!”

WHY I’M WELLA

The complete support that the Wella family gives the Francesco Group family is crucial. We see Wella as our partner, and our successful partnership is built on trust and joint values, sharing the same goals and vision.

“From the education that we have built into our company foundations to the business strategies we use to grow and develop, Wella has it all. Marketing, growth strategies, leadership engagement, networking opportunities and a full range of products that give us the tools to inspire and motivate our teams and our clients.

“We trust and believe in all the products and in the Wella family, which ultimately re ects in our client satisfaction. Being given all the tools to deliver a high-end luxury experience in our salons and engage with our clients is ultimately what we all strive for. Wella does all that and more!”

MIA DELLICOMPAGNI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, FRANCESCO GROUP @FRANCESCO_GROUP

BlondorPlex is my go-to product for any lightening service! Having a ‘plex’ built in was a gamechanger for me as it helps to protect and build bonds as I lighten. Having the right product is key when looking for a brighter lift and I always feel I’m in good hands when using BlondorPlex as it gives up to nine levels of lift.”

AMY BEJAOUI, WELLA PROFESSIONALS TECHNICAL EDUCATOR @AMYB_HAIRLDN

What does an award really do for a hairdresser?

Being a winner can take your career stratospheric, and there’s one UK and Ireland hairdressing competition with serious clout. We’re talking tip-top networking, international exposure, best-in-class education and unrivalled glamour… Wella TrendVision Award!

Featuring four new and updated categories for 2023, it’s time to show off your boundarydefying skills. This year there are two new categories: Colour Visionary and Style Visionary, while the Editorial Look has been revamped to become live! Students can showcase their creativity in the XPOSURE Creative Colour category. Where you cut and colour from doesn’t matter, but creativity and skills do. That’s why TrendVision Award is open to stylists of all levels, employed or freelancer, it’s even open to those working for non-Wella salons. The key ingredient here is talent!

MAKE YOUR ENTRY COUNT

Simply complete an entry form on the TrendVision Award website and share images or a transformation Reel of your entry look on Instagram – that’s all there is to it!

Successful applicants from the Photographic stage will go straight through to the final, where hairdressing is taken to the next level.

Brace yourself for a hair-raising experience, as you witness the crowning of the winners and are treated to exclusive, show-stopping hair performances by industry icons. Get ready to be inspired!

Winning a TrendVision Award is so much more than just getting a trophy. We’re talking education vouchers, lifelong connections and, best of all, TrendVision Award winners get a professional photoshoot combined with a mentoring session with Wella Professionals technical director, Robert Eaton!

And that may not be the end of the journey –International TrendVision Award could be next. Imagine that global level of exposure… what have you got to lose?

TAKE THE LEAP!

TrendVision Award applications open on 17 April and close at 5pm on 9 June.

“Since entering TrendVision Award, my clients have gained even more confidence in me!”

Corey Sutcliffe

GET BALAYAGE beautiful

Blow the competition away in the balayage scene, with brilliant courses for all abilities from the Wella Studios. Balayage isn’t going anywhere, but your skills should be…

There is no doubt that balayage is here to stay, and with the landscape of the technique ever-changing and evolving new trends and approaches, there’s never been a better time to continue your education journey.

What else brings textured tresses to multi-dimensional life, scales up dull blondes to a siren-like shine, and gives brunettes a richer beauty? All while looking more natural with softer regrowth?

Clients love the authentic finish and lower maintenance, but

the balayage is only as good as the artist designing it. Skills are crucial, but so is keeping up with evolving balayage trends. Don’t know your wet balayage from your reverse? Then check out Wella Studios’ three new courses for budding balayage experts. Aimed at three different skills levels, everyone can level up. Can’t choose? Book the Balayage Specialist Programme and enjoy 20 per cent off all three courses, and select the dates you wish to attend.

ULTIMATE BALAYAGE

Have your balayage skills got you feeling pretty fly? Then Wella’s Ultimate Balayage advanced level course might be your bag. This is for already confident painters hungry for more. From Brazilian Illuminage to Ultra Balayage, step out of your balayage comfort zone and into the advanced arena; it’s time to learn how to make each service truly bespoke. Build knowledge on new blending and toning techniques and improve your personal skills. Get to grips with managing client expectations and aftercare advice.

LEVEL Advanced

DURATION One day

PRICE £185

trend-led new service first step

LONDON 6 June, 12 July, 8 August

MANCHESTER 23 May, 20 June, 4 July

COLOUR CRAFT BALAYAGE

Every colourist must start somewhere with balayage. If you’re new to the art, check out Colour Craft Balayage, Wella’s essential level course. Interactive workshops will make you a confident blender. Learn to save time on the technique and get the most out of each appointment, and much more. A confidence builder and an upskilling course in one, this is the first step in making you an authority on balayage.

LEVEL Essential

DURATION One day

PRICE £185

LONDON 5 June, 11 July, 7 August

MANCHESTER 24 April, 22 May, 19 June

CORRECTIVE BALAYAGE

Knowing how to administer great balayage techniques on heavily coloured and uneven locks is crucial. Not yet an expert? Then Wella’s Corrective Balayage advanced level course, which includes a live model workshop, is the one for you. Rev-up your reverse balayage skills and deal with diffusing dark bands to create beauty even from a more difficult canvas. From here on, you can offer balayage as a colour correction service; your bottom line will thank you.

LEVEL Advanced

DURATION One day

PRICE £185

LONDON 7 June, 13 July, 9 August

MANCHESTER 21 June, 24 July, 3 October

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO CREATIVE HEAD

AND RECEIVE A YOUTHLOCK SET FROM JOICO, WORTH MORE THAN £80* SIGN UP NOW FOR JUST £10 VISIT CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE

Be one of the rst 10 new subscribers to Creative HEAD and you’ll receive a YouthLock set from JOICO, worth more than £80.* The set includes a YouthLock Shampoo, Conditioner, Treatment Masque and Blowout Crème.

YouthLock recaptures and sustains youthful bounce, shine, and manageability, while locking-in strong, lustrous hair. Formulated with collagen, this will revitalise hair and reverse the effects of time on tired tresses.

Already a Creative HEAD subscriber? Then we’ve got something for you too! One lucky subscriber will win a YouthLock set and a bundle of JOICO goodies: Weekend Hair Dry Shampoo, JOI Whip Mousse, Zero Heat Styling Crème, Hair Shake Texturising Spray, RiseUp Powder Spray, Humidity Blocker+ Protective Spray, worth £200. For more information visit joico.eu

*For the rst 10 new subscribers to sign up between 1 April and 30 April 2023. Subject to availability, no cash equivalent will be offered.

The power of sea, science, senses

Help clients gain respite from the daily churn with Eksperience from Revlon Professional

The stresses of modern life show on our heads as much as our faces. Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but hair is the hallmark of vitality… or lack of it. Client feeling drained? Their coarse and dull tresses reveal all. Quick- x products only mask,

so you must go deeper to repair and renew. We all need the space to self-connect; make haircare a truly sensory treat with the array of new in-salon and take-home products drawn from the sea –Eksperience by Revlon Professional.

Restore the soul

Offer rituals to restore hair and soul. Create a new Eksperience with Revlon Professional

More than ever, experiences matter. Within your clientele, values such as transparency, diversity, honesty, and inclusivity have increased in importance, re ected in the choices they make and the brands with which they align. It has even impacted on our very understanding of luxury. Post pandemic, clients are seeing a new feeling of wellbeing, seeking meaningful sensorial experiences with which they consciously connect. What an opportunity to help your guest nd a truly meaningful experience…

It’s a new era for haircare, and Eksperience from Revlon Professional understands this acutely. Sea, science, senses, and sustainability are at its core, using innovative marine elements with leading scienti c expertise. Eksperience offers highly

effective formulas to professionally treat hair and scalp in rituals that help clients disconnect and then truly reconnect.

It’s a new take on a wellness journey and holistic approach that puts the salon central to the experience, delivering handcrafted, sophisticated rituals that awaken the senses, refresh, and replenish hair and scalp, and elevate the service you offer in your chair.

Born from thalassotherapy, Eksperience formulas are enriched with its Aquamaris Complex, which works to revitalise the scalp with essential minerals, protecting it from the formation of free radicals, while fortifying and protecting the hair, reducing the adhesion of pollution particles by up to 95 per cent, and deeply restoring damaged hair cuticles.

Crafted for your client

Eksperience rituals are handcrafted, personalised, and consider each stage of the client experience, from an initial diagnosis to the care you share for them to use at home.

Holistic in-salon and at-home solutions are prescribed via a clinical level diagnosis with the new Tricocamera, a precise technological tool for identifying hair and scalp issues. Client needs are assessed before a ritual commences. This approach makes each experience more powerful and effective, building trust and loyalty from clients who will want one Eksperience after another.

Senses and scalps are awakened as hair experts gently apply hand gesture techniques which elevate the powerful performance of Eksperience products. Stylists can also apply sensory tools to create truly immersive and unique experiences. Holistic solutions to hair and scalp issues that elevate hair, body, and soul is the Eksperience way; with client satisfaction guaranteed from start to nish.

The eight-step in-salon journey to wellness

1. ATTRACT THE CLIENT

Display Eksperience in your salon window

2. CHECK IN AND EMPATHY

Warmly welcome clients and help them disconnect

3. CONSULTATION AND DIAGNOSTICS

Offer a personalised and precise consultation

4. AWAKEN THEIR SENSES

Make the treatment unique with ambient details such as a hand massage

5. STYLE AND EXCITE

Explain your technique and the products’ bene ts

6. SELL OUT AND HOMECARE ADVICE

Recommend products through touch and smell

7. CHECK OUT AND FAREWELL

Make a client’s lasting impression unforgettable

8. ADVOCATE, SHARE AND COMMUNICATE

Encourage clients to share their Eksperience on social media

This is conscious beauty

Eksperience isn’t just kind to hair and scalps, it cares for nature too. It’s beauty with heart

The sea is a source of wisdom, used by Revlon Professional to create beautiful Eksperiences that repair client’s hair and restore physical and emotional wellbeing. A powerful life force, the sea deserves the same care that Eksperience offers clients. That’s why all bottles are made from 80 per cent post-recycled plastic,* it sources from the sea while limiting negative impact.

Paper conservation matters just as much, with 60 per cent less of it in Eksperience’s carton boxes, which are made from FSC materials, so you can promote its insalon and homecare products with a clear conscience. The same awareness applies to the vegan formulas within its products too; containing more than 80 per cent natural origin ingredients, without volatile silicones** and unnecessary colourants,*** limiting damage on both the environment and clients’ heads.

Eksperience’s love for planet earth extends beyond packaging to the ocean itself. A partnership with social enterprise Plastic Bank seeks to reduce ocean plastic and improve the lives of vulnerable coastal communities. The 2023 goal is ambitious; to remove more than four million bottles from the sea. With every Eksperience product that salons or consumers buy, four plastic bottles will be removed from the ocean.

For pleasure, planet, and products that really make a difference, help your guests disconnect once in your salon so that they can truly reconnect with themselves, their wellbeing and the world around them, with Eksperience by Revlon Professional.

Eksperience – something for everyone

TALASSOTHERAPY. A multi-step salon service for scalp issues, excess sebum, hair loss, sensitive scalp and dandruff

RECONSTRUCT. Builds back brittle hair into stronger, less porous, shinier and softer locks

BOOST. For use at home or in the salon, this boasts a potent mix of vitamins to boost strand strength

SEBUM. This ghts oil and odour caused by excess sebum, leaving a puri ed and rebalanced scalp

SCALP COMFORT. Instantly cleanses, soothes and relieves dry and sensitive scalps

ANTI-HAIR LOSS. For thinning hair in need of extra strength

DENSI PRO. For thin and dry locks needing support, including mature hair

PURITY. Packed with anti-dandruff agents, this range helps clean, soothe, and protect the scalp

COLOR PROTECTION. Keep colour bright, softer and radiant for at least 30 days****

HYDRO NUTRITIVE. A blend of oils and nourishing emollients hydrate and restore natural hair oils

WAVE REMEDY. Dif cult to manage hair is nourished for longer

creativeheadmag.com

Go behind the scenes of the Creative HEAD and Wella Professionals April cover shoot, as we shine a light on the power of blonde

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Set your reminders, you have until 22 May to get your entries in for the Most Wanted and It List Awards. Good luck!

Mindset coach Cristina Fazzone is here to help you understand your mindset and boost your confidence. Join us on Instagram on 3 April at 6pm for a live discussion

Most Wanted 2022 Creative Talent, Marlon Hawkins, shares his go-to sources of inspiration to help his creativity both in and out of the salon

THE FACES THE PEOPLE IN ACTION

What Would Tim Scott-Wright Do? THE FACES

The Hair Surgery founder shares how he handles clients with unrealistic expectations when it comes to colour

“WE’VE ALL BEEN there. A client has come in, with box-dyed dark hair who expects to go platinum blonde in one appointment. It’s a big colour project, but this is really all about managing client expectations. The consultation here is crucial so that you can explain to the client how the process of lightening hair works and how we, as stylists, always prioritise the health of the hair in any colouring process.

“First, I would never recommend even attempting to go from dark, box dyed hair to platinum blonde in one sitting! Although clients may have seen celebrities such as Kim Kardashian achieve this, the damage inflicted on the hair is significant and results shown on social media are not realistic.

“Talk to the client about their hair history and examine the hair, looking for signs of damage and to better understand previous hair dye applications. Explain how box dye can have lasting effects on the hair and recommend a strand test so that they can see the shade that their hair will lift to. If the hair lifts to an uneven red, orange tone I would explain that the first step of going lighter would be to aim for a copper blonde. The strand test is often a deciding factor for clients as many are not willing to accept warm tones, even initially.

“A great visual tool is the widely shared Khloe Kardashian ‘blonde hair journey’ which is a photo collage to demonstrate the shades and stages your hair goes through when transitioning from dark to light. Explain that this process could take up to two years to ensure we are maintaining the health of the hair. Honest conversations are sometimes tricky; you may be delivering news that the client does not want to hear. However, you need the confidence and assurance that you’re the expert. You must be honest about whether you think the result is achievable. Only then will you be able to effectively manage your client’s expectations.” @thehairsurgery

WHAT MADE ME DAVID BAKER The Vault Hair & Spa @davidvaultbaker

I got into hairdressing after being inspired by my childhood hairdresser. He was a cool, lad’s lad from London who had moved to the suburbs of Surrey and he made hair seem fun, masculine and energetic.

He gave me my rst proper-sick haircut when I was about 12, and after that I was always known at school for having quite cool and different hair. The salon was also cool. It was a trendy boutique salon and it felt like the heartbeat of the town to me.

It was a place where you could go to express yourself and be different.

That hairdresser – David – and the salon have had a massive impact when it comes to my career. After my stint as a semiprofessional footballer ended due to injury, I needed to nd a new direction and I ended up training and working at that salon alongside my childhood hairdresser! David was the art director, and aside from being very creative, he was patient and kind.

Watching an artist perform and have fun doing it really appealed to me. I’ve always loved the idea of creating something bespoke that makes people happy. I still, to this day, love this more than anything else I do.

Now I own my own salon and travel the world educating, and I love the idea I might be inspiring future generations in my salon.

BUSINESS ESSENTIALS

RUNNING A SALON OR BARBERING BUSINESS IS HARD WORK, BUT AXA BUSINESS INSURANCE WANTS TO MAKE IT THAT LITTLE BIT EASIER…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

HAIRDRESSER RISKS AND HAZARDS

As a salon owner, it’s up to you to spot potential risks and try to prevent them. Performing a risk assessment, which involves working out the ways your business operations might cause harm or injury to you, an employee or the public, can help you figure out how to mitigate those risks.

UNDERSTANDING HAZARDS VERSUS RISKS

HAZARDS: situations or objects with potential to do harm – think tools, ladders, or lifting and moving stock.

RISK: an assessment on how things might go wrong and how serious the implications might be. It’s an owner’s responsibility to do everything ‘reasonably practical’ to control the risks.

COMMON HAIRDRESSING HAZARDS SLIPS OR TRIPS

It’s easy for cut hair, product spills, and loose cords or cables to result in hazardous salon floors. HOW TO AVOID: everyone should know which parts of the floor are still wet from cleaning. Put a yellow warning sign up. Keep walkways clear of trip hazards.

CUTS AND GRAZES

Cuts and grazes as a result of scissors or razors can happen to both staff and clients. Bloodborne infection can be a risk. HOW TO AVOID: clean sharp implements with sterilising liquid after each use. Keep a first-aid box stocked and introduce spot checks to ensure blades are stored safely.

SKIN DAMAGE

Frequent contact with cleaning products can irritate skin, causing rashes, blisters and more. HOW TO AVOID: provide non-latex disposable gloves and change gloves between clients, as well as hand cream to keep hands moisturised.

CHEMICAL OR ALLERGIC REACTIONS

Bleaches, colourings, and oxidation hair dye products can cause an allergic reaction, resulting in burning, itching and more. HOW TO AVOID: do a patch test up to 48 hours before using the product on your client. Train staff in dye use and patch testing techniques.

STANDING

Musculoskeletal injuries can be caused by standing for long periods of time. HOW TO AVOID: have a break area with comfortable chairs. Work while seated if possible. Advise staff on wearing comfortable shoes with support.

INSURE YOUR HAIRDRESSING BUSINESS

Business insurance from AXA can help protect your salon if things go wrong. With the freedom to style your insurance to suit you, the main covers are:

• PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE: protects you, staff and customers from accidental injury that occurs because of your business practices.

• BUILDINGS INSURANCE: covers you in the result of property damage, such as from fire or flooding.

• EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY INSURANCE: a legal requirement for any business with employees and protects you if staff are injured or fall ill working for you.

• BUSINESS CONTENTS INSURANCE: protects your salon’s contents and stock from damage or theft.

Abigail Butler of Strictly Xtended, AXA customer since 2015

A DAY OF WORK/ LIFE BALANCE FOR SESSION STYLIST ADAM GARLAND @ADAMGARLAND__

I GET UP AT… 6am, and it’s usually eggs, avocado and Ryvita for breakfast.

MY WORK WARDROBE CONSISTS OF… Colour! Print! Texture!

MY JOB ENTAILS… Being kind.

I GOT HERE BY… COMMITMENT.

MY DAY CONSISTS OF… Learning many new things and embracing fear.

MY FAVOURITE WORK TOOL IS… My Mason & Pearson brush. It’s got heritage, prestige, and has stood the test of time.

MY DAILY FUEL IS… Positivity, challenges and daily gratitude lists, both morning and evening.

MY SPOTIFY PLAYLIST INCLUDES… Sia’s Unstoppable on repeat, my current mantra!

I’M ALWAYS PLANNING… For success. As soon as I wake up I grab a pen and write my goals down.

WHEN I GET STRESSED I… Pause, catch myself and turn it into positive energy. It’s possibly the most powerful tool I have trained into my life.

WHEN I GET STUCK I… Learn a new skill to overcome it.

THE HABIT I NEED TO BREAK IS… Vaping, 24/7.

THE MISTAKE I LEARNT THE MOST Being in denial that I am an addict. Using to deal with myself doesn’t work for me.

THE ADVICE I’M GLAD I IGNORED… That if you haven’t ‘made it’ by the age of 35 then you will never be a success.

MY INBOX LOOKS LIKE… It’s organised. I spent a day learning how to improve it last year and haven’t looked back.

MY BIGGEST INDULGENCE IS… Designer clothes. I love bright prints, especially Loewe and anything from Louis Vuitton.

AFTER WORK I… Work is my life right now. I’m launching sessionhair.com this year and it’s full on.

I DECOMPRESS BY… Reading, currently Hype Yourself by Lucy Werner.

SAIL ON

GET SHIP-SHAPE WITH VAGARO SALON SOFTWARE AND MARKETPLACE SERVICES AND RUN YOUR BUSINESS BETTER, WHATEVER THE WEATHER

A typical salon day contains the deafening buzz of conversation as stylists y from chair to backwash amid a revolving door of clients. But that’s what we want.

A vital lifeforce on our high streets, hair salons and barber shops are a resilient bunch, and have come back ghting after all the adversity thrown their way. Essential service providers for client wellbeing, they’ve survived global nancial crises and lockdowns – you can’t put a price on that.

Although loving your salon won’t guarantee its survival when the next challenge comes, effective management will. Enter Vagaro, the software that helps salons create platforms that offer the exibility, personalisation, and features to keep that till ringing.

A helping hand for salons since 2009, Vagaro is already the trusted choice for 174,000 professionals, with 146 million appointments booked through the free Vagaro Marketplace so far! What’s more, the average salon that joins will experience an eight per cent growth boost. That’s quite the incentive to climb aboard.

Budget conscious? Aren’t we all. Worried about watertight contracts? Have no fear. Vagaro’s monthly subscriptions start from just £30 a month, and you only pay for what you need.

LIGHTING THE WAY

The world’s gone digital, and you can’t rely on word of mouth to get more customers through your door. Let Vagaro spotlight your salon’s services with its Vagaro Marketplace and app, and via Google and Apple Maps. Think of it as a magnifying glass, drawing customer attention to you, instantly. Booking widgets, which can be added to your salon’s Instagram, Facebook, and website, will boost interest further. With zero booking fees, your salon gets 100 per cent of the pro ts.

When a client settles up, reach for Vagaro’s free contactless card reader, which accepts fast and secure payments anywhere. With one of the lowest payment processing fees available and no monthly cost, forget any grey areas as rates are transparent at 1.29 per cent + 20p per transaction.

To get it all going, Vagaro is on hand to support your team by email, phone, or live chat with training tailored to you. Importing customer data seem scary to you? It does that too, helping you get ready to roll in record time and with no charge. It’s time to run things better…

EXPERIENCE VAGARO FOR YOURSELF WITH A 30-DAY TRIAL AND SEE HOW IT CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW. SCAN THE QR CODE NOW!

Meraki salon

THE PLACES

NEW SPACES, FRESH LOOKS AND LOCATIONS TO HELP YOU WORK BETTER

HAUG LONDON HAUS, FITZROVIA @HAUGLONDONHAUS

Entering Haug London Haus is like stepping into a legacy in the making. The brainchild of hairdressing power couple and multi-award winners Siobhan and Philipp Haug, they have created a zen- lled haven in the heart of central London. Instead of a reception desk, there’s a beautifully designed bar space where guests can chat and take a drink, there are no hard edges or boundaries here. The colour design is similarly warm and welcoming, and a touch eclectic. Dusty pinks and forest greens combine with brilliant white and burnished golds to create a vibe that is both laid-back and zesty; a place to calm and reinvigorate the senses.

HADLEY YATES, COVENT GARDEN

@HADLEYYATESSALON

Specialising in luxury extensions, this salon is home to the expert talents of Hadley Tweddell, beloved of celeb clients such as Carole Vorderman and Katie Piper.

ARETÊ, NOTTINGHAM

@ARETE.MENS

Having moved into a fresh space, this barber shop leans into the Ancient Greek roots of its philosophical name Aretê, using light-coloured stone, busts and murals.

THE POWER OF INCLUSIVITY

ATTITUDES TOWARDS DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAIRDRESSING ARE CHANGING

GONE ARE THE days when barber shops proudly showed a sign on their door entrance reading ‘men only’. I started out my career in the barbering industry about eight years ago. At that time, it was still a very male dominated industry, fast forward to now and I’m happy to say we have come a long way.

Inclusivity has always been of huge importance to me in anything I do. Coming from the LGBTQ+ community, it has always been in the forefront of my values and beliefs. I’ve seen a huge positive shift in terms of inclusivity in barber shops around the world. Although starting out there were still many shops that stuck to the ‘gentleman’s shop’ idea, now our community is moving forward and dropping segregation. Hair is hair.

As a hair professional and a female barber, I always get asked what is the difference between a barber and a hairdresser. As professionals we are generally able to create a valid differentiation

between the two, but why should we have to? Over recent years, although I’m still proud to call myself a barber – I love barbering and I love the craft – I sometimes refer to myself as a ‘short hair specialist’.

What changes should we make to still proudly call ourselves barbers and barber shops while making clear our inclusivity? For me, it comes down to your attitude in the space you cut in. I have a range of clients with whom I work to make feel important and welcome in my chair, regardless of how they identify. This has not only positively impacted my space and brand, it has also allowed me to maintain a constant passion for my craft. Own your environment and open yourself up to a world of inclusivity. Create a sense of belonging for everyone. You don’t have to shout it from the rooftop. The beauty of anything different is that it is unapologetically itself.

Limitations in any form hold you back. Cutting different styles on different individuals has kept me inspired and grateful. A barber’s chair is for everybody.

A female barber in what was traditionally a masculine world, Leah Hayden Cassidy shares how inclusivity is positively impacting the landscape

GO WITH THE FLOW

Meet the future of permanent colour – Redken Color Gels Oils

Don’t let your grey coverage work feel more colour-by-numbers than creative. Hiding those silver strands might be top priority for some of your clients, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of a truly beautiful finish that’s soft to the touch and gleaming.

What if you could paint with colour that truly flows and produces dazzling effects? Visualise a formula that glides and envelopes hair fibres, so colour doesn’t sit but covers the whole head. Imagine 100 per cent grey coverage on every shade, with hair rejuvenation powered by fruitderived oil for smoother hair, and all ammoniafree for a pleasant smell. With Redken’s new Color Gels Oils, heavy and dull coverage is a distant memory. Seamless, revived, unbelievable, incredible, amazing, phenomenal... These are just some of the reactions to Color Gels Oils from a selection of salon owners and colourists who have sampled its shades. Now, you can get in on the action too.

The future of colour comes in 35 veganfriendly shades, and everything flows beautifully. Engineered from the inside, the formula features a combination of MEA technology and apricot oil that delivers dyes

into the hair fibre to produce deeper, supersaturated, and sensually smoother results. Clients can expect up to 78 per cent more shine* and a 30 per cent improvement of condition.**

While others might simply cover, Color Gels Oils improves and perfects colour with full grey coverage on every shade and every type of hair. Backed by Redken’s scientific knowledge and salon professional standards, all colourists – and their clients – are in safe hands. Not only can you spare guests the harsh effects

of inferior colour products, but its compact form also means they can be stored easily with shade markings on the bottle caps that make finding the right hue faster than ever. Ready to paint with passion and bring client colour dreams to life? Its application flows just as easily. The liquid texture is the star, saturating all hair types effortlessly. Easy to apply, you’ll be done in a flash, and the cherry on top? The formula has hair adhesion technology for no drip while applying it! Distribute with a bottle for an express application that keeps things even or for extra control, or use a bowl and brush for any type of head the salon throws your way.

All Color Gels Oils shades are a tonal match with the iconic Redken Shades EQ, meaning you can provide great hair shine and condition on all hair zones. This is reflective, nourishing, premium colour with all the coverage – flat finishes are history!

“On grey and non-grey hair the coverage was exceptional, the finish was so saturated and the shine glassy. It felt lightweight and youthful, somehow rejuvenated, I kept wanting to touch the hair!”

Michelle Marshall, Redken Artist and founder of Michelle Marshall salon

Half-head after

BALAYAGE DREAM EXTEND THE

Put down your paint brush! Get your hands busy with Balayage Blends, a new course by Great Lengths that uses extensions techniques to offer balayage solutions without any colour

From shining blondes to deep rich brunettes and every shade in-between, clients love balayage and balayage sure loves them. Its ability to deliver eye-catching multidimensional looks with lower maintenance than your standard highlighting service means it’s no wonder that consumers love it so loyally.

But not all salon-goers want to colour their hair; they fear scalp sensitivity and damage from bleach. Stylists also have some unrealistic client colour expectations to deal with. How many times have you told a guest in your chair that they can’t go from dark brown to golden beach blonde in just one appointment? Take a deep, cleansing breath – there is a solution to all of this.

You can give clients the multi-tonal effects of balayage without any colour. This isn’t a riddle but a reality, with Great Lengths’ Balayage Blends, a new course to help you deliver stunning balayage results with extensions.

Using Great Length’s top-grade hair pieces instead of your paint brush, Balayage Blends will show you how to offer a chemical-free balayage option to boost your service offerings, and your salon’s bottom line. To attend, all you’ll need is to be a Great Lengths certi ed stylist, have bought the hair you need ahead of the course, and bring a live model on the day. Hands at the ready… let’s go!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Balayage Blends with Beverley Rosser

Price: £87.53 (including VAT), includes a styling bag

During the one-day programme, Beverley Rosser from Great Lengths Elite salon Rosser Hairdressing will get you con dent with an advanced face-frame application method. The technique uses Great Lengths bonds in contrasting shades to mimic the blended effect of balayage – all without colour touching any tresses! Things will get personal and interactive, as Beverley guides each student through a detailed and practical session.

Walk away with top-tier advice on application, placement, and how to create the perfect showstopping blend to wow clients. Attendees can take placement patterns home for all three looks, so you’re ready to deliver those awe-inspiring, no-colour balayage beauties right away.

When and where: 17 April, Liverpool; 5 June, Glasgow; 19 June, London. Half-

MOVING ON UP

Learning curves? Marlon Hawkins has had a few. But he’s used them to forge his own forward path, proving that ceaseless curiosity, playfulness, and authenticity can reap rewards. Creative HEAD’s Annie May Byrne Noonan is along for the ride

WHEN YOU READ about Marlon Hawkins – top educator, trophy bagger, and artistic director at Holborn heavyweight salon Brooks & Brooks – you might think he’d carry some ego in his step. But the bright-eyed and undeniably warm figure I meet at the salon’s entrance is quite the opposite.

Endearingly polite and soft-spoken, he leads me past a healthy number of Monday morning clients, an image that flies in the face of the cost-of-living gloom. He tells me my visit comes at an exciting time; Brooks & Brooks is taking over the old Charles Worthington salon space in nearby Covent Garden, a four-storey townhouse. More room, more stylists, and more business lies ahead.

Marlon has reached new heights as the first ever art director for Brooks & Brooks, a salon famous for nurturing the brightest stars the industry has seen in the past few years. But the 32-yearold stylist almost accidentally became a hairdresser, he admits with a charming modesty. Uncertain of his future, a local stylist near his family

home on the outskirts of London offered him a trial. He qualified in just nine months. “They wanted me on the shop floor because they needed more stylists, and they wanted them to be homegrown,” he recalls. Marlon was slightly older than your average apprentice at nearly 18 (“I didn’t go in as a Saturday boy at 16”), and seeing friends moving up the corporate ladder spurred him to work harder, alongside a burgeoning passion for the craft.

Advised to check out Brooks & Brooks, he met co-owners Sally (whom he affectionately calls his “hair mother”) and Jamie, who have earned a reputation as mentors to young hairdressers, so Marlon knew he’d be in good company. Then came the first learning curve. “I went back to being a junior and had to retrain,” he explains. “For every job I’ve had to refine my skills. Maybe if I hadn’t run so much at the beginning?” he muses. The advice to other stylists coming up? You guessed it – walk before you run and get your grounding first.

At Brooks & Brooks, Grace Dalgleish became another surrogate family member. “We have such a beautiful relationship,” he beams.

Marlon remembers their “full-blown” and frank conversations about their work, which helped them both learn and grow. On the night he was crowned 2022’s Most Wanted Creative Talent, she was there – now an independent at the Billi Currie salon – to collect her Colour Expert award.

It is true that the industry is suffering from a worrying decrease of apprenticeship starts, but at Brooks & Brooks old-school word-of-mouth still works. It’s the families of hairdressers helping plug the gap, Marlon tells me, with parents in the trade advising their children which salons to go for, which gets young talent through the door organically.

Some salons have a one-sizefits-all way of working, but Brooks & Brooks prefers individuality. From juniors to the top, they focus on “bringing out your best qualities” as “that’s what you’re going to excel in”. By teaching the foundations, there’s space to make things more exciting, he adds.

Beneath Marlon’s kind and open demeanour lies a solid confidence in his ability; and he’s been keen to showcase his talents beyond the salon. Visualising

Brooks & Brooks show at L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final 2021

awards and competitions as deadlines to focus his “crazy-creative brain”, led him to Creative HEAD’s It List Awards, entering year after year. “A close friend of mine and I have entered the It List so many times it’s embarrassing,” he laughs.

Eventually, the stars aligned; and he won the It List Visionary Award in 2020. “When the time’s right, it’s right,” he says. “Your skills and thought processes are on point and that comes across in your submissions.”

For his first attempt at a Most Wanted trophy in 2022, Marlon had a lot to run with for the Creative Talent category; he’d taken the helm of the Brooks & Brooks show at the 2021 L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final, its 65th anniversary. Marlon has “grown up” with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris and is an educator for the brand. But taking the lead on the Colour Trophy presentation –working alongside Sally, Jamie and Grace to turn the idea into a reality – was still a major challenge.

Called ‘Borderless Reflections’, Marlon wanted an immersive audience experience. Then came lockdown and it was time to pivot. Forced to tailor the show to a remote audience, keeping it captivating was key, and he told videographers to avoid filming the models’ feet to remove the stage from view. “I wanted the models to look like they were coming in and out of the VT.” The result was an undoubted highlight of the event.

When he’s not lining his shelves with trophies, Marlon keeps his creative juices flowing by taking to London’s streets to find inspiration. That’s how he met Lilli, a Central Saint Martins student. Together, they have explored a spectrum of colour; think punk-ready red with bleach blonde tiger stripes. “I’ve done such diverse things with her hair, but it’s never looked like her hair was wearing her, she wears her hair,” he says of Lilli. Clearly, Marlon selects models for their unique traits. “When she walks a runway, Lilli has a different energy. She’s my ultimate grunge girl.”

Reflecting on the two years spent as artistic director at Brooks & Brooks, Marlon says the promotion came at the right time. Although the realisation that it was a “completely different job” hit as soon as he undertook new

responsibilities. Now he has a stake in the company direction and must keep up team morale. “There’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes to create that five minutes of sparkle,” he quips.   Marlon sees himself as an educator, although he admits the market is “saturated” with stylists trying their hand at teaching. For him, it’s instinctive. He loves “immersive education”, which involves showcasing techniques in various ways and adapting to different learners. And he prefers it in person. “You do activities that link to hairdressing but in a way that makes things easier, fun, and more of an experience,” he says. This ties into something he feels is lacking in general. “We don’t stop and play enough,” he muses.

The pandemic saw online education soar – but three years later is the formula fit for purpose? While he believes it’s still a powerful learning platform, particularly for allowing stylists to learn from their heroes wherever they live, sessions need trimming. “The future is super-express, think a Sunday morning for 30 minutes and then you’ve got the rest of the day left.”

As for most of us, lockdown was a weird time for Marlon. Feeling a tad idle, it took spring-cleaning cupboards and a spot of gaming before the need to use his hands became too much. With no salon to go to, a moment of clarity arrived. Inspired by the Brooks & Brooks ‘cup half-full’ philosophy,

Lilli for Marlon’s Umbra collection, photography by Jack Eames

what Marlon created during lockdown secured him that first It List Award in 2020. His canvas? A series of mannequin heads.

One look was even made from paper, so creative was his flow: “I remember when I won, a competition judge said that at a time when things were so constricted, it proved that creativity still shines through.”

Marlon’s favourite look from this era is a basket weave. When he shot the pictures, he noticed a particular light coming through. Inspired, he reached for a disco light reserved for pre-pandemic parties. “There were these soft green and yellow lights that reflected off the dark hair because it was shiny from the product. Then it looked like a reptile’s skin, but it was all hair.”

So, what happens when the salon closes its doors for the day? Marlon understands the importance of trying to relax after work. “If it’s been a hectic day, I’ll walk along the river back to Fulham and slowly unwind.”

His love of food helps that process. “Even if I get home at 10pm I will still cook from scratch.” Ever dexterous, he finds food preparation and the motion and repetition of chopping deeply relaxing. “It just takes my mind off things,” he shares. Yet that artistic mind keeps whirling as he heads for bed. “It’s probably when my brain is most creative,” he admits. As witching hour approaches he is still awake, making notes about colour ideas and fringe cuts while the rest of us are getting some shut eye.

Michael Young’s photography is not just powerful and provocative, capturing the beauty and energy of hair in a way that makes people stop and stare, it’s a vital outlet for his creative vision. And now this multi-talented salon owner is allowing himself the space and courage to take photography from a passion to an increasingly bigger part of his profession. Creative HEAD nds out why

“These looks were shot on a Sunday in February 2023, at our house. The whole thing took just four days to organise, including sourcing the models (only one is professional) and buying the clothes myself online. It was my first shoot of the year and I felt I needed to recharge my batteries. I think you can see that in the looks – I’m ready to get set and go!”

“YEARS AGO, WHEN I started out as a hairdresser, photographic collections were a vital currency for brand building and driving business. As a hairdresser, your photographic work was effectively an advertisement for your skills and, if one of your collections got published in a consumer hair magazine, clients would bring that issue into the salon wanting to get the same look.

“Today, social media does that job. Hairdressers can post Stories and Reels of the hair looks they’ve just created on their clients, and that’s what gets new clients through the door. But the work we do in the salon that we post on social media – typically balayage – doesn’t always allow you to be as creative as you’d like to be. And certainly not as creative as you can be on a photoshoot. In that sense, building a business and evolving your creative aesthetic have become two completely different things – yet as hairdressers, we instinctively need to immerse ourselves in both.

“As a young hairdresser I would buy all the best fashion magazines and read them avidly, believing I was inspiring myself through the hair looks on the pages. It’s only now that I realise that what I was absorbing through that imagery was about photographic composition, counter-balance, use of light and shade and storytelling – nothing, actually, to do with hair! It would really trigger me; I’d tear out pages and keep them as references, and I still have them today, 20 years down the line.

“Over the years we worked with countless different hair photographers, but it was our work with the clothes stylist Roberta Resta that really changed things for me. She introduced me to fashion photographers such as Ram Shergill and Alan Gelati, and working with them was a game-changer. I wanted to bring their vision, their creative thinking, into my hair work, so it was only a matter of time before I picked up a camera and started developing my own ‘eye’. I wanted to capture hair in the way I saw it, not how someone else saw it.

“That’s what drives me when I work with other hairdressers – I want to capture what they see, bring their vision to life. Everyone has their own story to tell, and it’s my job to understand how they want to get it across. I spend a lot of time consulting with my clients to get to the bones of what they want to say – nobody did that with me! But as a hairdresser-turned-photographer I’m coming from a different place. I used to be on one side of the lens and now I’m on the other.”

BE MORE SUSTAINABLE IN SEVEN STEPS

Being more eco-conscious doesn’t need to be expensive –we have seven simple ways to get started

PLEDGE NOW!

MOST WANTED SUSTAINABILITY HERO WINNERS ANNE VECK AND KEITH MELLEN ARE URGING THE HAIRDRESSING INDUSTRY TO TAKE THE NATURE POSITIVE BUSINESS PLEDGE, AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE TO OUR PLANET. SIGN UP AT BUSINESS-BIODIVERSITY.CO.UK

FIND 30 MINUTES

You can help change the world in as little as half an hour with free, mobile e-learning from L’Oréal’s Hairstylists for the Future. Three modules covering carbon, water and waste and each lasting no more than 10 minutes can be completed wherever you are via lorealaccess.com. L’Oréal Professional Products is also partnering with Net Zero Now on a guide for all salons, not just L’Oréal partners, to help calculate, track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

DON’T WASTE WATER

The average salon in the UK and Ireland uses 133,000 litres of water a year, with the backwash area representing 65 per cent of a salon’s total water consumption, according to a L’Oréal Salon Emotion study in 2021. “Turn off the taps when you don’t need them and think about how much time you take washing a client’s hair. If you can reduce it by even one minute per client, it will make a huge difference,” suggests Ky Wilson co-founder of The Social. Chop Chop London’s Kaye Sotomi has reduced water and energy consumption by cutting hair dry. Have you got eco showerheads at the basin? Try the new L’Oréal Water Saver in-salon device.

DON’T WASTE COLOUR EITHER!

Colour waste is bad news for the environment and bottom lines. But stylists can use technology to limit it, with easy-to-use colour management software such as Vish, which calculates exactly how much colour is needed per service, which prevents human error and wasted colour, saving waste and money. “We’ve got our colour waste down to practically zero,” says Karine Jackson, owner of Karine Jackson Sustainable Hair in London.

DO RETHINK YOUR WASTE…

Ninety-nine per cent of hair cuttings end up in landfill, says UK waste collector Business Waste Management. Get more sustainable with waste management and you could win new and more loyal clients. At The Social, Ky partners with Green Salon Collective. “Signing up to such a scheme can be used as a great marketing opportunity to let clients know you’re an eco-friendly business.”

Anil Salhan, owner of BLACC + BLOND in Birmingham, agrees sustainable changes such as stocking bamboo toilet roll and planting a tree for every new client have “brought new clients through the door”.

…AND YOUR ENERGY USE

We’ve all been thinking about energy costs, but have you been looking at energy suppliers in terms of their renewable energy alternatives? Most Wanted Sustainability Hero 2022 winners Anne Veck and Keith Mellen urge to look at what you’re using in general. They advise you to manage your electricity output manually; such as only switching on lights in areas where you’re working – and making sure they’re LEDs. Ensure all equipment, such as hairdryers, are switched off at the plug when not in use, and double check everything at closing time. Also check that electrical equipment and white goods have top energy efficiency ratings. Hair salons run on hot water and heating it is expensive and energy draining, so wash hair at lower temperatures. For more ideas, check out their sustainability tips in Salon Re:Source at creativeheadmag.com/business

CONSIDER HOW GREEN YOUR PARTNERS ARE

The products you stock reveal how seriously your salon takes sustainability. Think about the brands you use and sell to clients and investigate what they’re doing to fight climate change. Kao Salon Division, home to Goldwell, has made its sustainable goals public knowledge with its Kirei Lifestyle Plan, which includes making 100 per cent of its products leave a full life cycle environmental footprint that is safe for the planet by 2030. And Goldwell’s upcoming launch, Topchic Zero, has a drain-safe formula that is up to 98 per cent biodegradable, with packaging made from up to 100 per cent recycled materials.

B-Corp Davines has a new London education HQ featuring living plant walls and furnished with recycled materials. It’s also funding a regenerative organic agriculture project that will reduce toxic emissions and plans to take ownership of the production of at least one of its active ingredients.

BRANCH OUT

As part of 1t.org’s effort to plant one trillion trees globally, Tea Tree from John Paul Mitchell Systems is teaming up with Reforest’Action to plant two million trees by 2030 – it’s already past the one million mark. Ky Wilson has teamed up with sustainable blade brand Leaf Scissors on the non-profit Plant a Tree Programme, which any salon or individual can sign up to. Let Leaf know each month how many clients have visited, and the brand will tell you how many trees you’ll be planting and how much you owe for this service. The target is one million trees planted by 2025.

A peaceful

PIT STOP

Forget skin, scalp care is the hottest beauty trend for 2023 – opt for Tea Tree Special Detox, a scalp-centred haircare range from sustainability-minded Paul Mitchell

Skin on eek? Hair can’t join the club if the scalp is rmly fatigued. Health-related anxiety and general stress tell tales in tired-out tresses. But the story starts deeper in the scalp…

Taking a break for scalp care can feel impossible on the busy racetrack of life. But without a rest and renew pit stop, clients can’t be guaranteed hair that sings and swings. Give them the solution with Tea Tree Special Detox from Paul Mitchell, an effective, sustainable and colour safe two-step range for in-salon and take-home use; that’s better scalps and better revenue.

There’s a new hair and beauty trend, and it’s all about the scalp. How do we know? Because more customers are looking for scalp products, a staggering 330 per cent rise and a 52 per cent boost in conversations on social media.*

Clients need an effective and professional scalp solution, and they need it now. Capture this lucrative market by stocking Tea Tree Special Detox. A facial for the scalp, it goes deeper than your average cleanse to detoxify and reveal hair and scalps that are cleaner, soothed, soft, and more refreshed.

A SUSTAINABLE SCALP SOLUTION

Salons are only as sustainable as the products they stock. Have Tea Tree Special Detox on your shelves and boost your salon’s reputation in the green arena. You only have to look at Paul Mitchell’s track record to feel con dent; the Tea Tree Sustainability Pledge in partnership with Reforest’Action has planted one million trees so far, well on the way to its goal of two million trees by 2030. The brand is also transitioning to post-consumer recycled packaging, eliminating single-use packaging, redesigning product caps to reduce packaging, and phasing out plastic bags. The Tea Tree Special Detox line is also vegan and paraben free.**

Welcome Tea Tree Special Detox into your salon and offer clients a more holistic and thoughtful option for their scalp issues – boosting your revenue stream in the process. Start with a consultation, assess scalp condition, and recommend the perfect Tea Tree Special Detox Solution to drive repeat visits and boost retail with products that really work.

A versatile brand, offer in-salon treatments in-line with spending desires. For those seeking a one-step solution which reduces build-up and softens hair, reach for Tea Tree Special Detox Kombucha Rinse. If dead skin from the scalp is the biggest concern select Tea Tree Special Detox Foaming Salt Scrub. And if clients are after a combined ritual, use the two together for the Tea Tree Ultimate Detox experience. Kind to scalps, locks, and the planet, isn’t it time your salon turned to Tea Tree Special Detox?

TEA TREE SPECIAL DETOX FOAMING SALT SCRUB

• Instantly removes impurities, leaving scalps refreshed and ready for a new day

• Ingredients sourced from powerful natural elements include Himalayan pink salt, French

TEA TREE SPECIAL DETOX KOMBUCHA RINSE

Natural heroes kombucha and apple cider vinegar remove product build-up, excess oil, and sebum

Scalps emerge cleaner and more refreshed, with hair cuticles smoothed and sealed for shine and feeling softer to the touch

An invigorating scent lingers and boosts client wellbeing, driving home that feeling of holistic and restorative renewal

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT

HOW ARE BUSINESS OWNERS MAKING MEANINGFUL CHANGES?

NEIL MOODIE, NEIL MOODIE STUDIO

“At my new studio I wanted to create a VIP-type environment for clients because of what I do as a session stylist, working with big models and celebrities. But right from the outset, I wanted sustainability to be central to that. My tagline is ‘luxury hair for the consciously minded’.

“The interior designer made a real effort to look for materials that fit the bill. It’s all upcycled furniture, all re-upholstered, there’s nothing new at all but they look gorgeous. The sofas, chairs, workstations, retail shelving, they’re all made from recycled materials. That’s where the luxury comes in; we’ve still used beautiful furniture.

“We use Virgin Pure Water for a monthly fee to have filtered drinking water, which means there are no singleuse plastic water bottles being given to clients. It also does hot water. It’s a small thing, but it uses a lot less energy than a kettle.

“We don’t have a tumble dryer or a washing machine, we use compostable towels, and that has cut down on energy usage. All our cleaning products are eco-friendly, refillable and diluted with water, too. There is a fee, but I love that the Green Salon Collective recycles pretty much everything.

“At the backwash we have the L’Oréal Water Saver shower heads that use 60 per cent less water and I’ve partnered with Pureology, which feels like a better fit as it’s a luxury brand with a conscience. Being able to prescribe products that are more bespoke helps with the service offering. You don’t have to implement everything at once. Even some small changes can make a huge difference.”

“Luxury hair for the consciously minded”

Vish’s Waste Warrior Award Winners have used Vish tech to cut colour waste, protect profits, and attract diverse clientele. Want to protect your salon’s longevity while doing your part for the planet? Start using Vish today and learn from the efficient Vish Community.

NICOLE HEWITT THE SALON OF CHI

“In 2012 I travelled to Jamaica and, while on a morning walk, I noticed an aerosol spray can from my product supplier had washed up on the shore. I felt as if the ocean was giving me a sign. I couldn’t shake off the sadness in my heart and knew I had to make changes to my life at home and in my business.

“Consistently assessing your actions and decisions with an aim to improve is a great place to start. We now look at our business needs and make every decision or purchase through a green lens. Where and how is it made? How is it packaged? How will we or the consumer dispose of it? How are the communities making this product treated? Asking these questions helps us make more informed choices. Also remember that sustainability is a journey not a destination. Implementation can take time. Focus on one aspect to begin with; be it energy, waste or product. If you have any eco warriors in your team who can help, bring them on board. Give it a spotlight in your team discussions at meetings.”

LORRAINE NAUGHTON OB-1 HAIR

“We recycle our hair and our foils with Green Salon Collective, the foils are cleaned and reused and we buy recycled ones too. We also charge a green fee per service that goes towards our sustainability costs, and anything left over goes to charity. But sustainability isn’t just about the planet, it’s about the people who live on it too. We’re looking after the team’s mental health and reducing their carbon footprint by letting them work three long days instead of five shorter ones. We have an 85-year-old who has moved to us because we’re sustainable. She’d been going to the same person for years but loved the idea that with us she could take her hair home and use it as a fertiliser.

“We are also trying to get our clients involved, so we now encourage them to buy bottles that they can refill with retail homecare products, rather than buying smaller bottles every couple of months. We try to get them to buy the bigger one so it lasts a year, or we try to get them to come back in for refills.”

“The bene ts aren’t just to the environment; you’re going to get more clients”

“We now view every decision or purchase through a green lens”

FOR PLANET EARTH PACK UP

Davines has big climate goals for 2023. This Earth Month salons can gift its new responsibly produced tote bag alongside purchased Davines products. Now is the time to gift with purpose

Hairdressing boils down to what makes someone happy in the chair. But could salons be doing more for people and planet?

Global haircare and colour brand Davines is miles ahead – responsibly sourced products, sustainability projects, and it has a sparkling new London HQ designed with sustainability and wellbeing in mind.

The new Davines Grow Beautiful bag, launched as part of its We Sustain Beauty campaign, is made with rain-fed cotton sourced by fellow B-Corp Gallant, and grown by indigenous farmers in Odisha, India. It’s also carbon neutral, as CO2 emissions such as those from transport are offset. The perfect sustainable shopper, give the Grow Beautiful bag to clients when they buy three Davines products in your salon and help them take a little kindness home.

Davines is doing more for the planet by supporting regenerative organic agriculture, a farming practice that isolates carbon in healthy soils and reduces toxic emissions. It has given €50,000 (£43,750) to support the Rodale Institute and together they run the European Regenerative Organic Agriculture Center in Italy to make

responsible product sourcing a reality. And that reality is here!

In 2023, Davines plans to plant and harvest an additional six species to one day take ownership of the production of at least one of its active ingredients. Ambitious sustainability plans? Sure. But we can’t solve the climate crisis without them.

Closer to home, the new Davines House & Academy in London’s King’s Cross (pictured, inset) is just as green. Timber features are made from recycled materials, cushion covers from reused plastic bottles, and curtains crafted from sustainably sourced fabrics.

A mural of 30,000 individual plants boosts oxygen levels and an intelligent daylight system aids stylist wellbeing.

What’s your mission this Earth Month… and can Davines help you nd your way to a more sustainable, creative and pro table future?

ANDREW MULVENNA, ANDREW

“My advice is to not overthink it, just start with something and things will begin to happen. Look to the most visible, such as rubbish and wastage. Get good recycling bins to separate all waste and take time to educate your team. You must be consistent so that everyone falls into line.

“Once everyone gets to grips with that then work on what’s coming into the salon such as plastics, energy and so on. We have been congratulated by young and old clients on our environmental efforts; it has created a conversation within the team on all our sustainability efforts. It has also inspired clients and the team to look at their own carbon footprint and make positive changes.

“We appointed an eco manager and that paid for itself within the first six months. We would buy 18 to 20 spray cleaning products a week for each floor, now we use refillable concentrates and we’ve saved ourselves thousands of pounds. We brought our towel usage down and we use one pump of shampoo instead of two, and that brings down usage as well.”

WE’RE LOOKING FOR OUR 2023 MOST WANTED SUSTAINABILITY HERO! ENTER AT CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM/MOSTWANTED

John Paul Mitchell Systems – home to brands such as Paul Mitchell and Tea Tree – has recently created the role of senior director of sustainability, and has joined the Sustainable Packaging Initiative for Cosmetics. Legendary co-founder John Paul DeJoria shares his tips on being an eco-conscious company

Creative HEAD What quick changes can salons be making?

John Paul DeJoria When you have rooms you don’t use all the time, install a light switch that turns off automatically when you’re out of there. It’s amazing what that’ll do. Use only the tissues that you need to use. And when you have empty bottles, don’t just put the cap back on and throw them away, leave the cap off, because that helps with recycling. The packaging with Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty is made from sugar cane and is fully biodegradable.

CH How can you get the team on board?

JPDJ Point out someone in the salon who is making sure that whatever you do is ecologically balanced. That’s a job, it’s a fun thing to do. Get someone to make sure that everyone greets customers with a smile. If you give different people a little responsibility it doesn’t cost anything – they’re part of the operation.

CH What’s one thing we could all do?

JPDJ Understand one of the magical parts of life, and that is ‘be kind to one another’. Look at the positive side. It’s amazing how it changes your life. If the planet had at least 25 per cent of people doing what I’m doing right now – talking about positive things instead negative things and being kind to one another – it would influence the other three-quarters and the whole world would change.

“Take it one step at a time. Start with the most visible option”

MULVENNA HAIR

“GIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE A LITTLE RESPONSIBILITY – IT DOESN’T COST ANYTHING”

FOR COLOUR AND CLIMATE

Prove your love for your clients and our planet with new Topchic Zero from Goldwell KINDER COLOUR

GOLDWELL TOPCHIC ZERO –SUSTAINABLE ON THE INSIDE

• Free-from ammonia and silicones, and free from animal-derived ingredients

• Incredibly natural grey coverage –up to 100 per cent

• Features a gentle scent for the most pleasant colour service experience

• Smooth and incredibly shiny hair with up to two-times more shine*

* Versus untreated hair.

** Varies per shade, according to ISO16128 (including water), based on all ingredients according to OECD guidelines. *** Versus untreated hair, included in Goldwell System. Developer Lotion. **** ‘Climate neutral’ refers to all greenhouse gases, not only CO2.

• Safe for the drain: Topchic Zero formula is up to 98 per cent biodegradable**

• Made from up to 100 per cent recycled and recyclable packaging materials

• Launching May 2023!

Beyond planet-friendly ingredients, various agents act to improve hair health; including a rich dose of acai extract which puts up the barrier against breakage. White tea essence intensi es conditioning and moisture while patented IntraLipid and BondPro+ Technology*** offer hair protection. Fragrant notes including lily of the valley create a pleasant client experience as the colour does its work. There’s a lot to make heads happy here. Topchic Zero goes further to prove it cares about the planet, its entire product line is climate neutral.**** Yes, you read that correctly! It reduces all carbon emissions associated with production, transportation and disposal and creates offset projects for what can’t be avoided. Happy colour results, happier customers. But if you can create amazing colour experiences that limit the negative impact the hair industry has on our world, it’s not only the planet that will thank you – your earth and colour-conscious clients will too.

“I love the incredible colour results that Topchic Zero offers. I can colour with con dence, including on clients who prefer more gentle products. Topchic Zero offers a caring formula with no compromise on performance. It also provides salons with a more sustainable colour product and a service that meets the needs of environmentallyconscious clients.”

LYDIA WOLFE, JACK & THE WOLFE, GOLDWELL COLOUR AMBASSADOR

PERFECT PARTNERS

Both dedicated to providing long-lasting, luxurious client experiences with less environmental impact, colour care expert Pureology and Neil Moodie Studio make a lasting team

Imagine offering deliciously elongated and luxurious client services powered by awardwinning product formulas that you, the stylist, can trust to perform. What brand can really keep your salon’s reputation up while also driving the industry towards a more consciously-minded future? That would be Pureology, a colour care range built to last in more ways than one.

Its formulas are multi award-winning favourites that are sought out by consumers who want high-performing ingredients that deliver a luxurious lather like no other, all while being vegan and sulphate-free.

Pureology’s show-stopping colour care helps shades stand the test of time, thanks to the AntiFade Complex – the powerfully concentrated formulas mean even the smallest amount turns into a generous lather. A little goes a long way, with up to 300 shampoos in a one-litre bottle, made from 95 per cent postconsumer recycled plastic.

It’s colour care that truly lasts, allowing clients to feel con dent that not only will their colour last longer, but the duel-bene t formula has also been matched with their hair concerns for maximum nourishment.

FOUND TREASURE

Pureology is close to the heart of iconic stylist Neil Moodie, who has embarked on a partnership beyond a simple product stockist. He uses Pureology in his Neil Moodie Studio in London’s legendary Spital elds to transform appointments into uniquely memorable experiences that are climate kind. His studio was designed with sustainability at its heart –from upcycled interiors to compostable towels –and he’s been so impressed with his new partnership that he’s proud to be Pureology’s UK & Ireland ambassador.

Pureology and Neil Moodie are in-sync on sustainability, with the stylist icon’s salon strict about a single-use plastics ban, using L’Oréal Professionnel Paris Water Savers at the backwash and much more. In blissful alignment, both he and Pureology deliver luxurious customer experiences with an eye on the planet. Neil explains: “Pureology is a premium luxury brand so it’s a brilliant t for my studio, aligning with our mission of creating a luxury experience for the consciously minded. I use the products myself – I wouldn’t talk about a brand I don’t believe in. It’s high performance, professional colour care that lasts.”

CURATE THAT CLIENT LUXURY

Neil can be con dent that clients leave knowing they have experienced utter luxury with Pureology, and will be keen to come back. At the backwash, his stylists know the tantalising aroma of Pureology shampoos and conditioners creates a deeply sensory client experience; driving them deeper into relaxation.

Colour care is built into every bottle, Neil’s team can count on Pureology to offer clients the best in bespoke haircare services, tailoring each recommendation to whatever hair challenge that client faces with the brand’s dual bene ts line-up. It’s powerful but gentle, ensuring high performance both in the salon and when taken home. From concentrated formulas and recycled packaging to sulphate-free and vegan formulas, Pureology is a partner that’s built to last.

Neil Moodie’s Pureology heroes

HYDRATE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

“I bleach my hair and it’s naturally curly, so I love to restore moisture with Hydrate shampoo and conditioner. I like the fact that there’s a light version – Hydrate Sheer – as well!”

STRENGTH CURE BLONDE SHAMPOO

COLOR FANATIC SPRAY

This has 21 bene ts in one bottle, so I always have it on hand. It’s an essential!.”

“Many purple shampoos can dry out hair and make it feel brittle, this is a lot gentler. I alternate between this and Hydrate on my own blonde hair.”

Salon imagery by Karen Hatch

THE MOVIE

Seven hair professionals, seven different career stories. Available to view now at the-industry.co.uk

SCAN TO WATCH

This beautifully shot 50-minute film documents seven hair professionals and their career journeys – from a high-profile session artist styling for Prada (Anthony Turner) and a boundarypushing salon owner (Sophia Hilton) to a barber on a mission to promote cultural change (Mark Maciver). You’ll also meet some influential experts along the way, whose daily lives are impacted and shaped by hairdressers.

The Industry shows the immense opportunity, diversity and creativity on offer when you choose a career in hairdressing. Use it to inspire your future new recruits. Use it to re-inspire your existing team!

DISCOVER THE FILM AND A WHOLE LOT MORE AT THE-INDUSTRY.CO.UK

Anna Cofone

Anthony Turner

Darcie Harvey

Jody Taylor

Ky Wilson

Mark Maciver

Sophia Hilton

OPEN TO THE OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES OF SALONS AND BARBER SHOPS, AS WELL AS FREELANCE HAIR PROFESSIONALS, ALL WORKING IN THE UK AND IRELAND

2023 CATEGORIES

AWARD FOR INNOVATION

For an original initiative benefitting hair professionals and/or the industry at large

BEST CLIENT EXPERIENCE

For outstanding customer service

Sponsored by Sponsored by

EDUCATION EXPERT

For exceptional hairdressing education

HAIR TREND

For the best trend-led image of the year

BEST LOCAL SALON

For the pillar of a local community

BEST NEW SALON

For a new or revamped space with a unique sense of style

Sponsored by Sponsored by

INDEPENDENT STYLIST

For the freelance hair professional with a first-class profile

MEN’S HAIR SPECIALIST

For ground-breaking work in men’s hair

Sponsored by

Sponsored by Sponsored by Sponsored by

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES MONDAY 22 MAY FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FRIDAY 16 JUNE

GRAND FINAL MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER

CELEBRATING HAIRDRESSING’S BRIGHTEST STARS

BEST SALON TEAM

For teamwork at its best

BUSINESS THINKER

For the owner or director demonstrating a fresh approach to business

COLOUR EXPERT

For a colourist demonstrating striking skill and vision

CREATIVE TALENT

For a senior team member shaping the creative direction of a hairdressing or barbering business

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

SUSTAINABILITY HERO

For a business owner championing a greener way to work

TEXTURE EXPERT

For stand-out work in textured hair

SESSION STYLIST

For the most exciting hair professional working in fashion

HAIR ICON

For the most influential hair professional of 2023

BY NOMINATION ONLY BY NOMINATION ONLY

Sponsored by Sponsored by Sponsored by Sponsored by

FIND OUT HOW TO ENTER, VISIT

CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM/MOSTWANTED

#MWIT23 @creativeheadmag

itit it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it it

2023 CATEGORIES

OPEN TO THE OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES OF SALONS AND BARBER SHOPS, AS WELL AS FREELANCE HAIR PROFESSIONALS, ALL AGED 30 OR UNDER AND WORKING IN THE UK AND IRELAND

THE BUSINESS BUILDER

For the brains behind a successful business

THE EDITORIAL STYLIST

For a hair professional making waves on set

THE RISING STAR

For an impressive and fast-improving assistant

THE SALON STYLIST

For stand-out skills behind the chair

THE VISIONARY

For head-turning creativity

THE ONE TO WATCH

For an outstanding hair talent demonstrating all-round excellence

EXCLUSIVELY SPONSORED BY

FIND OUT HOW TO ENTER, VISIT CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM/THEITLIST

RISING

Pictured from left: The Rising Star, Georgia Freeman; The Visionary, Quentin Taillepied; The Entrepreneur and The One to Watch, Danielle Garner; The Salon Stylist, Ryan Steedman; and The Editorial Stylist, Lauren Bell. Photography by Jon Baker

STARS

Passionate, aware, engaged. The It List 2022 winners are the new faces shaping our industry now and into the future

TAI EPIED QUENTIN

STYLIST AND DAILY MANAGER AT STAG, EDINBURGH, AND IT LIST WINNER OF THE VISIONARY

Describe the kind of work you’ve been doing over the past 12 months…

I’ve been running fully booked columns, worked on different shoots and productions, including a lm and music video, and I started taking on wig commissions for local drag queens – all of which has been pretty fun and creative but quite busy.

What excites you about what your generation is achieving in the hairdressing industry now?

These images sum me up as a hairdresser: my sketches are a big part of my creative process, my drag is a fun outlet for OTT hair; and the photo from the night of the It List shows why the support system from my team is so important

The way we’re questioning everything and helping to change things that have always been problematic yet never addressed. It’s not that hard to adapt to a time or new idea, you just need to keep an open mind and see what happens.

Who in your generation do you look up to, and why?

The hair artist Charlie Le Mindu – his creativity is limitless and he forged his career in his own way, while having fun doing so, it seems. He’s probably my biggest hair hero.

“My style is minimal but quite creative and alien. I always try to bring in original ideas, which can prove quite difficult. With salon work I try to get into people’s heads to find what will suit them best.”

If you could change one thing about the hairdressing industry, what would it be?

Hairdressers’ self-worth and the impostor syndrome that I see around me all the time. People are scared to charge the right price or they think they haven’t done enough. The lockdowns really highlighted the value of our craft and yet a lot of hairdressers struggle to recognise their worth, even on fully booked days!

How does it feel to be part of the generation reshaping the rules of hairdressing?

It feels great! It was a mission to nd somewhere I could do short and long hair, all genders but no colour and an exciting and motivating workplace. Stag provides that for me – it’s at the forefront of a new way of running salons.

What would you say to anyone looking to enter the It List 2023?

I love how the It List is aimed at young creatives with a new vision, so I’d say: ‘Don’t compromise, give it 100 per cent and enjoy the ride.’ It was a great experience for me for sure and I loved pushing myself creatively.

I was lead hairstylist for Luke Neil’s A/W23 show (top left). The entire experience was like an art performance, which is kinda my thing. For Dilara Findicoglu (above) I jumped on last-minute as they were short of a hairstylist. It was hectic and crazy but I was honoured to have been part of the show

Danielle Garner

FOUNDER

OF WILDFLOWER, DUBLIN, AND IT LIST WINNER OF THE ENTREPRENEUR AND THE ONE TO WATCH

Connecting with others through touch, listening and talking

My family, my happiness

Wildflower, my work place. It’s an honour to share this space with the team and our clients. We’re on a pursuit of genuine happiness

What do you love about working in hair?

The human connection I share with every single one of my clients excites me the most. It is an honour and a gift to be part of their life, and to create three-dimensional art they wear daily.

What’s your biggest achievement of the past 12 months, besides winning the It List?

I’ve recently launched Wholehearted, a multi-dimensional, multi-use creative space; a vision that came to me when our salon basement flooded. As I entered the warehouse we had leased in order to empty and repair the basement, I knew we had to give life back to the space.

What excites you about what your generation is achieving in the hairdressing industry now?

Individuality and vulnerability. My generation leads with genuine, open conversations that I believe will lead the industry to full happiness. We’re also pushing boundaries by working with manufacturers rather than for them.

If you could change one thing about the hairdressing industry, what would it be?

The transparency and honesty in eco credentials coming from large manufacturers. The greenwashing concept is going too far and as businesses and individuals we should be having conversations about this. We know it’s incredibly difficult for a product to be 100 per cent sustainable, but give us the right information to make our own informed choices rather than mislead and disrespect us.

How does it feel to be part of the cohort reshaping the rules of hairdressing?

I believe this generation is genuinely true to itself and this is organically shaping the rules of hairdressing. It doesn’t come from ego and it isn’t forced, so it feels natural to me.

What are you most looking forward to achieving in 2023?

Simple happiness. I want my team to experience happiness every day of their life by doing what makes them happy. I’m currently stripping away all the extra ‘stuff’ in my life that distracts me from core happiness.

What would you say to anyone looking to enter the It List 2023?

Showcase what makes you and your team genuinely happy. It will pave the way for others and create a ripple effect of happiness across the industry.

“My strength lies in connecting with others. I’m not driven by success, money or fear, but I am motivated to lead an authentic life in service of others. To communicate, to build meaningful relationships, to create a safe space that allows others to connect with themselves.”

Lauren Bell

Freelance hairdresser, based in London, and It List winner of The Editorial Stylist

Describe the kind of work you’ve been doing over the past 12 months…

I’ve been doing everything from celebrities, advertising, editorial and industry to music tours, campaigns and international jobs. I’ve used this opportunity to expand my skill base working with wigs, in different environments and with different briefs, which has helped me to explore my style and try new things. I’m now leaning into a different era with my style and it’s super exciting.

What excites you about working in hair?

People inspire me so much, how they present and what they represent – it’s an opportunity for me to work with muses and artists. Getting to know them and what they stand for helps me to be more emotive and artistic with the hair I create.

What’s your hairdressing style?

My work is usually clean, fashion-focused and fully committed to the brief, but more recently my aesthetic has been leaning into a more purposefully raw and more real approach. That’s helped me to stand back and let some of my perfectionism go to create more lived-in looks while keeping my experimental air, edgier eye and always focusing on being complementary of the face.

It may not be hair, but I’m in love in with the vibe and shape I created, and a different Bimini to embody it

By using ample amounts of product I can elevate an image to possess more feeling and texture. The shine and wetness that I created here makes it look hyper real

This is one of my favourite looks on [non-binary superstar] Bimini because of how raw the wig is. I think it ts their aesthetic, has a humanness to it and an edge

“I am artistic, eclectic, tenacious and a little bit camp. I am so passionate about my career and the industry as a whole. I realise that I am playing a part in its future and that is something I take seriously. I have ambitions of being the best I can be, so I can inspire and give back to others. As a contributor to the industry I look to elevate fashion imagery into art, inspire future generations, be honest by starting conversations and be inclusive behind and in front of the camera.”

What excites you about what your generation is achieving in the hairdressing industry now?

It feels very free and authentic to me, in the way that we can express ourselves through our work and we have the opportunity to showcase this on many platforms. The world has changed and conversations that have been had in my generation have made my job more uid, exciting and open to how we can change, learn and make things better for ourselves and for future generations.

Who in your generation do you look up to, and why?

Marlon Hawkins. He has an incredible eye, a creative mind and an artistic talent. I nd it incredibly inspiring how he sees the world and the industry.

How does it feel to be part of the cohort reshaping the rules of hairdressing?

It’s exciting to live in a society that is constantly changing and evolving, but with that comes a responsibility to keep an open mind and be thoughtful. It’s very important to be grateful for what has gone before and appreciate that you can learn and grow from everything; every generation has good and bad bits, as will ours. It would be the biggest mistake to think we know it all and to disregard knowledge from other generations.

What made you enter the It List 2022?

It’s such an amazing platform, not only for PR and networking but also the acknowledgment from your peers for all your hard work.

What would you say to anyone looking to enter the It List 2023?

Use this as an opportunity to celebrate yourself and re ect on all the amazing things you’ve achieved. Don’t get disheartened or give up if you don’t win; keep entering and watch yourself grow each year!

A veiled illusion of colour, created with added hair and coloured

STYLIST AT HUNTER COLLECTIVE≥ LONDON≥ AND IT LIST WINNER OF THE SALON STYLIST

What excites you about working in hair? That one interaction with someone can change your career dramatically.

What’s been your biggest achievement in the past 12 months, apart from winning the It List? Becoming a xed part of Sam McKnight’s team. To be assisting the main man on a one-to-one basis feels unreal! Helping Sam get Ashley Graham ready for the British Fashion Awards at her hotel was a ‘pinch me’ moment.

What’s your hairdressing style? Sexy, undone, purposeful.

What excites you about what your generation is achieving in the hairdressing industry now?

I love this question! Most of the people smashing it right now are my peers. We support each other, we cheer for each other – we know there is enough room for us all.

Who in your generation do you look up to?

Lauren Bell is pushing boundaries, and Patrick Wilson nails sexy, effortless hair perfectly every time.

Is there anything you would change about the industry?

People bashing other people. I don’t like it and I think it is changing slowly. We all have our own voices and inspirations and there is plenty of room for everyone.

What do you want to achieve in 2023?

A feeling of contentment. I’m always working, thinking about what I can do next, how I can grow, how can I do more. I want to get to a place where I can say ‘yes, you did it’. Maybe a front cover as well, tee-hee!

Any advice for someone thinking about entering the It List?

Do an entry that is unapologetically, authentically you and that you’re proud of, whatever the outcome.

2023 COMPETITION IS OPEN FOR ENTRIES!

IS

Assisting Sam McKnight for Balmain S/S23 with supermodel Kristen McMenamy

Emily Carey at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards. Seeing your work on the red carpet never stops being exciting

With a friend lming content for social media – a key part of work nowadays

A little photoshoot with Ashley Graham, getting ready with Sam McKnight for the British Fashion Awards

Stylist at Q Cut Hair & Beauty, L d , a istant

Syd Hayes and It List nner of e Rising Star

How has winning The Rising Star impacted your career?

I have been offered so many amazing opportunities, from creating social media content for brands to speaking at [Creative HEAD’s hair and fashion club] The Coterie. I’ve also been assisting Syd Hayes at events, such as product launches and at London Fashion Week shows.

What excites you about working in hair?

There is nothing better than being told by a client that using your creativity and skills has given them ‘exactly what they wanted’. At the same time, nothing compares with the rush of being a part of a team backstage, working together in an environment I can only call ‘beautifully chaotic’. It feels like sparks are ying out of an artist’s ngers when you watch a session stylist create a look under such pressure. It gives me such joy to see all the hard work come together in one nal explosion of creativity.

Who in your generation do you look up to, and why?

One of my favourite people is Danielle Garner. I’m watching her change outlooks on work/life balance and shape salon dynamics for the better. We are all aware how much a dif cult work environment can affect a stylists’ ability to be creative and focused. Our industry should re ect our creations. This starts by making the inside beautiful, before we make the hair beautiful.

If you could change one thing about the hairdressing industry, what would it be?

The external stigmas around careers in hair. Being a stylist requires so many skillsets, working with scheduling, business development, scienti c experimentation and data analysis, and creatively shaping and designing the hair of tomorrow.

What are you most looking forward to achieving in 2023?

Launching my new charity to provide hair and care sessions for those in need. It’s been in development for such a long time and I’m excited to get it out there and provide help in the best way we know how.

What made you enter the It List 2022?

I was at the It List back in 2019 and I saw the Rising Star award being presented. In that moment I made it a goal of mine to be good enough to be considered for an award like that. My mentors Alicia Mia and Syd, and the rest of the team at Q Cut supported my dream, encouraging me to enter in 2022, and I was so happy they were by my side when I won.

What would you say to anyone looking to enter the It List 2023?

Just go for it! If you always aim to express yourself truthfully and do the best that you can do, people will want success for you as much as you want it for yourself.

“I am excited by the w k ethic and sense of balance that shines thr gh my generati in this industry. e belief that y sh ld feel love every day, that y r envir ment sh ld help y fl rish and that each day is a new day achieve something different. I am pr d of the way my generati su ts e another and creates amazing hair while also practising ‘self-care’ inside and tside of w k.”

Nensi Dojaka S/S23 – to have done this look for Maggie Maurer for her pregnancy announcement on the catwalk was a career highlight

This TrendVision ghd Stylemaster shoot not only championed diversity and inclusivity but won me an international prize too!

Syd Hayes has been a massive inspiration and mentor to me

THE LAST WORD ON…

Presenting yourself

AS STYLISTS AND SALON OWNERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE MORE VISIBLE IN BUSINESS, PRESENTING SKILLS NEED TO CATCH UP, AND PREPARATION IS KEY…

THE BUSINESS WORLD has gone public. Today, social media requires you to shout about what you do and the values you represent. From webinars to Instagram, TikTok to YouTube, customers expect the businesses it engages with to be transparent about who they are.

Once the domain of polished public speakers, the burden now falls to business owners and independents to be high-profile ambassadors for their own brands… and potentially others too.

Presenting yourself eloquently, professionally and with a healthy helping of flair is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. For those feeling a little intimidated, now’s the time to boost your confidence in your presenting skills.

Before you take to the stage - whether physical or virtual –preparation is key, argues Tom Bourlet, marketing head at events services firm Fizzbox. “Write up a script beforehand, but don’t worry about following it perfectly, it can be bullet points. This helps you follow a set path and stops you waffling.”

All presenters can get nervous – even seasoned pros. Before you host that stage presentation or go live on Instagram, mindset coach Dr Maurice Duffy has some crucial advice. “Just a few minutes of meditation can help calm nerves. Anchor your mind in the present moment. When we get nervous, we get caught up in negative thoughts about the future. Instead, focus on your physical sensations and surroundings. You can anchor yourself in the present by touching something physical, like a table.”

Remember why you’re presenting; it will help boost your confidence and steady jitters. “Be yourself,” explains Maurice. “The audience wants to hear from you, not from a bad imitation. Speak clearly and vary your pitch, volume, and tone. Use pauses effectively to give the audience time to absorb your ideas.”

For Wella technical educator Jamie Michael Doran, slipping up when presenting isn’t an issue. “If you say something incorrect, who cares? It shows that you’re human.” When battling nerves on

stage he advises to crack a joke: “Those few seconds of laughter offer enough time to take a breath, gather your thoughts and feel grounded in the room.”

For many presenters social media is their stage and, with attention spans short, being engaging is key, explains Vivienne Johns, founder of The Hairdressers Social Club. “Use visuals and interactive elements such as polls, including storytelling to keep them interested. Ask simple questions such as where people are based to get quick responses to fire up your comment section!”

Some feel very self-conscious having all eyes on them, whether that’s hundreds in a large room or on the other side of their screen. Creative HEAD editorial director Amanda Nottage hosts everything from Instagram Lives and Zoom workshops to the Most Wanted and It List Awards. “I’ve taken a lesson from Beyoncé,” she laughs. “She uses her on-stage alter ego, Sasha Fierce, and I do something similar, creating an alter ego with her own identity who ‘clicks on’ when it’s go-time. It helps calm my nerves, because it’s not really me up there.”

A final piece of advice? Prepare for technical issues. “Make sure you have a back-up plan in case something goes wrong,” says Vivienne. “I like to do some quick housekeeping at the beginning of my live presentation, to prepare the audience for what will happen if my stream cuts out.”

Matthew Jungling for Unsplash