SalonFocus July-Aug 2010

The ESSENTIAL magAZINE for Salon Owners

JULY/AUG 2010 | £3.50

‘Help, my stylists had a fight’ Cutting Brief advises

Electoral candidates

blitzed on VAT

Dundee

the delegates are coming

Graphique Noir – Inspired Autumnal colour trends and tips

distance relation between sash and corner flexible. size relation between sash and corner NOT flexible.

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Wavelength

Nicking away

at the deficit…and other things

The excitement in the run-up to going to press has been journalistic nirvana.

Would the Liberal Democrats get into bed with the Conservatives, hatch a deal at the last minute with Labour and other factions, would David Cameron’s lot attempt to lead a minority government, or would the country descend into even greater chaos because of prolonged indecision?

My pen was poised up until the last second, prepared for anything. And so it was with great relief that Dave and Nick finally tied the knot. At least I could get on with it. So, too, could they.

Much has been said about ex-prime minister Gordon Brown’s lack of skills in PR (I mean public relations and not proportional representation). But I always maintain substance is more important than presentation although it is often presentation that wins the day.

Where our new prime minister and his Lib Dem deputy excelled up until election day was presentation. That said, they “ The coalition have wasted little time in getting down needs to clearly to brass tacks in the days since which is a promising start. understand But I would like to be clear: PR and small business glitz, the swagger and the confidence only get you so far. The challenge needs and facing these two men and the interestnot just pay ingly composed Cabinet is enormous. lip service as Let us not forget the £163bn deficit (will we ever?) and how cutting that successive back is a monumental task and how the governments efforts to do so will affect all our lives. have done…”

My hope is for the whole country but, more specifically, for you dear reader, that debate will be healthy and will not descend into farce.

A healthy coalition is a good thing if it is strong, collaborative, has an open ear and consults without procrastination.

Strong governments that have been in office for a long time have a tendency to become arrogant and entrenched. What I hope we have is a government that is going to be more flexible, responsive and less dogmatic.

The NHF knows what collaboration, co-operation, consultation and debate followed by decisive action is all about. And we circulated a press release to that effect. We said government’s insistence that it was also committed to a root-and-branch reform in the way the coalition and Westminster operate resonates with the NHF’s own experience.

As we said in the release: “…that by taking a good, hard look at itself, analysing where change is needed and acting on what is discovered, that “strength in

www.nhf.info

numbers, unity and trust”, to which the NHF is dedicated, can truly be achieved. This is surely what the coalition government is about, too.

The composition of the Cabinet amused me – five Liberal Democrat members – because it is the stuff of novels; an unexpected twist to the end of a fascinating story. But it is only the end of the first chapter.

The Queen’s Speech has come and gone and the emergency Budget was scheduled for June 22.

So by the time you read this we might have more inkling as to whether the coalition is going to look kindly on our sector and the wider community of small and medium-sized businesses.

The stuff of much speculation is a 2.5 per cent rise in VAT to 20 per cent. If this does come about, it will provide the NHF-led CuttheVAT campaign with an opportunity to further pursue its own arguments for a 5% rate of VAT for hairdressing services (See page 5).

A higher general rate of VAT will hit everyone’s pockets but the coalition could be willing to offer concessions that will benefit hairdressing.

Much will depend on the attitudes of Conservative chancellor George Osborne, Liberal Democrat chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and Tory financial secretary to the Treasury Mark Hoban. We can only wait and see.

But what the NHF wants to see is a coalition that provides what small businesses need and not just what they think they need. Maintaining a healthy dialogue with the NHF and other small business organisations can help achieve that. The coalition needs to clearly understand small business needs and not just pay lip service as successive governments have done in terms of promises to cut red tape and in other areas.

These are exciting times but they ain’t no picnic.

PS Talking about elections, with this edition is the NHF’s first ever ballot for honorary treasurer. Please vote NOW.

Andrew Don Editor

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 3

contents Our coNTRIBUTORS

Gillian Dowling works for Croner as employment technical consultant.

p 29

MICHAEL BARNES of Michael Barnes Hairdressing, in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, is a specialist in bridal hair, long hair and extensions.

p 25

p 20

p 14

News

05 Fed blitzes candidates on VAT 06 Certificates row concluded; Sally issues data reassurance 08 Marc Antoni spreads its wings 09 How to enforce restrictive covenants – part two 10 NMW – beware of firing apprentices; PR points make prizes; 12 Trichocare goes for gold 13 CTPA credits SalonFocus over chemical straighteners coverage 16 Dundee calling – conference preview

Features

22 This is IT the Regis way 24-26 Colour cornucopia – an autumnal feast 30 A song for salons

Front cover: Hair: Michael Barnes using Cinderella hair extensions. Photography: Candiceforfresh2o www.fresh2o.org.

PAGE 4 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

ANGELA BARTLETT is chair of the British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology and the Confederation of International Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology.

Inspired

BEAUTY

JACKIE LANG has been managing director of Regis UK since 2008.

She is responsible for 450 salons which include Regis’s UK branches and Sassoon in the UK, Germany and the USA.

17–20 Graphique Noir

13 Beauty spots 32 It’s a shell out

REGULARS

3 Wavelength – Andrew Don draws breath after the political excitement 09 Movers & Groovers 14-15 Federation Focus – behind the scenes; competitions; NHF Inspire 21 Cutting Brief – your problems shared 29 Beverly C gets political 33 Events to spice up your year 34 Backwash – the story of the cross trainer; NEC Factor – Nigel Stiddard and Audrey Morgan

BRETT WALKER is principal stylist and technical director and manager of Michael Barnes Hairdressing

BEVERLY C has been twice-winner of the British Hairdresser of the Year Award and she was the first female hairdresser to be awarded an MBE. She is ambassador for both Goldwell and Babyliss, and a regular face on TV and in the press.

SALONFOCUS IS PUBLISHED BY: National Hairdressers’ Federation, One Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford MK44 3WH t: 0845 345 6500 t: 01234 831965 f: 01234 838875 e: sfenquiries@salonfocus.co.uk w: www.nhf.info PUBLISHER Eileen Lawson BSc FCIS FRSA e: eileen.lawson@nhf.info EDITOR Andrew Don e: sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk EVENTS Tina Beaumont t: 0845 345 6500 e: tina.beaumont@nhf.info

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News

for today’s Salon owner

Cutthe Fed troops blitz election candidates

Federation members left no stone unturned in the run-up to the General Election on May 6, ensuring they blitzed party candidates with information about the NHF-led campaign to get the rate of VAT for hairdressing services slashed to 5 per cent.

NHF head office asked members to ensure their local candidates were informed about the campaign because many of them may not have realised that European finance ministers on the Economic and Financial Affairs Council had made it legal for member governments to apply reduced VAT to labour-intensive industries, including hair salons, on a permanent basis.

Members asked candidates whether they would support the 5 per cent rate, whether they would sign up as supporters by emailing info@cutthevat.org and asked them to write to their party leader telling them why a reduced rate of VAT for hairdressing services was a good idea.

Members left no stone unturned to get the message out to candidates and some secured signatures of support.

Speculation was rife that whichever party, or coalition, got into government

the general rate of VAT was likely to be increased although perhaps not immediately. The NHF believes this would provide a further opportunity to lobby for hairdressing to be recognised as a special case for its own reduced rate.

Cutting the rate of VAT for hairdressing services is one of several issues salon owners want the new government to focus on, including Paul Simbler, director of hob, and David Masters, proprietor of David Masters Hair and Beauty, in Twickenham, Middlesex. Neville Tucker, of Neville Hair & Beauty in Belgravia, south-west London, called for it to be abolished completely for hairdressing services, wanted hairdressing apprenticeship wages to be subsidised to increase employment in hairdressing, and to pay less income tax to provide more incentive to work in hairdressing Simbler also called for more financial support to take on apprentices, no more increases in employers’ national insurance contributions, easier access to funding for NVQ training and a reduction in corporate legislation.

Paul Simbler

Neville Tucker

Masters wanted to see business education introduced into hairdressing colleges and the promotion of business building programs to salon owners. He also wanted wider government acknowledgement for the industry with more CBEs given to hairdressers.

One of several issues Hellen Ward, managing director of Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, in south-west London, highlighted was the need for the government to be on the side of entrepreneurs and business owners and to give small-to-medium-sized independent businesses a voice.

Hairdressing consultant Scott Cornwall wants a system of licensing introduced for hairdressers as soon as they qualify with the details made accessible to potential clients.

Michael Van Clarke, of the eponymous Marylebone salon in London’s West End, said the best thing government could do for business was to get out of the way and let business owners do what they did best which was to create wealth and real jobs.

cutthevat essential facts • Most hairdressing salons are labour-intensive small businesses.

This means most of the service is time-related.

Salons can have huge VAT bills because they do not make the volume of purchases that most high-street retailers make which can then be offset.

What they sell is their time and expertise. It is unfair that as a supplier of services primarily, hair salons are subject to the same rate of VAT as retailers.

www.nhf.info

• VAT pitched at 5 per cent will boost consumer spending. This was one of the many findings of a study in the Netherlands where a reduced rate of VAT for hairdressing services has been a huge success for everyone.

• Less tax on services will create more demand, leading to more job opportunities, more training development, further expansion of the sector, increasing the total tax-take from the sector overall. The

Dutch findings proved that deeply reduced VAT results in more jobs, more apprentices and improved business which in turn boosts the economy. Salons will no

longer deliberately find ways of keeping below the VAT threshold. More businesses that register for VAT will lead to more responsible salon owners bringing in at least as much VAT overall.

There is no cost to the Treasury.

Refer everyone to our cross-industry campaign website www.cutthevat.org. CuttheVat is supported by Habia, the Freelance Hair & Beauty Federation, the Hairdressing Council, the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology, the Fellowship for British Hairdressing, the Hairdressing and Beauty Suppliers Association, The Guild of Beauty Therapists and Salon Success.

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 5

News

Certificates

debacle resolved ‘Customer card data is secure with us,’ says Sally Habia is satisfied that the apprentices

certificates debacle it disclosed to SalonFocus a year ago has now been resolved.

Alan Goldsbro, chief executive of the government-appointed standards setting body for the hair, beauty, nails and spa sectors, highlighted a 45 per cent discrepancy at the time between the number of completion certificates issued and the number of apprentices completing their frameworks during 2005-06.

He said this meant salon owners were at risk of losing out on a valuable stream of new staff because many prospective job candidates did not have documentary proof of their training (SalonFocus July/August 2009).

Habia said that the Learning and Skills Council had told it that as from last August, the number of applications for completion certificates at Habia, which issues the certificates, now closely matched the number of claims made by learning providers for completion funding.

PAGE 6 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

Sally Salon Services has reassured

customers that their financial data is secure when placing orders after NHF member Victoria Jones, had her debit card compromised the day after making an order on the phone at the supplier’s Burnley store with her Visa debit card.

Card-not-present fraud expert Andrew Goodwill, director of Third Man Group, said the fact the card was compromised a day later could be coincidence. “It could be nothing to do with the company she’s given her card details to.”

Jones, proprietor of Tufties Hair and Beauty Salon in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, claimed she had been told that the Sally store had retained her card details in a book for 30 days which was kept in an office all staff had access to.

Jones said she had been told her order had been forwarded to Sally Express, the online service, without her knowledge, which she felt had left her open to the risk of fraud.

However, Sally told SalonFocus all such details were kept in a safe. Nonetheless, a spokesman said the company had encouraged the NHF member to report her loss to the police and that the company would work with the relevant authorities investigating whether there was any link to the store.

He said most telephone orders were processed “in real time” using a chip and pin terminal and card details were not retained. But on “rare” occasions, a customer’s bank or credit card details were recorded to fulfil a more complex transaction, such as a purchase from

another part of the business. “When this happens they are held in an order book that is locked in a safe on site – a common arrangement among many retailers in the UK.” The spokesman said Sally took the issue of customer confidentiality extremely seriously and it had clear guidance in place for the handling of credit card information that was in line with best practice advice the UK banking industry issued.

“Fortunately incidences of fraud are extremely rare across our entire business and we maintain a vigilant stance using significant company resources to ensure that this remains the case.”

Ian Wright, senior fraud liaison manager at HSBC Merchant Services, said customer card data should be treated the same as cash.

“You would never leave your cashbox open in the staff room. Nor should you leave cardholder data vulnerable. There are significant financial penalties when it has been identified that you have not securely looked after your data, even if you are a small merchant.”

Visa imposed penalties that started at £8,750. “All the major acquirers take this very seriously,” he said.

The Information Commissioners Office said one of the principles of data protection was that personal information must be secure.

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News

Marc Antoni

heads for Perfect 10

Simon Giamattei

Marc Antoni’s salon in fleet, hampshire

The Marc Antoni salon group expects to look at going the “partnership” route once it reaches 10 branches, partner Simon Giamattei, has divulged.

Giamattei said he expected the seventh salon in the Oxfordshire-based group to be open, in Chineham, Hampshire, by the end of this month.

He envisaged a total salon count of about 10 within five years at which point he said the business would need to consider bringing partners in to expand further.

PAGE 8 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

“I prefer the word partnership than franchise. It may be we have people as equal partners in new salons. They could be existing managers in the group who want to go one step further – we are running out of brothers.”

Marc Antoni prides itself on growing its own and invests heavily in its apprentices and ongoing staff training.

The 1,300 sq ft Chineham salon will be managed by Dan Spiller who is currently at the Fleet branch. The new branch will be on a single level and about 300 sq ft larger than other branches although it will follow the existing format apart from a boutiquestyle colour station which will give clients more space.

Marc Antoni’s other salons are in the Berkshire locations of Woodley, Reading, Maidenhead and Bracknell; and Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, which is also the head office.

Giamattei said he and his brothers Marcus, Aaron and Bruno Marc, said Marc Antoni could now probably look at Guildford, Farnham and Farnborough to capitalise on its Hampshire presence. “I’d like to open in Basingstoke town centre if it wasn’t for ridiculous rents,” Giamattei said.

The brothers’ father, Bruno, first opened in Chatham Street, Reading, in 1966. The most recent opening was in Woodley, last year.

Movers &

Groovers

Long advises on

enforcing restrictive covenants Courts will grant injunctions to enforce restrictive covenants where harm to the business has been so great that financial damages would be insufficient, writes NHF Legal Lifeline solicitor Basil Long in the second of a two-part series They are reluctant to grant injunctions because of the restrictions these place on people’s freedom but they could if there is a risk a business could collapse as a result of the breach.

A salon owner who wishes to rely on any restrictions on a former member of staff must have made the ex-employee aware of the covenants before employment is terminated.

It is good practice to remind staff of any restrictive covenants on termination which can deter them from going to a competitor. Time is of the absolute essence when dealing with restrictive covenants and you must not delay in your actions. Failure to act quickly may affect your chances of invoking the restrictions. The first thing to do should you become aware of a potential breach is to immediately confirm they are definitely working in competition, poaching your staff, targeting your customers or using or disclosing confidential information.

You will need to also ascertain that they are doing one or more of these things within the restricted area and time specified in the covenant.

Contact them if it does, explain that you are aware they are in breach, they must immediately cease such behaviour, they are to provide you with a written undertaking that they will not breach the covenant again and you will hold them fully responsible for any loss

www.nhf.info

Sean Hanna links with Barts

Sean Hanna is working with the Barts and The London NHS Trust’s cancer care

division to put together a DVD aimed at helping patients who are facing hair loss from chemotherapy and radiotherapy. His salon team will hold regular wig selection workshops for patients from the hospitals’ catchment area.

Murray’s mint Atherton Cox’s Desmond Murray won 2nd place in the Association Internationale Presse Professionnelle

or damage to business Coiffure Grand Trophy that results.

2009-2010 and Sacha There are two possible Mascolo-Tarbuck, Toni & Guy global creative director, took courses of action if the former employee remains second place. X-Presion, of Spain, was overall winner. in breach. The first, rare course of action, would Folk hair be to apply to court for Avant-garde session stylist, Robert Masciave, of an injunction preventing Metropolis Hairdressing, them from working in styled folk singer Leigh De breach of the covenants.

Vries’ hair for the People’s In most cases where Music Awards. The grand finale was held at Mass in a breach of covenant is Brixton, South London, established, the courts where Leigh went on to win will be more willing to her category. award damages. You will need to be able to quantify the damages you are seeking – it is the damage suffered by your business, and not the benefit to the individual which will be recoverable.

You will therefore need to be able to count up the number of clients or other stylists who have left and what profit they would have brought into your business during the restricted period.

You will not be able to claim for any more than the restricted period because the individual would have been able to go off and set up in competition anyway after that time.

Put this in a letter before taking action to give the former employee the opportunity to settle without having to go to court.

Q’s the word

Q Hair and Beauty won two awards at Chichester Observer Business Awards 2010. The NHF member

salon won the Training & Staff development award and came joint first in the Customer Service Award.

The salon automatically becomes a finalist in the Southern Business Awards

which will be held in Brighton in September.

Straight up

Akin Konizi has been named global brand ambassador for ghd. The former British Hairdresser of the Year

will mentor the new ghd creative team. Konizi is hob international creative director and a former mentor to NHF Inspire.

Former hairdresser Martin Eaton has been appointed managing director of ghd UK and Ireland.

Richest 3 slip

Hairdressing’s wealthiest three have slipped down The Sunday Times Rich List this year. Toni Mascolo and family fell from joint 167th to joint 190th, John Frieda from 362nd to 431st and Vidal Sassoon from 793rd to 923rd. The Mascolos’ wealth, however, increased by £30m to £350m. Frieda and Sassoon stayed level at £150m and £70m respectively.

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 9

News

Apprentice Hair dismissal Clips an expensive mistake Hairdressers top for chat

Hairdressers and barbers scored highest in a league table of the best smalltalkers in a national survey

by ChitChat Bingo. They won 41 per cent of the vote knocking taxi drivers into second place on 19 per cent.

Beauty therapists came fifth on 5 per cent and politicians seventh with just 2 per cent of the vote.

Leave it out

The Institute of Payroll Professionals has found that 38 per cent of workers opted not to take their full holiday leave during the recession last year. It said 81 per cent planned to take all their annual leave in 2010.

Sally education latest

Sally Salon Services has launched a new training prospectus for established, new and returning hair and beauty professionals to update their skills or learn about the latest innovations.

It has 55 courses from which to choose.

Salon owners could be forced to pay “significant” compensation if they dismiss apprentices as a result of the new apprentice national minimum wage (NMW), Croner the NHF’s Legal Lifeline operator, has cautioned.

Apprentices must be paid a minimum of £2.50 per hour from October 1, the first time they have been brought into the NMW structure (SalonFocus May/June 2010).

This might worry small employers who fear they will struggle to meet increased costs of employing apprentices.

It is difficult to dismiss an apprentice during the course of the apprenticeship for something other

On the Fringe

Regis aims for 10

Regis has revealed plans to

open 10 new salons in the year to the end of March.

The company said it was always on the lookout to buy new salons throughout the UK.

Inspiring at 30

Paul Mitchell has launched

than gross misconduct.

Apprentices who continually fail to carry out their duties to the point that they cannot complete their training may be dismissed at lesser risk but occasional neglect of duties will not normally suffice for a dismissal to be deemed fair, regardless of length of service.

Croner warned that dismissing an apprentice unfairly could leave the employer exposed to a claim for compensation for loss of earnings for the full period of the apprenticeship agreement together with a claim for future loss of earnings as a result of the apprentice being prevented from qualifying in their chosen trade.

Mark coray was interviewed on radio 4.

a website to celebrate 30 years of “inspiring fashion”.

It includes quizzes, brand history, videos and a competition to win a trip to Hollywood. Visit www.paulmitchell1980.co.uk.

Winning wigs Trevor Sorbie’s My New Hair charity has approved

and accredited Banbury Postiche as a resourceful wig company dedicated to serving cancer and alopecia sufferers, providing invaluable advice on wig care, maintenance and support.

PAGE 10 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

Fringe magazine called on secretary general Eileen Lawson to write about the mechanics of opening a salon – just one of a huge number of requests for articles and comment from the national, regional, trade press and radio that the NHF has received so far this year.

The NHF has enjoyed record-breaking PR exposure of a new pro-active strategy Lawson put in place two years ago.

Lawson addressed issues such as looking for a property, where to

An employer should take legal advice before dismissing if they feel there are genuine grounds, it said.

It is not normally possible to make an apprentice redundant except when there is a fundamental reorganisation of the business such as a change in business activities which would mean that the apprentice could not continue to learn their chosen trade or if the business ceases trading.

Employers should try as far as practicable to source an alternative placement for the apprentice to limit their loss in the event that a redundancy situation is completely unavoidable.

It is imperative that whatever route is pursued, employers follow a fair process when considering terminating a contract of employment on the grounds of redundancy and advice should be sought from the Legal helpline.

go for advice, how to get a loan and find out about legal and health and safety issues for the Fringe feature.

She recommended Business Link as a good point of contact and advised any budding entrepreneur to attend a local college course.

Lawson also emphasised the unsurpassed support the NHF could provide in keeping members up to date with everything they needed to know to run a successful hairdressing salon.

“Running your own business can bring tremendous rewards – if you do all the necessary homework and take on your venture with

the dedication that is needed, it could be the best thing you’ll ever do,” she wrote.

Mark Coray, vicepresident, in another article for Fringe, told the magazine about treatments he offered, how he motivated staff to sell them, sale methods and loyalty schemes.

Coray was also interviewed on Radio 4’s You and Yours about disability in which he commented on the lack of backwashes with removable chairs for wheelchair users. Other recent PR coups include Hairdressers’ Journal, Vitality, Professional Beauty, The Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman among many others.

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News

Colourstart reckoning day arrives Trichocare Diagnostics was expected to submit a proposal for marketing authorisation of a new Colourstart generic skin allergy-testing product to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

(MHRA) at the end of last month.

The MHRA originally said the home-testing kit was not a medical product but changed this view more than two years ago although the government agency did not object to the product’s continued presence on the market “subject to a confidential understanding between Trichocare and the agency” (SalonFocus, September-October 2008).

SalonFocus understands the new Colourstart product submitted will have slightly more para-phenylenediamine (PPD) than that currently available so that it meets with the parameters the MHRA has set.

The existing product will continue to be available until the authorisation process is complete which could see Colourstart approved for sale through pharmacies as well as continuing to be sold through salons.

The issue of skin testing continues to be highly controversial: the Good Salon Guide (GSG) has taken issue with a survey by home hair colorant company Naturtint which said it had found a “frightening” number of salons were “clueless” about how to perform a skin allergy test.

PAGE 12 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

naturtint said it found 80 per cent of salons were prepared to dye without testing

Naturtint said all 115 salons surveyed were taken from Good Salon Guide (GSG), although GSG director Gareth Penn disputed this.

He said GSG checked whether the salons were GSG- recognised salons.

“We were disappointed to learn that over 5 per cent of the salons contacted and used as part of Naturtint’s press release supporting home hairdressing, are not actually GSG salons….”

The findings claimed to show that 80 per cent of salons questioned were prepared to dye without performing a test and the researcher was able to book an appointment on the same day in 28 per cent of salons.

Only a fifth of the salons surveyed adhered to the correct testing practice, including Charles Worthington and Essensuals, according to the press release Naturtint issued.

Penn pointed out that although Naturtint claimed that 28 per cent of salons surveyed agreed to an appointment on the same day as booking, the researcher never attended the appointment so they could not say whether the

salon would or would not have carried out a skin and scalp test, following a professional consultation.

He stressed the importance the GSG placed on skin and scalp tests, which SalonFocus columnist Beverly C also said was crucial: “Having to insist on a skin test may be a complete bore for the colourist – and can even result in losing the occasional client – but the consequences of not doing so could mean the end of your business.”

Salons should use the opportunity to educate their clients on the importance and the risks, however small, and promote how professional and caring they were, she said.

The Federation’s policy remains that all salons must follow manufacturers’ recommended procedures and to check with insurers before doing anything else.

• Turn to colour special on page 24.

‘Straight up’ – SalonFocus comes up trumps The Cosmetic Toiletries and Perfumery Association (CTPA) believes

SalonFocus may have played a role in ridding the UK of illegal chemical hairstraightening products.

The (CTPA) had claimed some products reaching UK shores contained levels of formaldehyde up to 50 times more than permitted under the European Commission Cosmetics Directive (SalonFocus March/April 2010).

But Hampshire Trading Standards which mounted an investigation revealed it had yet to find evidence although Councillor Ken Thornber, leader of Hampshire County Council, said a product safety notification had been submitted to all UK trading standards authorities and its officers would continue to monitor the issue and take appropriate action where necessary.

“To date we have established no evidence of the supply of non-compliant products and no complaints of adverse reactions from these products have been received.”

Christopher Flower, director general of the CTPA, said he suspected that the industry had collectively been successful in protecting the consumer and that many products had been disposed of.

He told SalonFocus: “I have no hard evidence of this but the publicity plus your own article may have done this.

“Most importantly, we did not have a big media issue over adverse reactions which could have damaged the reputation of both the manufacturing side of the industry as well as hairdressing salons, too.”

No reported adverse reactions in UK consumers must be a success, he said.

Beauty Spots has introduced Lava Shell Massage to its selection of services. The salon claims to be one of the biggest salons in the world, with more than 32 beauty rooms and 45 styling stations. Turn to page 32 to find out more about this treatment.

A study reported in the journal Archives of Dermatology has found that use of tanning salons can be addictive like alcohol or drugs. It found that more than a third of 220 students who used indoor tanning machines met criteria for tanning addiction.

www.nhf.info

Researchers have found yet another use for Botox – as a cure for tennis elbow.

Tehran University of Medical Sciences found it relieved pain in inflamed arm muscles for up to four months.

Fake tan pull-out

The Prince’s Trust has removed its endorsement from fake tan company St Tropez’ “self-esteem” campaign after objections from the PinkStinks parental pressure group. The protestors are worried about the impact of marketing and the media on young girls’ self-esteem.

Make-up bugs

Urban Retreat at Harrods

Sunbeds ‘addictive’

Botox for elbows

A study at Jefferson Medical College in Pennsylvania has highlighted what it says is the risk of trying cosmetics from tester packs at high street beauty counters.

Researchers found every pack they analysed had e.coli contamination.

Science of Beauty The Science Museum held a Science of Beauty event in April looking at how scientist have gained new insights into the behaviour of skin and hair to develop “cosmecuticals” which can change DNA in hair and skin.

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 13

Federation

focus

High profile Rebecca Dickenson, NHF Inspire Manager

Bruce Masefield, Sassoon creative director

Head to head:

Dickenson grills Masefield Rebecca Dickenson, NHF Inspire manager, interviews Bruce Masefield, Sassoon UK creative director, on his new Federation art team mentoring role What are you expecting this next year to entail for yourself and NHF Inspire?

To gel as a team, push the boundaries of our craft and develop the team while learning from them. I expect we will continue to build ourselves into a reputable team. I want members to produce some great images that will represent their skills and give them a sense of achievement and pride.

What are you most looking forward to?

Probably introducing them all to the world of Sassoon – majoring in the techniques that we have from our classic ABC cutting and colouring, through to putting a collection of hair together when we shoot. I’m going to be packing into a year what I’ve learnt in my whole career. I want the team to learn the rules of freedom so that once they understand the rules of Sassoon then they can create anything and adapt as they want.

How will you find working with such an array of varied stylists and personalities?

I’m used to working at different levels to suit everyone’s skills. It’s more about attitude than age – willingness to learn and share is ageless and shows no boundaries.

What are your ambitions for the team?

I hope the team members are inspired to take the Sassoon creative team’s expertise and use that throughout their

PAGE 14 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

careers in a variety of disciplines. I want us all to look back at the end of the year and see that we’ve all learnt something.

How will you look to enhance the skills team members have in their own field?

I believe that when I’m with any hairdresser we can always learn from Photographs courtesy each other. You of TwoTone Design & Dpix photography should take that knowledge and retain it for future use. Sassoon is about sharing, not just teaching, and we’re open to learn from others around us, too. This will enhance the team as a unit.

Will there be any shocks for the team when it comes to adopting certain Sassoon techniques?

Hopefully I’ll give them the eyes of Sassoon – how we look at our work with total awareness of shape, balance and suitability. These areas are of huge importance to us. The team will already be aware of our techniques and looks but we’ll break it down for them and share our vision.

By Rebecca Dickenson My plans for NHF Inspire as new manager is to raise the team’s profile with lots of competitions and photoshoots and getting everyone to complement each other.

We will go to all the hairdressing related events, brainstorm and learn from new mentors Bruce Masefield and the Sassoon UK creative team.

We plan to put on our own photoshoots enabling the team to gain more publicity and get into more magazines.

We are also presenting at the artistic demonstrations at the NHF annual conference in October (see page 16).

My vision is that I would ideally love for the team to become involved in London Fashion Week and the Clothes Show.

Sexy, sultry and sleek The Graphique Noir Collection is the latest dynamite on-trend photoshoot from NHF Inspire, produced under the tutelage of the hob creative team, led

by British Hairdresser of the Year, Akin Konizi, exclusively portrayed in this issue of SalonFocus (turn to page 17-20).

Five of the 10 NHF Inspire members participated in the shoot to create a combination of sexy, sultry looks and sleek finishes, including Kayleigh Louise Nicholas, from CF40

Experience, Tonypandy, Mid Glamorgan; Katy Grimshaw, Celeste Arnold, Rossendale, Lancashire; Colin McAndrew, Medusa Hairdressing, Edinburgh; Matthew Guy Sutcliffe, Westrow Hairdressing, Leeds and Gary Hunter, Frances Hunter Hair & Beauty.

Konizi said: “We’re bringing in strong, graphic, hard hair cuts with an attitude that also blend a softer more romantic element.”

The black and white effect helped to juxtapose the hard and soft lines of the styling. “This is going to be everywhere this season,” he said.

www.photodab.co.uk

Peter prosser’s entry was the overall winner

The north east area competition winners

Volcano prompts North East jury switch The odds were stacked against this year’s North East Area competitions at the Marton Hotel and County Club with ill-fortune threatening to leave the hairdressing fixture without a jury Two of the jury members who were flying in from Northern Ireland cancelled because of the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökul and a third pulled out because of illness.

Mark Coray, NHF vicepresident, Wendy Cummins, owner of Quiffys, in Eastleigh, Hampshire, and Cheryl Swarbrick, Blackpool branch president, came to the rescue and took over the judging to ensure a highly successful occasion with 350 visitors and the attendance of Team GB which ran its own eliminator competitions alongside.

Team GB ran 12 competitions and president Harry Walker presented the winners with Gold Medals.

The North East winners were Bianca Grey, from Grey International, Airdrie, Scotland – ladies, Christian Howley of Taylors & Co, Brighouse, Yorkshire – Gent’s championship and Hannah Claque, from Red Edge, Rosson-Wye – junior ladies.

Price and Howley tops in Blackpool Ben Price, from Robert John, in Bristol and Christian Howley, from Taylor’s & Co in Brighouse, were the stars at this year’s Blackpool International Hairdressing Championships.

Price was overall ladies’ champion and Howley, the men’s.

Six hundred contestants took part over two days in 23 competitions.

www.nhf.info

L-R: Mark Coray, model, Franco Colabella L-R: Mark Coray, Clair McHale, model L-R: Mark Coray, Phillip Parkin, model

Photographic Stylist of the Year

finalist: elizabeth Brierley’s entry

‘Jaw-dropping’ Open The NHF’s British Open Hairdressing Championships proved a challenge to judge with so many “jaw-dropping” entries across the day’s events.

Mark Coray, Stephen Coles, Liz Shipton and Audrey Morgan for the ladies category and Lloyd Griffiths, Graham Smith and Ian Foreman for the gents, finally decided the winners from 153 entries covering the 22 competitions which were held in front of 135 spectators at Cardiff City Stadium on May 16.

Clair McHale, of Wolverhampton salon Broken Butterfly Hair Artists, was among the winners, scooping first place in NHF Bridal Championships 2010.

Christian Howley, from Taylors & Co, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, won the Rae Stuart Youth Award Men’s Manikin Champion and Ben Price, from Robert John Hair Group, in Portishead, won the same award for the ladies.

Steve Clewlow, from The

Alistair

Deacon Coach House, in Tettenhall, won the Wolverhampton, was named ladies’ category Men’s British Champion, and Phillip Parkin, of Hair by Phillip, in Stotfold, Hertfordshire, won the equivalent award for the ladies.

Leanne Willis, from The Venue, in Ashington, Northumberland, and Hanna Clague, from Reds Hair Company, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, won Ladies Fashion Finalist amy on Long Hair and NHF British flower’s enry Fashion Hairdresser of the Year respectively.

Rebecca Dickenson, artistic manager of NHF Inspire, which showcased three models on the day, said: “There were some jawdropping looks and all those who competed should be really proud.”

Linda Cornell, director of competitions, said all the backup personfinalist katie nel made her job “extremely easy” Daviison’s entry because they did “a fantastic job”.

Red Dragon FM attended to help raise funds for its charity, Help a South Wales Child.

Peter Prosser, from Peter Prosser Hairdressing, in Hereford, has been named overall winner of NHF Photographic Stylist of the Year 2010.

Prosser was Men’s category winner and Alistair Deacon, from McIntyres Hairdressing, in Dundee, was Ladies’ category winner The other finalists who were invited to attend the award ceremony at the British Open Hairdressing Championships on May 16, in Cardiff, were Amy Flower, The Industry, Christchurch, Dorset; Elizabeth Brierley, Hair @ Jibe, Carlisle, Cumbria; Katie Davison, Burlesque Hair Company, Newport, Gwent and Neil Curtis, Barnabys, in Highbury, north London.

The NHF was inundated with entries making the judging difficult for NHF vice-president Mark Coray, Essence PR managing director Samantha Grocutt and SalonFocus designer Simon Brown.

Coray said: “The judges were looking for healthy shiny hair with a good, well-posed model. The picture needs to be eye-catching which is what draws your attention to the magazine and makes you want to buy it.”

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 15

News

Dundee

calling The 2010 AGM and Conference at Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa, Dundee, will be dynamic, informative and enjoyable, says Stephanie Munno

A change in NHF hierarchy on Members’ Day, at the October 3 AGM, sees vice-president Mark Coray succeed president Harry Walker.

It was Walker who drove the NHF’s implementation of Strategy for the 21st Century.

Coray is keen to continue this modernisation and he wants to make the organisation more appealing to younger hairdressers.

Walker said: “I am confident that under Mark’s presidency… the way ahead will continue to be there for the benefit of all members.”

Workshops and demos

East of Scotland Area’s “At Home

Evening” on October 2 kicks off the weekend, featuring a Casino Evening and buffet.

The AGM, the next day, will be followed by business workshops, including a programme of three speakers devised to provide a wide-ranging and enlightened view on industry-related topics.

These will include business and finance, fraud, and the Federation’s independent contractor licences and leases.

The business presentations will run in parallel for the first time so delegates can attend all three.

The 30 minute presentations will be repeated three times during the morning session at 11am, 11.35am and 12.10pm.

Ian Wright, HSBC senior fraud liaison manager, is back by popular demand, Amanda Francis, partner at NHF’s accountants Buzzacott and head of the firm’s charity and not-for-profit

PAGE 16 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

team, will discuss business and finance and Valerie Findley, from Woodfines Solicitors, will give a presentation on the Federation’s new and updated licences and leases.

Findlay regularly acts for the NHF on commercial matters and recently advised on the incorporation of the Federation as an Industrial and Provident Society.

She developed the current NHF independent contractor agreements with her commercial property colleague, Marie Findlay, with a view to creating up-to-date, easy-to-use agreements that reflect the working practices of modern hairdressing salons.

Wright’s main role is working with HSBC Merchant Services’ corporate account customers to identify, educate and manage fraud trends.

Francis works with a wide range of charity and not-for-profit clients, providing audit, accounting and advisory services. Her particular interests lie with religious, welfare and service charities. She is the co-author of Charity Accounting and Taxation” which is published by Tottel Publishing.

Members will break for lunch at 1pm and the artistic demonstrations will start at 2.30pm. Members will have an ideal opportunity to see Team GB in training.

Training sessions are generally closed to anyone who is not connected to the team or an official so this is a rare opportunity to get a ringside seat.

Attendees will be treated to a catwalk presentation of models that Team GB have prepared throughout the day.

Wendy Harris, Team GB manager, is keen for anyone wanting to join the team to make themselves known on the day.

From last year’s At Home event, back row (l-r): Julio Garcia, Dody Constantinou; front row: Panicos Lazarou, Ceri Lazarou, Maureen Griffiths, Lloyd Griffiths

Sassoon’s creative team will demonstrate their skills in the afternoon.

So will NHF Inspire, led by new artistic director Rebecca Dickenson. Jon McLeod of Paterson SA, is also on the agenda and will perform for delegates with his artistic team.

You need a ticket to enter the artistic demonstrations so please order as early as possible using the enclosed conference form. The day will end with the President’s Banquet and Ball which takes place in the evening.

Challenging issues

The NHF’s conference committee has worked hard on a programme that will deal with the challenging issues facing the industry that delegates will bring up during the Open Forum the following day, on October 4, after the formal motions. Everyone can attend but only delegates vote.

Delegates’ feedback from last year’s conference means areas of specific interest they raised can be covered in more depth this year.

There will be ample opportunity to network, socialise and enjoy the local facilities as well as the more serious business elements of conference.

INSPIRED Hair: NHF Inspire for Fudge Direction:Â Akin Konizi & the hob creative team Photography: John Rawson Make-up: Lucy Flowers Styling: Jared Green Products: Fudge

GRAPHIQUE

NOIR

www.nhf.info

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 17

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juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 19

PAGE 20 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

Cutting Brief

YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS

SOLVED

Gillian Dowling from Croner, operator of the NHF’s Legal Lifeline, answers your questions I wanted to advertise for a junior stylist but my local Jobcentre Plus would not run the ad on grounds of age discrimination. The wages I am offering would only be suitable for someone in training. Why should I waste everyone’s time by running an ad aimed at a wider audience that would not be interested in the job?

The Jobcentre Plus refusal would have been based on its fear that it could have been seen to have aided an unlawful act if it had run the ad.

This is because age discrimination legislation makes it unlawful to refuse to, or deliberately not, offer employment to a person on the grounds of their age unless “objective justification” can be demonstrated.

You would need to show the ad was “appropriate” and “necessary” to achieve a legitimate business aim.

The problem in your case is the term “junior”, because it indicates you are looking for a young person to apply. This could be considered a deliberate attempt to discourage older applicants.

It is not generally recommended that phrases like “junior” or “senior” are used unless it is to indicate a level of responsibility. However, it remains an area of some uncertainty and while it is possible that the wording here is being used innocently and merely intended to demonstrate the level or status of the job, you may want to consider advertising for a “trainee stylist”. You could state the wage, which would allow all potential applicants to decide for themselves whether they wish to apply. This would significantly reduce discrimination risks.

An argument became heated between two stylists. One, who was sorely provoked, punched the other. The “victim” is insisting I sack her attacker otherwise she will leave and take action against me for constructive dismissal. I do not want to sack anyone. They are both good workers and this was out of character. Can you advise me?

Constructive dismissal arises when an employee resigns and claims that the resignation was as a direct result of a fundamental breach of contract by their employer.

The employer’s breach of contract must be so fundamental that it goes to the very root of the contract.

The employee must also consider the situation to be

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so intolerable that they were left with no alternative but to resign with immediate affect or not too long after the breach occurring otherwise the right to bring a claim could be lost.

It is unlikely that this altercation would amount to a fundamental breach of contract by you as the employer but you do need to consider your actions because you owe a fundamental duty of care to your employees and you need to be seen to have taken this situation seriously and to have thoroughly investigated it.

You may well consider disciplinary action as a result of the investigation and that may, or may not, include dismissing the person who threw the punch.

However, I would doubt a decision not to dismiss the employee who became physical would give rise to a successful constructive dismissal claim if, as you indicate, both parties played an equal part in this process.

I once promised a member of staff that she was first in line to manage any new salons I might open. I have just opened a new branch but I no longer feel she is up to the job and I have promoted someone else. She claims she turned down other offers on the strength of my promise and she is threatening to take action against me. Can she?

She is aggrieved at missing an opportunity to manage a salon and you should consider whether her threats amount to a grievance which would require you to take this individual through your internal grievance procedure.

Your promise to offer a promotion could amount to a contractual provision. The employee could consequently consider breach of this promise a fundamental breach of contract. This could give rise to a constructive dismissal claim if she decided to resign as a result.

There may be further risks associated with your decision if this employee were to allege your decision to promote another person was in any way discriminatory towards her on the grounds of her sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, age, or disability.

She could argue if the promotion was offered to a male, for example, that the process was discriminatory against her on the grounds of her sex and you would then need to prove that this was not the case. This could be difficult if you have failed to follow any kind of procedures with regards to offering the new role.

• This article provides general guidance only. If you have any general queries for Cutting Brief please email sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk. NHF members are entitled to specific advice on the telephone from the Legal Lifeline on 0844 561 8180 but you must quote your membership number. Legal Expenses Insurance can only cover restrictive covenants where NHF standard contracts of employment are used.

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 21

Smart working

making

IT pay

Regis UK embraces information technology (IT) strategies that deliver commercial intelligence and financial returns. Jackie Lang shares the company’s technology methodology

Information technology liberates Regis employees to work smarter

esses for inputting data that have been refined over time to make sure that every team member that uses our system is confident and competent.

Our salons, at a local level, are still required to cash up at the end of each day so that our system can compare the numbers and spot variances.

The salons manage all of their own client information databases and input working hours and attendComputers are inherent to our business processes and we would not be able to function as we do com- ance for our personnel office.

They must update their own inventory systems mercially without them. where necessary and set minimum quantities to Regis was an early adopter of comhelp facilitate our automated inventory management puters in an industry that generally system. resisted them. We have been online for Orders are created from information drawn 15 years and now our automated procdown each day on retail sales and then fed through esses and information pathways are to our distribution warehouse to be compiled into a well advanced. weekly delivery. The orders are verified for anomalies The Coventry office is in continuous before dispatch. computer contact with each of the Lastly, they must back up their computer every day.

Jackie Lang has been 400 salons in the group; this allows us managing director of to draw into head office a rich range The backup is to an external drive and our central data Regis UK since 2008. of data about the way in is kept at multiple geographic sites.

She is responsible which each of our busiEvery team member is given for 450 salons that training either by the IT team or by our Lang’s IT tips: include Regis’s UK nesses is performing daily. branches and Sassoon The data is then compiled regional managers.

• Be clear about what salons in the UK, and we use the reports to Each salon holds a detailed IT supyou need and want Germany and USA. analyse our businesses. port manual but we have a small dedifrom the system.

The information is at our fingertips cated team who run a helpdesk from • Shop around almost instantly thanks to automation.

8.30am to 6pm if anything outside of for suppliers.

The timelines of the data enable us to these parameters goes wrong or they • Read the small print. respond effectively to any variances that simply cannot work through a process.

• Look for the hidden are flagged up.

The team can resolve 95 per cent of costs such as ongoing Each of our business models has a issues over the phone and even take support and upgrades. range of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) it in turns to monitor the phones for such as sales and productivity. outside hours support.

When a salon’s KPIs fall outside of a safe zone or We outsource to an efficient computer engineering tolerated variance then the system alerts us and we company who will go and fix the problem immedican look into the reasons more closely. ately if it is a hardware issue.

The raw data on service and retail sales is detailed IT delivers many efficiencies: the greatest is resource and means that we can analyse any aspect of the management including accounting, payroll, business business we choose alongside standard reports. analysis and stock control. The paper-based systems We are even able to see a big corporate picture and manual processes of the past were a black hole across the group by comparing business formats side for time. With IT efficiencies your bottom line improves by side on the same KPIs. exponentially allowing for greater commercial growth The data also gives you a detailed map of how a and benefiting more employees. range of factors including sales, service choice and Our management reporting is so comprehensive price have worked together over any given time. that the hours, phone time and paper costs required A map of the past allows us to make better plans for to achieve the same thing would be huge. IT does how the future might look, giving us the opportunity give return on investment but all the choices around to shape our business both tactically and strategically. systems and processes should be well considered.

We have bespoke software systems and a healthy Regis UK has a business model that is strongly hardware investment; we have strong IT support supported with IT, liberating its many employees teams and solid training; we have a range of procto work smarter.

PAGE 22 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

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juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 23

COLOUR

The colour

of Autumn Michael Barnes reports on the colours set to take the fashion scene by storm this autumn

A massive image cultural shift has been in evidence recently on the catwalk, in magazines and on the red carpet.

I have noticed a backlash against conspicuous consumption and excessive artificiality because of the recession.

Flaunting decadence no longer seems appropriate and A-listers are jumping on the Fairtrade, ethical and organic bandwagon which cannot be a Michael Barnes is a specialist in bad thing, whatever their motives. bridal hair, long hair and extensions.

Overly artificial ‘do’s are officially at He has styled Keira Knightley an end, which has resulted in sophistiand Lily Cole. Michael Barnes cated and chic looks. Blondes are quite Hairdressing is in Shaftesbury Avenue, in London’s West End. natural pastel colours, reds are warm but subtle, and the whole ethos has moved away from glamour for glamour’s sake to a more natural beauty which accentuates rather than hides natural attributes.

Grecian

Big soft curls, braiding and Grecian twined styles give a rustic, undone, bohemian look that is both attractive and elegant.

Two women who epitomise this Brett Walker is principal stylist and technical director and manager of style for me are Lily Cole and Keira Michael Barnes Hairdressing.

Knightley. I worked with both of them recently on an underwater shoot. It is too simplistic to say they both have an ultra-English look, and that that is what this autumn’s theme is all about, but it is not just that. They always manage to combine natural beauty with sophistication in different ways. Neither of them ever looks too overdone, or artificial. Knightley’s long hair is generally up and back, framing her amazing bone

PAGE 24 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

structure and emphasising the quality of stillness that she has, whereas Cole’s is slightly more dramatic because of the colour, but what she does with it never overwhelms her doll-like features.

She is similar to Helena BonhamCarter in that way, someone I have long wanted to work with.They have a heart-shaped delicate looking face surrounded by masses of striking hair which has become their trademark.

Knightley and Cole’s colours, although wildly different, completely illustrate autumn shades. These colours are the “new naturals” – taking their inspiration from the natural world and from the English countryside, but with an edge of urban sophistication in the pastel hints and the styling to keep them up to date.

Relaxed

Many designers are opting for more relaxed, natural looking styling. The red carpet events like the Baftas and Oscars saw lots of restrained, column dresses and simple forms, rather than the slightly trashier attention-grabbing costumes of last year.

Another fantastic thing about autumn’s lower key tints is how well they work on older people. For stylists, working on grey means that the application will be different but essentially older people suit natural colours anyway. Softer colours are more flattering and these new shades make it less likely that older people will make the mistake of going too dark in their colour change.

Younger people with brighter complexions can wear a wider range of colours, but essentially colours found in nature tend to be more flattering for the skin tone and more easily able to be blended with eye colour and make-up.

Plaits

Plaits and braiding, particularly trendy this season, are fantastic for accentuating texture as well as variations in colour shades. This works extremely successfully with blondes and reds. Loose braids in blonde are ideal for clients wanting a creative, pretty and casual look. Plaits on a red head are slightly more structured and can suit slightly more formal looks.

Keira knightley epitomises the boheMian look

New naturals

If your salon is getting ready for autumn, make sure you are using the new naturals when you do your own shoots. Ask for posters and material from your product company with the new naturals on, and begin talking to your clients about possibly making a change. Thankfully, though, the slavish following of styles and colours just does not happen any more. Victoria Beckham’s bob, Jennifer Aniston’s “Rachel” graduated bob and Princess Diana’s flick were probably the last instances when you could walk down a high street and see three or four of the same hairstyle walking towards you, or when people would come into a salon and ask for a cut by name.

Fashion shows, from Trinny and Susannah’s What Not to Wear to Gok Wan and How to Look Good Naked, whatever you may think of them, have done a great deal to empower the

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public about wearing what suits them and what they want to wear, rather than robotically following fashion even if it was to the detriment of their appearance. This makes our job much easier because it is always difficult to persuade a determined client that a certain colour will not suit them; if the client’s knowledge of their face shape and insight into what will be flattering rather than simply fashionable is greater, it makes it much easier to suggest something more appropriate.

Most of our clients will opt for colours they know suit them. Probably a quarter will come in having seen a particular colour on the runway or in a magazine and ask to have their hair coloured for that season.

These are normally, as you would expect, clients that work within the fashion or style industry anyway and feel they have to show they have noticed what is trendy by physically displaying it.

Long loose

This coppery shade is very trendy for autumn and it is a perfect colour for a chilly winter. It works well with dark winter colours as well as standing out superbly under a grey winter sky.

These are the big loose curls that are everywhere this season – relaxed, bouncy, healthy looking hair with a hint of 40s chic to it that can be dressed up or down for everyday or red carpet.

Spiky blonde hair

Short cuts have a natural affinity with blonde hair, as Twiggy worked out in the 60s. Spiky, textured and characterful cuts work exceptionally well because of the light reflecting qualities of blonde hair. This has peachy tones in it to add warmth and depth to the appearance of the cut.

Straight blonde

Textured strands of colour work really well on straight hair. Toffee and caramel colours have been used here in delicate strands. These colours work well together particularly with the darker tone underneath to build up the contrast.

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 25

COLOUR

Strict on testing When I first started as a hairdresser in Australia One of my big bugbears is colour my first boss was a jumptesting. It is essential and if the client does not have the skin test then they do in-and-swim sort so I had to train myself. not have the colour.

When I came to this I also think that when clients have a skin test they should have it to the level country I invested in of colour that the client is actually going formal training. I took the master colourist and to be using. colour specialist courses Insurance companies will not cover with Goldwell, which you if it is not done correctly and what hairdresser wants a client blowing up does great training. like a balloon in front of them?

Now I have technical If the client is determined to do it knowledge and underthe same day then we simply do every standing to back up single hair in a foil, if they are willing to my practical skills and pay for it and if they are determined. instinct. My colours have My love of colour stems back to my vastly improved since upbringing in Australia and I remember doing the training. Since the vivid greens and blues in my childdoing the course I am a hood of playing in the back yard and lot more inspired. I see Michael Barnes worked with Lily Cole on an underwater shoot the blue sky overhead. things as a challenge Colour has improved so much in twenty I love the fact that colour can change now and I am ambitious about what I years but even so a lot of colourists will a haircut and give it texture and dimen- want to do. have 10 colours that they always use sion. Colour gives the hair a holiday.

I loved Perth, where I am from, and they will not broaden their range.

People make sacrifices to get their hair but there is a bit more versatility in It is good to be able to use 100 colours coloured – that is how important it is London. People are prepared to be and interchange them, by customising to them. If the colour is right they feel more experimental, they are more the colour for the client. good generally. That is why “break-up cosmopolitan and up for anything.

Thankfully manufacturers are realhair” is such a phenomenon. Changing You can take a ten minute journey ising less ammonia and fewer chemicals hair colour is a gesture, across London and you are in a comare a good thing. a new start. pletely different fashion area.

Looking back, I can remember Although I have always It takes a while for “ One lady was fashion to hit Australia. when I was doing 30 perms a day, but loved colour, it did not now colouring has taken over. The occur to me for a long You can drive for four determined next big thing to hit hairdressing will time to specialise in it. I hours and still be in the to use her be a shampoo that quickly changes learnt to cut, and then to same place. In Australia, the structure of the hair, from curly to do colour, but I became because of the weather, supermarket straight and back again. known for colour. Many there are lots of blondes. shampoo…

Upkeep afterwards is vital but I do of my customers do not I find that most European I sent her to come across the situation fairly regularly even realise I can cut. The hairdressers do not do where the client thinks I am telling them more I got experience in buy it to prove good blondes. to use a particular shampoo because colour, the more I loved it.

For a bit of grey it wasn’t about coverage you can put she thinks I get commission on it. commission.”

I finished up with one lady who was a true semi on the hair determined to use her supermarket that requires no mixing. shampoo rather than the one I recomI would say that there is only five per mended. I sent her down the road to cent of clients that have not got colanother salon to buy it, just to prove oured hair and whom you therefore that I genuinely wanted her colour to do not have to pre-treat. Otherwise last and it was not about commission. you are going to get uneven colour Happily, she buys the shampoo from results that are darker than in the me now. colour consultation.

By Brett Walker

PAGE 26 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

IMPORTANT NOTICE Honorary Treasurer

To vote for your candidate please use the ballot paper which has been printed on the reverse of the cover sheet used to mail this issue of SalonFocus.

Only original ballot papers will be counted.

Only one vote per membership – Salon, Group, Solo and Honorary Members.

Not to be missed in your next issue of SalonFocus:

• Designing a salon • The pros and cons of staff uniform • Spinal care in the salon To advertise please contact Tricia Mcdougall t: +44 (0) 1536 747333 f: +44 (0) 1536 746565 e: tricia.mcdougall@mainlinemedia.co.uk Ad deadline for Sept/Oct Issue Friday 30th July, 2010

www.nhf.info

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 27

EDUCATION UNPARALLELED

PAGE 28 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

SASSOON.COM

Diploma in Hair and Beauty Studies

From the Beverly C Browns Collection

The

Beverly Column

General election fever is not long behind us and hopefully, by the time you read this, the new government will be well on the way to implementing effective policies to help all of us.

It has got me thinking about the following fairly contentious issues that affect the industry:

National Minimum Wage

Our juniors have a difficult enough time making ends meet so keeping the minimum wage and even increasing it is a must to protect them and other young people. However, in my opinion, it is our responsibility to incentivise them by offering a fair wage, performancerelated bonuses, a structured career path and quality education.

Young assistants and their parents need to be encouraged not to be put off by the minimum wage but to realise the potential of a career in hairdressing from day one. Respecting our younger team staff will pay dividends in the future.

www.nhf.info

CuttheVAT and business rates

It is tough making a profitable business out of hairdressing so a reduction in VAT to 5% would be a fantastic boost.

The business model of a salon is so different to any other conventional small businesses – our wages can top 40%- 50% so making a decent profit is challenging. Yet we are one of the biggest employers in the country.

It would be good if the new government would recognise our contribution to the economy and make adjustments to business rates and VAT to give us a fighting chance.

Skin Testing

Skin allergy testing is essential. Every colour house teaches its importance and I applaud this. Their colouring products are as safe as they possibly can be but any client can be allergic to a chemical or combination of chemicals through no fault of the manufacturer.

It is important to remember that a client can have been absolutely fine for several appointments – even several years – and then unexpectedly develop an allergy, so consistent and regular testing is important.

Any diploma or recognised qualification that introduces Hairdressing icon a student to the Beverly C has twice hair and beauty won the British Hairdresser of the industry has to Year Award and she be welcomed. It was the first female is a great way of hairdresser to be bringing more awarded an MBE. She is a brand young people ambassador for into the industry Goldwell and and encouraging Babyliss, and she is those who would a regular face on TV otherwise go to and in the press. university.

I think we should welcome the new diploma as a step in the right direction in terms of changing the perception of hairdressing as a professional career choice but stay active and focused in recruiting the right people and offering them a great job option.

Any academic course will not take the place of learning the hard way. It is a good foundation, but getting onto the salon floor and grafting is ultimately the only way to become a great hairdresser.

School leavers

I think there are still many salon employers out there keen to take on school leavers with a view to training them but we do lose many of them to university and college because of pressure from society and their families.

There is a lot of flak about school leavers having an increasingly poor work ethic. I am not sure this is necessarily true. Ever since I have been hairdressing there have been lazy, arrogant young people trying to cut it in our industry. But equally there are lots of passionate, enthusiastic, creative and energetic ones too and they are the ones we need to find, recognise, recruit and develop.

Kids want and expect more money than they used to, but we need to help them channel this into hard work and show them the long-term effects of getting stuck in. Educating them and their parents about the opportunities that hairdressing has to offer will help.

juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 29

Music to make tills jingle

Music creates a positive atmosphere, enhances the mood and influences spending behaviour, says Ellis Rich

It has become more important and challenging than ever to attract and retain customers while at the same time keeping staff motivated in these tough economic times. Music helps businesses provide a pleasurable environment, providing a boost both to staff, customers and profits.

Entertainment Media Research

found that 66 per cent of salon staff surveyed believed background music made them feel better and more motivated at work in a project jointly commissioned by PRS for Music and Phonographic Performance Limited.

More than a quarter said they would be less likely to take a sickie if music was played at work and 83 per cent said they were more productive when good background music was played.

Eighty-one per cent of salon clients said they would like to hear music and 77 per cent of those said a salon playing good music was more inviting and 53 per cent said they would recommend a salon that played music they liked.

The survey demonstrates it is essential to pick the right music and tailor it to your specific salon and strike a balance between what clients like and what staff like. They will not always be one and the same.

Do not assume stereotypes – clientele in their 60s and 70s might like Beyonce just as much younger customers and 20-year-olds might like jazz and classical. Ask staff and clients what they like.

It is possible to tailor the music to suit different areas if size permits. Some, for example, have soothing, relaxing music in the washbasin area and then play more lively upbeat music in the styling areas of the salon. It is also important to consider the volume level of music to ensure that customers and staff can communicate effectively and that if you play different music in different areas of it can only be heard in the specific areas for which it was intended.

Variety of music is a key consideration. People can get bored and irritated if they have to listen to the same few songs repeated over the course of the day.

Music does not just have to come from CDs, MP3s and radios. Some salons have installed televisions to

Ellis Rich is chairman of PRS for Music which collects the licence fee on behalf of song writers, composers and publishers. He is a classical and jazz pianist.

PAGE 30 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

Top 10 songs played in hairdressers (Q4 2009)

1. Beat Again, JLS

screen music videos to add to the atmosphere and provide

an added visual element. You 2. Red, could also consider digital servDaniel ices like We7 or Spotify.

Merriweather If you have not tried music you could consider adding

it for extra ambience in your 3. Mama Do, salon. The research even shows Pixie Lott that picking the right music may even lead to customers

recommending your salon to 4. Release, new customers. me Agnes Many research studies across the world have concluded

music can influence desired 5. Sweet Dreams, behavioural responses in Beyonce people in everyday life and, if used correctly, it can be a powerful tool.

6. When Love We have researched this and Takes Over, in one survey found that a third David Guetta of people were willing to pay feat. Kelly Rowland five per cent more for products and services from businesses

that play music and that 7. Paparazzi, playing slower and softer music Lady Ga Ga can encourage customers to stay longer and spend more

money.

8. Said it All, In one survey by academics Take That in a high street bank, classical music made the bank seem

233 per cent more inspira9. I Gotta Feeling, tional and 146 per cent more Black Eyed Peas dynamic or upbeat than when no music was played.

The same researchers found

10. Never diners in a cafeteria were Forget You, prepared to spend more money The Noisettes when background music made the premises seem more upbeat (pop) or upmarket (classical music). Classical music encouraged customers to be prepared to pay 20 per cent more and pop music 16 per cent more.

If you are looking to use background music to positive effect you must consider carefully the type of music for your salon to ensure that the mood and style best fits the desired atmosphere.

Music pays its way and then some – it is indisputable.

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Shore of shell

Lava Shell is the latest hot massage to wash up on British shores, reports Angela Bartlett Lava Shell Massage could be just what you are looking for to add variety to your treatment menu bringing a touch of the exotic South Pacific to your salon.

It is a cost effective treatment with no expensive supplied by Shared Beauty Secrets equipment to heat the shells All clam shells are capable of producing pearls, so an because they are self-heating. attractive display of shells and pearls could do much A “teabag” containing a blend of to enhance your point-of-sale area and encourage minerals and absorptive ingredients, such clients to book a treatment. as sea kelp and algae, is inserted into the shell and sea water is added generating a constant heat for up to an hour.

Benefits This lack of a bulky water tank makes The treatment is a full body massage taking 60-90 this treatment especially useful for smaller minutes to complete. However, the shells could also be incorporated into other treatments; massaging the Angela Bartlett is treatment rooms. chairman of the British This makes for a much more flexible arms and legs in manicure and pedicure procedures Association of Beauty treatment application because the theraor massaging the shoulders during a facial treatment.

Therapy & Cosmetology pist is not tied to the vicinity of a water They can also be incorporated into other types of and the Confederation massage treatments including sports massage, aromaof International Beauty tank, but can move the shells to any treatTherapy & Cosmetology. ment area. therapy and reflexology.

Lava Shell Massage is hailed as a natural colonic therapy because the heat and massage motions in Eco-friendly the abdominal area are said to be excellent for aiding The treatment ticks a lot of eco-friendly boxes. The digestion, acting as a holistic colonic cleanse, as well shells are not harvested. Filipinos eat the meat from as strengthening pelvic floor muscles, releasing emothe clam and discard the shell so this treatment is the tional stress and helping with problems like irritable ultimate in recycling. bowel syndrome and menstrual cramps.

Their self-heating properties means there is no energy consumption which is also good for your electricity bill. Seashells are composed of calcium Practicalities carbonate, the same material found in our bones The temperature should be tested to ensure that it is and teeth which will appeal to clients who want comfortable for the client although, unlike hot stones, a totally natural treatment that is in harmony with the shells do not overheat. their body’s natural elements.

The therapist needs to plan ahead for hot stone massage because the stones can take about an hour to heat through thoroughly. The shells only take five Natural minutes to heat making planning ahead for a heated The shell’s shape makes it a great tool for massage, massage treatment a thing of the past. with a narrow edge along the mouth for targeted Therapists already trained in massage to NVQ level deep work and a smooth rounded surface for even 3 standard can easily be trained to carry out an effecpressure, comfort and long strokes. tive treatment in one day of training so the technique The shell fits easily into the palm of the therapist’s can be quickly added to your service list. hand. They are much lighter than hot stones which The Lava Shell Massage is already available in a make them less strenuous to handle and reduces the selection of the UK’s leading spas and salons. Howstrain on therapists’ hands. ever, it is still new enough to be considered by your The shells are attractive with their distinctive tiger clients as something innovative and exciting. strip and pearlescent sheen. Each highly polished shell’s patterning is individual and they look much more visually inviting than a pile of stones.

PAGE 32 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

EVENTS

Not to be missed‌

10

OCT Cheshire Championships,

NK Theatres, Romiley Forum, Compstall Road, Romiley, Stockport. Call Ian Barrell on 0161 427 6953.

19-20 SEPT Olympia Beauty, at Grand

Hall, Olympia, London. Free trade tickets available from www.olympiabeauty.co.uk.

5-6 JULY Wella Professionals Business Network Event.

Call 01256 490806.

1 AUG 26 SEPT 24 OCT Yorkshire Area Council meeting at 11am, Gomersal Park Hotel.

Contact Phill Cooling on 07816 306305.

16-OCT 18 Salon International, ExCel, London. Tickets now on sale.

Contact the sales team on 020 8652 8268.

20

6-8 NOV

British Hairdressing Business Awards, The Lancaster London, call Dan Eversfield 020 8652 8845.

The World Hairdressing Championships, Mondial

SEPT

27

Coiffure Beaute, Porte de Versailles, Paris. For further details call Stephanie Munno on 01234 834 381.

21

SEPT East Midlands Area has booked Patrick Cameron,

Festival Hall, Kirkby in Ashfield. Call Ivan Blount, 01773 745580.

Wella Professionals Trend

Vision Awards 2010 UK Final.

Call 01256 490806.

3-4 OCT NHF AGM & Conference,

Apex City Quay Hotel, Dundee, Scotland.

Call 0845 345 6500 or 01234 831965.

NOV South of England Championships at the

Novotel Southampton.

Contact Andrea Light on 01794 521849.

22

NOV British Hairdressing Awards, Grosvenor House Hotel, London. Call Dan Eversfield 020 8652 8845.

2011 13March /14 Blackpool Branch International Hairdressing Championships, Blackpool

PHOTO: Supplied by Michael Barnes Hairdressing

NHF EVENTS

Winter Gardens.

Contact Dorothea English on 01253 294760.

OTHERS Please send in your events to the NHF at enquiries@ nhf.info by July 10 to appear in September/October, September 10 to appear in November/December and November 10 to appear in Jan/Feb 2011. Updated events listed on www.nhf.info. juLy/AuG 2010 salonFocus PAGE 33

BACKWASH

XJ8 – NHF1

Stephanie Munno -

a cross trainer

The demands of working at NHF head office require a super-fit team that can handle the rigours of supporting a membership that demands the best – and rightly so.

It is with this in mind that assistant secretary Stephanie Munno got together with colleagues to buy an office cross-trainer which came as a flat-pack.

Several months later after Munno and the team had gathered up the courage to brave Allen key and an assortment of widgets, Tesco issued a recall on a faulty batch.

Munno was gutted to learn the NHF crosstrainer came from said batch although Backwash suspects others in the office may have been secretly relieved.

You see, a rumour had gone round that Munno had devised her own get-fit regime in the hope that a new, healthier team would help colleagues race to the phones quicker when away from their desks.

An insider confided to Backwash: “Now Munno’s the cross trainer. But at least she’s no dumbbell.”

NEC-Factor

Poaching a question

Ex-deputy prime minister John Prescott is a total pro (boxer) when it comes to trying to dodge eggs but he got himself into somewhat of a scramble when he addressed schoolchildren about the perils of global warming recently.

One of them had the temerity to ask him about carbon rationing’s consequences for hair straighteners.

It came a bit too leftfield even for the hardboiled veteran politician and he found himself flummoxed.

Backwash understands the students are none the wiser.

Mr “Two Jags” could, at least, have tried pulling their leggs.

SalonFocus helps you get to know some of the big policy makers in the NHF from the National Executive Council (NEC) Nigel Stiddard What interests you most about hairdressing?

I like people and enjoy talking and, more importantly, I have always been a good listener. I have always enjoyed the interaction with customers who have become friends.

My mother was involved in hairdressing 43 years ago and I could not see myself in a factory. Bristol was big on shoes at the time and that’s the route most of my friends went.

What would you like to achieve?

At 60 I have done most of the things in hairdressing that I have wanted to do. I have become a member of the NEC and now feel it is time to put something back and help younger people grow within the trade. I have always been involved with competitions, as a competitor and later judging and directing which I love. I would like to continue with this and hopefully improve.

What interests do you have outside hairdressing?

My outside interests have always been cars, boats, skittles and, not least, family. I have four daughters, two granddaughters a grandson and my mum is still with me.

PAGE 34 salonFocus juLy/AuG 2010

Would the owner of a Jaguar XJ 8 with the number plate NHF 1 please stand up and be counted.

A colleague found himself stuck behind the vehicle in traffic in north-west London recently.

He waved frenetically out the window shouting out various names of NEC members to test the water but elicited no response.

NHF could conceivably have been the National Housing Federation or even the National Heart Forum which both

share our acronym.

But Backwash is hoping a hairdressing bigwig was the driver of the vehicle.

If you are the owner of NHF 1, please make yourself known.

It’s okay, there’s not an insurance claim involved.

If you have stories for Backwash, send them to the editor at head office or e-mail to sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk putting Editor Backwash in the subject line.

Crash-tyred

Essence PR recently emailed journalists the news that the Habb annual bike ride challenge had raised more than £25,000.

Backwash congratulates all involved for raising so much money for such a worthy cause.

However, the press release attachment kept crashing every time the editor opened it.

We never did get to the bottom of the software glitch and Andrew Don emailed Essence PR managing director, Sam Grocutt expressing his hope that, like the Word document, the bikes did not crash, too.

Back came the reply: “Actually, there were many, many crashes…the roads in Vietnam leave a lot to be desired.”

Have you seen the potholes on British roads lately, Sam?

Audrey Morgan What interests you most about hairdressing?

What interests me most is the passion that we stylists have so that we use our skill on the heads in front of us and realise the difference we make to their lives.

What would like to achieve?

I have been very fortunate through hard work which I have always enjoyed. I have reached almost all the goals I have set myself. Long term, I would love for the general public to understand what shampoo is and what it does to their hair. If I could do something to help this happen, then I would be happy.

What interests do you have outside hairdressing?

I play tennis every day when not working and love every minute. I will continue to do this when I retire, health allowing.

MUSIC CREATES THE RIGHT * ATMOSPHERE. A recent survey revealed that over 80% of customers say that music in salons creates a good atmosphere.

Over half of those surveyed would recommend a salon that plays music over one that doesn’t.

There is no doubt that music is good for business. The simple act of turning music on can make a huge difference to productivity and sales.

CT US CONTA DAY O SAVE T an

c stomers New cu ost verall c o e th e reduc ensing ear’s lic y t s r fi and of their cting us † ta n o c by us’ c o F n ’Salo quoting 095 34 020 75

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PPL can help make music work for you by offering licensing solutions for playing recorded music in public. A PPL music licence will give your business access to literallly millions of songs – all for as little as 16 pence per day.

For more information on how to obtain your PPL music licence** visit ppluk.com or call 020 7534 1054.

To find out more on how music can work for you visit musicworksforyou.com.

ppluk.com *MusicWorks survey of 2000 people, conducted March 2009. ** If you play recorded music in public it is a legal requirement to obtain the correct PPL licence, failure to do so may result in legal action. PPL is different from PRS for Music. PPL collects and distributes money on behalf of record companies and performers whilst PRS for Music collects and distributes money on behalf of songwriters, composers and publishers. Both licences must be obtained to ensure all copyright holders are fairly paid. † If you play recorded music in your business without obtaining a PPL music licence you would normally incur a 50% surcharge on your licensing fee. However, by proactively contacting PPL to declare your music usage and quoting ‘New Business’ this would not be applicable – the equivalent of a 33% saving.

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