Salon Magazine, March/April 2024

SUSTAINABILITY & SERVICE

ENHANCING the salon experience

PRECISION haircutting tips and tricks

HOW TO

do your part for the environment

ACIDIC COLOR GLOSS

FROM THE #1 PROFESSIONAL HAIR BRAND*

COLOR CARE & SHINE REGIMEN

Acidic Color Gloss usage

WHAT?

A revolutionary salon-inspired glossing range that extends color, conditioning and shine.

TECH?

Advanced pH technology + Acidic Shine Complex infuse the hair with shine while maintaining a healthy pH for extended color vibrancy.

WHO?

Clients with demi or permanent color looking to extend color vibrancy and infuse shine and conditioning between salon visits.

BENEFITS?

• Color vibrancy for up to 32 washes*

• Intense, molecular-level shine

• +76% shinier hair**

• Acidic pH formulas seal the cuticle + lock in shine

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March+April 2024

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FEATURE Smart About Sustainability

With increasing awareness around more sustainable beauty practices, we spoke with salon owners who are doing their part for the environment and share their top tips. Plus, we checked in with a few professional beauty manufacturers to learn more about how they’re stepping up their eco-friendly efforts.

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FEATURE All About Experience

“Do the things that you believe in and really get behind them. Don’t do them for the wrong reasons; do them for you because you believe in them.”

— VICTORIA RADFORD, OWNER, RADFORD STUDIO, TORONTO

ON

Improving the in-salon experience for your clients is a great way to take your salon’s success to the next level. We checked in with industry experts for their top tips and ideas on how you and your team can offer fivestar service to help increase revenue, grow and retain clientele and more.

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INSPIRATION

Collections

Pauline McCabe; Tracey Hughes; James Abu-Ulba; Lisa Schoor, Salon Sans Bon Sens, Rush Artistic Team

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CONTESSA GALLERY

Kathleen Kelso

Find out how this Quebecbased hairstylist was inspired by her mother to start a career in the beauty industry. Plus, learn about her journey of entering the Contessa Awards for the first time and how she created her finalist collection.

PAULINE MCCABE, ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, AUSTRALIA

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Editor’s Letter

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LET’S GET DIGITAL

SalonMagazine.ca

Stay in the loop on industry news and Contessa announcements and discover new trends, techniques and inspiration with our latest how-tos and extensive collection archive.

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WHAT’S NEW Hairlines

Learn about this season’s newest product launches in haircare, colour, styling and more. Plus, check out our roundup of trending hairstyles from Spring/ Summer Fashion Week, brush up on your precision haircutting techniques and learn about ways to get creative with the 2024 Pantone Color of the Year.

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BUSINESS Maximizing Your Potential

With the cost of living on the rise, many salon owners and hairstylists have growing concerns about their businesses. We spoke with two industry experts who shared their insights to help grow and manage your revenue.

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PROFILE

Creative Genius

Learn how renowned hairstylist Antoinette Beenders is continuing to push the boundaries of hair. Plus, find out where she garners her inspiration, how she collaborates with others in the industry and more.

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INTERIORS

Leading with Luxury

Take a peek inside this Vancouver-based salon that fuses luxurious design elements with home decor.

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Events + Scoop

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SALON SOURCE

Spring into Education

Looking to grow your skill set this season? We’ve rounded up some of the top upcoming classes led by manufacturers and distributors across the country.

46 SALON SANS BON SENS, MONTREAL

TRACEY HUGHES, TRACEY HUGHES EDUCATION, AUSTRALIA

NEW BONDS. STRONGER HAIR.

KERASILK STRENGTHENING BOND BUILDER

FOR UP TO 20x STRONGER HAIR

Trusted by professionals, transformational by nature, KERASILK’s pioneering haircare, enhanced with Biomimetic Silk, promises a stronger, more beautiful future for your hair.

SALES

PRODUCTION

OFFICE

Strength in Adversity

No matter how many of us try to put on a brave face, it goes without saying that the challenges of the past few years continue to be prevalent in our industry. From ongoing concerns that range from retaining staff to growing clientele to sorting out supply-chain issues, it’s been a time that has tried and tested us in many ways.

Looking ahead, elevating the service experience can reap rewards for both clients and staff. It can help not only cultivate a salon team’s culture but also enable your business to stand out from the competition, build long-lasting loyalty with your existing client base and bring in new guests. In “All About Experience” (page 32), we chatted with experts who provided some easy and thought-provoking ideas on how to take your services to the next level.

Since increasing revenue is top of mind for most business owners, especially in light of inflation and rising costs, we’re breaking down some cost-effective tips in “Maximizing Your Potential” (page 56).

In addition to offering added value and increasing profitability, being more environmentally friendly continues to be a core focus for both beauty pros and consumers. In “Smart About Sustainability” (page 28), we checked in with Canadian salon owners who are paving the way for ecological alternatives.

Sustainability is on many of our minds, including here at Salon. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve decided to do our part to eliminate single-use plastics by reducing our use of polybags for our print issues (you’ll notice that we’ve also redesigned our cover to help accommodate this change). While sustainability may seem like an overwhelming initiative, just remember that every little bit helps. No one is perfect, but doing your part—in whatever capacity you can—is a victory in itself.

In fact, we want to help celebrate your eco-friendly accomplishments at the Contessa Awards with our new Sustainability category, which is designed to recognize salons in their efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. More details are coming soon! And in case you missed it, we’ve announced the date for our 36th annual Contessa Awards gala: Sunday, November 10, 2024. Mark those calendars now for the biggest night in Canadian professional beauty. Entries will open in May, and the deadline is September 4, 2024.

No matter what you may feel challenged by today, just remember that you’re not alone. Stay the course and don’t feel discouraged by problems of the past—even if it means getting outside of your comfort zone. Tomorrow is a new day, so seize every opportunity!

Veronica Boodhan Editorial Director

CIRCULATION

CHIEF

Think Big

Get inspired to push the boundaries of creativity with our archive of editorial hair collections featuring dynamic cuts, striking colour placements and more.

#SYTYCS

NEW LOOK

Have you heard? Our “So You Think You Can Style?” photo contest is back with an exciting new change: we’re now accepting entries via Instagram! Details on our next contest and theme are coming soon.

Get Ready to Vote!

It’s almost time to get your game on and vote in Salon’s 13th annual Reader’s Choice Awards! Vote for any (or all) of our 35 categories for a chance to win one of five $100 Visa gift cards.

Hit Subscribe

Stay up to date on industry news, trends, Contessa announcements and more by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.

RED-CARPET READY

With awards season kicking o , check out the trending looks from this year’s red carpets and learn how to recreate them for your clients.

Contessa is Calling

Planning for the 36th annual Contessa Awards is well underway! Stay tuned for our announcements, including rule changes, updates and more.

PHOTOS:

3 WAYS TO PLAY

POWDER, CREAM, OR CLAY ?

Get creative with high-performing Blonde Voyage Lighteners for every client and technique.

ADD SPRING TO YOUR STEP WITH NEW LAUNCHES IN COLOUR, STYLING, CARE AND MORE.

From monochromatic looks to vibrant pops of colour, the Vortex collection—from the Van Michael Salon team in collaboration with Aveda— showcases the beauty of editorial and avant-garde hairstyling to create looks ranging in length, colour, shape and texture. Each one was inspired by the “hues of an unsettled sky” and combines a variety of colours and patterns that reflect both lightning among the clouds and a tornado. The team opted to build each look—ranging from airy and effortless to edgy and layered—from the bottom to the top. This technique—and the collection as a whole—is sure to motivate you and your clients to look around for sources of inspiration and a refreshing shift in perspective this season.

Quick Colour

BERRY COLOURFUL

Goldwell unveils its 2024 Color of the Year!

Give your clients up to 100 per cent grey coverage in just 10 minutes with Koleston Xpress from Wella Professionals.

Available in 13 non-progressive shades in three colour families—neutral, warm and cool—Wella’s new Koleston Xpress allows you to touch up regrowth and provide grey coverage in only 10 minutes. It’s formulated with Control-X Technology, which guarantees that colour will develop without overprocessing. The shades also contain Me+ dye to reduce the risk of developing a new allergy to hair colour, as well as metal purifier to help protect the hair from additional damage from metals where the colour is applied. Ideal for all hair textures, Koleston Xpress allows you to achieve fast and predictable colour results without compromise, making it perfect for a fast add-on or lunchtime colour service. After all, time is money!

With its ongoing partnership with global trend agencies and colour experts, Goldwell has introduced its 2024 Color of the Year: Midnight Berry! The striking shade combines highly saturated purple, hints of ultraviolet and deep blue undertones to create a dimensional, rich and complex shade. According to Angelo Seminara, global ambassador for Goldwell, it’s the perfect shade for selfexpression and inspiration. “Midnight Berry is a shade that embodies the spirit of the modern woman—confident, daring and unapologetically unique,” he says. “Hair colour should be a reflection of one’s individuality, and Midnight Berry o ers endless possibilities for self-expression. It’s a shade that truly stands out in a crowd.”

Caring for Colour

Condition and protect colour-treated hair with Redken’s Acidic Color Gloss.

Looking to protect colour vibrancy while achieving shiny, glass-like results? Redken’s lineup of four new products offers unparalleled colour protection for up to 32 shampoos and 72 hours of shine. The products are made with sulfate-free formulas that feature amino acids and vitamin E, which help hydrate and shield coloured hair from damage caused by hard water and heat styling. The Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo and Conditioner both help to extend colour vibrancy and provide shine that runs deep into the hair at the molecular level. The Activated Glass Gloss Treatment is a professional-quality shine treatment that clients can use at home to achieve hydration and shine in just five minutes. The Heat Protection Treatment is a leavein conditioning spray that offers an acidic pH-balanced formula to lock in shine and protect hair from heat up to 450°F.

A FAMILY LEGACY OF SUPER–NATURAL BEAUTY

The story began with Horst Rechelbacher, a hairstylist from the age of 14, who founded Aveda in 1978 based on his pursuit of wellness and holistic healing methods discovered during his travels to India and the study of Ayurveda. Horst

shared his passion for the healing power of plants with his daughter, Nicole Rechelbacher, and his longtime partner, Kiran Stordalen. In 2008, they launched the world’s first USDA certified organic haircare line –Intelligent Nutrients (I-N).

Focused on science and beauty, they next developed a revolutionary collection of

skincare to soothe sensitive skin and prevent premature aging.

Their desire to lead the beauty industry into a cleaner, safer, earth – conscious future means the meticulous selection of plant derived, clinically proven, active ingredients are always cruelty free and responsibly produced to minimize the impact on the environment.

Their intoxicating, masterfully orchestrated aroma blends are the heart of every product. Each oil is artfully selected to harmonize with the next, providing active properties to cool, calm, protect or preserve. No faux fragrance here.

Pretty Partnership

Schwarzkopf Professional unveils its latest campaign with new global brand ambassador Sofia Vergara!

Schwarzkopf Professional is starting the year off with its new global brand ambassador, Sofia Vergara. Known for her roles in the hit show Modern Family and the newly released Griselda, the actress and producer will lead the brand’s “What Story Will You Tell?” campaign, which aims to inspire consumers to be their true selves and own the story that they want to tell the world. Vergara will help to promote the campaign and its message worldwide, and the partnership will be announced in a television commercial and feature social media and red-carpet collaborations among others. “Hair is a powerful form of selfexpression. Being in the spotlight, confidence is everything and hair plays a big part,” says Vergara.

“For me, becoming Schwarzkopf’s global brand ambassador is not just about endorsing hair products, it’s about collaborating with a brand that shares my vision of embracing and celebrating the power of self-expression and confidence. We both believe in the power of hair and want to empower and inspire other women to take control of their narrative and express themselves through their hair.”

WANTING WARMTH?

Add some sizzle to your colour with Matrix’s Tonal Control blonde, red and violet shades.

With its signature acidic gel-cream formula, Matrix’s Tonal Control is now available in 10 new pre-bonded shades that are ideal for creating this season’s trending looks, ranging from coppers and reds to warm blondes and violets. The new shades include the line’s real-time visible oxidation, which allows the colour to gradually darken as it oxidizes to help you see when it’s time to rinse it out. Plus, there’s colour-coded control that represents the dominant tone of the shade family to assist in predictability. In addition to being used for post-lightening toning and glossing, each shade offers zero-lift colour and lasts up to 24 washes. The new shades include a yellow palette featuring five new hues (8GB, 9W, 9GV, 9G and 9NW), pink palette comprised of four new shades (7R, 8CR, 8C and 9NCV) and one new shade (8VR) in the violet palette. With a total of 31 pre-bonded shades, each has a 20-minute processing time and can be easily applied with a bottle or a bowl and brush for even distribution and saturation on all hair types.

ROOTED IN CARE

Meet the new and improved Scalp Sync line from Biolage.

PRO TIP ASK YOUR CLIENTS THESE QUESTIONS TO DIAGNOSE THEIR SCALP CONCERNS: CAN WE HAVE A SCALP HEALTH CONVERSATION TODAY? WHAT DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU TOUCH YOUR SCALP? WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR SCALP?

Formulated for all scalp types, including dandruff-prone, dry, sensitive and oily, Biolage’s new and improved Scalp Sync line features six products that will help your clients balance their scalp’s moisture and sebum to optimal levels. Each product is made with glycolic acid, which helps to gently exfoliate the skin and boost moisture, while increasing cell turnover to help remove buildup and dead cells, as well as fermented tea—a powerful combination of antioxidants to reduce irritation and itchiness. The new line includes the Purifying Scalp Concentrate, a gentle rinseoff treatment that exfoliates and clarifies the scalp. The Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is ideal for dandruffprone clients and infused with zinc pyrithione, which helps to eliminate itching, flaking and dandruff. The Calming Shampoo is ideal for clients with dry and sensitive scalps to gently cleanse while providing hydration for more manageable hair. The Clarifying Shampoo is ideal for oily scalps and deeply cleanses and washes away up to 100 per cent of buildup without drying the hair and helps to bring back volume and lift. The Universal Conditioner is a gentle and lightweight conditioner that helps to nourish and condition the hair. Also included in the lineup is the Oil Balancing Serum, which is a leave-in treatment that absorbs excess oil in between washes.

VISIBLE RESULTS IN JUST 30 DAYS*

85% Noticed a thickening effect.

80% Noticed an increase in hair density.

80% Noticed an increase in hair fullness.

Stronger Days Ahead

Renew and reinforce hair bonds with Kerasilk’s Strengthening Bond Builder.

This deep-acting treatment helps to deliver strong results for hair that’s elastic and full of bounce. With its vegan formula containing the brand’s signature Biomimetic Silk+ Technology to help create stronger hair, as well as Bondamide to help build new hydrogen and ionic bonds within the hair structure, the treatment helps to restructure highly damaged hair while preventing up to 98 per cent of hair breakage. Plus, it helps deliver results that are up to 20 times stronger and more resilient while also increasing smoothness.

Blast from the Past

➣

Go behind the scenes of Joico’s 2024 Artistry Collection, led by artistic educator Armineh Damanpak!

Inspired by the nostalgia of the ’90s, Joico artistic educator Armineh Damanpak recently created a collection that highlights the era’s iconic fashion and supermodels while adding her own modern take. Featuring four editorial and commercial looks, including a bold copper French bob, an expensive bronde and a classic updo, the collection incorporates vintage elements while staying fresh and on trend. We caught up with Damanpak to learn more about the collection.

Tell us about some of the techniques you used to create the looks in this collection.

Get Your Game On!

It’s time to level up your product game and cast your vote in Salon’s Reader’s Choice Awards.

The 13th annual Reader’s Choice Awards are back! From April 1 to 15, cast your votes for your favourite brands, products and tools in any (or all!) of our 35 categories (including three brand-new categories: Ammonia-Free Hair Colour, Body Care and Lash Serum) for the chance to win one of five $100 Visa gift cards. Don’t miss out on your chance to “choose your player” and win!

For more information, visit salonmagazine.ca/rca

I used my signature expensive bronde technique, which is one I most commonly use in the salon. I absolutely love livedin looks, and the whole reason why I wanted to showcase this was because

Get to know more about Armineh Damanpak and her new salon on page 56.

of how effortless it is and how polished it looks. This technique is highly visual, with foils strategically placed to achieve pops of lightness and to maintain depth for contouring the face. I tend to focus on babylighting the hairline and brick laying at the back of the head. Slicing is a rare occurrence in this method and, at times, I weave even finer than the traditional babylight to impart a sparkling effect to the hair. I also used my five-point copper technique, where I strategically placed five points on the head to create a star-shaped highlight effect. Feel free

to place these points wherever you desire highlights and lowlights as this technique is meant to be flexible and open to exploration, allowing room for your creativity.

How can some of these looks (and the techniques you’ve used) help build business back into the salon?

While the colours may require less upkeep, the haircut trends this year demand more attention. Styles like bangs and bobs will prompt clients to return sooner. The subtlety in colour choices reduces the need for frequent touch-ups, with the exception of clients with grey coverage. This not only allows for a broader client base but also means less frequent visits, giving you the opportunity to accommodate more clients.

PHOTO: KERASILK, HAIR: ARMINEH DAMANPAK, BEAU SALON, VANCOUVER, B.C., MAKEUP: RACHEL HILTON, WARDROBE STYLING: TRICIA HALL, PHOTOS: ODL AGENCY

DISCOVER MORE–RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

BUILD A REWARDING CAREER GET THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS

SEE STUNNING COLLECTIONS

FIND THE TECHNICAL ADVICE YOU CRAVE

Look on the Bright Side

Help clients brighten their colour this season (and do their part for the environment) with the expansion of Paul Mitchell’s Clean Beauty line and new Color Protect collection.

Did you know Paul Mitchell’s Clean Beauty line is made with a higher percentage of naturally derived ingredients and comes in bio-based packaging? The brand has just announced that it will be expanding the line to include Color Depositing Treatments and Color Protect products. The Color Protect collection includes cruelty-free and environmentally conscious colour-care products for both in-salon visits and at-home use. The line includes the Clean Beauty Blonde Shampoo—a purple shampoo that gently cleanses blonde, highlighted, silver or grey hair while eliminating brassiness. The Clean Beauty Color Protect Shampoo is sulfate-free and cleanses hair while protecting colour. The Clean Beauty Color Protect Conditioner extends colour vibrancy while replenishing the hair. The Clean Beauty Color Protect Leave-In Treatment protects and nourishes the hair while boosting shine.

The Color Depositing Treatments are available in five radiant shades, four jewel tones and a clear Shine Enhancing Treatment Gloss, and contain pomegranate extract and borage oil for tinted and conditioning formulas that help refresh and maintain colour in between salon visits. Plus, they are made with ingredients of 97 per cent natural origin and come in 95 per cent post-consumer recycled aluminum packaging.

Dyson Supersonic r Professional

• Weighs only 325 grams, making it Dyson’s smallest, lightest and most precise styling tool to date.

• Dyson Hyperdymium motor for maximum exposure and even airflow with no hot spots.

Has three airflow settings and four heat modes, including a constant cold shot. Also features LED indicators on the handle and controls placed at thumb’s reach.

Save the Dates for #Contessa2025

Get ready for the 36th annual Contessa Awards!

It’s time to mark your calendars and set those reminders for the biggest night in Canadian professional beauty! The 2025 Contessa Awards gala will be held on Sunday, November 10, 2024, at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.

Entries open in May!

Deadline: September 4, 2024.

NEW THIS YEAR: We’re proud to announce that we’ll be introducing a Sustainability category for salons that are doing their part to reduce, reuse and recycle. More details coming soon!

Stay tuned for our annual Contessa Awards Entry Guide, which will outline all of this year’s rule updates!

Professional hair dryer that’s ergonomically designed in an “r” curve for easier control and comfort.

Powered by the brand’s new streamlined heater, with intelligent heat control that measures and regulates air temperature more than 20 times per second to prevent extreme heat damage. Also provides even temperature when using attachments, a higher temperature for styling, and fast drying with no heat damage.

Includes east and west attachments—Powerful Air Attachment, Pro Concentrator, Gentle Air Attachment, Diffuser, Smoothing Nozzle, WideTooth Comb and Flyaway Attachments—each powered by RFID sensors to automatically adjust to suit all hair types, provide optimal airflow and temperature and save the last used setting to cut down on adjustment time.

OPI

Suga Cookie is a sheer purple glitter from the Paint It and Glaze It collection that’s perfect for clients who just want a “sprinkle” of colour this season.

CND

Chic-A-Delic, from the Across the Mani-Verse collection, is a soft, cool periwinkle with magenta shimmer that’s sure to give your clients an out-ofthis-world look.

Bio Sculpture

Spring is the season of pastels, and Wings of Grace, a soft, powdery violet shade with a touch of indigo, from the Flutter By collection is sure to keep your clients on trend.

Gelish

Spring into colour this season with Very Berry Clean, a purple grape crème shade from the Lace Is More collection.

Perfect for any springtime outing or occasion, Trance the Night Away, from the Lucid Blooms collection, is a purple shimmer shade that’s sure to steal the spotlight.

Catwalk Claws

We’ve rounded up some of our favourite looks from Spring/Summer Fashion Week to inspire you and your clients to add a little colour to your nails this season.

1 The Yuki Beauty Spa team drew inspiration from Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour for the LaQuan Smith show at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) to create a simple yet modern take on the classic French manicure by adding silver chrome.

2 The Yuki Beauty Spa team also created these long, square-shaped nails with a pop of green that featured alternating designs ranging from solid to French manicure for the Bronx and Banco show at NYFW.

3 For the Prabal Gurung show at NYFW, celebrity nail stylist Gina Edwards created a stunning gold French-dip nail look that featured 3-D moulding gel for added texture.

SPOTLIGHT

4 Nail artist Julie Kandalec got creative with how she added colour to the nails seen at the Staud show at NYFW, opting for a “reimagined micro-French manicure” that featured a pop of pastel blue.

5 Kandalec also worked her first Paris Fashion Week with Christian Cowan and created violet nails using CND products that featured clear tips and small gems.

6 For the Helmut Lang show at NYFW, editorial manicurist Jin Soon Choi created a range of looks, from solid but vibrant magenta tips to neutral nails that featured the designer’s name spelled across each nail.

Nails on the Go

Give your clients a quick and easy fix with OPI’s xPRESS/ON press-on nails.

If you or your clients are “pressed” for time but still looking for a professional-quality manicure, OPI’s xPRESS/ON artificial press-on nails may be the solution. Available in 27 di erent styles—including 13 of the brand's beloved shades, such as Alpine Snow, Bubble Bath and Big Apple Red, in di erent shapes and lengths—xPRESS/ON press-on nails are vegan and made to last 14 days and let you give your clients a manicure on the go. Each set includes 30 nails, superhold glue, a cuticle tool and a file and comes in salon-inspired finishes, including holographic shimmers and glazes, and designs like the French manicure.

Artistic Nail Design

Runway Report

GET SET FOR THE SEASON WITH SOME OF THE HOTTEST HAIR TRENDS FROM SPRING/SUMMER 2024 FASHION WEEKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

E ortless Bounce

At Stella McCartney’s Paris Fashion Week show, lead hairstylist Eugene Souleiman worked his magic to create hair looks that celebrated natural beauty. Embracing the models’ natural textures, Souleiman used Moroccanoil’s Frizz Shield Spray to enhance and define waves and curls while maintaining a frizz-free finish. This effortless look aligned perfectly with McCartney’s relaxed yet refined fashion aesthetic for the designer’s latest collection.

Coi ed Cuts

Odete DaSilva took charge of men’s hairstyling for the Coto No Ilor Spring/ Summer show by introducing an element of modern sophistication. To achieve the looks, DaSilva used Goldwell products, such as the brand’s StyleSign Lagoom Jam styling gel, to build volume and texture with high hold in the slicked-back looks. The styles paired well with the overall aesthetic of the designer’s Spring/Summer collection, which suggests a dedication to elevating men’s hairstyling with a touch of glamour and modernity.

Polished Ponies

Under the creative direction of Anthony Turner, sleek, styled looks took the spotlight at Victoria Beckham’s Spring/Summer show. To help prepare the hair, Wella Professionals’ Ultimate Repair hair oil was applied to strands to nourish and protect the health and resilience of the hair before styling with ghd’s Duet Style Professional 2-in-1 Hot Air Styler to achieve the ultra-sleek finish. The minimalistic look complemented the sophistication and polish of Beckham’s fashion vision.

TEXT: SHANICE ROMELUS, PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): INSTAGRAM, MOROCCANOIL, R+CO, DYSON, ORIBE, WELLA PROFESSIONALS, GOLDWELL

Mermaid Waves

At Anna Sui’s show, R+Co co-founder Garren curated a stunning hair display that included mermaid waves—a look synonymous with effortless glamour. Garren used R+Co Bleu products, such as Rebounce—a styling product known for its ability to enhance and redefine natural textures to accentuate and define curls. The collaboration between the brand and Sui showcased a dedication to embracing natural textures and creating dreamy and ethereal vibes on the runway.

Shape Shifter

Mandee Tauber, the lead hairstylist for Dauphinette’s show, created a distinctive and effortlessly chic bedheadinspired look for the runway. To achieve this textured and tousled finish, Oribe’s Maximista Thickening Spray played a crucial role in adding volume and texture to the hair, contributing to the overall undone and relaxed vibe. The collaboration between Dauphinette and Oribe exuded a sense of ease and individuality that aligned well with the designer’s fashion ethos and added a touch of nonchalant charm to the collection.

Sleek and Sharp

Lead hairstylist Jawara, in collaboration with Dyson and Bumble and bumble, brought a distinct and edgy vibe to the Helmut Lang show. Jawara crafted sleek and spiked hairstyles adorned with headbands, creating a unique fusion of polished and rebellious elements. Dyson styling tools were used, including the Corrale hair straightener to create a smooth finish, along with Bumble and bumble styling products, such as the brand’s BB Gel, to create the “wet look” effect. This collaboration was the epitome of Lang’s fashion aesthetic with a touch of boldness and individuality.

The Art of Precision

AS BOBS AND BANGS CONTINUE TO BE ON TREND, WE’VE GOT THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM PRECISION HAIRCUTTING EXPERTS FOR THEIR TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT CUT .

While variations on bobs and bangs come and go, the momentum for these looks is still going strong in the salon. With more clients being inspired by celebrities and social media trends, some are opting for dramatic transformations during their hair appointments.

“A bob is like a crisp white shirt: it never goes out of style,” says Marek Whitechurch, co-owner of Monokrome Salon and Monokrome Education in Montreal. “It’s a go-to haircut that suits a wide range of people because of the fact you can wear a bob long, short or mid-length. It covers all the bases.”

Bob Evolution

According to Daniel Naumovski, coowner of Taz Hair Co. in Toronto and an educator for Goldwell, while bobs continue to be a popular choice among clients, they’ve evolved from blunt styles to layered looks with more dimension.

“Nowadays, bobs aren’t all one length like they used to be,” he says. “A 100 per cent blunt bob isn’t necessarily appealing for the average person, and styling options, such as having a slight level or layer in the hair, add versatility and movement.”

From the classic short blunt bob to the trendy lob to the “French bob”—a 1920s retro take on the one-length bob that sits at the cheekbones—Whitechurch says the cut is evolving yet again.

“Now, we’re going into what we’re calling the ‘Italian bob,’” he says. “It’s a

short bob with bangs that are grown out a lot more. It’s jaw length, really chunky at the ends and neck grazing. It is long enough to put up and looks good with a part.”

All in the Details

No matter what style of bob your client may be interested in, knowing your precision haircutting fundamentals is key

to creating the foundation and shape of the cut.

Since many of the latest bob and bang trends focus on layers, the finer details go a long way when executing these styles. For this reason, Naumovski says it’s important to take horizontal sections from the centre and cut hair where it falls naturally. “Using the best fine sections, you cut right at the same line

“WHEN CLIENTS COME BACK AND THEIR HAIRCUT STILL LOOKS GOOD, THAT’S BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE THAT PRECISE HAIRCUTTING MAKES. IF YOUR SECTIONS ARE DONE PROPERLY AND THE TECHNIQUES AND ANGLES ARE GOOD, THE HAIRCUT WILL GROW OUT AMAZINGLY AND THE CLIENT WILL ADORE YOU FOR THAT.”

— KATIA JANANJI, CO-OWNER OF MONOKROME SALON AND MONOKROME EDUCATION IN

MONTREAL

each time until you reach the occipital. Then you move onto the side so that you incorporate the back into the side. You’re going to be using more of a horizontal radial from the front to the middle back and then again just letting the hair drop where it falls naturally to the desired length.”

Since a client’s hair length and density are important to consider, Katia Jananji, co-owner of Monokrome Salon and Monokrome Education in Montreal, says precision haircutting can help you refine your cut to your client’s face shape and desired style.

“Using precision cutting can help you achieve the same look on different types of hair,” she says. “Whether it’s undercutting, point cutting or slicing or in the styling and finishing, you need to adapt to the hair texture and thickness. I focus a lot on curly hair when I teach because working with natural curls [is a trend right now and newer to a lot of people].”

Tricks of the Trade

Beyond mastering the technical skills, Naumovski says it’s equally important to prioritize your positioning. “If you have a stationary guide, your body is stationary,” he says. “If you have a moving guide, your body moves with every section. There are a lot of things that people might do but don’t know why. I was one of those people for many years in my career—I did a lot of things and didn’t know why I was doing them. Maybe I’d seen them, but I didn’t know the philosophy or theory behind them. To know the theory behind what we’re doing is just as important for a stylist, so education (taking programs and classes) is key—you can’t just watch it on YouTube.”

It goes without saying that, with any technique, practice makes perfect, but

this is especially true when mastering the art of precision haircutting. “It’s all about taking your time and really mastering the craft of precisely getting the shape and really following your guide—putting everything at zero degrees and not really lifting too much or using your fingers,” says Whitechurch. “I come from the classically trained Vidal Sassoon era, so I’m into the really classic way of doing a bob and it’s always cutting through the comb or midsection with your fingers and taking sections and working around the head. It’s about making sure that you really lift up the hair as much as possible, putting the head over to one side and making sure that you’re tapping the hair around the ear so that you can cut a very crisp, clean, straight line.”

Naumovski says that precision cutting is something you really must dedicate time to perfecting. “Practice, practice, practice,” he says. “Your eyes have seen a lot of techniques and styles, but have your hands? Just because you've seen something doesn’t mean you know how to do it, and I think that’s a big misconception for stylists. It involves little tricks, and I think the more stylists do it, the more confident they become.”

PRO TIP SINCE PRECISION HAIRCUTS AND BANGS REQUIRE MAINTENANCE, THEY CAN BE A GREAT WAY TO GET CLIENTS COMING BACK MORE FREQUENTLY FOR TRIMS, WHICH CAN MAXIMIZE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES.

Peach Fuzz

GET INSPIRED BY THE PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR, WITH EXPERT TIPS FROM COLOURISTS ON HOW TO GET CREATIVE WITH THE SHADE THIS SEASON.

As colour trends continue to be centred around warmer tones, it should come as no surprise that Pantone’s Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz, is the quintessential shade that blends together hues of orange, yellow, pink and red.

“To me, Peach Fuzz is warm, soft and sweet,” says Brigitte Castonguay, a Montreal-based colourist and member of Wella’s design team. “We kind of need this softness right now in our everyday lives, and you can use it on almost every client since it suits a lot of people.”

“With hair trends getting warmer, Peach Fuzz makes sense,” adds Tasha Parker, a hairstylist and global Redken artist based in Fredericton, N.B. “It’s not just for blondes, but also for brunettes with really dark, tone-on-tone colour who want to be lighter, brighter and a bit warmer. It’s a great transition for them into spring and summer.”

Taste Test

While some clients may think that a fashion colour like Peach Fuzz won’t work for them or their lifestyle, it’s up to you as the expert to show them the versatility of this trendy shade.

“I think some hairstylists might also be nervous about it because of the paleness and pastel of it,” says Parker. “Once they see how they can adjust it for different people, it’s pretty versatile.”

From all-over colour application and balayage to panelling and peekaboos, there are endless options that can help make this shade more approachable for a range of clientele.

Before deciding on your placement, it’s important to have a thorough consultation with your client to ensure

PRO TIP PEACH FUZZ CAN BE THE PERFECT WAY TO TRANSITION SOME OF YOUR CLIENTS WHO EMBRACED THE COWBOY COPPER TREND IN THE FALL, SINCE THEIR LIGHTENING PROCESS WILL OFTEN RESULT IN A SHADE THAT’S A VARIATION OF THE PANTONE COLOUR.

that you’re both on the same page and also so they can understand the level of commitment and maintenance involved.

“Find visuals and examples of the shade on social media,” says Parker. “A lot of people need to see it to understand what it looks like. Seeing it on coppers, blondes and brunettes helps clients understand the versatility and what it can look like on them.”

Next is determining the shade of Peach Fuzz that’s right for them. While some clients will want to take the plunge and get as close to the Pantone swatch as possible, others will be open to more of an interpretation of the trend.

“For the consultation, I like to focus on the client’s skin tone and eye colour,” says Castonguay. “I look to see if they have more blue or green veins and at their skin’s undertone. I’ll ask them about their wardrobe and what colours they like to wear, their jewelry (if they wear gold, rose gold or silver), if they wear glasses and the colour of their glasses. I’ll ask about anything that’s going to be close to their hair or skin, but I’ll also ask about anything they don’t like, too. Place colour swatches near their faces to show your clients what the colour will look like.”

“Peach Fuzz works for a lot of skin

tones,” adds Parker. “You can always add a bit more pink or peach to it, depending on the skin tone, or you can do different variations of it with champagne or brunette tones for more a bronde effect. It’s pretty versatile with blondes, brunettes and coppers.”

Taking a Bite

Once you’ve determined the right shade and placement, it’s time to apply the colour.

“For really dark or damaged hair, I’ll put it in foils,” says Castonguay. “I’ll go freehand for lighter, natural hair that has the potential to get as light as it needs to.”

While both colourists recommend lightening hair to a level nine or 10 for optimal results, a Peach Fuzz-inspired tone can also be achieved on a level eight.

“For clients who are always lightening their hair, keep them at a level 10, but level nine is also nice because there’s still

“PANTONE IS AN INSPIRATION—IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THE EXACT SAME COLOUR YOU CREATE. IF A CLIENT SHOWS YOU THE COLOUR, LOOK FOR VARIATIONS OF THAT SHADE AND HELP THEM FIND SOMETHING THAT WILL WORK FOR THEM. IT’S MEANT TO BE AN INSPIRATION, NOT A COPYCAT.”

— BRIGITTE CASTONGUAY, COLOURIST AND WELLA DESIGN TEAM MEMBER, MONTREAL

PRO TIP FOR MORE LONGEVITY AND DEPTH, CONSIDER USING A DARKER LEVEL, SUCH AS A LEVEL SIX OR SEVEN, AND ADDING CLEAR TO DILUTE THE TONE FOR A MORE PASTEL RESULT.

a bit of yellow there that will work well with peach,” says Castonguay. “Level eight is still really yellow, so I would pretone first. Working with a level eight is possible, but the result will be darker or warmer.”

“At a level eight, you’ll want to make sure there’s some gold in there to support the end result,” adds Parker. “You’ll want to work with golds, reds, yellows or oranges.”

Next up is maintenance. Parker often recommends that the client come back for a toner or gloss every four to eight

weeks, depending on their lifestyle and how often they shampoo their hair. However, for the first visit, she suggests pre-booking them around the six-week mark.

“The in-between appointments are important in helping them understand how often they’ll need to come back or what they’ll need to do at home to preserve their colour,” says Castonguay. “Some clients hate having to maintain their colour at home with toners, so they prefer to come back to the salon, while others may have a smaller budget and want to be able to maintain it at home themselves with a colour mask.”

“Make sure they’re using a colourprotection shampoo and conditioner,” adds Parker. “Using heat protection is also important since heat styling will fade the colour. Also, wear a hat to protect hair from the sun.”

According to Pantone, Peach Fuzz is a shade that “resonates with compassion, o ers a tactile embrace and e ortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.”

Smart About sustainability

As more of us are looking for ways to do our part for the environment, we connected with salon owners who shared their top eco-friendly tips to inspire you in your own sustainability journeys.

BY ALEAH BALAS

Earth Month is a time that brings about conversations about eco-friendliness and the footprint we have on the environment, both personally and professionally. While the salon industry has historically been known to have a massive impact on the environment, it’s a concern that more salon owners and operators are growing aware of and being active about reducing.

According to Green Circle Salons, the salon industry in Canada and the U.S. generates nearly 900 pounds of waste per minute. With this in mind, more beauty pros are committing to being more environmentally friendly with their salon services and operations.

Knowing Your “Why”

While it is reported that 84 per cent of guests care about a salon’s environmental impact, business owners must also have a personal interest in implementing eco-friendly processes, outside of customer appeal, for them to become long-term commitments.

“I believe in creating a company that is good for the people, good for the earth and good for my well-being,” says Victoria Radford, owner of Radford Studio in Toronto, who’s implemented a checklist of sustainability-focused measures that her and her staff follow to keep the salon accountable to the goals they have set as a team.

“They need to be real alternatives and not just alternatives that present themselves as something that will be good for your marketing,” she says. “They need to be real positives that actually are better for the environment.”

Similarly, Heidi Epp and Aly McRae, coowners of Refinery House in Chilliwack,

B.C., have had an environment-first approach from the onset of their business, which opened eight years ago.

“It’s a mentality of long-term thinking,” says McRae. “What are the things that we need to do for us all to survive—literally and figuratively—for as long as possible, happily and healthily, together?’”

“It’s a shift for us from a model of independence to a model of interdependence,” adds Epp. “For us to have a sustainable model, we have to recognize the way we’re impacting each other. And if we can do that in a way that creates trust and interdependence, then we have a more sustainable model moving forward.”

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Starting Small

For those looking to get started, Francesca Rizzuto of Lineage House in Winnipeg recommends starting simple.

“One of our main things is that everything needs to be unplugged at night. We don’t leave anything plugged in when we leave,” she says. “You would be surprised how much [energy] leaving small appliances or tools plugged in uses.” Starting with smaller, simpler practices like this can be more approachable for business owners looking to dive into sustainability as it requires no capital investment and can save energy and money for the company in both the short and long term.

Epp seconds this, adding that business owners shouldn’t underestimate the power of small changes: “Being mindful of electricity usage, the way your faucets are or the kind of cleaner you’re using are the small steps along the way that get to the long term,” she says. “It’s those small tweaks that shift the direction of our

“THAT’S WHAT DRIVES ME— I BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE DIFFERENT. I BELIEVE IT CAN BE BETTER. AND I’M COMMITTED TO THAT.”

—VICTORIA RADFORD, OWNER, RADFORD STUDIO, TORONTO

businesses and our world.”

While simple measures like this can be a good place to start, continuing to implement larger practices can be both difficult and costly. There are programs available, such as Green Circle Salons, that can make the process much easier to manage waste in your salon. The program is currently used by more than 16,000 members (a.k.a. “waste warriors”) across North America and “empowers salons to offset their emissions and recover up to 95 per cent of their beauty waste.” This waste includes previously unrecoverable materials and hard-to-recycle items like hair clippings, foils, excess hair colour, aerosol cans and colour tubes.

Rizzuto’s salon has incorporated Green Circle’s recycling program and she notes that it often drives client interest within the salon, spurring questions about why materials are being separated and leading to larger conversations about sustainability within their space and the ability to educate customers about the impact of these types of programs.

The Power of Partnership

Looking to your partners can also be a great way to leverage the work and knowledge that is already in place.

“I love collaborating—every single inch of my business is some kind of collaboration,” says Radford. “I love partnering with like-minded people, and then ultimately creating something better than I could ever create on my own.”

Radford and L’Oréal Professionnel are teaming up to create the first eco-salon in Canada. Located in Toronto’s Yorkville Village, Radford’s new salon will utilize the new L’Oréal Water Saver system, which is the company’s latest innovation in water efficiency that saves nearly 70 per cent of the water used at washbasins. The salon will also be implementing low-emitting materials and furniture and a complete LED lighting system throughout the space.

Alongside this, looking for partners outside of the traditional realm can be a great way to leverage the power of collaboration. Before starting Lineage House, Rizzuto discovered Kevin.Murphy had a refill program and was able to help her salon implement this program for its customers.

Since then, the salon has seen a massive uptick in customers purchasing products from the salon and, even better, reported that nearly 90 per cent of clients return regularly to take advantage of the refill program. She notes that even some outside customers participate in the program, which has become an additional revenue driver for them.

The Bottom Line

Being environmentally conscious doesn’t come without a cost, though. Implementing these eco-friendly systems ➤

“IN OUR EXPERIENCE, IT HAS BEEN FINANCIALLY WORTHWHILE TO CREATE THIS BUSINESS MODEL.”

— ALY MCRAE, CO-OWNER, REFINERY HOUSE, CHILLIWACK, B.C.

and practices can have a significant impact on salons’ margins and bottom lines. Radford notes that while customers often aren’t aware of the practices put in place and they aren’t used as a selling feature for her business, they absolutely have an impact on her bottom line.

As a business owner, there is an understanding that some costs will need to be incurred that will impact your margins. However, don’t be afraid to pass some of the cost onto customers by raising rates slightly or implementing an eco-fee to help offset some of the additional costs associated with being sustainable in the salon.

“We call it an e-fee,” says McRae. “How we explain it to staff and clients is that it’s a fee attached to our tickets that [contributes to] the ongoing education and sustainable efforts of the business broadly.”

“This budget is specifically used for and accountable in spending in terms of environmental efforts, as well as education efforts,” adds Epp. “By no means does it cover all of the things that we do—that would be nice—but it helps for sure.”

The Bigger Picture Sustainability is not just eco-friendliness. It also refers to the longevity of the practices in terms

of their lifespan. This could include your employees, materials and even your business itself. One way to do this is through a broader commitment, such as B-Corp Certification.

“We recently recertified for a B Corp,” says McRae. “What that means is we comb through all of the facets

of the business. We’ve been able to demonstrate ways that we creatively impact our communities, our employees and, in fact, the world around us. It also impacts things like ongoing education opportunities, investing in advanced education for our employees and our team, very specifically looking at opportunities for them to increase their skill sets in ways that create sustainability and diverse opportunities for them in the future, both within our company and outside our company.”

B Corp Certification measures a company’s entire social and environmental impact, and those who earn the certification are known to be leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy. It is an extensive process but one that those new to the sustainability space might consider using as a goal for the future.

The Next Step

For true leaders, it’s not just about implementing sustainability practices within their own businesses—it’s about advocating for better industry practices moving forward and bringing others

Environmental Impact

Learn how professional beauty manufacturers are making positive changes to their business practices, packaging and ingredients to care for the planet.

L’Oréal Group

The L’Oréal Group is committed to reducing the use of plastic in its packaging by using recycled materials, reducing intensity of packaging, using materials from renewable sources as much as possible and limiting its single-use packaging with refillable options. By next year, 100 per cent of its plastic packaging will be refillable, rechargeable, recyclable or compostable. The company is also working on its goal of having plastic that’s 100 per cent from recycled or bio-based sources by 2030 (and will reach 50 per cent in 2025).

L’Oréal Professional Products Division has also launched Hairstylists for the Future, a sustainability program to assist its salons and hairstylists in their eco-friendly journeys by helping to improve waste management, reduce water consumption and use renewable energy.

Wella Company

As an update to its commitment to the environment, Wella Company published its first Environmental and Social Impact Report last year for 2022, which recorded key global achievements across its pillars: people, planet and products. For scope one and two in carbon emissions, the company reduced them by 10 per cent and achieved zero waste to landfill in its operations. Wella registered a 5.5 per cent savings in water withdrawn per unit, produced in three of its factories in Mexico, Germany and Thailand. The company also achieved 98.85 per cent of non-animal derived ingredients in its factories and 77 per cent of recyclable, refillable or reusable packaging (with a goal of 100 per cent by 2030).

Green Circle Salons

Green Circle Salons reached an impressive milestone last year, collecting 10 million pounds of beauty waste since the company started in 2009, thanks to its network of more than 16,000 “waste warriors.” In August 2023, the company achieved The Carbon Trust Standard for Zero Waste to Landfill, which means no non-hazardous waste was sent to landfills for incineration without energy recovery. This certification is valid for two years and marks the third time that Green Circle has been recognized. In addition to its recycling programs, Green Circle provides its partners with annual waste diversion certificates, consumer take-back programs, responsible material destruction for expired materials and education on sustainability and waste diversion.

Aveda

In addition to its 100 per cent vegan ingredients, B Corp Certification and other sustainability efforts, Aveda is continuing its mission to care for the world while also finding ways to give back. The company has partnerships with more than 100 global nonprofits and NGOs, which fall into three categories: providing clean and safe drinking water, mission partnerships that address some of the biggest issues faced by our planet and additional partnerships, such as the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for cruelty-free research and Audubon Minnesota and University of Minnesota Bee Squad.

Davines

In addition to its circular approach to sustainability, B Corp Certification and other initiatives to further its commitment to the planet, Davines has partnered with 1% for the Planet, an organization that connects businesses to environmental nonprofit organizations, to put one per cent of every purchase made on the Davines website toward a donation to a charity that’s working on bettering the planet and communities.

Intelligent Nutrients

Founded by renowned hairstylist Horst Rechelbacher—who shared his love for the healing power of plants with his daughter, Nicole, and longtime partner, Kiran Stordalen, who both now co-own the brand—Intelligent Nutrients (I-N) offers active, plant-derived ingredients that are cruelty-free and responsibly produced to minimize its impact on the environment. I-N sources more than 225 plant-based ingredients from around the world, uses biodegradable, biocompatible and plant-based ingredients whenever possible to reduce the toxic burden on the planet and requires that 90 per cent of its ingredient library be comprised of plant-based ingredients, such as butters, waxes, emollients, beads and seed oils. The brand uses 90 per cent post-consumer recycled (PCR) HDPE plastic bottles and 100 per cent PCR paper for its sample pouches, which are also certified by Green-e, a renewable energy program that allows the brand to participate in and purchase wind energy.

Kevin.Murphy

As part of its continued commitment to the environment, Kevin.Murphy has partnered with Reforest’Action, an organization that deals with global environmental issues like global warming and the erosion of biodiversity. Kevin.Murphy has committed to planting 21,000 trees in forests across the United Kingdom as a response to the climate emergency.

along on the journey with them.

As salon owners continue to work towards a more environmentally friendly industry, it’s crucial to remember what they have already accomplished and how far there is to go.

“We can sincerely say, this is something that we started at the outset because of values that Aly and I share,” says Epp. “As we move forward into the next eight to 10 years, we’re going to be challenging the way the industry understands beauty.”

All About

Experience

Whether you’re looking to grow or retain your clientele, it comes down to offering a superior insalon experience. We chatted with industry experts to get their top tips and fresh ideas on how to take your salon service standards to the next level.

BY LAUREN FARRUGIA

With many salons noticing a shift in the number and frequency of bookings for hair and beauty services, there’s no better time than the present to think about ways to enhance the in-salon experience for your clients. Implementing fresh ideas that can range from personalization and promotions to elevating the atmosphere and add-ons can all help with putting your best foot forward and standing out among your competitors.

“Now more than ever, clients are more interested in the experience than they are the price,” says Robert Cass, chief executive officer of Salon Prophets and Spaformation, business coaching

and consulting companies for salons and spas. “It’s the value equation that matters. With the prices of everything going up these days, clients want to know that if they’re spending all of this money, they are also getting a great experience. Salon owners can’t rely on the service standards of the past and they have to respond to the demand of a better experience.”

Bettering the Benefits

Of course, implementing strategies within your salon to increase the client experience may be time consuming and require additional investment or training

for your staff, so it’s natural to question how these can help you in your business.

“There’s much less differentiation within the salon industry in regard to what we all do,” says Peter Mahoney, president of Summit Salon Business Center. “Most of us do it all, from cutting to colouring to styling, and we all provide the same services for the most part. People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it and that comes through the client experience and the salon’s culture.”

“Increasing the salon experience helps the salon as a whole,” he adds. “On a staffing level, it helps the salon owner

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retain more staff and decrease turnover, because the team wants to be a part of a company that offers a great experience and culture. From the financial side of things, it helps the salon and its staff because you can charge a premium rate for what you’re doing, but only by providing a premium service.”

In addition to being able to increase revenue and the cost per service, an elevated client experience can help to increase both loyalty and the retail-toservice ratio. “When we speak to some of our salons, many of them share that when a client has a great experience, they’re more loyal and are more likely to refer their friends, buy retail and rebook, so you’re able to attract and retain those really loyal clients,” says Rich Cullen, lead product designer for Phorest Salon Software. “We did a survey with 1,800 salon guests and asked them about the likelihood of them returning to a salon after a great experience, and 63 per cent said they would tell their friends and family about the salon, which makes sense because people like to chat about a great experience.”

Personalization, Please

Like every appointment, your approach to increasing the service experience should start the moment a guest enters the space, and includes how the person is greeted, the type of consultation they have and the personalization of the overall appointment.

“Writing the client’s name on things is a great way to make them feel like the appointment has been personalized for them,” says Renee Sison, product marketing manager for Vagaro, a business management platform and software for salons and spas, and a former hairstylist. “You can write their name on the mirror before they come in. Or if you make them a coffee, write their name on the paper cup. We even have the option to personalize email and text marketing so when the client receives an email, it will include their name and doesn’t look like a mass email that’s been sent to everyone. That’s a great way to expand the personalization beyond just the appointment.”

Although taking notes during a client’s appointment may seem like a no brainer, try writing down the personal details a client shares with you instead of just technical information related to their service. Consider taking notes of things such as any medications your client may

“IT’S A DIFFERENT CONNECTION THAT YOU CAN GIVE CLIENTS OTHER THAN JUST A HIGHQUALITY SERVICE, AND I THINK IT’S A CONNECTION THAT CLIENTS ARE LOOKING FOR. WE ALL HAVE SO MANY FAKE CONNECTIONS TODAY, WE INTERACT WITH PEOPLE ONLINE AND A MACHINE, BUT BEING AN AUTHENTIC PERSON IS A KEY TO BUILDING A BUSINESS. AS HUMAN BEINGS, WE CRAVE THOSE AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS.”

—PETER MAHONEY, PRESIDENT OF SUMMIT SALON BUSINESS CENTER.

be on, if they have any big life events coming up, their relationship status and even the names of their family or friends. “Through our software, we have a notes section for every client that’s in the database and you can put as much or as little as you want in there,” says Cullen. “Some of our top salons have found really creative ways of filling those notes with key information to make that connection with the client. That way, the next time that client comes in, even if a different staff member is taking care of them, they can mention some of these things to help build rapport with the client and it can be really powerful when it comes to building that trust.”

Another aspect of personalization comes down to how clients are greeted as they walk into the salon. Creating, maintaining and training staff on the right ways to greet your clients can be a make it or break it factor of the guest experience. “I think it’s everything,” says Mahoney. “It’s important to professionally introduce yourself, to welcome the guest and not just say ‘hi, come with me’ but take them back to the chair and do a proper consultation. Be more focused on being interested in the client rather than being interesting. It’s not about you; it’s about them and understanding what they want. When I look at our company and the stylists with

the highest retention rates, they’re not always technically the best at what they do but they’re the best at making those connections.”

It’s also important not to get too comfortable with your clients, no matter how many years they’ve been in your chair. Cass urges owners and stylists to treat every client as if they were new, even if they have been coming to you for years. “A lot of times, we get very familiar with these guests and don’t give them the same greeting or enthusiasm,” he says. “When they walk in, we say “okay, just have a seat and I’ll be with you in 10.” Or you may even delay the appointment because you feel like you can. We have to take an approach of earning a client’s business every time they come in for their appointment. Treat them like a new love all of the time. You can also treat them like a friend, but it has to be like a best friend.”

Well, Well, Wellness

While many clients have considered their hair and beauty services part of their overall wellbeing, it’s been a heightened focus for some since the pandemic. Now, clients are more interested in services that not only make them look good, but also feel good, so it’s important to think about ways that you and your staff can help clients put wellness at the forefront ➤

The Online Experience

The guest experience doesn’t stop when the client walks out of your salon. In today’s day and age, embracing the power of technology and social media can be vital in helping to o er an overall five-star experience.

“If you look back pre-social media, the only way you got the client experience was if you went into that salon. Now, a lot of clients are checking out these salons online first. Oftentimes, that guest experience begins on social media because if they don’t like what they see online, they won’t even go into the salon.”

– PETER MAHONEY, PRESIDENT OF SUMMIT SALON BUSINESS CENTER

“We did a survey on Gen Z clients and asked them how they like to book their appointments and they much prefer to book online or through an app. They shared that calling a salon to book an appointment can be stressful and it may take them longer to find a day and time that works best for them, so online bookings and automated appointment reminders are a must.”

— RICH CULLEN, LEAD PRODUCT DESIGNER FOR PHOREST SALON SOFTWARE

“Having a branded app or website is a great tool to help elevate the experience and professionalism. Clients can download the app and receive appointment reminders. I think [digitizing things like] pricing, online storefronts, appointment bookings etc., and having technology as part of your day to day and business plan is really important.”

– RENEE SISON, PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER FOR

VAGARO AND

A FORMER HAIRSTYLIST

of their appointments.

“I’ve been seeing so many head spas go viral on social media lately and clients are now looking for ways to maintain their hair and scalp health while still getting their colour and styling services done,” says Sison. “Some appointments may have a time constraint. For example, a root touch-up or a highlight may mean you won’t be able to offer another treatment, but I think there are many little things salons can do to improve their overall wellness offerings.”

“If a client is getting a colour service and going lighter, or maybe they have fragile hair to begin with, adding treatments directly into colour products—and letting the client know you’re doing this—helps them get the result that they’re looking for but also helps repair and care for their hair,” she adds. “For example, the salon that I go to has hydraulic shampoo chairs that raise up, so I get to lay flat. When I lean back, the stylist sits behind me and they give me a short scalp massage and it’s such a great experience.”

Although a client may be coming to you for their hair concerns, remembering to take their whole body into consideration can be a great way to offer added value during appointments. “Looking at the condition of the clients’ scalp and skin is a great way to find opportunities for simple treatments while the client is waiting for their colour

PRO TIP

to process or for their service to be done,” says Cass. “If you notice that a client has dry hands, you can give them a short hand massage or treatment that will help their skin. You don’t have to be an aesthetician, but you can take classes where you can learn about hydration or massage techniques. This can also help increase your sales by using products that the salon already sells.”

Try thinking about the time spent in your salon as downtime for your clients. The in-salon experience can be stressful to a client who’s spending hours getting their hair coloured or making a drastic change to their look. Try thinking outside the box for ideas on how to make their time more relaxing, which can include things like offering headphones that play relaxing music or a guided meditation, or even implementing a hot towel service after their hair is washed. These examples not only offer a more holistic approach to wellness but can also provide an element of luxury to the appointment that otherwise wasn’t there.

“One idea that sticks out to me was one I saw at a salon in the U.K.,” says Cullen. “The salon owner had a good understanding of people with body dysmorphia and noticed that a lot of clients had anxiety about seeing themselves in a mirror for a long time, or just didn’t like it. He decided to get rid of the mirrors in a particular section of his salon and replaced them with

WHEN IT COMES TO COMPLIMENTARY SERVICES, SUCH AS SCALP AND HAND MASSAGES OR TREATMENTS, THE KEY IS FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE. MAHONEY SAYS HE LIKES TO OFFER THESE SERVICES COMPLIMENTARY THE FIRST TIME SO THAT THE CLIENT HAS THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THEM. “AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IS TELLING THEM THAT YOU’RE GIVING THEM THIS SERVICE AND EDUCATING THEM ON IT. A DEAL THAT’S NOT COMMUNICATED IS NOT A DEAL, IT’S AN EXPECTATION.”

art made by local artists. The paintings would rotate every month and it was great for the people who didn’t like the idea of sitting in front of themselves for an hour or two. It was a really interesting concept, and people travelled to go to this particular salon because of this offering.”

The Little Things

Adding to (and enhancing) your service offerings are important to maximizing the time spent with clients and ensuring they get the most bang for their buck. However, it’s also important to consider some of the small things you can do to make your clients more comfortable as well as improve the overall service atmosphere.

“If a client is asked how much they spent on an appointment, they’ll be able to give a good idea of how much it was, but that’s not what sticks with them,” says Cullen. “It’s the things that exceed their expectations that stick. Things like walking your client to their car with an umbrella if it’s raining, topping up their parking, making them a complimentary drink and even just asking them what they want and what they like. Have

natural conversations with your clients and ask them for their feedback. The best salons understand what their guests want, and if you implement a change because of something a client suggests, people feel like they’re part of something and that’s key.”

“Music is also great and something simple that you can do to improve the atmosphere within your salon,” adds Mahoney. “However, it has to be done right and work with the image that you want to create and the clients that you want to attract. Culture is everything. Clients can sense when the team isn’t a team, and I think leadership has to make it fun for the staff, making sure that they’re connecting. Having a core set of values and a vision that everyone can rally behind is so big when it comes to the atmosphere of the salon. The clients feel it and sense it.”

As we all know, some clients may be in your salon for upward of three hours for their appointments, and it’s important to put yourself in their shoes.

“At my old salon, we had a binder with local restaurants and coffee shops, and we would ask clients if they wanted us to pick up food for them,” says Sison.

PRO TIP

ACCORDING TO SISON, SOME SALONS HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH OTHER BEAUTY PROS TO INCREASE THEIR WELLNESS OFFERINGS. FOR EXAMPLE, HAVING AN AESTHETICIAN, NAIL TECH, MASSEUSE OR EVEN A NURSE WHO SPECIALIZES IN IV TREATMENTS IS A GREAT WAY TO HELP OTHER PROS EXPAND THEIR CLIENTELE WHILE HELPING YOURS IN THEIR WELLNESS JOURNEY.

“What I’ve seen salons do now is that they have QR codes so the client can order the food and then an assistant will go pick it up for them. That way, the client is paying for the food, but they don’t have to leave the salon with foils in their hair.”

“If a client comes in around their birthday, having a cupcake for them or even just wishing them a happy birthday is such an easy thing to do, but it will bring a smile to their face,” adds Cullen. “Those little things can be really sweet and important to people.”

Reimagine Retail

Gone are the days when stylists were hesitant to share their product recommendations with their clients—or at least they should be! Shifting your mindset and understanding the value in your recommendations can not only help you to increase your success when it comes to in-salon retail, but also add value to your services.

“My number one tip is to drop the words ‘retail’ and ‘product’ and instead focus on education,” says Mahoney. “It has to happen at the start of the appointment, and I like to approach it by asking the client if they’re comfortable with me educating them on everything I’m doing during the service. Most of the time, the client will say yes because you

“A LOT OF CLIENTS HAVE CHANGED THEIR HABITS AND ARE BUDGET CONSCIOUS NOW AND WANT A BETTER EXPERIENCE. IT’S NOT THAT THEY AREN’T WILLING THE SPEND THE MONEY; THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT IT’S BEING WELL SPENT.”

— ROBERT CASS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SALON PROPHETS AND SPAFORMATION

haven’t mentioned a product. Whenever you pick up or use a product, tell the client what you’re using on them and why. Provide them with education and your knowledge and the product will sell itself.”

“There’s a stigma around retail in our industry, which is really unfortunate,” adds Sison. “A lot of stylists have this mindset that their clients won’t purchase what we recommend and sell and don’t want to feel like a used-car salesperson, but we have to switch that mindset.”

Sison encourages stylists and owners to take a prescriptive approach to retail because when you suggest products to the client, you’re helping to solve their individual hair needs and concerns.

“Retail is part of the in-salon experience,” she says. “You greet them, offer a drink, give them a great service and offer retail. If your client has frizzy hair and you recommend a product that will solve that problem, they’ll remember that and it adds to their overall experience.”

Cullen suggests implementing a personalized approach and focusing on the individual client. “The salons that we found to have a really good success rating or really good client experience also have a really strong retail-to-service ratio, around 20 to 25 per cent, which is great,” he says. “This boils down to trust. When they’re having a great experience, they’re having a good conversation with their stylist, and they do listen to those recommendations.”

“There’s NLP [neuro-linguistic programming] training that helps you to understand the different types of people and how they best absorb information,” he adds. “There are visual people who just need to see the product, auditory people who like to listen to what the product has to offer, and kinesthetic people [who may need to try out the product themselves].”

Remember, just as someone would go to the doctor for advice on problems they’re facing with their bodies, clients come to your salon for your stylists’ professional recommendations, experience and solutions to their hair concerns, and those things are priceless. A client may only be in your chair for a short amount of time, and being able to maximize that time to share as much of your knowledge as possible while providing enjoyable and authentic experiences could be the very reason they choose to come back.

CO LLE CTIO NS

March+April

An inspiring selection of hairstyles that will motivate you to take your craft to the next level.

Garnering inspiration from the juxtaposition of nature and technology, this ultra-feminine Australian collection showcases a wide range of shapes and textures with striking colour placement.

HAIR Pauline McCabe, Rock Paper Scissors, Australia COLOUR Jasmin Kidd Montau’t MAKEUP Kylie O’Toole WARDROBE STYLING Rochelle Renwick PHOTOS Andrew O’Toole

Ethereal looks are brought to life in this Australian session collection, inspired by the purity of the alabaster crystal.

HAIR Tracey Hughes, Tracey Hughes Education, Australia MAKEUP Becca Gilmartin & Brooke Clarke WARDROBE STYLING Heather Murray PHOTOS Amber Toms

This black-and-white Canadian collection pays homage to the strength and resilience of women with a range of styles and shapes that are nothing short of spectacular.

CONTESSA 2024 FINALIST, BRITISH COLUMBIA HAIRSTYLIST James Abu-Ulba, Method Education, Langley MAKEUP Ekaterina Ulyanoff WARDROBE STYLING Florence O. Durand PHOTOS Brian Ypperciel

Strong shapes combine with masterful editorial hairstyling techniques to take this Canadian collection to the next level.

CONTESSA 2024 FINALIST, ELITE MASTER HAIRSTYLIST Lisa Schoor, InStages Salon, Winnipeg MAKEUP Liz Olivier WARDROBE STYLING Rod Novoa PHOTOS Anthony Friend

This Canadian salon team demonstrates its editorial hairstyling prowess with a range of soft shapes and eyecatching styles.

CONTESSA 2024 FINALIST, CANADIAN SALON TEAM

Salon Sans Bon Sens, Montreal MAKEUP Ann-FrédéricTremblay

PHOTOS Dominic Lachance

This British salon team’s collection showcases dreamy shapes, styles and techniques that are truly out of this world.

HAIR Rush Artistic Team, U.K. MAKEUP LansLondon WARDROBE STYLING Robert Morrison PHOTOS Jack Eames

Contessa 2024 Winner, Canadian Hairstylist, Nicole Pede, InStyle Salon & Spa, Aylmer, Ont.

Kathleen Kelso

Inspired by her mother’s career as a hairstylist, Kathleen Kelso turned to hairstyling as a passion that has allowed her to express her creativity through hair each and every day.

“Everything related to art has always fascinated me,” she says. “I feel blessed to have clients who give me the chance to express myself.”

All About Growth

As a first-time entrant of the Contessa Awards, the Quebec-based hairstylist says she decided to participate this year because of the personal growth she has seen in herself. “I won [another competition] and it gave me the feeling that anything was possible,” she says. “I did my research on the Contessa Awards

and got chills seeing the creations of these high-level participants. With all of my courage, I decided to go for it. My goal was to promote my art and to carve out a place for myself among the Canadian artists whom I admire.”

Her finalist collection was inspired by the Netflix series Wednesday, a spin-off of the iconic film and TV series The Addams Family. “The character that I love is dark and obscure,” she says. “I was looking to use shadows to create contrast with vibrant colours, which is a signature of mine.”

“To come up with the concept for this collection, I created graphic art, which is a technique that I’ve been developing for several months,” she adds. “To style my looks, I took inspiration from Vidal

Sassoon, architectural hairstyles and waves. For the colour, all the looks were created with an airbrush technique.”

Going All In

If entering the Contessas for the first time wasn’t enough of a challenge, Kelso also decided to create the wardrobe by using a 3-D printing gun. While she says the custom bustier took roughly 50 hours to assemble, it was important for her to be part of as many aspects of the shoot as possible.

“I know that saying the whole process was enjoyable for me would be a little too easy, but it’s true,” she says. “[I was lucky to have a mentor], so I didn’t encounter any major problems with this collection. At first, I was worried about finding the right models, but everything sorted itself out.”

Get Guidance

For her collection, Kelso worked with long-time Contessa photographer Alain Comtois, and was mentored by Quebecbased hairstylist Yves Houde, and says the pair was an extraordinary duo.

“[I took training from Yves in the past] and that fully allowed me to understand the steps to create a solid plan and prepare for a project like this,” she says. “Yves was generous with his knowledge and advice throughout a year-long mentorship, and being able to challenge my ideas with him was really beneficial.”

“[I encourage others to] put their imposter syndrome aside and not let fear [stop you from entering],” she adds. “Get inspiration from your mentors and take it one step at a time.”

Contessa

“I believe that the more we stay connected to the pleasure of creating, the more magic happens.”

Creative Genius

With more than 40 years of industry experience, Antoinette Beenders continues to push the boundaries of hair—and isn’t stopping anytime soon. We had the opportunity to chat with the renowned Dutchborn hairstylist at the Aveda Congress and Contessa Awards, which marked her first time back in Canada in 20 years!

BY VERONICA BOODHAN & SHANICE ROMELUS

Last year was your first time attending the Contessa Awards. What was that experience like for you?

I bump into a lot of Canadian hairdressers all over the world, so it was lovely to see them. I was super proud, like a proud mother seeing all of the Aveda artists there. We had Allen Ruiz up for International Hairstylist. Sayyeda [Mulla] and Noure [Manchakian]—a lot of emerging talent—and, of course, the win [for the John Steinberg Award for Community Service] with the Aveda Institute in Winnipeg, so it was a very special evening for us.

The Contessa Awards are very well recognized internationally. Some U.K. friends of mine have won in the past, and the Contessas come up at other awards shows, too.

As a past judge at the Contessas and other photo-based hair competitions, what would you say that you look for when judging?

I’ve judged the Contessas many times over the years. I love judging hairdressing awards in general because I love looking at the new up-and-coming talent. Awards competitions help bring out that talent.

There was a lot of new talent, which is lovely and refreshing because, over the last several years—globally and not just in Canada—we’ve been seeing a lot of the same names.

Being an award-winning artist myself and as someone who still enters awards, I know what it takes. It takes a lot of dedication, hard work and investment. When people put in that much time, it deserves the same time being judged.

For the Contessas, NAHAs and British Hairdressing Awards—all of the higherend hairdressing awards—I think the judges and level of judging is important. For the winners, it’s a collective of judges all over the world deciding on which ones are the right ones.

Tell us about your role as senior vice-president of global artistry for Aveda and the brand’s biennial event, Congress.

I’m responsible for the inspiration of artists globally but also the artists within the Aveda network. We have more than 50,000 Aveda artists, and I’m such a proud mother because so many of my hair children were on stage, winning awards, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Aveda Congress was created by the brand’s founder, Horst Rechelbacher, as a celebration of the arts. We bring all our top talent from all over the world together for two days of shows. It’s a real treat for our network because they literally see the best artistry that we have. We had Masa Honda from Japan, the brand-new U.K. artistic team, our global artistic team and our North American artistic team, which was led by Allen Ruiz. Then we have individual hairdressers as well, so it’s a real feast for the eyes, from an education and inspiration point of view. We combine that with experience by showcasing our latest innovations and techniques. We also have education and individual workshops. There’s something for people of all different levels, whether they are new to the industry or have been working for 30 years.

Last year, you collaborated with X-presion Creativos. Tell us about that and why collaborating with other artists is important to you.

The collaboration with X-presion was a real natural and organic evolution for me because I’ve worked with them for more than 10 years. We’ve been friends now for many years, even when X-presion wasn’t very well known—we were the first ones to bring X-presion to the stage back in 2012, when they were still young in London.

We both love hair and hair colour, so we started thinking of an idea. I came up with the idea of using a Japanese fashion designer’s looks as inspiration, and a recycled piece of hair from last Congress, and then we added it together and started creating with the new technique on top of it, and that’s how the collection came to life. We had an amazing time! We shot it in Madrid with my team. I’ve got a lot of friends in the fashion industry, so we shot with an incredible fashion director and an incredible fashion photographer, and now it’s winning awards!

Where do you find your creative inspiration?

I get my inspiration from all the people I work with, especially artists from all over the world. We all come into this industry for a reason—we have something we want to give or create— and it’s just so lovely when we all get together and create.

Why is mentorship important to you, and what else needs to be done to help grow the industry?

I’ve been in this game for 40 years plus, so it’s time for the next generation. A lot of the new ones don’t know where to start.

We have to make this industry attractive to the next generation. I come from a generation that used to go to the salon five or six days a week, starting at eight or nine in the morning. Now, it’s a different thing. Some want to work a

PHOTOS: AVEDA, BRITISH HAIRDRESSING AWARDS, PHOTO: HAIR: ANTOINETTE BEENDERS & JORGE CÁNCER, MAKEUP: LOLITA MAKEUP, WARDROBE STYLING: BELEN ANTOLIN, PHOTO: MIGUEL REVERIEGO

couple of days a week or almost want clients to work around the hairdressers. We need to help them see the opportunities. And that’s why the awards are so important: because everyone wants to win an award and be on stage. But what does it take to do that? You have to have a good base to start from. You have to be a great artist, but you can’t just win awards and not do the rest of the work. You won’t get the respect from the

Beenders’ collaboration with X-presion’s Jorge Cáncer earned them the award for International Collection of the Year at the 2023 British Hairdressing Awards.

rest of the industry. It’s a balance of both. If you can make a good living as a hair artist, I think that's also going to help, and maybe we need to expose that a little bit more. I’m not sure if the next generation realizes how much of a good living they can earn, but at the end of the day, it’s not just about the money; it’s about having the passion to do it. It takes a lot of time and hard work, so if your heart’s not in it, you’re not going to survive.

Maximizing Your Potential

As some salon owners and hairstylists continue to struggle with repaying their bills and debt acquired from the pandemic—while also keeping up with inflation—we checked in with two business experts for their financial tips to help get your business back on track.

From rising costs to monetary losses, it comes as no surprise that some salon owners and hairstylists are continuing to face financial challenges in this economy. Staffing continues to be an issue for many salons, along with the changing demands in consumer behaviour that have resulted in an overall decline in beauty services.

“Cash flow is a really big problem right now for a lot of people,” says Celene Dupuis, a hairstylist and business coach and owner of Revamp Salon Company in Saskatoon. “With people trying to catch up with inflation, everybody needs to consider raising their prices now.”

Pricing Problems

While it’s often recommended to consider a price increase on an annual basis, the challenge can be in determining how much of an increase is desirable.

“I think [a majority] of salons just look at their neighbours and what they’re charging and base their prices on that,” says Dupuis. “That’s a dangerous place to be when considering what you want your prices to be because you don’t know their costs for rent and expenses.”

“Don’t just wait until things are in a pinch,” adds Nicole Manzer, a salon coach and owner of Manzer Hair Studio in Toronto. “You can change the amount that you increase your prices from five per cent to 10 per cent. With everything going up right now, it’s totally understandable to increase something by 10 per cent.”

Once you’ve determined your new prices, it can be challenging to communicate the change to your clients. While some salon owners may choose

to not share details about the increase in advance, Manzer says it’s important to take the right approach when communicating these changes.

“Speak very clearly about why you’re increasing your prices,” she says, adding that it can be done through a social media post or by having a sign in the salon.

Crunching the Numbers

Dupuis says that, although business has been tough lately, the biggest gamechanger for her has been a profitable backbar system that calculates and tracks the cost of products, such as hair colour, used in the salon.

“It not only makes pricing clearer for the client and more transparent but also really helps with a lot of the problems that were created by not having systems like that in place,” she says. “Creating a parts-and-labour structure and figuring out what you want to get paid per hour or what your hourly rate would be and then breaking that down into a price and charging accordingly can really make sure that you’re actually charging enough for your time.”

“It’s about knowing your budget,” adds Manzer. “A lot of business owners that I talk to don’t know what a spreadsheet is, so I think it’s really important to have a spreadsheet and know how to use it.”

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

From balancing bill payments on a day-to-day basis to reducing debt to keep businesses afloat, it’s important to monitor all spending habits, no matter how big or

PRO TIP USING SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY, SUCH AS SALONSCALE AND VISH, CAN HELP KEEP TRACK OF YOUR COLOUR AND PRODUCT USAGE, FORMULAS AND MORE TO HELP YOU CRUNCH THE NUMBERS AND DETERMINE WAYS TO CUT COSTS.

small they may seem to be.

Both experts agree that making small sacrifices can add up and lead to major changes in the long run. While finding ways to offset bigger purchases is one

“RE-EVALUATE YOUR SUPPLIES AND LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE MORE ECO-FRIENDLY, WHICH CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS EMAILING RECEIPTS INSTEAD OF PRINTING THEM. ALSO, CONSIDER PURCHASING SUPPLIES LIKE FOILS, IN BULK, CANCELLING UNUSED MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DOING A DEEP DIVE ON THINGS YOU DON’T NEED ANYMORE.”

way to stay on track, being mindful of smaller spending habits can also go a long way. “Be mindful of how much shampoo you’re using, and definitely charge for your add-ons,” says Manzer.

PRO TIP WORKING CLOSELY WITH A SALON COACH CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. THEY CAN HELP CREATE A CUSTOMIZED PLAN THAT’S TAILORED TO YOUR BUSINESS AND ADDRESS YOUR SPECIFIC CONCERNS.

“Offering add-ons like mask treatments and microlights is a really good way of upselling, and they only take five to 10 minutes to get extra revenue.”

“You can’t always just throw in a

—CELENE

DUPUIS, BUSINESS COACH AND SALON OWNER, REVAMP SALON COMPANY, SASKATOON

treatment as a gift to a client,” she adds. “Make sure you charge for those products. Or if your masks are $10, consider raising them to $15. It’s those little increases that can make a big difference.”

The Finer Details

When it comes to attracting new clients and retaining existing ones, prioritizing their experience in the salon from start to finish can go a long way in terms of maximizing revenue.

Manzer says that a few small changes to your salon space can elevate the client experience without having to break the bank.

“A fresh coat of paint always makes a huge difference in the salon,” she says. “Changing the mirrors or small aesthetic items will change the atmosphere and aura. If you’re thinking of renovating but you’re on a budget, try to make very small or key changes. Don’t go and buy everything; buy one impact piece. And sometimes just a really good deep clean makes a huge difference.”

“There’s a difference between being pretty and being profitable,” adds Dupuis. “Renovations are important, but we really need to know our numbers. More than ever, we all know that there are 10 salons on every block, so it’s really about creating masterful moments and enhancing our client experience. If you can confidently say that it’s going to increase your revenue [and retain clients], then I say go ahead with it.”

Leading

Luxury with

In a true collaboration, Vancouver-based hairstylist Armineh Damanpak teamed up with hairstylist and barbershop owner Thom Robins to create Beau Salon, a luxurious and inclusive salon space that they feel has filled a gap within the industry. After knowing each other for nearly a decade, the pair discovered that they share similar business values and design ideas. “We’d been talking about opening a salon for a long time now,” says Damanpak. “One day, we were just hanging out and talking about how we felt like there was something missing in Vancouver when it came to the salon industry. We wanted to create a completely different experience for clients and we really wanted to focus on creating a salon that elevated the client experience.”

Take a look inside this Vancouver-based space that was co-created for an elevated and unique in-salon experience.

BY LAUREN FARRUGIA

“We came across this space and we fell in love with it,” she adds. “So we decided to partner up and now I’m a partner at Thom’s barbershop, and he’s a partner here.”

Elevating the Experience

Damanpak and Robins wanted to create a completely unique space, so they decided to work with an interior designer. “We wanted to create a space and an

experience for our clients that was very high end and luxurious, so we decided to work with Gillian Segal from Gillian Segal Design, who was a longtime client of mine,” says Damanpak. “We really

aligned when it came to our aesthetic. We would show her things that we liked and every time she came back to us with ideas, we always loved them.”

“Thom and I both had a very similar inspiration,” she

adds. “He’s from the U.K., and every time we’ve gone there, the salons have been so aesthetically pleasing. It’s almost like when you walk inside, you forget what’s going on outside. We also visited the 901 Academy in Los Angeles for a class, and I loved the layout they had. There were so many different rooms that it created different environments and atmospheres as you walked through the space.”

A Home Away From Home

During the design process, Damanpak and Robins were aiming to create a luxurious and elevated in-salon experience with an at-home, cozy vibe within the salon. “We wanted it to feel like you were walking into an apartment,” she says. “Our waiting area is separate and quite large, and the salon area

ACCORDING TO DAMANPAK, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE SALON'S DESIGN WAS THE LIGHTING. BY OPTING FOR FUNKY AND UNIQUE LIGHTING FIXTURES, IT BROUGHT MORE CHARACTER INTO THE SPACE WHILE ADDING TO THE SALON'S EXISTING NATURAL LIGHT.

is private. We have a dining room table as well, so when you walk around the space it feels like a home.”

“The reason I wanted to open a salon was to make sure I created a unique space and I feel like we’ve done that,” she adds. “Most people who come in say that they’ve never seen anything like it,

and that’s exactly what we were going for.”

In addition to their cozy décor, vintage accents and mid-century modern lighting, Beau Salon features two outdoor patios with accordion windows that open up, and a bar area. “We went very neutral with the palette because, being

in the salon industry for so long, I’ve always found that in the images I take, the backgrounds are always so messy or busy,” she says. “I wanted to keep the space very light, airy and fresh, and I didn’t want to incorporate too many colours. However, our biggest features are our sink area and colour room. Most of

DETAILS

Opened in 2023

SIZE

1,900 square feet

TEAM 6

BRANDS Joico

Authentic Beauty Concept Kérastase Oribe Thom.

WEBSITE welcometobeau.com

SOCIAL @welcometobeau

the salon is beige and neutral, but then you walk into the colour room and it’s this retro, bright yellow colour. We even have massage chairs and when you lay down, there’s a television above them.”

“All of those little things, in addition to how we treat our clients when they come in, really make an impact and give that five-star hotel feeling,” she adds. “When the space was complete, I was at a loss for words. I’m not a crier but the first day was really emotional for me. Seeing the space and having clients in my chair and in my own space that fully represents who we are was very special to me.”

Inside Phorest’s 2024 Salon Owners Summit

Phorest held its eighth annual Salon Owners Summit, which united more than 600 salon and spa owners, hairstylists and beauty professionals from all over the world, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and more.

When & Where: January 7 to 8, Dublin, Ireland

The event was kicked off by Phorest’s CEO and founder, Ronan Perceval, who took the stage to welcome and thank attendees. He also shared the meaning behind this year’s theme “Elevate” and how the company is hoping to inspire conversations and spark ideas to help attendees and their businesses thrive this year.

To close out the first day of the event, hairstylist, educator and beauty industry expert Geno Stampora gave an inspirational and motivational talk on how to go above and beyond for your clients.

Throughout the event, a range of industry experts, business coaches and motivational speakers took the stage, including researcher David Meade, entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid, and mentalist Keith Barry.

Among the attendees was North Vancouver-based hairstylist and salon owner Dana Lyseng, who was attending the event for a second year in a row.

Day two began with a presentation on old school versus new school leadership by salon mentor Nina Tulio.

Phorest’s chief product officer Patrick Monaghan and the product development team shared tips for elevating the consumer experience and showcased some of Phorest’s new features.

In addition to the stage presentations, the event included workshops that provided insight and business advice on topics ranging from social media and team development to sustainability and financial success.

Phorest’s research manager, Verna Wall, and the brand’s lead product designer, Rich Cullen (pictured) shared success stories from salons and provided insight into business strategies that have been implemented at some of Phorest’s top salons around the world.

| To close out the first day of seminars and workshops, Phorest held a networking drinks reception and a crowdfavourite game of Bingo Loco so attendees could connect and unwind over a night of dancing and fun.

Throughout the two-day event, the company’s leadership team, including their North American president, Barry Quinn, and director of global marketing, Sian Gray, took to the stage to share their remarks and introduce upcoming speakers.

A Recap of Summit Unplugged!

More than 300 salon and spa owners gathered for Summit Salon Business Center (SSBC)’s inaugural Summit Unplugged event.

When & Where: January 28 to 30, Cancun, Mexico

Day two of the event featured on-stage presentations that were kicked off by salon owner, host of SSBC’s SUMM IT UP podcast and the event’s master of ceremonies, Blake Evans, who welcomed the brand’s president and Canadian salon owner, Peter Mahoney, onto the stage for an industry update that featured a trend report, financial findings, best practices and more.

“[The Summit] community is almost like one big salon,” says Mahoney. “We’re all operating under one big belief system and principles and it’s fun to get people together. Our goal was to put together content that’s focused on our community of salon owners and their wellness.”

In addition to the general sessions that were held on stage, attendees had an opportunity to visit three breakout sessions throughout the weekend, each hosted by SSBC salon coaches and leadership trainers, including Haleigh Culverhouse, Araceli Castañeda, Renee Hyderi, Heather Milo, Jacob Rodriguez and Jason Culverhouse, who spoke on a range of topics including imposter syndrome, reaching business goals, and in-salon policies and procedures.

Also in attendance was SSBC’s vice president of business development, Heather Bagby (pictured, right). “We wanted to provide presentations and an event that can help them recharge, take back to their everyday life and slightly acknowledging what we’ve all been through in the last couple of years,” she says.

The event began with an evening welcome reception where attendees got the chance to meet, mix and mingle.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): JUAN CARLOS CARRIOLA, SALON STAFF, SALONCENTRIC, BEAUTYNOVA GROUP, JOHN PAUL MITCHELL SYSTEMS, AMIKA, OLIVIA GARDEN

| Also taking the stage was SSBC’s team leader and coach Derek Reynolds, and their director of brand development, Tim Fisk (pictured, left), who spoke about in-salon culture.

We also had a chance to connect with Glenda Keeping, a Summit salon coach and the owner of Changes Hair Studio in Shelburne, Ont., who brought her salon’s front desk expert, Anisa McCoy.

Iconic Expansion

L’Oréal Canada and its subsidiary, SalonCentric Canada, have announced its acquisition of Icon Salon Systems Canada. Based in Surrey, B.C., Icon Salon Systems was founded in 1995 and serves British Columbia as a full-service professional beauty distributor. This addition will help expand SalonCentric into the province and further solidify its footprint in Canada.

Evolving Education

Olivia Garden is growing its international education team and has announced the addition of four new educators. The new team members include two Canadian hairstylists—Nova Scotiabased salon owner Shawna Jackson and Quebecbased hairstylist François Bou ard—as well as North Carolina-based salon owner Ti any Green and California-based hairstylist Wendy Salgado.

The additional stage presentations were led by a range of SSBC salon coaches, including Jennifer Culverhouse and Dawn Carter who provided attendees insight into burnout and how to navigate its challenges. The brand’s AI solutions architect, Chris Mahoney, discussed how AI is changing how salon owners work. Keynote speaker, author and entrepreneur Nataly Kogan spoke about leadership and happiness, and their social-digital division team lead, Kim Light-Pearson, shared her top social media tips.

The day ended with a beachside dinner and awards ceremony to recognize and celebrate SSBC salons with several awards including Servant Leadership, Passion, Innovation, Accountability, and Sound Financial Practices.

New Leadership

Beautynova Group has appointed Cory Couts as its new president for North America. The Italian company operates in North America under its subsidiary, z.one concept USA, which globally markets brands such as milk_shake, Medavita, Depot, No Inhibition and simply zen. With more than two decades of industry experience, Couts has held leadership roles in professional haircare, ranging from former global president of Kao’s salon division, to senior vice-president of global professional sales for Olaplex. In his new role, Couts will be leading the group’s expansion in North America and will report directly to Beautynova’s CEO, Stefano Banfo.

Moving On Up

Amika has announced that its former president, Chelsea Riggs, has been promoted to CEO and will be leading the business globally. Riggs joined the company in 2010 and has built its distribution by focusing on supporting hairstylists. In her new role, Riggs will be focusing on a “fewer, bigger, and better” strategy and will continue to grow the company and elevate the brand’s vision.

In Memoriam

Angus Mitchell, co-owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems (JPMS), passed away on January 3, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the age of 53. Angus was the only child of Paul Mitchell, the late co-founder of the namesake haircare brand. Following his father’s passing from pancreatic cancer in 1989, Angus inherited his stake in the company and served as a model and spokesperson. “As a hairdresser and co-owner of JPMS, Angus had a deep love of family, community and the beauty industry,” says John Paul DeJoria, co-founder and chairman of JPMS. “Angus was a beloved colleague and an important part of our JPMS family. Angus had a huge heart that impacted countless people who crossed his path.”

Salon Source — EDUCATION

Spring into Education

Looking for opportunities to improve your skill set? We’ve rounded up some of the top upcoming in-person education offered across Canada.

Kevin.Murphy + Color.Now & Then Cut/Color

MARCH 4, 12 TO 7 P.M. (MDT)

International Beauty Services & Supplies, Edmonton, Alta.

Close up with Kelsie McNamara

MARCH 18, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. (MDT)

Plush Salon & Spa, Medicine Hat, Alta.

Gender Neutral Hair Cutting with Darren Jansen (Part 1)

APRIL 8, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. (EDT)

SalonCentric, Mississauga, Ont.

Express Barbering with Danielle Comeau

MARCH 25, 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M. (ADT)

Maritime Beauty Supply, Halifax, N.S.

Spring Glow Up with Francine Allain

• MARCH 25, 1 TO 4 P.M. (ADT)

Maritime Beauty Supply, New Glasgow, N.S.

• APRIL 15, 1 TO 4 P.M. (ADT)

Maritime Beauty Supply, Charlottetown, P.E.I.

• APRIL 22, 1 TO 4 P.M. (ADT)

Maritime Beauty Supply, Moncton, N.B.

Trend Color with Heidi Kenney

APRIL 15, 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M. (ADT)

Maritime Beauty Supply, Halifax, N.S.

Pravana Vivids Creative & Wearable

APRIL 22, 9:30 A.M. TO 3:30 P.M. (PDT) Modern Beauty, Burnaby Principles of Design

MARCH 3 & 4, 9:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. (EDT)

The Artistry Collective, Kingston, Ont.

Design Suitability with Ludo Jan

APRIL 15, 9:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. (EDT) SalonCentric, Mississauga, Ont.

Corrective Color with Jessica McColm

APRIL 22, 9:30 A.M. TO 4 P.M. (ADT) Modern Beauty, Calgary, Alta.

Sebastian Cutting Techniques with Anthony Cole

APRIL 8, 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. (EDT) Wella Studio, Toronto, Ont.

STMNT Trend Shop

• APRIL 15, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. (ADT) Modern Beauty, Edmonton, Alta.

• APRIL 16, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. (ADT) Modern Beauty, Calgary, Alta.

The Art of Waves and Curls with Lauren Wilde

MARCH 10 & 11, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. (EDT) Wella Studio, Toronto, Ont.

Balayage Bootcamp with Maggie Melrose & Zeina El-Sherif

MARCH 10 & 11, 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. (EDT) Modern Beauty, Calgary, Alta.

Cut Craft Trends: Short Haircutting with Zachary Ferguson

MARCH 18, 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. (EDT) Wella Studio, Toronto, Ont.

REPAIR HAIR DAMAGE IN 90 SECONDS*

99% LESS BREAKAGE*

12X SMOOTHER HAIR*

SHINIER HAIR AFTER EACH USE*