Creative HEAD UK September 2023

£4.50 SEPTEMBER 2023

In print•online•everywhere!

BLOCK PARTY

IT'S COLOUR THAT CLIENTS REALLY, REALLY WANT

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, D L O B BOLDER,

BOLDER, BOLDEST BOLDEST

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IA L CR EATIV E HE AD AD VE RT OR

YOUR YOUR COMPLETE COMPLETE GUIDE GUIDE TO TO COLOUR COLOUR BLOCKING BLOCKING FROM FROM WELLA WELLA PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS

(Yes, it’s back. And it’s very good for business!)

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ROCK ROCK THE THE

BLOCK From contrast to monochromatic, highlights to face frame, colour blocking is the trend that’s fuelling the season...

Why choose one colour when you can have two or three?

That’s the mindset that clients are bringing into the salon – and with plenty of multi-tonal inspo pics from the ‘90s. The culprit?

Colour blocking, the viral trend that’s transforming clients’ go-to hair colour with head-turning split dyes, bold placement, peekaboo shades and more. Luckily for you, Wella Professionals is on hand to help.

Don’t be surprised if you see an influx of new colourful requests this autumn. Colour blocking is already ‘a thing’ in creative, self-expressive industries such as fashion, make-up and design, and it’s filtering down to the high street at a rate of knots. From high-contrast shades of blonde to cool combinations of tonal browns, dreamy romantic pastels and optimistic, bright power pops, there’s a vibrant, positive energy about this trend – using colour to reflect or lift mood, with clever combinations and playful geometry conveying a more extroverted, happy feeling. In times of strife (which, let’s be honest, we’ve had plenty of in recent years), we seek joy wherever we can get it, including our hair colour.

And that’s great for you as a hairdresser, because colour blocking requires technique – and the skill and expertise of the pro. The secret to a supreme colour block lies in a combination of precise colour tones carefully selected to help your client feel what’s right for their vibe. Colour blocking is about breaking the boundaries of colour theory and using different colour schemes that you wouldn’t think go together. Sometimes those make for the best outcomes and the coolest contrasts!

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ON ON YOUR YOUR

BLOCKS

Three premium colour blocking services with Koleston Perfect and Shinefinity by Wella Professionals – and how to make them perfect every time!

COLOUR BLOCKI NG FACE FR AM E The perfect first step into colour blocking for clients looking to try the new trend Ideal client: Full head colour or highlights Best product to choose: BlondorPlex and Shinefinity Tools: Wide foils and brush

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COLOUR BLOCKI NG PANE LS

A great way to make a statement is with bold panels of colour that can be either permanent or temporary Ideal client: Full head colour bleach and tone Best product to choose: BlondorPlex, Koleston Perfect and Shinefinity Tools: Extra-wide foils and extra-wide brush

COLOUR BLOCKI NG HIGH LIG HTS

A super-chic take on highlights or balayage

Ideal client: Highlights or balayage Best product to choose: Blondorplex and Koleston Perfect Tools: Extra-wide brush and foils

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SCAN HERE TO SEE THE TECHNIQUES

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From soft, calming pastels to hyper-invigorating, highimpact nocturnal teal blues, the A/W23 colour palette is driven by emotion.

People are looking for a return to a more natural, human-centric way of life, with wellbeing and self-care playing a vital role. Colours inspired by nature and the environment are going to be huge this season, highlighting the need for relaxation and rest but also for rejuvenation – we want to feel energised, driven by a mood of hope. For colourists, it’s all about contrast – opacity versus translucency; tonal versus natural; bright versus dark – all brought about by placement.

A/W23

THE THEOUTLOOK OUTLOOK

IS POSITIVE

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KEEP YOUR COOL Quick techniques plus high-maintenance looks equals the best way to boost your colour business. Koleston Perfect is formulated with dye technology that reduces the risk of developing an allergy. Use the new Koleston Perfect shades in your colour blocking techniques to deliver long-lasting cool tones for up to eight weeks,* a colour finish that lasts longer than ever before!

And you know that damage is one of the biggest client concerns, so have the solution ready for them. By adding new Ultimate Repair Step 3 to the service, you can ensure 99 per cent less breakage and 12-times smoother hair.** It’s the perfect partner for your colour services.

Koleston Perfect’s vegan formula is also dermatologically tested and includes an innovative metal purifier within its ingredients, meaning there’s no need for a pre-treatment to neutralise any nasty metals that can dull your colour work. Driving more frequent salon visits with the bonus of extra retail sales, this is your complete colour service!

NEW!

Shinefinity helps you achieve a long-lasting colour glaze with zero lift and zero damage, staying true-to-tone, even on porous hair. Now the range has been extended into 0/10 levels with three new Flash shades and a 500ml Clear. Use them to create a Flash Glaze service that delivers brilliant shine in five minutes, and with up to 50 per cent softer hair.*** It’s vegan, dermatologically tested and boasts the same metal purifier technology as Koleston Perfect, so that shine won’t be dulled by any pesky metals – it will always have that diamond dazzle. And that new, extra large bottle of Clear? Yes, you can mix it with other shades but it’s a big opportunity to introduce non-colour clients to a gorgeous glaze without them worrying about damage.

NEW!

*

K

Provided hair is washed three times a week, instrumental testing. **After Koleston Perfect colour service, when using Ultimate Repair Step 3, instrumental test versus non-conditioning shampoo. ***Instrumental testing versus regular demi.

Add this to fight damage!

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GET GET TO TO KNOW KNOW

THE TREND Your Colour Blocking 101 from Wella Professionals’ UK & Ireland colour and trends ambassador, Jordanna Cobella

When did the colour blocking trend start?

Jordanna Cobella: “It’s an evolution of the popular ‘money piece’ that gradually got bolder and less blended, into a pop of colour or a statement shade that stands alone as a panel of colour to make any hair colour and style really pop.”

Do you see the trend evolving?

JC: “I really do. Unlike other colour trends in the past few years, colour blocking is super-versatile and will be used to express individuality and identity.

It’s a chance for clients to have fun, experiment with all the different types of looks and personalities at play. It’s so refreshing to see it being used on grey clients too, and super-fun to work with panel sectioning patterns across the head.”

How do you talk to clients about colour blocking?

JC: “It can be introduced in different ways. A bold panel pop at the front could be a nice introduction to a colour change, but a lower commitment as you’re only doing that panel. For those

a bit bored of highlights, it could be introduced as an Alice band of colour behind the front piece and done using a toner – great for a low-maintenance change. For mid-length or bob clients, it could be introduced as a hidden panel underneath from the occipital to the nape, so only visible when in a ponytail or from underneath – this has been a real hit in my salon.”

What are your favourite colour products to colour block with?

JC: “Koleston Perfect gives you the flexibility of using the product to cover grey, to lift natural hair or even to use as a toner. You can create beautiful metallic shades using Special Mix, too. In a salon, stocking Koleston Perfect equips you to create a vast array of options and shades. Shinefinity is my hero for fashion shades with low commitment as everything fades true to tone and can be removed safely with no traces using Colour Renew, which is a great tool for blonde clients looking to try something with low commitment.”

Now you’re ready for the A/W23 colour blocking trend! Shop the new Koleston Perfect and Shinefinity shades at uk.wella.professionalstore.com/colour-blocking Learn more about colour blocking, and discover techniques and formulas at education.wella.com @wellaprofessionalsuki

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AND RECEIVE A PURETONE TESTER KIT FROM ASP EXPERT HAIRCARE, WORTH MORE THAN

SIGN UP NOW FOR JUST £10/SUBSCRIBE

£60

*

Be one of the first 10 new subscribers to Creative HEAD and you’ll receive a PureTone Tester Kit, including 10 PureTone shades as well as two Activators.

PureTone from ASP Expert Haircare offers a unique colour concept, offering permanent or tone-on-tone results, depending on application technique. The range offers 35 intermixable shades, including 10 toners, and with shea butter and argan oil, the collection is more than 90 per cent naturally derived, vegan, and ammonia free.

Already a Creative HEAD subscriber? Then we’ve got something for you too! One lucky subscriber will win a full PureTone Intro Kit with 35 PureTone shades, including Activators and accessories, worth £195.

For more information visit asphair.com

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

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO CREATIVE HEAD

VISIT CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM

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400

COLOUR BLOCKING

BEFORE

NEW

S HIN EFI NI T Y​

FLASH SHADES​ SHINE YOU CAN FEEL IN 5 MINUTES 010/0 Natural Flash

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010/6 Lavender Flash

010/8 Opal Flash

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400

CONTRAST BLOCKING

BEFORE

NEW

KOLESTON PERFECT COOL SHADES LONG-LASTING COOL TONES FOR UP TO 8 WEEKS* 44/02

4/82

5/82

*provided hair is washed 3x/week, instrumental testing​

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WELLA COLOUR EXPERT BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN YOU Wouldn't it be fantastic to be the expert in any colour situation and become the colour authority that colleagues rely on and clients are searching for?

Make it happen with the Wella Colour Expert (formerly MCP). Wella’s comprehensive programme in hair colour has changed the lives of thousands of hairdressers worldwide, by not only growing their professional skills and business, but also their confidence, motivation, and inspiration.

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YOU’LL BE IN GREAT COMPANY

NOW AVAILABLE AS A BLENDED PROGRAMME!

SOME OF THE MOST ESTEEMED COLOURISTS IN THE INDUSTRY ARE GRADUATES OF THE WELLA COLOUR EXPERT (FORMERLY MCP):​

A s one of our mos t popular and pres tigious courses, we are please d to now of fer a wider choice of learning format s for the Wella Colour E xper t than ever before; online, face -to -face in studio, or a blended combination of both!

Before you start...

PRE-REQUISITE COURSES

“To really excel in colour, you need to understand the foundation of colour and how products work and affect the hair. The Wella Colour Expert delivers over and above on those parts.”

Before starting your WCE journey you are required to attend the Colour Craft Essential, Colour Craft Correction, Colour Craft Highlights and Colour Genius courses. Check out our WCE-PLUS package which combine these

CHRISTEL BARRON-HOUGH, STIL.​

with the Wella Colour Expert at a 20% package discount.

STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4 • Wella Professionals colour fundamentals.

• How we see colour.

• Structure of the hair.

• Inspirational handson workshops.

• Wella Artist creative day.

• Hydrogen peroxide.

• MEA and ammonia.

• Wella Artist creative day.

• Hair and scalp science.

• Persulfate lightening.

• Written assessment.

• pH levels of hair and colour.

• Practical assessment.

• The origin of pigment.

• Feedback and review.

• Written assessment.

• Global hair textures.

​“ Wella Colour Expert is very dear to me and plays a huge role in my working life. An amazing conceptual vibe and hugely rewarding experience, for anyone embarking on a colour journey with Wella. It gives me true freedom of expression and a great platform to deliver the best experience I can.”

JAYSON GRAY, KARBON KYD.​

​ LEVEL

PRICE (Excl. VAT)

EXPERT

£2500/ €2775

TIME

LOCATION

14 DAYS

LONDON ,MANCHESTER DUBLIN, EDINBURGH

SPREAD OVER 6-9 MONTHS

AND IT DOESN’T STOP THERE....

Wella Professionals have launched the industry’s first ever degree in hair colour! The Wella Colour Higher Level Diploma is a fully university accredited degree-level course, delivered in a blended format over 18 months, enabling you

“I find the science of colour incredibly interesting. Achieving my Wella Colour Expert gave me a completely different approach to colour both creatively and on a corrective level.”

SARAH MASON, SARAH MASON PROFESSIONAL ​

to continue your learning career and reach the very pinnacle of the industry.

PLACES AVAILABLE TO START NOW! Contact your nearest Wella Studio to find a start date and format to suit you.

Payment plans are available on selected packages.

LONDON Wellastudiolondon@wella.com / 0203 650 4700 MANCHESTER & EDINBURGH Wellastudiomanchester@wella.com / 0161 834 2645 DUBLIN Wellastudiodublin@wella.com 01 416 0900

Wella Colour Expert DPS v1.indd 2

​“ The most valuable learning of WCE was the ‘WHY’ behind every decision we make as a colourist.

It is so empowering to be able to predict every process that will take place in the hair and all the scientific knowledge behind it.”

JORDANNA COBELLA, COBELLA.

11/08/2023 10:01

Create your own customised Trimmer, Clipper or Foil Shaver.

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JACK MEAD X “It’s more than just a scheduling tool – it’s a full business management solution – at my fingertips, wherever I am, 24 hours a day.”

JACK MEAD, SALON OWNER & EDUCATOR

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EDITOR’S LETTER 80

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27 t iiiiit t t tt iiIt T S S I S LL I STTTTT

LLLLLLIIIIS S STT

JOIN US! As this issue lands, we’ll be in the eye of the Most Wanted and It List Grand Final storm, which is always an exhilarating place to be! Our winners and finalists offer a smorgasbord of imaginative ideas, innovation and artistry, which I can share in the pages of Creative HEAD over the coming months. Take Most Wanted finalist Samantha Cusick as an example – she shares with us her fresh thinking on freelance working, as she unveils her new Stã Studios location (from page 44). Seeing Samantha on the building site, hearing her expansion plans, I was seriously fangirling on her non-nonsense, frank approach. It’s my new motto – be more Samantha.

This issue also gets us up to date with A/W trends – colour blocking is BACK! – and we have a breath-taking collection from the FAME Team, under the tutelage of Sally Brooks and Errol Douglas MBE (both Most Wanted Hair Icon finalists, just saying). I’m confident you’ll find plenty to sink your teeth into. Enjoy!

Amanda Nottage Editorial director

amanda@alfol.co.uk

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creativeheadmag.com

creativeheadmagofficial

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for… on Monday 4 September, the 2023 Most Wanted and It List winners will be named at a glittering Grand Final event at Tate Modern in London. If you don’t have a ticket, watch the stars come out on social – search #MWIT23. Save the date: Sunday 29 October marks the return of Self/Styled Sundays (page 50) – Zooming in for a few hours packed full with education and empowerment for freelancers. Finally, hop over to the Salon Smart HUB (page 52) for a double dose of business insight and advice, delivered by Most Wanted 2022 Best Salon Team winner Billi Currie, and Most Wanted 2023 finalist, Samantha Cusick. creativeheadmag.com/events

@creativeheadmag

16/08/2023 15:36

Yume And Harp Setting standards of contemporary design, first-class functionality and pure luxury since 1921

Suntie Mn

Love it. Lease it. Own it.

Contact your local distributor now

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Enquire about our 0%, zero deposit finance www.takarahairdressing.co.uk

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September

WHAT’S INSIDE

OUR CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

SOPHIA HILTON, NOT ANOTHER

LUKE HERSHESON, HERSHESONS

KAYE SOTOMI, CHOP CHOP LONDON

JORDANNA COBELLA, COBELLA

FRAZER WALLACE, HAUS STUDIO

ASHLEIGH HODGES, HAIRDOTCOM

LUKE PLUCKROSE, SAKS

CLAIRE MARTIN, CLHAIR

LEAH HAYDEN CASSIDY, UNIT8

ROB WHITE & LEE NASH-JONES, NASHWHITE

ON THE COVER

56

Hair by Wella Professionals

COLOUR SPECIAL The trends, techniques, and products you need to know for your best colour offering this autumn

86

SCENE

The Coterie returns (pictured), Kao picks its UK winners, and Authentic Beauty Concept and Peggy Gou get styled

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

DIGITAL DESIGNER

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

DEPUTY EDITOR

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT

CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

AOIFE CONNELL

JENNY BROOKS

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR

AMANDA NOTTAGE

ANNIE MAY BYRNE NOONAN

ART DIRECTOR NICK JABBAL

CHIEF SUB EDITOR ADAM WOOD

EVA VESTMANN

KELSEY DRING

LAURA TUCKER

JOANNA ANDERSEN

PUBLISHER

CATHERINE HANDCOCK

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Creative HEAD is printed on paper certified as being from sustainable sources using only vegetable-based inks. Printed

by Buxton Press, Environmental Printer of the Year and Printing Company of the Year.

WRITE TO US AT: Creative HEAD, Alfol Ltd, 15 Priestpopple, Hexham, NE46 1PH 01434 610416 enquiries@alfol.co.uk

Creative HEAD is published 10 times a year by Alfol Ltd. Creative HEAD is a registered trademark. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. All information correct at time of going to press.

16/08/2023 14:27

A new range of professional, customisable, high-performance, and sustainable treatment products that work in harmony with nature.

WE LIVE HAIR AND WE LOVE THE PLANET Join us alfaparfmilanopro.com/gb-en alfaparfmilanopro_uki

**

**With the exception of Nutri Care Oil and Hydration Creamy Shampoo.

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IN THE KNOW A SELECTION OF THE ESSENTIALS

Ofsted slams T-Level provision The government’s new vocational qualifications, T-Levels, have been criticised by Ofsted for offering poor value, inappropriate work placements and for having high dropout rates.

The criticism comes from the first independent evaluation of T-Levels commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE). The Hairdressing, Barbering and Beauty Therapy T-Level is due to launch next September, having been delayed a year due to quality concerns.

But T-Levels that have been in operation, including construction and healthcare, have been hit with “teething issues”, with Ofsted finding some colleges are struggling to recruit staff qualified to deliver the curriculum, with the high workload making it “particularly hard to teach everything in the time available”.

Ofsted also found that while most students complete their T-Level, “many leave before the end of the course, and the number of students who progress to the second year of T-Level courses is low in many providers”. The report concludes: “At worst, courses are not at all what students expected, and many students reported being misled and ill-informed about their content and structure.”

OPEN NOW!

Sebastian Professional is searching for creatives for the new 2024 Sebastian CULT Team. Entries close 13 September – find out more at globaleventsworld.com/ EN/SebastianCULT

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L’ORÉAL ID ARTISTS GET BACKSTAGE A SELECTION OF L’Oréal Professionnel Paris’s current ID Artists got the chance to delve into the world of session styling at the Fashion District First Selects show at Spitalfields Market in London. Stylists from the UK and Ireland were mentored by lead stylist Mark Woolley from Electric Hairdressing, who was assisted by Cassandra Dolan. The ID Artists were: Troy Boyd, Stephen Campbell, Amelia Cicale, Neil Cooney, Giuseppe Di Rosa, Elle Foreman, and Clare Kenny.

DO IT!

HEAD UP FROM L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL PARIS We all know how busy hairdressers are, working under constant pressure and offering unofficial therapy to scores of clients. If we want to avoid burn out, we need action… and that’s what Head Up from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris is all about.

This new mental health education offers top-grade teaching for hair professionals by hair professionals, the people who know best what those daily struggles are like. Head Up Keys offers four certifying and easily digestible modules to supercharge stylist mental health.

WHERE lorealprofessionnel.co.uk, @lorealpro on YouTube, and on the learning platform, Access.

CREATIVE HEAD

15/08/2023 15:20

IT! Wella TrendVision Award SEE SALON PAINTINGS

Everybody’s talking about…

Sick of turning up to the salon looking haggard under those bright lights? Undisturbed sleep is the best solution. Create your own silky-soft inner sanctum with this gorgeous Pure Silk Eye Mask made from – you guessed it – 100 per cent silk. Available in a host of classy colours, what could be a better start to a busy salon day than a cracking night’s sleep? £29, thesilkcollection.co.uk

CREATIVE HEAD

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Eight hairdressing firms have been named among the top 50 apprenticeship SME employers in England by the Department for Education. The rankings recognise commitment to apprenticeships, high success rates and diverse environments.

The businesses were: Less Than Zero Barbers (fifth), Contemporary Salons (11th), Mettyear’s (12th), Hair Lab (20th), Beauty Oasis Spa (35th), Daniel Galvin (36th), KJM Salons (38th) and Exceed Hairdressing (45th).

Casey Coleman

HAIR BUSINESSES HIT APPRENTICE TOP 50

Get inspired by the best in barber shopinfluenced art with a visit to the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield to see the works of Hurvin Anderson. ‘The Salon Paintings’ exhibition focuses on the Birmingham-based artist’s ‘Barbershop’ series which explores themes including memory, identity and nationhood. Visitors can also enjoy a display of works that show the artist’s influences, including pieces by Francis Bacon. The exhibition runs until 5 November.

WHERE The Hepworth, Wakefield COST Standard adult £12/free for members BOOK hepworthwakefield.org

Lydia Wolfe

The countdown has started for the Wella Professionals TrendVision Award UK & Ireland 2023 Final at Magazine London on 25 September. Alongside the finalists’ work will be exclusive shows from Wella Artists, including Cheynes, Francesco Group, Dom Capel from Lara Johnson Lifestyle, Nikki Clifford from NJUK, Simon Tuckwell, Cobella, Stil and HOB Academy. The night will close with six winners announced across four categories: Colour Visionary (UK winner and Ireland winner), Craft Visionary (UK winner and Ireland winner), Editorial Look (joint UK & Ireland winner), and the student category, XPOSURE Creative Colour (joint UK & Ireland winner). Both countries will be combined in a single competition for the People’s Choice Award in each category, which is voted for by the public.

UK stylists make Goldwell Color Collective Lydia Wolfe of Jack & the Wolfe and Casey Coleman of CHAIR Salon Studio are the UK names included in the new Goldwell Color Collective, which brings together some of the globe’s most talented and digitally savvy creatives in the hair industry.

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15/08/2023 15:20

CATCH-UP

Yuv has selected Grace Dalgleish as its UK colour ambassador.

James Earnshaw has been named as Wella Professionals’ global ambassador.

Salon software brand Vagaro has launched an industry podcast with Paul Mitchell artistic director, Paula Peralta.

Colourstart is now integrated with Phorest salon software, making patch testing and recording easier.

TREATWELL LAUNCHES ‘LGBTQIA+ FRIENDLY’ BADGE

Hair and beauty marketplace Treatwell is pushing for a more inclusive industry with its ‘Treat everyone well’ campaign. Part of its ‘Pride and beyond’ brand initiative, users will be able to see which salons are creating inclusive treatments and experiences for customers via a badge, which helps them to find salons and book treatments.

Green Salon Collective has launched a biodegradable cleaning product, On Nature’s Side, made from natural ingredients.

Ben Brown, founder of Bbeducation, is joining ALFAPARF Milano Professional as digital brand ambassador UKI. Christian Melcher has been appointed global chief marketing officer for Kao Salon Business.

Survey reveals salon visits are priority for customers

Salon spend is up in the UK according to a new survey by Slick, despite the tougher trading climate. The software firm’s recent ‘State of the Industry’ report discovered the average salon bill was up by 4 per cent. Salons were also found to be busier than they were earlier this year, taking 12 per cent more bookings compared with March 2023.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

HOW DIVERSE IS OUR INDUSTRY? A new survey by the NHBF seeks to understand trends in the hair and beauty industry by ethnicity, in the hope to spearhead greater inclusion and enfranchisement

One of the most important roles of an industry organisation such as the NHBF is to develop a robust evidence base to understand and illustrate the trends within its sector. This data is invaluable in supporting the organisation’s lobbying of government on behalf of its members, backing up the arguments as much as demonstrating the sector’s value and impact to the UK economy.

The quarterly State of the Industry surveys have been instrumental in educating and influencing government decisions, but The NHBF has recognised

a gap in knowledge as well as that of the wider industry. As far as it knows, there has never been a survey into the ethnic mix in hair and beauty, until now. The NHBF has published Analysis of the Trends Within the Hair & Beauty Industry by Ethnicity Across the UK, compiled by the Local Data Company, to try and offer a crucial starting point in understanding the ethnic mix within the hair and beauty sector. It presents valuable insights into the location and type of businesses predominantly found in areas with a higher density of ethnic minority communities.

The NHBF is now looking for further funding to conduct more detailed research to get a better understanding of these industry subsectors, the specific obstacles different ethnic groups encounter, and how trade bodies can support them. @nhbfsocial

For details about how to join the NHBF, visit nhbf.co.uk

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CREATIVE HEAD

15/08/2023 15:20

the Forecast

Chaotic wellness POWERED BY

Consumers’ attitudes are changing. But how will that evolving definition of wellness impact salons, and what kinds of opportunities will it create?

One of the symptoms of social media’s influence is an obsession with showing off a ‘perfect’ life, particularly when it comes to wellness. Think photos of green juice and Reels of a 12-step skincare routine. But Gen Z is less tolerant of that impossible need to always be ‘on’, and is rebelling against it. Instead, this generation embraces reality and posts raw depictions of individual approaches to self-care. Meet ‘chaotic wellness’ – a more authentic approach that presents a big opportunity for salon pros.

On social media, the trend is manifesting as sad selfies and lowlight Reels, capturing the real feelings behind social media posts. Embracing flexibility in self-care is pushing back against a hyper-wellness focus, and the traditional approach to skincare is being swapped for sleep hygiene and hangover cures. The recent TikTok

hashtag #FeralGirlSummer was another nod to chaos, and it’s all about living how you want without worrying about external pressures.

But balance is still key. You can have bad habits, if you counteract them with repair. From the services you offer to your physical space and online presence, chaotic wellness is a trend you can apply across your business.

The first step is to maximise the relatability of treatments, adding services that are faster and more cost-effective. Embrace a more relaxed approach to services, adding more playful or even messy elements into your salon environment for that ‘perfectly imperfect’ aesthetic.

If you use a lot of industry-specific language, consider softening the tone of your menu to make it more accessible.

Do the same across all your content, both in your salon and online. And if it makes sense for your brand, try adding a little humour where you can. This will help you connect with the Gen Z audience.

Given that this trend is being driven

by Gen Z, they’ll be expecting all these elements every time they visit a salon.

It’s important to consider what aspects of the trend will work for you and your space, because creating an atmosphere that appeals to this generation will keep them coming back.

Keep up with the latest trends so you can offer new treatments, deliver the best possible client experience, and outpace the competition. Stay tuned for the new trend report from Fresha, the world’s leading booking platform, in collaboration with WGSN and available for download in early autumn. Discover more now at fresha.com CREATIVE HEAD

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14/08/2023 11:06

STOCK IT!

LAUNCHES AND INNOVATIONS READY TO HIT YOUR SALON SHELVES Boss your colour-blocking skills with these new shades from Wella Professionals. Reach for the fresh Cool Heroes shades from Koleston Perfect, and three new Flash shades from Shinefinity, for all those pops and panels. Oh, and Shinefinity’s clear shade is now available in a larger size, for costeffective glazing.

Designe d with th e input Hayes, of stylis Falco is ts such BaBylis attachm as sessio s P RO’s qu ents suc n favouri ietest ev h te Syd a s a diffus er dryer, attachm er and, ent to lift and inc available ludes , stretch separate and sm ly, a pik ooth cu rly or co ily hair. babylissp ro.com

In-salon service

RRP £250

uk.wella.professionalstore.com

The new Te xtures & Cu rls collectio high per form n is a ance and si lic one-free ran sure to boo ge st curly hair creativity. P the dynamic art of My Hair. My Canvas line Alterna, nat from urally derived ingredients and frizz fightin g formulas abound.

RRP from £27.8 5 alternadirect.c

Haircare takes a benevolent turn with Benvoleo, a new haircare range from ALFAPARF Milano, packed with natural and vitality-giving ingredients. Its nature, bottled.

RRP from £13.90 alfaparfmilanopro.com

o.uk

Authentic Beauty Concept has expanded its Hydrate range with three new products for textured tresses. There’s a Hydrate Curl Enhancer and Hydrate Smoothing Serum, and the Hydrate Intense Treatment mask is a five- to 10-minute enriching pit-stop. There’s also a premium Gift Bag Set featuring Hydrate treats, endorsed by iconic DJ Peggy Gou, the new face of the brand.

RRP from £37.60, gift set RRP £78.95

authenticbeautyconcept.co.uk

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Dull, dry, flat colour? Forget about it with Color Excel and Color Excel Gloss, two time-efficient duos from Revlon Professional that create stronger, healthier hair. Color Excel Gloss makes hair six-times smoother in just 10 minutes.

In-salon service revlonproshop.com

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COOL GIRL CURLS

Lacklustre curls can make clients feel meh.

Come back cool, collected and beautifully curly with Coils & Curls from Maria Nila Defined curls that bounce brightly, ringlets that radiate their natural pattern, clients with curls and coils – some 35 per cent of the global population – should exude confidence. Yet that’s not always the case.

Curls shouldn’t be dragged down; they should stand proud and bounce with brilliance. And now, with the new Coils & Curls line from Maria Nila, you’ve got the solution to share. A fuss-free and easy-to-use range for curly heads everywhere – in the salon and at home – its Curl Guard Complex breathes vitality back into lifeless strands, adding definition and movement.

Hydration and nourishment are top of the list thanks to enriching ingredients such as jojoba oil and vitamin E. Curls full of colour shouldn’t fear; the range is also packed with a Colour Guard Complex to protect colour and reduce fade from regular washing and styling. Expect curls to bounce back soft, shiny, and lush to the touch.

Help your guests take the chore out of curly-haired care with goodies that nourish, rather than deplete this naturally dry type. Start at the backwash or in the shower with the Conditioner Wash, which cleanses and conditions with its low pH. Follow up with the Finishing Treatment, a rich gift to curls that closes the cuticle and encourages natural curl patterns.

Finish up with the Oil in Cream, providing intense nourishment, conditioning, and curl definition. Expect floral, fruity fragrances to accompany the rich, restorative work – delivering a 360-degree experience to savour.

Back up the power packed into wet curls with Maria Nila’s sensational styling drop, starting with the Weightless Curl Definer, a moisturising gel that provides a light hold minus the heaviness. Offering a full and even coverage, no curls are left behind. For those wanting to go deeper, there’s the Luscious Curl Definer, a richer styling gel with a medium buildable hold and the same great coverage, providing intense moisture and definition yet soft and weightless to the touch.

When curls don’t sit right, it can turn up the dial on frustration.

Press rewind and boost the natural beauty of texture and waves with Coils & Curls – for cool girl curls, every time.

Craving some curl creativity? Discover more at marianila.com @marianilastockholm CREATIVE HEAD

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Think pink as ghd celebrates 20 years of supporting breast cancer charities, with more than $23m (£18.2m) raised worldwide. There’s a selection of pastel pink tools to choose from, with £10 donated to Breast Cancer Now for each product sold.

RRP from £159

ghdhair.com

Paint your way to ammonia and odour free colour perfection with IGORA ZERO AMM by Schwarzkopf Professional.

Made by hair professionals for hair professionals, this is a trueand-trusted permanent colour solution you can rely on.

In-salon service

Toning is supercharged with No.5P Blonde Enhancer Toning Conditioner by OLAPLEX, the perfect partner to its No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo. Expect hydration without heaviness and signature bond-building technology while effectively fighting brass.

RRP £28

salon-services.com astonandfincher.co.uk

Next-level hair repair has arrived! Absolut Repair Molecular from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris includes an in-salon pre-shampoo treatment, a rich foam shampoo, a rinse off serum, and a leave-in mask.

In-salon service; RRP from £26.50 lorealpartnershop.com/uk

schwarzkopfpro.com

Consumers love all things customised, so Salon Lab & Me from Schwarzkopf Professional is right on the money. Using the SalonLab Smart Analyzer in salon, clients receive a personalised haircare prescription. And it’s a clever new business model for salons, which receive a commission for every order made by their clients, whether placed directly in the salon or online between visits.

RRP from £29.15

schwarzkopfpro.com

Curls have just got cooler with the new Coils & Curls line by Maria Nila. The winner here is the Curl Guard complex, which breathes back life into lacklustre waves, coils, and curls.

RRP from £12 marianila.com

L’ANZA’s new Pro Color Pigment Remover is an innovative addition to its Healing Color portfolio of oving up to po sup rt tools, gently rem without our col 3+ levels of unwanted egrity. int r’s hai compromising

Salon price £1om4 lanza.c

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Collections Hair Club

DESIGN FOR LIFE

A salon refurb can be an intimidating and costly endeavour. Suky Design Studio makes the process easier, friendlier, and more flexible upon completion. A salon must colour outside the lines to stand out. Here, Suky Design Studio has helped the multi-use space, Collections Hair Club in Weybridge, shine with bold and energetic messaging underscored by luxury design.

A salon refit can feel like a daunting job, but with Suky Design Studio, it doesn’t have to be. Built by creatives for creatives, it injects the humour, artistry and a generous dollop of flair back into the refit process. This way, salons are free to play it as far, or as safe, as they want. A facelift has never felt so fun…

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Design fee deducted on completion of refurb • Flexible design packages • Informal, friendly process Suky Design co-founder Kylie Harvey

Suky Design co-founder Susanne Maguire

Hair salons today fill many functions. They’re a sanctuary away from hustle and bustle, a buzzing bar and a ‘good vibes only’ zone for clients. Of course, they’re also a place of work. The best salons are places where transformation occurs regularly, forging an experience that lingers long after guests leave, and encouraging their return to experience even more.

A salon with a certain je ne sais quoi, that evokes a sense of calm and an urge to return, is the kind of salon we all want – but how do you get there? Suky Design Studio offers a friendly, personalised and cost flexible service to help salons realise their dreams of transformation and business success.

Over a simple chat, let the experienced team of interior architects be your metamorphosis queens. A design fee for less than you’d imagine includes a consultation and 3D concepts to take away.

A complete refurb allows for the design fee to be deducted

Feeling inspired? For more information and to book a chat about your fabulous future salon design, visit sukydesign.com @sukydesign CREATIVE HEAD

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LET’S GET STRATEGIC JOIN FORCES AND WATCH YOUR BUSINESS THRIVE Dynamic alliances are the future, says Chop Chop London’s Kaye Sotomi HEY THERE, salon business owners! Get ready to explore a game-changing strategy that can take your business from surviving to thriving. We all know partnerships are important, but have you heard about strategic partnerships? Get set for a new perspective that can revolutionise your salon!

So, what exactly is a strategic partnership? It’s not your ordinary collaboration; it’s a dynamic alliance between organisations that join forces for long-term success.

Parties strategically leverage each other’s strengths, resources, and expertise to achieve common goals. It’s a dream team working together to make magic happen.

What sets strategic partnerships apart is their depth. They go beyond simple transactions and embrace shared risks, responsibilities, and rewards. These partnerships come in various forms, such as joint ventures, alliances, collaborations, or co-development agreements.

It’s all about finding the right fit for your business. In this case, however, I’m asking you to see this through the collaborative lens. However, if you have the strength to develop closer ties, such as a joint venture, go for it!

So, let’s dive into a real-life example of what a collaborative/mutually beneficial relationship could and should look like: your salon software provider. You rely on its tools to streamline your bookings, payments, CRM, stock management and so on. But here’s the thing – it’s not just luck that brought you together.

It benefits from your patronage, feedback, and the valuable customer data you provide.

What do you get in return? Are you stuck in a one-sided relationship with nothing but a monthly bill and the occasional software update?

It’s time to break free from transactional norms and start living. Shift your perspective and ask yourself what your software provider truly brings to the table. Did you team up to gain a competitive edge, understand your business better, improve customer communication, reward loyalty, digitise essential processes, or prepare for the AI revolution? If your current relationship falls short of these goals, it’s time for a change.

As small business owners, we contribute significantly to our partners’ revenue streams, market share, and innovative ideas, yet often receive limited benefits in return. It’s time to demand more and build truly symbiotic partnerships. Think of your suppliers, employees, accountant, product partners and landlord as potential strategic allies. Seek relationships that create mutual value and drive growth.

In fact, a survey by Harvard Business Review found that 75 per cent of executives considered partnerships essential for their company’s growth strategy. Another study, conducted by Accenture, revealed that 84 per cent of executives believed partnerships were a vital means of acquiring new capabilities and knowledge.

Embrace the power of strategic/ collaborative partnerships and unlock a world of opportunities. By collaborating effectively and demanding more from your allies, you can navigate these challenging times and thrive in the ever-changing business landscape.

So, salonpreneurs, let’s harness the potential of strategic partnerships.

Embrace collaboration, seek true value, and watch your salon soar to new heights.

It’s time to transform your business and embrace a future filled with success! @chopchopldn

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Head in the game The hair industry needs a healthy workforce. Head Up – the new mental health mission from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris – is the treatment it needs

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Positivity in power Hairdressers are busy, working under constant pressure. With an increasingly burned-out workforce, the need for mental health intervention is clear.

L’Oréal Professionnel Paris is here to help, with Head Up

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Cuts, colours, restyles, photoshoots, live shows – whether hairdressers are bossing it on the salon floor, freelancing, or in session work, it’s a life lived in the fast lane. In a high-octane industry all about performance, there’s not much time to think about when your tank is running low.

Not just technicians and creative talents, hairdressers are unofficial therapists, fulfilling a unique role as listeners as well as service providers.

The fact that 75 per cent of clients consider a hair appointment a form of self-care* shows the level of responsibility stylists hold. But how are hair pros feeling? According to two studies by L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, mental health is the number one challenge for stylists in six countries, while 65 per cent have experienced anxiety, burnout and depression during their professional career.* Couple this with the fact

hair pros spend an average of 2,000** hours a year listening to clients, it’s no wonder they need more support.

A mental health pandemic is raging in this vibrant industry. If we fail to intervene, we could lose our brightest and best, not to mention the next generation of talent, which tends to prioritise their mental health. Feeling drained and overwhelmed shouldn’t be the norm in a hairdresser’s day. But there is help on hand…

A trusted partner since 1909 – there to help educate and inspire – L’Oréal Professionnel Paris is going further to help today’s hair community where it needs it. Head Up is a movement focusing on improving hair professionals’ mental health, with free education resources so hair pros can help feel better, setting off a ripple effect of mind positivity.

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IA L Through Head Up’s free and easily accessible mental health training, users can expect top-grade teaching for hair professionals by hair professionals, the people who know best what those struggles are like at the coalface.

This is no fl ash in the pan – Head Up will be a permanent fi xture for L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, providing solutions to improve hair pro happiness and mental health on the salon and session fl oor, helping to create a more harmonious, inclusive and prosperous industry.

Hosted by former colourist and working psychotherapist Hayley Jepson, and hair professional and brand educator, Daniel Mason Jones, Head Up Keys offers four certifying and easily digestible modules to supercharge stylist mental health. Those on the Head Up journey will also have use of a digital workbook for both online and offline training. Stylists can access Head Up Keys online via lorealprofessionnel.co.uk, @lorealpro on YouTube and on the L’Oréal learning platform, Access.

Lasting eight minutes each, these four modules include:

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Find your head space

Forget buzzwords and lofty statements, Head Up has its mission set to train 20,000 hair professionals by the end of 2023, rising to 100,000 by 2025.

Head Up means getting on with the business of hitting those mental health milestones – that’s why all L’Oréal Professionnel Paris employees are encouraged to complete the Head Up course, meaning the people behind the programme are in it with you.

“I know how mental health can affect a pro’s personal and professional life and the struggles it can cause. Working to create resources for our community on mental health is a true opportunity” Daniel Mason Jones

**

*

Study conducted by L’Oréal Professionnel Paris through Instagram (March 2023) reaching up to 1.8 million hair lovers.

Samaritans (2017) ‘Crop, look and listen: hairdressers help Samaritans highlight the life-saving power of listening’.

• Head Up Keys Résumé • Mental Health Matters • Self-care • YOU: Setting boundaries

UK

Ireland

Get free mental health training with Head Up Keys – scan the QR code now

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Pay it forward

Hairdressers aren’t rivals, they’re a community. Pass on the Head Up message with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris A path to better mental health is here for all, and we can share the love in a heartbeat. Want to let your followers and fans know about Head Up, and help more hairdressers find better mental health? Simply share the hope sign (pictured, above), announcing your support of Head Up to others.

The word’s out. Now spread it wide and help your fellow stylists build a more resilient mental health, an essential in an industry

that needs to balance the demands of time pressures with client service. We’re all in this together.

Anxiety, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed do not have to be your fate – but we need to change to keep us all happy and healthy. So, make the sign and let us all align with Heads Up from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, for real education intervention, positive change, and a better future on the floor and off it.

Ready to help yourself and others build better mental health?

Head to @lorealpro #HeadUp #HeadUpKeys

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WHO WON THEM?

Creative HEAD’s Most Wanted and It List awards celebrate the most exciting hair talents in the UK and Ireland. Head online to meet the 2023 winners!

PUBLISHED ONLINE 5 SEPTEMBER

IT LIST

MOST WANTED

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FASHION, FACES AND FLASH-BULB MOMENTS! DONT MISS THE MOST WANTED AND IT LIST SOUVENIR SUPPLEMENT, FREE IN NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE #MWIT23 @creativeheadmag MWIT23_Sept_Promo_GW2 1

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ACCESS ALL AREAS: Innovation never stops; consumers are always searching for the best solutions to their beauty problems. For more than a century, L’Oréal Professionnel Paris has been a pioneer of haircare, ensuring that hair professionals across the globe have the best tools to answer their clients’ needs. Look at the portfolio of hair care collections, and you will see professional hair tech that elevates you, the expert, to deliver a premium service and gorgeous hair, every day.

But what are today’s clients worried about when they sit in your chair? Right now, damage is the hot topic of conversation, the number one hair concern for women. An incredible 39 per cent of women categorise their hair as damaged,1 rising to half of 16- to 34-year-olds. And a quick look at Google illustrates they are searching for answers, with searches for solutions growing 22 per cent year on year.2 Why is damage causing so much worry?

Clients who style their hair using heat and who use chemical treatments are more likely to claim they have damaged hair.

And that has a real impact on a client’s identity and self-confidence if they feel their hair looks bad. Nearly threequarters of British women agree haircare helps to improve their self-esteem. And they are willing to invest to access effective problem solvers, with half of women buying haircare from brands that offer high-potent solutions to boost their self-esteem.3 As the hair professional, you’ll see that the language surrounding damage has also evolved.

We used to talk about repairing problems such as breakage, rough and split ends, lack of shine and bounce with nutrition, and looking for instant results. Now, strength is fuelling the fight against a lack of suppleness and elasticity, with progressive results that are long lasting.4 It’s another example of the ‘skinification’ of hair, the trend that sees skincare terms and ingredients increasingly used in haircare. And as the hair expert, you can help. This presents an amazing opportunity to build services and retail specifically to tackle damage head on. So start with the latest launch from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris. Get defiant in the face of damage with Absolut Repair Molecular.

1) 2020 Haircare U&A. 2) Google Search. 3) 2022 Mental Health study. 4) L’Oréal CMI Damaged Hair Qualitative Research 2013 & 2015 + WL REPAIR 2020 + HD Red Thread 2022.

Damaged hair, damaged confidence.Tackle your clients’ number one worry head-on with the latest launch from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris – Absolut Repair Molecular

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THIS IS VIP TLC Meet the new haircare collection your clients will love – Absolut Repair Molecular by L’Oréal Professionnel Paris Every time hair gets damaged it loses peptides, its smallest molecular structure. But advanced research from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris has made a breakthrough discovery; peptides can be recreated at a molecular level. Harness this scientific power with the new L’Oréal Professionnel Paris Absolut Repair Molecular in-salon and at-home regimen. This is more than just bonding,

with formulations concentrated with up to 8 per cent peptide units, it is clinically proven to encourage and strengthen structure at a molecular level. Formulated with a beautiful bergamot, white lavender and sandalwood scent, the luxurious but science-driven formula will reinvigorate your client’s current hair routine and promise strength and body to hair with every wash.

IN SALON ONLY!

Step one: Professional Concentrated Pre-Treatment An in-salon exclusive, it strengthens damaged fibres with long-lasting and reparative active ingredients.

Step two: Professional Shampoo

Gently yet effectively cleanses hair, preparing it for later treatments, this builds on strengthening hair fibre.

Step three: Professional Rinse-off Serum

Concentrated and highly penetrating serum, this evens out hair porosity and restores suppleness.

Step four: Professional Leave-in Mask

Strengthens and protects hair, improving elasticity and movement, with heat protection up to 230˚C.

Help kick your clients’ damage worries to the kerb – rebuild and repair hair with Absolut Repair Molecular, the newest disruptive technology from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris. Discover more at lorealprofessionnel.co.uk @lorealpro

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COLOUR FOR THE WIN Nearly 2,000 guests flocked to the 2023 L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final to discover the big winners of the industry’s longest-running colour competition

Adored and revered across the UK, the L’Oréal Colour Trophy is a celebration of the industry’s colour artistry, from future talent to certified Colour Specialists. It’s also got its finger firmly on the pulse of consumer trends, encouraging stylists to not only get creative, but to also design a look that clients will crave. In a stunning Grand Final at Battersea Evolution, an astonishing 1,900 guests rocked up in their finest to applaud the best in colour artistry across the UK, in an event that has morphed into something more akin to a major Fashion Week show. Hosted by presenter and documentary maker, Zara McDermott, the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final opened in breath-taking style, as 160 competitor models stormed the cross catwalk.

Following that high-octane start, L’Oréal Professional Products’ general manager for education and professional development, Monica Teodoro, officially launched Head Up in the UK. The initiative will support the hairstylist community with training to help them maintain their own mental health. “Every day you’re there for your clients,” said Monica, “so let L’Oréal Professionnel Paris be there for you.” There were shows, there were judges with tough decisions to make, there were celebrations, there was confetti as that final name was revealed. Beautiful colour celebrated – we loved every second!

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L’ORÉAL COLOUR TROPHY REGIONAL

WINNERS Southern

Hidden Hair, Tunbridge Wells

London

L’Oréal Colour Trophy – second place TONI&GUY Glasgow

TONI&GUY, Canary Wharf

Eastern

The Brentwood Hairdresser, Essex

Northern Ireland @G&S Hair, Belfast

Scotland

TONI&GUY, Glasgow

North Western Saks Hair, Newark

L’Oréal Colour Trophy – overall winner Scullion and Scot, Sheffield

L’Oréal Colour Trophy – third place

Goldsworthy’s Hairdressing, Cirencester

North Eastern

Scullion and Scot, Sheffield

Western

Goldsworthy’s Hairdressing, Cirencester

L’ORÉAL COLOUR TROPHY FUTURE TALENT AWARD Alana Snow Laura Wyatt Harriet Bull Rachel Grainger Rebecca Newell

L’ORÉAL COLOUR TROPHY MOVING IMAGE AWARD L’Oréal Colour Trophy Afro Award

Goldsworthy’s Hairdressing, Swindon

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L’Oréal Colour Specialist Award Headmasters, Wandsworth

L’Oréal Colour Trophy STAR Award Charlie Miller, Edinburgh

Federico Damiani, Fededamians, London

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ALL FOR OLAPEJU BY TOLU COKER x TONI&GUY BREAKTHROUGH TEAM Fused with the excitement of all the finalists’ looks were two exceptional shows that offered an incredible opportunity for the teams to showcase their skills on stage. First up was the TONI&GUY Breakthrough Team, celebrating more than 10 years of its talent incubator collaboration with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris. Partnering with designer Tolu Coker, the Breakthrough Team served a vibrant display of textured styling with clever colour placements marrying with tones used in the label’s textiles.

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SHOW

No L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final would be complete without some awe-inspiring shows to leave the audience slack-jawed with wonder. Hello… TONI&GUY and Luke Pluckrose at Saks

LIMITLESS BY LUKE PLUCKROSE FROM SAKS AND A TEAM OF L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL ARTISTS The second show of the evening saw Saks creative director, Luke Pluckrose, head up a team of talents from across the UK to explore the theme of hairdressing being ‘Limitless’. Delivering on Luke’s challenge were Frazer Wallace (The Haus Studio), Andrea Dorata (Dorata Hairdressing), Giuseppe Stelitano (Trevor Sorbie), Clare Murphy (Saks) and Sarah Clarke-Lees (Saks).

From exaggerated retro styling through to clever colour blending, via sojourns into catwalk fashion (channelling ‘90s supermodels with a generous helping of Versace!), this was a presentation that turned everything up to 11.

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THE PLACES

NEW SPACES, FRESH LOOKS AND LOCATIONS TO HELP YOU WORK BETTER BROOKS & BROOKS, COVENT GARDEN @brookshair

When the owners of Brooks & Brooks were told that the avenue where the salon had been for two decades was to be closed for a major renovation, it was time for Sally and Jamie Brooks to look for a new location. A chance meeting with Charles Worthington, who had decided to retire and close his Covent Garden salon, was fortuitous. Keen to keep the aesthetic of the Grade 2 listed building – with its wonky walls, fireplaces and stunning staircase – the focus was creating a space “where our clients and our team can relax in a contemporary setting”, explains Sally, where each detail is considered and different zones have been curated.

The suspended metal workstations are designed for both the client’s and the stylist’s needs alike. The lighting, made by one of Sally’s clients, sees everything suspended from black metal work to create a practical and eye-catching visual. The front window is a mix of plants in ‘face planters’, bringing the personality of the salon outside. Each pot has its own hairstyle – a popular photo opportunity for passers-by.

The conservatory allows natural light from the roof to flood the room, which houses a bespoke colour bar and a slatted wood feature wall. Upstairs, the studio is full of creative nooks, a library space with lots of books and magazines and, as the spaces develops, it will evolve as a hub of creative energy.

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BLUE TIT, LEYTON

@bluetitlondon Europe’s first B Corp certified salon collective opens its eleventh store, this time in east London’s Leyton and with a distinctly ’70s vibe, a gorgeous terrace for al fresco moments and a bar offering sustainable cocktails

MASSARELLA + JONES, ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA

@massarellajones Having outgrown their first location, Jordan and Ben wanted a touch of Regency, juxtaposed with something contemporary, with inspiration from The Wing, Luke Edward Hall, and the Pleasing pop ups.

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A MODEL

MISSION

Paul Staf

ford a nd Pi ero G entile

BENVOLEO, A HAIRCARE RANGE BY ALFAPARF MILANO, CARES FOR PEOPLE IN YOUR CHAIR AND THE PLANET, AND IS READY TO SHARE HOW… Straight from the heart of Italy, the home of hair innovation bound by a tradition of care, comes Benvoleo by ALFAPARF Milano, caring for all textures and hair types. Every time you reach for a Benvoleo product or recommend it as a retail purchase, you can be certain that you’re offering high performance and sustainability in perfect harmony.

Its main pillars – tradition and innovation, packaging with reduced environmental impact, and democratic and transparent action – are testament to this. A truly caring hair brand, it doesn’t just take from the world around it, it gives back. range of professional, customisable, high-performance, and • Asustainable treatment products that work in harmony with nature. derived ingredients that are responsibly and locally • Naturally sourced from Italy and ensure wellbeing and care for all hair textures and hair types. active ingredients – an innovative, environmentally • Hyperfermented friendly two-step process for extracts with enhanced efficacy. formulas that rinse away easily, using less water • Biodegradable and energy, and all the packaging is 100 per cent recyclable, carbon neutral, and with zero impact on the environment.

Benvoleo believes all communities should thrive and shouts loud and proud about its sustainable projects for social and environmental good.

One such project is the ‘Parks for Climate’ project in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to increase the resilience of forests and oak trees to climate change, by aiding in their protection and committing to responsible sourcing. Further afield there’s AGROCORTEX, a project to offset CO2 emissions in the Amazon rainforest.

In an industry where it feels like brands are watching out for themselves, Benvoleo by ALFAPARF Milano is a refreshing, caring alternative, for the future of hair, the people and the planet.

Let care for hair run deeper, visit alfaparfmilanopro.com/gb-en @alfaparfmilanopro_uki

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HAIR Benvoleo ambassador Paul Stafford, and technicial educator for ALFAPARF Milano Professional UK & Ireland, Piero Gentile. PHOTOGRAPHY Aris Akritidis.

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THE FACES THE PEOPLE IN ACTION

What would Andrew Collinge do?

As he hands over his business to son Charlie and rebrands as Collinge & Co, Andrew Collinge shares his secret to succession… without going full Logan Roy IN OUR FAMILY business we have had four instances of succession in our 83-year history. In all cases it has been a handover to the next generation while the previous generation continues to work within the business. For the good of the business, and to show stability to employees and clients, it’s important be on the front foot and be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to succession.

Unlike the rather terrifying Logan Roy of the TV series Succession – who couldn’t bring himself to let go and choose a family member to succeed him – I was happy to hand over to my son Charlie, who joined the company as managing director in 2015, as I felt the time was right.

In fairness to Logan though, he was the founder of the company and as such I imagine he would feel a great sense of protection over what he had built. In my case, I’m the third generation, so it’s a less emotive decision. What Succession does highlight is the need for a succession plan, otherwise a family business can descend into infighting and chaos. Although it makes for great television. Note that when we travel as a family it’s more easyJet than private jet!

A harmonious family working together is essential for succession to work. In our case, spouses and siblings

throughout generations have worked in the business, contributing greatly. Succession in a family business requires a certain amount of good fortune, in the sense that there is a next generation family member who is able and willing to take on the responsibility. Someone who will refresh the business with new ideas and skills. I believe noone in a family should be obliged to work in the business, just as no-one should have a sense of entitlement and expect to be given the job.

A family member running the business will have to gain the respect of the employees, many of whom will have worked for the company longer and have key roles. It is important the person offers a fresh direction, while at the same time respecting the company’s values and achievements. In our case each successor has worked outside the business prior to joining. We are now a fourth-generation family business, and each time it has led to a rebrand to herald a new era. We’re a company that is proud of its past but one that is fit for the future.

We feel our new name, Collinge & Co, feels right for our time. It’s a name that represents both our loyal and talented teams as well our long-standing and faithful clients. @collingeandco

WHAT MADE ME

became TIGI managing director. My salon became a TIGI partner, so Simon was another person who made me; from salon design to keeping fit on trips to Hollywood, where I got to chat to salon owners from around the world!

At the recent Kao Hub Network, many of us realised we’re too busy working to step back, look, and really get to know our businesses. Then, as if fate When I think of what made me, perhaps a better question to ask is ‘who’? The answer intervened, I broke my thumb and became is many people. One was my maths teacher. a permanent receptionist. I didn't cut hair for three months, but I did see another side When I left school at 15, they told me I would never make it as a hairdresser. It was of the business. I can say with confidence the best thing anyone could have said to me that it’s the influence of others, and your as it spurred me to start an apprenticeship own efforts, that make you an established stylist and owner. I still go to hair shows and in Bristol with Andre Bernard. seminars as you never know it all, and the Years later in my Yeovil salon, one of my day when I think I do, I will stop hairdressing. team, Simon Ostler, left and eventually

MICHAEL WILLIAMS

HAIR & BEAUTY BAR, YEOVIL @hairandbeautybar_yeovil

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Become your own muse with the new Textures & Curls collection from My Hair. My Canvas., a high-performance range from Alterna

IA L CR EATIV E HE AD AD VE RT OR

WORK OF ART

Pitch perfect waves that move like the tides. Red carpet-ready curls that bounce their ‘hello’, curly hair is a form of self-expression. But without the right kit, manes can look less than a masterpiece.

Instead, offer clients a collection that makes their hair a canvas for their curly creative dreams.

Say hello to the Textures & Curls line from My Hair. My Canvas. – Alterna’s high-performance haircare range. Available in five silicone-free vegan formulas, it brings curls to life in the salon and at home with a range curated by curly haired experts from the Alterna team. Caring for curls doesn’t have to be tricky, product overload is over!

The multi-benefit formula from My Hair. My Canvas. offers deep care for all curl types. There’s vitality-boosting natural ingredients aplenty; Fairtrade cocoa butter, shea butter, kakadu plum extract, moringa seed oil, sustainably sourced banana flower, and the signature additions of vegan botanical caviar and Fairtrade coconut oil.

This is a simpler routine for busy heads that doesn’t scrimp on restorative power. Start with Begin Again Curl Cleanser which gently cleans hair, fights frizz, and improves curl quality. Move onto Begin Again Curl Conditioner, a hydrator, detangler and defrizzer which enhances curl definition. Seal in the good work with More Butter Masque, which nourishes all textures, builds on frizz-fighting, enhances the natural state of curls and waves, and gives long-lasting bounce and shine.

Curls won’t stand out without some stellar styling; My Way Curl Defining Gel is a non-flaky, non-greasy solution to a flexible hold with 72-hour humidity protection. Finish the simple five-step system with Loosen Up Curl Elongator that maintains curl and coil patterns.

The new Textures & Curls collection is the real deal, packed with gentle yet targeted power. It’s time you offered your textured hair clients the chance to help showcase their hair as a work of art.

Dive deeper into the power of the new Textures & Curls collection from My Hair. My Canvas. by Alterna. Visit alternadirect.co.uk @alternahaircare_uk CREATIVE HEAD

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24/7

A DAY OF WORK/LIFE BALANCE FOR BARBER CHRIS WARD, HUCKLE THE BARBER, LONDON @HUCKLETHEBARBER

I’M ALWAYS PLANNING… Ideas for collaborations, events and lots of meetings.

I GET UP AT… 6am for the kids or exercise.

MY WORK WARDROBE CONSISTS OF… Lots of work wear. Anything from Clutch Cafe, Son of a Stag, Folk, Oliver Spencer, Universal Works and YMC. I love my loose-fitting clobber, loads of hats as I’m follicly challenged and get bored with just a one grade all over. I’m a stickler for going into a shop and having a chat. All these brands know how to look after a customer, and you build relationships with people.

MY JOB ENTAILS… Lots of change here at Huckle. I’m currently rebranding to fit my vision more appropriately and to get my team of 22 to share the same vision and get on board.

MY INBOX LOOKS LIKE… Loads of blue dots, mainly people trying to sell me SEO, barber products or estate agents offering me another location in the arse end of nowhere.

MY BIGGEST INDULGENCE IS… Music. I’m a little obsessed with playing music to others in any circumstance, whether it be in a bar, club, the shops or to my dog.

MY DAILY FUEL IS… A big breakfast and a quick sandwich in between clients if I’m cutting in the shop. I also love a banana.

AFTER WORK… I run home to the kids (and my lovely wife).

WHEN I GET STRESSED… I exercise, exercise, exercise.

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THE HABIT I NEED TO BREAK IS… Nicotine. Pesky vapes!

THE ADVICE I’M GLAD I IGNORED… Don’t move to London.

MY FAVOURITE WORK TOOL IS… My ears. I’m always listening and analysing people’s opinions, positive or negative. It’s good to communicate.

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WHEN I GET STUCK I… Used to stick my head in the sand. Now I take everything with a pinch of salt, take a moment to breathe and meditate. Then ask advice from my peer group if I’m lost with a decision.

THE MISTAKE I LEARNT THE MOST FROM… Not moving to London sooner.

MY DAY CONSISTS OF… Pushing things forward and getting other people to do things that I either can’t do or don’t want to do.

Fresha I check the day ahead, then reply to client reviews to say thanks.

MY SPOTIFY PLAYLIST INCLUDES… Depending on the time of day it could be Balearic, dubby disco, acid house, anything that has a groove and suits the shop’s vibe. We have a lot of music industry people come in and we’re always swapping tracks. We spent a lot of time and money on the sound system as creating an environment starts with music.

WhatsApp Doesn’t everyone?!

Emails Boring, I know!

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CLEAN BEAUTY BASE + ORGANIC RITUALS + VEGAN MADE WITH LOVE BY NAK HAIR @ORILAB_UKI

WWW.XPERTPROFESSIONAL.CO.UK

POWER COUPLING

Innovative technology disrupts and delivers on performance, too. Pioneering wet to styled tech for a show-stopping finish – it must be ghd duet style 42

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IA L CR EATIV E HE AD AD VE RT OR The roar of the hairdryer, the arm ache of blow-drying with a brush, the worry of all that heat damaging hair…

Drying and styling hair can be a battle, and there are always concerns that using heated tools will infl ict damage that can’t be repaired. But with ghd’s latest innovation, everything is changing...

An agenda setting two-inone styler, ghd’s duet style takes all hair types from damp and dubious to dry, sleek, and smoothly styled without the dreaded damage.1 Whether used as a salon tool or at home, you’ve never seen a professional finish like it from just one tool.

The ghd duet style doesn’t just streamline drying and styling; it prolongs the amazing results it produces. Think recordbreaking hair softness for up to 48 hours,2 two-times more shine when using the shine shot mode,3 and up to 42 per cent more humidity resistance,4 so those slinky styles last beyond that salon appointment or busy work day.

Created with care by ghd’s savvy team of engineers who understand the mechanics of hair, and with 13 global award wins in total since its launch earlier this year, the trust is built-in. Able to simultaneously dry and style hair to perfection, how can it be so powerful without compromising hair quality? It’s down to the

AFTER

low-temperature plates and air fl ow, which combines the best of ghd’s heat styling and hair drying science know-how.

Not just a lucrative retail opportunity for salons, the incomparable ghd duet style can also expand and improve services, leading to happier clients who feel like a million dollars.

Pair with ghd sleek talker styling oil for optimal longevity, or use the ghd duet style to offer clients a wowproducing salon service by pairing it with ghd rehab, a nourishing hair treatment.

Reach for ghd duet style to improve your salon’s colour services and really make them pop. Glide your way to a better colour result and a terrific transformation journey for the client.

Easy-to-use and assistant-friendly to boot, deploy the ghd duet style to free time for senior stylists to get on with the more technical jobs of the day. Everybody wins!

Engineer designed, damage limiting, and an efficient drying and styling tool that dials down on product clutter and scales up on happy heads, beaming clients, and improved salon services… what could be more effective and more exciting than the ghd duet style right now? Stand up for better hair, for fuss-free drying and styling, for happier heads and streamlined salon stations. The power of two at your fingertips – this is a duet that will be on song every time you reach for it.

To discover the new ghd duet style and become a stockist, contact your local ghd business development manager or call 01924 423400

CREATIVE HEAD

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1) No thermal hair damage detected after 100 cycles of four passes in wet to style mode versus naturally dried hair. 2) Consumer testing, 142 women, June 2021 (ROW), 109 women, Oct 2021 (China). 3) Versus naturally dried hair, depending on consumer use. Measured in wet to style mode versus ghd hair dryer with a brush, depending on consumer use at high humidity in wet to style mode versus Helios, brush and Platinum+. 4) Measured at high humidity in wet to style mode versus Helios, brush and Platinum+.

BEFORE

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: G N I N R A W

T O N DO E T A M I T S E R E D UN N A M O W THIS hen le gir l” w t it l “ a s a s nt Cusick ha e state age a l h t il n H a g m a in S t t y, by a Not Samantha o n pro pe r l g a n s o t Dism isse d r s t ir s f on ew fo r h e r r t wo -sal e h n w ve ils h e r n se arch ing o n r u g e h d s n s a a w, ar d e talks to wor ke d h ss fast. No h e s , in s s u io b d u n t ãS st n do g space St Cusick Lo a war ch e f in k o r r o e w w e o p l tiv nxiet y, th e co - ope r a stry mode a u d t u in ’ o b n a e k e ro ot tag e lp f ix a ‘b h Aman da N o t g in p h e ’s ho an d how s

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CREATIVE HEAD

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Zoë Sugg

Kitted out in a hard hat and a branded high-vis jacket, Samantha Cusick is telling the construction team exactly what needs to be done. There’s a distinctly no-nonsense attitude from the salon owner and balayage expert; she’s got a deadline to hit, and missing it isn’t an option. A few nights earlier, dozens of the biggest session names visited for an intimate dinner at this very building site, to hear details of her upcoming collective space, Stã Studios. A big idea set in a big site in the City of London, with big future plans. You wouldn’t bet against her.

It’s a far cry from the run-up to the opening of her first salon, Samantha Cusick London, about a decade ago. A Notting Hill estate agent demanded this “little girl” paid a double deposit, such was his confidence in her business prowess. What he failed to recognise was that Samantha’s financial projections were based on the turnover she was producing in her previous position, an extensive waiting list of new clients and a direct link to, at the time, 20,000+ Instagram followers. That salon turned over £476,000 in its first year, with Samantha paying off the double deposit loan in 12 months and had the extra deposit refunded in three years.

It’s indicative both of how Samantha gets judged on the regular (“I often get told: ‘Oh, you’re not like I thought you’d be…’,” she shrugs) and how she gets stuff done. Perhaps it’s because she’s unapologetically determined. She’s also been extremely successful at building a salon business by harnessing the power of social media before most others had come to grips with its potential. It’s no wonder she’s juggling ambassadorships for major brands such as yuv, ghd, OLAPLEX, and Redken Shades EQ. If Mr and Mrs Cusick hadn’t put their foot down and refused their teenager’s plans for a year out after her five A levels – psychology, sociology, art, law, and textiles, if you’re curious – then we might have been looking at Samantha Cusick, criminologist. A place at Leeds University awaited, but she just wasn't feeling it, and with her plans for a year out scuppered, she found a free hairdressing course at a college

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in her home city of Nottingham. “I did it because I thought that’d be really good fun for a year, I know I could get away with doing it because mum’s a hairdresser. Perfect!” she laughs. “And I just loved it and never looked back.”

She loved that it was a social (and uniform-free) job with a sense of freedom. She also benefited from a great teacher, a stylist featured in the now iconic Channel 4 reality series, The Salon, who epitomised the opportunities that hairdressing could bring. She cancelled that university place and did her Level 3 instead.

It was the time when ‘the pob’ was the cut clients were obsessing over (“My pob skills are amazing!”), and she bounced around a few salons in Nottingham before her partner Greg moved to Oxford for a job and she followed. There, she was employed at Electric, meeting a young Patrick Wilson who was based at the Liverpool branch. Today, he is one of her ghd ambassador cohorts (“We just clicked straight away”). She switched to the London location before joining Taylor Taylor in Ladbroke Grove as a selfemployed stylist. Both experiences would give her a great window into the two different business models, a useful perspective later…

Deciding to branch out on her own, Samantha downloaded a free online business plan. There was zero money, but Greg sold a car and their parents helped, too (Samantha’s dad is a retired shopfitter, a massive advantage, she admits). She knew precisely who she wanted to reach. “I was the target market, and my friends. The everyday woman,” she grins. “Honestly, it could be anybody. But I always ask: ‘What would I want?’ It’s all about creating a feeling more than an aesthetic. Making sure you’ve got everything that makes them feel like they belong in a space.”

Alongside that sense of belonging is an understanding of the time many clients spend in that space.

The interiors at her locations – neon slogans, glitter dusted cappuccinos, palm frond walls – were selected with the colour client in mind, sat in the salon for hours. “Instagram at the time was gathering traction in the UK and

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Samantha at Coachella for ghd

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Zoë Sugg

you’d see businesses putting Instagrammable moments in, touch points. I thought: ‘Well, the whole salon needs to be that’. Whatever you’re taking a picture of, it needs to look lovely, and that people recognise it. A lot of salons are very white, it could be anywhere. If somebody shares a picture, you know it’s our salon immediately.”

If you follow @samanthacusicklondon, aside from stellar brand building, you’ll spot the team sharing their personalities so that when a client visits for the first time, they feel like they know everyone already. “They instantly feel at ease and that all marries together with what the salon looks and feels like. It must work cohesively,” she adds. Indeed, Instagram was a throughline for the business from launch, not just with the interiors, but also with an eye on services. “I was very colour-focused on my Instagram approach and that’s what my passion really is,” she says.

Influencers such as Tanya Burr and Zoë Sugg shared their colour looks from Samantha’s chair, helping to spread the word further.

A scroll through the feed shows an expert hand when it comes to modern blonde, particularly balayage. In Samantha’s eyes, balayage is “a lifestyle, not a trend”. Her tailored paints fit a busy woman, some of whom may only visit annually. “The colouring technique must marry their lifestyle. It’s as important as a face shape to a haircut.”

Her second salon, nestled in the regenerated central London district of Fitzrovia, followed the Covid lockdowns. While others were closing, she was expanding. Her secret weapon? “I keep a war chest,” she asserts. “From day one of business, my dad told me: ‘Don’t f**k with people’s money. You make sure you pay them and you make sure that money is there.’ So going into Covid, it meant my team were topped up 100 per cent. Those who were self-employed and didn’t get the grants, we offered an interest free loan so it got them through. We didn’t get any rent reductions, I had to pay everything for Notting Hill. But we pivoted and came out the other side with a stronger team.”

Yet this fiercely ambitious entrepreneur is also refreshingly honest about the personal cost of modern-day salon business ownership.

“I got really burnt out, my anxiety was through the roof, and I had bad impostor syndrome. I don’t ever want to go back to that,” she admits.

She searched for a business course and was

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accepted onto the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme with Oxford University. “It was life changing,” she gasps.

“I’m next to people running huge businesses, and I’m comparing them with mine. They know all the lingo. But actually, often my turnover and my team were bigger and I was doing it all, but I didn’t know what to call it. It was so validating.”

Finishing the course gave her time to revisit a freelance model idea she’d starting mulling over in lockdown. That new business concept brings with it a third location and a fresh brand – Stã Studios. Facilities include a podcast studio, co-working desk space and a content capture photo area with spot-on lighting. Everything is modular so that a quick turnaround can transform it all into an event space available to hire, with digital branding, AV and audio all built in. As we went to press, it was about a week away from completion.

Samantha Cusick London will have a residency (“It’s there to facilitate a salon vibe straightaway, a big difference from other freelance models”), but the idea is to give hairdressers more freedom of choice. “We listened closely to what freelancers liked about being freelance, what they missed about salon life. Then we thought about making a hybrid, how that would work…”

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How could she ensure everybody could have flexibility for their own work/ life balance, but still get everything they want from a salon? While some co-op spaces are very utilitarian and functional, Samantha recognised a need for a more luxury aesthetic, especially if you’re charging £400 to £500 for a balayage and a haircut. “When you think about what your clients enjoy, they love leaving with good hair, but they love the experience, getting that nice coffee or cocktail, having someone greet them, having a beautiful basin experience, products they can buy and take away. We’ve taken all those elements and put them into Stã.”

The model is transparent. Membership is £135 a month, which includes 10 hours of free chair rental each month for three months for founding members, with regular members receiving five hours free for three months. Each chair is £25 an hour with a 10 per cent deposit on a pay-as-you-go system, charged at the end of the day. Book it on the app, and if you cancel your chair with 48 hours’ notice, it refunds you. Launching near Liverpool Street station, the expansion plan would see Stã Studios become multi-location, with hopes for sites not only in UK cities but also New York and Los Angeles.

Membership also includes business management software, created with Slick specifically, packed with valuable business insights. “If you’re a member of Stã, the booking software is yours. If you leave, you take it with you. Your client database is completely yours,” she adds. That software allows for online bookings, deposits, so your clients can pay a deposit to minimise no-shows and phantom bookings (“such a big issue and they cost so much money”).

“Freelancers are a business, running their own brands, so that was important.

You can see what’s working, what’s not, you can run marketing campaigns, you can do your financial reports for your accountant – it makes everything a lot easier. No more poring over spreadsheets. If you can help stop people having to do that, why wouldn’t you?” she asks. Effectively, she wants to help stylists avoid the panic, anxiety and impostor syndrome that she’s suffered.

An online forum for members fuels connection with colleagues. “If you’re not an all-rounder, if you struggle or you’re nervous, we can use Stã Synced to sync you with a stylist or a colourist. We’ll manage the diary for you, just to make sure it’s all seamless,” she explains. There’s a technical store for your essentials, and Stã Studios will be the UK launchpad of yuv lab, the colour dispensing innovation for whom Samantha is now an ambassador. Members get access to a yuv account, allowing them to pay for just the colour they use.

“I wanted to bridge every pain barrier for people going freelance,” she

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Rendered plans for Stã Studios interiors

explains. “My goal is to have somebody leave school, join me as an apprentice, train them through on PAYE then they’ll probably become a contractor. And then they could go freelance at Stã. If they wanted their own salon, they could take a studio at Stã, so you could have that full career progression.”

“A lot of people say the freelance model’s ruining the industry; it’s not at all,” she continues. “There are always going to be stylists who want to be employed, who love it. But ultimately, with Instagram and the way people are so self-aware of their own brand and their own value, the freelance model is only going to get bigger. It’s adapt or change. You wouldn’t want to be Blockbusters in the Netflix world, would you?”

She believes the current industry model is broken.

“It needs a younger pair of eyes. There are a lot of legacy brands, doing the same thing year on year, and it was working great. Now, they’re complaining that kids don’t want to join hairdressing anymore, that people are leaving it or wanting to be freelance. Look within at why that’s happening,” she sighs. “Why have your profits started to decline? Why are you closing branches? It’s not the industry, it’s people not changing with it. That is something that needs to be addressed on a bigger scale.”

And she’s happy to get into that process, even if it means snidey comments and side-eyes from those who doubt she’s capable. “There’s always something that people comment on, whatever. Maybe it’s just being a young woman in the industry who’s pushing,” she says, shrugging her shoulders. “People always ask me: ‘Is it just you? Who’s backing you?’. I’ve got a team and they do everything that I can’t do because they are amazing. But ultimately, it comes down to me.

It really frustrates me. It’s not about words, it’s about action. That is something as women in business we must do.”

Action is also her way to ensure that she keeps that anxiety in check – “It never goes away, it’s always there” – alongside CBT therapy.

“For me, self-care is not ditching my work and having a bath. It’s getting my sh*t done… and then having a bath!” she laughs. “It’s probably quite controversial to say but I think a lot of people like to be delicate with themselves, ‘I need some time for myself’. But stuff is still hanging over you, and you can never really turn off.

Sometimes you need to dig deep, turn it out and then you can enjoy the other side of it.”

If it’s too much, she knows the importance of prioritising and delegating, putting the time in to create systems and structures that make it possible to do everything. “Because we all have the same hours in a day and we have to all spend them differently. You’ve got to prioritise where you need to be,” she says, matter of factly. “I can’t do nine to five and then have the evening off. I’ll have three months where I’m seven days a week, and then I’ll probably have three months where I can be three or four days a week. It’s just finding what works for you.”

And with that, she’s back to checking up on her construction crew, arguing over budgets and getting sh*t done as the countdown ticks down to opening, digging deep and turning it out.

You’ve got to take your (hard) hat off to her.

To see the evolution of Stã Studios, and discover something you don’t know about Samantha, head to creativeheadmag.com and @creativeheadmag

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SELF/STYLED SUNDAYS

FOR FREELANCERS FOR FREE Next event: Sunday 29 October Location: Online via Zoom Cost: 100 per cent free!

EARN NEW SKILLS. MAKE MORE MONEY. EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT FOR INDEPENDENT STYLISTS

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the-industry.co.uk | @theindustrysquad

LOOKING FOR APPRENTICES? At The Industry we actively promote hairdressing as a career, with case studies, videos and information on how to train and qualify, providing a unique and compelling resource for consumers.

Sign up to the FREE database of salons and barber shops looking for new staff, so you can attract new talent into your business.

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OR VISIT CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM/NOT-JUST-A-HAIRDRESSER 18/05/2023 11:22

HUB

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

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NOTHING BUT BUSINESS creativeheadmag.com/salonsmart/hub

Read, watch, listen and learn on the Salon Smart HUB – a monthly-building digital resource to support, inspire and empower you and your business. Sign up for FREE for access to exclusive content, the chance to take part in HUB events, and member benefits including special ticket rates for Creative HEAD events.

Subscribe to the Salon Smart HUB – fill your business boots!

NEW ON SITE

From group goal setting and training day diversification, to prioritising togetherness and being vulnerable, we probed the 2022 Most Wanted Best Salon Team, Billi Currie, on squad secrets

Fresh in for our ‘F*%ked up…but fixed it’ series, salon owner and Stã Studios co-founder, Samantha Cusick, shares her tale of finding mental strength and self-belief

SALON SMART HUB IS CREATIVE HEAD’S DIGITAL RESOURCE FOR SALON AND BARBER SHOP OWNERS AND MANAGERS

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14/08/2023 14:53

IA L CR EATIV E HE AD AD VE RT OR

HIGH ART HAIR Clients want to be excited by salon retail. Give them a truly artistic experience with the new Gift Bag Set from Authentic Beauty Concept, which also helps other artists…

Clients aren’t guaranteed a salon experience at home – they need highperforming professional products to even attempt to match the luxury of an in-salon treatment. And that’s when customers buy products from salons in the first place. If the salon retail shelf is a sad and neglected space, it barely crosses a client’s mind at all. But salon retail can get a lot cooler with a new and exclusive Gift Bag Set from Authentic Beauty Concept, the brand behind luxurious and sustainable haircare.

Endorsed by DJ icon Peggy Gou (pictured) – the fabulous new face of Authentic Beauty Concept – this premium Gift Bag Set is a luxe, fashionable offering that clients will covet and crave. Inside the sustainable and effortlessly chic cosmetic bag are products from ABC’s Hydrate range including a cleanser, conditioner, and the new game-changing Sensorial Cream Scrub.

Authentic Beauty Concept doesn’t just care about hair, it cares about the arts too! Via a partnership with the Institute for Sound and Music, a portion of the funds generated from sales of the new Gift Bag Set will go towards supporting its Artist in Residence programme, helping emerging young artists take the crucial first steps in their careers. Hairdressers are artists, and artists must stick together – by stocking this Gift Bag Set you can show your passion for supporting fellow creatives.

Support the art of high-end haircare and talented musicians by offering the new Gift Bag Set to clients – good for hair and future talent, it’s a gift that really keeps on giving.

For more about the Gift Bag Set and Authentic Beauty Concept’s partnership with Peggy Gou, visit authenticbeautyconcept.co.uk @authenticbeautyconceptuk CREATIVE HEAD

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COURAGEOUS CURLS Curly haircare will never be surface level again with Textured Hair Heroes, the new additions to the Hydrate line by Authentic Beauty Concept Hydration is what everyone wants for their hair. But many don’t experience what so many products promise. Instead of softness, nourishment and hair packed with vitality, clients face a flat and heavy texture, with product sitting stubbornly on the surface. The story gets worse for textured heads, who are predisposed to dryness.

Interventions must be targeted to make textured tresses bounce with joy.

Authentic Beauty Concept, the home of ‘by hair pros for hair pros’ products, has expanded its Hydrate range to celebrate, serve and protect these treasured textured heads. The new tantalising trio is engineered to enhance natural hair pattern and is packed with ingredients that seal the hair shaft. Think restored shape for a smoother and frizz-free appearance. Client after greater definition and a weightless finish without the unappealing crunch of product? Good things certainly come in three with these textured tools.

It’s not all about looks – all three hydration heroes contain sustainably sourced murumuru butter, which offers natural protection from sun damage and heat.

There’s also linseed oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, it goes mega on the moisture and builds back strand strength. Added to this are a heady mix of vitamins E, B1, B2, B6 and biotin, which combine to supercharge the hair’s elasticity.

This is no jumping on the curly head client bandwagon. Co-created by curl expert and US-based salon owner Evan Joseph, and the result of extensive workshops and constant feedback from the #authenticbeautymovement community, say hello to a textured hair range with ALL the receipts.

For those after an intense hit of nourishment, opt for the Hydrate Intense Treatment. This is for scintillating shine, moisture and manageability. For a show-stopping styler, Hydrate Curl Enhancer is a wonder. A deeply hydrating leave-in gel and lightweight formula offers a medium hold without the crunch. Hair is also protected against humidity and frizz with greater smoothness and shine.

Finish things off with the Hydrate Smoothing Serum, which builds on the defrizzing and smoothing work of the other two products. This is for gallery-worthy curl art without the heaviness and even better shine and softness.

Show-stopping curls don’t simply manifest, they require expert tending and careful curation.

The best tools for the job are built on real understanding and professional expertise – and that can only be Textured Hair Heroes by Authentic Beauty Concept.

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“This new range makes premium haircare more inclusive, ensuring professionals have incredible products for every hair type. Rich in moisture for ultimate curl definition without being oily or heavy, it works throughout the curl spectrum from waves to tight coils” MATT SURPLICE, AUTHENTIC BEAUTY CONCEPT UK ADVOCATE, CURL EXPERT AND SALON OWNER

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THE A/W23 TREND REPORT

Fall in love with colour once more as the new season brings fresh techniques, trends, ideas and inspiration

Getting warmer After years of icy blondes, the lighter side continues to move warmer. Cobain Chic is a perfect case in point – named for the Nirvana frontman, this trend is another masterpiece from Matrix editorial, colour and trend ambassador, Zoë Irwin.

Barbiecore goes darker With Barbie pink being so hot in summer, Vanity Doll Salon’s Amy Walker sees this carrying on into autumn, but in the form of pops of deep pink and red tones. using Directions Cerise and Rose Red, or Tulip and Rubine to create a richer shade.

Chip off the block Hair inspiration from the ’90s has swept back into salons, but clients want gentler services these days. Ensure colour blocks aren’t compromised with new Wella Professionals techniques, using Koleston Perfect and Shinefinity.

Panel debate

Tech Talk It has never been more important to solve the issue of wasted colour. To the rescue is yuv, and its smart hair colour lab for salons and freelancers. It controls tertiary tones, pH, and opacity levels, with sustainable, tailor-made refillable cartridges.

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Yes, all things ’90s are hot again when it comes to colour, and we are here for the return to colour blocking (more on page 78). For Jessica Elwell at Scullian and Scot, the colourist behind the overall winning look at the 2023 L’Oréal Colour Trophy (pictured, left), the focus is on panels.

“Panel colouring can be used in various ways to make the hair really come alive and create a three-dimensional appearance,” she explains. “We’re able to bring out areas of the hair that usually wouldn’t be noticed, yet instead were the focus.” The vision was a sheer veil of neon light over something much deeper and darker, sectioning a halo panel around the perimeter of the model’s head in an urban green, met with a fine sheet of vivid yellow directly layered over the top. Futuristic AND illuminating.

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DAMAGE CAN DO ONE The colour products and services that will show damage the door

Smooth operator You can bet that your clients want the following from colour: shiny hair, strong shades that cover white hairs, and a natural looking, glossy finish. Revamped iNOA by L’Oréal Professionnel Paris delivers on all those desires while drawing a hard line against hair damage and client discomfort. Powered by a vegan oil-based formula, the ammonia-free colour offers optimal scalp comfort and no nasty smell.

Let that spectrum in A range that is kinder to hair with a diverse colour palette to choose from, IGORA AMM by Schwarzkopf Professional is the hot new damageadverse permanent addition on the market. Packed in its formula is the heady power of nature; grape seed and apricot kernel oil boost colour performance, creating true-to-tone, longer lasting colour.

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Green glory Clients expect salons to stock sustainable products. Topchic Zero from Goldwell offers natural-looking and durable colour options with 100 per cent grey coverage and a green edge. Kind to heads and the great outdoors, its formula contains mostly naturally derived ingredients.

Vegan to boot, you can cast your net wide with this colour collection, as it’s sure to appeal to many clients.

Brilliant blonding JOICO’s Blonde Life range has enjoyed a refresh with an eye on nourishing care. Soft clay formula Blonde Life Balayage Lightener offers up to seven levels of fast-acting lift, and is packed with bond-building technology. Its new Coconut Oil Developer will offer your clients the gift of soft and hydrated hair, and works with all Blonde Life lighteners and toners.

High shine sensitivity Patchy, uneven colour? Banish the possibility with PureTone from ASP Expert Haircare. The whip-smart colour precisely directs its magic to the perfect locations for permanent or tone-on-tone perfection. Available in 35 intermixable shades for high-level grey and white coverage, shea butter and argan oil give hair its ultra-shine result. It’s a kinder colour option, too.

Time to excel Revlon Professional’s bespoke GLOWin System in its Color Excel refi lls and repairs the protein structure, preparing hair for the best colour deposit possible. Its Color Excel Gloss is a no-lift, no-risk option with 31 shades that reverses damage from its first use to create standout hair that looks and feels better, and all in 10 minutes of processing. Get your glow on!

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W GO FOR GLOW Your salon is your badge of honour, showing your passion for hair to the world. And it needs to set you apart to win loyalty and new business. Colour is the answer, and to impress you need the right tools alongside your team’s stellar skills. Enter Color Excel and Color Excel Gloss, a dynamic duo for high performance glow from Revlon Professional

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THE GLOW RECIPE For a luminous colour that radiates from within, it must be Color Excel, a high-shine colour service that leaves hair stronger and healthier

A wellbeing booster as well as a necessary service, a colour visit means so much more for the person in your chair today.

It’s a time to take refuge from the outside world and experience a transformation.

Ensure their colour appointment fulfils all their needs by reaching for Color Excel from Revlon Professional. Available in 44 shades with a customisable lift powered by alkaline technology, this high-shine colour innovation mirrors the selfcare going on in the chair, taking it to bold new heights. Think four times the stunning shine for stronger and healthier-looking colour. Whether you use it for a colour refresh, to correct, lift or for blending first greys, Color Excel is never fl at, but always fabulous. Wave goodbye to heavy and dull coverage; this cool in-salon colour offers clients the highest shine possible and a glow that radiates from within.

Color Excel’s bespoke GLOWin System contains patentpending technology. Its prime deposit seal, which refi lls and repairs the protein structure, prepares hair for the best colour deposit possible. That’s great coverage and an even greater finish full of show-stopping shine and multi-dimensional dazzle.

The luminous aura produced by Color Excel hits differently thanks to high reflective pigments 1,000-times smaller than the hair fibre, which deliver that unique ‘glow from within’ effect.

Once your client has gone with Color Excel, they’re not going back. See how they gaze into to the mirror, positively levitating with a colour finish that’s shimmering with vitality and radiating a wellness from within.

Run your hands through their hair afterwards, and feel how its structure and strength are restored, with the cuticle sealed with surface smoothing finishers to lock in colour retention.

A gorgeous glow that lasts and luminous light reflection that doesn’t have an off switch – that’s real star power.

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The new Color Excel GLOWin tone-on-tone system, featuring alkaline technology: • Customisable lift • Colour refresh • Colour correct • Blends first greys • 44 shades

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HIGH SPEED, HIGH SHINE

You can’t have hair that really shines without good a bit of TLC. Meet Color Excel Gloss from Revlon Professional, delivering damage reversal, sky-high smoothness and megawatt shine

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• No lift, no risk, no compromise • Damage-reversing • Neutralises and tones

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The new Color Excel Gloss treatment, featuring acidic technology:

• Colour glaze • 31 shades

“The two hallmarks of a successful colour service are incredible depth and a healthylooking shine. On both counts, Revlon Professional Color Excel Gloss delivers”

*

Compared with other leading acidic colour brands.

MARK LEESON, AWARD-WINNING REVLON PROFESSIONAL GLOBAL AMBASSADOR

No colour can be gorgeous without some stellar shine to go with it, and for that you need the right foundation – smoother, healthier hair. Color Excel Gloss by Revlon Professional is the no lift, no risk, no compromise, solution for damage reversal alongside a show-stopping shine that lasts up to eight weeks. This is the angel on your shoulder for tantalising tone, necessary neutralisation and colour gloss gorgeousness.

Offering two-times less breakage and hair that’s a sensational sixtimes smoother, it hits the three targets of treat, colour, and shine, in half the time.* With a lightning quick 10-minute processing period, colourists can give that glow factor to more clients per day, and it means your guests have more free time, too.

Available in 31 shimmering shades, Color Excel Gloss is the perfect choice for damage-fearing customers short on time and patience. The work going on inside this caring glaze is nothing short of remarkable.

Lipid rich, it protects the hair’s integrity while patent-pending technology dials down on damage and builds back the natural hair structure, neutralising cysteic acid offers better hair condition from the first service.

But don’t just take our word for it. Just watch as your comb glides through your guest’s freshly cleansed hair afterwards! And the same is true for combing dry hair – we’re talking two times less breakage than other liquid acidic colours.

Color Excel Gloss reverses damage and bringing the hair’s natural condition back to glittering, glamorous life from the first application.

This is for better results, not in the next appointment, or the one after that, but right now.

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GLOW PRO What’s in a hue? It’s all in the tools – and what you have stacked on your salon’s shelves

You can’t promise a client show-stopping balayage or a multi-dimensional brunette that catches the light just so, without the best tools in the game. All colours dye the cuticle, but not all repair, smooth and offer a scene-stealing glow…

And you need to know the latest techniques and trends to ensure your glossing game is always on point. That’s why Revlon Professional always backs up that

innovation with education, from inspiring in-person workshops to digital tutorials to explore in your own time, in your own way. For real colour that packs a punch, and makes clients feel they have left the salon a newer, brighter and better version of themselves, the best solution comes in pairs with Color Excel and Color Excel Gloss by Revlon Professional. It’s time to exceed expectations...

Want to get your glow on with Color Excel and Color Excel Gloss?

Find out more and pick up tips, trends and style inspiration at revlonprofessional.com @revlonprofessional

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TREAT, COLOR, SHINE IN HALF THE TIME

*

GO FURTHER WITH YOUR ACIDIC COLOR NEW GLOSS TREATMENT Reverse damage & recover hair’s natural condition 4X shine** 10-minute treatment 31 shimmering shades

To find out more or to become a Revlon Professional stockist contact us on 020 7391 7440 (UK) or +353 (0)1886 9313 (IE).

Order online at revlonproshop.com or browse at revlonprofessional.com * vs. leading acidic coloration brands ** vs. bleached hair

TECHNOLOGY

For a pleasant colour experience without compromise, reach for IGORA ZERO AMM, the new ammonia-free addition to the IGORA portfolio from Schwarzkopf Professional

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IN COLOUR WE TRUST

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Colour. Alongside scissors, you can’t have hairdressing without it.

No hair salon deserves the name without colour tubes and bottles sitting pretty on its shelves, waiting to create true art. When delivering colour masterpieces that wow clients and get bums back on seats for more, it’s what’s inside that counts. You need to feel confident you’ll get the performance and finish you want, every time.

Ammonia and odour-free, with product performance you can rely on and created by and for hair professionals, say hello to IGORA ZERO AMM by Schwarzkopf Professional. It’s the perfect solution for a less abrasive, more enjoyable permanent colour experience for natural-looking results. The professionally curated IGORA ZERO AMM pleases hue-hungry customers who will appreciate its odourless and ammonia-free formula.

IGORA ZERO AMM is for colourists looking for reliable colour results and nothing less than a stellar customer experience.

Ready to raise the standard of your colour services? The power is in your hands…

“IGORA ZERO AMM is packed full of nourishing ingredients such as grape seed and apricot kernel oil which feed the hair while giving true-to-tone results. And the added bonus is that there’s no need for a separate developer as the IGORA ROYAL Oil Developers are already ammonia free!”

Siobhan Haug, Haug London Haus

Itching for a new, kinder colour? Discover IGORA ZERO AMM at schwarzkopfpro.com/zeroamm @schwarzkopfprouk

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STRENGTH AND Zero ammonia and zero compromise with IGORA ZERO AMM from Schwarzkopf Professional

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IA L CR EATIV E HE AD AD VE RT OR Colour clients are more clued up than ever about what is being applied to their heads during an appointment. They always expect a great technical service, while being more ingredients-conscious when it comes to colour options.

Whether they’re after a warm honey or a fierce red tone, IGORA ZERO AMM has the bandwidth to offer them almost every shade of the rainbow – in all its ammoniafree glory – as well as up to 100 per cent white hair coverage.

There’s also good news for colourists. IGORA ZERO AMM not only spares the painter the unpleasant notes of ammonia, but they can also get on with their art without reaching for a dedicated developer, as IGORA ZERO AMM can be used with the existing IGORA ROYAL Oil Developers. This is easy to use and ALWAYS beautiful colour. That’s the experience – what about the performance? You only have to look into the formula to see why IGORA ZERO AMM is leading the way in caring colour innovation.

Unscrew its 100 per cent recycled plastic cap and watch the impossibly smooth formula flow. Inside, phytolipid technology including natural oils and

BEAUTY

optimised pigment mixes enable equal pigment penetration from root to tip – say goodbye to uneven colour!

Working hard within this heady mixture is grape seed and apricot kernel oil, which improves colour performance leading to longlasting, true-to-tone colour. But colour can only go all the way with hair that’s supported through moisture. Here, IGORA ZERO AMM doesn’t disappoint. Infused with omega 9 unsaturated fatty acids, expect an all-encompassing nourishing embrace, supporting the moisture balance for sky-high performance.

Improved colour direction and performance and up to three levels of lift is all well and good, but how about neutralisation and great coverage for true-to-tone colour as well? Reach for IGORA ZERO AMM for a natural-looking result. Paint away all day across many heads, the result will always be tip-top.

When you’ve used up IGORA ZERO AMM, it’s anything but a dead weight. Wrapped in sustainable packaging including a 100 per cent recycled aluminium tube and a 92 per cent recycled paper folding box, you don’t have to feel guilty about where it’s going next.

This really is colouring with care, for both your people and the planet.

Find out more about IGORA ZERO AMM at schwarzkopfpro.com/zeroamm @schwarzkopfprouk CREATIVE HEAD

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TAKE IT TO THE CHAIR

Good news for colourists, clients, and the environment, IGORA ZERO AMM is also a versatile colour tool, offering stylists a treasure-trove of premier salon services

Colour makes a salon – it’s the promise of transformation that tempts many to spend their time and money. As the most profitable service, colour is what keeps your business alive.

Some customers chase exciting new trends, but others have simpler demands. They want service reliability, reliable and realistic coverage, to walk out the door looking colour refreshed yet natural. Whatever your person in the chair is after, ensure you can offer them best in class as well as new colour services that keep your salon a top-tier destination, with IGORA ZERO AMM from Schwarzkopf Professional.

Want to keep your blonde regulars loyal and always impressed after their visit? Blend IGORA ZERO AMM shades for reliable high lift and neutralisation in one application. This clever application method means your blondes will look refreshed with natural looking true-to-tone results every time.

Some of your blonde clientele may want to go further; offer them a cool balayage service with face-framing impact by using IGORA ZERO AMM as an expert toner for a cool finish after IGORA VARIO BLOND’s lightening products. This perfect

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pairing produces expert neutralisation and effortless blending leading to a super-cool, on-trend finish. Clients have desires as diverse as you can imagine, and you should be able to service them all. When it comes to white hairs, some want to embrace, while others want to blend away. For those after expert white coverage in their colour appointments, IGORA ZERO AMM offers the same great reliability for white blending as it does for any other colour service – to the tune of up to 100 per cent white coverage. Powerful, gentle, reliable – IGORA ZERO AMM range

by Schwarzkopf Professional is all these things, and more.

Colourists can now also offer 100 per cent ammonia-free dual application services from root to ends by combining IGORA ZERO AMM and IGORA VIBRANCE in one service.

Whether you use it to increase your service offerings or to improve your existing ones, it’s sure to please both stylist and client with its sheer ability, not to mention the more pleasant salon experience it creates with no ammonia. A line that hits all the bases – there’s a kinder way to colour while making your services stronger than ever… who’s game?

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IA L CR EATIV E HE AD AD VE RT OR Curate creative, kinder, and more successful colour services with IGORA ZERO AMM. Visit schwarzkopfpro.com/zeroamm @schwarzkopfprouk CREATIVE HEAD

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HOW TIKTOK CAN BOOST YOUR COLOUR BUSINESS

Conor Doyle (@conorjmd) has a growing reputation on TikTok for fun videos and lifting the lid on salon colour.

Let the educator and Redken advocate tell you what you need to know to make TikTok work for you…

“My foray into TikTok was unexpected. I started a couple of years ago to test my content for Instagram, as it wasn’t as big then. I started by making fun videos during lockdown, and my following organically grew to around 40,000 more followers than my Instagram.

When using TikTok, you must remember that it’s mostly anonymous people. You’re putting out content like it’s your first one each time, pushing it out into a void. You’ve got to take the right tone of voice, as you don’t necessarily have people rooting for you. Being an anonymous audience, you can get more trolling too.

For colourists wanting to use TikTok, I’d say be clever with hooks and get people to stop scrolling. Your videos must have added value and they need to capture your essence accurately. The goal is to get them to land on your profile.

I’ve seen some stylists post something unrelated to hair and go viral. But the problem is they attract an audience that has no real interest in the hair industry. It dilutes the algorithm and it’s essentially putting content out to the wrong people. During lockdown, I posted silly videos not related to hair. I then tried to harness this audience towards hair content, but they had no interest. So, I deleted my account and started fresh.

For colourists looking to grow their following on TikTok, you need to solve a problem. You should outline an issue which is currently or forever happening. Then, you need to deliver this in a concise way with added value that makes them check you out. People on TikTok are impatient, more so than Instagram. You need to make a first step to grab their attention without being tacky.

On TikTok, you need to be able to give them something they can take away. In terms of the actual content, voiceovers are powerful, but make sure you fragment everything, turning videos into bite-sized, digestible chunks.

Say you’re doing a full head of colour transformation video; break it down into five videos, as people can find more

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clarity, and discover that light bulb moment when they watch things in steps. While my target audience is hairdressers, you can pivot and use the same content on TikTok to target clients just by changing the language from technical terms such as ‘level 10’ to using more consumer-friendly words such as ‘dry’ to describe hair.

Now, a warning for freelance stylists – anything you do on TikTok that’s actively promotional just tanks. I work a lot with campaigns, and you’ve got to be careful with content that looks too hungry or sales-y, it never does well.

TikTok can detect it and may want you to pay.

The best lesson I learnt with TikTok is ensuring your intentions are clear and direct. One of my videos, where I was turning extensions silver, went viral. I attracted a huge male demographic, and I couldn’t get rid of them! Messages turned from asking whether I was taking clients to more inappropriate ones including unsolicited pictures. It was funny but also a nightmare.

I was topless for four seconds of the video,

and that was all it took. What I learnt was that you need to be aware that going viral isn’t everything, it’s more about regular, consistent engagement.

On TikTok, when a video goes viral, people ask whether they can share it. If you don’t want that, say no explicitly and that it’s your property.

Especially if you want to curate how your content is being used. You can now edit captions on TikTok to explain that your property is solely yours to use.

Ready to start crafting your first video? Begin by asking yourself why you’re doing this. I teach a lot around intention, and on TikTok you need to think about who you are trying to reach and what message you are trying to convey. Whether you get 100 or one million hits it doesn’t matter, the message must be clear or, as with my past experiences, it can do more harm than good.

An example of a great TikTok campaign was a Redken launch for consumers. It released formula details of great colour looks, encouraging clients to take the formula to their salon appointment. Basically, it was a power share.

It equipped clients with the language to better clarify their wants and needs, but it also provided professionals with more transparency, making it easier for them to explain why it may be a challenge for certain clients. I have worked in complaints, and nine times out of 10 it’s down to miscommunication and language, so this campaign helped that. It was a more ‘behind the scenes’ look for clients, which trends on TikTok, peeking behind the curtain is powerful!”

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WELCOME TO THE ATELIER No two clients are the same, but all of them want bespoke, beautiful colour results. Ready to become an artist with the best tools to hand? Join the club with Goldwell’s Color Atelier…

Colour is a year-round business. Trends may shift along with the return of spring or the falling of autumn leaves, but clients rely on you, the stylist, to help them with that colour transition. Whether they’re after a bold new look or a subtler change, it’s your recommendation and the products you use to get creative that really matter. To achieve the greatest results, the colour used must be great. Ensure you offer clients services that are a work of art with Goldwell’s colour portfolio, producing looks that only professionals can achieve. Ready to join the arty crowd?

Whether your guest is looking for great grey coverage, intense or sheer results, or to look like they don’t colour their hair at all –

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Goldwell’s 75 years of technology, innovation and expertise helps colourists deliver customised, superior results. Whatever the road to feeling gorgeous is for your client, whether natural or bold, Goldwell’s colour portfolio has the goods.

What makes a colour family? Goldwell Color Atelier certified salons and stylists are linked by artistry and craft, with a shared passion for creating uniquely beautiful hair using the most high-performing and reliable colour products possible, from the heart of the Goldwell family.

Now, peek under the hood to see what its impressive portfolio can REALLY do!

Clients after an intensely recharged colour?

That’s the job of Goldwell’s Topchic colour range. For conscious colouring, reach for Topchic Zero – its vegan formula is made from mostly natural ingredients and its packaging is 100 per cent recyclable.

Or maybe clients desire a brilliant colour boost for 100 per cent grey coverage that is ammonia and peroxide free? Then Goldwell’s Elumen range has your back. Filled with clever technology, it’s a direct dye toner that lasts as long as oxidative hair colour, and is a great option for those with sensitive scalps. Not just that – it reduces the risk of developing an allergy to hair dyes too. Perhaps your clients want an ammonia-free yet rich colour recharge experience, plus tip-top coverage?

That’s a job for Colorance Cover. Whatever your clients’ needs, they can be found in the Goldwell colour portfolio.

Getting flustered by poor performers and disappointing colour results is in the past; imagine the freedom and joy involved in being able to paint to perfection. This is not a pipe dream but a reality with Goldwell and its best-in-class colour. Want to join the Goldwell Atelier? We bet you do!

“I love how Goldwell Color Atelier has given us a new focus. The added value we can provide has me and my team looking and feeling like alchemists.

Goldwell Color Atelier helps us prove that they’re getting the expertise and the service that they deserve.”

Lydia Wolfe, Jack & the Wolfe, Goldwell colour ambassador and member of the Goldwell Color Collective Boost your color business with Goldwell Color Atelier. Scan the QR code to book your free virtual education seminar. Discover everything you need to know about Goldwell Color Services and how to maximise the potential of every service and client. goldwell.co.uk CREATIVE HEAD

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EMBRACE YOUR NATURAL COLOR WITH ELUMEN New Natural Elumen Shades.

Get creative with Elumen! Now available in four additional NN shades to increase your color services even further.

With its unique non-oxidative, ammonia-free and gentle formula, Elumen provides up to 100% grey coverage, extraordinary color intensity and incredible shine.

Moreover, it is perfect for clients with scalp sensitivity to conventional oxidative colors.* Discover more at goldwell.com

* A patch test by a dermatologist is still recommended if you have had an allergic reaction to oxidative dyes in the past.

#GOGOLDWELL #GOGORGEOUS

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ELUMEN NATURAL SHADES. Incredible shine meets brilliant coverage.

BEFORE

AFTER

COLOR DIFFERENT. NATURALLY. » Non-oxidative solution for up to 100% grey coverage, now in six shades » Dimensional coverage that keeps the highs and lows from within » Thanks to gel consistency even color application and coverage for all hair types including coarse hair structures » Shiny result on natural hair

Get inspired ELUMEN HDmax TECHNOLOGY. Elumen’s specially selected, non-oxidative dyes penetrate through the cuticle to the outer layers of the cortex. This creates coverage, exceptional brilliance and a healthy hair feel. The results are shown on naturally pigmented and naturally grey hair.

ELUMEN NATURAL SHADES

NEW

NEW

USAGE INSTRUCTIONS

NEW

NEW 1

2

3 30 min max.

STANDARD

TONING

PREP & DRY

NN@4

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NN@5

NN@6

NN@7

NN@8

NN@9

MIX, APPLY & TIME

LOCK & CONDITION

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HAIR Radio Hair Salon Artistic Team (@radiohairsalon). CREATIVE DIRECTION Adriano D’Astolto (@adrianodastolto). HAIR COLOUR Brad Perry (@brad_perry_creative).

HAIR ASSISTANTS Birte Klintworth (@birteklintworth), Rodri Mikascisti (@ruvid_design).

MAKE-UP @keiatamsin. PHOTOGRAPHY JC Verona (@jc_verona).

A NOVEL APPROACH Addiction to Novelty is a thought-provoking story from Radio Hair highlighting the detrimental effects of a rapidly moving society upon the creative process. Using global bleach and tone techniques throughout, colour has been blended with the cuts in a deliberately disconnected way, shown from different perspectives. The team challenged themselves to achieve the tones they wanted by layering oxidative tints rather than direct pigments, leaving the root areas deep and natural to emphasise the energy of the brand’s aesthetic.

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A new season awaits, and we have some fresh techniques to up your colour game

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HAIR Mikey Noir @bebopldn. MODEL AND MAKE-UP @thanthefreak. PHOTOGRAPHY Sara Carpentieri.

THE TECHNIQUE TOOLKIT

Manga marvel

Colourists see hair as a canvas, so let’s embrace hair colour as art with a little Sakura Manga.

This technique, from Mikey Noir at Bebop London and using ALFAPARF Milano Professional, is a fusion of precision and creativity. “This technique presents an opportunity for the adventurous souls and newcomers alike to explore a world of endless possibilities. With simple variations in colour, one can achieve astonishing results,” says Mikey.

“Picture an ash brown base transitioning into a bewitching mushroom tone at the ends, or envision a deeper chocolate base harmoniously intertwined with a honey gold hue. Allow your imagination to run wild, from reds paired with coppers to other captivating combinations.”

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LIVE THE

BLONDE LIFE HAIR JOICO EMEA Creative Team ART DIR. Bruno Marc Giamattei PHOTO Jamie Blanshard | Henkel Nederland B.V. – JOICO | Grasbeemd 4 | 5705 DG | Helmond | The Netherlands

NEW & ENHANCED

Our complete lightening and brightening system is just for blondes and those who want to be lifted to new heights without sacrificing hair’s shine or condition.

FOR ALL YOUR BLONDE SALON SERVICES. www.joico.eu #joicoeurope #blondelife

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Rock the block

Spice up your life with a return to the ’90s and the bold world of colour blocking. Channel your inner Ginger Spice with chunky highlights, fabulous face frames and popping panels. Wella Professionals has a host of techniques to get your colour blocking game on point, and has new Koleston Perfect shades and express services using Shinefinity Flash Glaze.

Jordanna Cobella, Wella Professionals colour ambassador and trend forecaster, is all over this trend, from hidden panels to stunning slices. This Alice band technique is a brilliant one for clients looking to make a statement.

“Lighten the ends first, then the roots to ensure an even lift and an even canvas to tone,” explains Jordanna. “Then tone with the chosen shade from your neutral palette, ensuring you work in clean sections.” A finish befitting Wonderland awaits...

Switch the stitch

According to Brooks & Brooks artistic director, Marlon Hawkins, it’s time to switch the stitch and adapt how you paint. “Autumn has the same reset as spring – a perfect time for change. This season it’s not about changing your client’s colour tonality, it’s about placement of colour. Negative space and natural areas are vital throughout the year, but even more important for autumn, allowing the hair to breathe.”

Balayage paints are fewer in number yet deeply saturated, giving dimension and allowing in that negative space to let the colour breathe. “Paint on top, not underneath,” he says. “Highlights are stitchribboned, allowing veils of colour to pop.

You’re not putting in less, you’re being clever with placement.”

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UND ER T PLAYIN HE W G W ATCH ITH S FUL HAPE E Y E S , CO AND OF ME LOUR A SUPP NTO ND P ORT R SAL LACE ED B LY B MEN PH Y AV ROO T, T OT LON KS, I HE 2 OG – SH NDUS 023 RA OWC TRY FAME PH YB ASES LEG TEA YJ A LO END E M SH AC VE-I RRO OOT KE N WI L DO AMA AM TH T UGLA NI – ES EXTU S MB RED E, HAIR

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SEE MORE

OF THE SHOOT ONLINE AT CREATIVEHEADMAG.COM

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HAIR 2023 FAME Team: Stephanie Gallagher (@stephgallagherhair), Edd Moss (@eddmosshair), James Parr (@jamesparrhair), Stacey Wright (@staceywright_hair). CREATIVE DIRECTION Sally Brooks (@sallybrookshair) and Errol Douglas MBE (@erroldouglashair).

SPONSORED BY Avlon (@avlonuk). MAKE-UP Maddie Austin (@maddieaustinmua). PHOTOGRAPHY Jack Eames (@jackeamesphoto).

SCENE THE EVENTS AND PARTIES TO BE SEEN AT

AND THE WINNERS ARE… YOUNG TALENT GOLD: D’Arcy White, Jack & the Wolfe SILVER: Katie Beck, TONI&GUY Hemel Hempstead BRONZE: Ruby Wyndham, Wyndham Hair

CREATIVE COLOURIST GOLD: Alice Manser, So Hair SILVER: Annabel Eaton, So Hair BRONZE: Alex Thaddeus, Thaddeus Hairdressing

CREATIVE HAIRCUTTER

Hidden behind the hustle and bustle of London Bridge and Borough Market, the UKI finalists of the Kao Salon Division Global Creative Awards gathered at Menier Lounge for a day of networking and revelation. Stylists from across the UK and Ireland were desperate to know if they would be taking gold and securing a place at the Kao Salon Global Experience in Chicago, where a gala event on Sunday 24 September will unveil the international winners. Standing together with their salon teams in the terrace garden, the bronze, silver and gold winners were revealed across the three categories – there were tears, there was laughter, there was a bottle of champagne that took ages to open. But overall, there was pride and utter joy at what they had all accomplished. Chicago, prepare yourself!

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D’Arcy White

THE KAO SALON DIVISION GLOBAL CREATIVE AWARDS

Jacob Scully

Alice Manser

GOLD: Jacob Scully, Scully & Scully SILVER: Steven Dulay, Pomo Hair BRONZE: Ben Brazzo, Jack & the Wolfe

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Charles Rose

Paul Solomons Leah Hayden Cassidy

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Ben Pechey

Joe Mills

THE COTERIE

Sheets of summer rain added a touch of drama to The Coterie, a meeting to discuss diversity, identity and authenticity, with a stellar speaker cast.

Sponsored by STMNT and hosted at The Loading Bay in Shoreditch, guests hit the ground running with diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant and LGBTQ+ advocate Ben Pechey, who talked trans joy – from inclusive shoe sizing to black trousers that fit – and their work helping global brands become more inclusive.

A panel discussion followed with trans non-binary short hair artist Keri Blue and barber Leah Hayden Cassidy exploring gendered stereotypes around short hair styling, joined by salon owner Charles Rose, who is currently in the process of transforming his ‘gentlemen’s’ grooming business into a more inclusive space.

Last up was a dynamic duo – session stylist Joe Mills, the proud owner of new creative hub Woolf Kings X and the Joe Mills Agency, alongside his long-time collaborator and former creative director of GQ, Paul Solomons, responsible for some of the most iconic GQ covers over the past two decades. From choosing which talent is showcased on covers to the evolution of men’s fashion, the pair talked about how names such as Harry Styles and James Bay have experimented with their looks.

With a generous goodie bag from STMNT, guests left with plenty to think through in terms of creating truly inclusive and safe spaces for all within their salons, barber shops and workspaces.

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Peggy Gou

AUTHENTIC BEAUTY CONCEPT x PEGGY GOU AT PLEASURE GARDENS FESTIVAL

In celebration of the ongoing collaboration with international DJ Peggy Gou, the first ever Authentic Beauty Concept hair tent pitched up at Pleasure Gardens Festival. Set against the backdrop of a buzzing Finsbury Park, the serene space gave festival goers the chance to enjoy a moment of calm in between DJ sets, while enjoying a complimentary styling appointment. Armed with branded ribbons, plenty of glitter, and some of the brand’s best-loved styling products, advocates from across the UK and Europe created an array of trending festival looks for guests at the popular hair tent.

Stylists included Joseph Ferraro, Mimi Kobayashi, Anthony McMeiken, Dan Mewies, Miles Twist, Vishali Visavadia, and global advocate Adam Garland. On the menu were braids, waves, and space buns – and sometimes a combination of all three! A unique opportunity for festival goers to experience the brand and leave with a new ’do, it was the perfect way to roll out the #AuthenticBeautyMovement to the masses. The exciting event also gave stylists the chance to reconnect with the global Authentic Beauty Concept family and introduce the brand to a wider audience, before enjoying a headline set from Peggy as the sun went down.

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Creative HEAD’s Kelsey Dring and Aoife Connell CREATIVE HEAD

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THE LAST WORD ON…

TEAM LOYALTY

Annie Lang for Unsplash

KEEPING STAFF MOTIVATED AND LOYAL ISN’T AS HARD – OR COSTLY – AS YOU MIGHT THINK

Keeping staff loyal in 2023, when there’s been so much change postCovid, doesn’t have to mean ripping up the rulebook. The holy grail of everlasting employee happiness doesn’t exist in one format.

But there are easy ways to encourage loyalty while you work on making your business the best place to be for your staff.

A happier team is more likely to stick around and put in the extra effort. Start by encouraging “a culture of open communication and feedback” via regular coffee break chats, says Sophie Bryan, founder of workplace consultancy Ordinarily Different.

Whether as one-to-ones or small groups, these “create a safe space for employees to share ideas, concerns, and suggestions in a more casual setting”, fostering “a sense of belonging and transparency” that helps to solve issues before they get worse.

Food is the fuel for a good workday, and employee loyalty too, according to Anna Morrish, director at content agency Quibble.

The agency has a fully stocked mini-fridge and tuckbox for staff with soft drinks, healthy snacks, crisps, and biscuits. “We ensure that everyone in the team can grab something as and when,” she explains. “It’s simple but appreciated by all.”

Fridays can be a slog, so what about using it as an opportunity to shake things up? Catherine Hayes, operations director at Tao

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Digital Marketing, says the company takes part in a team-wide quiz each Friday.

While not actively unhappy, staff in your business could be bored, which might encourage them to look elsewhere. Bacon Marketing’s director, Philip Bacon, says: “A Fun Fridays initiative means employees can enjoy a break from the usual routine and engage in team-building activities.”

For Robert Eaton, art director at Russell Eaton, there are ways to get to your team’s heart quickly, even in a busy salon environment. “It’s the little things that make a difference, when you can reach out to say thanks for their hard work quickly.

Gestures such as buying ice creams on hot days, doing a coffee run when everyone needs a pick-me-up, eggs at Easter, and of course, the occasional team night out. This combined with recognition helps us create a positive team environment.”

For those wanting to go further, there’s the travel perks and discounts route, suggests Scott Poniewaz, leader of benefits solution provider EXEC. “Recognise and reward employees’ hard work and achievements with personalised experiences, such as giving out gift vouchers for unique activities. By tailoring rewards to individuals, you show that you value them, boosting loyalty.”

Implementing quick wins for team loyalty are crucial. But spend too much time looking at the bigger picture, and you could lose sight of what can have the greatest impact. Sometimes it’s the little things in life that can make the biggest difference.

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