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Victor Paul – Artist Spotlight

The go-to hair and makeup guy for Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County, Victor Paul, has over two and a half decades of experience making women look beautiful. Now, he’s co-owner of Victor Paul Salon in Costa Mesa, California, where he specializes in hair styling and color for the women (and yes, even the men) of the O.C. Believing hair and makeup to be a highly expressive medium, Victor Paul has a wide spectrum of creative and technical abilities that has afforded him with many exciting and vast opportunities. In addition to working behind the chair at his namesake salon, he is also an accomplished session artist. A two-time nominee for the prestigious North American Hairdresser Awards or N.A.H.A., his work has been featured in countless hair and beauty publications worldwide. Victor Paul has done hair and makeup for numerous advertising campaigns and editorial fashion shoots, with his most recent work being seen for Winston Jewelers. He personally has been written up in Orange Coast, Riviera and ENJOY Life magazines, and has been featured on Good Day L.A. with Jillian Reynolds. With a refreshing down to earth sincerity, Victor Paul is truly one of today’s top talents. His positive and highly energetic attitude is both welcome and infectious. “Hair and makeup touches a familiar cord in all of us,” says Victor Paul. “It is the fusion of art with life, and the medium that blends reality with emotion.” He adds, “My passion with hair is seeing cut, color and style all come together to make everybody feel beautiful. I enjoy the process of figuring out what works on each person. I also believe that education is key and that you can never stop learning or enhancing your craft. I truly love watching new talent come up the ranks as I find the younger generation of hairdressers to be very inspiring.”
Photo: Taggart Winterhalter for Purely Visual
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Premiere Orlando 2015 – International Beauty Event

It is unanimous – The consensus is in and Premiere is bigger, smarter, prettier and even better than ever! Continuingly making it the most important show in the beauty industry! A standing ovation not only to the Premiere team, but to the attendees, totaling over 57,861, who came out to further their careers and make a difference as the professional beauty authorities! In addition, Premiere Orlando represents the largest international beauty show in the nation with over 800 exhibiting companies on an impressive 7.3 acre show floor. Exhibitors came to launch products, reveal new collections and invest in the professionals who attended the show because Premiere Orlando is engaging and is the source of progression within the professional beauty industry. With a Show Pass to Premiere Orlando, industry professionals and students were able to experience Main Stage, Hair Color Stage, Educational Classes, Premiere DAYSPA and the Exhibit Floor. Main Stage was filled with industry leaders and beauty professionals looking to enhance their careers. This year, the star studded line-up included: Paul Mitchell’s Robert Cromeans; Rock Your Hair’s Michael O’Rourke; Sassoon Academy’s Mark Hayes, Traci Sakosits and Richie Rivera; Sam Villa and Andrew Carruthers; Martin Parsons; Christopher Dove and John Simpson; RUSK Creative Team, BaBylissPro Team; and Farouk’s Anna Cantu. Paul Mitchell launched MarulaOil, embodying the line with beautifully styled hair featuring a golden aura of purity. Martin Parsons continues to deliver jaw dropping up-dos, with modern effortless style that brides are seeking this season. Christopher Dove & John Simpson joined forces as 2 industry icons debuting and uniting for the first time on stage with a creative urban street style of modern hair including a futuristic touch of dimensional colors to create the “New Normal.” Hair Color Stage was sizzling with color enthusiasts looking to get serious education from the color experts. Some of this year’s hair color industry leaders included 2014 NAHA Colorist of the Year, MATRIX’s Chrystofer Benson; Redken’s Celebrity Colorists Tracey Cunningham and David Stanko; Industry Color Icon Beth Minardi; Kim Vo and the ‘Balay LamaTM’ Candy Shaw. Tracey Cunningham and David Stanko shared knowledge, not only working with an impressive celebrity clientele, but also shared their wealth of tips and tricks to answer the most pertinent hair color questions. As Kim Vo continues to create color trends in Hollywood, he presented professionals the latest sought-out colors and showcased his most signature blondes. Balayage, a resurgence of hair coloring technique, was no doubtfully the most sought out technique at the show, which Candy Shaw lead a highly anticipated demonstration that was standing room only on Hair Color Stage. Classroom Education respectfully is the foundation of what makes Premiere Orlando the most important beauty event of the year. With over 430 complimentary educational class options this year, beauty professionals were able to plan a custom education itinerary that fits their educational needs. Premiere Orlando is a yearly mecca for salon owners, beauty instructors, cosmetologists, nail techs, estheticians, massage therapists and beauty students to enhance their careers. Nail World continues to grow globally attracting the best in exhibitors, educators and beauty professionals. Optimizing the experiences for Nail Techs, Premiere has added additional complimentary classes, hands-on workshops and larger presences on the exhibit floor. Also, CND continues to provide professional innovation celebrating 5 years of CND Shellac and launching the new CND LED Lamp and CND’s new Shellac Xpress5 Top Coat. We also welcomed the stars from Nail ‘d It, a hit reality competitions series, winner Ashley Craig and semi finalist Lauren Wireman, who offered star studded education and workshops. Premiere DAYSPA provides unique opportunities for esthetician’s, making it the spa event of the year. With focused education in medestethics, wellness, anti-aging, spa business, massage therapy and make-up, face-to-face and hands-on workshops enriched these professionals skills, techniques and careers. Premiere DAYSPA was the location to launch new products, equipment and technology and offered the latest trends and innovations for the leaders in the spa industry. Beautiful Experiences is a way for Premiere Orlando to give back to attendees providing exclusive opportunities to meet, learn and mentor from the beauty professional leaders they look up to most. This year’s experiences included an adventure with Robert Cromeans, besties for the day with Candy Shaw, the ultimate hangout with Jan Arnold, stardom with Patrick Starrr, a VIP experience with Anna Cantu and a private Q&A with Beth Minardi. Save the Date: Premiere Orlando co-locating with free admission into Premiere DAYSPA, will be held June 4, 5 & 6, 2016. Education Days: June 4, 5 & 6. Exhibit Floor Open: June 5 & 6.
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A Revitalized Color Business

Owning a successful salon facility is a journey and the learning process simply never ends. David Bickle of The David Salon in up-scale Orange County, California knows from first-hand experience and is a shining example of how well the evolution can work. After much research and consulting with others David found that his already busy salon could improve its color business, both in eliminating color waste and in providing a more efficient facility to accommodate the growing market. To minimize color waste, David decided to become a certified HeadMapping salon. The HeadMapping system specifically defines areas of the head into sections, creating a “map” that determines exactly how much time, product and cost is required to perform each service. Stylists can then dispense the right amount of color for specific color techniques as well as amounts of hair being colored. In addition to minimizing waste, it helps clearly define pricing for color services. As far as improving the facility itself, David found that the space allocated for a large color dispensary, nails and spa treatments could instead be used to allow expanded and more effective color services. It made sense to his bottom line to drop nails and part of the spa services to accommodate the growing color market. The plans were drawn up and David moved forward with the renovation. He had the 217 square room foot enclosed color dispensary room, employee break room and laundry facility that originally floated in the center of the salon removed and instead opened it up into a spacious color bar. The laundry facility was moved into a former massage room and the break area into an enclosed nail space. Three of the walls of the dispensary were removed completely and in its place a seven-station, island-style color bar was added. “Years later we’re still very pleased with the change,” states David. “ The color bar was the perfect solution for us not only offering the best use of space, but also opening the salon up visually and offering yet more opportunity to interact with our clients. The place looks so much larger and we are so much more efficient even on our busiest days.” He adds, “Doing our homework, seeking the professional advise of others and always looking ahead has really made a difference in the effectiveness and profitability of the salon. The lesson here is that we as salon owners are never done growing and changing. To be successful in any business one has to evolve as needed and should always be searching for how to make improvements. There is ALWAYS room for improvement. Being in the beauty business we proudly preach change to our clients, but must lead even this part of business by example. Our business is a living, breathing entity and like our clients, is in need of a new, fresh look once in awhile.”
Photo credit: Taggart Winterhalter for Purely Visual
 
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Carrying the Torch – Artist Spotlight

Known in the Southern California area for their precision shear sharpening skills, Nick Cutter and his daughter Nicki were the first father /daughter sharpening team in America. They enjoyed working together in the mobile aspect of their family-owned business where Nicki, the first female Master Sharpener in the nation, was quickly growing her own territory. When not in the field Nick, a seasoned industry veteran and a Grand Master Sharpener, worked the home office along with his wife Ramona, a licensed Cosmetologist, where he serviced mail-in orders. For five years Nick was also president of the National Shear Sharpeners Guild (NSSG), a respected and longest running association for educating and board certifying sharpeners of professional haircutting scissors. During much of that time Nicki proudly assisted along side her father for meetings and events, and was heavily involved in the education process. The father / daughter duo seemed to find the perfect balance between family and business, and flourished in a field they loved so dearly. On a fateful day in August of 2012 37-year-old Nicki found herself in the hospital facing a deadly diagnosis of advanced cancer. She didn’t even have time to get her affairs in order before she lost her battle in a matter of a month. Sadly Nicki left behind her parents, a new husband, two teenage daughters, and a very loyal, stunned and heartbroken clientele.

Tragedy Sparks Inspiration

Fast-forward to 2015 and a bustling salon environment is the backdrop for a class of future salon professionals ready to make their mark on the industry. In the mix at Paul Mitchell The School San Diego is Kyla Rose, an eager young blonde with a recognizable spark. Proud to be Nicki’s daughter and Nick and Ramona’s granddaughter, Kyla enrolled in the school and devoted her time and energy to her education. She even won a partial Paul Mitchell scholarship with an essay she wrote about her mom. Now set to graduate late June 2015, Kyla is looking forward to carrying on the family tradition in her own signature way. Described as a joyful ray of light much like her mom, this extroverted social butterfly considers herself to be a new age alchemist, as she sees it as her calling to help make others feel confident. “Building an artistic, healthy presence and unique impression is important to me. By focusing on a person’s inner essence, I am able to bring out into the open who they truly are,” said the rising star. Kyla specifically loves the cutting aspect of her craft and is excited to see men paying more attention to appearance and grooming.  She is also drawn to makeup and sees it as a way of creating an artistic expression on a human canvas. IMG_1139a In addition to the required hours at the academy, Kyla participated in many outside activities during her time in beauty school. She modeled for NAHA, did makeup for a designer fashion show in Los Angeles, and did hair and makeup on her own models for a BEACON photo shoot. 3 up When asked about how her family influenced her decision to enter the beauty industry, Kyla said, “Mom influenced me by pushing, guiding, and loving me and I learned by seeing her be successful in this business. She had a big personality and I loved seeing how happy and uplifted people were after she came around.” She continued, “I grew up around the beauty industry so I watched Grandpa and Gramona (Grandma Ramona), who is also a wonderful mentor, work hard at the family business. They are both independent and successful, and support our whole family through their hard work.” IMG_2243aKyla is ready to roll up her sleeves and dive into her future headfirst. She clearly wants to make a difference in the world and the industry she grew up in, and above it all, to make her family proud. “The universe is on my side,” Kyla said, continuing, “and so is my family!” Keep up with Kyla and watch her career blossom by following her at kylarosestyle.com.  
Photo captions top-bottom:
1. Kyla touching up her models on set with her mentor, Reno Prezio, looking on.  Photo by Natasha Gerschon.
2. Results of editorial shoot with photographer Natasha Gerschon. Hair and Makeup by Kyla Rose.
3. Nick Cutter and Kyla Rose – photo by Gramona.
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NAHA Nominees for 2015 Announced

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) is honored to announce the highly anticipated finalists for the 2015 North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA). As the most prestigious photographic beauty competition in North America, NAHA celebrates the artistry and skill of the professional salon industry.  Becoming a NAHA winner is a pinnacle achievement for licensed beauty professionals. The industry’s greatest talent in hair, nails and makeup continue to push the boundaries of trend-setting style year after year. Drawing from leading editorial, celebrity and platform artists whose work graces top fashion and beauty magazines, runway shows and red carpets, NAHA is the culmination of style, beauty trends and sheer artistry. NAHA trophies are awarded in 14 distinct categories including Avant Garde, Contemporary Classic, Editorial Stylist of the Year, Haircolor, Make-Up Artist of the Year, Master Hairstylist of the Year, Men’s Hairstylist of the Year, Nail Professional of the Year, Newcomer Stylist of the Year, Salon Design, Salon Team, Student Hairstylist of the Year, Texture, and the highest and most coveted award, Hairstylist of the Year. Additionally, a 15th NAHA award will be given to the People’s Choice Award winner. Finalists for the People’s Choice category will be chosen from the top five finalists who accrue the most “likes” on their collection through PBA’s Facebook page. As part of this year’s NAHA celebration, PBA is encouraging finalists to post their respective “I’m a 2015 NAHA finalist!” graphic with #NAHA2015on their social media pages as a way for their followers to support them on their journey to NAHA.  The 2015 NAHA Awards Ceremony is open to ALL and will be held on Sunday, July 12, 2015 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. This is an evening filled with high-energy, creative expression and artistic presentations by Matrix, Redken, Aveda, and 2014 Hairstylist of the Year winner, Alain Pereque. Fashion stylist and TV personality, Brad Goreski, has been chosen as the 2015 NAHA host.  Goreski is a fashion stylist, lifestyle expert and one of the new hosts of E!’s “Fashion Police.” He is the former star of Bravo’s “It’s a Brad, Brad World” and currently serves as the Brand Stylist for Kate Spade New York for which he has styled a number of print and digital campaigns, as well as numerous fashion presentations at New York Fashion Week.  Some of the clients Goreski has worked with include Jessica Alba, Demi Moore, Christina Ricci, Rashida Jones, Sarah Hyland, Jordana Brewster and Jenna Dewan Tatum.  Goreski’s work has been featured in a number of publications, including InStyle, Details, Redbook and LA Confidential, among other outlets, and he has been featured twice on the cover of the New York Times style section. The 2015 NAHA Red Carpet Reception and Awards Ceremony will be broadcast live, via streaming video, courtesy of PBA. Those interested in watching the live broadcast will need to register at probeauty.org/naha/live. NAHA continues to draw judges from a diverse and internationally renowned list of hairstylists and makeup artists from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Australia, and Switzerland. Judges included Robert Lobetta, Sam Brocato, Tabatha Coffey, Sam Villa, Sharon Blaine, just to name a few.  Via a blind judging process, entries were narrowed down to five finalists per category, and only one winner in each category will be chosen. To view the work of all the NAHA finalists and to learn more about NAHA, visit probeauty.org/naha.
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Beacon 2015 Student Winners Announced

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) is pleased to announce the winning students and honorable mentions chosen to attend Beacon 2015. These students were selected from more than a thousand applicants based on the creativity, presentation and content of their resume, professional portfolio, and creative marketing pieces. All Beacon applications were judged by PBA members, including top manufacturers, distributors and licensed professionals from across the country. Meet these exceptional students at PBA Beauty Week in Las Vegas July 11-14, 2015.

Held annually as part of PBA Beauty Week, Beacon accepts around 100 winners and invites 200 additional honorable mentions to be a part of this career-building event. Attendees are comprised of the nation’s top cosmetology students and PBA strives to help provide them with a foundation to build a successful future in the industry. Designed to educate students on the various components needed to manage an accomplished career, Beacon introduces students to the business side of the industry and provides valuable insight on marketing, business operations, networking and leadership training.

Beacon winners receive free tuition, and honorable mentions pay a small fee to attend PBA Beauty Week in Las Vegas, which includes a full line up of education tailored specifically to them. The Beacon program is long renowned for hosting the industry’s most accomplished speakers and this year’s program features leading educators including Geno Stampora, Vivienne Mackinder, Stephanie Kocielski. In addition to attending their specialty classes, students tour the Cosmoprof North America trade show floor to meet beauty business leaders and attend PBA’s annual Business Forum, featuring the Beauty Pitch, where they learn the role global distributors and manufacturers play in the industry.  As part of this year’s Beauty Week, PBA is encouraging Beacon winners and honorable mentions to post the “I am a 2015 Beacon Winner!” and “I am a 2015 Beacon Honorable Mention!” graphics on their social media pages, along with #BEACON2015, as a way for their followers to support them on their journey to Beauty Week.

For a full list of the winners and the schools they currently attend, please visit  probeauty.org/beaconwinners. If you would like to sponsor the 2015 Beacon program, please visit probeauty.org/beacon.

Photo courtesy of the PBA

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Join the “I Am Licensed” Movement

In honor of National Hairstylist Appreciation Day on April 30, the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) is honoring all beauty professionals throughout the month of April as part of their “I Am Licensed” movement and dedicating April as #IAmLicensed Month. To celebrate the hard work and dedication of all those in the beauty industry, PBA is asking all licensed professionals and licensing supporters to post 15-second videos to their respective social media accounts about the importance of licensing and how it has impacted them, using the hashtag #IAMLICENSED. PBA will then repost these videos through their own social media platforms. Licensed professionals also have the opportunity to choose from two social graphics to repost and help celebrate #IAMLicensed Month. “Our goal is to create a social media revolution in support of licensing. While we’ve made great strides as an industry, this issue remains an obstacle in various states. Social media is a great tool to continue the efforts of the “I Am Licensed” movement and to reach licensing supporters across the country. Bringing clients and consumers into the conversation is an important component of the movement, and #IAMLicensed Month will help to reach more clients and consumers via their licensed professional whom they trust. Together we can not only honor hard-working, dedicated beauty professionals, but continue and grow our fight against deregulation,” said Bridget Sharpe, PBA’s Manager of Government Affairs and Industry Relations. PBA’s “I Am Licensed” movement is already gaining momentum in 2015. In February, PBA received the Public Affairs Council’s (PAC) 2015 Grassroots Innovation Award for Social Media Innovation for the this campaign. PBA was honored for its unique approach to engaging, empowering and activating their grassroots advocates. In response to threats of deregulation within the professional beauty industry, PBA created a visual grassroots plan to appeal to its unique audience. At the cornerstone of the campaign was the “probeautyiam” Instagram account and the #IAMLICENSED hashtag. PBA encouraged its members and social media followers to post photos of themselves or other “I Am Licensed” collateral using the hashtag. Launched in 2013, the “I Am Licensed” movement aims to build a stronger, more united front of licensed professionals, and arm them with information to share with their clients on why licensing is important to protect the public from potential harm and the spread of communicable diseases. Many states across the U.S. have or are considering measures to deregulate occupational licensing, often focusing on the cosmetology industry. However, if the beauty industry were deregulated and licensing requirements removed at the state level, manufacturers, distributors, salon owners, licensed professionals, and most importantly, consumers would be negatively affected. To combat deregulation and its repercussions, the “I Am Licensed” movement also seeks to arm all licensed professionals with information to educate law makers in their states on the importance of maintaining state cosmetology boards and regulations. For additional information, including tips on how to get involved in the “I Am Licensed” movement, please visit probeauty.org/iam.
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Little Details – Big Impact at NYFW

Gotta love this time of the year when every creative in town shows up for New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The designers, makeup artists and hair gurus come out in force all looking to shape the next season’s trends. This week witnessed well-crafted coifs topping the creations of every top designer whose work graced the catwalk. A great opportunity to pick up a little creative inspo to take into the salon, here are some of our faves from NYFW so far. Mara Hoffman paired her super-flow-y, printed designs with lived-in, destroyed desert braids (pictured above). Created by CATWALK by TIGI Global Creative Director Nick Irwin, these styles offered a mixed metaphor of texture with mostly swingy lengths and  highly textured, cinched and interwoven finishes. nyfw-marissa-webb-Braided-Pomp TRESemmé Stylist Jeanie Syfu produced the memorable Triple Braided Pompadour for designer Marissa Webb. This designer’s edgy, downtown separates pair defined silhouettes with playful hemlines to bring the urban aesthetic to life. The hairstyles were designed to complement Webb’s work and to encompass a gritty vibe with a feminine twist. 54bc1903calvin klein NYFW 2015Redken’s Guido Palau opted for a minimalist approach at Calvin Klein, mixing a Japanese inspired bun with wispy pieces for a fresh, slightly tough update for spring. Untitled-1_3030457a Antonio Corral Calero, Moroccan Oil’s global creative director, went for a double elastic super slick ponytail at Cushnie et Ochs. Designed to elegantly offset the designer’s creations, this hairstyle was inspired by the powerful sexiness synonymous with Cleopatra and ancient Egyptian mythology.   SUNO---Hair-Shot Going for a simple but undone elegance, hairstylist Odile Gilbert created slicked-back looks at Suno using Kenra products. She flipped a half pony upside down and finished off the looped style with a patterned barrette. So very simple that it’s ultra chic! Regardless of designer or  hair artist who topped off each look, one thing that’s obvious backstage at NYFW this season…It’s all about the little details! What were some of your favorite styles from NYFW?
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ISSE Brings the Best of Beauty to So. California

Produced by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), the 2015 International Salon and Spa Expo Long Beach (ISSE) continues to be the West Coast’s largest and most influential beauty event.

Reaching record attendance, ISSE Long Beach 2015 welcomed an energetic crowd of nearly 43,500 beauty professionals from around the world in late January. PBA has set out to evolve ISSE Long Beach beyond the traditional “hair show” and become the industry’s most complete beauty event for professional hair, nails, cosmetics, esthetics, wellness, massage and advanced education. img_3240Known for its diverse exhibitor base, ISSE is the launch pad for new beauty products and services. Ths year’s event featured more than 379 exhibiting companies promoting 420 beauty brands. Ranging from international beauty leaders to indie trendsetters, exhibiting brands included Amika, CAILYN Cosmetics, Enzo Milano, Gelish, Johnny B Hair Care, LightStim, Matrix, OPI Products Inc., Sexy Hair Concepts, Vidal Sassoon, and Zotos International. ISSE Long Beach 2015 also featured some of the biggest names in the industry. Attendees saw presentations from Ted Gibson, Beth Minardi, Ammon Carver, Lydia Sarfati, Adam Tran, and more. With three main stages to choose from, including Center Stage and the NAHA Stage and the new Cut, Color & Style Stage, ISSE Long Beach 2015 also featured more than 150 complimentary education sessions. Spanning all three days of the event, classes covered all aspects of hair, nails, makeup, skincare and wellness. Attendees could create a personalized schedule of professional sessions in hair, nails, skin and business, including a lineup of Hands-On Workshops, CIDESCO Section USA, and Student and Early Professional classes. img_1823ISSE Long Beach also brought back its Hairstyling Competitions in 2015. Open to students and licensed professionals, the hair competitions allowed individuals to show off their skills and add to their portfolio. The competitions took place on Monday, January 26, and over forty competitors competed in either the senior or junior categories for Long Hair Bridal and Avant Garde – inspired by the North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA). For a complete list of winners, please visit probeauty.org/competitions/isselb/. New this year, tryouts for a chance to be on Team USA at OMC Hairworld 2016 in Seoul, Korea were held in conjunction with the ISSE Long Beach Hairstyling Competitions. The U.S. will be represented by four teams in 2016: Senior Ladies’ Technical, Senior Ladies’ Fashion, Junior Ladies’ Technical and Junior Ladies’ Fashion. OMC categories were open to all contestants. Competitors had to compete in both technical categories or both fashion categories to be eligible for the Team USA try-out. Ben de Cordova won both the technical creative and Hair by Night categories and will be taking the fourth and final spot in the Senior Ladies’ Technical Team. img_3237Nail Competitions: The Nailpro Nail Competitions, sponsored by Nailpro Magazine, featured eighty new and seasoned entrants in various categories. For a complete list of winners, please visit probeauty.org/competitions/isselb/. Next year’s International Salon & Spa Expo will take place January 30 – February 1, 2016 at the Long Beach Convention Center. ISSE Long Beach is open to licensed salon/spa professionals, cosmetology students and instructors only.  For additional information and photos from ISSE Long Beach and updates on next year’s show, please visit probeauty.org/isse.
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Contessa Announces 2015 Semi-Finalists List

The Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Awards semi-finalists have been announced and the finalists in each category will be released in mid-October. To crown the Contessa winners, an über-glam gala is held every year in Toronto where the winners are announced to a full house of more than 1,000 guests. The 2014 Contessa Awards Gala will be held on November 9, 2014 at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto. The event kicks off with lavish cocktail party, which is your chance to rub shoulders with the best of the best in the industry. Following dinner, awards are presented as well as three inspiring and innovative presentations from expert stylists at the top of their game. The evening ends with a ‘guest-list only’ after-party at one of the poshest clubs in town. Tickets sell out every year, so buy early! Early bird tickets will be available soon.

Canadian Hairstylist

Karina Brasseur, Coupe Sculpture, Repentigny, Que. Andor Bubelenyi, FUSS Art of Hair, Edmonton Eddy Burgos, La Coupe Salon & Spa, Montreal John Jen Hoe Chong, Blunt Salon Inc., Edmonton Vincent DiPlacido, Sadiva Coiffure (Bulle Coiffure), Laval, Que. Alina Friesen, A Michael Levine Salon Group, Vancouver Rob Gaspar, Blunt Salon Inc., Edmonton Timothy Kuo, Salon Haze, Vancouver Daniel Naumovski, Taz Hair Co., Toronto Shanti Normandeau-Soulière, Guylaine Martel Artistes Coiffeurs, Mont-Saint-Hillaire, Que. Michelle Pargee, Milica SalonSpa, Langley, B.C. Alain Pereque, Salon Saco/Drummond, Montreal Kellie-Ann Philbin, Les Associés Coiffeurs, Saint-Bruno, Que. Devon Plamondon, A Michael Levine Salon Group, Vancouver Tony Ricci, Ricci Hair Co., Edmonton Mirella Rota Sementilli, Salon Gaboa (Freelance), Woodbridge, Ont. Jacob Rozenberg, Moods Hair Salon, Vancouver Chad Taylor, Moods Hair Salon, Vancouver Josie Vilayvanh, Berns & Black Salons & Spa, Winnipeg Julie Vriesinga, Salon Entrenous, London, Ont.  

Canadian Salon Team

A Michael Levine Salon Group, Vancouver Blunt Salon Inc., Edmonton Bob + Paige Salon, Toronto Craft Academy Salon, Vancouver Cutting Room Creative, Nanaimo, B.C. FUSS Art of Hair, Edmonton Guylaine Martel Artistes Coiffeurs, Mont-Saint-Hillaire, Que. KoKo The Salon, Edmonton Mëdz Salon, Verdun, Que. Oblic Salon Urbain, Montreal Salon Cyan, London, Ont. Salon Haze, Vancouver Salon Pure, Montreal Salon Saco/Drummond, Montreal Supernova Salon, North Vancouver, B.C. Taz Hair Co., London, Ont. Taz Hair Co., Toronto Vancouver Hairdressing Academy, Vancouver Victory Barber & Brand, Victoria, B.C. W.A.C. Hair Group, Markham, Ont.   Elite Master Hairstylist Daniel Benoit, Salon Pure, Montreal Tracy Catt, CherryBomb Hair Lounge Inc., Red Deer, Alta. Michael Crispel, Earth A Salon By Michael Crispel, Toronto Donna Dolphy, Donna Dolphy Hair, Toronto Martin Hillier, The Lounge Hair Studio, Vancouver Edwin Johnston, Cutting Room Creative, Nanaimo, B.C. Rossa Jurenas, Studio Rossa, Tillsonburg, Ont. Ludovic Leroy-VIgier, Rayko Coiffure, LaSalle, Que. Daniel Naumovski, Taz Hair Co., Toronto Michelle Pargee, Milica SalonSpa, Langley, B.C. Alain Pereque, Salon Saco/Drummond, Montreal Anne Prytullack, Solo Salon Designs, Camrose, Alta. Kye Pyeon, Suki’s, Vancouver Tony Ricci, Ricci Hair Co., Edmonton Timothy Switzer, Timothy & Co Salon and Spa, Oshawa, Ont. Grace Tartaglia, Image Makeover, Toronto Domenico Tomei, Fernando Cellini Hair Salon, Ottawa, Ont. Renn VonDyck, Élan Hair Stuido Winnipeg,  

Master Colourist

Catherine Allard, Salon Odyssee Le Loft, Montreal Lindie Blackwell, Spyce Spa & Hair Studio, Barrie, Ont. Melissa Duguay, Eccentric Hair Studio, Moncton, N.B. Susan Hayward, Taz Hair Co., Etobicoke, Ont. Alma Head, Alma’s Family Hair Salon, Sydney, N.S. Rossa Jurenas, Studio Rossa, Tillsonburg, Ont. Dana Lyseng, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver, B.C. Michelle Pargee, Milica SalonSpa, Langley, B.C. Audrey Adrine Petrosyan, Industry Hairdressing, Toronto Rhianna Reddekopp, Terra Casa, Langley, B.C. Michael Shire, Holt Renfrew Salon & Spa, Toronto Lisa Smith, Mint Hair Lounge, Port Moody, B.C. Marlo Steenman, The Glamour Box, St. Albert, Alta. Timothy Switzer, Timothy & Co Salon and Spa, Oshawa, Ont. Kelly Toms, Mosaic Hair Group, Toronto Jessica Van Kuyk, Suki’s, Vancouver To see the full list of semi-finalisists, go here: http://salonmagazine.ca/contessa-semi-finalists-2015.html.
Photo: Julie Vriesinga, Salon Entrenous, London, Ont, Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Finalist
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2014 North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) Winners

The most prestigious photographic hairstyling and beauty competition in North America, the North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) celebrated its 25th anniversary on July 13, 2014. The event took place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and featured a star-studded awards ceremony, which was held during Professional Beauty Association’s Beauty Week, North America’s largest, most inclusive beauty event. Renowned entertainment journalists, television personalities and producers Bill and Giuliana Rancic hosted the 2014 Awards Ceremony. This dynamic duo brought charm, energy and excitement to the 25th anniversary celebration. NAHA’s top honor, Hairstylist of the Year, was presented to Alain Pereque from Saco Salon Drummond in Montreal, Quebec. This is Pereque’s first NAHA Hairstylist of the Year honor. He has also won Contemporary Classic in 2010 and was the Master Hairstylist of the Year in 2008. sample1
L-R: Row 1: Master Hairstylist of the Year, Anna Pacitto, Salon Pure; Salon Team of the Year, Van Michael Salons; Hairstylist of the Year, Alain Pereque, Saco Salon Drummond Row 2: Make-Up Artist of the Year, Heath Bryant-Huppert, HAUS Salon; Texture, Dilek Onur-Taylor, jcp Salons; Avant Garde, Jake Thompson, Lunatic Fringe
NAHA honors artists in 14 distinct categories. The NAHA 2014 winners in their respective categories include:
Master Hairstylist of the Year Anna Pacitto
Salon Pure, Montreal, Quebec
 
Hairstylist of the Year
Alain Pereque
Saco Salon Drummond, Montreal, Quebec
 
Newcomer Stylist of the Year
Chris Rushton
Logan 14 Salon & Spa, Washington, DC
 
Editorial Stylist of the Year
Geneva Cowen
Sam Villa, Anchorage, AK
 
Men’s Hairstylist of the Year
Paul Pereira
Solo Base, Toronto, Ontario
 
Student Hairstylist of the Year
Nicole Gary
San Bernardino Beauty College, San Bernardino, CA
 
Make-Up Artist of the Year
Heath Bryant-Huppert
HAUS Salon, Minneapolis, MN
 
People’s Choice
Chrystofer Benson
South Weber, UT
 
Avant Garde
Jake Thompson
Lunatic Fringe, Salt Lake City, UT
 
Contemporary Classic
Sonna Brado
Jaazz Salons, Inc., Spokane, WA
 
Haircolor
Chrystofer Benson
South Weber, UT
 
Texture
Dilek Onur-Taylor
jcp salons, Dallas, TX
 
Salon Team of the Year
Van Michael Salons
Atlanta, GA
 
Salon Design
Zoltons Salon and Spa
Scottsdale, AZ
 
Salon MBA
Blo
Raleigh, NC
 
Acclaimed World Master Hair Designer, educator, artistic director, executive and salon owner Dwight Miller was presented with the 2014 NAHA Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is considered to be NAHA’s highest honor, recognizing those who have made outstanding contributions to the hair and beauty industry and is limited to licensed salon professionals. For 50 years, Miller has influenced industry changes in hair fashion and technique and continues to be an incredible inspiration. For more information about the event, or to find the NAHA 2015 application please visit www.probeauty.org/naha.
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The Business Side of the Beauty Industry

With an exclusive ambiance dedicated to the business of beauty, Cosmoprof North America, a strictly B2B (business to business) trade show took place in Las Vegas on July 13-15, 2014. The only event for the beauty industry in North America that encompasses all sectors of the industry under one roof and is exclusively dedicated to business development activities. Unlike other shows, Cosmoprof is strictly a distributor show so no hair show events or cash and carry activities happen on this trade show floor. What takes place instead are business deals by manufacturers, each looking to enhance or initiate distribution of their products to the market. At some point, most major brands had an exhibit at the show or attended to see what everybody else is up to. Each of the four pavilions on the show floor showcased a specific category including  professional hair, nail and tools, spa and wellness, cosmetic and personal care, as well as packaging, contract manufacturing and private label. This year the attendance was up with over 26,000 attendees representing over 100 countries. In addition to a separate program for the North American Hairdressing Awards (NAHA), Cosmoprof also offered conferences and seminars. These events brought business and industry leaders as well as experts from fields of marketing, branding and online marketing together to participate in round‐table discussions and panels to share their knowledge and insights – A rare opportunity that typically plants the seeds for industry growth in the years to come. Salon and spa professionals can look forward to new products and services coming their way in the months ahead, thanks to the wheeling and dealing on the business side last week…And NOW you know! Photo courtesy Cosmoprof  NA
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Hot tip on using ENJOY styling gel

Create lightweight, flake-free, long lasting styles with amazing shine and flexibility. This formula is specially designed to resist humidity and build incredible volume without that heavy product feel. Perfect for blow drying, styling, spiking, and setting. Excellent for all hair types. For incredible volume, apply to root area and blow dry.
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TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS

Many corporate professionals are faced with the challenge of scheduling salon services around their busy work week. Finding time to get out of the boardroom and into their favorite salon or barber shop is a challenge on a slow week – but when meeting schedules get tight and deadlines loom in the very near future, it’s practically impossible to squeeze in their cut and other salon services. STERLINGS MOBILE SALON & BARBER CO. based in San Diego, CA came up with the perfect solution!  Bring high quality salon and barber services directly to the office professional in a well-designed, comfortable and fully functional mobile salon and barber shop.

STERLINGS MOBILE SALON & BARBER CO.

We recently had the chance to chat with the founder of STERLINGS MOBILE SALON & BARBER CO. Kush Kapila and learned his inspiration, motivation and business model. Here are some of the highlights from our conversation. HDP.COM: How did you come up with the idea of a mobile salon and barber shop? Kush: I was working in high-tech and life sciences and got tired of spending my weekend or evening hours at the barber shop to get a great haircut. I noticed food trucks, pet grooming vans and mobile dentistry and the idea struck. What if I could provide mobile salon and barbering services that were not only great, but set in a cool enough environment that business professionals would become regular clients? The idea quickly morphed into converting an Airstream trailer into a mobile salon & barber shop that is fun, completely self-contained, climate controlled and comfortable enough for full service barbering, women’s cut and color services and manicures. HDP.COM: Wow, what a great idea!  How did you figure out where to start, and then how did you determine where geographically to offer your services? Kush: Coming from the business world, it made sense to partner with Fortune 500 companies. For a small fee, we guarantee STERLINGS MOBILE SALON & BARBER CO. will come to their location and offer employees special perks (and pricing) for pre-booking appointments. That arrangement allows us to designate guaranteed locations on pre-determined days regularly. It’s super convenient for the companies employees too because they can now simply walk outside their building to get a personalized full barber shop or salon experience without the hassle of driving across town and waiting in line. Of course, we’re also always open to walk-ins for passers-by. HDP.COM: Cool concept! Were there issues with starting up and state board regulations? Kush:  We’re here in Southern California, so I worked with the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology to obtain the necessary license. We also had to figure out other logistics like clean, hot water and drainage when washing hair and rinsing color. It was kind of difficult, but after 18 months of business we can brag a full clientele (close to 2,000 shared between 3 employees), and have surpassed a 50% retention rate with walk-ins and new customers. We have two full time stylists and a full time barber on staff and I’m already looking at expanding my team. It’s been well worth the hard work! HDP.COM: Terrific! Were there other details that helped you get to where you are today? Kush: It’s all about focusing on convenience and quality for our clients. We have a great online booking system so that people can plan their business day around haircuts, color or manicure services with their favorite stylist or barber. Everything is booked in half-hour increments so it’s super consistent and respectful of their busy schedule. We also focus on maintaining an easy to use web site so that our customers know exactly where we are each day. HDP.COM: So what’s next? Kush: We’re currently working on building fun special event services. The shop is ideal for destination weddings and corporate events. The options are limitless – bachelor or bachelorette parties, golf tournaments, horse races… You name it! We’re also looking to scale the business through a franchise model and ultimately empower stylists and barbers to give the convenience and quality of STERLINGS to their clients without being bogged down with huge rents. HDP.COM: Congratulations on a really cool concept and cheers to your success! You certainly found a way for Hairdressers (and Barbers) to harness their power! Thanks for sharing your vision, we’re sure you’ve inspired our subscribers – you’ve certainly inspired us here at HAIRDRESSERPOWER.COM!

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To learn more about STERLINGS MOBILE SALON & BARBER CO., check out their website at http://sterlingsmobile.com
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Guide Your Team To “Second Step Mentality”

“It is estimated that close to 200,000 hair, skin and nail beauty school students graduate every year in the US. Within five years, 8 out of 10 will no longer be practicing their craft. . . . . WHY? There are many factors, but none more striking than the realization that not enough “newbies” are being mentored by owners and co-workers through an assistant program. In speaking to many salon owners about this problem it is apparent that mentoring is perhaps becoming a lost art? Many newly licensed salon professionals have a false perception of their skills, while others arrive into the salon with an unrealistic sense of entitlement. The facts are that everyone in the “food chain” has a responsibility to reach out and help save a career – and it is happening. Just recently we learned of  groups of salon owners getting together to provide technical training for each others staff. We learned of a salon management software company who is reaching out to manufacturers, distributors and industry experts in an effort to pool talents and resources to provide ongoing training for salon professionals. This video by a salon owner speaks to the problem and offers up some solutions. Developing a customer first salon culture requires training and an understanding of “second step mentality.” Second step mentality is thinking ahead to anticipate and prepare for your clients needs. For example: Many hair stylists are in the habit of looking at the appointment book either the night before or in the morning before the day starts. The usual motivation is to see how busy the day is going to be, but that is as far as it goes.  Second step mentality practitioners look one or more steps ahead and begin preparing for each appointment by reviewing previous service and retail product purchase history, along with any prior consultation notes, preferred beverage etc. because they want to give the best guest experience. Have you ever gone into your local coffee shop and the “barista” smiles and hands you your favorite drink without asking? That is second step mentality at work and you better believe it builds customer loyalty and salon success”. On-Stage Salon Success Skills training course teaches this and more. Here’s Video 1 FREE