After a slight delay due to the country-wide lockdown, the Fellowship for British Hairdressing 2020 Sassoon Scholarship is now open for entry, with a new online element providing increased accessibility.

One lucky recipient will now be given the opportunity to choose two in-person Sassoon Academy courses, as well as two online Sassoon Academy courses. The winner will also receive a professional tool kit and can claim up to £50 per day towards travel and accommodation costs, courtesy of Denman International. On top of that, the Scholarship recipient will also receive PR profiling through the Fellowship.

Fellowship for British Hairdressing President Ken Picton says: “Vidal Sassoon was Patron of Honour for the Fellowship, and dedicated to supporting the next generation of hairdressing talent. The Sassoon Academy offers some of the best training in the world, but it’s not always within reach of every hairdresser. With this in mind, the Sassoon Scholarship was set up with the support of Denman International to make this world-class education available to all. We can’t wait to see this year’s applicants, and are delighted to be able to offer a life-changing education opportunity to one lucky recipient after what has been a challenging year for the industry.”

To apply, hairdressers need to fill out a form on the Fellowship for British Hairdressing’s website, outlining their career achievements to date and explaining why they think they deserve this incredible opportunity. The closing date for entries is Friday 18th September. After this date, 12 candidates will be interviewed online, with a shortlist announced on Friday 25th September. The judging panel will consist of members of the Fellowship Chancellery, as well as a representative from each supporting company.  The judges’ decision is final.

Courses must be taken between October 2020 and May 2021 (subject to availability), and the scholarship is offered exclusively to Fellowship members.

Hello, stranger! Long time, no-see.

Since we saw you last, the industry has welcomed plenty of changes and made the most of the comeback, different though it may be. And here at BarberEVO, there have been some changes, too. 

Behind the keyboard at the moment is Jenna Robertson, your new Editor. I’m thrilled to join the team at BarberEVO – my incredible predecessor Amy has left some big shoes to fill, but has also left me with a very exciting role to take on. I’m so looking forward to getting to know our community of readers and contributors (who really are the rock stars of the barbering world), and continuing to bring you fresh, inspiring content.

And what a time to join! Our North American comeback issue is as exciting as they come. Our cover star is none other than Layrite legend Donnie Hawley, who shares some pearls of wisdom from his 25 years in the business and tells us the origin of the famous Layrite Deluxe Pomade.  

We also take a look back at our incredible EVOLive series, sharing some of our favorite quotes and insights from barbers, brands and industry leaders, and we find out how other countries are coping post-lockdown, from the UK to the UAE.  

We talk to Director of Education at Barbicide, Leslie Roste, on what the team have been doing during quarantine to support the industry, our columnist and SCurl Ambassador brings us a thought- provoking piece on the Black Lives Matter movement, and a host of leading barbers share their thoughts and advice on how to fix those pesky DIY home haircuts that I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of over the past few weeks! 

Our columnist Kenny Duncan delivers a thought-provoking piece on the Black Lives Matter movement, and why it’s more important than ever for people across the globe to educate themselves on racial injustice.

We’re also looking out for you – while protecting yourselves and your clients is of the utmost importance, it is just as important to look after your own wellbeing, in both body and mind, so we’ve put together advice on how to prioritize your mental and physical wellbeing in these crazy times. 
 
We also delve into retail – an important resource for barbershops keen to claw back some of that lost revenue. You’ll find invaluable advice from Elliott Chester, Sosa and Bona Fide Pomade, who continue to use retail to their advantage. 

It feels great to be on Team EVO, cheering on an industry that is so dynamic and fighting so hard to push through these uncertain times. I hope you enjoy our comeback issue, but in the meantime, stay safe, stay positive, and look forward to brighter days ahead.

Order your copy of Issue 14 here – happy reading!

The Fellowship of British Hairdressing has been forced to put its annual PROJECT: Men project on hold for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning that the 2020 team will rollover with the project into 2021. There’s now room for three new hairdressers looking to develop their skills to join the mentoring scheme.

PROJECT: Men launched in 2019 to provide insight and education on all aspects of men’s hairdressing and grooming, from essential barbering techniques to presentation and photoshoot skills. The team comes together monthly to enjoy a mentoring session led by industry experts, who in the past have included Danny & Co, Hayden Cassidy, Johnny Shanahan, Andrea Raymond and the Master Barbers.

The team also have the opportunity to gain on-set experience and join Jonathan as he works on fashion week shows and live stage work with the Fellowship at Salon International.

Of the Project, Jonathan says: ‘I’m honoured to be Project Leader for PROJECT: Men for a second year. Men’s hair is something I am so passionate about and I think there are so many incredible avenues to explore from the salon all the way to the stage. This is going to be a jam-packed year full of things I only wish I could have had when I was starting out.’

PROJECT: Men is suitable for anyone looking to gain more experience in men’s hair – there’s no age limit and applicants do not need to have experience in barbering.

To apply for one of the three places available, applicants should fill out the form available at www.fellowshiphair.com and send three images of their men’s hair work. The closing date for entries is 12pm on Thursday 24 September 2020.

The ‘It’s All Good’ box set won ‘Best Treatment Mask’ for the Men’s Category at the 2020 Attracta Beauty Awards. A collaboration with cancer support charity Look Good Feel Better, the box was designed to support those undergoing cancer treatment by looking after their skin and inspiring confidence. Look Good Feel Better run confidence workshops where attendees learn valuable skills and how to look after their wellbeing during all stages of treatment. 10% of all purchases of the boxes go to Look Good Feel Better, and so far the sales have raised an amazing £9,000.

BARBER PRO said: “With this set launching under a year ago, we are so pleased to have been shortlisted for this award, let alone going on to win for the Men’s ‘Best Treatment Mask’ category. Especially with the set being for an exceptional cause, we can’t wait to keep raising money for this charity.

Giving back and helping people feel good is so important to us and we are so pleased that people are purchasing this set to feel good themselves, whilst raising money for cancer charity Look Good Feel Better, who also work hard to help people going through treatment to feel great.”

You can find BARBER PRO and stock up your shelves with their award-winning products at www.beautypro.com/trade.

To learn more about Look Good Feel Better and the incredible work that they do, visit www.lookgoodfeelbetter.co.uk/.

The ‘tech-infused workwear for barbers’ has just landed at BarberBlades.co.uk, making it easier than ever before for barbers to get their hands on this stylish, comfortable and durable alternative to aprons.

Barber Blades is known as the ‘one-stop shop’ for all barbering essentials, but the new addition of Barber Garms will give barbers an option of everyday workwear that repels hair splinters.

Barber Garms was founded in 2019 by George Tierney Abbott of Flanagans Barbers to rid barbers of the uncomfortable feeling of hair splinters in their clothes throughout the day. After testing hundreds of fabrics and designs, George landed on the Barber Garm t-shirts with TightWeave© technology. The TightWeave© fabric was developed specifically for the hair and beauty industry with thread count per millimetre that is almost triple that of regular clothing.

Barber Blades currently carries both the Oversized and Slim Fit unisex tees in black and white.

Find out more at barberblades.co.uk/brands/barber-garms, and keep up to date with the latest on Barber Garms on Instagram @barbergarms.

The salon and barbershop in Leicester’s city centre welcomed clients again on Tuesday 4^th August following four months of lockdown.

The King Street shop closed its doors in March according to government guidelines for close-contact services amid the Coronavirus outbreak, and was set to reopen on the 4^th of July along with other hairdressers in England. However, following an announcement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the end of June, Leicester went into local lockdown and the King Street salon was forced to keep its doors shut until August.

Barrie Stephen (pictured above with business partner Joachim Ziliken) said “It feels absolutely wonderful to be back in business and seeing all our lovely – and very patient – clients once again. We are ready to go and our team are excited to get back to doing what they love.

“It has been an incredibly challenging few months and even harder seeing other salons across the country reopen, but we have done everything possible to support our clients with their hair during lockdown. We have made sure they’ve had their favourite products and we’ve helped with tips and advice – though nothing beats seeing them in person and treating them to the red carpet service they deserve. Let’s go!”

Follow Barrie Stephen Hair on Instagram (@barriestephenhair) to keep up to date with the salon and its reopening.

As shops across the United States have begun to reopen, we know you’ll have more to think about than ever before – including how to keep your clients, your staff and yourselves safe.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) can be a major investment and Gillette wants to do its part for the barber community by providing equipment that can help better protect those of you back at work, along with your valued clients.

To help keep the barber community safe as shops are reopening, BarberEVO have teamed up with Gillette to donate 20,000 protective face shields to barbers across the United States.

This is part of a larger relief effort to support workers, relief agencies and communities on the front lines of this pandemic. To date, Gillette has produced and donated more than 300,000 face shields for health care workers in response to the needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lots of barbers across the US have received their face shields already:

“Shoutout to @Gillette for sponsoring our sweet new face shields! Shaves and facials have never been safer!”

Prodigy Salon// @prodigysalon

The Gillette face shields are great…Our clients love them and it gives them peace of mind to come in the shop to get a haircut – thank you!”

Marcus Williams// Marc Republic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“#Salute to BarberEVO & Gillette for donating these face shields to barbers!”

Sipp the Surgeon// The Art of Barbering, Grand Prairie, Texas.

“The face shields help me out so much by protecting my clients and I from spreading anything around. Knowing I’m protected allows me to be at peace when cutting, I’m not so worried about the virus and I can focus on the haircut and taking care of my clients.”

Josue Morales// Sway Styles, Detroit, Michigan.

“We love the new Gillette face shields! They’re super light and comfortable. Not only are they providing important extra protection for all the barbers, but our clients also appreciate them because it shows we’re taking their safety seriously as well.”

Erik Zaiatz// Bostonian Barbershop, Boston, Massachusetts.

There are limited numbers of face shields remaining! Get yours before they are gone at barberevo.com/faceshieldsforbarbers.

Send us your selfies// Let us know you got your face shields! Tag @gillette & @barberevo.

The best selfies will be featured in an upcoming edition of BarberEVO.

Expert stylist and winner of 2018 NAHA Men’s Stylist of the Year award Jamie DiGrazia is joining Wahl Professional as its new Retail and Business Educator. DiGrazia, who owns Logan Parlor in Chicago, will use her expertise and passion to teach barbers and stylists how to use the Wahl 1919 styling and finishing line to enhance their cuts and increase their revenue. In addition, purchase of the products will provide scholarships to the next generation of barbers and stylists through the company’s Fade It Forward™ program.

DiGrazia can attest to the growth that selling retail has brought to her business, and views the 1919 products as an important way for barbers to increase their revenue by showing clients how to create salon fresh looks at home.

“There are two ways to earn money in this industry – service and retail. Through educating your guests, you can have a whole other part of your business that can be flourishing,” says DiGrazia. “To have a long, successful career, I think business education is what is going to take someone to the next level. And that comes from selling retail, having product knowledge, and business education.”

DiGrazia will support the 1919 line by both educating barbers on stylists on how to use the products, and how to sell them. Her goal is not only to help educate barbers behind the chair, but also to educate their clients on how to use the professional products at home.

As part of a bigger initiative in the shape of Wahl Professional’s philanthropic program, Fade It Forward™, DiGrazia is also supporting the next generation of barbers as a portion of the purchase of each 1919 product will go toward barber school scholarships for youth in need. Fade It Forward™ began in 2018 and is designed to help young people in underprivileged areas achieve their dream of becoming barbers. The program is currently active in Chicago and St. Louis, with plans to expand to Cleveland and beyond in 2021.

“When I explain how the Wahl 1919 styling and finishing line helps young people become barbers and helps them get into an industry I love so much, well that’s really impactful. People care about that. People want to help other people. Barbers and stylists can understand that, and so can clients,” says DiGrazia.

For barbers and stylists interested in getting their hands on the Wahl 1919 styling and finishing products, a discounted introductory kit of all 11 products is available through Wahl Professional at wahlpro.com/store/1919.html. To apply to become a Wahl 1919 reseller and carry Wahl 1919 products in your shop and receive access to business and retail education, go to wahlpro.com/store/reseller/.

To learn more about Wahl Professional follow them on Instagram at (@wahlpro) and go to the website at wahlpro.com.

On Friday 31st July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced changes to the guidelines of close-contact services offered in salons and barbershops. The services due to reopen on 1^st August have been postponed for at least two weeks due to an increase in COVID-19 cases across England.

While the decision is likely to be reviewed on or around the 14^th of August, the services postponed in England for the moment include:

• Facials of any kind such as chemical peels, dermaplaning, microneedling, hydrafacials, LED therapy, laser therapy, and microcurrent
• Eyelash extensions, tints, waxing, or lifts
• Eyebrow waxing, tints or reshaping
• Threading or waxing anywhere on the face, acupuncture on the face, and make-up application.
  

Beard trimming will still be allowed for the moment but should be limited to simple beard trims, thinning and removing bulk or length, with the appropriate PPE worn at all times.

These rules apply to all beauty and hair professionals, including freelancers, mobile professionals, and retail and session make-up artists.

For guidance on close-contact services across the UK, click here.

With barbershops and salons mostly reopened across the UK, Neäl & Wølf have launched two new collections to help keep your clients’ hair looking fresh.

Three new travel-sized Mini Collections will allow clients to indulge in great quality hair care on the go, with each set including some of the brand’s best-selling products in convenient 50ml bottles. These come in a stylish wash bag and as always with Neäl & Wølf, are sulfate free, paraben free, TEA free, DEA free and cruelty free.

The new luxury hair care bundles are designed to nourish hair so that your clients can make the most of their fresh cut. The bundles range across the Blonde, Harmony and Alpha Collections and provide a 20% saving over purchasing products individually.

Neäl & Wølf founder, Neil Capstick, is proud of the brand’s ability to combine salon-quality and accessibility: ‘At Neäl & Wølf, we pride ourselves on creating products that not only work, but combine luxury and affordability – and our luxurious summer hair care bundles do just that!’

To find out more about the brand and view all products, visit www.nealandwolf.com.