With Movember already half-way through, it’s time to check in on those moustaches that have been sprouting all month long. But if your facial hair is still in its early stages or needs a little TLC, don’t fret. These expert tips from Chris & Sons will help you salvage your ‘stache. A recent study by YouGov found that 1 in 10 British men now sport a moustache, equating to over 3 million people. While moustaches have gained popularity, many men find it challenging to grow and maintain a well-groomed moustache. A recent survey conducted by The Beard Mag revealed that 35% of British men who attempt to grow a moustache face difficulties, primarily due to uneven growth, patchiness, and itchiness. With this in mind, Andrew Vassiliou, Director of Chris & Sons – the UK’s leading hair and beauty supplier – shares expert tips proving a magnificent moustache is not an impossible feat. 1. Maintaining an amazing moustache is a blend of grooming and patience. To begin, allow your moustache to grow freely for a few weeks without trimming. This will help you determine your natural shape and thickness. Once you’ve achieved a desirable length, keep it tidy with regular trims, focusing on any strays that may appear. A quality pair of scissors or a fine-toothed comb is essential for this. 2. Moisturising is key. Just like the hair on your head, your moustache needs hydration. Apply a moustache-specific wax or balm to keep it soft, manageable, and free from flakiness.  3. Invest in a high-quality moustache comb or brush to maintain its shape and appearance throughout the day. Regular combing not only keeps your moustache looking neat but also helps to train the hair to grow in the desired direction. Start by combing in the direction of hair growth and then gently sweep the hair to the sides. Combing can also stimulate blood flow to the hair follicles, potentially enhancing growth. Moustache growth serums, formulated with ingredients like minoxidil, have been shown to promote hair growth. Just apply a small amount to your moustache area, and you might notice a significant difference over time. 4. Avoid over-styling your moustache. Frequent trimming and excessive use of styling products can slow down growth. Instead, let it grow naturally and trim it sparingly to maintain your desired shape.  Don’t underestimate the power of a good diet and overall health. Proper nutrition can contribute to the health of your facial hair. A balanced diet rich in vitamins, especially B-vitamins and biotin, will promote growth. 5. Avoid excessive smoking and alcohol consumption as they can hinder growth and lead to hair loss. 6. Lastly, don’t rush the process. Growing an amazing moustache takes time. Embrace the awkward phases, be patient, and remember that every moustache is unique. With the right care and attention, you’ll soon have the enviable moustache you’ve always wanted.”   Check Chris and Sons website for more: https://www.chrisandsons.co.uk/barbering.html.

FRESHA BECOMES FIRST BEAUTY AND WELLNESS BOOKING PLATFORM TO LAUNCH TAP TO PAY ON IPHONE IN UK

Fresha, the #1 booking platform and marketplace for beauty and wellness, has launched Tap to Pay for iPhone in the UK – letting users take payments with just a phone. No other hardware needed.

 Fresha has launched Tap to Pay on iPhone in the UK, making them the first beauty and wellness booking platform to let UK users take contactless payments straight from their iPhone. The feature lets beauty professionals complete checkout in seconds and give clients an even smoother payment experience. Users simply open Fresha on their iPhone, ask clients to tap their phone or card, and the transaction is complete. 

Tap to Pay on iPhone effectively puts a point-of-sale system in each user’s pocket, letting them take payments from anywhere in the venue – without relying on payment terminals or other hardware. It completely eliminates the need to share terminals or manage queues, since payments can be taken by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Plus, Tap to Pay enables businesses of any size to take secure contactless payments in-store – from boutique cash-only startups and booth renters, to venues that rely heavily on online payments; all without needing to invest in any equipment.

The feature works with debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, and other digital wallets. It’s also perfectly secure, using Apple’s technology to encrypt card details and process payments without storing data on users’ iPhones.

Fresha remains the top choice for forward-thinking beauty professionals
Tap to Pay on iPhone is the latest innovation in Fresha’s robust payment system, joining a lineup of features that includes multiple payment methods, upfront payment policies for reducing no-shows, and daily payouts that give businesses fast access to their earnings. All underpinned by one of the lowest payment processing fees in the industry. 

Having also launched the new feature in the US, Australia, and the Netherlands, Tap to Pay integrates seamlessly with Fresha’s all-in-one booking and management platform. Like all payments taken on Fresha, Tap to Pay transactions immediately appear in users’ reports, helping them track their earnings, spot trends in their sales, and make profitable decisions. 

Fresha remains the best booking platform for beauty and wellness businesses who want to be ahead of the curve. Their users get first access to the most powerful tech, giving them an edge over their competitors in a market where technology sets the winners apart.

Tap to Pay on iPhone is a hit with Fresha users
“I just open Fresha on my phone, let clients tap their card, and we’re done. I can’t believe how easy it is,” said Dino Antony, Co-Founder at Paradigm, a leading London barbershop. “Queues aren’t a problem anymore, and we don’t have to worry about finding a card terminal at the end of each appointment. It’s a hit with our staff and clients.”

Stuart Davis, Head of Product at Fresha, is thrilled with the positive response from Fresha users. “The team at Fresha worked hard to bring Tap to Pay to our users as soon as possible, and we’re proud to be leading the charge in the UK and beyond. Despite the short time it’s been available, many of our users are already calling it their favourite Fresha feature.” 

Nick Miller, Fresha Co-Founder and Chief of Product, says the new feature raises the bar for payment systems in the industry. “Tap to Pay helps us deliver the best payment experience in beauty and wellness, and being the first to bring this technology to our UK users aligns with our goal of setting the standard in the industry,” he said. “Plus, Tap to Pay is just the first of many game-changing new payment features we’re launching. Watch this space.”

Fresha is committed to innovation in the industry and serving their users worldwide, developing powerful tools for business growth that connect more people to beauty and wellness, every day. 

Fresha, the world’s #1 booking platform for beauty and wellness, has taken its unique industry perspective and launched an invaluable resource: its first trend report, called The Future of Beauty and Wellness Report 2024. 
Created in partnership with leading trend forecasters WGSN, the report is packed with groundbreaking insights based on:

• analysing 600 million Fresha bookings
• scanning more than 2,000 social media accounts
• more than 1,000 consumers surveyed across the US, the UK, Canada and Australia
• interviews with industry experts including makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur Huda Kattan, and celebrity barber and educator Mark Maciver

The report uncovers and decodes 11 trends set to shape the industry. From high-octane beauty to the diagnostic tools taking over salons, clients’ expectations of beauty and wellness will evolve like never before in the next five years. 
The report serves as a guide to those changing expectations, and shows how services and treatments will need to be adapted to boost business. All of this game-changing information will help business owners outpace the competition and stay at the forefront of client care.
For beauty and wellness business owners ready to evolve to meet consumer demands with a holistic, personalised approach, this report will help them do exactly that. Those businesses with forward-thinking strategies and customer-centric services will be the ones that find the most success and keep clients coming back, into 2024 and beyond.

Read the report now.

The latest issue of BarberEVO UK & Ireland is OUT NOW. 

In this issue, we explore how you can elevate your business during the festive period in prep for a successful 2024. It’s time to market yourself and your shop, upskill your teams, and boost that bottom line.

ON THE COVER

BIG UP Cal Newsome, our cover star this month and the Master of the Fade. This talented stylist tells us what it takes to cut the hair of celebrities, build that all-star client list, and why Chris and Sons is his go-to for the best barber supplies.

WINTER SEASON

‘Tis the season to maximise on… everything!

Let’s get into it. In our winter season feature, we look at how to really strengthen your brand for Christmas. Including everything from social media marketing right down to putting seasonal branding in your shop windows. 

STYLING

You know us! We love a good styling feature. Our editor attended a hectic (but incredible) run of shows at London Fashion Week in September and rounded up some really valuable styling advice. Industry icons Nick Irwin, Syd Hayes, and Adam Garland took LFW by storm and gave intel on the newest and best tools.

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INTERIORS

We also look inside some of the UK’s finest barbershops to find out what it takes to not only make a space look good but how to entice clientele. Experts from Cape Gang, Ned’s Barbershop, REM, Gould Barbers, Takara Belmont, and many more give you the scoop.

Fresha, the world’s leading marketplace and booking software for the beauty and wellness industry, has an exciting update on the success of their recent campaign builder launch. 
Blush + Blow, one of Fresha’s long-term partners, has achieved the following after using the platform’s campaign builder feature:

• 15x average return on spend for their marketing campaigns, with clear reports showing how to make future campaigns even better 

• 3x sales of skin services, after promoting their new skin clinic with Fresha’s marketing tools
• 4 new staff members recruited to handle the increase in business

Blush + Blow, helmed by Bridget Hannon, began as a blow dry bar in 2017. They’ve since grown their services to a full range of hair and beauty treatments, and expanded with a clinic dedicated to skincare.
Before joining Fresha, Bridget used various methods to promote Blush + Blow, including PR agencies and influencers. But it was always hard to measure results, and managing each of these marketing campaigns separately was time-consuming.

Bridget needed an effective way to reach clients, and clear visibility of each campaign’s performance. She also needed an online booking platform to simplify running the salon, so she could focus on growing the business.
After signing up to Fresha for free, Bridget started using the campaign builder and templates to create personalised marketing campaigns. From seasonal promotions to new treatment announcements, she can build email and text message campaigns in minutes, then send them to the right clients at the right time.

Bridget also gets clear reports showing the results of every campaign so she can refine them for even better performance. All while using the platform to manage appointments at both venues, take online bookings, collect client reviews, and more. 

Watch our video focused on Bridget’s journey with Fresha, and find Blush + Blow on the Fresha marketplace at fresha.com, or by downloading the Fresha app on the App Store or Google Play.

Wahl Professional is thrilled to announce the launch of their latest innovation, the Hi-Viz™ Trimmer. 

Designed to set the standards for professional tools, this cutting-edge trimmer is set to redefine the art of precision grooming. 

What is so special about the Hi-Viz™, we hear you ask? 

The Hi-Viz™ Trimmer was designed for those who live in the details. Built with a slim neck, where the body meets the blade, allowing more visibility and control with every cut. The re-designed wide T-blade is manufactured with diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings to last eight times longer than stainless steel blades (as shown in lab testing). 

With zero-gap capabilities, get skin close results and high-end results with every cut. The innovative Adaptive Speed Control automatically adjusts the motor to cut through all hair thicknesses and textures in a single hit. 

Leo Wahl invented the trimmer category and Wahl Professional has continued to set the standard for quality for over 100 years. Wahl is ready to launch its latest innovation with the Hi-Viz™ Trimmer – introducing quality and precision to the high-visibility market.

With over two years of intensive engineering, hand tested and assembled with care in the USA, the Hi-Viz™ is more than a tool – it’s an embodiment of your passion. 

RRP £227.99

Available to purchase on WAHL.CO.UK and at Salon International from Friday 13th October – Monday 16th October. 

Are you ready to witness the fiercest competition in the world of hair and beauty? The NYC Hair & Beauty Challenge is back, and it’s bigger, bolder, and more glamorous than ever before. Get ready to be dazzled on Sunday, October 22nd, at the iconic Melrose Ballroom, just minutes away from the heart of the Big Apple and easily accessible from all major transportation hubs.

This spectacular event will bring together the crème de la crème of hair and beauty professionals from the NY tri-state area, all vying for the prestigious titles in five thrilling categories: Fastest Fade, Fastest Braid, Fantasy Makeup, Low Fade & Beard, and Freestyle Braid. Whether you’re a die-hard beauty enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out, the NYC Hair & Beauty Challenge promises an unforgettable experience.

The competition’s core aim is to celebrate the incredible talent within the worlds of barbering, hair styling, and makeup artistry. With their precision and artistic flair, barbers, hair stylists, makeup artists, and hair salons from the tri-state area will come together to showcase their exceptional skills and creativity.

To kick off the day, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in masterclasses led by two industry titans. First up, Hair Colorist extraordinaire, the master of the Latin Blonde, will share their wealth of knowledge. Their transformative work in hair color has garnered them worldwide acclaim, making this masterclass a must-attend for anyone looking to stay on top of the latest hair color trends and techniques.

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Following that, the stage will be graced by none other than Hector Espinal, the former Global Makeup Artist for Fenty Beauty. Hector’s portfolio includes jaw-dropping work featured on Netflix’s hit show, GLOWUP, and in renowned publications such as Vogue, Rolling Stone, and Harper’s Bazaar. His Makeup Masterclass promises to be a captivating journey into the world of beauty, sharing valuable insights and tips on how to create stunning makeup looks that turn heads.

The NYC Hair & Beauty Challenge isn’t just about competition and masterclasses; it’s about celebrating the artistry and passion that fuels the beauty industry. Attendees can expect to be inspired by the creativity on display, learn from the best in the field, and connect with like-minded individuals who share a love for all things beauty.

The show’s various categories, including Fastest Fade, Fastest Braid, Fantasy Makeup, Low Fade & Beard, and Freestyle Braid, ensure there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re into the intricacies of barbering or the magic of makeup, this event will leave you in awe of the boundless possibilities that hair and beauty offer.

Don’t miss out on this sensational day filled with excitement, inspiration, and a dash of friendly competition. Tickets are selling fast, so secure your spot at the NYC Hair & Beauty Challenge and be part of a day that promises to redefine the boundaries of creativity and style.

The NYC Hair & Beauty Challenge is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of beauty and witness the incredible talents of barbers, hair stylists, and makeup artists. Join us on Sunday, October 22nd, at the Melrose Ballroom, just a stone’s throw away from the heart of New York City. Let your senses be tantalized by the Fastest Fade, Fastest Braid, Fantasy Makeup, Low Fade & Beard, and Freestyle Braid competitions. And don’t forget to soak up the wisdom of two industry legends during the masterclasses. Get ready to be wowed, inspired, and thoroughly entertained – the NYC Hair & Beauty Challenge is where dreams are styled into reality.

Buy your tickets TODAY! https://nychairandbeautychallenge.com

CURL CARE

Jim Shaw, Owner Of Toni&Guy Billericay And Multi Award Winning Men’s Hairdresser

The weather is getting colder and this can cause our curls to lack moisture and look dry and frizzy. With that in mind, it’s so important that we look after our curls as best as possible and use the correct products to keep our curls nourished, defined and free from frizz and flyaways. Below are some of my top tips for caring for your curls this season.

1. Deep condition – this is an important tip to maintain your curls and give them an extra hydration boost. You should use a deep conditioning hair mask, treatment or leave in conditioner as often as your curls need it to replenish lost moisture in your hair and your curls looking strong and healthy.

• Maintain trims – By booking in for regular trims you will prevent split ends, which is essential to keep your curls looking their best, healthy and bouncy. 
• Skip the heated styling where possible – The combination of cold weather outside and going indoors where you will have the heating on can cause your hair to become dry and dull. Therefore, to avoid causing extra damage to your curls, try to avoid heated styling tools.
• Opt for protective styling – If you’re stepping away from using heated styling tools in autumn/winter, why not try some protective styling for your curls instead? Braids, twists and buns are great options and as well as being protective, look incredibly chic.
• Use a hair oil for extra nourishment – hair oils are a great product to give your hair extra moisture and can also be used to help seal split ends.

American Crew® Announces That Chris O’riordan Is The Latest Name To Join Its All-Star Line-Up

Today, American Crew^® is pleased to share that Chris O’Riordan has joined its American Crew^® All-Star Team. With more than a decade of experience in the industry, Chris has established a loyal clientele in Ireland and now works under his newly launched brand name CORE. He was awarded the title unexpectedly while attending The American Crew^® retreat in Barcelona this October. The title of All-Star is a global honour, given in recognition to some of the world’s leading barbers and takes them to the top tier of educators. It paves the way for Chris to spread more of his inspiring work under the banner of American Crew^®.

Revlon Professional^® General Manager for UK & Ireland, Matt Horder says; “It’s fantastic to have an American Crew^® All-Star back in Ireland. Chris is an extremely skilled barber as well as a talented educator. We’ve seen his journey progress alongside the American Crew^® brand as an educator and this is a fitting way to acknowledge his outstanding commitment and achievements.” He goes on to comment, “American Crew^® is more than just a product company, we are also dedicated to developing people, which we do through our network of All-Stars, who act as figureheads for the brand and in turn create a strong community, which we’re extremely proud of.”

Chris is a highly awarded men’s hair stylist. He has been featured in various trade press titles and has won multiple awards in Ireland, as well as two global titles. Chris achieved back-to-back Irish titles in the American Crew^® All Star Challenge in 2018 and 2019, which led him to represent Ireland at the American Crew^® ASC global finals in New York in 2019. In 2017, he won the Alternative Hair Show Men’s Cut and Colour Global final, held in front of an audience of 5,000 people at the Royal Albert Hall.

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Commenting on his appointment, Chris says, “To receive this honour is absolutely incredible. It’s something I’ve wanted to achieve ever since I started working with American Crew^®. It came as a total surprise while I was attending my first American Crew^® Retreat in Barcelona. It’s still sinking in to be honest, but I’m so excited to get going with more stage work as well as back in the classroom educating.” Chris goes on to add, “American Crew^® is quite simply the best men’s brand in the world and to be part of their team is such an honour. My mind is blown.” 

American Crew^® this year earned the title of the number one Premium Men’s Hair brand in the World*. It is widely known forpioneering the modern men’s professional grooming industry and has distribution in over 30,000 salons, barbershops, and authorised retailers across 50 countries, making it the global leader in the men’s hair market.

One Man. Two Wheels. Over 10,000 miles across 27 countries…

British Gentleman’s Grooming company Captain Fawcett Ltd, is on the road again for the third and final part of the GREAT EXPEDITION 2023. 

Richie Finney, founder of the multi-award-winning Norfolk-based lifestyle brand, has embarked on the last leg of a three part solo motorcycle adventure. Beginning in May, during spring and summer Richie completed two action-packed tours through Spain, central Europe and the Nordic and Baltic states. The finale, Part Three, sees him continue his odyssey through the heart of Europe, culminating with a photo finish in Paris in mid-October.

Covering 16,000km across 27 countries, the remarkable ride has proved hugely successful. As well as cementing relationships by sharing great moments in the European barbershop community, it has created the occasion to meet new acquaintances – barbers, customers and distributors alike. The Great Expedition is an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the brand’s multi-award winning Gentleman’s Grooming products to existing and prospective buyers on their home territory. Raising public awareness of the brand through barbershop events, the epic road trip is generating a wealth of shared social media content and enthusiastic coverage in the European press. 

Richie Finney (aka Captain Fawcett’s ‘Right Hand Man’) says: “Why Europe? Of course after Brexit we are no longer dealing with a single state (the EU) but 27 individual countries, each with their own nuances and customs requirements, plus others not part of the European Union. Some 78% of our orders go overseas and, furthermore, Captain Fawcett is hugely proud to be named a Department for Business and Trade Export Champion for 4 years running.

I’m taking to the highway because, as tis said ‘the road goes forever on’, but inevitably our time on it is short. The barbershop experience is hands-on. It can’t be replicated through wires and algorithms. The chatter, the laughter, the drinks, the scent of perfume, a massage, a luxurious close shave. Those tangible moments are the antidote to solitude, a tribute to our togetherness. They’re the essence of life itself! So, dear chums, by all means come along and say how do! It’s going to be wild, it’s going to be weird, and it’s going to be one hell of a ride!”