With 2025 marking a new perspective on male grooming, Keune is shifting its focus from traditional barber-centric offerings to a more inclusive approach, aiming to serve all hair professionals worldwide.

1922 by J.M. Keune is a tightly edited collection of premium grooming staples, made in the Netherlands, enriched with homegrown ingredients, and perfected by science. Among opening new horizons for men’s hair care by broadening its perspective, Keune features a modest yet impactful 25ml increase in all jar-packaged products.

This move isn’t just about offering more value for money – it’s also about reducing its unnecessary impact to the environment and economy by switching to jars made from 100% recycled plastic.

ALL GROOMING NEEDS SATISFIED

The 1922 by J.M. Keune range offers a complete hair care portfolio for men:

Care: The foundation of every routine with essential cleansing and nourishing products.

Style: Powerful styling tools that cater to every hair need, from classic to cutting-edge looks.

Beard: Elevates the grooming game with refined fragrances, and much more!

Richard Finney, founder of Captain Fawcett Ltd, travelled to Windsor Castle where he was presented with the prestigious Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

Richie has been awarded an MBE in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to International Trade and to Charity. 

After attending the ceremony on 12th February, Richie said: “It was a particular delight to meet His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who happens to be cultivating his own truly top notch beard. As a fellow Norfolk boy, I found him a most charming, and indeed, discerning fellow. Suffice to say, beard care tips may well have been shared!”

In his acceptance of this prestigious accolade, Richie is quick to emphasise that such esteemed recognition is in fact a tribute to extraordinary team work. 

“In the guise of Captain Fawcett, I am but truly honoured to have been awarded ‘Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire’ — Huzzah! However, I am but the conductor of an orchestra of talent, proud to work with a simply remarkable collective of people who strive for excellence every day. This is their achievement as much as it is mine.

“Furthermore, I believe international trade has always been more than simply business. For centuries, traders have carried ideas as well as goods, forging friendships where there might have been conflict and creating incredible opportunity. Amicable trade is simply one of our oldest and, perchance, greatest forces for understanding. Every product shipped is a testament to the notion that prosperity grows when nations work together.

Founded in 2010 at a kitchen table in Terrington St Clement, Norfolk, Captain Fawcett has grown to become a beacon of British quality and craftsmanship in Gentleman’s Grooming and Hair Care, exporting to 45 countries and earning a reputation for its award-winning products and distinctive character.

Beyond business, Richie has driven Captain Fawcett’s commitment to social responsibility, with initiatives like ‘BarbersRide’, co-founded with Xavier Berrell and Colin Petrie, becoming a flagship of the brand’s charity mission. After this truly auspicious start to 2025, the next adventure awaits. Richard Finney MBE and the crew at HQ are currently preparing for Captain Fawcett’s ‘Great Expedition USA’, a 6 week solo motorcycle road trip through the heart of America.

College Star – Denman’s Big Blowout Competition opens TODAY!

College Star – Denman’s Big Blowout Competition launched last year and attracted an amazing response of over 500 entries from hairdressing students up and down the UK.

The simple online only competition asks students to upload their details and four images of their very best blow-dry for the chance to win £1000 cash.

Last year the winner was Yasmin Ainsley of East Durham College who took home the big prize. Denman CEO Kevin McNamee said: “We were absolutely overwhelmed with the response last year and so grateful to all the amazing college tutors who encouraged their students to get involved. Brilliant blow-dry skills are essential for young professionals and we wanted to create a competition that inspired and celebrated students as they master those skills. Last year’s entries set the bar high, so we are really looking forward to seeing 2025’s entries. Good luck everyone!”

Here’s what every College and student needs to know:
Competition opens: February 17th
Competition closes: March 21st
Winner announced: April 11th

How to win: Just upload images of the front, sides and back of one blow-dry look. For full entry requirements and T&C’s please follow the link College Star | Denman Brush – Denman UK.

Prize: £1000 for the student and a hamper of tools valued at £200 for the
student’s College department. PLUS, there’s a little something for the tutor too – the tutor whose students enter the most number of entries wins £250 AND the tutor of the winning student also wins £250! T&C’s apply

Among the VIPs flocking to New Orleans this week, Jahmyr Gibbs was spotted getting ready for Big Game weekend with a fresh cut and style by celebrity barber Vince Garcia on behalf of American Crew.

The leading men’s grooming brand has partnered with Athletes First in a luxury hospitality activation, called “The Block”, just outside the sports arena ahead of the Big Game.

As part of the American Crew Grooming Lounge, Vince is utilizing American Crew’s top styling products and franchises – Fiber, Forming, and Boost – to help athletes & VIPs get ready for Big Game celebrations and recreate this year’s hottest grooming trends.

NFL Wide Receiver, Braxton Berrios and Barber, Vince Garcia attend A1 x House Revlon with American Crew, John Varvatos and Juicy Couture in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The leading men’s grooming brand has partnered with Athletes First in a luxury hospitality activation, called “The Block”, just outside the sports arena ahead of the Big Game.

As part of the American Crew Grooming Lounge, Vince is utilizing American Crew’s top styling products and franchises – Fiber, Forming, and Boost – to help athletes & VIPs get ready for Big Game celebrations and recreate this year’s hottest grooming trends.

Following the incredible success of the Scottish Hair and Beauty Awards (SHABA), the UK’s hair, beauty, and barbering industries are set to welcome an exciting new event – the British Hair, Beauty & Barbering Awards (BHBABs).

This highly anticipated awards ceremony will take place in England for the first time, shining a spotlight on the country’s most talented professionals and businesses. With registration officially opening on 1st February, the BHBAs will provide a prestigious platform to honour the skill, creativity, and dedication of those shaping the industry.

The event will take place in Liverpool in 2025, the event will bring together leading hairstylists, barbers, beauty therapists, makeup artists, aesthetics specialists, and rising stars from across the UK.

A National Celebration of Talent
Building on SHABA’s 13-year legacy, the BHBAs will elevate industry recognition to a national level, creating an inclusive and inspiring event for professionals at all stages of their careers. With a range of categories covering hair, beauty, barbering, and aesthetics, the awards will celebrate both established names and fresh talent making waves in the industry.

Founder Joanne Reid said:“After years of success with SHABA, we knew it was time to expand and bring a new platform to England. The British Hair, Beauty & Barbering Awards will honour the best in the business, providing well-deserved recognition to those who work tirelessly to push the industry forward. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone in Liverpool in October”

How to Enter
Entries will open on 1st February, with industry professionals invited to submit their applications via www.bhbabs.co.uk Categories will cover a broad spectrum of expertise, ensuring recognition for all aspects of the industry.

This is set to be the must-attend event for anyone passionate about hair, beauty, and barbering, offering an unmissable opportunity to network, celebrate success, and gain industry recognition.

For more information and to register, visit www.bhbabs.co.uk 

BaBylissPRO celebrated another year of growth and innovation in 2024, with new product launches, events, and exciting collaborations.

This milestone marks a year where different markets have come together to shape the brand’s vision, driving the development of next-gen products, designed to meet the ever evolving needs of hair pros.

While reflecting on a year of success, BaBylissPRO is also looking ahead to 2025. With a renewed focus on empowering stylists with technology that continues to push boundaries, and strengthening a unified voice across the EMEA region with a new message: this is us.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCT LAUNCHES

With an overall goal to improve craftsmanship and enhance performance, BaBylissPRO is proud to be manufacturing some of their newest products in Italy, reflecting on the brand’s commitment to delivering products of absolute unmatched quality.

Kicking off a year of innovative new product launches was FALCO, a completely reimagined hairdryer from BaBylissPRO, and now a core part of kit for some of the world’s greatest session stylists and salon hairdressers. Falco is the brand’s most advanced dryer yet, with a dedication to reducing noise and enhancing the stylist experience.

BaBylissPRO is committing its dedication to the world of hair styling with the launch of STILISTA, a new advanced styler. With strong titanium plates and ionic technology, Stilista brings everything an in-demand professional needs from their styling tools: quick power, reliable performance and long lasting results.

Driving innovation in the world of professional barbering with the launch of FXONE, a new one-battery power system from BaBylissPRO which uses interchangeable battery technology across different tools, giving the user potentially unlimited cordless runtime for complete and total freedom.

A UNIFIED TEAM

BaBylissPRO is proud to be represented by a strong community of brand ambassadors across the EMEA region, among which are some of the industry’s most exciting and celebrated session stylists, salon hairdressers, barbers, image makers and content creators.

Individually, these ambassadors are influential figures in their respective fields and countries, but together they share one unified voice which embodies the brand’s goal to inspire creativity in stylists across the world to their collective audience of over 1.5million people. By working together, the BaBylissPRO team help to shape the future of the brand – united by their choice of tools, their dedication to excellence, and their passion for hair.

EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS

BaBylissPRO is actively committed to engaging with the hairdressing community, and in 2024 participated in many high profile events across the EMEA region.

Bringing a lineup of international brand ambassadors to Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, BaBylissPRO featured artists from the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Belgium, the United States and the United Kingdom, together on a central global stage to celebrate and showcase the brand’s newest innovations.

In the UK, BaBylissPRO showcased its state of the art styling and barbering tools with session stylists Syd Hayes and Michelle Sultan shining on an international stage.

At Top Hair, Germany’s biggest hair show, guests were invited to take part in the BaBylissPRO Academy Lab, a series of look and learn workshops with the team of brand ambassadors. In France, BaBylissPRO took centre stage at Hair Congress in Paris, with global hair artist Richard Ashforth headlining the Community Hair Show, demonstrating his award winning and captivating session work. BaBylissPRO shone at events in the barbering world too, with highlights including hosting on-stage barber battles in Belgium at The Hair Project, and live education and demonstrations at Barber Connect in the UK.

LOOKING TO 2025

This year, BaBylissPRO will announce one of its most exciting product launches to date. This development, which has been years in the making, will combine the newest technology with the expertise of some of the best hairdressers in the industry – with innovation, sustainability and craftsmanship at its heart.

The theme of collaboration will remain a driving force, as BaBylissPRO’s global team of ambassadors join forces to champion the message that BaBylissPRO is a brand for everyone.

Head of PR for BaBylissPRO EMEA, Sam Johnson said: “In 2025, BaBylissPRO is defining progress not just by the cutting edge technology in our tools, but by the strength of the communities we build. For us, innovation is a journey we make together, fuelled by collaboration, inspiration, and a dedication to excellence.”

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA), whose mission is to advocate and fight for the rights and professionalism of the beauty industry, is urgently seeking donations for the Disaster Relief Fund to help those affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

As an industry built on creativity, care, and connection, it’s time for us to rally together and provide the support our peers so urgently need.

For many, these fires have not only destroyed homes but also livelihoods. Salons, tools, and products have been lost, leaving countless professionals struggling to rebuild their lives and businesses.

This is where we can step in. The Professional Beauty Association’s Disaster Relief Fund is providing critical aid to those affected, ensuring they have the resources they need to begin again. Whether it’s helping to replace lost equipment, supporting salon rebuilds, or easing personal financial strain, every donation makes a real difference.

Now is the time to show the strength of our community. Let’s come together to make an impact. No contribution is too small—every dollar brings hope.

Ready to help? Donate today: www.probeauty.org/disaster-relief-fund

Tomoya Nishimori, the visionary founder of Mr Brother’s Cut Club, has become a celebrated figure in the global barbering community. With his distinct approach to barbering, he has not only built a brand that embodies the spirit of craftsmanship and creativity but also plays a pivotal role as an ambassador and educator for BROSH, Asia’s No.1 men’s grooming brand from Japan.

Barbering wasn’t always on the cards for Tomoya, but once he set his sights on the industry, he mastered it on a global scale. Following a chance meeting with two influential barbers in Japan, he switched from hairdressing to barbering and became the powerhouse we all know today.

“I was originally a hair stylist in Japan, but around 12 years ago I made the change to barbering, as I wasn’t happy in the job,” Tomoya explained.

“I wanted to work somewhere where I feel I could express myself within styles, and not just focus on a general cut. Around this time, Donnie Hawley, owner of Hawleywood’s Barbershop in California, came to Japan to meet Kawakami from Apache Barbershop, and I had the opportunity to meet them both.

It was because of this encounter that I felt inspired to change career paths to go into male grooming. It is something I had been wanting to do for a while, and this was my sign to take the plunge to open my own shop – and Mr Brother’s Cut Club was born!”

THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND

After its inception, Mr Brother’s Cut Club became a phenomenon. Mixing traditional Japanese styling techniques with retro American barbershop designs cemented their spot as a unique yet elevated grooming location in Tokyo.

Following this success, it’s hard to pin Tomoya down in one place – whether he’s working in the barbershop or educating across the globe with BROSH.

“My day-to-day is constantly busy,” Tomoya chuckled. “I do education almost every week, which means I am always on the road – whether that’s in Japan or across the globe.”

“There is hunger from people not just in Japan, but all over the world to expand their skill set in barbering and styling – beyond the fade,” he added.

“It’s great to spread the message of BROSH as a premium, Japanese grooming brand. People are very receptive and interested in the BROSH brand, our products, and how versatile they are. I love showing people all that you can achieve and create with these products.”

A PHOTOSHOOT WITH PURPOSE

As the cover star for this issue, Tomoya and BROSH wanted to create a photoshoot that would showcase the duality of Japan’s cultural landscape, and in turn, the duality of BROSH as a traditional barbering brand with urban roots.

When you think of Tokyo, your mind will go from ultramodern, neon skyscrapers to historic temples and cherry blossoms.

“We highlighted two different locations within this shoot as a way to represent Japan to the world in a meaningful way, as well as to represent myself and my lifestyle,” Tomoya explained.

“The neon signs and vibrant nightlife of Kabukicho showcase my lifestyle because I enjoy the moments I’m not working where I can find energy and inspiration to carry on.

We also chose to shoot some of the images in Asakusa – with its traditional craft shops and location near the Sensō-ji temple – which represents Japan and what my country looks like to the outside world.”

THE ROLE OF BROSH PRODUCTS

When planning the shoot, Tomoya also wanted to ensure it showcased the versatility of the BROSH products.

“I wanted to show readers that no matter what style, length, or hair type, there is always a BROSH product that will help you achieve your goals,” Tomoya enthused.

We asked Tomoya what some of his hero products were when styling for this collection.

“For the photoshoot, I always start off using the BROSH Styling Base Spray, and this is very essential to me to ensure the hair is prepped,” he explained.

“In conjunction with the spray, I also used the BROSH Feather Weight Fiber Pomade to add texture, while holding the hair in place when adding the final touches.”

PRIDE IN CRAFTSMANSHIP

There were multiple points of inspiration and motivation for Tomoya during this process, but pride was a central feeling.

“Not only do I want to highlight BROSH and my own barbering skills, but I want to show the world how skilled Japanese barbers actually are,” he told us.

“I am very proud that Japan is known for producing highly skilled barbers and high-quality products, so I want to ensure that this opportunity reflects that too.”

Richard Finney, founder of Captain Fawcett Ltd, has been honoured with the prestigious Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2025 New Year Honours List in recognition of his outstanding contribution to International Trade and to Charity.

This honour highlights Richard’s leadership in expanding British enterprise globally along with his dedication to charitable causes. These include men’s mental health, homelessness, and children’s welfare.

A key initiative is the annual BarbersRide charity motorcycle ride, co-founded with Xavier Berrell and Colin Petrie, and now entering its ninth consecutive year, which has to date raised over £180,000, for children’s charities such as Alder Hey and Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospitals as well as ‘Make-A-Wish’.

In his acceptance of the MBE, Richie is quick to emphasise that this esteemed recognition is not his alone, but rather a reflection of collective dedication and team work.

“In the guise of Captain Fawcett, I am but truly honoured to have been awarded ‘Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire’ — Huzzah! However, this highly esteemed accolade should and will be shared, for I am but the conductor of a hugely professional and incredibly creative orchestra of talent that has in turn contributed so much to Captain Fawcett’s ongoing success. Together, we are building something both disruptive and extraordinary to boot.”

Founded in 2010 at a kitchen table in Terrington St Clement, Norfolk, Captain Fawcett has grown to become a beacon of British quality and craftsmanship in Gentleman’s Grooming and Hair Care, exporting to 48 countries and earning a reputation for its award-winning products and distinctive character.

Beyond business, Richie has driven Captain Fawcett’s commitment to social responsibility, with initiatives like ‘BarbersRide’ becoming a flagship of the brand’s mission.

This award serves as a reminder of the importance of creating a community, celebrating the combined efforts of the entire team, suppliers, distributors, partners, and stakeholders around the globe, who have all played essential roles in Captain Fawcett’s remarkable story.

“Life isn’t a straight track. It’s full of pot holes, detours, steep climbs and alarming descents,” reflected Richie. “As such, it’s important that you surround yourself with a motivated team who both subscribe and add to the brand ethos and believe in it as fiercely as you. Getting this formula right, will result in the remarkable. For in truth, one’s journey is defined by fellow travellers who are willing to take the road with you. Teams grow, people come and go, however, every individual adds to the creative whole. This honour isn’t mine alone; it belongs to my stalwart companions who share the weight and lift one another when we stumble. Step by step, we press on together.”

As Richie accepts this prestigious honour, he hopes that his story will serve as an inspiration to others, as indeed others have inspired him, proof that with a commitment to hard work, a dash of good fortune, a certain amount of resilience, and having the right people in your corner, your dreams can become reality.

Richard Finney MBE looks forward to continuing the company’s growth. “Captain Fawcett has always been about forging lasting relationships. It is people who cement the sturdiest of foundations, the cornerstone of Captain Fawcett’s success is in supporting communities, and expanding the horizons of UK trade,” he said. “I look forward to the challenge. Here’s to 2025!” 

For more information on Captain Fawcett, please visit www.captainfawcett.com