The Professional Beauty Association (PBA), is strongly opposing House Bill 2325 which would deregulate licensing for hair, skin and nail services in West Virginia. This bill has been fast tracked without a thorough understanding of what this means for both the professional beauty industry and consumers.

House Bill 2325 was substituted on February 22 to prevent the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists from regulating the use, application, or administration, by unlicensed persons whether for compensation or not of hair, nail, skin, and other beauty products that are commonly available as retail, consumer products.

Salons throughout the United States were shut down due to Covid and many are still only open with a reduced capacity due to health and safety. HB 2325 disregards these measures. West Virginia’s phase two reopening plan placed a standard of protocols to re-open and operate safely. As part of the WV reopening plan the following is stated:

“It is acknowledged that all services within the [beauty] industry carry some risk in this viral environment due to the nature of the services provided and the inability to maintain social distancing. With that said, licensed or certified professionals have been trained to mitigate these risks significantly through the use of proper infection control standards required by the state regulatory licensing rules and regulations.”

Small businesses in the professional beauty industry are looking for support, especially as they continue to try to recover from the devastating impact of COVID- 19. Licensed beauty professionals’ education and training are more important now than ever as their mandated education allows them to provide a safe salon environment and safe services to clients.  

Instead of supporting the recovery of small beauty businesses, 73% of which are owned by women, House Bill 2325 will ignore training and education that keeps clients safe by allowing anyone that can purchase a beauty product to provide beauty services for compensation. The mandatory training and education that is required in all 50 states for licensed beauty professionals is in place to protect clients from the spread of bacteria and diseases.

Help PBA oppose this bill and take action to send a notice to your legislator*. Visit probeauty.org for more details.

*Please note only West Virginia residents may take action on this alert. The messages are editable and may be changed to reflect your role in opposing the legislation. You may also change the email subject line and we encourage you to do so. Please share this campaign with your friends and family.

Boris Johnson’s Road Map to announced yesterday suggests salons and barbershops may be able to return after April 12^th, 2021.

In Step 2, which is projected to start on 12^th of April, hairdressers and other personal care will be allowed to reopen, as well as non-essential retail, and outdoor dining and pubs.

The second step will also allow weddings to increase in size to up to 15 people.

The government suggests that as of May 17, indoor searing can resume in pubs and restaurants, indoor entertainment such as cinemas and theatres can resume, and weddings will be able to include up to 30 people.

Johnson’s 4^th step suggests a return to complete normality as of June 21.

For Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has just announced that salons and barbershops to be allowed to reopen on April 26th.

A specific date for Wales to reopen salons and barbershops is yet to be announced.

This means, however, salons and barbershops in England and Scotland may be able to hesitantly begin their plan to reopen and get their schedules in order, so the public has time to get their lockdown hair sorted before pubs reopen.

Wahl (UK) have launched Team Talk: Live with WAHL, to support the barbering and hairdressing industry, focusing on the teams and individuals behind the salons and shops.

Wahl’s initiative offers salons and shops a free 1 hour, dedicated and personalised session to engage with each other and an industry expert from the WAHL UK Education & Artistic Team. It provides an opportunity to ask questions about the industry, hair cutting techniques, learn about products or seek advice on building your business and your team. Most importantly, it’s a chance to motivate your team and re-connect with each other.

“The idea behind Team Talk is for me and the Wahl team to meet all the wonderful barbers and hairdressers in this difficult time of Lockdown. The goal is to share some knowledge, raise a smile and feel united together!” Says Simon Shaw, WAHL Global Artistic Director.

Wahl’s Team Talk hopes to help you re-energise, re-focus and re-connect with your team.  Each session will be tailored to your team and completely personal. The sessions also offer an opportunity to motivate your team, re-energise and feel good about the future. As well, Team Talks will provide free advice and education from industry experts on haircuts and techniques, tool maintenance, industry insights and business improvements.

Applications: To find out more and apply for a Team Talk Live with WAHL, head to WAHL.CO.UK. Media enquiries: Nicola.Barnes@wahl.co.uk | 01227 744327

The findings of a recent report by The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) shows that salon and barbershop revenue fell by 45% in 2020, compared to 2019.

The report, titled, Hair, beauty and the pandemic: An industry at the sharp end. The impact of coronavirus on business vulnerability and the potential for mitigating measures, found that the hair and barbering industry are some of the most affected sectors since the pandemic restrictions hit.

Commissioned from independent analysts Pragmatix Advisory by the NHBF, the report details the current situation for the industry, the strength of the sector prior to the pandemic and the urgent measures required to ensure that the majority of the industry survives, which long term, will cost the Government very little.

The highlight findings of the report were that salon capacity is down to 70% of what it was pre-pandemic, losing an average of two hours of appointment time per stylist per day. With reduced customer demand.

Full time employment figures have dropped by 21% on 2019, with the average cash loss to business for 2020 being £17,000, with those over the tax threshold taking an even bigger hit.

With no support from Government, the prediction is that many businesses in the sector are acutely vulnerable to failure in the next 12 months, as 2021 is predicted to be as tough as last year.

A worrying figure was revealed where 60% of businesses entered 2021 with no cash reserves, and one in 10 businesses did not return any income or dividend to their owners or managers in 2020. At this rate, without further support, most expect to survive two to three months (from January), if lockdown continues.

The report revealed that the crisis has had a disproportionate impact on women and those in deprived communities – hair and beauty business owners are 82% female with an 88% female workforce.

There is a higher proportion of Personal Care businesses than any other sector in the most deprived areas of the UK. The closure of these businesses poses greatest risk to those in the local community who are most likely to be employed in these salons and barbershops.

How the Government can help

By reducing VAT to 5% would add £16,000 to the average VAT registered business, closing the cash gap by one-third. This would reduce to 6% the proportion of businesses not returning anything to their owners or managers.

If 18% of the businesses which would have otherwise failed survive as a result of reducing VAT to 5%, then the policy pays for itself through the taxes they will pay.

Richard Lambert, NHBF chief executive says: “Whilst the future could be bleak for the personal care sector, intervention now and immediately following re-opening will have a life-changing positive effect. There’s nothing coming in, but the overheads still have to be paid. When we are closed, we are closed.  We can’t diversify into takeaways and online sales. 

“The Personal Care sector is calling for a specific grant to support businesses through the immediate cashflow crisis, in line with similar funds that have been afforded to many other sectors, including the arts, hospitality and leisure, and the aeronautical industry, among others.”

He continues: “We also need support after re-opening to keep cash in these businesses so they can recover. The bigger businesses have been hit the hardest and are now the most vulnerable to failure. A targeted VAT cut to 5% would allow them to re-build, invest in staff and apprentices, and once again be the heart of their high streets and communities.  We’ve shown this move will pay for itself, so it’s a cost-effective solution for the Government.

“Right now, it feels like we are last in line for support, flippantly disregarded within Parliament and overlooked by Government, despite the billions of pounds we contribute to the economy each year.”

The NHBF, working together with the British Beauty Council (BBC), British Association of Beauty Therapists and Cosmetologists (BABTAC) and UK Spa Association, has been lobbying the Department for Business (BEIS), the Treasury and the Cabinet Office for an urgent Personal Care crisis fund and a reduction in VAT.

After the rise of the beard during lockdown in 2020, with many growing their facial hair for the first time, lockdown 3.0 sees a new trend; the bushy beard.

Popular in the 70s, the laid-back bushy beard is a classical style that can look dramatic if cared for. Already a favourite with George Clooney, Zac Efron and Michael Sheen, the bushy beard is easy to grow and covers a multitude of sins. However, they need to be looked after and trimmed so they don’t get totally out of control.

Session stylist and owner of Joe and Co, London, Joe Mills, says the bushy beard is the perfect anecdote to lockdown 3.0. “During the first lockdown, many men grew a beard for the first time, investing in beard trimmers and oils. I think this reflected how we all behaved – we embraced new skills, new fashions and new ways of working. People were enjoying embracing their natural texture, growing out their hair lengths or trying to cut their own fringes. However, for this lockdown, the feeling is more of frustration, boredom or being unfocused and so the bushy beard sums up their feelings.

“George Clooney, Hugh Jackman and Michael Sheen have all stepped out with bushy beards lately. The thicker the beard, the bigger it looks. This time round, rather than trimmed to round the face, it’s trimmed to make sure it doesn’t get out of control. And beard oils and serums ensure it doesn’t dry out or become too frizzy.”

Joe Mills top tips for lockdown 3.0 beards

1 Growing a big beard takes time – so you need to be patient.

2 Have a beard oil on hand – it can prevent breakage, and makes it look and feel healthier.

3 Daily grooming is essential so invest in a quality beard comb or beard brush. You also need to look at cleansing as well. Invest in a decent beard wash and conditioner as it will make all the difference.

4 Keep the moustache trimmed and shaped; big and bushy think Magnum PI, or short and neat AKA Freddie Mercury.

5 Trim it regularly with hair scissors to prevent it getting out of control and invest in a trimmer and take your time when trimming.

If ever there was a health and safety warning to take heed of, it’s this! A Boston area barber is lucky to be alive after he fell onto the scissors he was holding at work.

The freak accident happened on February 12. Surveillance footage provided by Boston Barber Co. shows Steve Silva slip and fall onto the scissors he was holding and accidentally stab himself in the chest. The image shown here is Steve, seconds before his fall.

According to Boston Barber Co. owner Rob Dello Russo, Silva required open heart surgery and is currently in the ICU, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

“The entire Boston Barber Co. is grateful for the fast actions of emergency responders,” Russo wrote in an email to Boston 25 News. “Steve’s doctors have told him he was extremely lucky he was able to get to hospital as fast as he did, or it could have had a different outcome.”

Russo added that Silva had just returned to work after being laid-off for portions of the last year due to the pandemic.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up for Silva to cover medical expenses and his time off of work. So far, more than $17,000 has been raised.

After opening up to social media about her hair disaster, Teresa Brown’s story went viral, leading to over $21,000 raised to help.

After running out of her usual styling spray, Brown used the strong spray adhesive, Gorilla Glue, on her hair. In her video, Brown showed the world how her hair stuck permanently to her scalp, “I have washed it fifteen times and it don’t move!”

After a month of trying to extricate the glue using coconut oil and tea tree oil, Brown still was having no luck washing the product out.

After putting up the video, Brown set up a GoFundMe page with the target of $1,500, to help pay for the inevitable hospital bills. However, due to her unlikely internet fame, viewers sympathy of Brown led to surpass her target by $20,000.

Additionally, LA doctor Michael Obeng carried out treatment to fix her ordeal, which would have cost $12,500, for free.

To sort out the damage done by the glue, Dr. Obeng placed Brown under light-anaesthesia for the four-hour procedure. After figuring out the compound in the glue, Obeng used a combination of medical grade adhesive remover, aloe vera, olive oil and acetone to break down the compound. He also experimented with real human hair on a model, before working on Brown’s hair.

Gorilla Glue have issued a statement saying: “We strongly discourage misuse of our products. Please consult all packaging labels for proper use.”

Let’s hope Brown’s ordeal is a lesson for future, for anyone who has run out of their usual styling products.

The NHBF, have released the following statement updating members on the latest ruling by the Supreme Court on insurance claims.

“On 15 January 2021, The Supreme Court ruled that policy holders with certain types of insurance policy can make a business interruption claim due to the pandemic. It has told insurers to pay out in these cases as soon as possible.

However, we were very disappointed to hear that Salonsure policy holders were told this decision did not apply to them, and they would not receive any payments under the ruling.  

We asked our lawyers to check this, but unfortunately, they have confirmed that this is correct. The wording of the policies means they do not cover business interruption or compulsory closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The NHBF is reflecting on what we can do next and will get back to you shortly with a further update.”

Find out more details about the Supreme Court ruling on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.

Financial Ombudsman If you are unsatisfied with how an insurer responds to a complaint, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman. 

On Monday, Phorest UK successfully held their live stream event, Uplift! After some technical issues on their first attempt on January 25^th, The Uplift! event came back bigger and stronger for its rescheduled date of Monday February 8^th. Along with motivational and uplifting presentations from guest speakers such as Chancellor of the British Fellowship of Hair and mindfulness leader, Ashley Hodges, and Royal Marine Jason Fox with an inspiring speech about resilience, Phorest professionals shared many inspiring stories as well as tips and tricks to persevere through the pandemic.

The day started with an introduction by Ronan Perceval, CEO of Phorest, introducing the speakers, presentations, and prizes. The prizes that were offered this year included an Apple Watch, an iPad, and a one-year subscription to Headspace App for mindfulness.

Chief Technology Officer at Phorest John Doran, and Head of Product, Evelyn Balfe, then presented on How 2020 Changed Our World. John and Evelyn shared stories from several salon owners and hairdressers throughout UK and Ireland, and how they coped and adapted through Covid with the help of some of the features Phorest Booking and Management Apps have to offer. They also included videos from Phorest users from all over the world, talking about their concerns throughout Covid, and some of the ways Phorest had been able to help.

“Phorest was the first of our suppliers who contacted us and told us, that we didn’t have to stress about the invoicing. They would spread our payments, and take the pressure off us. Phorest were definitely leading the way.” – Gerri Dangerfield Keane, UK.

The next presentation was offered by Head of Product Marketing and Retention Rob Hewitt, and Aisling Scolard, Product Manager. Rob and Aisling’s presentation focusing on marketing, what that means for salons in 2021, and some helpful tips and advice on how to make marketing work for you this year. According to Rob, “Marketing starts with clear, strategic goals, if you want proper results.” In this session, Rob and Aisling discussed all the challenges of the last year, the impact on consumer habits, and what are some ways we can adapt to consumer demands. One change that is certain is the shift to digital. Rob and Aisling offered several solutions to make sure that salons are able to effectively reach their clients online, through Phorest features like: Email Marketing Editor, SMS Marketing Editor, and Client Reconnect.

Next, the Feature Reveal was presented by Richard Cullen, Senior Product Designer, and Verna Wall product researcher, with the topic: Resilience, Motivation, and the Team Effort. Through the data system that Phorest has access to, they were able to compile a list of trends and patterns that successful salons all have in common. There are many misconceptions about what drives success, such as being located on the high street, being expensive, and having a massive team. But Phorest analytics found that these are not always indicative of success. Instead, what they found every successful salon to have was an educated and focused team. The rest of their presentation shared tips on how to motivate staff, how to help them be self-reliant, and to monitor personal and shop goals through the My Performance tool in the Phorest Go app. This tools monitors staff performance, and increases awareness, and helps to avoid awkward one-to-one meetings. This is a free tool and will be available from next week on.

The next presentation was given by guest speaker Ashleigh Hodges, who began her presentation with a group meditation to promote mindfulness. Ashleigh Hodges offered some advice on wellbeing, and how to juggle busy lives. Ashleigh’s presentation encouraged listeners to allow themselves and their staff time to look inward, take care of themselves, and recharge, before they to spring into action to help everyone else, as they are used to doing. During Covid, Ashleigh explained, “we have all had time to think about what is important to us, and clients have had time to realise how important we are to them.” Ashleigh’s advice to listeners is: learn to say no, set boundaries, and treat your wellbeing as just as important as your clients.

The next session was presented by Niamh Greaney, Head of Adoption & Client Education, who educated attendees on how to evaluate and improve your own online health, to ensure businesses are reaching their clients to the best of their abilities. Phorest have created an online calculator to assess your online health, in terms of online marketing, social media, online reputation, and your salon website. This tool is available on Phorest’s platform and online. Niamh encourages owners to check their score, create a strategy, and revisit the calculator, until they are happy with their online health.

Finally, the last presenter of the day, Jason Fox spoke to the audience about resilience and mental health, and his experience in Afghanistan as a Special Forces Officer. Fox shared an inspiring story of how he dealt with a hostage rescue mission in Afghanistan. Fox shared with the attendees his personal ethos of:  courage, determination, unselfishness, and cheerfulness in the face of adversity, and it is these four qualities that have helped him get through traumatic experiences, and will help others face day-to-day struggles throughout their lives, such as getting through this pandemic.

Overall, the day with at Phorest’s Uplift shared inspiring stories of perseverance, adaptability, and determination from salon owners, public speakers, as well as Phorest professionals. Phorest also shared many tips and tools that their software platforms offer to help salons throughout the pandemic, and into the tech-based future.

To learn more, go to https://bit.ly/2MQ8ts5

 For Wahl Professional, providing high-quality education has always been at the forefront of the clipper manufacturer’s agenda. Lisa Finucane, Wahl’s National Director of Education, shares the same passion and goal of providing education to barbers and stylists in a way that helps them reach their creative potential. In an effort to reach Wahl Professional’s end users, Finucane reorganized the Wahl Professional Education Team to touch on different creative aspects of the barber and cosmetologist educational needs.

“Dividing the Wahl Professional Education Team into three “sub-teams” ensures that we are reaching customers at all levels of skill and creativity. There is such rich diversity and legacy in Wahl Professional Education, and my goal was to showcase the talents of the education team and leverage our stellar reputation while providing the end-user with the flexibility to choose classes and educational events for all skill levels,” says Finucane. “Our goal is to present educational offerings that can provide the barber or stylist the opportunities to learn fundamental clipper hair cutting up to the most creative cutting techniques that utilize multiple Wahl Professional tools.”

The Field Education Team comprises the majority of the Wahl educators, who all share the goal of helping barbers and stylists learn new skills and master classic cuts. The educators on this team are tasked with teaching at distributor classes and trade shows, while continuously helping build a strong foundation of education for the barbers and stylists.

The 1919 Artistic Team has been established to influence and create high-end editorial styles. Led by creative consultant Jamie DiGrazia, they will provide education for those barbers and stylists looking to turn up their creativity with their tools, including the Wahl 1919 styling and finishing line. DiGrazia identifies as a stylist and barber, which allows her the creativity and skill to create hairstyles that are a hybrid of the two. The other educators on the team share similar knowledge and collaboratively will be helping create a connection with stylists. However, hair cutting will not be the only education provided by this team; the 1919 Artistic Team will also be creating finishing techniques, retail classes, and product knowledge classes all with a focus on Wahl Professional’s 1919 Men’s Grooming Line.

The role of the Wahl Professional Creative Team is to create and inspire. These educators are featured on the Disruptour, a nation-wide barber education tour created by Finucane and Byrd Mena of SharpFade. The goal of the Disruptour is to provide high-end education in intimate settings across the United States. 2021 brings a combination of a “look and learn” stage presentation followed by a “hands-on” learning experience where attendees will learn the Disruptour Trend Cuts. The Disruptour Team is a group of highly creative individuals with a passion for educating and the skill set necessary to be visionaries and trendsetters. This team will be responsible for setting the trend cuts, styles, and creative social media content.

In addition to the new teams, Finucane will also have help from her Lead Educator, Nieves Almaraz. Almaraz continues to be a driving force in the success of Wahl Professional Education. His background as a barber, cosmetologist, and barber educator has significantly contributed to the success of Wahl Professional Education. Almaraz and Finucane collaborated on Wahl Professional’s Pop Up Academy as well as the creation of five fundamental haircuts that are now the basis for Wahl’s clipper education.  As a two-time NAHA Nominee, Nieves is also a creative collaborator for Finucane.

“Nieves has been a tremendous resource and solid partner as I approached the new educational formats, events, and team diversity. He and I have the same goal of providing education that reflects the journey of Wahl Professional,” says Finucane. “We are both traditionalists at heart. However, we also have a keen understanding that pushing creative limits and boundaries are necessary components to staying fresh and relevant. Our goal is to enrich the lives of our long time Wahl users and also attract new, young users by providing education that inspires all levels of barbering and cosmetology.”

For a list of available classes, check out wahlpro.com/education. To learn more about Wahl Professional, follow them on Instagram at @wahlpro or visit the website at wahlpro.com.