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.

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.

The industry lost one of its greats on 17th July with the unexpected passing of Kurtis ‘the Stache’ Lawrence.

On 22nd July the Reuzel family shared a statement to their official Facebook page to announce Kurtis’ passing. Part of the Reuzel team since 2016, Kurtis was an important member of the brand’s education team as Education Coordinator, as well as a proud Scumbassador.

Before becoming part of the team at Reuzel, Kurtis had previously worked with Tigi and Pivot Point, honing his skills before finding a passion for the Reuzel brand.

Reuzel described Kurtis as a ‘model coordinator extraordinaire’ and a ‘social media master.’ They also shared heartwarming words reflecting Kurtis’ larger-than-life character: ‘He had a kind heart, always had a smile, was always the social butterfly, and would go out of his way to help you in any way he could. He was taken too young and our hearts are grieving. We are all left with a big hole that simply cannot be filled by anyone, but we are blessed to have known and loved Kurtis.’

Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Kurtis’ family, friends and colleagues.

Schedulicity’s small business grant program, #SchedulicityCares, has turned its focus towards the state of California, offering ten $1,000 grants to help businesses hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective immediately, preferences will be given to businesses in California, which were forced to endure a second round of closures, with the mandatory re-closure of barbershops, hair salons, nail salons and personal care businesses ordered by Governor Gavin Newsom on 13th July. Barbershops and hair salons have since been allowed to open outdoors with new guidance.

Schedulicity CEO and founder Jerry Nuttuno announced the update on the company’s social media pages and spoke about the first grant which was awarded to Los Angeles salon HairBeat. Owned by Melanie Charlton, the salon offers braids and weaves for all textures of hair.

Businesses can apply for one of the $1,000 grants online by nominating themselves or a fellow business in California that they know is struggling. Schedulicity will also consider applications from outside of California if the business has a clear and immediate need for support.

Find out more about #SchedulicityCares and keep up to date with their latest news by following them on Instagram, @schedulicity.

Award-winning barber, men’s stylist and photographer Kevin Luchmun has launched Luchmun Studios, a new creative space combining hairdressing, barbering and photography facilities.

The 600 sq.ft space in London features 9ft high ceilings, with an elegant infinity wall and a spacious, open feel. Photography equipment is available for hire, with a range of Canon, Panasonic and Sony cameras and a mix of lenses ranging from 16mm to 200mm. Creatives can book the space for up to 10 hours, whether for photography purposes or to cut hair (by appointment only). Kevin will also use the space to hold classes and seminars, as well as one-to-one teaching.

With 11 years of experience, Kevin’s name has become synonymous with traditional barbering and high-end male hairdressing. His clear artistic vision saw him rise through the ranks to become International Art Director for Toni & Guy and label.m and head up the men’s education division.

Parting ways with Toni & Guy and becoming an independent artist in February 2017, Kevin says that he is ‘so grateful to have been able to travel to so many beautiful countries, sharing my knowledge, meeting people that I now call my friends and it has been absolutely incredible.’ Luchmun Studios however, means that Kevin can be closer to home, something that travelling has made him value even more: ‘Spending so much time away from what means the most to me, my wife and son made me realise I need a base in London.’

With an ideal location and an inspiring space, Kevin has teased the studios on his Instagram page as ‘where creative ideas are brought to life.’ You can find out more at www.luchmunstudios.com and on the studio’s Instagram page, @luchmun.studios.

After announcing last month that legendary barber A Rod would be joining the Wahl Professional family, their first video collaboration has been revealed.

A Rod’s content on his social media channels has engaged followers from across the globe, and these new videos with Wahl will educate and inspire barbers and stylists to create diverse cuts using the brand’s wide range of tools. The videos will also feature Wahl’s Education and Artistic Team (WEAT) members who will share their own expertise in creating a range of cuts. A Rod will also be a guest on Wahl’s Disruptour, the travelling, barbering and business educational tour.

A Rod has had a wealth of success in using content creation to grow his brand – he currently has over 2 million followers on Instagram, 2 million on YouTube and 800,000 on Facebook who look to his online presence for a mix of education and entertainment.

For their first collective effort, A Rod created a unique prism design and textures cut on none other than Wahl Global Creative Consultant, Byrd Mena, using his favorite Wahl tools.

Watch the full video by clicking here.

Ashley Engaldo has been promoted to Senior Sales Specialist within the Wahl Professional Sales Division. In her new role, Engaldo will oversee all of the North American Professional division’s sales operations functions and will be the driver between its customers and the internal customer service team.

Engaldo’s strong work ethic, as well as communication and organizational skills, have helped her move through the ranks since first joining Wahl Professional in September 2016 as part of the customer service team, before moving into the role of sales administrator. We look forward to seeing what she does next in this exciting new position.

BARBER PRO has yet another award to add to their impressive list of accolades after their CBD Infused Sheet Mask won the silver medal in the Men’s Grooming category at the ninth annual Free From Skincare Awards.

The Europe-wide awards encourage and reward manufacturers of skincare products that are ‘free from’ many of the common allergens, chemicals, additives and fragrances often associated with skin sensitivities, allergies, and ethical, environmental and health concerns.

The BARBER PRO CBD Infused Sheet Mask provides a range of benefits, targeting specific skin concerns and types, nourishing and soothing stressed skin, rich in anti-oxidants and free from harsh chemicals.

“We are so pleased to have been shortlisted for this award, let alone going on to take home a silver medal for the Men’s Grooming category. We take pride in the products that we make, ensuring they are free from any chemicals, are natural and ethical, so we are ecstatic to win silver in this category at the Free From Skincare Awards and are proud to add it to our award collection.”

To find out more about BARBER PRO or to shop the collection, click here.