Squire Technologies has launched its latest feature which will allow barbers and barbershops to order their supplies and products from Squire Supply.

The new feature offers barbers prices 15% lower than market value, the option of monthly recurring orders and free shipping, as well as 50% off with their first order throughout September.

On their Instagram page, the brand released a statement explaining the new feature and how it will continue to support the industry:

“We are excited to share that SQUIRE has taken another huge step in advancing the barber industry. […] We are with you and we will always continue to innovate the industry. SQUIRE has also committed to waive subscription fees through December 31 2020, to assist customers in offsetting the financial burden of operating through a crisis.”

To find out more, visit www.supply.getsquire.com or call 1 (800) 600 9302 to order now.

Back to normality!

As we wave goodbye to one of the strangest and bleakest summers we’ve ever seen, at BarberEVO we’re hoping to brighten up your autumn days with a splash of colour. Issue No.22 is bold, make no mistake about that!

The latest edition of our 104 page, printed magazine is brimming with inspiration and advice from some of the industry’s biggest names. As you flick through your copy, you’ll see how they’ve been fighting to make sure that this comeback is a success and that the barbering industry won’t be disappearing again any time soon.

We delve into everything from tech to going green (environmentally, that is). Danny Robinson shares details of his futuristic new Danny & Co. shop, while we look at the latest innovations in barbershop technology, and on the other end of the scale, all-natural brands and barbershops.

We focus on tattoos, from independent artists like Quyen Dinh, to studios like Deerheart Collective, finding out how the pandemic has affected them day-to-day.

Our interview with the always colourful Tom Baxter is a great read – he tells us about his fantastic new educational series, and why the industry needs to go back to basics when it comes to colouring techniques.  

We’re also speaking to some fantastic barbershops from all corners of the UK to find out how they’ve found things post-lockdown. Luka Chitty of Luka’s Barbers tells us about his incredible new project, Together Create, which he hopes will inspire small, local businesses to come together and create something beautiful.

This issue really is about coming together and supporting the industry, local businesses and artists in this very weird period in time. I hope reading it brings a little spark of hope to your day and inspires you to check-in and support each other.

Stay safe, stay creative, and look out for your community – we’ll get through this together!

Government officials have warned the NHBF that they will close the hair and beauty sector if they don’t follow safety guidelines.

The NHBF is launching the #DoItRight campaign to ensure hair and beauty professionals across the UK understand exactly what is required of them to keep working and reduce the risk of further restrictions or lockdowns. 

The NHBF want to stress how important it is for everyone to follow the guidelines and operate in a COVID secure way to protect yourselves, your employees, clients and to protect the industry from being locked down again.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has issued a statement to the NHBF which says all businesses are at risk of receiving formal action from local authorities if they are not following their risk assessments. Failure to comply with an enforcement notice from a local authority officer can lead to prosecution in the criminal courts and penalties including fines or up to two years’ imprisonment.

In England, the main points that people need to remember are:

• Wearing a visor – the guidelines which were updated on 14 August now say you must also wear a Type II face mask for extra protection
• Using a booking-only system and maintaining social distancing in the workplace
• Frequent washing of hands
• Using screens and back-to-back/side-to-side working 
• Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and tools, especially after each client
• Contacting clients before appointments to check if clients have COVID symptoms, in which case they must cancel
• Displaying the COVID 19 Secure notice in a prominent place

The rules are slightly different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but they apply to everyone working in hair and beauty: hairdressers, barbers, nail technicians, beauty therapists, eyebrow and eyelash professionals and beauty aesthetics practitioners, including mobile workers in hair and beauty. 

Hilary Hall, chief executive of the NHBF says, “We have worked hard to ensure hair and beauty salons, barbershops and individual professionals can get back to work but because some are failing to follow the guidelines, they are putting the whole industry at risk. We’ve launched our #DoItRight campaign to help hair and beauty businesses across the UK understand the guidelines that apply in their part of the country.  The last thing any of us want is to face further restrictions, further lockdowns or a second spike in coronavirus infections. The impact on our industry would be devastating.  Please do your bit to help and show you’re putting the industry first as well as protecting the safety of your teams and your clients.”

The full Safer Workplace guidelines are available to view in full at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/close-contact-services

For more information and FAQs, please visit www.nhbf.co.uk/coronavirus and follow the National Hair & Beauty Federation on social at @nhbfsocial.

Barbershop management tool Squire has announced the suspension of subscription fees. The move, which will see all subscription fees waived until 2021, will provide further support to the barber industry.

The app allows users to discover barbershops, book appointments, and pay for haircuts directly from your mobile. Customers are charged $0.99 to book appointments, which is added at checkout.

The app has staff management, marketing and POS capabilities for barbershops, and has, at time of writing, over 2,000 partners.

Visit www.getsquire.com for more details.

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.

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.