Beauty professionals from across the country will soon be heading to South Florida for the latest Beauty Weekends expo, an educational and networking event designed with women in the beauty and barbering industries in mind.

Taking place in Fort Lauderdale over September 25 – 27, the event combines business development, technical education, and community-building to help attendees grow personally and professionally.

Hosted by The Beauty Weekends, the event will feature hands-on classes, industry experts, and opportunities for barbers, stylists, entrepreneurs, and beauty professionals to expand their skill sets and strengthen their businesses.

Among the featured educators will be three accomplished female barbers, bringing decades of their expertise and specialized knowledge to the stage.

Building Wealth Beyond the Chair

Lici Lady Barber will present a financial empowerment class focused on helping beauty professionals create long-term wealth through financial planning and tax education.

“I’ll be teaching how to build wealth using the tax code,” said Lici. “We’re going to dive into financial structure and how we can become better overall in the industry.”

Her session aims to provide practical tools to better understand finances, maximize opportunities available to business owners, and establish a stronger foundation for future success.

Unlocking New Services with Hair Units

Osiris Pastor, known professionally as Barber Boss Lady, will share her expertise in hair unit care, installation, and maintenance – one of the fastest-growing service categories in the industry.

With thinning hair and baldness becoming increasingly common, Osiris believes beauty professionals have an opportunity to offer life-changing solutions while growing their businesses.

“I want every barber and stylist to learn how to do this because you’re going to elevate your services,” she said. “You’re going to help a lot of people who are dealing with thinning and baldness, and you’ll be able to provide a real solution to a growing problem.”

Mastering the Shift from Fades to Shears

Veteran barber Corina Lady Barber will bring her more than 30 years of experience to an educational session focused on transitioning from traditional fade work into advanced shear techniques. As trends continue to evolve, many barbers are finding that clients increasingly seek textured, longer styles that require strong scissor skills.

“The industry is moving into more shear work,” Corina explained. “A lot of barbers are struggling with that transition. I want to share my 30 years of knowledge and show you how to make life easier behind the chair.”

Her class is designed to help professionals gain confidence and precision while adapting to the changing demands of today’s clients.

More Than an Event

Beauty Weekender is more than a weekend of classes – it’s a platform for connection, education, and empowerment. While the event was intentionally created to support women in the beauty and barbering industries, it welcomes anyone committed to growth, learning, and advancing their career.

From business-building strategies and financial literacy to cutting-edge technical skills, attendees will leave with actionable knowledge they can immediately apply to their craft and businesses.

For beauty professionals looking to sharpen their skills, expand their services, and connect with a supportive community of industry leaders, Beauty Weekender promises to be one of the most impactful events of the year.

For more information and registration details, visit TheBeautyWeekends.com

Wahl Professional has introduced the new Vapor Switch, the next evolution of the brand’s award-winning Vapor clipper.

Built for professionals who refuse one-size-fits-all performance, the Vapor Switch gives barbers the freedom to shift between cutting styles, adapt to every client and customize performance in real time.

“We listened closely to feedback from the barber community and put those insights directly into the newest evolution of the Vapor, the Vapor Switch,” said Mike Wahl, VP of Innovation and Insights for Wahl Professional.

“From enhanced ergonomics and dual-speed performance to the new Rapid Switch taper lever and upgraded blade technology, every advancement was designed around how barbers work behind the chair.”

Available from September through authorized Wahl Professional distributors and WahlPro.com, the Vapor Switch features Wahl’s new HyperShift Dual-Speed Brushless Motor, giving barbers the ability to instantly switch between 7,000 RPM for controlled bulk removal and 9,000 RPM for fast, precision fading and detailing. The clipper intelligently responds to different hair types and cutting conditions to deliver smooth, consistent performance from the first pass to the last.

The new F32 Drift Blade features premium black PVD chrome and DLC coatings for longer-lasting sharpness, while a built-in oil reservoir helps reduce friction and blade heat for cooler, smoother cutting throughout the day. Bold dual-color LED lighting instantly signals selected motor speed, keeping barbers focused on the cut without missing a beat.

The stress of loud clippers and trimmers can be overwhelming for some people, turning a visit to the barbershop into a high anxiety, emotionally draining experience.   

Aiming to make those experiences more inclusive is new grooming brand HUSH Pro USA, the US partner for HUSH Pro International, which has launched with a simple mission, to make professional-quality tools more accessible, comfortable, and enjoyable for clients.

“We saw an opportunity to introduce a different kind of grooming experience,” said Kobe Deng, co-founder.

“While many tools focus solely on power, we believed performance should also include comfort, control, and consideration for the environment around the user. The overwhelmingly positive response to the quiet operation of our products showed us there was a significant need for tools that reduce unnecessary sensory stress without sacrificing professional results.”

Although the brand was created to focus on creating affordable tools, its products quickly became known for how remarkably quiet they are. Standard clippers operate between 60 and 75 decibels, with some as loud as vacuum cleaners, but HUSH Pro’s tools measure just 48 decibels, and the trimmers 46 decibels.

“My first reaction was how noticeably quiet it was. As someone who specializes in sensory-friendly haircuts, I immediately started thinking about the clients I serve and how much of a difference that could make,” said Krystal Cotto, HUSH Pro USA’s Sensory Inclusivity Brand Ambassador

“Throughout my career, I’ve worked with individuals who find the sound of traditional clippers overwhelming. Knowing that a tool could help reduce that barrier while still delivering professional results was exciting.”

HUSH said that a common misconception is that sensory accommodations are only relevant to a small group of people, but in reality everyone experiences sensory input differently. Loud noises, vibration, and overstimulation can affect children, adults, neurodivergent individuals, and even professionals working long hours.

Reducing noise hasn’t meant reducing power. HUSH Pro USA’s tools focus on motor efficiency, vibration control, component precision, and engineering design. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary noise but preserve the cutting performance professionals expect.

“By reducing noise while maintaining performance, we help create environments that feel more welcoming and comfortable for a broader range of clients without requiring barbers or stylists to change the way they work,” said Kobe.

HUSH Pro USA’s grooming tools not only create a calmer environment, but they allow stylists to communicate more clearly with their clients.

“Communication is one of the most important parts of any service. When there is less background noise, clients can process information more easily, ask questions, and engage in conversation,” added Krystal. “In my work, I’ve found that reducing sensory distractions often creates more opportunities for connection and trust.”

Barbers looking to sharpen their skills with mid- and long-length hair can get an inside look at Church California Lead Educator’s Brandon Faulk’s cutting and styling techniques this September, as he brings his Balance Tour to Philadelphia.

Hosted by WinSome Barber, the special Look & Learn evening will take place on Sunday, September 13, from 5–8pm, with Brandon demonstrating across shags, mods and alternative cuts.

The three-hour session will focus on precision, creativity and efficiency, giving barbers the chance to pick up new techniques as they watch Brandon work through different approaches to longer hair.

Brandon will guide attendees through a more intentional approach to building shape, stronger systems for making decisions throughout a cut, and practical techniques to take back behind the chair.

For barbers looking to move beyond traditional short cuts and build confidence working with longer lengths, the session offers an opportunity to learn in a hands-on, industry-focused environment, while connecting with fellow barbers.

The Balance Tour Live with Brandon Faulk Hair takes place Sunday, September 13, from 5–8pm at WinSome Barber in Philadelphia.

Hair replacement brand Novo Cabelo has announced the launch of TrueBlend, a new non shave hair replacement method designed to offer a flexible, inclusive and natural looking solution for people experiencing hair loss.

Created for both men and women, TrueBlend allows clients to wear a hair system without shaving their natural hair. The method has been developed to blend seamlessly with client’s existing hair, with solutions from solid colour finishes through to balayage techniques, and options suitable for European hair and Oriental hair colouring.

With TrueBlend, Novo Cabelo aims to make high quality hair replacement more accessible, adaptable and emotionally reassuring. It has been developed for a wide range of hair loss types, including female pattern hair loss, androgenetic alopecia, post cancer recovery, frontal fibrosing alopecia and alopecia areata. The method can also work alongside natural hair growth.

The system offers more than 120 colour choices, with length options up to 26 inches, giving stylists the chance to create a bespoke finish. Application takes around one and a half hours, and depending on skin type and hair type, the system can stay on the head for up to five weeks, with an expected life span of up to nine months.

Confidence, Fully Restored

TrueBlend has been created to support clients who may not be ready, or may not wish, to shave their natural hair.

For many people experiencing hair loss, this is a significant emotional barrier, so by removing that step, Novo Cabelo said it is opening up hair replacement while continuing its mission to normalise systems and make the process feel safe, supportive and empowering.

“TrueBlend is a really important step for us because it gives people more choice. Hair loss is incredibly personal, and not everyone feels ready to shave their natural hair,” said Rob Wood, founder of Novo Cabelo.

“Some clients still have growth, some are going through recovery, and some simply want a solution that feels less daunting. TrueBlend gives them that option.

“For us, innovation has never just been about technique. It is about listening to clients and stylists, understanding what people are worried about, and creating something that makes the journey easier. This method allows us to give people beautiful, natural results while helping them feel reassured, supported and in control.”

As with all Novo Cabelo methods, aftercare will be central to the TrueBlend client journey. Clients will receive guidance and the correct haircare products to support their system at home, helping them protect the hair and maintain the result between appointments.

For professionals, training for TrueBlend will be delivered as a one day physical course, supported by pre training material. Stylists will work alongside an educator on either a live model or block head to create their first transformation, with access to Novo Cabelo’s members area and app forming part of the journey.

The course has been designed to equip stylists with the technical skills required, as well as the understanding needed to support clients through the emotional side of hair loss.

This follows Novo Cabelo’s wider education philosophy, which places consultation, aftercare, confidence building and ongoing professional support at the centre of every service.

Novo Cabelo said that the launch of TrueBlend reflects its commitment to raising standards across the hair replacement industry. The brand has consistently challenged outdated perceptions of hair systems, and its work has helped move hair replacement away from secrecy and stigma, to become a modern, inclusive and empowering service.

Hair Gain has launched its Christmas 2026 collection, with a selection of gift sets that bring together some of the brand’s bestselling formulas designed to support healthier, stronger looking hair.

Among the five gifts sets to choose from are the Christmas Bauble, featuring a non-aerosol, volumising dry shampoo and scrunchie set inside a limited edition bauble, perfect for a stocking filler, as well as a Scalp Care Kit, featuring a full-size scalp foam to hydrate and a massager to stimulate the scalp and promote circulation.

There’s also the Holiday Hair Kit, which includes a complete hair care routine with shampoo and conditioner for healthier hair on the go, a Travel Wash Set, featuring a handy travel sized, wash-day routine, and a Starter Gift Set, with a complete wash-day routine designed for healthier, glossier hair.

A vegan wellness brand, Hair Gain was founded by Lucy Palmer after suffering from postpartum hair loss, with the range now including gummies, haircare and topical solutions.

Hair Gain’s formulas have been developed to feed follicles at their source, with all of the brand’s supplements and topicals powered by its clinically-tested star ingredient, AnaGain™, a phytonutrient derived from organic pea shoots.

Check out the full range from Hair Gain here.

Christmas Bauble – RRP £16.99

Holiday Hair Kit – RRP £49.50

Scalp Care Kit – RRP £47.98

Travel Wash Set – £15.00

Starter Gift Set – £36.00

Highland, the haircare brand specializing in high-performing, non-toxic products, is taking rosemary from kitchen cupboard to haircare heavyweight, with a new conditioner alternative, The Condish, a next-generation, broad-use conditioner powered by botanicals and clinically-tested ingredients that hydrate and strengthen hair while supporting scalp health.

More than two years in the making, The Condish was developed in response to traditional conditioners which coat hair in synthetics and silicones, which Highland said creates the illusion of moisture while blocking the real thing.
“They congest your scalp, accelerate buildup, leave hair looking dull and weighed down,” said Highland Co-founder Ben Medalie.

“With our Glacial Clay Pomade and Glacial Cream, we’ve already transformed the way people approach styling products. Completing the ritual meant taking the same standard into the shower. The award-winning Wash reimagined the cleanse. The Condish is our answer to everything after.”

Formulated in partnership with hair professionals, leading organic chemists, and cosmetic experts, The Condish replaces these synthetics with botanical and science-backed ingredients that power a high-performance, weightless conditioner that genuinely hydrates.

“We’re a brand that doesn’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take ingredient integrity and innovation more seriously than anyone else in the industry. This truly is a conditioner evolved,” said Boone Whiteside, co-founder of Highland.

“We set out to thread the needle on making a product that felt premium in the shower, supplied true, long-lasting conditioning, and was made with innovative, clean ingredients. Developing The Condish was strenuous, challenging and illuminated why most conditioner formulas are built the way they are—and exactly why this launch was necessary.”

At the heart of The Condish are clinically-proven ingredients selected for both immediate performance and long-term benefits, including caffeine, Amazonian Babassu Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Cupuaçu Seed Butter, and Aquaxyl™, an advanced humectant complex that supports moisture retention and hydration.

Rather than treating conditioner as something that simply softens the lengths, The Condish combines rosemary with biotin, and panthenol to support the scalp while delivering lightweight hydration, detangling and strengthening benefits. 

Highland said that while other conditioners lean on a few highly marketable active ingredients and leverage fillers for the balance of the formula, with The Condish, every single ingredient was scrutinized and had to earn its place—satisfying specific performance metrics (slip, detangling, hydration, anti-static, etc.) and hair health impact.

Infused with functional aroma notes of Siberian Fir and Rosemary, The Condish is free of silicones, artificial fragrances, sulfates, parabens, SLS, and gluten. It is designed for professional and at-home use, is color-safe, and suitable for all hair types.

Rather than treating conditioner as something that simply softens the lengths, The Condish combines rosemary with biotin, and panthenol to support the scalp while delivering lightweight hydration, detangling and strengthening benefits. 

The result is a conditioner designed to care for both the hair you can see and the scalp underneath it without relying on silicones, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances.

From Aveda’s Rosemary Mint Purifying Shampoo to Mielle’s viral Rosemary Mint collection and Nécessaire’s Rosemary Shampoo, the botanical has become one of the most recognizable ingredients in scalp and hair care, but its appeal goes beyond its fresh, herbal scent. 

Research has explored rosemary’s role in supporting healthy hair growth. One clinical trial found that rosemary oil and 2% minoxidil produced comparable improvements in hair count after six months among people with alopecia.  Research has also pointed to rosemary’s antioxidant properties, all which can contribute to a healthier scalp environment.

Studies have also explored its potential to support hair growth and circulation, with compounds such as 1,8-cineole, camphor, and rosmarinic acid contributing to its biological activity.  

The Condish retails for $36 and can be purchased on Highland.style and Amazon.

Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland has traded his statement golden locks for a short back and sides, stunning fans on social media before heading to the pitch to face AFC Bournemouth.

The Man City striker posted a series of shots to social media, showing the moment the clippers buzzed off his flowing hair to leave behind a short cropped style, commenting on his new look with a simple “Short hair, don’t care.”

Short hair don’t care 😅✂️ pic.twitter.com/tPzQVFoUIL

— Erling Haaland (@Erling) August 23, 2026

Commenting on Haaland’s new streamlined look, Bailey Snowden from Snowden Hair said: “I am a huge fan of the new look, Haaland is taking it right back to his roots with a style that he rocked when he was a young player.

“I think that it was about time that he freshened up his look and I can really get behind the buzz cut. It currently looks very natural; however, I think he would really benefit from a skin fade or a taper to finish. This would give the style a touch of premium edge, but overall its 10/10 and I rate the new look.”

Santana & Co had already rewritten the rules of scalp micropigmentation in Texas. The new challenge was bigger: put barbering, SMP, tattooing, permanent makeup, and education under one roof.

Three weeks after opening their new 5,500-square-foot space in Fort Worth, it was clear this wasn’t just another barbershop expansion. It was an experiment in what a modern grooming hub could look like.

“I’ve been in the industry going on 14 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Sam Garcia, the brains behind Santana & Co.

“I’ve traveled all over the country, and I’ve never seen a space that has tattooing, permanent makeup, scalp micropigmentation, barbering, and education all together.”

One roof, many careers

Around 20 professionals work inside the Santana & Co space, and the energy is of a shared ecosystem rather than a row of competing chairs. A client might walk in for a haircut and walk out with a new tattoo consultation booked, or come in for SMP and end up planning a full sleeve.

“Somebody will come in for a haircut, then realize they want a tattoo as well,” Sam explained. “It just all complements each other. Everyone’s clientele is one big community.”

From a barber’s perspective, that meant built-in cross-promotion without the pressure of fighting for the same fades and beard trims as the person at the next station.

“It’s not like you’re fighting for clients. You can come to me, go to him, go to them, do it all at once.”

In simple math: nine barbers cutting five to ten people a day means roughly 200 clients a week walking past tattooers and SMP artists. Each tattoo artist then brings their own clients back into the barbering and education side.

Designed for work, not Instagram

Visually, the space was built to feel open and communal, while still hitting strict sanitation and licensing standards. It took about a year just to secure the licenses.

“The space has to be big enough to do all this for sanitation,” he explained. “You can’t cram everything in. Our space is 5,500 square feet, all sectioned out perfectly.”

The fit-out was another story of risk and instinct. Santana met with manufacturers a year before the space was approved, and started designing custom stations, lighting, and furniture down to the last detail.

They skipped traditional tattoo chairs and installed remote-control dental beds instead, making long SMP and tattoo sessions more ergonomic for both artist and client.

The gamble came when he put down around $50,000 on equipment before the city had even voted on his licensing.

“If they didn’t vote it in, then I wouldn’t have a building, but I’d still have 30 crates of equipment arriving. That’s the risk you take in business.”

On January 7, the council voted in his favor. The bet paid off.

Education at the core

For Santana & Co, the space was more than just a flashy buildout. It functioned as an education center for barbers, tattoo artists, SMP specialists, and PMU professionals.

They bring in one to two high-level educators each month, focusing on quality over social media numbers. SMP remains Sam’s “bread and butter,” but all the education arms carry equal weight in the new space.

The vision did not stop at one location. Santana talked openly about franchising the concept globally within the next year and hinted at serious interest from major partners. Aftercare giant H2Ocean also came on board as a sponsor, underlining how seriously other segments of the industry were taking the experiment.

What barbers should take from this

For working barbers, Santana & Co’s new space wasn’t just a cool build; it was a signal of where the profession could go:

A barber no longer has to stay in a single-lane career for life. In a space like this, they could cut hair, learn SMP, explore tattoo or PMU education, and plug into a wider creative culture without leaving a shop environment. The idea was not to abandon barbering, but to expand it.

“I’ve been on the streets before,” he said. “If it all fails, I’ve been there. What do I have to lose?”

At an event packed with world-class education, barber battles, and product launches, one of the most talked-about experiences on the CT Barber Expo show floor was happening at the BarberEVO booth: the wheel of Rolda!

In partnership with Rolda, BarberEVO launched the Wheel of Rolda, an interactive activation that gave attendees the opportunity to spin a custom wheel-of-fortune-style game and win exclusive prizes throughout the weekend.

The activation was a major success, generating more than 200 spins across the event and drawing a constant crowd eager to test their luck.

Participants spun the wheel to reveal their prize before receiving a custom poker chip, which they could then redeem at the Rolda booth. The activation created a fun, engaging journey across the show floor while encouraging attendees to connect with both brands.

Step Up, Step Up

Winners had the opportunity to walk away with Rolda Hair Gel, Texturizing Powder, branded Rolda hats, professional cutting combs, the latest issue of BarberEVO featuring the Rolda family on the cover, or even a one-year subscription to BarberEVO magazine.

“Here at Rolda, we are so excited to be celebrating our 35th year anniversary with BarberEVO – not just with our front cover edition, but also with this amazing activation at CT Barber Expo,” said Luis Di Girolamo, Head of Digital & Ecommerce at Rolda.

While the prizes generated excitement, the activation represented something bigger than giveaways.

As Rolda celebrates its anniversary, the family-owned company continues to champion the values that have helped shape its success within the barbering industry.

“Rolda has been in this industry for about 35 years,” explained Di Girolamo. “It’s a family-owned business, so we’re just like you guys. We’re Latinos. We came from another culture, another country. We’re coming here to make our dream happen, whether your dream is success, a legacy, or achieving what you never thought was possible.”

“Spinning this wheel not only lets you win a prize from the company, but it allows you to meet other people, meet our educators, and start to envision yourself in the future,” he said.

Barbers, students, educators, and industry professionals gathered around the wheel, celebrating wins and sharing conversations between spins. The activation became a natural meeting point where attendees could engage with the Rolda team, discover new products, and learn more about the company’s mission.

With countless winners and a constant buzz surrounding the booth, the Wheel of Rolda proved that sometimes the most memorable moments at an expo come from simply taking a chance and spinning the wheel.