Left to Right: Mentor Terrance Henigan, His & Hers Barber School Owner, José Gardea, Sebastian Moore, Andre Whittington, His & Hers Barber School Instructor, Irene Youngblood, and Mentor Brenda Potts gathered to support the two graduates as they received their certificates last December in 2019.

Wahl Clipper Corporation’s Professional division, Chicago social service organization UCAN, and local business Larry’s Barber College are pleased to announce the awarding of scholarships to four new students as part of the Wahl Professional Fade it ForwardTM scholarship program. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 22, at 10 a.m. at UCAN, 3605 W. Fillmore St., Chicago, IL 60624.

In December 2019, Wahl Professional welcomed its first graduates of the philanthropic program, Andre Whittington, and Sebastian Moore, of Chicago, IL as they completed their barber college program at His & Hers Barber School. Both Whittington and Moore went through a challenging 13-month program that prepared them for their future careers as barbers and entrepreneurs.

For Chicago, this is the second group of Fade It Forward ^TM students to go through the program and will be furthering their education at Larry’s Barber College, 701 E. 79th Street in Chicago. The students going through this second installation of the program are Amari Brown, Brandon Williams, Dakota Newton-Powell, and Colby Taylor. Each of these students will be supported throughout the program by UCAN as well as a mentor – a professional barber in the Chicago area – who will help guide the students and give them their first experience working in the industry.

“The Fade It Forward^TM program is as much about supporting our at-risk youth as it is about helping them become professional barbers,” says Garland Fox, barber and Wahl Education and Artistic Team (W.E.A.T.) member. “We’re fortunate to partner with UCAN, which provides the ongoing support the students need as they progress through their barber education.”

For Fox, the creation of this philanthropic program is about giving back to the next generation, as he once was homeless, and credits becoming a barber as something that changed his life for the better. Fox’s inspiration and determination to help youth gain better lives is not only taking root in the Chicago area, but Wahl Professional has started the program in St. Louis, MO, and plans to expand to Cleveland, OH in 2021.

Visit wahlpro.com/education/fadeitforward for more information on the program and event.

The annual event will no longer take place this year, and instead will reconvene next year. Premier Show Group released a statement yesterday, Tuesday 8th September:

“Premiere Orlando is not just an event that happens over a handful of days, it’s a community. It is OUR beauty community. The COVID-19 outbreak has had an unprecedented impact on the beauty industry, and as a result we have come to the decision to reschedule Premiere Orlando to 2021 and take the next steps to ensure a safe and productive return to Orlando. We look forward to seeing you next year on June 5-7, 2021! Those who have purchased a show pass will be eligible for a ticket exchange or a full refund.”

Visit the event website for more details on the event, including show information and travel details.

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.

Barbershops and salons in certain areas of California have been able to reopen and operate indoors as officials announced an update on Wednesday 2nd September.

Those in Los Angeles County have been allowed to reopen with limited indoor services and will be in line with the state recommended reopening guidelines. Los Angeles County Supervisor announced the update on Wednesday 2nd September:

“LA County’s Health Officer Order will be updated to allow hair salons and barber shops to resume indoor operations at 25% capacity. Options for increasing capacity will be re-evaluated three weeks after Labor Day.” (@SupJaniceHahn, Twitter)

At a COVID-19 briefing, Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis added that barbershops and salons would be able to open and operate at limited capacity as of the 3rd September if they were in line with all of the Health Officer Orders.

Counties in the San Francisco area have also begun to reopen, but only outdoors at the moment, with barbershops and salons not expected to resume service indoors until late September.

Keep up to date with the latest government guidelines on reopening here.

Henkel North America’s Beauty Care Professional business has officially launched STMNT (pronounced statement), a new brand offering a range of effective, high-performing grooming goods with superior formulas and prestige packaging – designed to be accessible to all regardless of gender or style.

Sofie Pok aka @STAYGOLD, Julius Arriola aka @JULIUSCAESAR and Miguel Gutierrez aka @NOMADBARBER all collaborated on the brand to raise the standard of grooming products across the barbering industry. The range contains four lines of products; lines specifically curated by each creator plus a general care line. The products range from shampoos, conditioners and all-in-one care products to pomades, sprays and powders for both long and short styles.

Caleb Foltermann, General Manager of STMNT Grooming Goods, said “Over the past few years, barbering and grooming have evolved. Modern barbering is all about making a statement. It is sophisticated, lifestyle-driven, and genderless. We wanted to pioneer a brand that was authentic to the movement and made grooming products accessible to all. These three creators embody what it means to be a modern barber and they have the deep expertise to formulate products that are truly effective.”

STMNT is available at Ulta from September 2020, with suggested retail pricing ranging from $11.95 – $24.95.

For more information, follow STMNTGROOMING.com and @STMNTGROOMING and make your statement with the hashtags #STMNTGROOMING and #MAKEYOURSTMNT.

Over the past year, approximately 60 Black barbers in Mississippi have received training to engage their clients in discussions about mental health.

Mississippi is one of six Southern states ranked in the bottom 10 for mental health care access. Hairdresser and teacher at Trendsetters Barber College in Jackson, MS, says “As a barber, people listen to our advice a lot, and the training just brought that out more.”

Wiggins received training courtesy of The Confess Project, an Arkansas-based group that teaches Black barbers across the South how to integrate emotional support into general ‘shop talk’ and remove the taboo of emotional conversations in environments like male waiting rooms.

“I’ve had clients (before) who committed suicide, clients who had depression,” Wiggins said. “This has made me pay attention more to different words a client might use. Or if a client wants to let others get before them, basically they don’t really want a haircut and maybe want to talk more. It makes me pay more attention, because it may be something that could save that person’s life.”

Founder of The Confess Project, Lorenzo Lewis, has worked with barbers across Southern states to provide barbers with the tools to support their clients. The results so far have been encouraging: “On the micro level we’re working to build stronger, healthier relationships,” Lewis said. “On the macro level, we see that poverty may be decreased. Men come in the shops that have better employment outcomes and better mental health.”

To find out more and how you can get involved, visit www.theconfessproject.com.

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.

Hello, stranger! Long time, no-see.

Since we saw you last, the industry has welcomed plenty of changes and made the most of the comeback, different though it may be. And here at BarberEVO, there have been some changes, too. 

Behind the keyboard at the moment is Jenna Robertson, your new Editor. I’m thrilled to join the team at BarberEVO – my incredible predecessor Amy has left some big shoes to fill, but has also left me with a very exciting role to take on. I’m so looking forward to getting to know our community of readers and contributors (who really are the rock stars of the barbering world), and continuing to bring you fresh, inspiring content.

And what a time to join! Our North American comeback issue is as exciting as they come. Our cover star is none other than Layrite legend Donnie Hawley, who shares some pearls of wisdom from his 25 years in the business and tells us the origin of the famous Layrite Deluxe Pomade.  

We also take a look back at our incredible EVOLive series, sharing some of our favorite quotes and insights from barbers, brands and industry leaders, and we find out how other countries are coping post-lockdown, from the UK to the UAE.  

We talk to Director of Education at Barbicide, Leslie Roste, on what the team have been doing during quarantine to support the industry, our columnist and SCurl Ambassador brings us a thought- provoking piece on the Black Lives Matter movement, and a host of leading barbers share their thoughts and advice on how to fix those pesky DIY home haircuts that I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of over the past few weeks! 

Our columnist Kenny Duncan delivers a thought-provoking piece on the Black Lives Matter movement, and why it’s more important than ever for people across the globe to educate themselves on racial injustice.

We’re also looking out for you – while protecting yourselves and your clients is of the utmost importance, it is just as important to look after your own wellbeing, in both body and mind, so we’ve put together advice on how to prioritize your mental and physical wellbeing in these crazy times. 
 
We also delve into retail – an important resource for barbershops keen to claw back some of that lost revenue. You’ll find invaluable advice from Elliott Chester, Sosa and Bona Fide Pomade, who continue to use retail to their advantage. 

It feels great to be on Team EVO, cheering on an industry that is so dynamic and fighting so hard to push through these uncertain times. I hope you enjoy our comeback issue, but in the meantime, stay safe, stay positive, and look forward to brighter days ahead.

Order your copy of Issue 14 here – happy reading!

As shops across the United States have begun to reopen, we know you’ll have more to think about than ever before – including how to keep your clients, your staff and yourselves safe.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) can be a major investment and Gillette wants to do its part for the barber community by providing equipment that can help better protect those of you back at work, along with your valued clients.

To help keep the barber community safe as shops are reopening, BarberEVO have teamed up with Gillette to donate 20,000 protective face shields to barbers across the United States.

This is part of a larger relief effort to support workers, relief agencies and communities on the front lines of this pandemic. To date, Gillette has produced and donated more than 300,000 face shields for health care workers in response to the needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lots of barbers across the US have received their face shields already:

“Shoutout to @Gillette for sponsoring our sweet new face shields! Shaves and facials have never been safer!”

Prodigy Salon// @prodigysalon

The Gillette face shields are great…Our clients love them and it gives them peace of mind to come in the shop to get a haircut – thank you!”

Marcus Williams// Marc Republic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“#Salute to BarberEVO & Gillette for donating these face shields to barbers!”

Sipp the Surgeon// The Art of Barbering, Grand Prairie, Texas.

“The face shields help me out so much by protecting my clients and I from spreading anything around. Knowing I’m protected allows me to be at peace when cutting, I’m not so worried about the virus and I can focus on the haircut and taking care of my clients.”

Josue Morales// Sway Styles, Detroit, Michigan.

“We love the new Gillette face shields! They’re super light and comfortable. Not only are they providing important extra protection for all the barbers, but our clients also appreciate them because it shows we’re taking their safety seriously as well.”

Erik Zaiatz// Bostonian Barbershop, Boston, Massachusetts.

There are limited numbers of face shields remaining! Get yours before they are gone at barberevo.com/faceshieldsforbarbers.

Send us your selfies// Let us know you got your face shields! Tag @gillette & @barberevo.

The best selfies will be featured in an upcoming edition of BarberEVO.

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.