Norfolk-based gentleman’s grooming brand Captain Fawcett is proud to announce his ‘Bianco Classico‘ Beard Butter has WON the category for ‘Men’s Grooming Products & Accessories’ at the prestigious Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna 2025 Awards.

The Cosmoprof Awards, in partnership with BEAUTYSTREAMS, celebrate excellence in the global cosmetics industry. Chosen from over 800 products, just 3 finalists make it though the judging process in each category.

Richie Finney MBE, founder of Captain Fawcett says: “To win from over 800 entries in the renowned ‘Oscars of Beauty’ is a truly remarkable achievement. Not least because up against the world’s biggest players, Captain Fawcett has won with a genuine small batch product, handmade here at Captain Fawcett HQ in Norfolk. So a special mention to the fantastic McCavity’s Crew, Terry, Ginni & Yolante, who actually make and package ‘Bianco Classico’ Beard Butter in situ in Norfolk, UK. In truth, there are very few companies who can claim to make their own products in house. Simply magnificent!

“A huge thank you to all involved, especially Bottega della Barba, the Captain’s superb distributors in Italy.

“It is a huge honour for Captain Fawcett to be a winner, standing tall amid the beauty and grooming industry’s world leaders. The Cosmoprof Awards are highly competitive, with impressive innovations from all across the world, so to win such acclaim is testament to the ambition and hard work of the whole Captain Fawcett team. Evivva!”

Products are independently judged on category criteria including Innovation, Creativity, Packaging & Design, Product Benefits, Ethics and User Experience.

Captain Fawcett’s ‘Bianco Classico’ is crafted for all hair types. Complementing the award-winning Beard Butter, the range includes a Moustache Wax and Purple toning Shampoo, crafted to highlight the brilliant gleam of silver, grey, blond and bleached hair.

Joanna Vital, Captain Fawcett’s Commercial Director, joined global industry leaders at the The Grande Soirée Cosmoprof & Cosmopack Awards Ceremony in Bologna, Italy on Friday 21st March.

She says “Grazie mille, Bologna! Italy has always led the way in style, and no one rocks the ‘silver fox’ look like an Italian man. Captain Fawcett’s Beard Butter was crafted for men who celebrate their age with confidence and sophistication, so to receive this award here is truly a huge honour. Thanks to the incredible Fawcett crew and to our loyal customers who inspire us every day. And to Italy for showing the world how to age with polish and flair! Salute!”

Joanna attended the glittering occasion with Valentino Bergamini, CEO and Founder of Captain Fawcett’s highly esteemed Italian distributor Bottega della Barba on behalf of Richie Finney, who is currently in the USA about to embark on an epic 6 week road trip tour for Captain Fawcett’s Great Expedition 2025. Thanks to Joanna for doing a fantastic job in representing Captain Fawcett at Cosmoprof.

For more information on Captain Fawcett, please visitwww.captainfawcett.com

Fatboy, the hair care brand built for high-performance styling, wasn’t created in a lab or a boardroom, it
was born on the road, in the thick of touring life, where music and hairstyling were equally a part of Tyson Kennedy’s world.

As the lead singer of Grammy-nominated band Steriogram, he spent years performing high-energy shows, sweating through every set, only to find that no styling product could keep up. Hair would fall flat, lose shape or just not hold the way he wanted. So, he started making his own products. Before each tour, he’d mix batches of styling putty on his stovetop, testing and tweaking until he had something that could survive the chaos.

When Steriogram went on hiatus, Tyson took that same passion into New York’s salon scene, refining his formula and selling it to local stylists. Word spread fast, and what began as a home fix became a cult favorite. That original formula became the iconic Perfect Putty, the product that sparked it all. Seeing its growing demand, Tyson took Fatboy from a side project to a full-fledged brand built on performance, creativity and the belief that hairstyling should be expressive.

Fatboy has never been confined by gender; it’s for anyone who wants to own their style. Now, Fatboy is carving out its place as the authority in short
hair styling. Their mission is to reinvent and set trends for short hair styles like mohawks, pixies and shags. Designed to simplify, inspire and push the boundaries of what hairstyling products can do, Fatboy is more than just a brand, it’s a haircare movement.

“I am thrilled to share our unwavering drive for crafting exceptional hair care products tailored towards short hair styling…

…We believe that every individual deserves to express their unique style with confidence, and our mission is to provide the perfect tools to elevate that experience. With Fatboy, short hair has never looked so good.”

Tyson Kennedy, founder of Fatboy.

Fatboy’s haircare range is designed for both stylists
and everyday users.

The line-up includes…

• Perfect Putty (2.6 oz/ $21): The award-winning, industry-disrupting styling staple that started it all. A matte-finish putty with flexible hold for that perfect lived-in texture, finished with subtle notes of green tea for a fresh, clean scent.
• Spray Putty (3.5 oz/ $24): Perfect Putty-in-a-can, now in an easy-to- use spray for simple, weightless application. This award-winning innovative product is perfect for adding that second-day gritty texture.
• Sea Salt Pomade (2.6 oz/ $21): A hybrid formula that fuses pomade with sea salt for a soft, tousled finish with just the right amount of texture. Styling Cream (2.8 oz. / $21): A lightweight, medium-hold styler that adds volume without flaking. Often used as a blow-dry base, it thickens, protects against heat and UV damage, and works on all hair types – free of nasties like sulfates, parabens and anything that doesn’t belong in great hair.
• Volumizing Shampoo (10 oz. / $24) & Volumizing Conditioner (10 oz /$24): A lightweight, clean duo designed to boost volume and nourish without buildup. Infused with rice protein for strength, plus coconut and avocado oils for hydration and shine, it keeps hair fresh and full with every wash. Finished with a serene fragrance of sage and bergamot, complemented by soft floral undertones for a fresh, uplifting scent.

With a line-up that delivers revolutionary styling, and a brand ethos rooted in music, creativity and individuality, Fatboy is redefining what it means to have great hair. Whether you’re a stylist, a performer or
just someone who wants their hair to look as good at 2 AM as it did at 8 AM, Fatboy has you covered. No fluff. No filler. Just game- changing products that work.

To learn more about Fatboy, please visit www.fatboyhair.com/

With 2025 marking a new perspective on male grooming, Keune is shifting its focus from traditional barber-centric offerings to a more inclusive approach, aiming to serve all hair professionals worldwide.

1922 by J.M. Keune is a tightly edited collection of premium grooming staples, made in the Netherlands, enriched with homegrown ingredients, and perfected by science. Among opening new horizons for men’s hair care by broadening its perspective, Keune features a modest yet impactful 25ml increase in all jar-packaged products.

This move isn’t just about offering more value for money – it’s also about reducing its unnecessary impact to the environment and economy by switching to jars made from 100% recycled plastic.

ALL GROOMING NEEDS SATISFIED

The 1922 by J.M. Keune range offers a complete hair care portfolio for men:

Care: The foundation of every routine with essential cleansing and nourishing products.

Style: Powerful styling tools that cater to every hair need, from classic to cutting-edge looks.

Beard: Elevates the grooming game with refined fragrances, and much more!

Have you ever wanted to add another string to your bow, or team up with another creative in a different field to create a multifaceted business? Barbershop X Cocktail Bar, or a Barbershop X SMP studio, or even a Barbershop X Coffee Shop… we have seen it all. But how do you practically manage two businesses at once?

Well, the best person to speak to is OC Junior IV Thomas, owner of Rich In Flesh Barbershop X Tattoo X Music Studio in Livermore, CA. So, that’s just what we did in our most recent Vagaro X EVO Live on Instagram!

While running three businesses simultaneously may seem like a huge task… OC Thomas has a secret weapon. Vagaro.  

“I got into the industry as a tattoo artist. I opened a studio, and knew I wanted to diversify my business. So, I invested into a barbershop with one of my best friends, and I took time to learn the industry. It’s very similar to the way tattoo studios work – with independent contractors making their own schedules. It’s the same free-spirited environment, so, I thought it would be perfect to combine the two.”

But how can diversifying your business help set you up for success?

OC told: “I feel like diversifying helped a lot, because it broadened our demographic. Some people who would never walk into a tattoo shop now do, because they’re getting a haircut, and they feel a little more welcome – vice versa. Barbering and tattooing are both forms of self-care, and so to have more than one reason to come to the studio… it builds a community and therefore a better business,” OC Thomas said.  

Find this, even more, in the full live down below. 

Vagaro Enhances E-Commerce Capabilities with Introduction of Product Variants

Vagaro, the leading software for businesses in beauty, wellness, and fitness, has announced the launch of its new Product Variants feature, offering businesses even greater flexibility in managing their retail sales all in one place.

The new feature allows businesses to easily manage product variations, such as different sizes, shapes, or colors, by simply indicating these details in a dropdown menu. This eliminates the need to enter each variant as a standalone product, simplifying the inventory process. Additionally, users can manage essential product details such as ingredients, instructions, and size guides, all from one centralized page.

The launch reflects Vagaro’s commitment to being a comprehensive, all-in-one solution for beauty business owners. Industry data shows that retail sales contribute between 15-40% of revenue in the beauty industry. With the addition of product variants, users can maximize these product sales directly from their Vagaro account.

“Beauty & wellness professionals know that time is money. Our product variants feature will give some of that time back while also helping them improve their retail sales; enhancing their revenue in more ways than one,” says Vagaro CMO, Charity Hudnall.

Businesses can efficiently manage and sync their entire online inventory without the need to dedicate excessive time to stocking or updating multiple platforms. Vagaro AI also offers businesses the ability to craft product descriptions and details quickly, further enhancing the efficiency and professionalism of their online stores, especially when used in combination with product variants.

In Conclusion: The addition of product variants streamlines the retail experience for beauty professionals, enabling them to manage their inventory and product details with ease. With this new feature, Vagaro continues to help businesses grow by simplifying complex tasks and enhancing revenue potential.

For more information on how product variants can help businesses thrive, visit Vagaro.

When it comes to precision styling, the right clipper makes all the difference. GA.MA Professional, the global hair tool leader, is excited to announce the launch of their new Lumine Beetle Clipper. Small in size but packed with all the features of a larger trimmer, this compact powerhouse is the perfect choice for detailed work like finishing touches, intricate designs and precision cuts.

Designed with both ergonomics and durability in mind, the Lumine Beetle Clipper (Price: $47.20) is ideal for stylists who need accuracy without sacrificing performance. With a 6000 RPM motor, it effortlessly delivers professional-grade results, whether you’re perfecting a sharp fade design, refining edges around the ears, beard, or sideburns or tidying up the nape. Its lightweight beetle-inspired design prioritizes safety, enhances productivity and allows for faster work to keep up with the fast pace of salons and barbershops.

What sets the Lumine Beetle Clipper apart is its Professional Sintered Blades. These blades blend the durability of forged steel with the lightweight feel of synthetic materials, created through a cutting-edge sintering process. This advanced technique fuses metal powders into a corrosion-resistant structure that’s built to thrive in wet environments like salons. The result is a blade that’s as reliable as it is precise.

Additional Features:

• Cord: Professional Cord/Cordless
• Additional Professional Sintered Blade Included
• Battery: Lithium Battery
• Autonomy: 90 min.
• Hanging Hook
• Minimum Cut: 0.3 mm

For added convenience, the clipper includes three comb attachments (1.5 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm), perfect for tackling a variety of hairstyles and fade techniques. Whether you’re working in a salon or on the go, this compact tool can even easily slip right into your pocket, delivering pro-level results wherever your styling journey takes you.

With its advanced technology, ergonomic design and powerful performance, the Lumine Beetle Clipper is the ultimate creative partner. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, this clipper helps unlock your potential and keep your work sharp, precise and inspired.

The Lumine Beetle Clipper will be available for purchase at www.gamaprofessional.us.

Vagaro Launches Connect App to Enhance Real-Time Communication for Businesses and Clients

In today’s fast-paced business environment, effective communication is more important than ever. Vagaro has introduced Vagaro Connect, a two-way messaging platform designed to improve communication between businesses and their clients, as well as among team members. Accessible via the Connect App or Vagaro Desktop, the app enables seamless, real-time conversations, empowering businesses to deliver a personalized experience to clients while improving team collaboration.

The dedicated business communication channel within Vagaro Connect ensures that work-related messages are kept separate from personal messages, allowing business owners to set clear boundaries. This helps improve professionalism while maintaining effective communication.

What is Vagaro Connect?

Vagaro Connect is an extension of the Vagaro Pro apps that provides an easy-to-use platform for direct messaging between clients and businesses. By enabling two-way chat for both client and team communications, Connect helps simplify the process of staying in touch, with all features fully accessible through the Vagaro Pro app on desktop and mobile. Full functionality is available with Vagaro’s text messaging (SMS) feature, making it easier to stay connected at all times.

While many business owners already communicate with clients and employees through emails or phone calls, Vagaro Connect offers a more streamlined and efficient solution. Unlike traditional methods, Connect enables real-time, personalized communication that’s more efficient and easier to track.

Turn Conversations into Conversions

In addition to facilitating communication, Vagaro Connect helps businesses convert positive client interactions into booked appointments or upsell opportunities. When communicating with clients through the app, business owners can send appointment links directly to their calendars, allowing clients to book services on the spot. The integration with the Vagaro Calendar makes it easy to send clients links that go straight into a service provider’s schedule, ensuring that every interaction has the potential to turn into revenue.

This seamless integration between chat and scheduling simplifies the booking process for clients and helps businesses secure revenue quickly. The combination of fast response times, personalized service, and easy scheduling ultimately enhances the customer experience and boosts the likelihood of repeat business.

Acquire Client Information Quickly & Easily

In today’s fast-paced environment, speed and accuracy matter. With Vagaro Connect, businesses can quickly obtain important client details through direct communication, without the need for time-consuming phone calls or emails. By enabling text messaging, businesses can immediately gather essential information, update appointment details, or request feedback, all while ensuring a personalized and efficient interaction.

The platform also includes an internal notes feature, allowing businesses to leave relevant client details within the chat history. This keeps all team members informed about a client’s preferences, upcoming appointments, and any other important information, ensuring a seamless experience for the client at every touchpoint.

Clear Communication Across Multiple Platforms

Another standout feature of Vagaro Connect is its ability to maintain consistent communication across various platforms. Clients can reach out via the Vagaro Marketplace, your Branded App, or your MySite. Once a client initiates a conversation, the message icon will appear across all platforms, so businesses can respond quickly, regardless of where they are.

Even if the conversation doesn’t proceed in one uninterrupted stream, Vagaro Connect allows businesses to pick up right where they left off, ensuring continuity and preventing any information from falling through the cracks. With access to message history and internal notes, your team can stay aligned on client interactions, no matter where they take place.

Improved Team Communication

Effective team communication is a cornerstone of any successful business. Vagaro Connect enhances internal communication by allowing team members to engage in one-on-one chats or group chats, helping managers communicate with employees about important matters, including:

• Scheduling and shift changes
• Payroll and staffing updates
• Training opportunities
• New inventory or promotions
• Daily deals or special events

In addition, Vagaro Connect syncs with employee calendars to provide a real-time view of each team member’s availability, ensuring that scheduling issues are addressed quickly. Whether it’s ensuring that a team member is free to take a client or sharing important business updates, Vagaro Connect improves operational efficiency and promotes a more informed, connected workforce.

Better Work-Life Balance

While it’s important to be available for clients and employees, it’s equally important to maintain personal boundaries. Vagaro Connect helps business owners preserve their work-life balance by keeping professional communication separate from personal messages. By using the app, business owners can respond to clients and employees when needed, without worrying about personal conversations mixing with work communications.

This not only maintains professionalism but also prevents the mix-up of private and business messages, offering a much-needed distinction between the two. By allowing business owners to manage all their communications in one place—without using personal phone numbers or email addresses—Vagaro Connect helps maintain the right balance.

Conclusion

As businesses seek more effective ways to manage client and team communications, Vagaro Connect emerges as a crucial tool. The app enhances the overall client experience, streamlines internal communication, and supports a healthy work-life balance for business owners. With its seamless integration with Vagaro’s other tools and features, Connect enables businesses to manage real-time communication more effectively and efficiently.

Businesses looking to improve communication, streamline client interactions, and enhance team collaboration can start a FREE 30-day trial of Vagaro Connect today and experience its impact firsthand.

How do you figure out which style of moustache to go for?

Choosing a moustache style depends on a few factors: your face shape, hair growth pattern, and personal style. For example, those with a rounder face might go for a longer, more structured style like the handlebar, giving the illusion of length to balance out the roundness of the face. While someone with a more angular face could suit a chevron or pencil moustache, as shorter and more defined styles can complement any sharp features. It’s all about experimenting and finding a style that complements your look.

How long will it take to grow? What do you do if it’s patchy?

Typically, it takes around 4-6 weeks to grow a solid moustache, however this will vary person to person and if you’re anything like me, as little as 2 weeks can be enough to have a pretty thick moustache. This can be both a blessing and a curse if you think about the required upkeep and maintenance of fast and thick growing facial hair.

If it’s a bit patchy, patience is key. Let it grow out and see how it fills in, as the hairs may cover sparse areas over time. If not, a touch of beard oil and a bit of light trimming can help create a fuller appearance.

What tools do you need?

A good quality narrow comb and small scissors are essential for trimming and shaping. An electric trimmer with adjustable guards is also handy, as it lets you maintain the desired length and avoid over-trimming, if short symmetry is what you’re looking for.

What products do you need?

A quality beard oil, such as OSMO Beard Complex, keeps the hair soft and nourished. Moustache wax is also useful for adding a bit of hold. Although my pro tip is that any hair wax, such as OSMO Matte Clay Extreme, can be equally, if not more effective than a moustache wax, especially if you’re styling a more structured look.

How do you keep it clean?

Keeping a moustache clean is easy with regular washing, ideally with a gentle beard shampoo. This helps remove any food particles or oils without drying out the hair or skin. Rinse thoroughly and follow up with beard oil to keep it hydrated.

To order OSMO for your salon contact your local OSMO wholesaler at www.osmo.uk.com

Fresha, the world’s leading marketplace platform for beauty, wellness, and self-care, today announced a strategic investment and partnership with Yuv, a cutting-edge company specialising in AI-powered hair colour technology.

This collaboration sets the stage for Fresha to further cement its position as the go-to platform for salons and beauty professionals globally, offering unparalleled innovation and efficiency.

Fresha boasts a network of over 120,000 beauty businesses worldwide, with salons making up a large portion of its partners. Hair colouring is a significant revenue driver for salons but remains one of the most complex services to manage effectively. By integrating Yuv’s groundbreaking technology, Fresha is set to revolutionise the hair colouring process—enhancing precision, streamlining inventory management, and delivering personalised and consistent services for clients. This strategic move further reinforces Fresha’s position as an industry leader, providing salons and beauty businesses with the advanced tools they need to elevate both their service quality and operational efficiency.

Hair colouring is a complex service that requires precision and consistency. Yuv’s technology allows salons to save personalised hair colour formulas directly in customer profiles, ensuring a consistent and tailored experience for every client. For salon owners, this means they can offer a high-quality, customised service every time, which not only strengthens client loyalty and drives repeat business but also contributes to environmental sustainability.

Beyond enhancing the client experience, Yuv’s technology significantly improves inventory management. Integrated into Fresha’s backend systems, the solution provides salons with real-time insights into product usage and automates restocking processes. This not only reduces waste and lowers costs but also ensures that salons always have the necessary products on hand, optimising efficiency and profitability.

By addressing these critical pain points with an innovative solution, Fresha expects to increase platform stickiness and deepen merchant loyalty. The integration of Yuv’s technology further embeds Fresha into the day-to-day operations of its largest vertical, strengthening its competitive advantage in the beauty space.

“Investing in Yuv aligns with our mission to provide the most advanced tools to beauty professionals,” said William Zeqiri, Founder and CEO of Fresha. “Hair colouring is a cornerstone of the salon business, and by addressing the complexities of this service, we’re adding significant value to our platform. This partnership will transform how salons operate and positions Fresha as the most trusted and indispensable platform for beauty and wellness businesses worldwide, reinforcing our role as the industry leader.”

“We’re thrilled to join forces with Fresha,” said Francisco Gimenez, Founder and CEO of Yuv. “Partnering with Fresha provides us with the platform and reach we need to revolutionise the salon experience on a global scale. Together, we’re set to transform how professionals and clients approach hair colouring, creating a more efficient and personalised process that benefits everyone involved.”

Captain Fawcett’s new Bianco Classico range is a sophisticated addition to the brand’s renowned grooming line. Known for its dedication to quality and vintage flair, Captain Fawcett has curated this collection to appeal to modern gentlemen who appreciate classic elegance.

Tailored for all hair types, ‘Bianco Classico’ is simply sensational for white, grey and platinum Silver Foxes. The new range launches with a Beard Butter, Moustache Wax and Purple Shampoo, all designed to highlight and accentuate the natural brilliance of silver strands.

Formulated as a Beard Butter and Moustache Wax, ‘Bianco Classico’ both conditions and shapes, whilst adding a subtle sheen to all mature facial hair.

The ‘Bianco Classico’ toning Shampoo is crafted from crushed Violet pigment to counter tarnished yellow undertones and reveal the natural radiance of blonde, bleached or grey hair. Best used once a week, integrated with your favourite hair care ritual to enhance clarity and shine whilst keeping locks looking fresh.

Evoking the seasons of a life well lived, the ‘Bianco Classico’ collection is ideal for scent layering, being subtly, and most delectably, fragranced with woody Rosemary & Star Anise, combined with invigorating Cyclamen, the mineral tang of Ambergris, calming Cedarwood and sun toasted Tonka. 

Renowned in the industry for his own flowing pewter hair and beard, Captain Fawcett Founder, Richie Finney, said: “Depending on your unique inherited genetics, silver strands tend to begin sneaking in during our 30s. Gadzooks! And, as hair loses pigment, it becomes drier and coarser, perchance appearing somewhat frizzled, tired and dull. So giving hair proper attention keeps it shining with vigour and health! And of course, the same principles apply for one’s beard as for the distinguished locks upon one’s head. Polishing the family silver is simply essential!

“A man with platinum or smokey grey hair is undeniably striking. It is not merely an aesthetic. Indeed, embracing the seasons of one’s life speaks of a certain confidence and character. It even, dare one venture, symbolises the gaining of wisdom. Granted, this particular reward is not immediately apparent in my own case, but there we are. Hope springs eternal. But I digress…silver hair refines a fellow, much like the self-assurance that comes with wearing a well tailored suit. An edge sharpened by life’s experience simply can’t be faked. Hi-Ho Silver, Away!”

Shop Captain Fawcett’s new Bianco Classico range here.