The hair & beauty sector is once again at the frontline of the impact of the current economic instability, with a drop in the proportion of businesses saying that they are confident of their survival at 49%, down from 64% in July, as reported in the results from the latest National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) State of the Industry survey. 

These businesses have battled through the last two years and seen two periods of initial recovery in September 2021 and July 2022, but this latest set of results shows the fragility of the recovery.

Escalating energy costs, business supplier and staff costs have brought growth to a screeching halt. Sector businesses find themselves once again dealing with a set of survival challenges. Declining consumer confidence has meant that a sense of uncertainty has replaced the signs of recovery that we saw in July.

While the proportion of businesses making a loss has not increased, fewer businesses are making a profit with 35%, down from 44% in July, and there has been a corresponding increase in those who are breaking even at 46%, up from 36% in July.

The general trend towards increasing prices continues. 51% of businesses raised their prices over the last three months (although this was down from 62% in July). A further 65% (up from 51% in July) will do so over the next three months.

Reliance on external support has increased again, with 74% of businesses either partially or completely reliant on Government support, which is up from 50% in July, although not quite as high as January’s 81%. Unsurprisingly in the current climate, 77% are paying more for energy than they were six months ago. For half of businesses, energy costs have increased by 40% or more.

Debt levels are rising again, with 54% of businesses in debt, back to levels last seen in January. 42% of businesses in debt report that the amount of debt they are carrying has increased. 58% believe it will take them more than two years to clear.

Richard Lambert, chief executive of the NHBF says, “Many hair & beauty businesses are teetering on the edge of survival. A range of indicators including business activity, rising prices, rising debt, reliance on government support, uncertainty around survival and a dip in growth aspirations all signal shift towards a more negative outlook over the summer.

Businesses have benefitted from an array of support from the UK and devolved governments over the last two years, most recently in the form of the Energy Price Guarantee. However, further support will be needed through the winter and beyond and we are talking to the Government about how best to address this.”

The economic impact is having an obvious knock-on effect on staffing, recruitment, and apprentices. Recruitment intentions have dipped slightly and are less optimistic for the future. In the next three months, only 12% of the survey respondents are definitely, or likely to take on new staff (down from 27% in July). Over the last three months, 25% have cut back on apprentices (up from 17% in July). In a slight dip, only 9% were definitely or likely to take on apprentices in the next three months.

nhbfsocial

NHBF

Supporting the local community is a continuous goal for Denman International. Earlier this month Denman partnered with Annandale Men’s Hockey Club in South Belfast to help launch expansion of their landmark Schools Outreach Programme. Denman Chairman, Dr John Rainey MBE has long had ties to the club from his hockey playing days and was delighted to donate £2000 to fund opportunities for children that might not otherwise be able to afford to play the sport. The donation is part of Denman’s consistent and purposeful CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategywhich seeks ways to do good for the community, the environment and the industry. 

Speaking at the launch, Club Chairman John Stephens said ‘This program is all about bringing the sport of hockey to schools who would not otherwise have the opportunity to play it. The programme has proven very popular in introducing hockey to children in a fun setting. We are indebted to Denman and Belfast City council without whose support this expansion would not be possible.’

Dr John F. Rainey MBE, Chairman of Denman and the Denroy Group added ‘Sport is a great way for children to exercise and the kids really enjoy it. The work that Annadale is doing with these schools is absolutely fabulous and long may we continue to support this.”

Image: Teachers and pupils from Knockbreda Primary School, Dr John Rainey MBE Denman Chairman and Annandale Hockey Club Chairman John Stephens. 

The latest issue of BarberEVO UK and Ireland is OUT NOW. This issue is packed full of advice, features and trends to keep you up to date with what’s current at the busiest time of year.  

Gracing the coveted front cover (even if we do say so ourselves) is the WAHL British Barber of the Year 2022, Charlie Baker. We got an exclusive interview with the winner at Salon International in London, who told us what it takes to be the best in the bizz.

We also have the first reactions of the winning team of WAHL British Barbershop of the Year 2022, Ruffians Shoreditch. Unmissable reads all round!

Also in this issue:

Furniture and interiors

We visited some of the coolest shops in the UK to find out why making your space a comfortable and welcoming place to be is the way to extend that client list and keep your people coming back to your chair treatment-after-treatment.

Hestory tells us about their Moda chairs – why they went with the brand and what makes them a cut above the rest. Comfort and style in equal measure, is what we’re told. 

Lighting matters too – at least that’s what Cubed Cuts and Coffee told us. They set up a unique space that offers, you guessed it, coffee and haircuts. Bringing two of the owners’ favourite things together creates an atmosphere unmatched by other shops in the area.

Colour

Let’s talk colour! Creativity is at the heart of barbering – and that doesn’t just mean with the clippers. We chat to some of the most talented creative colour experts in the UK about how to apply colour that lasts.

Surrey-based Ahmed AlsanawI has taken the hair, tattoo, and coffee worlds by storm with his three A-STAR shops. He’s the Chelsea F.C. team’s favourite barber and our expert in all things creative colour. He tells us his journey toward barbering for the stars.

Murray McRae heads up STAG in Edinburgh and champions inclusive hairdressing for all genders and hair types. A lot of his clients want to try something crazy to build their identity – he told us how to build their confidence using colour.

Styling

Styling isn’t just for session and editorial hairdressers. We find out what trends are trickling down from the catwalk to the barber chair. What did we learn? Don’t limit yourself to the familiar; try different products and collaborate with other talented barbers to boost your creativity. 

Ciara Madden – American Crew’s All Star Winner for Ireland shared her advice on picking the right pomade for your client, Alan Beak shares his top styling tools, and much more. 

Retail

It’s the busiest time of the year, but we’ve got your back. Discover how to make the most of the festive winter season with our expert guides to boosting retail in a way that not only encourages clients to look after their cuts but to dare to try something new, too.

Woodstock Barbershop show us how they do it, while Todd’s Chop Shop tell us why making a place feel accessible to all people – young, old, families, genders – is your key to encouraging additional purchases and revisits. 

We hope you enjoy this issue! You can order your print copy here.

BarbersRide 2022 have stormed past their target on this year’s epic fund raising road trip. Now in its sixth consecutive year, BarbersRide’s total funds reach over £110K for The Lion’s Barber Collective, London’t Great Ormond Street and Liverpool’s Alder Hey children’s hospitals and Make-A-Wish. This year alone BarbersRide have raised £26K* with more donations still coming in for Make-A-Wish UK. Huzzah! https://www.justgiving.com/team/barbersride2022  This year’s epic motorbike ride tackled an epic 800 miles across the South of England. On the 7th August a fine fellowship of mad-cap adventurers, united by their passion for bikes and barbering, set off from Weston-Super-Mare on a 5 day mission to support ‘Make-A-Wish’, a charity which turns the dreams of seriously ill children into real life magic.  Richie Finney, owner of Captain Fawcett Ltd is one of BarbersRide’s founding members and key sponsor of the annual road trip adventure. He says “It is a true pleasure to be part of bringing barbers and bikers together on these extraordinary annual journeys of camaraderie, mayhem and just fantastic goodwill. In 2022 our haphazard band of brothers took to the highways amidst a record-breaking, tarmac-melting heatwave with fantastically formidable trails through the beautiful West Country and on to Margate. We’ve never been so glad to cool down at the BarbersRide’s legendary after parties! This year’s hosts excelled themselves providing live music, food and drinks to revive the somewhat wilting riders. We simply couldn’t do it without them. And my personal thanks to Jenna at Fawcett HQ for her outstanding support and magnificent logistical expertise!” BarbersRide have supported Make-A-Wish UK since 2019, saying: “Make-A-Wish grants special wishes for sick children when they are most in need and bring positivity and happiness in times of distress. We decided to work with a national children’s charity so that children from each region could benefit and Make-A-Wish were the perfect organisation to partner with. We even managed to ride in 2020, observing social distancing, with incredible support from our sponsors, our riders, the barbers and barbershops. Now more than ever, global upheavals make all of us appreciate how important it is to find ways to keep going and stay resilient when there are obstacles in our way.” Make-A-Wish UK Chief Executive Jason Suckley said: “We are hugely grateful to BarbersRide and all those who have supported their brilliantly unique way of fundraising for Make-A-Wish over the years. Any money they raise will help us with our ambitious mission to light up the lives of every child in the UK who has a critical condition, by granting their wish. From the moment they are diagnosed, the joy of childhood is often brought to an abrupt end while treatment, medical appointments and worry take over. It can’t be underestimated how powerful a wish can be in bringing light and joy to those children, as well as their loved ones, creating positive moments and cherished memories that have a lasting impact on all their lives.” Rumour has it, BarbersRide may be heading across the sea to Ireland in 2023. Watch this space… barbersride.com  * 2022 total is calculated via a number of JustGiving pages as well as offline donations direct to Make-A-Wish.

Bed Head launches ‘Stay Headstrong’ campaign that encourages individuals to let their creativity rule.

• Two fifths of Brits wish they could have been braver with their hair growing up and believe their hair is the most important part of personal appearance
• One in 10 look up to Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles and Vivienne Westwood as headstrong role models
• Over half of Brits think their hair is an extension of their personality
• The campaign has just launched a new web series fronted by FFSYTHO, Lily Phillips and Lucia Blayke to coincide with its first nationwide consumer retail launch at Boots
• This year, Bed Head is supporting STONEWALL to drive awareness and help create safe and equal opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community

Original rebel hair brand, Bed Head, has launched ‘Stay Headstrong’, a campaign celebrating fearless self-expression and encouraging experimentation. The ‘Stay Headstrong’ campaign is a response to new research that shows that one in five (19%) Brits admit they’ve been told they’re not good enough, with one third (30%) being made to feel inadequate at some point in their lives with regards to how they look. Of those surveyed, more than half (60%) rely on their hair to give them confidence, with two fifths (40%) claiming their hair-do is the most important part of their appearance.  As part of Bed Head’s campaign, the brand has launched ‘Chats from the Chair’, a web content series on its native platform, that features interviews from headstrong queer Grime artist FFSYTHO, cutthroat comedian Lily Phillips, and trans pride activist and creator Lucia Blayke. The interviews shed light on why the ‘stay headstrong’ attitude is so important to each of the stars and illustrates the integral role products play as tools for self-expression, enabling people to be true unapologetic versions of themselves. When it comes to role models, the consumer research revealed people admire creative challengers Miley Cyrus,Harry Styles and Vivienne Westwood for their bold fearless nature (42%), integrity (47%) and courage to stand up for what they believe in (44%). The results also showed that half (51%) of Brits think their hair is an extension of their personality, changing their style on average every two or three years (32%). Of those surveyed, adopting a headstrong attitude has helped people with:

• Improved confidence – 29%
• To take more risks in their personal lives – 21%
• To persevere after rejection – 20%

Katie Westerby, Senior Marketing Manager at Bed Head, said: “At Bed Head, our purpose has always been to champion creativity by equipping artists with elevated professional hair care products and encouraging all consumers to push the boundaries of what they can do. Being headstrong is not only something we embody as a brand, but a belief we want to instil in everyone who buys our products. We hope that this campaign will spark conversation and motivate new and existing Bed Head devotees, and we can’t wait to see it.”  This year, Bed Head is supporting and donating to STONEWALL a charity that stands for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere. In the UK, more than a third of employees don’t believe it’s appropriate for their LGBTQ+ colleagues to be out in the workplace. In response to this, Bed Head and STONEWALL want to help create more equal opportunities in society so LGBTQ+ people feel safer in our modern society.  For more information about Bed Head’s ‘Stay Headstrong’ campaign, please visit bedhead.com

As a stylist, your clients are the most important part of your business. It’s important to remember that clients come in all different shapes, sizes, and ages, and mop® (Modern Original Products for Modern Original People) Hair Care is helping you include all of them! Even your littlest clients need to have their hair taken care of, and their experience in the salon should be pain-free. mop® offers kid-friendly options that are gentle enough to be used on any little tike.  

mop® makes washing and styling children’s hair in the salon fun and safe, as their products are 100% vegan and gentle enough for even your youngest of clients.  

Infants and toddlers have more sensitive scalps than adults, so it’s essential to wash with a shampoo that is gentle and safe for their tiny heads. mop® pear gentle shampoo is the kindest, most effective way to cleanse sensitive scalps. Pear extract and soothing aloe doesn’t dry out tender skin and scalp while pear puree moisturizes sensitive skin. It contains no harsh additives, and is easy to rinse, making it especially helpful for little ones squirming in the salon chair. An infusion of fruits, vegetables, and botanicals make it smell just plain yummy! A neutral pH guards against eye irritation and stinging, so you can wash hair worry free!   

Getting children to sit still in the chair can be challenging enough, let alone trying to detangle frustrating, snarly knots. Combing through these knots can be painful and may even be damaging to hair. mop® pear detangler detangles twisted hair with naturally soothing pear juice, aloe and silk amino acids. Nature’s emollients join forces to do away with nasty knots, leaving hair happy, healthy, and carefree. With no added parabens or sodium chloride and 100% vegan ingredients, this detangler is perfect for your littlest clients. 

Don’t forget that your kid clients are just as important as your adult clients! Kid-friendly mop®products can help keep the tiny hairs on their head strong, happy, and healthy.

mop® can be found in salons nationwide and at www.mopproducts.com. 

About mop® Modern Original Products for Modern Original People

For over 15 years, mop has been making innovative products for the professional beauty industry. Our mission is to create a community of salons, stylists and their clients where they express themselves without being judged, condemned or criticized. At mop^® we want everyone to be the best versions of themselves and to know that our community is inclusive, not exclusive. Formulated with the most powerful ingredients, our products are designed to inspire every stylist to unleash their creativity and have the freedom to style hair their way.

Back by popular demand, the Hair and Beauty Charity Pub Quiz is returning for a second round, taking place simultaneously in Brighton, Edinburgh, Leeds and London, on Wednesday 19th October.

Hosted by the Hair and Beauty Charity, the pub quiz puts a new spin on testing your hair and beauty mastery. For one night only, put down your baffling colour correction formulas and brush up on your knowledge of the most iconic moments in hair and beauty.

Categories will include: a hairy music video photo round; a delve into your hair and beauty general knowledge; name that iconic movie makeover; celebrity hair and beauty; and who said that – a brain-teasing round of famous quotes. The lucky winners on the night will receive a round of drinks for their team – and the glory of knowing they’re the ultimate hair and beauty champs.

The bid to become the ultimate hair and beauty knowledge champions isn’t just for hair and beauty professionals either; press, PRs and non-industry contacts, friends and family are all very welcome to come and battle it out. All you need to enter is a team of no more than six – larger groups are asked to split into smaller teams. 

Tickets are priced at £15 per person, with every penny going directly to the Hair and Beauty Charity, who are dedicated to helping the lives of those in our industries who have fallen on hard times. Between the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis and the shocking rise in reports of domestic abuse, the charity needs your help now more than ever.

Tickets are available to buy from hbpubquiz.eventbrite.co.uk

Follow @HBCharityUK on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter

Brighton:

The Walrus, 10 Ship St, Brighton BN1 1AD

Edinburgh:

The Voodoo Rooms, 19a W Register St, Edinburgh EH2 2AA

Leeds:

The Adelphi, 1-3 Hunslet Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1JQ

London:

The Bowler, 28-32 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0BJ

Calling all curly, coily, wavy and tight textures! Keratin Complex, the professional salon industry leader in professional smoothing treatments, hair color, haircare, and styling ranges, has just launched their new leave-in conditioner specifically designed for all kinds of curl patterns. Did you know that keratin does not necessarily equal straighter, smoother hair? Signature Keratin strengthens hair and delivers healthy, beautiful results to all hair types and textures. Keratin Complex is proving this through their newest addition to the KCTEXTUREcollection.     

Introducing KCTEXTURE^® Leave-in Conditioner! The Keratin Complex KCTEXTURE is all about supporting beautiful, healthy curls every day with products designed to deliver amped up hydration and definition! 

Stylists and clients will love KCTEXTURE^® Leave-in Conditioner as this lightweight, ultra-hydrating leave-in conditioner restores curls and locks in moisture while adding curl definition, softness, and shine. Featuring a proprietary blend of Signature Keratin, coconut and watermelon seed oils, and soy and barley proteins, this hydrating leave-in strengthens and moisturizes, and while it’s designed specifically for curls, it can also be used on all hair fabrics. 

Give hair the ultimate boost of hydration with this best-in-class curl care. Prevent dry or frizzy curls with this all-new, versatile leave-in designed to seal in moisture to every curl while also helping to soften, detangle and protect the hair. It also helps deliver soft curl pattern definition.

Curly hair can be more prone to frizz, but this hair revitalizer reduces frizz and flyaways while improving elasticity. Use it on dry or damp hair to prep for protective or natural styling by spraying and distributing throughout hair, focusing on mid-shafts and ends, then style as desired. Or use it for finishing or refreshing a style by applying a small amount to hairline or throughout style to tame and control unruly dry hair. 

KCTEXTURE^® Leave-in Conditioner is an esssential part of the aftercare of KCTEXTURE^®Curl Enhancing Keratin System—the first-ever keratin treatment created for all curl levels that requires NO HEAT! It enhances and defines curly, coily and tight textures while restoring essential moisture to the hair. This treatment preserves all curl patterns, adds softness and shine and lasts up to 3 months!

KCTEXTURE^® Leave-in Conditioner is designed to maintain the results of the KCTEXTURE^®.  treatment and is the perfect addition to every curly hair regimen!

Keratin Complex products can be found at your local professional beauty distributor, SalonCentric or online at www.keratincomplex.com

ABOUT KERATIN COMPLEX

Keratin Complex, a leading full-service professional beauty manufacturer, was founded in 2007 and quickly gained national and international recognition thanks to its revolutionary keratin smoothing treatments. Keratin Complex realized that the key to creating an innovative treatment that was both gentle and effective lay in harnessing the power of keratin, an essential hair protein that delivers incredible benefits, all without breaking the bonds of the hair. Since its launch, Keratin Complex has introduced a number of ground-breaking products, including KCMAX – the company’s strongest, straightest smoothing treatment yet.

Fellowship for British Hairdressing’s Project Men had the amazing opportunity to visit the HQ of Captain Fawcett and spend the day with the team.

Captain Fawcett is one of the Project’s Brand Partners, with a heritage that harks back to 1905. Richie Finney, Captain Fawcett’s founder started the day, with an introduction about the brand. The team then had a tour of the Emporium to see all the barbering memorabilia on display. Then the team were taken through the various ranges of Captain Fawcett’s products, with by a demonstration from in internationally renowned barber Sid Sottung. The team were talked through the latest cutting techniques and product know-how to take back to their own businesses. Matakki Scissors, who are also a Brand Partner alongside Wahl and Barber Connect, was also present throughout the day. 

Matakki Scissors Director, Emma Curd said: “I absolutely loved the day with the team at Captain Fawcett.  I think this was one of my favourite Project Men days so far. The museum was so fascinating.”

Project Men member Alex Burt added: “Such impeccable hospitality and a fascinating tour of the headquarters. I was totally blown away by it all and can’t wait to try out the products.”

PROJECT: MEN TEAM LEADER: Simon Shaw

PROJECT: MEN TEAM MEMBERS:

Alex Burt – Teddy Edwards Cutting Rooms  

Emma Simmons – Salon 54

Sophie Fedoriw – Safy B’s

George Smith – Toni&Guy

Tammy Reynolds – Tammy Reynolds for Hair

Leanne Jones – Leanne Jones Hair Studio

Janene Hawkins Bush – Sir & Co Barbers

Blayre Turnbull – Urban Hair & Beauty

Scott Musgrove – Scott Musgrove Hair

Ian Young – Pompadour

Roisin Murphy – Hairven Salon Group

Lucy Melvin – Diamond Appearance

• 

• 

• 

For more information:

Instagram: @fellowshiphair

Call: 01295 724579  

Visit: www.fellowshiphair.com

Note: The Fellowship for British Hairdressing was founded in 1946 as the Fellowship of Hair Artists of Great Britain and over the years has grown in stature and now covers many areas of the professional hairdressing industry. The independent, non-political organisation is run by our members, focusing on promoting artistic and creative quality, and providing support for future hairdressing talent keen to make their own mark in the industry. All the projects are designed to nurture sills and provide a career pathway – ClubStar, PROJECT: X, PROJECT: Colour and PROJECT: Men and the coveted F.A.M.E. Team.  

As inflation across the U.K. remains at record highs, with reports earlier this year revealing prices rising at the fastest pace in 40 years, Vagaro seeks to lessen the burden of maintaining business operations and financial woes on small business owners during this time. 

Vagaro, the leading comprehensive business management platform for the beauty, fitness, and wellness industries, is offering generous service options to small businesses in the U.K.

Realizing many owners are currently facing unavoidable cost increases in expenses such as wages, electricity, and supplies, the software company is providing relief for businesses by offering its most popular add-on features such as Xero integration, online store, and website builder, at no additional cost to the base price.  

These tools all have a proven history of increasing sales and revenue for users, which can greatly benefit businesses especially during these trying times.  

Additionally, Vagaro aims to help business owners find more breathing room by offering a low payment processing fee of just 1.29% + £0.20.  VP of Marketing, Charity Hudnall, says, “Cultivating strong relationships with our customers by truly putting them first is the strongest pillar in our company’s culture.  

Listening to their needs, especially during trying times, and responding not only with a solution, but a helping hand along the way, is ingrained in the way our entire team operates.  

When our customers succeed, we succeed, and our relationships are strengthened.”  

This is not the first time Vagaro has implemented relief for small businesses during uncertain economic circumstances. In 2020, the company previously offered its services to users completely free of charge due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  

Small business owners not currently on Vagaro who are looking to try a new software to help manage and automate their tasks can also currently sign up for an extended, 30-day free trial.   

About Vagaro 

Vagaro, Inc. is the leading business management and payment processing platform, and online marketplace for the beauty, fitness, and wellness industries. Service professionals in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia use Vagaro to manage, market and grow their business. Consumers choose Vagaro to search for and book wellness services on any device. To learn more, visit https://sales.vagaro.co.uk/ or https://vagaro.com.