With so many great grooming products on the market –OSMO Ambassador and owner of Myles & Co, Myles Lewis, is here to share his top tips on using and recommending the best products for your clients…

“It’s hard to pick, but my top three products at the moment are OSMO Clay Wax, Fibre Paste, and Matte Clay Extreme. These products are the ultimate trio for high-performance styling results. They offer anyone using the products on – trend and traditional finishes from freestyle to fierce.”

The best selling OSMO Matte Clay Extreme™ (RRP: £8.99) formula can deliver an authentic dry textured controlled finish. I use it to create a powerful hold with that natural matte finish. This pot is ideal for all hair types, rub the product through your palms and distribute evenly to experience the ultimate dry textured look. Clients love this one as well. It’s got a great melon fresh fragrance and always creates outstanding results.

I always use the OSMO Fibre Paste™ (RRP: £8.99) when I want volume control with a polished shine finish. The gum texturiser is suitable for all hair types and can create a messed up or smooth finish. If you run a small amount of OSMO Fibre Paste between the palms of your hands, then pull your hands apart this stretches the fibres (looks impressive to your clients too!) and you can then run your fingers through wet or dry hair, then style for a strong finish.

I use the best-selling OSMO Clay Wax™ (RRP: £8.99) to style medium to short hair. This clay-based styler helps me create an ultra-masculine matte finish. I massage a small amount thoroughly through wet or dry hair. It instantly provides textured control and thickness vibe that the lads love.

All images credit: Hair by @myleslewisbarber, Myles & Co for OSMO

The OSMO Grooming range is available from wholesalers nationwide, visit www.osmo.uk.com for your nearest stockist.

Professional colour house, OSMO is delighted to announce the appointment of its latest Brand Ambassador, Ollie Foster. 

An expert in barbering and education, Ollie is the co-owner of two branches of modern barbershop, ‘Number 47 Barbers’ in Chester alongside his mum, Lynne Foster. OSMO has been Ollie’s go-to brand since he started his career in 2013 and he has enjoyed a close working relationship with them since thanks to his involvement with The Great British Barber Bash for whom OSMO are key sponsors. 

Alongside regularly cutting hair in the shops with his 10 strong team, Ollie regularly cuts the hair for bands and musicians backstage at Creamfields and is now the Lead Educator for The Great British Barber Bash’s live events and Hot Training Workshops, delivering barbering education across the UK and Europe. 

“With my mum having over 30 years barbering experience, I was always aware of the industry, but it was never my first career choice.  I was a PE Teacher at a primary school to begin with and also played in a band that was signed by Warner Brothers. Things changed when I went along to a professional hair exhibition with my mum one day, I witnessed a whole new side to the hair world and immediately wanted to be a part of it.  I trained as a hairdresser initially, but the pull was for barbering was too strong.  I was juggling my teaching, music and hair for a while but then started doing training courses with The Great British Barber Bash and began attending their shows and realised that barbering was my passion.  I’ve not looked back since!”  

Ollie excels in intricate sectioning, precision work, sharp fading and anything that really hones in on his skills within men’s hair. His passion for education sees him travel the UK throughout the year sharing his expertise and passion with his peers. 

“I’ve used OSMO products throughout my career. I just love their products and working with them as a company.  The products are just so versatile and the results they deliver are always great, which is vital when your teaching new styles and techniques.  My go-to products are OSMO Matt Salt Spray, Matte Clay Extreme and Power Powder – they just make my life much easier when cutting and styling hair are are adaptable to so many different styles. This role is a natural progression to the work I’ve been doing with OSMO at The Great British Barber Bash events and I’m excited to see where this next direction takes us,” explains Ollie. 

“This is a really exciting time for the OSMO family; we’ve had a long-standing relationship with Ollie and this next step will see us progressing our education portfolio to a new generation of barbers. Ollie is so passionate about our industry and is a great educator and promoter of our products, so it was a natural step for us to bring him on board. We’re excited to see what we can do together.” OSMO Brand Manager, Sinéad McLaughlin concludes. 

The rules on face coverings have been updated in England in light of the new Covid strain, Omicron. From today (November 30th), face coverings must be worn on premises providing personal care and beauty treatments. That includes barbers, hair salons, tattoo and piercing studios, nail salons and massage centres. 

More details will follow later today and BarberEVO will keep you updated with the latest announcements.

War Paint is a grooming brand on a mission to give men the freedom to feel confident every day.

When founder Danny first borrowed his sister’s concealer at 15, he discovered what War Paint customers the world over experience every day: the power of these products and how they can make people feel about themselves.

And when he couldn’t find a brand that related to him? He created one.

21 Makeup SKUs

5 New Skincare Products in the Pipeline

War Paint is not a subset of a women’s brand. They speak directly to male customers in their language. They sell their award-winning products D2C and through selected partners e.g. John Lewis & Reiss.

War Paint is about more than just products. They have partnerships with Norwich City FC & Wigan Warriors to support mental health initiatives. They have also opened the first men’s makeup & wellness store in the world.

While men’s makeup is still a growing sector, the men’s skincare market is well established; it’s estimated to grow to $16.9bln worldwide by 2027 (+5% 2020-27). With their existing credibility, partnerships and distribution channels, they see the skincare market as the next category to tackle.

War Paint are fundraising to launch their new skincare line, due to launch in 2022.

*Based on management accounts.

Help your clients maintain that ‘just left the salon’ feel in-between appointments with the new OSMO® CHROMAPLEX™ Aftercare Kit. Regular use further improves the condition of the hair, whilst helping to prevent future damage.

STEP 1: CHROMAPLEX™ BOND SHAMPOO #4:

Futureproof hair health with this gentle sulphate free shampoo as it strengthens and restores the hair with its Fibre Bond Technology. Packed with Colour Save Complex and UV filters to help protect against natural pollutants and prolong the life of your colour. Hair is left feeling soft, strong and radiant.

STEP 2: CHROMAPLEX™ BOND CONDITIONER #5:

Maintain your salon fresh colour with this nourishing, silicone-free daily conditioner. Formulated with Sunflower Seed Extract and Argan Oil, which help to protect against natural pollutants and prolong colour life. Leaves hair feeling replenished, strong, supple and radiant.

STEP 3: CHROMAPLEX™ BOND SUSTAINER #3:

Designed to maintain hair strength, sensational shine and suppleness, this ultra-conditioning at home treatment is formulated with Fibre Bond Technology. Use twice weekly to complete your 3 step aftercare hair regime.

Aftercare Kit Contains:

• 1x Bond Sustainer #3 250ml
• 1x Bond Shampoo #4 250ml
• 1x Bond Conditioner #5 250ml

SALON PRICE: £13.90 + VAT
RRP: £27.80

To request OSMO® for your salon, contact your local wholesalers or visit www.osmo.uk.com.

Soho-based The Lounge, owned by award-winning session stylist Joe Mills, has launched its new gender-neutral pricing list.

The salon, which has recently undergone a whole new look, has introduced new pricing for services, now based on hair length rather than gender. Removing the traditional male and female service menu, there are now three structures – Short Hair, that is above jaw length; Mid Length Hair for hair that is below the jawline and above the collar bone; and Long Length Hair, for those with longer lengths past the collar bone.

Owner and session stylist Joe Mills, says: “It is something we have been offering for quite a while, but it was time we made our gender neutral pricing official. We have a real cross section of clients coming into our salon and it makes sense to offer services based on hair length. It also means all our clients are paying for the time, expertise and professionalism of our stylists regardless of their gender.

“Our stylists are incredible at short hair as well as long hair and havebeen trained inall forms of haircutting, so updating our service menu made sense.”

The salon, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has recently undergone a whole new look after a severe flood during lockdown earlier this year. The salon now has a home-home-home feel with comfy seating and a muted colour palette.

Find out more about Joe Mills:
www.theloungesoho.co.uk
www.joeandco.net

Instagram:
@joemillshair
@joeandcosoho
@theloungesohohair

Judging has been done for the anticipated Fellowship Image of the Year Awards 2021–and the finalists in the five categories chosen.

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 skills and provide a career pathway – ClubStar, PROJECT: X, PROJECT: Colour and PROJECT: Men and the coveted F.A.M.E Team.

First launched in 1993, the prestigious awards have seen some of the most inspirational hairdressers clinch the title–and this year’s finalists can now be revealed!

Chancellor Ashleigh Hodges says: “This year we had another record amount of entries entered into our Image Awards and with two new categories, Afro and International, it was a very hard job for all our judges. As always, it’s a great way for our members to showcase their incredible work and I look forward to celebrating the winners in December at The Luncheon and Awards.”

The 2021 Finalists Image of the Year

Casey Coleman
Cos Sakkas
Emma Simmons
Karoliina Saunders
Melissa Timperley
Tracey Devine Smith

Colour Image of the Year

Adrian Hair London
Andrea Dorata
Ashley Gamble
Dorata Marlow
Goldworthy Hair
Hooker & Young

Afro Image of the Year

Anne Veck
Emma Simmons
Karoliina Saunders
Rick Roberts

Men’s Image of the Year

Caroline Sanderson
Charlie Cullen
Daniel Rymer
Sam Elliot

Snapshot Image of the Year

Brandon Messinger
Casey Coleman
Colin McAndrew
Efi Davies
Emma Vickery
Fatal Hairdresser

International Image of the Year

Danny Pato
Dee Parker Atwood
Jacky Chan
Jamie Furlan
Samij Hair
Shogoide Guchi

Tickets for the Luncheon and Awards are now on sale: www.fellowshiphair.com

Leaf Scissors have added to their sustainable line-up with four combs made from eco-friendly wheat straw, offering the market a more planet-friendly alternative to plastic. 

Combs and scissors go hand-in-hand for stylists, and as the industry’s most forward-thinking scissor brand, Leaf are proud to now be complementing their tools with a collection of sustainable combs for salon professionals.

Like traditional plastics, wheat straw is extremely lightweight and durable. However, unlike traditional plastics, wheat straw doesn’t require the use of damaging fossil fuels for production and instead puts to use a by-product which would otherwise go to waste. 

Straw is the by-product which is left over after a wheat harvest. It was traditionally burnt but is now being used to create a flexible new material. Raw wheat straw contains cellulose, which can be broken down to produce polymers. Plastic is made from artificial polymers, but polymers created from wheat straw are completely natural – and boast the same benefits. The production of wheat straw provides farmers with an additional source of income while reducing their carbon emissions, and wheat straw products are naturally anti-bacterial, anti-odour and 100% biodegradable – win, win!

Brand Ambassador Ky Wilson says, “Making more conscious and sustainable choices is so important to me and is exactly what drew me to working with Leaf Scissors, therefore I couldn’t be more excited for this new launch. Finding a durable but sustainable alternative to plastic combs is a dream come true, plus the general aesthetic and the packaging are beautiful to. I cannot wait to see these in the hands of hairdressers everywhere!” 

Leaf’s new collection includes a colour comb, detangling comb, tail comb and cutting comb. Plus, for every Complete Comb Set sold, Leaf will plant 20 trees, helping ensure that your purchase makes a positive difference to the planet. 

Brand Founder, Steve McManus, says “Leaf combs are the next step in our mission to make our company and industry more sustainable. The innovative use of a bi-product is key in the comb creation. We must continue to explore different ways of creating products and solutions for our customers that not only provide great products but have as little impact on the planet as possible. At last, a real alternative to the plastic combs we all use each and every day.” 

Complete Combs Set RRP £30.00 or individually for £10 each.

To explore the full range, product information and more insight into the brand, head to www.leafscissors.com. For more information on Leaf Education, visit www.leaf-academy.com.

To keep up with the latest news follow @leafscissors on Instagram or check out the #leafscissors hashtag.

Over the past 18 months, the charity has helped more beneficiaries at any one time than ever before in the charity’s history – and yet this was during a period where traditional fundraising events were all postponed due to the pandemic.

Hair & Beauty Charity is excited to launch its annual raffle, which will be one of its most significant fundraising events this year. The money raised will help make a big difference to support industry colleagues struggling financially, and support industry professionals in crisis.

All raffle prizes have been generously donated by our wonderful industry.  Prizes include: £1000 cash, £500 vouchers for Liberty, Selfridge’s and Tiffany, and a treasure trove of goody bags and gift sets from our wonderful industry… the prizes in this year’s charity raffle are bigger and better than ever. But you must be in it to win it!  For a full list of the prizes visit the charity website.

Tickets cost just £1 each and can be bought online or paper booklets.  The Raffle draw will take place on 7th January 2022 with celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas hosting the draw at the Electric Studio in London.

To buy a ticket visit: https://www.hairandbeautycharity.org/raffle

For more information on how to donate, fundraise or support the Hair and Beauty Charity, please visit www.hairandbeautycharity.org  or call 01234 831888 or email info@hairandbeautycharity.org

For press information, please contact essence@essencepr.com

iSalon have introduced a whole new way of working, getting rid of contracts, and bringing in a more salon friendly way of working with subscriptions. The last eighteen months have taught us as an industry that we need to be adaptable and flexible, iSalon understand this and have introduced affordable subscription software for salons. This new business model gives salons the freedom to work in a way that works for them.

This brand-new subscription plan from iSalon allows salons to pay for their software on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. Existing customers have the option to transfer to this new payment plan to save money or maintain their contract with full support. New customers will have access to iSalon software at an affordable cost. From just £19 a week, this software is available for less than the price of a haircut, virtually paying for itself.

As part of their mission to become more sustainable, iSalon have linked this business update with their mission to be more sustainable with the software company pledging to planta tree for every new subscription. By signing up to iSalon’s subscription plan, not only will salons gain flexibility and incredible value for money, they will be helping the environment too.

iSalon Software, Head of Sales Mike Waldon commented;

“It was important to us to introduce this new business model to cater to the needs of all salon owners. We felt it was important to ensure our software is accessible for those on different budgets that want a reliable system that will enable them to work more efficiently in the salon. Being able to link this with our sustainability mission is an excellent addition.”

For further information on iSalon Software, please contact Rebekah@ajc93.com.