Following a video casting and judging session by our favourite Schorem duo Rob & Leen, we can now reveal the first two Scumbassadors for UK & Ireland are Christian Wiles and Wez Jones.

Christian has won a host of awards, including 2017’s Men’s Stylist Of The Year, Best Male Grooming Salon of 2016 and Male Grooming Business Of The Year 2016.

Instagram: @christianwilesmen                      

Facebook: Christian Wiles Traditional Gentleman’s Grooming

Wez Jones is one of a new breed of super talented barbers and has already showcased his work at Barber Connect, Master Barbers and Barber Bashes over recent years.

Instagram: @the.heartbreak.barber              

Facebook: The HeartBreak Club

Christian and Wez will be running Reuzel cutting and product training courses around the UK and Ireland this year so please check the Reuzel UK Facebook page or call Rianne on 01392 365177 for information.

The first issue of what promises to be a huge year has landed!

Kicking off – you’ll understand the pun later – we have everybody’s favourite Irish, barber battling, continent travelling barber, Ms Leah Hayden Cassidy and the similarly nomadic Tori Girl. The Edinburgh-born Australian Men’s Hairdresser of the Year recently collaborated with Kevin Luchmun in New York; you can read his diary from the Fellowship Show inside.

Interviewer extraordinaire Larry The Barberman talks to Jody Taylor (one of the UK’s most acclaimed session stylists) and all three directors of the industry-changing Menspire and our editor speaks to Mark Maciver AKA Slider Cuts – the North London barber that has built a brand from within a barbershop and now tends to clients such as Tinie Tempah, Stormzy and Anthony Joshua.

We also dive into the dichotomy of fashion in the industry, the artwork that has been inspired by it and the Bloody Butcher himself gives us a tour of his tattoos.

All this and much more can be found inside the 100+ glossy pages of issue seven.

Buy or subscribe now!

Now available as an app on both iOS and Android.

Over 10,000 people within 24hrs tuned into watch entrepreneur and founder of worldwide mens grooming brand, Apothecary 87, Sam W Martin, shave off his beard. The ‘brave the shave’ event was created to raise awareness of mental health issues and prostate cancer. In doing so Sam removed the one thing that has became synonymous with what is now one of the fastest growing cosmetic brands in the world today.

Back in late 2013 and 24-years old at the time, Sam W Martin, founded Apothecary 87, and just four years later Apothecary 87 has been sold to over 130 countries worldwide and stocks with the likes of online retail giants, ASOS.

On Thursday 30th November, over 20,000 people tuned into watch Sam shave off his beard live on Facebook and Instagram. Sam wanted to raise as much awareness for mental health and prostate cancer. The ’87’ in Apothecary 87, actually pays homage to his Grandad, who unfortunately died at the age of 87 due to prostate cancer. In recent social media videos, the forward thinking entrepreneur has also been very open about suffering from depression during his life.

In reality, Apothecary 87 might not have even existed should Sam not have decided to grow a beard 5 years ago. The first beard oil he created was actually made for personal use to help stop the itching his new found facial hair caused.

Until the point of the shave, Sam’s beard had become synonymous with Apothecary 87 and the mens grooming industry. He was also personally worried about what he might discover underneath the beard after not seeing all of his face for so long.

Sam commented: “No-one in the industry has ever seen me without a beard, and more to the point, I hadn’t seen the bottom half of my face for a very long time. I was honestly very nervous about the face it would reveal. I may have put on a little ‘holiday weight’ over the last few years and wondered what my face would look like without a beard.

“It’s true that Apothecary 87 may have not even existed if I had not grown my beard all those years ago, so again it was going to be strange to see how people would react to me getting rid of it. All that being said, it was all done to help raise awareness for both mental health issues and prostate cancer.

“I have no problem in saying that throughout my 20’s I have suffered from depression on different occasions and it is so important that we break through the stigma surrounding this issue. It is also well documented that the 87 in Apothecary 87 is to pay homage to my grandad who sadly lost his life to prostate cancer back in 2013.

“Although the finishing look was quite the shock for me, my staff, and the Apothecary 87 followers, it was well worth it to raise awareness for two causes which are close to my heart. We also had so many people tune into the live feed which was incredible and I am so humbled by the amazing comments of support I received.”

Should you wish to show your support, you can visit movember.uk.com

BARBER PRO Face Putty Peel-Off Mask with Activated Charcoal has won “Best New Male Facial Product” at the 2017 Beauty Awards with OK! The purifying Black-Peel off mask managed to fight off tough competition to come first place in the category.

The star studded event hosted by Amanda Holden and OK! Magazine received record breaking entries and votes, which makes this latest win for this British brand a fantastic achievement.

The Face Putty Mask which helps to loosen blackheads, purify skin and remove the top layer of dead skin cells and is available in a 90ml tube and sachet.

For more information visit www.barberpro.com

After taking the male grooming world by storm earlier this year with the launch of its definitive Men’s collection, luxury hair care brand Neal & Wolf is set to once again steal the show this Christmas with its irresistible ALPHA collection gift set, exclusively for men.
 
The Alpha collection features Neal & Wolf’s two best-selling Men’s products, 01 STYLE Shaping Cream and COMPLETE 3-in-1 Shower Gel – together they’re designed to cleanse, add texture and give hair a healthy shine. The smart, masculine packaging looks stylish on any salon or bathroom shelf, and its woody fragrance, with amber and citrus notes, never fails to hit the mark.
 
As a further gift to barbers and their customers, each gift set is offered at a promotional discount of 20% off RRP, helping barbers to maximize their sales, whilst offering an enticing incentive that customers can’t refuse. To compliment the campaign, Neal & Wolf has collaborated with the team at Jon Richard Men’s Hair Cleckheaton to create an easy-to-achieve coiffed, sophisticated slick-back style with 01 STYLE Shaping Cream, that will see men through the party season with class.

 
ALPHA RRP £20.70; contains Complete 3-in-1 Shower Gel 250ml and 01 STYLE Shaping Cream styling pot 100ml.

It’s said that friends make bad business partners. Impersonal decisions become difficult and a souring friendship can cause the downfall of a business, but Eric Begg and Greg Forrest have defied the odds to create the hugely successful Slicks brand. Today, I’m in Glasgow to delve deeper into barbering’s greatest bromance.

The couple met seven years ago at Victoria Barbers in Glasgow. Both were just starting out in the industry but already had big ambitions for the coming years.

“I was a fresh faced little girl and Eric was a bit older than me but had the personality of a fifteen-year-old,” smiles Greg. “We had similar views for our life plans – owning our own business and making a footprint on the barbering scene in Scotland.”

“I was told by my boss I would be working with Greg one day, a fifteen-year-old boy full of nonsense. Not a lot has changed. We worked for about three years in there and then starting planning our own business,” adds Eric.

Like all young people, they both set an age by which they wanted to be making real money – the year is typically pushed back a year or two each time it’s met until deciding money isn’t for you anyway. But before tackling the hardships of real life, however, Eric and Greg completed the rite of passage of all twenty-somethings: travelling around Australia.

Rejuvenated and presumably sunburnt, the young barbers returned to Dear Green Place to begin the eighteen-months of planning their maiden venture. Greg – who may well have been a commercial agent in a previous life – found the location: a unit in Burnside easily accessible from the motorway, by train or bus. They intended to call the shop Slick Rick’s, but knew Glaswegian curiosity would lead to questions about this Rick fella. Slicks was born.

“We’d taken the biggest risks of our lives,” says Greg. “We were petrified we hadn’t made the right choice but also at the same time told ourselves to think positive thoughts. Our motto was to listen to the customers, take our time on cuts, give great customer service and charge a reasonable price. Our clientele started to build and after a few months we started recruiting staff.”

Like it’s owners, the shop itself certainly has tons of character. A monotone exterior – designed by friend Craig Black – is offset by funky stag wallpaper and five chairs. The middle section of shop is all white and festooned with unique artwork. Finally, you come to a zen den, complete with a scent diffuser to add to the relaxed atmosphere.

“I would say our shop is definitely one of the more modern barbershops in Glasgow,” says Eric. “At the moment, the wide variation in cuts means that we have to be up to speed on every modern and classic style. I believe some of our success comes from catering for everybody.”

Eric and Greg have built something they’re rightly proud of in just four short years. I assume picking a highlight will be tricky, but I’m going to ask them nonetheless.

“We’ve had many highlights in our career from the get go,” Eric says.

Fine, a selection will do.

“Being featured in magazines such as BarberEvo of course, being part of a brand like OSMO, having Menspire come to our shop and Josh [Lamonaca] helping us grow in and out of the salon. The biggest one for me is when Garry Spencer gave us the opportunity to showcase in our hometown at the Glasgow Barber Bash. I’ll remember that for the rest of my days.”

“It’s hard to pinpoint what our biggest achievement for the shop would be,” Greg agrees. “But when we started the business me and Eric named a few things we wanted to accomplish. To cut on stage in front of a crowd representing our brand, to teach and educate a workshop or class and to have our own academy one day. We’ve hit two out of three so far!”

As Eric briefly mentioned, Slicks are ambassadors for OSMO.

“To be asked to work with OSMO was something I wasn’t expecting or even thinking about – working with a global product brand.

As ambassadors, Eric and Greg demonstrate how OSMO’s eclectic range of products can be used to create the latest styles, both in store, online and at industry shows across the country. They have products to cover all styles and are always evolving the range to suit the latest trends. Eric says that the Blowdry Potion and Matte Clay are key for current longer, looser looks.

“Working with OSMO this last year has been excellent and opened my eyes to how a massive company operates. Our job is to stay updated on fashions and styles and provide images to match. Working with OSMO has improved the way we go about our images and social media in a more professional manner.”

Back when they met – and Greg was still female – they said they wanted to leave a mark on Scottish barbering. You could argue they already have, but 2018 is already shaping up to be another impressive year.

“Growth is something that is always on our minds and we discuss it regularly. Our future is looking very promising and we feel we’re just getting started.

We’re always looking at ways to drive the brand forward and push our brand. Shop number two is on the horizon and loads of other opportunities, so 2018 is going to be Slick!” says Eric.

Now for the million-dollar question. Psychologists have long theorised the essence of a happy relationship but failed. W.C Fields postulated never work with children, animals or mates. Ok, I may have added the last part but mine could fall into either of the previous two categories. But what do Greg and Eric believe the key is to their partnership?

“The secret to a good partnership in business is trust and honesty. We agreed at the start of the venture to be honest and that loyalty makes the partnership bulletproof. If Eric decides to go to Nando’s with his chums and uses the business card to pay for it he’ll drop me a text: ‘Greg, I bought some chicken off the card, just so you know’. Something as simple as being honest about your chicken purchases keeps us right,” smiles Greg.

“We’ve only ever fallen out once… in Australia. He ate the last ham sandwich,” admits Eric. “Our budget was tighter back then but we came out stronger after the incident.”

Last night the finalists of the prestigious Photographic Stylist of the Year competition gathered at the NHF’s fabulous 75th anniversary event in Birmingham to celebrate the highest levels of hair creativity and craftsmanship.

There were five categories for entrants to showcase their styling skills through the creation of a stunning visual image, suitable for a magazine front cover.

The winners of the NHF’s 13th Photographic Stylist of the Year, announced during the glitzy awards ceremony, were:

– Male Fashion Look – Melissa Timperley, Melissa Timperley Salons
– Male Fashion Collection – James Beaumont, Allure
– Female Fashion Look – (students and trainees) – Liberty Clark, Francesco Group
– Female Fashion Look – Caroline Sanderson, Ego Hair Design
– Female Fashion Collection – Royston Blythe, Royston Blythe

NHF president Agnes Leonard commented: “The Photographic Stylist of the Year competition continues to inspire stylists to create exceptional visual imagery. This year’s entries did not disappoint – our expert panel of judges were in awe!

“Winning such a prestigious competition is a true reflection of a stylist’s talent, so we hope that the careers of those who went home with awards last night will benefit.

“The competition is one that continues to go from strength-to-strength, so we’re excited at the thought of what 2018 will bring!”

For the full list of the Photographic Stylist of the Year finalists, visit: www.nhf.info/photographic

Australian men’s grooming brand, Uppercut Deluxe is stoked to announce its latest collaboration with legendary California based photographer, Rob Hammer.

Name sound familiar? Perhaps you’ve admired Rob’s beautifully curated ‘Barbershops of America’ coffee table book? It was our first introduction to Rob’s masterful work with a camera.

With a collection of images inspired by the timeless traditions of the American Barbershop, the latest campaign from Uppercut Deluxe features a mini-series of images and interviews by Rob, with some of the Barber’s behind the most iconic shops from across the country.

Each collection features a look inside a completely unique Barbershop from another era.

Barbershops of America – Part 2 Mack's Barbershop from Uppercut Deluxe on Vimeo.

Whether it’s the collections of cigarette cards on the walls, or the old cinema chairs in the waiting room, the shops featured the latest Uppercut Deluxe campaign speak to a time before ego and social media took over.
With a staged release schedule over the next 8 weeks, Uppercut Deluxe is providing a respectful nod to the traditions of an industry steeped in heritage and nostalgia. Without the shops featured in the campaign, barbering as we know it today simply wouldn’t exist.

Uppercut Deluxe Global Marketing Manager, Tom Woodward, says: “We just couldn’t believe how well Rob Hammer has captured these distinctive and
incredible shops. It’s so inspiring to see Barber’s in their 80’s who are still cutting and showing the new generation how it’s always been done,” said Woodward. “This campaign has been created as a way of reminding the world about what made Barbering great. Without the Mac’s or Tony’s of this world, most Barber’s today wouldn’t have a trade. These guys survived every trend of the past 50 years and still made guys look good every single day.” Woodward continues.

Andis announces a formal partnership with the Great British Barbering Academy – a prestigious UK academy dedicated to raising educational standards and helping barbers acquire career-changing technical skills. Co-created by acclaimed barber, educator and founder of the British Barbers’ Association Mike Taylor and leading cult barber brand The Bluebeards Revenge, Mike has designed and written GBBA courses. Now, with an exclusive licence to deliver Andis and The Bluebeards Revenge courses Mike, on behalf of the GBBA, approached Andis to ensure the highest quality clippers, trimmers and accessories are used in the delivery of its course programme.

‘The quality of tools is essential to execute cuts, fades and patterns with technical precision and accuracy,’ explains Mike Taylor on behalf of the
GBBA. ‘Andis creates innovative world-class products and we felt there was no better brand to complement the quality of our training and the standards we want barbers to reach.’

ON COURSE FOR QUALITY TRAINING

From January 2018, GBBA educators will deliver courses using Andis tools exclusively, as well as using them at events and trade shows. As part its course programme, the GBBA is presenting two exclusive Andis courses, both of which are VTCT approved:

~ The Andis Clipper & Beard Day, and
~ The Andis & The Bluebeards Revenge Advanced Barbering
~ Fades & Blades

These courses see a collaboration between Andis and The Bluebeards Revenge facilitated and presented by the GBBA, who have six educators dedicated to teaching Andis courses. ‘As with all GBBA courses, the Andis courses will focus on imparting knowledge, perfecting technique and boosting confidence for barbers from beginners to those who’ve completed their NVQs,’ says Mike Taylor.

As a world-leading tool manufacturer, Andis recognises the relationship between education and using quality tools and products. Andis Education Manager Jessica Zeinstra: ’That’s why this is a great collaboration for Andis. It brings together three key elements essential to great barbering; education, tools and product. We are excited to join forces with the GBBA and The Bluebeards Revenge and look forward to an effective partnership.’

On confirming this partnership, Andis Company’s Vice President of Marketing Karen Formico reinforced the value of education to Andis on a global footing. ‘Education has always been at the forefront of our business and we are very excited to develop partnerships with brands and educational organisations that are committed to raising professional and technical standards.

‘As a 95-year-old company, we are proud to share our industry experience as we develop the tools and resources needed to teach the art of clipper cutting and inspire barbers and stylists.’

The Armour to Barber movement is pleased to welcome scissor specialist Matakki as an official partner in its mission to introduce ex-military personnel to the barbering industry.

Founded by former Coldstream Guard Liam Hamilton, Armour to Barber is designed to help ex-servicemen and women find careers as barbers. To do this, the organisation provides those in need with vital work experience in approved barber shops all over the UK.

“As a part of this mission, an abundance of professional tools and products are required,” explained Liam, who works out of Hamilton’s Elite Barbershop in Redruth, Cornwall.

To help meet these demands, Matakki has pledged that it will provide Armour to Barber prospects with refurbished scissors from its ‘trade in’ scheme, while also offering discounts on scissors to Armour to Barber customers.

On the new partnership, Liam said: “It’s fantastic to see industry-leading brands provide their support. Barbering is currently enjoying a renaissance that shows no signs of slowing down, and this has created a shortage of high-quality barbers. At Armour to Barber, we believe that ex-forces personnel have all the attributes to take the trade by storm, and it’s pleasing to see that Matakki agree.

Matakki joins premium men’s grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge in providing support to Armour to Barber, something that David Hildrew – a former Royal Marine and Managing Director of The Bluebeards Revenge – is thrilled with.

David said: “We are proud to work with Matakki to support Armour to Barber and offer comrades-in-arms a fantastic chance to retrain in a lucrative industry with plenty of opportunities. These highly-skilled individuals will make fantastic barbers and deserve a chance to thrive outside of their military past.”

Matakki Founder James Curd added “As an ex service man this is a cause that I can whole heartedly support and believe in. As the youngest serving engineer in the Gulf war I can relate to the adjustment from military to civilian life and have many ex comrades who found this experience a difficult transition for a variety of reasons, often feeling lost and without direction. At Matakki we believe in providing opportunity and acknowledging ambition. I personally believe the mental strength to succeed exhibited by ex-force individuals is a commendable attribute. I look forward to being part of this movement and seeing the many opportunities it provides to those working under it.