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Tax, Rates And Wage Increases Are Coming. Can Hairdressing Businesses Cope?

Tax, Rates And Wage Increases Are Coming. Can Hairdressing Businesses Cope?

Feb 17, 2025 | DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS HEADER, EXPLORE

Tax, Rates And Wage Increases Are Coming. Can Hairdressing Businesses Cope?

From April, hairdressing employers will pay more in National Insurance, as well as a higher Minimum Wage. In a special edition of our On The Floor series, Creative HEAD gathered business owners from across the UK to discuss the impact of Labour’s controversial first Budget

by CATHERINE | DOCUMENTS

In April 2025, significant rises in National Minimum wages and employers’ NI contributions will come into force, driving up operational costs and squeezing profit margins for many hairdressing businesses at a time of fragile post-pandemic recovery. 

For many small business owners already struggling to keep their heads above water, the additional costs announced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first Budget will be crippling. There is talk of a curtailing of new hires, a need to make existing roles redundant and even business closures. 

If you’re one of those contemplating your rising cost base, the words of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh might spring to mind: “Could be worse – not sure how, but it could be.”  

However, some are pushing such gloomy thoughts aside and embracing the challenge by finding ways to offset extra costs. 

Creative HEAD gathered a group of hairdressing business owners – a mix of employers, rent-a-chairs and hybrids – at a virtual round table to discuss how the impending changes are impacting on their plans for the future. 

Upcoming Changes Announced In The Budget 

Employers National Insurance Contributions (NICs) 

From April 2025 the rate of employers’ NICs will increase from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent. The level at which employers start paying NICs (the secondary threshold) will also reduce from £9,100 to £5,000 per year. 

To help small businesses offset the increased NIC costs, the Employment Allowance, which helps eligible employers reduce their NIC liability, will increase from £5,000 to £10,500, and the £100,000 eligibility threshold will be removed. 

Business Rates 

April sees a scaling back of the business rate relief, with the current 75 per cent discount to be replaced by a permanent discount of 40 per cent, up to a maximum of £110k per business. 

Wage cost increases  

Significant Minimum Wage rises are coming into force in April 2025*: 

A rise in the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over at more than double the rate of inflation (from £11.44 to £12.21 per hour). 

A 16.3 per cent increase in the National Minimum Wage for those aged 18 to 20 (from £8.60 to £10.00 per hour). 

And an 18 per cent increase for those aged 16 to 17 and apprentices (from £6.40 to £7.55) 

*The April 2025 rates represent the largest increase on record for the 18- to 20-year-old rate. The Government has also made clear they want the adult NLW rate to be extended to cover 18-year-olds in the future. 

Q1 It’s fair to say the Budget has caused consternation in the business community, but which element will most impact on your business strategy as the new legislation comes into force this year? 

For the majority of our panel, the biggest impact on business will come from the changes to employers’ NICs and the National Minimum Wage.  

However, the increase in NICs wasn’t the killer – it was the reduction in the threshold that caused the biggest shock. Almost everyone is looking at making tough choices because of those rising costs, and apprentices are a major concern.  

Those with apprentices talked of cutting numbers or not replacing them when their current cohort qualifies, while acknowledging the medium- to long-term impact on their future workforce of having fewer apprentices on board.  

“We run our business as self-employed, but employing apprentices was something we were hoping to build up to in the future. Now, after seeing the Budget, we’ve been put off. I genuinely don’t know how people can afford them.”

_______

“We are fully employed with a team of 35, and we’ve worked out that the rate increase and the NIC threshold reduction are going to add around £30,000 to our wage bill. We will raise our prices in March or April to help cover that increase but our view is that later on in the year we will drop our apprentices from four to two. And the sad thing is that we rely on our apprentice programme for our stylists to come through, so that will be quite difficult in terms of our future workforce.”

_______

“The most disgraceful thing [the Government did] was reducing the threshold from £9,100 to £5,000. That is disproportionately hitting part-timers. If you’ve got one person on £150k, it will cost you £2.5k. If you’ve got 10 part-timers on £15k each, it’ll cost you an extra £10k. That’s insanity. So, supporting people like young mums, who come in at 10am and leave at 3pm, is now the most expensive increase in our labour cost.”

_______

“I run four salons in south London and around 75 per cent of our staff are employed, so [the Budget] is going to have the most enormous impact on our costs. The real frustration for me and other salon owners is that I don’t think the Government understands how the impact is disproportionately terrible for hairdressing. I can’t think of any other industry where the labour cost is around 60 per cent of turnover – we are overlooked in that respect.”

_______

“In the past, if I saw a great 19-year-old, I would have said, ‘Come on board, you could be worth the investment.’ Now I will probably think very differently. I am petrified for the future of apprentices in our industry.”

_______

“After many years of being a passionate employer, it became obvious that my team could walk off and earn so much more money self-employed, so I switched my business to chair rental. I was mid-transformation when the Budget hit and all I could think was, ‘Thank Christ I did that!’”

Q2 What action will you need to take to ensure your business can survive and thrive over the next 12 months? 

As well as raising prices (which can neatly be blamed on the Budget, and clients will understand), there was lots of talk of working meticulously through the P&L to make cutbacks, too.  

Apprentices are in the firing line, but so are those unique luxury extras for clients – one business owner talked of reducing the size of his coffee cups because clients are increasingly asking for more expensive oat milk; another said they would stop offering baker-crafted branded biscuits and go back to Biscoff.  

However, we also heard how some are looking at the positives of their business, “shutting out the noise” to focus on what they’re brilliant at and working hard to raise awareness of those USPs and to deliver a business that is flexible and responsive to both clients and team. 

“I can’t make progress if I’m feeling anxious or negative. What I need to do is take practical steps to ensure that my business is sustainable. I’ve set aside the whole of this first quarter of 2025 to completely rework my business model. I need to look at every single line, I need to take it all apart and then put it back together in a model that works, that will tell me what I need to do with my pricing, my contracts, my apprentices, my stylists.” 

_______

“We have decided we need to be stricter on targets, so we now have a weekly huddle on a Monday morning to clarify our goals – we’re not drifting into anything anymore. We are trying to plan and make sure that every member of the team knows where they are financially.” 

_______

“I will be looking at my pricing and actually trying to understand it better (it’s always been a bit messy). I’ve been using the Maddi Cook calculator and putting it all on a spreadsheet and seeing how an increase could help me. This is definitely an excuse to blame the Government. I can be blunt with clients and say, ‘My staff deserve a decent wage and this is the only way we can afford it.’” 

_______

“We’re going back to basics – facts and figures. How much do we need to make? How are we going to do that? What skills will be required? We’re letting that inform us how we need to address the Minimum Wage, the business rates and so on. I feel you can get caught up in the noise, what’s going wrong, whereas we need to think about what we’re good at, what we’re offering and how we will achieve that financially.” 

_______

“For us, it’s been an exercise of consolidation. We’re trying to bring everything back in-house, which will require a bit of restructuring and like everyone has said, there’s no room for any fat. We’re looking at efficiencies, really trying to work out where we can make savings, while bringing up those service standards so that clients feel they’re getting value. What’s scaring me a little is that we put up our prices every April and they will have to go up significantly this April, so we’re having to work out how to present that to clients without spooking them.” 

Q3 What action would you like the hairdressing sector to take to support your business over the next 12 months? 

It was widely felt that industry organisations are not making our position clear to Government. There is a distinct feeling that hairdressing is not understood, and we need to be more vocal in sharing our real issues.  

There was talk about the need to raise the reputation of hairdressing. The public needs to see that we are not the Wild West – that hairdressing is a legitimate industry, and we invest in our people. For the first time in a while, the issue of compulsory registration was raised and there were calls for training organisations to be vetted and rated. 

Business owners are also taking a hard look at their suppliers, many of whom have just announced price rises. It would be good if those account managers and reps could be there to offer business support, rather than just trying to sell more product… 

“I think the industry bodies that are supposed to represent us are doing a bad job. A couple seem tone deaf in terms of the impact of [the Budget] changes on our industry. We are lumped in with beauticians and cosmetics brands so what’s presented to the Government is actually a muddled picture about growth, when actually if you drill down the trend in hairdressing is a total exodus from employment into self-employment and businesses deliberately staying below the VAT threshold, which creates an unlevel playing field.” 

_______

“The organisations who represent us are run by people who are not hairdressers, none of them own salons. It’s effing ridiculous!” 

_______

“I do think that not having a voice is an issue for us. Salon ownership is at an all-time low. So, if someone is doing a survey of hairdressers and asking them what the problems are, the results are not going to be representative of the issues that we [as business owners vs independents] are facing, because only a small percentage of respondents will be running a business and having to deal with these very real issues following the Budget. If the Government is being told, for example, that 90 per cent of the industry is managing, then why would they take any notice of the other 10 per cent? We’re getting to the point where we can’t train anybody anymore and nobody’s coming through as a result. That message needs to be clearer.” 

_______

“I think we need to register hairdressers. I think there needs to be some kind of clampdown on standards in training organisations because some of them are shockingly bad.” 

_______

“With the bigger brands, obviously, the more you spend, the more support you get. But when you’re trying to support the smaller independent brands, they just don’t have the ability to deliver that. So, it’s all a bit tough, it’s treacle out there – it’s sticky.” 

Q4 What action would you like the Government take to address some of the negative impacts of the Budget on your business moving forward? 

VAT was an issue brought up by all – how a reduction in the rate and/or in the threshold would make a huge difference, although nobody saw any VAT change on the cards. The predominant feeling is that all hair pros providing a service should be paying similar taxes and all should be VAT-registered. That would create a level playing field that would make business ownership and employment more sustainable – and that needs to be better explained to Government.  

“I’d like to see Government give us a VAT that is proportionate for service industries. I know they do that in Ireland (VAT for hairdressers is charged at a reduced rate of 13.5 per cent versus the standard rate of 23 per cent) but I’d like to see it go further. I’d like to see them make every independent stylist charge VAT as well to give us more of a level playing field. So, if you’re a practising hairdresser you should have a VAT number.” 

_______

“When it comes to VAT, [the Government] needs to realise that we are an industry that works on totally different principles to an awful lot of the High Street, and yet we’re bundled in with the same set of responsibilities and it just doesn’t work. They also need to understand that we are a craft and that for us to be able to train and pass on that craft we need better financial support. Through economic necessity, assistants are being asked to go onto the floor too quickly.” 

_______

“VAT is just the killer. It’s so depressing watching your business grow and then seeing how much tax you have to pay and how little you can offset. Every week, when I put that money into to the pot I use to pay my VAT, I just feel like, What’s the point?’” 

_______

“We all know that in barbering there are so many crooks on the high street, and it sucks knowing that we work so hard and are doing things properly while there are 30 other barber shops down the road doing cash in hand and probably making more money than us.” 

_______

“Government has to understand that our industry is labour-intensive. They’ve got to level the playing field. Everyone has to be VAT-registered, whether you work from a shed or from a salon in Mayfair. And I think they need to reward employers that train people, that’s also key. Until that happens, it’s all going to become more and more of a challenge. But I do think salons that can survive the next three or four years are going to be smashing it, because if you can keep your head until then…”  

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“Keep Working Like Nothing Is Wrong”

“Keep Working Like Nothing Is Wrong”

Feb 13, 2025 | CONVERSATIONS, CONVERSATIONS HEADER, EXPLORE, HOME EXPLORE

“Keep Working Like Nothing Is Wrong”

When Creative HEAD held a discussion on the impact of problematic periods, a female salon boss wrote to us saying: “This exact woke attitude is why women aren’t taken seriously in business.” Why the lack of sisterhood? Periods are not fun for anyone, but the fact is that some are hit so badly they need sporadic time off to deal with them. Surely they need a workplace that’s supportive, not one that expects them to suffer in silence?

by CATHERINE | CONVERSATIONS

Hairdressing is an industry that’s powered by women – around 88 per cent of workers in hair are female. Obviously, a big chunk of them are having periods, and according to statistics, for around 40 per cent period pain is so bad they will have to miss work. Yet despite there being a flurry of activity around the menopause in recent years, there hasn’t been any real discussion around how to help women working in salons or as independent business owners with troublesome periods. Slightly baffling.

Menstrual leave, launched in Spain in 2023, is widely derided in Britain as a woke European thing, so the offer of three to five days of paid leave per month won’t happen here just yet. That means the only tangible workplace support for problem period sufferers in the UK – reasonable adjustments like reduced or flexible hours, home working and the provision of special equipment – is if they meet the threshold for disability.

If we want women to be able to work – to be able to function – as humans despite the various nonsensical menstrual conundrums bestowed upon us, we need not just to look into what’s causing problem periods but also to give women the time and space to deal with these things. That is why Creative HEAD gathered a group of women to discuss the impact of problematic periods on working women, to consider how best to manage them and find solutions – and to learn how to better advocate for yourself with employers who might have a similar attitude to our email correspondent.

Cristina Fazzone – independent colourist

@cristina_fazzone

“I find it shocking that we don’t speak about periods. For the 40 per cent of women who have to miss work due to painful periods, it means we’re suffering in silence. I would love to break the taboo, start seeing change in the workplace, and to do that, we need to start talking about periods openly, because it’s definitely a topic that we steer away from. We push through and we hope everything’s going to be okay, and that isn’t the way to deal with it.

“The most important thing I wanted to raise here is the impact of my periods on my work, and how it started to affect my job as a hairdresser. When I was employed, it was a nightmare – a sick day meant rescheduling a whole day of clients, losing clients potentially because of it. But on top of that, there was a lack of empathy from my bosses around why I was calling in sick.

“Things got a lot worse when I became self-employed because it affected my income so much more. I also started to notice the impact of my periods on my creativity and being able to give my full energy to a client. Our creativity is affected by our cycles. We can’t expect to deliver the same results every time.

“So essentially, the question is, how are we catering to women in the industry? I feel it’s time for change. For women to be taken seriously, the process taking place within our body needs to be understood, because we can’t deliver the same efficiency if we are just pushing through and pretending that it doesn’t happen.”

Connie Owen – Cristina’s period coach

@conniemarieowen

“I am a cycle awareness guide. I help women rediscover the sacredness of their cycle, which is the rhythm that we live to as women. As cyclical beings, just like nature has seasons, we’re never the same person all the time. Understanding our cycles can help us be more creative, be more efficient.

“The menstrual phase, our bleed, is when many of us have our lightbulb moments. When an idea does come, write it down rather than pursue it at full force because I wouldn’t advise embarking on a project during your bleed. 

“When you move into the follicular phase, this is a time to break your idea down, perhaps with a moodboard. Then, as you move into the ovulatory phase, you can really shift the gears into making your dreams possible. You’ve got this surge of energy, you’re glowing, you feel determined to bring your idea to life.

“Finally, you go into your luteal phase, which is when you start cocooning back into the darkness to reflect on your creativity and the month that you’ve had – what went well, what needs to change. And you then carry that into your bleed and the cycle begins again. Every phase can help you with your creativity. It’s just knowing when to go full force with something and when to hold back a little bit.

“My advice to working women who suffer from painful periods would be to not push through. The energy that we have on our bleeds is meant for healing, and when that’s outsourced, we can end up being really depleted and fragile. It’s about having boundaries with yourself, giving yourself permission to say no or to rest, because you can’t expect other people to allow that for you when you don’t allow that for yourself.”

Anna Cooper – co-founder of charity, The Menstrual Health Project

@menstrualhealthproject

“I’m a nail technician and co-founder of The Menstrual Health Project, a patient-led charity that seeks to improve education around menstruation and help people navigate these conditions more confidently, accurately and comfortably. Our vision is a world where gynaecological health is no longer stigmatised – society sees periods as dirty, and we’ve ignored the topic far too long

“We’re up against it in this industry, having to cancel a day of clients due to period pain, but actually, the biggest thing is communicating with your clients and your boss, if you have one, so they understand what you’re going through. Often, people just don’t understand conditions like endometriosis, that it causes long term pain, that there is no cure and that it comes under the disability bracket, and that actually comes with rights.

“I urge anybody who manages staff to educate yourself on these conditions, because we’ve gone for far too long with the attitude that women have to put up and shut up. Did you know, when a woman goes to a GP it takes an average of 10 GP visits for her to be taken seriously? It takes an average of one GP visit for a man to be taken seriously. So, we have a huge gender health gap within our health system, which doesn’t help.

“Being aware of your healthcare and employment rights is crucial, they’re there to protect you. Make sure you are going to your boss with accurate information about your condition. Tracking pain and symptoms is not just for when you’re going to the doctor, it also can help within the workplace, because it can show your bosses what you’re having to deal with. Don’t be afraid to ask if you’re able to have flexible working; explain why you need it and how.

“Be your biggest advocate. Trust your body as you know it best. Don’t feel afraid or embarrassed to speak up. Talking about mental health is not shameful. We need to understand that the only way things will change is if we open up. As women, we don’t get a choice whether we have periods or not, so we shouldn’t have to make a choice whether we speak out about it or not.”

To find out more, visit menstrualhealthproject.org.uk

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#TVA – The Hub For Future Talent

Feb 12, 2025 | INFORM, Uncategorized

TVA advertorial at CHM.com

#TVA – The Hub For Future Talent 

New category! New venue! HUGE prizes! If you have the vision, then the Wella Professionals TrendVision Award 2025 is where you need to be

by AMANDA | INFORM

Moment of glory – the 2024 TrendVision Award winners

Got big dreams? Want to work on uber cool shoots and collaborate with industry stars (like the Creative HEAD March add link to digi issue when live cover shoot you’ve just seen)? Then THIS is the competition that could make them come true! 

Launching in April, Wella Professionals TrendVision Award 2025 is entering an exciting new era. With a fresh digital category to make entering easier than ever, and a bigger platform for XPOSURE, there’s purpose driving this competition. 

Its spotlight on the next generation of hairdressers, TrendVision Award 2025 is cementing its reputation as the future talent incubator. They’re laser-focused on elevating the next generation of stylists coming through at a time when everyone’s concerned about that pipeline of tomorrow’s talent.  

Alongside a new venue (more to be revealed!) and even more value from your ticket (from artist collaborations to the goodie bag worth £500!), this year’s final will also celebrate the industry’s icons, with shows driven by artist collaborations. Have we whetted your appetite? 

The prizes up for grabs are dialling up too, with more incredible opportunities for winners after that final’s over, seeing them return to play a key part in future finals. It demonstrates just how dedicated Wella Professionals are on the future and reputation of this industry, and on those who want to ramp up their skills, their confidence and their careers. 

Let The Winners Tell You Why YOU Should Enter…

What Can YOU Win?

The prizes are bigger than ever, illustrating the support from Wella Professionals to explode the careers of those who scoop the trophies! A real ‘pinch me’ is the TVA winners shoot (just look at what the 2024 winners have created!), an exceptional opportunity to work on a project from moodboard to page and see YOUR vision captured. Now a vital part of the action you see on stage, the XPOSURE winner from this new talent category – full of apprentices and college students – is gifted the chance to get stuck in at the winners shoot too, a true money-can’t-buy prize! 

From education to a year of social media promotion, any victory is celebrated and rewarded long after the confetti falls at the final. And in an industry first, the 2025 TrendVision Award winners will return to the following year’s final to support the TVA artists show on stage… the goodness just keeps coming! 

2025’s Theme? Let’s Get Digital

You can hear the conversation around AI everywhere, and tapping into the zeitgeist is Digital Duality, the theme for the 2025 TrendVision Award competition. Inspired by AI, created by professionals – we want to see the journey from the AI inspiration and referencing to the final creation by the Wella Professionals artist. Yes, AI provides your muse, Wella professionals provides the tools, and YOUR skills, imagination and artistry deliver the final look. With a palette fusing metallics with barely there neutrals, what could you conjure up…? 

Which Will You Enter?

Transformation Award – this award must include a total transformation of both colour and cut that embodies the beauty of the chosen model, ensuring the optimum suitability. The look can be classic and beautiful or creative and edgy.

Editorial Award – this award should showcase a colour, cut and style that embodies a chic editorial feel. Taking inspiration from magazines, art and architecture to craft a unique look suited to the model.    

XPOSURE Creative Colour – for students only, show off creative colouring that creates a strong cut and colour combination. 

New for 2025! Digital Award – this award partners with the digital duality theme and trend. It’s easy-to-enter and winners will be announced at the Final via live video. Finalists can take part from their workspace, wherever they may be in the UK and Ireland, meaning no extra costs in time or costs to get involved and potentially nab a trophy! Free tickest to the Final will be awarded to all finalists in this category.

Maggie Grant, House of Colour – 2024 TrendVision Award Colour Visionary Ireland winner

Alex White, House of Colour – 2024 TrendVision Award Craft Visionary Ireland winner

Corrine McNaughton, Medusa – 2024 TrendVision Award Craft Visionary UK winner

Dawid Mielnik, Regis Salon at James Bushell, Harvey Nichols, 2024 TrendVision Award Colour Visionary UK winner

Skye Holford, Regis Salons/Kleek Apprenticeships – 2024 TrendVision Award XPOSURE Creative Colour UK & Ireland winner 

#TVA25 – What You Need To Know

  • Photographic entries open: 21 April 
  • Photographic entries close: 5pm, 16 June  
  • Photographic results revealed: 21 July  
  • Wella Red tickets on sale: 1 July to 15 August 
  • General sale tickets: from 16 August 
  • TVA UK & Ireland Final: 6 October

Find your future with Wella Professionals TrendVision Award 2025. Click here to discover how you can get involved.   

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The Trends For 2025

The Trends For 2025

Feb 12, 2025 | EXPLORE

We’ve got the moodboards, we’ve got the techniques, and we’ve got the hair teams telling us what’s hot right now! For Creative HEAD’s March cover story, in partnership with Wella Professionals, the winners of the 2024 TrendVision Award got to work with exceptional industry artists, to put their signature spins on five hair trends for the year ahead – all full of creative inspiration and business potential. Keep scrolling for ALL the newness, as we take a deep dive into the looks your clients will come calling for in 2025

Welcome to a brave new world, where we strive to bridge the gap between the digital and the physical. Drawing on inspiration from Balenciaga’s AI generated art alongside the Cosmic Attraction trend identified by global beauty insights platform Beautystreams, this taps into the cultural zeitgeist. Surrounded by the proliferation of AI into our daily lives, Unreal Appeal considers the impact from a beauty perspective.

Corrine McNaughton (centre), Medusa and 2024 TrendVision Award Craft Visionary UK winner 2024. Mentored by Janice Hunter (left) and Silvia Salerno (right), Sassoon Academy 

A metallic cosmic colour palette, combined with inspiration from the icons such as Grace Jones and Tilda Swinton, were key elements in creating this digitally infused look. As was the model… “We tapped into what our model, Lilly, looks like in a digital world and from an AI perspective, ‘lily’ means love, purity, feminine,” says Sylvia. “She loved the idea of looking feminine but also boyish. This is gender neutral, there isn’t that separation.” It’s a look that’s perfect for salon consultations – from bold experimenters to something more pared back. “It’s a look that’s perfect for salon consultations,” adds Janice, “from bold experimenters to something more pared back – you can translate that look so easily.

Colour Product + Application

The duality of ‘yin and yang’ fuelled the creative section of the colour technique, making use of negative space to mimic the area between the real and the unreal, melting metallic shades together to create fluidity using the cool cosmos-inspired ice white backdrop. “It was all about opposites,” says Corrine.  

  • Regrowth pre-lightened with Wella Professionals Blondorplex 9, mixed 1 to 1.5 with Welloxon Perfect 4% 
  • Developed for 40 minutes and emulsified at the backwash for 3 minutes 
  • Rinsed then applied the creative target shades of Illumina Silver Mauve and Platinum Lily equal parts with 2 parts Welloxon Perfect 1.9%, in a root melt technique 
  • Global application of Color Touch equal parts 10/81 + 10/6 + 10/0 combined with 2 parts Color Touch Crème Emulsion 1.9%
Cut And Style Product + Technique

The aim was to give the style a sense of ‘anti-gravity’ while still retaining a strong shape and full fringe effect with texture 

  • A tight form was created on a diagonal section pattern through the sides and a square elevation through the top to allow for a structural shape that would create a fluid but strong structure.  
  • Length and fringe were visually connected for face framing, to create a little extra contrast.  
  • To avoid damage, Wella Professionals Ultimate Repair four-step regime was used throughout. Hair was wrap dried, with EIMI Perfect Setting and Body Crafter layered into the hair through a four-step drying process.  
  • A straightener was used to elevate and mould the hair upward.  
  • Hair was the dressed with EIMI Glam Mist using a soft brush to create texture, then finished with a very light spray of Performance Hairspray for light hold but leave the hair workable.  

 

When the Cherry Cola trend broke through last year, you could feel a sense of it being a temporary moment of play. Yes, we’d had Cowboy Copper the year before too, but reds weren’t really back, were they? Well, 2025 has called, and its reply is: “oh hell, yes!”. There has been some trepidation in recent years around reds – just a bit too much, too in-your-face – but the new era reds are more subtle enhancements that offer a kiss of warmth, of a juicy tone that whispers rather than shouts…

Alex White (right), House of Colour and 2024 TrendVision Award Craft Visionary Ireland winner. Mentored by Stuart Matuska, Toni&Guy

Desert skies and architecture fed into the referencing to create a lived in red that has flow and movement throughout the hair (“something dustier and smokier, with a natural thread running through,” describes Alex). She amassed beautiful images of desert rock formations, focusing on little grooves throughout the rocks, inspiring them to leave the hair quite free and flowy. “This is salon friendly, it’s really attainable for clients,” says Stuart. “There’s a place for every kind of red, but with this trend, its softer and less saturated for everyday wear.” 

Colour Product + Application
  • Wella Professionals Color Touch is perfect for a low maintenance gloss. Alex worked with 7/75 at the root then 7/47 for a reverse balayage before toning globally with Color Fresh Mask in Rose Blaze 
  • For a bespoke element, hair was dipped into a bowl with Perfection /5 and /6 to give the illusion of lightness going into dark – an easy and impactful personal touch you can add in the salon 
  • A hot cross bun section was used for the root colour, then diagonal sections through the back of the hair to deepen some areas for a more lived-in look using different types of weaves 
  • Through the front section, curve sections were taken from the temple to the back of the ear to create a bespoke colour, developed for 35 minutes, leaving a veil of lightness on top to amplify that lived-in vibe 
    Care And Style Product + Technique
    • System Professional Colour Save Shampoo, treatment and condition was used to protect the colour, with the treatment restoring the hair’s PH level before toning 
    • Color Fresh Mask in Rose Blaze was applied globally and developed for 20 minutes 
    • EIMI Extra Volume Mousse created texture and movement; blow dried in for a sleek finish 
    • ghd Curve Soft Curl Tong added more soft movement, before applying EIMI Texture Touch to manipulate hair into place around the edges 
    • Some backcombing added a little body through the top section of the hair while keeping it lived-in 

    When you think blonde in recent years, you think cool in tone, bright and light. Yet as shades have become warmer in recent seasons, this new era blonde dials it down to something subtle, chic and oh-so wearable for all – a perfect entry level step for a colour-shy client who’s been tempted but has yet to take the plunge. 

    Skye Holford (centre), Regis/Kleek Apprenticeships and 2024 TrendVision Award XPOSURE Creative Colour UK & Ireland winner. Mentored by Christel Barron-Hough (right) and Gen Itoh (left), Stil.

    Welcome to the West Coast, where the artisanal vibe with our Next Gen Blonde is a “relaxed fusion of boho and future,” says Skye. While Gen started looking at inspiration from the Y2K era and 1970s musicians, look closely and you might spot the influence of fashion label Jil Sander. “They’re [Jil Sander] really good at hard, structured lines, but then bringing in an element of nature or organic textures to make it softer,” adds Christel.  

    Colour Product + Application
    • For that kiss of sunshine, the team turned to Wella Professionals Illumina, using a hand painting technique using foils and mesh, following the natural hair fall. “We wanted to create something very soft that would enhance the natural curl pattern,” explains Skye. “It’s very soft in terms of tonal palette, it can create a really radiant finish,” adds Christel. “It’s something that’s very quick and easy to do in the salon, easy to pick up and adapt.”  
    • The combination of Illumina and Blondor delivered that sun-kissed chic (Illumina 9/19 + 9% Welloxon Perfect; Blondor + 6% Welloxon Perfect; Illumina 8/38 + 6% Welloxon Perfect; toned with Illumina 10/36 + 8/13 + 1.9% Welloxon Perfect)  
      Cut And Style Product + Technique
      • To lock in the colour, it was over to System Professional Color Save Shampoo and Conditioner 
      • For its antioxidant properties, a Wella Professionals Service Post Color Treatment was added into the mix to neutralise any colour oxidants left and to return the hair to its PH level.  
      • For styling, the vibe was for a slimline, modern androgynous feel, while those beautiful bends were given a little polish. Using a finger curling method and Twisted Mask from Sebastian Professional, each curl was pinned each as the team went along – section by section, curl by curl 
      • Once all pinned, the hair was covered with a mesh wrap and Skye used a metal mesh diffuser to keep frizz at bay 
      • Fully dry, hair was left to cool for five minutes, then each curl was separated as it was unpinned 
      • Just a spritz of Re-Shaper Hairspray from Sebastian Professional added the final touch 

       

      After years of long hair ruling mainstream trends, a boom of bobs exploded across the trends landscape last year – Italian! French! Mob Wife! They were sleek, chic ever evolving. So, what are we going to see next? Well, plenty of those bob clients who opt for the chop are going to experiment and edge ever higher… say hello to the Micro Bob. 

      Maggie Grant (centre), House of Colour and 2024 TrendVision Award Colour Visionary Ireland winner. Mentored by Akin Konizi (right) and Nestor Sanchez (left), HOB Salons & Academy 

      For the colour, the Micro Bob team was inspired by Mocha Mousse – Pantone’s Color of the Year. “We visualised warm, rich brunette tones, incorporating a little bit of lightness through the top to enhance that texture and to bring out the shape,” says Maggie. “This earthy brunette will be a huge trend in 2025 and is very salon friendly.” And the cut pushes those 2024 bobs to the edge… “This is a little graduated bob that’s got lots of texture, loads of movement, is still very relevant and very sexy,” explains Nestor. “It can still be moved around, tucked behind the ears. It’s the next part of the evolution,” adds Akin. “It’s what we need to get clients back into the salon.” And if Emma Stone is any indicator, we could be seeing this tipping into a pixie cut era… 

      Colour Product + Application
      • Hair was lightened globally with Illumina 7/81, with a few scattered creamier tones through the front to add dimensional texture, with the help of Blondorplex and Welloxon Perfect 6% 
      • A mix of Color Touch Crème Emulsion 8/71 1.9% with Welloxon Perfect 1.5% pastel oxidant was used to tone and nail that muted brunette finish 
        Cut And Style Products + Technique
        • This bob showcases the need for a bespoke cut, working with the model’s growth pattern to ensure when they were layering into the hair, no nasty spikes were created 
        • Graduated in the back with a textured top, the length at the front falls just below the cheekbone to keep that bob vibe – and is ideal for return visits. “This needs maintenance, because after six weeks or eight weeks, it falls out of shape, so clients have to come back,” smiles Nestor 
        • To get that finish, volume and shine was amped up by wrap drying in EIMI Perfect Setting to ensure a super sleek, frizz free result 
        • A little Texture Touch matte holding paste delivered that piecey movement 

        The beauty world is enraptured with the concept of glass skin (Pat McGrath’s launch of her Glass Skin masks, designed to whet the appetites of fans of the look she created for that iconic Maison Margiela’s couture show last year), and dive into the most popular search terms for hair, and you’ll find the same key terms – glossy, shiny, polished. Welcome now to the era of Glass Hair, with locks so luminous, it appears as if it’s been carefully blown from the most reflective of glass.  

        Gemma Hill (left), Luvely and Wella Professionals Wella Colour Higher Level Diploma student. Mentored by Jordanna Cobella, Cobella 

        Emma parachuted in at the last minute, to take over from TrendVision Colour Visionary UK winner Dawid Mielnik, based at Regis Salon at James Bushell, Harvey Nichols, who had worked with Jordanna on the moodboards and referencing, but was unable to make the shoot.  

        Skincare and beauty tears filled the moodboards with this trend. While Glass Hair might not be new, believe us when we say it’s getting bigger this year. “Who doesn’t want healthy, shiny hair?” asks Gemma, “and that’s what this trend is all about.” But the team behind this look wanted to give the look a twist (literally), delivering a dual texture delight that celebrates the curls of the model’s Afro texture with a section of mirror-like shine. This also referenced Jordanna’s breathtaking show at the TrendVision Award Final. “It’s a juxtaposition that brings the hair texture to life,” explains Jordanna. The secret? Just like with skin, it’s all in the layering… “That’s the key to this trend – layering colour, glazing in layers. That’s what gives us that real high shine finish.” 

        Colour Product + Application

        With glossy hair one of the BIG searches on both Google and TikTok, this is a brilliantly adaptable trend to any texture to give guests what they’re hunting for. “This is really good for clients, it’s an easy service,” says Gemma.  

        • This look is all about enhancing the natural depth of the hair by tweaking the tone and layering on shine, with a more chocolate based tone and a sheer glaze on top – all thanks to Wella Professionals Shinefinity 04/07 and 0/00, layered for subtle tones and a beautifully enriched, radiant finish 

          

          Style Product + Technique
          • A twist out technique – taking two strands, doing a rope braid, followed by a twist, then set onto heat – makes the most of that tantalising texture. “It’s really important to keep the hair as hydrated as possible,” adds Jordanna, who cocktailed Briogeo Gel Cream and Curling Gel, picking the hair apart using well-oiled hands (thanks Sebastian Dark Oil!) and slowly but surely stretching out the curl 
          • To give that uber shiny glass hair result, soft finger waves gracefully frame the face, enhancing the natural curl pattern and creating a beautifully sculpted yet fluid shape 
          • Sebastian Liquid Steel was applied to create long-lasting hold 
          • New Ultimate Smoothing Miracle Oil Serum for that glossy finish, a spoolie was used to define and enhance the natural texture along the hairline, adding a soft, effortless wave. It took a little bit of testing on some arm hair first to get the mix of products just right! 

           

          A Creative HEAD shoot, in partnership with Wella Professionals 

          Photography Tom O’Neill, assisted by Josh Bryant and Arthur Millier Radnall
          Reportage photography Sarah Seal
          Videography Austen Killingbeck-Jones, assisted by Douglas Cock
          Hair Alex White and Stuart Matuska (Red Revolution); Maggie Grant, Akin Konizi and Nestor Sanchez, assisted by Elijah Hourrides (Micro Bob), Corrine McNaughton, Janice Hunter and Silvia Salerno (Unreal Appeal), Skye Holford, Christel Barron-Hough and Gen Itoh (Next Gen Blonde), Gemma Hill and Jordanna Cobella, assisted by Gabriel Canton (Glass Hair), with additional support provided by Eliz Alieva, Keira Campbell-Sharp and Marie Hall – all for Wella Professionals
          Make-up Eoin Whelan, assisted by Lucy Freeman
          Fashion Issie Gibbons, assisted by Lacie Gittins
          Models Lilly Bridger (Body London), Chuyao (The Hair Desk), Keilah Deere (Boss Models), Miles Marsh (Named Models), Oyinda Nihinlola (The Crowd Models)
          Editorial Amanda Nottage
          Digital and social media Kelsey Dring, Caitlyn Brandom, Maddi Lane
          Creative direction and production Joanna Kidd

          Shot on location at VIEW at JJ Studios, Wimborne House 

           

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          Seven Key Takeaways From The 2025 Phorest Salon Owners Summit

          Seven Key Takeaways From The 2025 Phorest Salon Owners Summit

          Feb 7, 2025 | HOME INFORM, INDUSTRY NEWS, INFORM, INFORM HEADER

          Seven Key Takeaways From The 2025 Phorest Salon Owners Summit

          The 2025 Phorest Salon Owners Summit in Dublin brought together salon professionals from around the world for a refreshing event designed to help them elevate their businesses and prepare for the year ahead. Creative HEAD was there – these are the insights you need to know!

          by AMANDA | INFORM

          1. Customer Intimacy Is Key To Brand Success

          Ken Hughes, a consumer and cyber behaviouralist, emphasised the importance of human connection, exploring how salons can foster intimacy by going beyond expectations. His example? Taylor Swift and her success at building customer relationships! His advice including using their spaces as community hubs and recognising the employee experience as equally valuable to the customer experience.

          2. Empower Staff For A Thriving Culture

          Hairstylist Daniel Mason-Jones focused on creating a healthy workplace culture by addressing mental health and setting boundaries. Provide clear communication and training, and use tools like Phorest Tips to empower staff with transparent compensation structures.

           

          Diversity and inclusion panel

          Ronan Harrington

          3. Break Barriers In Beauty

          A live panel tackled diversity and inclusion in beauty, featuring trailblazers such as Carra’s Winnie Awa, Texture vs Race’s Keya Neal, Ruka Hair’s Tendai Moyo and beauty writer DijaAyodele. The discussion explored expanding circles of trust, product innovation (including Tendai’s biodegradable synthetic hair) and the need for truly diverse industry panels and leadership. There were lessons from the US beauty market, which was seen as “eight to 10 years ahead” of the UK in inclusivity terms.

          4. Prioritise Resilience And Wellbeing

          Resilience teacher Ronan Harrington offered tools to navigate challenges with intention and grace. Begin each day with purpose and focus on meaningful connections. He advised shifting from a “victim mindset” to a “creator mindset”, while also taking care of personal wellness to avoid burnout. Spa innovator Peigin Crowley also highlighted the importance of mental health, encouraging salon owners to recognise and manage burnout effectively.

          5. Leverage AI To Transform Salon Operations

          AI and its potential to revolutionise salons were a recurring theme. Phorest’s John Doran discussed how AI can boost average bills through upselling and cross-selling, provide actionable insights from data, help staff achieve goals with forecasting tools, enhance marketing with AI-generated content and improve client communication through an AI receptionist.

          6. Master The Client Lifecycle

          Marketing guru Kati Whitledge shared strategies for winning and retaining clients, stressingthe importance of continuous exposure, creating a desire for your services through visibility. You’ve got to be proactive in pursuing clients and prioritise making a lasting impression at every client touchpoint.

           

          Kati Whitledge

          Peigin Crowley

          7. Unlock Hidden Gems In Phorest Tools

          Phorest’s own Patrick Monaghan and Rich Cullen unveiled five “hidden gems” within its software that every salon should be using – advanced online booking settings, reporting tools, digital loyalty programmes, marketing magic features and Phorest’s Benchmark Report, which tracks industry trends and performance metrics.

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