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WHY GOING GREY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

WHY GOING GREY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

SILVER LINING

For decades, we’ve been taught to cover grey. Now we should help clients embrace it, says colourist Nancy Stripe – it could be the best thing you’ve done for your business in years.

Nancy Stripe

When it comes to grey hair, real change is afoot. In 2024, it’s a statement of confidence and intent. Whether on the red carpet (Emma Thompson, Lady Gaga, Andie McDowell); among the fashion crowd (British Vogue’s Sarah Harris, Erin O’Connor, Jan de Villeneuve); or even on the world stage (Christine Lagarde and Princess Caroline), women of all ages are embracing a hair colour that for many years was seen as a sign of “letting yourself go”.

Leading the charge here in the UK is colourist Nancy Stripe (owner of Stripe Studio in Handforth, near Manchester), whose interest in grey was piqued when several of her clients who worked in and around fashion (30-, 40- and 50-year-olds) said they’d had enough of their male counterparts being labelled Silver Foxes and decided to wear their Silver Vixen crown. Stripe’s decision actively to market to grey conversion clients has not only been lucrative for her business (clients have been known to spend £600+ in a single appointment), it’s also led to a new education course, Embrace the Grey, that’s rolling out this year in partnership with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris.

So, when is it time to have a conversation about going grey? “As early as possible,” says Nancy, “because if you start blending the grey earlier, the eye gets used to seeing the grey in the hair. When women wait until they have a more solid amount of grey, they go from looking like they’ve got solidly warm colour hair to maybe being fully grey, and that jump is too much. It makes them feel old.” Clues to look out for that a client might be ready and willing? “When they say they’re sick of coming to the salon every three to four weeks, or they’ve got a white band around the hairline. But lots of clients are still worried about what others might think, so you’ve got to be ready with the support and encouragement.”

Transitioning to grey is a long and winding road – you’re looking at around a year, with some challenging moments along the way – so that initial consultation is absolutely vital. Says Nancy: “Key questions to ask include, How much grey are they comfortable seeing? Do they want a more fashionable grey placement? Are they willing to consider a different – possibly edgier – haircut, or will they look to retain their youthfulness through sharper clothes and make-up? Grey hair is naturally coarser, so you will also need to assess the condition properly before going ahead with any lightening methods, and also how much lift the hair can take because that will determine how many sessions will be needed to achieve the finished result. It’s vital you give your client realistic expectations.”

Is it going to be expensive? Yes, it is. But as Stripe argues, it’s highly likely these clients are already investing in expertly applied Botox and fillers (subtle enhancements being the order of the day), so cost tends not to be a deterrent. “I am very strict with my clients. I let them know there will need to be treatment plans, specialist products and if you don’t think you can do it, we can always go back to full coverage.  But it’s usually three to four appointments down the line where they think, Okay, here we are. Bingo!”

Stripe has identified four distinct client types, each with a different attitude to embracing grey, and each, therefore, requiring a different approach in her chair.

• The Embracer (role model, the actress Andie MacDowell) is excited to explore their natural grey patterns and wants to keep as much of the natural as possible. She will be looking to get maximum longevity from the colour. You’ll mainly be using babylights and balayage with this client, with powerful lighteners (where the hair can take it) and glossing.

• The Blender (à la Jennifer Aniston) wants to work with her natural grey to create a new canvas of blonde and balayage through her hair. She wants to retain a definite coloured look and will be back in the salon every three months for top-ups. High-level lifting will be required, with lots of coverage but easy to grow out.

• The Illusionist (as illustrated by actress Sarah Jessica Parker) wants to look as close to her darker base as possible, but with a softer grow-out She’ll be back in the salon within eight weeks, like a global application would be, but with a gentler blend. She’ll mainly need coverage in foils, but perhaps also some lightening and glossing.

• And finally, there’s The Bold (think, model Erin O’Connor). She may want an edgier look, such as a solid piece of her natural grey in the hairline and the rest of her hair kept darker.

Potential problems to look out for? Clients will feel their hair is too light, as they are so used to being a brunette. In this case, darken only with low lights and leave grey placement. Highlights may go too warm so there is too much contrast against the grey. In this case, use the strongest lightener possible and in fine sections for maximum lift, alongside a treatment plan (Stripe swears by L’Oréal Professionnel Paris’s Absolut Repair Molecular). And if the tint used for coverage in lowlights is fading too warm against the natural, then it’s causing too much of a shift in the undercoat, so go with a cool reflect for a truer tone and a softer fade.

For decades, colourists have been conditioned to cover grey. Now, it turns out that helping your clients transition to grey is not only an impressive showcase of your technical skills, it may also provide you with incredible job satisfaction. Says Stripe: “I’m 40 next year and as you age, things change. You change, your clients change. My 20-year-old self would have thought having an older client base would be so boring. But now I know what great people these clients are to have in your life. The conversations we have are brilliant and quite exciting, actually!”

GOING GREY

 

  1. The start of Michelle’s journey and her two-week dreaded regrowth that made her re-think her approach to coverage.
  2. After starting to go lighter, she still felt like the regrowth line was too severe and wanted a much more natural grow-out.
  3. Session 2 of grey blending and we can see the grey is starting to become part of the fabric of her hair. Object today was to lighten the face frame and melt the colour together to create more depth and dimension.
  4. The result from session 2.
  5. L’Oréal photo-shoot day. Now very established in the grey blending technique, Michelle is getting four months in between salon visits. Today we got to try the new Dia Color shades as it offers up to 70 per cent coverage.
  6. Our stunning result. What a difference from when we first started!

Book the course:

Navigating Grey with Nancy Stripe

£220 per person

Leeds – 3 June 2024

Cardiff – 24 June 2024

London  – 12 August 2024

Edinburgh  9 September 2024

Register

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THE IT LIST RETURNS WITH SIX TROPHIES WAITING TO BE CLAIMED

THE IT LIST RETURNS WITH SIX TROPHIES WAITING TO BE CLAIMED

IT’S BACK! THE ULTIMATE PLATFORM FOR FRESH YOUNG TALENTS

Calling all hair professionals aged 30 and under: the It List is on the hunt for six future faces of British and Irish hairdressing.

Miles Twist

Miles Twist – It List 2023 The One to Watch winner

There’s nothing like Creative HEAD’s It List Awards for young hair pros to showcase their talent and build their profiles. Now in its 14ᵗʰ year, the competition returns in 2024 with a mission to find the best young business-builders, creative forces, hard grafters, and game-changers – the names setting the barbering, session and salon spheres on fire!

Exclusively sponsored by industry legends ghd, and open to the owners and employees of salons, barber shops and other workspaces, as well as self-employed and freelance hair professionals based in the UK and Ireland – all aged 30 or under – there are six It List categories to choose from, collectively representing skill, vision, dedication and bucketloads of ambition.

It List Grand Final 2023

It List 2023 Grand Final

Entries will be judged by leading names from the worlds of hair, fashion, business, and media. Last year’s panels included digital creator Maddie Bruce; salon owner Errol Douglas MBE; talent agents from Art + Commerce and Streeters; and session stars Aaron Carlo and Leigh Keates. Finalists will be invited to attend the Most Wanted and It List Grand Final taking place in London on Monday 2 September. This hot-ticket event – hosted in the past by comedy giants like Russell Kane, Suzi Ruffell and Jack Whitehall – will bring together an all-star guest list to celebrate in style the stars of 2024.

Awaiting this year’s winners? A coveted It List trophy, a generous gift from ghd and an opportunity like no other to boost profile. Previous winners have gone on be signed by talent agents, work on Fashion Week teams in London, New York, Paris and Milan, present at industry events and even launch their own brands. It’s true: a place on the It List can be career-changing.

It’s free to enter the It List 2024. Entries must be submitted no later than 9pm on Monday 20 May.

For a full list of categories and entry instructions, click here.

It List Grand Final 2023

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RESPECT, REWARD AND RECOGNITION – ALL WRAPPED UP IN 16 MOST WANTED TROPHIES

Most Wanted 2024 has launched and the search is on to uncover Britain and Ireland’s most inspiring hairdressing talents.

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Nashwhite – Most Wanted 2023 Business Thinker winner

Creative HEAD’s Most Wanted Awards recognise the most outstanding, progressive and game-changing talents in British and Irish hairdressing. With 16 sought-after trophies available to the owners and employees of salons, barber shops and other workspaces, as well as self-employed and freelance hair professionals, the competition celebrates a multitude of disciplines, from creative skill to commercial acumen, education, the client experience and a commitment to sustainability. Most Wanted also shines a spotlight on the hairdressing business owners breathing life into the high street, the session artists setting global trends, and the individuals whose skills and smiles transform thousands of lives every single day. 

Now in its 24ᵗʰ year, Most Wanted is widely acknowledged as the industry’s most inclusive and respected competition – in 2023 it enjoyed a record-breaking number of entries. This year, all 16 categories will once again be judged by dozens of names working across hair, fashion, business, and the media – influential names like ELLE UK’s George Driver; broadcaster, journalist and entrepreneur Ateh Jewel; leading salon owner Andrew Collinge; and iconic session stylist Sam McKnight MBE. The awards will culminate in a breathtaking Grand Final, held at an awe-inspiring London venue (Tate Modern, Printworks and the National History Museum have all welcomed our star-studded guests in the past).

Most Wanted 2023 Grand Final

Most Wanted 2023 Grand Final

Naomi Brooks at Most Wanted Grand Final 2023

Naomi Brooks – Most Wanted 2023 Award for Innovation winner 

Says Creative HEAD editorial director, Amanda Nottage: “Hairdressing is a brilliantly diverse industry with a breadth of talent, innovation and originality that leaves you breathless – and that’s what Most Wanted is here to salute and celebrate. We look forward to honouring our entrants’ contributions in style.”

Win a Most Wanted trophy, and the recognition can be life-changing. Previous winners have gone on to represent global brands, lead Fashion Week teams across the world, launch their own workspaces and product ranges, get slots on prime-time TV and collaborate with the world’s most famous designers and publications.

Most Wanted 2024 is free to enter, and entries must be submitted no later than 9pm on Monday 20 May.

For a full list of categories and entry instructions, click here.

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L’ORÉAL COLOUR TROPHY OPEN FOR 2024

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L’ORÉAL COLOUR TROPHY OPEN FOR 2024

From Future Talent to Moving Image, the iconic competition is now open for entries in both the UK and Ireland.

2023 Irish winners

2023 UK winners

The legendary L’Oréal Colour Trophy has opened entries for its 2024 competition, welcoming all hair pros in the UK and Ireland to take part. 

With six categories in the UK and four in Ireland, the competition shares a platform with professional colourists to showcase their artistry, shining a spotlight on creative colour with a firm eye on future trends and commercial looks. 

Now in its 68th year, the L’Oréal Colour Trophy’s mission is to uncover talent from all corners of the UK and Ireland. Entrants across all categories are invited to create a colour look on any model, of any gender or any gender identity of any hair type. The deadline for entries is 19 April. 

Alongside the original Colour Trophy category in both the UK and Ireland, there is the STAR Award, and also the Future Talent Award, for younger colourists to make their mark.  

Unveiled last year, the Moving Image Award returns to both the UK and Ireland to celebrate colourists excelling on social media. Entrants are asked to create a reel on Instagram or TikTok between 30-60 seconds of a finished hair look that illustrates real skill and delivers impact. 

In addition, UK entrants can also compete in the Afro Award, specialising in a hair type texture between 3C and 4C, in addition to the Colour Specialist Award, aimed at those stylists who have completed the Colour Specialist education programme with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris. 

In 2023, Sheffield’s Scullion and Scot won the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final in the UK, while Zeba Hairdressing scooped the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Ireland title. 

For more details on all the categories, visit lorealcolourtrophy.com or lorealcolourtrophy.ie. 

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THE SECRET TO A BRILLIANT BUZZCUT

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THE SECRET TO A BRILLIANT BUZZCUT

Searches for buzzcuts have soared following the debut of Harry Styles’ new look, but how can hair pros master the transformative style? Our Most Wanted and It List winners share their top tips

Longer lengths are out and the buzzcut is back in a big way, if search data on Google is anything to go by. Following the reveal on social media of Mr. Styles’ new look, searches for ‘buzzcut hair’ have risen 158 per cent worldwide in the last week. New research by hair salon comparison site PriceListo  reveals that online searches for ‘buzzcut’ skyrocketed to over double the average volume in one week, with searches for ‘Harry Styles hair’ also increasing by a 205 per cent. 

While hair pros across the globe will be familiar with the iconic cut, when it comes to delivering a brilliant buzzcut, there is an art to doing it the right way. “When executing these cuts, despite claims of quick simplicity, it’s crucial to take your time to avoid missing hairs,” says It List The Business Builder 2023 winner, Charles Rose of Crate Chesire. “Executing a buzzcut requires attention to detail, thorough consultations, and consideration of the client’s preferences for length and style,” he adds. “Regular maintenance, proper aftercare, and communication about expectations contribute to a successful buzz cut experience.”

Though not so straightforward as it may initially seem, for many clients it gives a chance to press reset on their style. “For my clients it’s always a good way to start again when they are unsure what style to go for next,” says Most Wanted Legend, Jody Taylor. “They have to go through so many different lengths when growing it out, so sometimes they will find a style they may not have ever thought about.” 

Before reaching for the clippers, Charles advises checking the client’s hairline and preparing them for potential changes to ensure a thorough consultation.

When it comes to cutting techniques, move the blade or guards in all directions to achieve a uniform length. “Don’t just take the guards upwards; go against the hair growth when needed,” he states. “Discuss with the client whether they prefer sharp lines or a faded look around the front and back, using a razor for precision.” It’s also important to consider how short they want to go or if they prefer a gradual taper. “Buzzcut techniques, including fading and tapering, can be applied to soften or sharpen the overall look,” Charles adds. 

Managing buzzcuts post-appointment will vary for each client. Charles points out that while some may appreciate the quick regrowth, others will prefer a more regular schedule. “Advise clients on the potential need for more frequent visits compared to their previous style,” he advises.

When advising on proper after care, always recommend a scalp-friendly shampoo and keeping head and hair hydrated. Depending on the desired length, product application is possible. For extremely short cuts like a grade two, keeping the scalp hydrated is essential to prevent dryness.

Though there may be more to the buzzcut than meets the eye, the roots in freedom and empowerment remain as true today as when the radical cut became popular with subcultures during the ’50s and ’60s. “If you haven’t shaved your head before it’s definitely something you need to do at some point in life – I always find it quite liberating with my own hair,” adds Jody.

Fellow Most Wanted winner and BaByliss PRO ambassador Ky Wilson also appreciates the power in starting from scratch. “Amen to this! Remove all the sins,” he exclaims. “Anyone that mentions it in my chair I give them the clippers and get them to do the first bit themselves just to feel the feels. Then I take over of course!” 

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