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A Fresh Start for Your Clients’ Hair

A Fresh Start for Your Clients’ Hair

A Fresh Start for Your Clients’ Hair

Promotion – JOICO

A deep-cleansing shampoo that removes build-up, protects colour, and leaves hair soft and shiny—perfect for salon professionals.

by CAITLYN | INFORM

As stylists, you know that hair endures a lot—product build-up, hard water residue, and environmental impurities can leave it dull and lifeless. But keeping hair healthy shouldn’t come at the expense of colour protection or moisture. Enter JOICO’s Defy Damage Detox Shampoo—a salon-essential that delivers a deep detox while building bonds and keeping hair vibrant. 

A gentle yet powerful detox, The Defy Damage Detox Shampoo offers more than just a cleanse—it’s formulated to remove heavy metals, copper, and salts that accumulate from everyday life, while also preserving your client’s colour. With bio-based chelators and activated charcoal as its hero ingredients, this formula acts as a magnet for impurities without stripping away essential moisture. 

Want to ensure the best results before colour services? This shampoo not only preps hair for colour but also ensures it’s in optimal condition, so colour adheres better and lasts longer. Think of it as the perfect first step before any treatment.  

This shampoo is professional-tested and client-loved. Bruno Marc Giamattei, creative director at JOICO EMEA, shares: “Hard water and build-up can be the hidden culprits behind damaged hair. The Defy Damage Detox Shampoo works wonders to reset hair, preparing it for colour while keeping it protected and smooth.” 

Give your clients healthy hair that shines with the Defy Damage Detox Shampoo. It is not just about detoxing—thanks to Moringa Seed Oil and Vegan SmartRelease Technology, hair is left nourished, shiny, and protected from future damage. It’s a must-have for stylists who want to keep their clients’ hair looking and feeling its best after every wash. 

 

Why Your Salon Needs It: 

  • Removes stubborn build-up from hard water and product residue. 
  • Preps hair for optimal colour absorption. 
  • Protects colour and leaves hair soft and shiny. 
  • Formulated with activated charcoal and bond-building technology. 

Discover JOICO Defy Damage Detox Shampoo and transform the way you cleanse hair in your salon.  

From Freelancer to Founder: How Katy Grimshaw Built Spectrum One 

From Freelancer to Founder: How Katy Grimshaw Built Spectrum One 

From Freelancer to Founder: How Katy Grimshaw Built Spectrum One 

As a freelance hairstylist, Katy Grimshaw saw a gap in the market and turned her frustration into a thriving brand with Spectrum One.

by CAITLYN | FREELANCE, BUSINESS

As a freelancer, Katy Grimshaw quickly realised that relying on inconsistent hair extension products was a major obstacle in her career. “The quality of other hair extension brands wasn’t great and super inconsistent. As a freelancer, I felt the effect of instantaneously having to be solely responsible for fixing things when they weren’t perfect,” she explains. This frustration sparked her journey from stylist to entrepreneur, eventually leading her to create Spectrum One, a brand that solved her professional struggles and has become a trusted name for hairdressers across the industry. 

For Katy, the leap from freelancing to building her brand was fuelled by a need to provide reliable, high-quality extensions that she and others in the industry could count on. As she launched her salon, she knew she needed more control over the products she used. “I wanted to have my own hair extensions brand to coincide with launching my salon. I had the dream of leading the brand as a hairdresser myself,” Katy adds. This vision marked the beginning of Spectrum One, created out of necessity but driven by Katy’s ambition to make an impact in the hair extension market. 

Katy’s experience behind the chair became a powerful asset as she transitioned into product development. “It really helps being a hairdresser and working hands-on behind the chair with the hair extensions all the time because you see firsthand what your clients want and need, and in turn, what our professional customers, the hairstylists, want and need,” she comments. Her daily work provided the insights she needed to innovate, allowing her to craft solutions that addressed the pain points of her clients and fellow professionals alike. “It helped to determine the types of hair and methods I wanted to innovate and develop, and the colours we chose – it’s the driving force behind the whole brand.” 

While Katy’s knowledge as a stylist shaped the development of Spectrum One, the journey wasn’t without its hurdles.  “Finding a supplier was by far the biggest challenge. I thought the first supplier I found was the best ever, but I’ve still got around £60,000 worth of stock stashed downstairs in the salon thanks to them,” she exclaims. Despite these setbacks, Katy saw each obstacle as an opportunity to refine her business practices. “We tightened everything up, especially supplier communication.” Her perseverance and attention to detail ensured that Spectrum One could deliver the consistent quality she had originally set out to achieve. 

As Spectrum One grew, so did the demands of running both a brand and a salon. Katy learned that having the right team in place was critical to balancing these two worlds. “Alone I really can’t balance it, making it work completely relies on the support of my team,” Katy comments. Her team became integral to ensuring the success of both sides of the business.  

“I can’t have just a brand or just a salon – one doesn’t make sense without the other.” The synergy between her salon and brand allowed Katy to continually test and improve her products, keeping her at the forefront of innovation in the hair extensions industry. 

Katy’s journey offers valuable lessons for other stylists, freelancers, or salon owners looking to create their brand. She encourages others to embrace the challenges that come with entrepreneurship. “It’s not something that’s very easily done, so it needs careful consideration. There’s a time investment to consider as it takes years of testing before you can even go to market.” 

 “A mistake I made was underestimating how many hats I’d have to wear. I’m not just a hairdresser with a hair extensions brand, I have to understand sales, marketing, distribution, SEO, e-commerce retailing, websites, social media, and the list goes on.”  

Katy Grimshaw’s journey from a frustrated freelancer to the founder of a leading hair extension brand shows that innovation often comes from personal challenges. By turning her frustrations into opportunities, she was able to create Spectrum One, a brand built on quality and trust. Her words to aspiring brand creators: “It takes years of hard work, but the reward of seeing your vision come to life is worth it.”

How Freelancers Can Get Greener

How Freelancers Can Get Greener

How Freelancers Can Get Greener

Anne Veck and Keith Mellen, winners of Most Wanted Sustainable Hero 2021 & 2022, update their sustainability toolkit for independent stylists

by CAITLYN | CONNECT

Who says going green costs more? Anne Veck and Keith Mellen are here to bust that myth with their freshly revamped sustainability toolkit, tailor-made for freelance stylists, solo hairdressers and those based in co-working spaces. Not only is this toolkit packed with eco-friendly tips, but it’s also a surefire way to save money, boost profits and make your business stand out. 

Their latest offering is a re-imagined, freely downloadable toolkit packed with practical tips and advice on how to make your hairdressing routine greener without compromising on quality or style. 

This tool is designed to help stylists adopt eco-friendly practices that reduce waste, save energy and minimise their carbon footprint. It offers suggestions for quick wins, like reducing water usage or switching to sustainable products, as well as next steps for those ready to make bigger changes, like switching to green energy suppliers or adopting more ethical haircare brands. 

Whether you’re just starting your green journey or looking for fresh ideas to build on your existing eco-conscious approach, this toolkit is a must-have. It’s all about small, manageable changes that, together, can make a big difference. 

Find the FREE, downloadable PDF here

The Cool Huntress

The Cool Huntress

The Cool Huntress

Zoë Irwin is the talented stylist who’s shown us how to predict, name and package hair and fashion concepts in a way that makes journalists swoon and consumers want to buy. Where on earth would this industry be without her?

by CATHERINE | CONVERSATIONS

 
Zoe Irwin

The Independent calls her “the Stella McCartney of hairdressing”. Her Liberty print styling menu caused a beauty blogger meltdown. And such is her industry kudos that John Frieda asked her to join his salon group as creative director. Zoë Irwin is a truly original and inspiring hairdresser, and it’s fair to say the world of hair would look very different without her imprint.

Ah, yes, her imprint. Zoë has taught us so much. In 1998 she was one of the first to show that it was possible to combine session and salon work, assisting Guido Palau every season for 10 years, while holding down a series of high-profile roles at top London salons. In 2000 she persuaded top fashion photographer Stuart Weston to shoot a hair collection for the legendary Soho salon, Stage Door, where she was creative director, paving the way for a whole new wave of hair and fashion collaborations to follow (previously, the hair world had not been deemed cool enough for fashion photography). And from the get-go she has drilled into us how translating trends from the world of fashion into consumer-friendly hair services can unlock lucrative new revenue streams for our hairdressing businesses. Oh yes, this girl means business.

Zoë’s work blends traditional technique, honed over her remarkable 40-year career, with new concepts developed from her deep understanding of youth culture – she plays with fabrics, language, colour and more, always staying one-step ahead of the game. As a result, brands, magazine editors and fellow stylists have sought out her creative direction and predictions, which are always expertly referenced, emotively named and beautifully packaged.

 

Zoe Irwin

The Independent calls her “the Stella McCartney of hairdressing”. Her Liberty print styling menu caused a beauty blogger meltdown. And such is her industry kudos that John Frieda asked her to join his salon group as creative director. Zoë Irwin is a truly original and inspiring hairdresser, and it’s fair to say the world of hair would look very different without her imprint.

Ah, yes, her imprint. Zoë has taught us so much. In 1998 she was one of the first to show that it was possible to combine session and salon work, assisting Guido Palau every season for 10 years, while holding down a series of high-profile roles at top London salons. In 2000 she persuaded top fashion photographer Stuart Weston to shoot a hair collection for the legendary Soho salon, Stage Door, where she was creative director, paving the way for a whole new wave of hair and fashion collaborations to follow (previously, the hair world had not been deemed cool enough for fashion photography). And from the get-go she has drilled into us how translating trends from the world of fashion into consumer-friendly hair services can unlock lucrative new revenue streams for our hairdressing businesses. Oh yes, this girl means business.

Zoë’s work blends traditional technique, honed over her remarkable 40-year career, with new concepts developed from her deep understanding of youth culture – she plays with fabrics, language, colour and more, always staying one-step ahead of the game. As a result, brands, magazine editors and fellow stylists have sought out her creative direction and predictions, which are always expertly referenced, emotively named and beautifully packaged.

“Zoë’s work is inimitable in that her references offer deep knowledge of her craft – historically, socially and culturally. Her references start not with a trend but from the bare basics of where a style began and she is a teacher to us all (a 1960s style; ears will be covered, stemming from The Beatles).” Ellen Burney, Vogue contributor

“What’s been key to my career is how each different part embellishes the others,” says Zoë. “By doing the shows with Guido, I was seeing hair trends six months ahead of time, and because I worked in a salon, I was able to turn that into something for my clients, which other session stylists couldn’t do because their world was quite separate back then. I started launching styles with names and a whole feeling behind them because that was how Guido worked; it was always about the concept of character. So, for example, for the hair at Chloë, we didn’t tong like we did in the salon. Guido would explain it was as if the woman was looking in the mirror getting ready, so she’s going to do this, and this. And that’s how I learned to tong. It wasn’t the technical way, it was with character.”

This creative foresight, coupled with her ability to build stories around hair that incorporate trend, fashion and historical context, instantly made Zoë a favourite among the beauty press – but not without some clever strategic thinking, too. “I was very young back then and competing for page space with big-name hairdressers, so I decided to target the interns – to do their hair and tell them about my ideas. And most of those young girls have gone on to land the top jobs in beauty, and we’ve remained genuine good friends along the way, mainly because I’m such a fan-girl about journalists and I just love spending time with these women.”

Hannah Betts (The Times, The Telegraph), Rose Beer (ES magazine), Amy Bannerman (pre-loved style director at eBay)… Zoë is friends with them all, but is also aware that they are highly knowledgeable about beauty and that every new trend she launches needs to be authentic and impressive – something she is at pains to teach other hairdressers. “Imagine Vogue is going to call you tomorrow and ask you about fringes,” she declares. “What are you going to say? You can’t use ‘hairdresser speak’! The language you use has to translate into something they can write in their magazine. So, I try to bring that out of my students, getting them to spend a lot of time describing a specific shade of blonde, for example.”

A self-confessed “hair nerd”, Zoë has always fully immersed herself in whatever task she set herself. She learned French so she could study hairdressing in France (her impressive chignon is what led Guido to invite her to join his team); she went to Milan to study trends; she signed up for Central Saint Martins’ Cool Hunting course and studied Fashion Journalism at the London College of Fashion. It has all paid off – handsomely. “In the hair world, being a creative director means you’re part of the art team, but for me, being a creative director is about creatively embellishing the salon. I realised quite quickly that if I learn about things, then I can design something, and with my press contacts I can get it published.”

And what success! For Headmasters, she launched the Kitten Haircut, featuring a new silhouette inspired by Paris Vogue shoots with Guido (Vogue, ELLE, The Sunday Times). For Hari’s, she designed Cobain Chic, a dip-dye colour treatment aimed at attracting a younger clientele (Vogue, Grazia); the Prada Laced Nail, based on the intricate dress designs of the season (Sunday Times Style); and Skin & Hair Salads, nutritional foods and juices targeting different hair types (Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Tatler and Grazia). Then, for Taylor Taylor in Liberty, it was the Tie it Up menu that breathed new life into the store’s heritage prints with strips of fabric woven into Frida Kahlo-esque up-dos (Tatler, Harper’s Bazaar). And for John Frieda, it’s been the Liquid Brunette mocha-noir colour service (The Telegraph) and the fawn-inspired Bambi Blonde (too many titles to mention – this one went stratospheric!), among others. But achieving so much press success doesn’t make life easier for Zoë: “When something goes big, it creates huge pressure for the next trend. John Frieda’s is a big name and I don’t want to let the team down. But [salon owner] Nicola [Clarke] is super-encouraging. We collaborate a lot on naming the trends and coming up with the right language to use around them.”

Staying relevant over a period of 40 years is difficult in any industry, but in Zoë’s role, the pressures become especially enormous. She’s mastered the art of spotting trends, but what about more practical things, like social media?  

“I feel like social media has come along and made everything very difficult because brands are just obsessed with numbers. It puts us under insane pressure,” says Zoë. “And what breaks my heart is that to satisfy the KPIs people want now is not necessarily about being creative. So, I can do a really beautiful shoot, and it will flop, while someone will film themselves clowning around, and it will attract a big audience. I know that’s how it works, but I just can’t bring myself to do that.”

“Five, 10 years ago, my Instagram used to represent who I was and I’d never lose the job. Now I feel like I have to produce work that I hope will satisfy some brands and I’m not sure I can do that while maintaining my integrity. I grew up doing beauty shoots with Tatler and Glamour and everything looked editorial and pretty, but that doesn’t work on social media. Things have got to be shot through a phone and look raw, and I think a lot of hairdressers of my generation really struggle with that rawness.”

Teaching and inspiring young hairdressers is a passion of Zoë’s – and one that has never diminished throughout her career. In 2002 she co-launched Project X for the Fellowship for British Hairdressing, a programme that encouraged aspiring young stylists to incorporate influences such as art and architecture into their work. Now, the Fellowship have asked her to return, in a new role that will see her look after the organisation’s colour teams.

“Initially they asked me if I wanted to go back into Project X, but I was like, ‘You know what? I want to do something different’. So, I want to do colour, but I want to do colour my way, and I’m really excited about it. I find education very fulfilling. I have people come up to me and say, ‘I did your class 25 years ago, and I still really love it’. And the other day someone came up to me from Headmasters and said, ‘Everyone wants you back for a seminar’. When I’m teaching people, that’s where my complete obsession with hair comes across.”

Having recently moved out of London to Hastings, where she’s been able to buy her home outright (“I had found myself taking on jobs I didn’t want to do because of needing money, so I decided to take away that worry”), Zoë is finding a sense of fulfilment in this new phase of her career, people-watching on her commute to work and studying life-coaching. “Things feel more peaceful,” she says. “I have the luxury of time to really look at things that I’m interested in.”

And when she looks back at her incredible 40-year career to date, Zoë feels nothing but happiness. “I feel like relationships are formed in hairdressing that are truly magical – we’re like a family that has basically grown up together. And this industry has always allowed me to go outside, explore other worlds, and then bring what I’ve learned back into the fold. It’s always given me the freedom that I’ve wanted, and I have never, ever been bored. I’ve been accepted.”

 

Regis And House of Colour Win Big At Wella Professionals TrendVision Award Final

Regis And House of Colour Win Big At Wella Professionals TrendVision Award Final

Regis And House of Colour Win Big At Wella Professionals TrendVision Award Final

New venue and six epic shows round off stellar event

by AMANDA | INDUSTRY NEWS

Regis and House of Colour were the big winners at the 2024 Wella Professionals TrendVision Award Final, each taking home two trophies.

Hosted by Love Island’s Laura Whitmore and Wella artist, Fergal Doyle, at Old Billingsgate on the banks of the Thames, the evening also found Scottish salon brand Medusa celebrating a win in front of a 600-plus strong audience. Interactive elements included key artists wearing Meta Glasses, offering the chance to see the event through different perspectives, such as a backstage perspective with James Earnshaw and a host’s view of the audience through Fergal Doyle.

As TrendVision celebrated its 20th anniversary, the theme of the night was ‘self-expression’. “We have celebrated more than 200 winners and each time it becomes a life changing event in their career,” said Max Amen, Wella Company general manager, UK & Ireland. TrendVision is not just about the finalists and the stylists, it’s also about the businesses that invest in education to train and elevate their teams.

Renaissance by Cobella

Six boundary pushing creative shows, offered a “window to the soul” of the artistic teams, with the stage acting as their canvas for personal storytelling. Wella’s UK & Ireland colour & trend ambassador, Jordanna Cobella, presented Renaissance, celebrating the palette of the golden hour glow through period hair, fashion and photography with contemporary embellishments.

Beyond Boundries by Sassoon

Hair at TONI&GUY

Sassoon visited 1920s Berlin and Paris in Beyond Boundaries with an immersive show that centres on three powerful colour – red, black and white. Hair at TONI&GUY’ from the high street favourite referenced their fashion heritage with a bright, colourful and diverse showcase of colour and texture.

Scandi Style Storytellers by STIL Salon

Alien Allure: A Futuristic Hair Odyssey by James Earnshaw

STIL Salon’s ‘Scandi Style Storytellers’ saw minimalism meeting something a little more bold as they played with Nordic aesthetics. James Earnshaw’s Alien Allure: A Futuristic Hair Odyssey utilised an intense colour palette, from acid-wash to vivid violets and bold blues alongside exaggerated shapes and textures,

Infinity by HOB Academy

Finally, ‘Infinity from HOB Academy also took the audience on a futuristic journey, showcasing the power of transformation. Bronzed curls, fluffed out texture and heavily straightened lengths against curled bangs delivered everything from sleek and polished to avant-garde and voluminous.

The night then switched gears with the after party, with the iconic DJ Fat Tony on the decks above a packed dancefloor.

And the winners are…

 Craft Visionary

UK: Corinne McNaughton, Medusa Bread Street

 Craft Visionary

Ireland: Alex White, House of Colour

Colour Visionary

UK: Dawid Mielnik, Regis Manchester

Colour Visionary

Ireland: Maggie Grant, House of Colour

XPOSURE Creative Colour

Skye Holford, Kleek Apprenticeships/Regis UK