salonfocus may-june 2010

Lifestyle ProbeAbandonedArt of Drying

Chemicals Essentials

Sassoon Mentors Inspire

World Hairdressing

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MAY/JUNE 2010 SALONFOCUS PAGE 3www.nhf.info

Consumers are a lucky lot with the full weight of legal protections behind them but if you are a business, you can whistle.

I have just started to calm down after wasting about an hour-and-a-half of my life trying to get my phone company to look at the option of transferring one of my lesser used belt-and-braces telephone lines to resi-dential or negotiate a lower business line rental fee.

For a company that was famous for saying “It’s good to talk”, they left me wanting to tell them to “Buzby off” or set Maureen Lipman on them after hanging on the telephone for a terribly long time with only a repetitious recorded “sorry we’re terribly busy today” message, or

something to that effect, driving me to despair.Can you imagine salons giving a service like that? They would lose customers in an instant. The problem when you are a small business is that the fear of any temporary downtime or even disconnection makes us reticent to change suppliers because we want our busi-nesses to keep running smoothly.

While I frequently hear from members about problems they have had with energy suppliers, I rarely hear about issues with telecommunications com-

panies. I know I am not alone out there so if you have any telecommunications

horror stories, I’d love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected].

And finAllyThe run-up to the nation going to the polls on May 6 is an ideal time to lobby local candidates so do please ensure you tackle them about the CuttheVAT cam-paign (www.cutthevat.org) to achieve a 5% rate of VAT for hairdressing services (see page 8), your gripes about national minimum wage legislation, national insurance and other taxation issues and much-needed protections for small and micro businesses.

It ain’t all over until it’s over so make your views count. They want your vote so you will have a recep-tive audience.

Andrew Don Editor

WAveLeNgth

DEviNE iroNY

One of the first rules of journalism is to steer clear of describing things as “ironic”. It is one of the most misused words in the English language, frequently written to describe a situation that is not ironic at all.

However, I had to guffaw a little when the Crown Prosecution Service announced that Livingston MP Jim Devine had been charged under Section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 for false accounting over allega-tions he falsely claimed parliamentary expenses.

The irony is that Devine was one of the members of the Scottish Affairs Committee (SAC) to which NHF secretary general Eileen Lawson and Martin Couchman, deputy chief execu-tive of the British Hospitality Associa-tion, gave evidence a year ago about the national minimum wage.

He was, how shall we put it, a little forceful during the session, I understand, and made clear his support of “naming and shaming” those who failed to comply with national minimum wage (NMW) legislation.

The committee went on to recom-mend the government name and shame employers even where non-compliance was inadvertent.

Interesting to note then that Devine was said to be “absolutely devastated” by the news he had been accused of dishonestly claiming for cleaning services and stationery and denied any wrongdoing.

I wonder if his view of “naming and shaming” even for inadvertent breach of NMW legislation will now change. We live in a country where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. I am sure the right honourable gentleman will put up a rigorous defence and, indeed, may well be exonerated. And good luck to him, I say.

All the same, isn’t it ironic?

HAnging on tHE tElEpHonEThe competitive benefits of an open market for telecommunications services, gas and electricity have been outweighed by service issues – at least, that is my personal experience.

They are not all terrible at it and I have had good experiences as well as bad, but why do they make it so difficult if you want to enquire about something that does not apparently tick their “options” boxes.

Press one for stress, press two for joy, press three to speak to someone in Outer Mongolia, press four to be cut off. You have all been there, I know.

SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2010

JACKIE LANG has been manag-ing director of Regis UK since 2008. She is respon-sible for 450 salons which include Regis’s UK branches and vidal Sassoon in the UK, germany and the USA.

ANGELA BARTLETT is chairman of the British Association of Beauty therapy & Cosmetology and the Con-federation of Interna-tional Beauty therapy & Cosmetology.

SIMON SHAW is the co-founder and past director of international award-win-ning salon group haring-tons. he runs Simon Shaw education.

GILLIAN DOWLING works for Croner as employment technical consultant.

MICHAEL BARNES, of Michael Barnes hair-dressing, in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, is a specialist in bridal hair, long hair and extensions.

ADEE PHELAN is an award-winning hair stylist, who rose to fame on Chan-nel 4’s the Salon. he is a favourite with a host of celebrity clients. his eponymous salon is in Covent garden in London’s West end.

BRIAN PLUNKETT is a trichologist and manag-ing director of trichocare Diagnostics, the manufac-turer of the Colourstart generic skin-allergy test.

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BEVERLY Chas been twice-winner of the British hairdresser of the Year Award and she was the first female hairdresser to be awarded an MBe. She is ambassa-dor for both goldwell and Babyliss, and a regular face on tv and in the press.

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

NEWS5 the end of the road

for Lifestyle probe 6 Safety paramount, NHF

tells members; covenants advice8 Walker calls on politicians for

change; HMRC leaves it out9 New skin kit launched10 Lifeline advises on sickies12 Ombudsman can make

PRS sing new tune; Dickenson lands Inspire role

13 Social networking alert14 Chemicals bible – all you

need to know about what’s inside the products you use

FEATUrES22 Simon’s Shaw about

newsletters24-25 Long view – Barnes extends 26 Buying right – the Regis way28-29 hairdrying adored

iNSPirED18-21 Countdown to Paris –

a World Hairdressing Championships exclusive

BEAUTY10 Beauty spots33 Art for nails’ sake

rEGULArS03 Wavelength – the editor’s voice 13 Movers & groovers 15 Cutting Brief solves

your legal issues16-17 Federation Focus – Masefield

and Sassoon work with NHF Inspire; the latest news from the areas and branches

30 Beverly C campaigns on hair loss32 events for your diary34 Backwash – a look on the light

side; NEC Factor – John Armstrong and Ann Goddard

p33

p 24

p 21

SALONFOCUS IS PUBLISheD BY:national Hairdressers’ federation, one Abbey Court, fraser Road, priory Business park, Bedford MK44 3WH t: 0845 345 6500 t: 01234 831965 f: 01234 838875 e: [email protected] w: www.nhf.info

PUBLISheREileen lawson BSc fCiS fRSA e: [email protected]

eDItORAndrew don e: [email protected]

eveNtStina Beaumont t: 0845 345 6500 e: [email protected]

AD SALeSMainline Media ltd the Barn, oakley Hay lodge Business park, great oakley, northants nn18 9AS

t: +44 (0) 1536 747333 f: +44 (0) 1536 746565 w: www.mainlinemedia.co.uk

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DeSIgN & PRODUCtION Quercus Eight t: 020 7655 0370 e: [email protected]

While every care is taken in compiling this issue of Salonfocus including manuscripts and photographs submitted, we accept no responsibility for any losses or damage, whatever the cause. All information and prices contained in advertisements are accepted by the publishers in good faith as being correct at the time of going to press. neither the advertisers nor the publishers accept any responsibility for any variations affecting price variations or availability after the publication has gone to press. no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher, to whom application must first be made. the views expressed by contributors to Salon-focus are not necessarily those of the nHf, the publisher or its editor.© 2010 the national Hairdressers’ federation.

Material for consideration in this section of the magazine should be submitted on Cd-RoM as high resolution jpeg or tiff files to the Editor, Salonfocus. Submissions should be made on the understanding that the national Hairdressers’ federation has the right to use the material in any part of the magazine and any of its other publications, promotions or website, free from any copy-right restrictions, or appearance fees other than the issue of artistic and photographic credits where applicable. please include salon name, photographer & stylist.

Front cover – hair: NHF Inspire, creative direction: Akin Konizi and the hob creative team, photography: John Rawson, make-up: Lucie Flowers, styling: Graham Cruz.


LiFESTYLE Tv ProBE DiTchED

NeWSFOR TODAY’S SALON OWNER

The Official Receiver’s Office has abandoned its investigation into Life-style TV, disappointing scores of credi-tors who will get only a tiny sum from the remnants.

Lifestyle TV, supplier of a diamond crystal mirror system, including televi-sion screens, in-salon channels and pro-gramming, was wound up last summer.

Complaints from salon owners ranged from alleged fraud to misrepre-sentation, non-delivery and the supply of non-functioning equipment.

The Official Receiver’s Office, which looked into why the com-pany failed as well as the conduct of its directors, said it had discovered “nothing that would cause alarm” so the inves-tigation was abandoned.

Linda Parkinson, investigating case officer, said an “agent” had been appointed to recover an estimated £13,000 worth of equipment from “an employee”, with a view to resale and the proceeds could be shared equally between the 63 creditors.

Many salons are still battling with finance companies to get out of lease contracts which they had not always appreciated they were taking on.

Julian Sampson, partner of legal firm Wright & Wright, who is helping several salons, identified three types of case: those where Lifestyle TV repre-sentatives had been allegedly “blatantly fraudulent”; potential civil claims for revenue that had been promised from advertising that never materialised; and civil actions where the promised service had not continued.

Sampson said leasing companies were starting to sue salons that had

stopped paying instalments. “My consistent advice is to continue paying the leasing company. Unless you believe you are on very sure foot-ing about the circumstances leading up to the agreement, there is only one winner. They can sue you for the whole amount.

“In most cases the screens still work – so continue to pay while you resolve your individual case and take legal advice because there are many firms that can assist or there will be

advice through schemes available with groups such as the NHF.”

Wright & Wright briefed a barrister who concluded she could see no obvious way of attacking the agree-ments with the finance firms on the basis of misrep-resentation and breach of contract.

There was some poten-tial under consumer credit

regulations but only in limited circum-stances surrounding whether the agree-ment was signed for business purposes or not, and this was largely restricted to mistakes made by the leasing company.

However, allegations raised by salons of false signatures added should be investigated. “If evidence can be found to support these allegations the agree-ments would be unenforceable,” the barrister said.

She also said that the thrust of the case law was in favour of finance com-panies and prevented them being made responsible for the acts of the dealer as their agent.

“Statute was intended to obviate these common law difficulties. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which

allows in some circum-stances for a claim against the leasing house for a mis-representation or breach of contract by a supplier, does not apply in the present cir-cumstances as the leasing house and legal owner are one and the same entity.”

One salon owner, Jayne Sansom, of Serenity, in Atherstone, Warwickshire,

had just been issued with a court sum-mons for the recovery of £11,500 for six screens when SalonFocus called her. “I stopped paying four or five months ago,” she said.

Cambridgeshire-based Molbys is in dispute with another company, Simply Media, which acquired the assets of Vision TV two years ago (SalonFocus May-June 2008). Molbys maintains Vi-sion TV promised verbally that adver-tising commission would pay for the screens but no payments were forth-coming.

Simply Media managing director Patrick Smart said he recognised the difficulty some salons had got into with Vision TV and the leasing companies but his company was providing a good service to salon customers, regularly updating content.

“No one can say we haven’t done the best we can to make sure whatever people have signed up to that it works and they get something out of it. If they are unhappy, we can’t just tear up the agreement.

“It’s a vicious circle when you’ve got cowboys and Indians messing it up for legitimate businesses like us. It could be a very good business but it’s been tainted. It’s something we just have to deal with.”

JULIAN SAMPSON“Continue to pay while you resolve your case.”

“ Many salons are battling with finance companies to get out of lease contracts.”


NeWS

The NHF has reminded members that they must put safety, skill and pro-fessionalism above all else in keeping with its regula-tions and Professional Conduct Code of Ethical Behaviour.

Eileen Lawson, secre-tary general, said clients should feel they were in

safer hands when using NHF-member salons because of the high pro-fessional standards the Federation demanded and nurtured.

The NHF’s code demands the welfare of clients should be paramount; that salons should not bring them-selves or the craft of hair-dressing into disrepute; they should be suitably and adequately insured and there is a duty on all hairdressers to maintain and expand their compe-tence.

Harry Walker, presi-dent, said NHF members aspired to operate to the “highest standards”. He said the public could be confident that when they used an NHF-member

salon, their hairdresser had their best interests at heart.

Mark Coray, vice-president, said that every so often the media highlighted examples of where hairdressing treat-ments had gone wrong. “I urge all clients to check that the salon they want to visit is an NHF mem-ber. An NHF-member salon is never far away and clients can be sure that any chemical and colour treatments offered are done in accordance with the strictest industry guidelines,” he said.

• The NHF’s regulations and code can be found on the new website at www.nhf.info.

SAlonS told

‘PUT SAFETY

FirST’

Restrictive covenants are becoming more difficult to enforce as courts get tougher on the contracts that salon owners rely on.

The NHF has noticed that courts are increasingly more sympathetic towards employees in such cases.

Restrictions on an employee’s behav-iours will commonly be included within their contract of employment.

Clauses included in the standard NHF staff handbook include not working for themselves or anyone else at the same time; not to copy or disclose any confi-dential information to third parties, not to encourage any other employees to work elsewhere or not to divert clients to a competitor.

A duty on the employee may be still implied even where there is no specific clause within a contract because of the position which they hold.

Specific mention, however, within the contract will mean the employee will have little defence.

These covenants will often also act as

an initial deterrent to any existing employ-ees and prevent any need for litigation.

Once the employee leaves you they owe no such duty to the business, entitling them to contact clients or your employees and try to entice them away from you.

You would need to have included within the contract of employment some post-termination restrictive covenants to prevent this.

The courts will be reluctant to enforce any post-termination restriction unless it can be shown that such a covenant was reasonable to prevent any damage occurring to your business because it would prevent someone from earning a living. Courts will not act just to prevent competition.

Enforcement will only be possible if the employee was made aware of the cov-enants, which should either be included within the contract of employment, or clearly flagged up within the staff hand-book or other policy documents.

The covenants must be reasonable at

the time they are put in place. The courts will take into account several factors such as how long the restriction is in force; how wide an area the restriction covers; what position or role the employee had; and what type of work is being restricted, to decide what is reasonable.

Courts will be unlikely to enforce any covenant affecting someone you have made redundant if it prevents them working elsewhere or setting up in competition.

Finally, you would need to show that a breach of the covenants would cause real damage to the business either by directly taking customers or staff or by damaging the reputation.

The standard NHF contract of employ-ment contains several restrictive cov-enants which are reasonable for a stylist under most circumstances.

• Find out how to enforce restrictive covenants in the next issue of SalonFocus.

CouRtS gEt tougH on

REStRiCtivE CovEnAntS By Basil Long

13/10/2009 vaf/nhf30/09/2009 vaf/nhf 7

Code of Conduct Members shall always place the welfare of the client before all other considerations and shall behave in a proper manner towards colleagues and shall not bring them or the Craft of Hairdressing into disrepute. Guidelines These Guidelines will be used as a means of interpreting the Code. The Guidelines are not exclusive; they set out the principles of proper professional attitude and conduct. 1. Professional Integrity It is the over-riding and continuing responsibility of all members to place the welfare of their clients before all other considerations, and to apply to each client the full extent of their skill and knowledge. All members should arrange suitable and adequate insurance for the indemnity of clients. 2. Client Relationship Hairdressing is a personal service and members should do everything possible to promote and preserve their clients' confidence in them, and in the Craft of Hairdressing. In particular, the application of traditional courtesies and practises in relation to clients and between colleagues should be observed. 3. Advertising and Publicity All advertising and publicity should be undertaken in a manner so as not to deceive or mislead the public, or denigrate the Craft of Hairdressing. If the name of another hairdresser or hairdressing establishment is to be mentioned, then the prior consent of that hairdresser or establishment should be obtained. 4. Premises and Equipment The premises and equipment of members should be such as to enable them to properly exercise their skills and sustain a proper professional relationship with clients. All legislation regarding premises, health and safety should be observed. Premises and equipment should be kept clean at all times, and regularly and properly maintained. Sterilisation and hygiene arrangements for instruments and linen should be of an exemplary standard, particularly for those items in direct contact with clients. 5. Education and Training There is a duty on all hairdressers to maintain and expand their competence, to help and support trainees in their charge, and to consider submitting themselves for higher qualifications.

13/10/2009 vaf/nhf30/09/2009 vaf/nhf 1

THE RULES OF

THE NATIONAL HAIRDRESSERS’ FEDERATION

LIMITED

(An Industrial and Provident Society)

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NeWS

Harry Walker marked the end of the economic slump by calling on political leaders to make the further changes necessary to cement continued growth and prosperity.

Walker reminded chancellor Alistair Darling and Tory opposite number George Osborne that the reduction of VAT for hairdressing services to 5 per cent would be a sure-fire way of propelling growth in the sector while embracing more salons into the VAT system, thereby increasing government revenues overall.

He also cautioned the Conserva-tives against the much speculated on increase in the overall rate of VAT to 20

per cent should they form the next government. Walker said this would dramatically hit dispos-able incomes and money destined for salon tills.

“The opportunity exists now for the govern-ment to nurture growth. This can be achieved by taking the NHF-led cross-industry CuttheVAT campaign on board and pledging to implement its stipulations in the lifetime of the next Parliament, as permitted by European finance ministers on the Economic and Financial Affairs Council last year,” Walker said.

“The government can also help by not pricing apprentices out of the market which is a great risk with the forthcoming absorption of appren-tices into the national minimum wage structure (See page 9). Simplification of regulations in general would help eliminate some of the costs incurred on our members forced to navigate

red tape and convoluted legal requirements and result in increased sector profitability.”

Walker said the NHF would continue to lobby government to ensure it put in place measures that were of benefit to the hairdressing sector and that would facilitate

sustained growth. Support for CuttheVAT, meanwhile,

continues to grow. Mark Hendrick, MP for Preston, wrote to Andree Buxton, of Flame Hair Design, in Preston, Lan-cashire, that he found the suggestion of reduced VAT for hairdressing busi-nesses “of interest”. He said there may also be other means to help hairdress-ers through changes in taxation, tax thresholds and grants which needed to be explored.

Wayne Hill and Tracy Taylor, own-ers of the Broad St Group chain of five salons in the South West of England, emailed the NHF to say a reduction to 5 per cent would mean it could invest in its training and development pro-gramme for trainees, knowing it could offer them secure employment when their training had finished.

HMRC REliABility CAllEd into QuEStionThe reliability of official information circulated by Her Majesty Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has been called into question after the government tax collecting body withheld a crucial piece of infor-mation about employer annual returns.

It circulated a press release in which it said all employer annual returns must be submitted online by May 19 and there was no longer a paper option for those with fewer than

50 staff in the tax year 2009-2010. Only employ-ers with 50 employees or more had to previously file online.

“So, if you file your return on paper, even if it’s before May 19, you could receive a penalty,” the press release said.

An HMRC spokesman later told SalonFocus that although those employers with between one and five employees would receive “a penalty notice”, the penalty for this year was zero, a crucial fact left out of the press release. But they

would technically be in “default”, they would be sent a letter informing them of this and it would be noted on their record.

The spokesman said al-though this was omitted from the press release, the details were available online. The NHFpointed out that this was essential information that should not have been left off the press release.

Eileen Lawson, NHF secretary general, said: The availability of all the correct information online

is just not good enough because people will rely on the paper communica-tions they receive. The big question is can we ever rely on HMRC to tell us all we need to know in the future?”

HMRC is making free software available to those firms with fewer than 10 employees to file their returns. Employers with fewer than 50 em-ployees who ceased oper-ating PAYE during the 2009-10 tax year were able to submit a paper return if they did so by April 5 this year.

MARK heNDRICK MP: “Other ways to

help hairdressers.”

Cutthe WAlKER:

‘chANGEMUST

coME’

PAGE 8 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2010

Organic colour systems company Herb UK has launched a skin-sensitivity home-testing kit for salons to post to clients in recognition that testing in-salon before colour application is not always practical.

The company has also issued a nine-point question-naire: regular clients must have a sensitivity test if they answer yes to any of the questions. All new clients must be tested and regular clients tested at least once every six months.

Raoul Perfitt, managing director, said the com-pany had listened to salons who had told them they lost business when clients were not prepared to come in for a test 48 hours before a colour service.

Now the client fills in a card confirming their home-test results using the exact colour that they would use in the salon. “Some of the generic skin tests that salons post only test for PPD allergy when in fact clients could be allergic to more innocuous ingredients such as coconut oil,” Perfitt said.

“It was only with the launch of the kit that we put into writing the re-test recommendation for six months. We keep a close eye on research in this area.”

He pointed out that it was the opinion of the Scien-tific Committee on Consumer Products in Europe that in some cases clients could be sensitised by the repeated frequent application of a colour skin test.

MAY/JUNE 2010 SALONFOCUS PAGE 9

hAIR cLiPSNMW RAteS ANNOUNCeDA National Minimum Wage of £2.50 for apprentices takes effect from October for the first time. It applies to under 19s and for the first year for apprentices aged 19 and older. the adult minimum will rise from £5.80 to £5.93, the Youth Development rate from £4.83-£4.92 and, for 16-17 year-olds, from £3.57 to £3.64.

SUIteS YOUthe NhF has produced a new suite of independent contractor licences and leases since the courts have drip-fed changes in their interpretation of what can be exempt from vAt in chair renting arrangements and their precise nature. the agreements can be bought from head office at an introductory price of £50 each.

OPeN ALL hOURSthe average duration of each call to the Legal Lifeline was 12.4 minutes last year, data collated from Croner, which operates the service has shown. More calls were logged at the beginning of the year, when the question of redundancy frequently came up, than at the end of the year. the busiest time was 10am-11am, the busiest day was tuesday and Friday was the quietest. Members called all almost hours of the day and night. Some 50 calls were made between midnight and 8am and 706 calls between 6pm and midnight.

MAteRNItY StOPSthe NhF has called on the government to pull out all the stops to stop the Pregnant Workers Directive being enshrined in law. the NhF believes salons will not

be able to manage the extra administrative burden on them and the inevitable on-costs. the UK government hopes to get the plan that would effectively treble statutory maternity pay in the UK overturned.

FIt NOteS the new “fit-notes” system was scheduled to come into force from last month. Fit notes replace traditional sick notes. Doctors will be able to advise if a patient “may be fit for work” and offer advice on the effects of their health condition. Doctors have the option to advise that patients would be able to work, subject to the employer’s agreement, if temporary changes such as reduced working hours or amended duties can be accommodated. visit http://www.dwp.gov.uk/fitnote/ for guidance.

tWeeDALe hONOUReDYorkshire Area Council honoured Merlyn Tweedale on his retirement with a presentation lunch at Hazlewood Castle to commemorate 20 years service as area secretary and treasurer.

hErB L AUNchES hoME kiT

www.nhf.info

herb UK’s colours can now be tested for allergy at home

NeWS


Calls to the Legal Lifeline about how to tackle “sickies” has prompted the serv-ice to issue NHF members with advice on dealing with suspicions of dubious sickness absence.

Suspicions have been raised when staff have been spotted shopping, at the pub or posting entries on their Face-book page when supposedly unwell.

Amy Pearce, a senior employment consultant at Croner, which operates the Legal Lifeline, warned about the difficulty proving employees were fak-ing it and stressed the importance of thorough investigation.

This included getting statements from those claiming to have seen the mem-ber of staff undertaking activities which suggested they were not ill, or copies of any incriminating posts on social networking sites, for example.

Employers should hold an investiga-tive meeting with the employee on their return to discuss why they were absent, giving them the opportunity to explain.

Pearce said salon owners should be aware of any long-term conditions from which employees suffered and con-sider that they may have been unable to work although able to carry out the other activities that may have raised suspicion.

“Someone suffering from depression, for example, might have gone shop-ping to help them deal with their illness but might genuinely have felt unable to attend work,” she said.

It might not be appropriate to take any formal action in such circumstances because it could expose the employer to a claim of disability discrimination. Medical evidence might help in such cases, she said.

Once employers had completed their investigation, they needed to consider how to deal with the situation – whether disciplinary action was war-ranted or whether it could be dealt with informally. An informal response might

amount to a warning that any further similar issues would be dealt with via the disciplinary procedure.

Pearce explained that employees could be guilty of gross misconduct if they had taken sufficient time off work to qualify for statutory sick pay if they were not genuinely sick and entitled to the payment.

She said if an employer decided to take disciplinary action, the person who investigated the absence should not chair the hearing so that they complied with the Acas code of practice on disci-plinary and grievance procedures.

Pearce acknowledged that this may not be possible in the smallest salons in which there was an owner and no one else in a management position. In such circumstances, should the matter result in a tribunal claim, the employer’s size and administrative resource would be taken into account when considering whether or not they had acted reason-ably or complied with the Acas code of practice.

It was always advisable to adjourn the disciplinary hearing to give the em-ployer time to consider what was said and what disciplinary sanction would be appropriate.

“The decision must be confirmed in writing and the employee be given the opportunity to appeal. The employee should be reminded of the standards expected of them and the conse-quences of not meeting those standards,” Pearce said.

• The NHF’s Legal Lifeline received 16,636 calls last year from members seeking help at a cost of £20 a time. Some 14.5 per cent of the calls were about conduct issues, 12.6 per cent, redundancy, 12 per cent, absence and sickness, 11.4 per cent disciplinary and 9.3 per cent terms and conditions.

MAKe-UP IgNORANCeeighty-one per cent of women in a survey by Debenhams said they went to sleep at least once a week without removing make-up. Sixty-eight per cent of women only replaced make-up and skincare when they ran out. eighty-nine percent were unaware that cosmetics had a shelf-life.

PLUMP It UPFull lips really do make you look younger, a Unilever-funded study has shown. A seductive pout negates even wrinkles, bags, sagging jowls and greying hair, the study at seven universities found.

tRANSgeNDeR-FRIeNDLYSterex, expert in hair removal, is building a national list of electrologists happy to treat transgendered clients. Practitioners can contact Sterex for free inclusion on the list.

BARKINg UP the RIght tReeA study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology claims that an extract from the bark of the South American rainforest Angico-branco tree can help moisturise skin.

BeAUtY SpotSSUNBeD BANthe Sunbed (Regulation) Bill was passed in the “wash-up” session of parliament. It brings england and Wales into line with Scotland which bans under-18s using sunbeds. the NhF adopted a policy two years ago in which it advised members to ban under-18s.

BeAUtY eMAILS CUtthevAtBeauty salons have started registering their support for the NhF-led CutthevAt campaign. If you have not registered your support yet, please email [email protected].

SickiE cALLS ProMPT lifElinE AdviCE

NeWS


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not to be missed in your next issue of Salonfocus:• Colour trends for autumn• The right music for the right salon• Using IT to boost efficiency

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NeWS

Ombudsman Services has expressed disap-pointment that hairdressing salons have so far failed to ask it to investigate complaints against PRS for Music.

Its com-ments came as Phonographic Performance Limited, an-

other music licensing body, confirmed it, too, was planning a similar ombuds-man service although no launch date had been finalised when SalonFocus went to press.

Ombudsman Services, a not-for-profit limited company that runs four private sector ombudsman schemes, launched its PRS complaints-resolution service last summer.

Yet there would appear to be a lack of awareness of its existence not just among the salon sector but other busi-ness sectors, too.

Lewis Shand Smith, chief ombuds-man, said he had not realised there was a lack of awareness of the scheme but conceded: “We’ve had no contact from hairdressing salons. That is disappoint-ing. The scheme is very new which is probably one reason.”

He said it was not the Ombudsman Service’s job to publicise the facility. “It is up to PRS to make sure anyone who makes a complaint knows they have the

right to go to the ombudsman.”Salons can appeal to the ombudsman

if they have made a complaint to PRS for Music and it has not been satisfacto-rily resolved within eight weeks.

The ombudsman has a legal right to ask PRS for Music to make a goodwill award of up to £5,000 where appropri-ate and it has the power to take the or-ganisation to court to force compliance.

PRS for Music spokesman Barney Hooper said the ombudsman had re-ceived no complaints because no cases had to be referred yet.

It is a legal requirement for any business that plays or performs music outside of the home environment to have a PRS licence under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Another licence, from Photographic Performance Ltd, is also required for disbursement of royalties to performers and record companies.

ReBeCCA DICKeNSON

Rebecca Dickenson, owner of Doncaster’s Vanilla Rooms salon, has been named Wendy Cum-mins’ replacement as art director of NHF Inspire.

She opened her salon five years ago with busi-ness partner John Bogg.

Dickenson believes every personality is different and so finding the right way to motivate and inspire each individual is essential to getting the most out of them.

“My challenge is to find new and exciting ways to motivate, inspire and educate” she said.

• Turn to page 16 for details of NHF Inspire’s new Vidal Sassoon mentors.

iNSPirE

gEtS nEW ARt diRECtoR

oMBudSMAn

cAN MAkE PrS chANGE iTS TUNE

LeWIS ShAND SMIth: “We want your

complaints.”



TWEET SociAL nEtWoRKERScArEFULLY, AdviSE SoliCitoRSDisgruntled hairdressers are increas-ingly using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to be deroga-tory about their bosses, the NHF’s Legal Lifeline has warned.

The legal service has dealt with numerous enquiries about negative comments left about employers or col-leagues, risking the salon’s reputation and friction between colleagues.

Most posts are left outside of employ-ees’ working hours and can only be viewed by their group of friends which Croner, the lifeline’s operator, says can make it difficult and risky to take disci-plinary action. Also there may arguably have been no detrimental effect on the business.

The Employment Tribunal found in one case two years ago, for example, that an employee of a large retailer who was summarily dismissed for mak-ing negative comments about their employer on a private blog was unfairly dismissed.

Croner says employers will need to show they had acted fairly and reason-ably and that any decision to dismiss had not been a knee-jerk reaction.

Employers could hold informal discussions with the employee and suggest that inappropriate posts be removed although enforcing this could prove difficult.

Many small businesses are now recog-nising the potential benefits of social net-working sites by forming a small group of contacts to generate interest in the business, offer discounts and promotions with a view to encouraging loyalty.

While this can be a useful PR tool, it can create difficulties in terms of controlling that information and pre-venting former and current employees alike from using those contacts for their personal gain (SalonFocus March/April 2010).

There are several contractual restrictions in place for employees signed up to NHF stand-ard employment terms and conditions which prevent employees from soliciting clients, staff and setting up in direct competition during their employment and a six month period after their employment has been terminated.

Any employee, who acts in breach of one of these contractual restric-tions, would be in breach of contract and this could amount to an act of gross misconduct which may result in summary dismissal following a fair and thorough disciplinary process.

Croner notes that employers are using social networking sites more fre-quently as part of the recruitment proc-ess. This might help you get a flavour of the nature of the applicant but caution should be exercised when relying on this information because it might be inaccurate, or possibly was not even posted by the applicant.

An employer could unwittingly expose themselves to allegations of unlawful discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, age, sexual ori-entation, or religious and philosophical beliefs in relying on information posted on a social networking site when decid-ing on whether to offer a position, Croner says.

It believes employers would be better advised to ensure they have a rigorous recruitment procedure in place to select the best candidate for the role based on their CV or application forms and veri-fied at an interview.

www.nhf.info

MOveRS & gRoovERSALWAYS ON A SUNDAeCovent garden salon owner Karine Jackson has created the Ice Cream Sundae, a technique which results in slices or rinses of lavender, lemon, ice blue, grey or lilac put through the hair.

veCK eDUCAteSOxfordshire-based salon owner Anne Veck accepted an invitation from Loughborough College to educate 25 hairdressing department staff members and Level 3 hairdressing students in Avant garde styling and Advanced Cutting techniques.

JOhNS IS XBickley, Kent, salon Claus & Co’s Kirsty Johns was named the new Umberto Giannini Project X Student of the Year. Project X students are marked throughout the year on all the key aptitudes including presentation skills, being a team player and hairdressing ability.

KONIzI LIFtS gRAvItY Akin Konizi, hob creative director, assisted by creative team member Claire Dawson, styled pop star Pixie Lott’s hair for the video of her single Gravity.

gALA hONOURSThe International Salon & Spa Expo in co-operation with the Professional Beauty Association recently hosted the National Cosmetology Association’s Legends & Icons Charity Gala. Beauty professionals honoured industry leaders, including Robert Cromeans (John Paul Mitchell Systems), Sonya and Christopher Dove (Wella) and Ann Mincey (Redken 5th Avenue NYC) for their creativity and inspiring the salon industry professionals to develop an entrepreneurial spirit.

FRIeDA LIveJohn Frieda was booked to appear on stage last month at a Habia skills team hairdressing roadshow, Habia Live, at the Copthorne Tara Hotel, in Kensington, south-west London. he planned to answer questions and talk about his work, his career and his HAIRraising charity.


NeWS

Para-pheneylenediamine (PPD) Code 10: Skin Test – Occupational protection required. ACD.A potent skin sensitiser found in many permanent hair dyes and eyelash tint. PPD is the preferred chemical in permanent hair dyes and is popular because it gives a natural look to hair colour and is resistant to fade. PPD is a colourless crystallised substance that, when exposed to oxygen, darkens, and readily locks into the cortex of the hair. It cannot be washed out. The darker the

colour, the more PPD is in the colour.Professional note: PPD is a primary intermediate in permanent hair dyes and fur dye. It is also used in photographic develop-ment, lithography, photo-copying, oils, and grease.

Diaminotoluene sulfate (PTD)Code 10: Skin Test – Occupational protection

required. ACD.Another potent skin sensitiser found in hair dyes and eyelash tint. It is a white to grey powder. PTD is now used in a variety of hair dyes to replace PPD, although PTD cross-reacts with PPD – if you are sensitised to one chemical it is likely that you will be sensitised to both.Professional note: PTD is often seen in lighter hair dye formulations.

Nitro-4-phenylenediamine Code 10: Skin Test – Occupational protection required. ACD.The final chemical found in hair dyes that also has the potential to cause al-lergic reactions.

Ammonium PersulfateCode 10: Airway – occupational protection required. OCD.Used as a bleaching agent in hair prod-ucts. There are three values of Persul-phate used in hairdressing to include Sodium and Potassium Persulfate.

FormaldehydeCode 10: Airway - occupational protection required. OCD.A colourless gas that is used primarily as a preservative in many hairdressing products and also as a salon disinfect-ant. It can be lethal if ingested over time. Formaldehyde is used in some hair-straightening systems and is a threat to occupational respiratory health.

Ammonium thioglycolate Code 8: Airway – Occupa-tional protection required. OCD and ACD.The main chemical found in permanent waving solu-tions. This alkaline chemical is sometimes known as a reducing agent that quickly opens up the cuticle of the hair shaft and changes the disulphide bonds of the hair.

ResorcinolCode 8: Occupational protection required. OCD and ACD. Another lesser allergen component of permanent hair, classed as a coupler that gives an orange tinge to perma-nent hair dye. Also found in lesser concentrations in some anti-dandruff shampoos.

Hydrogen peroxide Code 8:Occupational protection required. OCD.Classed as a developer that is used to reduce colour (bleach) and to activate through oxidation permanent hair dyes. It is the most used chemical in hairdress-ing, an oxidizer for both hair dyes and bleaches (persulfates).

Chlorhexidine Code 6:Another preservative used mainly in shampoos. It has the ability to trigger both occupational hand disease and airborne contact dermatitis.

Nickel Sulfate and Cobalt Chloride Code 5: Rare Allergen. Caution OCD.Chemicals are often found and released from cheap working tools such as scis-sors, razors and clippers; also found in earrings and body piercing studs.

Hydroquinone Code 5 : Occupational protection required. OCD. A chemical skin lightener used to lighten the skin; its use is diminishing through regulations within the Euro-pean Union. Its main role is to reduce production of melanin and not to bleach human skin.

Balsam of PeruCode 5: Occupational protection required. OCD.

A liquid substance that is extracted from the bark of a tree. Myroxolon Bal-samum, the liquid, is used as a mild antibacterial and antifungal ingredient in many hairdressing prod-ucts – it is well known as a contact irritant.

Glyceryl Monothioglycolate Code 5: Occupational

protection required.An acid chemical used in permanent hair waving – ‘acid’ perms.

CocamidopropylbetaineCode 4: Occupational protection required. OCD. A surfactant in liquid soaps and sham-poos. Surfactants are surface-active agents (break surface tension of water).

Code index:Code 10 is high risk. An extreme skin sensitiser; extra cautionary measures should be put in place. Skin testing, and the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment should be enforced. Contact via skin, eye and airways.Code 5 is low risk.OCD - Occupational Contact DermatitisACD – Allergic Contact Dermatitis

tHE chEMicALS BiBLEMany hairdressing products have the potential to cause harm to both client and hairdresser if special precautions are not taken to reduce occupational health issues. Brian Plunkett, a trichololgist and managing director of Trichocare Diagnostics, helps demystify some of these.

tip Boxto keep you and your

salon professionally

safe always read the

safety data sheets of

any chemical that has

the potential to cause

you or your clients

harm. Always buy from

reputable suppliers.

BRIAN PLUNKett

www.nhf.info

CUttINg BRIeF


Gillian Dowling from Croner, operator of the NhF’s Legal Lifeline,

answers your questions

However, second-hand goods will be of lower “quality” than new ones. It should be made clear if a product is not new and that you offer no warranty as to its condition, and no liability will be accepted in the case of damage caused by the item to hair, skin and clothing.

A sign saying “sold as seen” would generally not be sufficient to exclude liability.

We would advise against reselling any second-hand electrical products unless they have been thoroughly checked for damage and tested to ensure they work properly and do not pose a hazard to health.

You should also check your insurance policy to ensure that you are not breaching any of the terms of your cover.

We keep getting yobs outside our salon, intimi-dating clients. I am dissatisfied with the lack of seriousness with which the police regard this. Is there anything I can do to ensure the police take action?First go to your local station and file a complaint form. The force should contact you within 10 days to inform you of its decision or any further investigations they need to undertake.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission will only investigate very serious complaints against the police, matters which the local force has been unable to resolve or incidents the force has failed to investigate properly.

It may be that a letter to your MP or a visit during a surgery would bring the problem to their attention.

As well as the police, your district or borough coun-cil could obtain an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) against the individuals. These last for a maximum of three years.

The Order will specify behaviour from which the individual must refrain, or areas from which the indi-vidual is barred.

It is a criminal offence to breach an Asbo and the police should investigate if anyone does so.

Keep a diary to show when and where the yobs congregate, how many there are and the problems they are causing.

Keep a note of any appointments which are can-celled as a direct result.• This article provides general guidance only. If you have any general queries for Cutting Brief please email [email protected]. NHF members are entitled to specific advice on the telephone from the Legal Lifeline on 0844 561 8180 but you must quote your membership number. Legal Expenses Insurance can only cover restrictive covenants where NHF standard contracts of employment are used.

An employee has been undergoing treatment for cancer for 14 months and often misses work because of illness. I have recruited someone to cover for her. I cannot afford to retain both employees. What are my rights?

Cancer is a disability so the employee has rights under the Disability Discrimi-nation Act 1995 (DDA). You have to con-sider reasonable adjustments to avoid discrimination and get a medical report from her consultant, with her written consent, which can provide guidance on these.

She is able to work sporadically so you will need to discuss with her how

to manage her absences, how long her treatment will continue and consider whether you can agree in advance any changes to hours worked or duties that are mutually beneficial.

Your employee seems fit to work between treat-ments so it might not be possible to dismiss her at this stage because this may be considered “less favourable treatment” under the DDA.

Your recruit should only be a temporary arrange-ment for extra cover rather than a replacement for the employee receiving the cancer treatment.

However, as the employee who has cancer is likely to receive only statutory sick pay when off sick, unless there are different contractual arrangements, some savings on her wages costs can go towards the other person’s pay.

Contact the Legal Lifeline for more advice if the reasonable adjustments become unworkable.

I sell hair accessories and source unusual hairslides and clips from antique shops, charity shops, eBay and car-boot sales. Some of these products may be new and others second hand. Do they need to be labelled in a particular way for resale?It must be made clear to the customer whether the product is new or not. The customer is entitled to assume it is new unless there is any indication to the contrary.

All items sold in the course of business must comply with the Sale of Goods Act 1979 in that they are fit for the purpose for which they are sold and of a satisfac-tory quality.

YoUr LEGAL ProBLEMS

SoLvED


FeDeRAtION

FOCUS

Vidal Sassoon and the NHF have clinched a mutual coup after Bruce Masefield, the iconic hairdressing group’s creative director, and the Sas-soon UK creative team, agreed to men-tor NHF Inspire.

The mentors from the Regis UK-owned business took over from Akin Konizi, Sean Dawson and the hob creative team last month.

They will educate and help develop the NHF’s art team through seminars, photoshoots and presentation demon-strations.

Masefield and the Sassoon UK crea-tive team are internationally renowned for the highest artistic standards and NHF Inspire has developed to become one of the industry’s top art teams un-der the tutelage of its former hob men-tors and, prior to that, Charlie Taylor.

The Sassoon name is synonymous with hairdressing with a reputation as pioneers within the industry and as lead-ers of innovation and influence for all other creative teams in the UK. Masefield is personally known for his influence and creativity and his commitment to the development of emerging talent.

Masefield said it was a pleasure to be able to mentor NHF Inspire. “We’re all excited to work on this project and teach the members our world-class techniques while giving them the op-portunity to grow in their knowledge

and experiences. We at Sassoon believe that edu-cation is integral to the growth of any stylist and from here the platform for creativity is built.”

Eileen Lawson, NHF secretary general, said: “We are delighted that Bruce Masefield and the Sassoon creative team will be working with us. NHF Inspire has devel-oped tremendously since its inception to become one of the best art teams in the business. I am confident that with the help of the Sassoon men-tors, NHF Inspire will continue to grow in stature and its team members will be even more in demand for presentations, demonstrations and photoshoots.

“NHF Inspire is a shop window for the creative talent of our members and highlights the calibre and skill of our professional membership.”

SASSooN iNSPirES

Leanne Willis and Franco Colabella did great Britain proud when they took overall individual gold and Silver medals at the Organisation Mondiale de la Coiffure europe Cup 2010 in Frankfurt.Willis, from The Venue, in Ashington, Northumberland, took gold in the Senior Ladies’ Long hair Open, achieving maxi-mum points in this category, and gold in the Long hair

evening Style.“It was my first gold in the ladies’ category interna-tionally and it made me feel that I could do well at the World Hairdressing Championships. It has made me even more determined now,” she said.Colabella, from Franco International, in Pennfields, Wolverhampton, took gold in the Senior gents’ Classics and Bronze in the senior gents’ Fashion, giving him a Silver overall in the men’s individual.he said his hopes for the World Championships were “extremely high” and his per-formance was a confidence booster for the rest of the senior gents’ team.• Turn to page 18-21 for the SalonFocus World Championships special.

FRANKFURt FLOURISh – WILLIS AND COLABELLA TRIUMPH

BRUCE MASEFIELD WILL MENTOR NHF INSPIRE

L-R: LLOYD GRIFFITHS,

SALVATORE FOD-ERA, LEANNE

WILLIS, FRANCO COLABELLA AND STEPHEN COLES

MAY/JUiNE 2010 SALONFOCUS PAGE 17

thOMSON ILLUMINAteS NORth WeStthe Federation’s new man-agement accountant, Simon Thomson, provided an illuminated insight into the NhF’s move over to central treasury at the North West Area’s annual general meet-ing in Lancaster. the move to central treasury was brought about by the NhF’s registration as an Industrial & Provident Society, approved at the Federation’s conference held in Leeds last October.Several people present want-ed clarification about proce-dural issues and thomson promptly addressed their queries. he explained that the intro-duction of central treasury meant each area and branch would continue to have their own bank account with the ability to both pay in cheques and issue cheques locally. head office could carry

out these services on their behalf if they preferred but only with area or branch authority. head office would be able to provide a full accounting service to areas and branches, giving a more efficient and ultimately cost-effective service to its members as well as attract-ing premium interest rates on investments. thomson answered further questions about the simple processes which areas and branches would need to complete so they could submit monthly returns to head office.two areas had already completed a smooth transfer to central treasury and he would personally be dealing with all areas and branches throughout the switch. he said he remained con-fident of completing the project by the August 31 deadline.

• The following officers were elected: Ian Barrell, president, Cheryl Swarbrick, vice-president, Ken Taylor, area secretary and June Taylor, assistant secretary. Linda Cornell was elected as NeC representative and Graham Collins, Eileen Clough, Harry Kohl, Michael Burgum and Stephen Coles were elected as committee members.• The NHF is recruiting for the post of honorary treasurer. A nomination form for this position is included with this issue of SalonFocus. Please contact Tina Beaumont at head office on 01234 831965 or 0845 3456500 if yours is missing.

INSPIRe ReCRUItS INtegRAtethe newest NHF Inspire recruits have wasted little time making their presence known as part of the fastest developing art team within the industry. Katy Grimshaw, from Celeste Arnold Hair and Make-Up, in Bury, Lancashire, Kayleigh Louise Nicholas, from the CF40 Experience, in Cornwall, Colin McAndrew, owner of Medusa, in edinburgh, and Matthew Guy Sutcliffe, from Westrow, in Leeds, threw themselves into educational days and a photographic shoot mentored by the hob artistic team.

SPOILt FOR ChOICethe judges of the NHF Photographic Stylists of the Year 2010 had a tough time deciding the winners with 88 entries for the ladies and 35 for the men.Finalists will attend the awards presentation at the British Open Hairdressing Championships in Cardiff on May 16.the winning photographs will be published in the next issue of SalonFocus.

the BeSt BRItISh OPeN Yet, vOWS CORAYNhF vice-president Mark Coray has vowed that this year’s British Open Championships will be the best yet.“this is the first time it has been to Wales and the Welsh Area is determined to make this the best British Open ever to be held in the NhF,” he said.entries were pouring in to meet the May 2 closing date for the extravaganza on May 16 at Cardiff City Stadium.Stephanie Munno, NhF assistant secretary, said the event was fast becoming the single greatest highlight of the annual hairdressing competitions calendar.“We are looking forward to entrants from France and germany who have prom-ised they will be competing.”Cardiff’s local radio sta-tions, Red Dragon and the Thunders will support Help a South Wales Child.they will run events on the day to raise money for the charity.

NeW NhF WeBSIte WINS PRAISePraise has started to pour in for the new NhF website which went live in March.“A website that we have been waiting for,” was typical of the comments received.Stephanie Munno, assistant secretary, said: “We hope our members are delighted with the new look, espe-cially with the new e-shop where they can order every-thing they require.” this would be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week and would prevent delays, she said.She encouraged members to visit www.nhf.info fre-quently to keep up to date with hot industry topics, the

latest press releases and submissions to government bodies.New to the site are the area and branch pages where members can find news and local events and identify key contacts.video clips of Team GB and NHF Inspire, industry surveys and members’ own shop window, accessible by clicking on their salon details, will be added during the year.

www.nhf.info

BLOOM At ReD ROSethe Red Rose Championships have bounced back after an absence of two years. Competitors produced superb work at the event which gave members of Squad gB another opportunity to hone their skills in the run-up to the World Hairdressing Championships.Jury members praised the high stand-ard in all categories, and congratulat-ed all competitors on their hard work at the North West Area-organised event in Samlesbury, Lancashire.Emma Saxon, from Stephen Coles Hair Design, Lytham-St-Annes, was trainee Ladies’ Champion, Ryan Hughes, from John Karl, Southport, Men’s Champion and Leanne Willis, from The Venue, in Ashington, Northumberland, the Senior Ladies’ Champion as well as winner of the Photographic Competition.Other winners were: trainee Ladies’ Fashion Blow Dry – Hannah Clague, from Reds Hair Company, Ross on Wye; Men’s Fashion on Long hair – Kyle Brotherton, from Triangles Hair & Beauty, Blackburn; Ladies’ Long hair Down (Day Style) – Leanne Willis; Junior Ladies’ trend Cut on Manikin heads – Linzi Weare, Reds Hair Company; trainee Ladies’ hair Up – emma Saxon; Ladies’ Colour Award – Caroline Gerrard, from Gerrards Professional Hair & Style, Yeovil Somerset; Men’s trend Cut – Ryan hughes; Ladies Long hair Up (evening Style) – Leanne Willis; Junior Ladies’ evening fashion on Long hair – Shauni Grey, from Jackson Gray, Dundee; the Bride – Wendy Croall, from Stephen Coles hair Design.

WINNeRS

SIMON THOMSON ExTOLS CENTRAL

TREASURY VIRTUES

THE BRIDE CATEGORY –

WINNER WENDY CROALL

(STANDING 2ND LEFT)

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Top hairdressers the world over are counting down the months to the greatest spectacular in hairdressing – the biennial OMC World Hairdressing Championships in Paris on November 7-8.

More than 1,000 competitors will pull out all the stops for victory in the various fashion and technical categories at the ever-growing extravaganza which has a massive impact on the international hairdressing community.

Team GB manager Wendy Harris called a general meeting of the full squad to plan strategy and nine training dates were booked in the run-up to Paris.

The team will look to build on 2008 when Steven Smart, from Smart Est 73, won Gold Medals.

Harris said: “Work is progressing really well. My hopes are extremely high for the Junior Fashion and Senior Fashion and the Junior Classics, in particular.”

She thought Wendy Croall, from Stephen Coles Hair Design, in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, would do well, as would Ben Price, from Robert John Hair Group, in Portishead, Bristol. “I think Belinda Dwyer,

from Jon Richard, Bradford, West Yorkshire, shows a lot of promise,” she said.

New squad memebers include Lucy Macey, from Marc Weston, Bristol, and hopes are high for Linzi Wear, from Reds Hair Company, Ross-on-Wye.

William Davis, another new member, who works for Franco International, in Pennfields,

Wolverhampton, is said to have also recently upped his game.

Others out to impress are Leanne Willis, from The Venue, in Ashington, Northumberland, Julie Wallis, from Renaissance, in Upminster, Essex, Edith Webster, The Hair Company,

Solihull, and Kimm Elwell, Escape Hair Studio, in Cannock, Staffordshire.“I believe all of the squad are listening and

taking advice and they are watching and learning from all the other competitions they have entered, not just internationally but regionally and nationally as well. They have completely changed their way of thinking,” Harris said.

World Hairdressing


Count doWn to paris

Sponsors of Team GB

SEPTEMBEr/ocToBEr 2009 SALONFOCUS PAGE 19www.nhf.info MAY/JUNE 2010 SALONFOCUS PAGE 19

Harris eXpeCts plaCingWendy Harris, Team GB manager, tells Stephanie Munno she is optimistic about a placing for the British competitors this year in Paris

SM: What do you realistically expect this year?WH: I definitely expect us to do better than last time and, with the training sessions booked right up until Paris, I expect us to be placed. The ideas are flowing better and there is much more enthusiasm.

SM: Which countries should we look out for?WH: We need to look out for Russia, France, Germany, Italy and possibly Korea.

SM: Who has excelled in their training?WH: Wendy Croall, without a doubt, is superb and has recently moved up from the Junior Ladies’ Classics to the Senior Ladies’ Classics. She is already in the lead in the points system. Leanne Willis always excels in her training and Julie Wallis has been working hard and her performance has much improved. Tayla Murdy is exceptional as a 14-year-old girl who is still at school and has already won a Gold Medal. She is in the Junior Fashion in Paris and I expect great things from her.

SM: What are your predictions?WH: We have a young lad in the Men’s Classic Juniors, Christian Howley, who is exceptional and we hope for great things from him, too. We have a couple of new people in the squad, including William Davis, who works for Franco Colabella. We see great things for him. We saw promise in Lucy Macey in the Southamp-ton competitions where she was placed.

SM: How do the training sessions work?WH: When individuals first arrive we give them a short while to settle down to help get their manikin heads ready and then we do timed tests. A team of people, such as Mark Coray, Stephen Coles, Linda Cornell and I will go around giving constructive criticism as well as praise and then we get them to do it again, building on the comments we have given them. The hairdressers will progress to their next category and undergo the same routine.

It is pointless giving them hours to try and perfect a style when they only have 18 or 25 minutes on the competi-tion floor on the day. We would always give them time, maybe an hour, to try out new ideas, but the main structure of the training has got to be timed. They almost re-enact the competition. Sometimes we might stop them three minutes before the end, get them to step back and have a look at the style, see if there is any room for improvement then use that last bit of time to tweak.

SM: What advice are you giving to the squad members?WH: All we ask is that they work hard, come to the training sessions, listen and do their best. They have been given a fantastic opportunity to represent their country. It is crucial they enjoy it because they will not do well otherwise. Passion, energy and technical ability are important pre-requisites for a successful career on the competi-tion floor.

SM: How does the point system work for selecting squad members for the final Paris team?

WH: They get one point for attending a training session and five points for every competition they compete in.

If they win a Gold Medal they get 30 points, Silver – 25 points, Bronze – 20, fourth place –15 points, and fifth place – 10 points. Anyone who comes in below fifth place is not awarded points. The single training session points are added on to their total score. By the time this interview appears, the decision on who has made the team will have been made.

“ Wendy Harris: “ it is pointless giving tHem Hours to try and perfeCt a style WHen tHey only Have 18 or 25 minutes on tHe Competition floor.”

l’oreal professionnel baCks team gbThe NHF is delighted to announce an historic exclusive deal with L’Oreal Professionnel to sponsor Team GB to compete in Paris.

The sponsorship includes, among many things, exclusive use of L’Oreal styling products, training facilities and a professional make-up artist to join the team in training and at the World Championships.

(FROM L-R) STEPHEN COLES, LINDA CORNELL AND MARK CORAY GAVE CONSTRUCTIVE

CRITICISM AND PRAISE

Sponsors of Team GB


fit for purposeSquad GB members are sharpening their skills in a series of training sessions at Aston & Fincher, in Birmingham, in the run-up to the World Championships.

Remaining dates are June 20, July 18, August 15, September 26, October 17 and a full dress rehearsal on October 31.

The sessions are crucial because they teach the squad to work as a team. The sessions are highly structured: the squad have to work to competition timings, and each member’s work is critiqued and judged.

The training sessions also teach the squad to look out for their own faults, and they are taught how to make im-provements.

A debriefing at the end goes over important issues, and the final scenario covering costumes, hair colour and

make-up are discussed. In the run-up to the

Paris spectacular, the squad will enter the British Open Champi-onships on May 16, at the Cardiff City Stadium, and the South West Area Championships, on May 23.

Wendy Harris, team manager, and her fellow trainers approached the competition organisers who were holding their events early in the year to help to determine which area and branches were prepared to work with the team and pro-vide the competitions they needed.

The regional competitions that are structured like the international events, following the same rules, provide useful

sometHing for everyoneThe World Championships are open to all Organisation Mondial de la Coif-fure (OMC) member country organisa-tions, teams and individual competitors.

Up to four competitors to a team can register. The scores for the best three will count for the general classification of the team but the fourth member will receive the same awards and titles as the three official competitors.

“Wise men” observe the competitors and penalise any infractions accord-ing to the OMC penalty chart. Before the competition starts the wise men independently check the models on the floor to ensure all competitors have respected the competition rules.

Those who hold a jury certificate may be selected to form the jury groups for the World Cup and Europe Cup teams and individual tests of the ladies’ and gents’ sections

The NHF currently has 6 certified international jurors. On the ladies’ cat-egories – Mark Coray and Stephen Coles, and John Jenkins and on the gents’ – Ian Foreman, Graham Smith and Lloyd Griffiths.

All categories of the 26 competitions attract their own awards of 1st, 2nd or 3rd, and, if a larger competition floor, 4th and 5th.

MARK CORAY SHARES INVALUABLE ADVICE WITH BEN PRICE

squad vies for paris plaCesSquad GB members were vying to be picked for the final team destined to compete in Paris when SalonFocus went to press. Among them were (L-R:) Belinda Dywer, Ben Price, Brian Hastie, Caroline Gerrard, Christian How-ley, Edith Webster, William Davis, Tayla Murdy, Stephen Pyne, Shauni Gray, Philip Parkin, Lucy Macey, Linzi Weare, Leanne Willis, Laura Kel-land, Kimm Elwell, Julie Wallis, Franco Colabella and Gary Pearce.They have notched up between then an impres-sive collection of awards.

Sponsors of Team GB

SEPTEMBEr/ocToBEr 2009 SALONFOCUS PAGE 21www.nhf.info MAY/JUNE 2010 SALONFOCUS PAGE 21

experience because they are just like entering an international competition running on the same guidelines.

The team will make a presentation at the NHF Annual Conference in Dun-dee, on October 3, where they will run a workshop in the style of a training ses-sion, covering hair, make-up and clothes. The audience will have the opportunity to walk around and talk to them.

The audience will be able to ask ques-tions throughout and the workshop will finish with a catwalk presentation.

Harris said: “After being involved in the team for the last four to five years I feel that this is my most positive year because of the structure we now have in place with the trainers and the co-ordinators and everyone is in tune with each other.”

• For further information on all squad and officials please see the nhf website, www.nhf.info.

The competitions consist of Senior Ladies and Gents’ Fashion, Full Fashion and Technical Categories, Junior Ladies and Gents’ Fashion and Technical Categories and Es-thetics (Body Painting) and Nails – split into a total of 26 events.

There is something for everyone. Full Fashion, Bridal, Fantasy Hairstyles, Afro Total Look, Stage Make-Up, Body Painting, 3D Marriage, Fantasy Nail Design do not form part of the competitions for the Supreme Champion.

The OMC Supreme World Champion title will be awarded to competitors who have obtained the highest accu-mulated points in the combination tests of the Technical and Fashion combina-tion categories, in both the live model tests and the mannequin head tests of the senior and junior sections. If two individual competitors have equal points, the competitor who has the highest overall score in the technical combination tests will be the OMC Supreme Champion.

This year will be the eighth time Paris has hosted the biannual World Hairdressing Cham-pionships.

The Hairworld ex-travaganza had humble beginnings in 1946 when Organisation Mondi-ale de Coiffure (OMC) was created in Lyon, its aim to unite hairdressers internationally, strengthen the profession and organ-ise national and interna-tional competitions. Belgium, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg and Switzerland were founder members. It now is the world’s biggest beauty organisation.French schools were world leaders before German and Austrian schools overtook them. OMC chose Austria and Germany to host the championships many times in recognition of their contribution.The world’s first hairdress-ers’ art championship for ladies took place in 1947. Only “Coiffure Masters” could participate. “Haircut masters” did not join them until the fourth championship.

The World Hairdress-ing Championships in Brighton, England, in 1954, held the first gents’ competitions, followed by the first European Cham-pionships in ladies’ and men’s hairdressing in 1955 in Ostend, Belgium.The juniors were added 15 years later in Rotter-dam. Technical and fash-ion combination tests for seniors and juniors joined the mix in 2000.

British professionals were up with the best for many years: the Con-stantinou brothers hold a prominent position among world champions.Russians started partici-pating in 1990 and, two years later, they entered the top-10 – the year the Japanese men’s and wom-en’s teams triumphed.

The Italians took over at the end of the 90s when Francesco Milani, Aldo Vigolo and Eros Basta, pupils of Renzo Cinela-to, emerged victorious.

German masters became the winners of Hairworld in 2000, in Berlin and, in 2002, when the champi-onships were held in Las Vegas, Russia’s Union of Hairdressing and Cosmetologists, introduced manicure.

Salvatore Fodera, who has won more than 50 national and interna-tional competitions, was elected the OMC world president in Milan in No-vember 2004. Now as Hairworld comes to Paris again the sector will unite to create prob-ably one of the most colourful spectacles on the planet.

A SELECTION OF STYLES FROM CHICAGO 2008

World Hairdressing


from lyon to paris in 63

Sponsors of Team GB


Communication with clients is one of the most difficult things to get right but a good newsletter can overcome this barrier.

One of the main benefits is that it can make your salon more of a community, involve staff and clients in the business, and make customers feel cared about

and that their business is important to you. A newsletter can distinguish you from the

competition, something that is becoming increasingly difficult.

However, it is hard to pinpoint how a newsletter directly affects turnover but you could put offers on the bottom, such as complementary treatments with any colour service, and gauge the take-up from this.

The real benefit is in building client loyalty. Think of how other industries com-municate with their clients. Football clubs, supermarkets and banks are prime exam-ples; look at what they do and see what you can use.

ConSiStEnCyAmong the many consid-erations are how you will distribute your newsletter and

who you will send it to. I suggest you start it in a small way rather than go full out for one issue and then lose steam.

Consistency is key, so do not be over-ambitious; quarterly is more manageable than monthly.

Start writing once you have considered your readers and what they might want to learn. Remember the newsletter should be about them and their needs – rather than you and yours.

Ask yourself why you are doing it, what you hope it to achieve, what the frequency and distribution should be and the likely cost.

You do not necessarily need a professional jour-nalist to write your newsletter or a printer to print it. But it does have to look good and it should be written using correct spelling and grammar.

Get input from your team. Do you have someone who has a flair for writing or design? A lot of younger members of staff have skills in desktop publishing. Do not be afraid to use those people. Get feedback from

A well-composed newsletter can help build client loyalty, says Simon Shaw

Simon Shaw is the co-founder and past director of

international award-winning salon group

Haringtons. he runs Simon Shaw

Education and he is undertaking courses for L’Oreal in the UK

and abroad as well as privately for individual salons. he is a mentor

for L’Oreal’s id artist programme.

ShAW ThiNG

your team when you have done a draft and show select clients. We all have such a mixture of regulars and they are generally delighted to help.

vAluESIt is critical to ensure the newsletter matches the style and communicates the values of your salon. It might be read by people who are not existing clients so by reading your newsletter they should get a good feel for the business.

Think about keeping the letter in line with your brand and image, use the same corporate colours and the same font you use for your price list.

Make sure you use a decent grade of paper if printing as opposed to emailing. Get this wrong and it could put prospective clients off from visiting. Get it right and you can gain new clients.

A newsletter is generally shorter and punchier than a magazine. It is usually made up of one page and commu-nicates what is happening in the business. I think a magazine has to be pro-duced professionally for it to look credible but I have seen some stunning newsletters that have been produced entirely in-house.

One way of starting cheaply is to consider an e-newsletter. You need to collect clients’ email addresses and you must comply with the data protection laws. The obvious advantages are no

postal cost and less updating because people change their email addresses infrequently. The trick is to make them interesting so that a client wants to read it and does not treat it as spam.

Up-to-date client information is vital if you are going to post newsletters because every one not received probably wastes 50p.

It is the voice of your salon that clients should hear when they read your newsletter so it is a useful exercise to establish what that voice is, and what your salon represents. But do make it fun – it should not be a chore otherwise your enthusiasm will wane.

hIghLIghtSA newsletter can include:

• Staff information

• Events

• New services

• Promotional offers

• Client survey and

feedback request

• Inspiring news from

either staff or clients

• The owner’s leader

column to set the tone.


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Human hair wefts can be sewn in, commonly known as a weave – popular in the Afro hair market.

The transition from brunette to blonde, from straight to curly and back again could be achieved in a morning’s work, but “cutting it longer” defeated stylists, until exten-sions came along.

The market changes constantly and radically. The only products available were synthetic when they first came on the scene in the 80s. They looked exactly that and, as a result, were seen as a fad that only desperate fashion victims indulged in.

Extensions today range in price and quality. Any natural hair colour can be matched, along with various fantasy shades.

Every variety of texture is possible, from curly to smooth and straight, and the lengths vary enormously, too.

Extensions can be coloured or permed so it is easy to match or create any look or hair type. They also represent relatively good value after the initial outlay and taking into considera-tion the length of time they be worn.

WoWThey have the wow factor and

many clients cannot believe the difference in their appearance. To alter your look so radically and swiftly gives hair exten-

sions their own commercial sphere entirely.

Extensions have several benefits to clients: they

make hair longer instantly and make the agonisingly

slow process of growing hair longer much easier and less painful,

x Factor judge Cheryl Cole, models Kate Moss and Katie Price, ex-Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, actresses Drew Barrymore and Keira Knightley and pop diva Mariah Carey have helped popularise hair extensions in the last 10 years.

The sector is now estimated to be worth £65m a year in the UK alone – a fivefold increase on 2004.

The red-carpet look has changed in the past few years from short, structured bobs to big, glamorous curls overnight which would not have been possible without extensions which come in real or fake hair.

There are many ways to apply permanent extensions. Clip-ins are available for a temporary look, popular for weddings and special occasions.

avoiding the dilemma of how to style a head of hair that is in the process of being grown out.

They can make fine hair much thicker and give limp hair body and volume. They can also be

used to add colour, whether a high-lighted look or even a flash of green.

When choosing the right extensions for your clients there are several factors to take into consideration.

We only use Remy hair, in which the follicles all face the right direction as natural hair does, giving an added veneer of authenticity.

It is important that the right amount of wave, or lack of, is chosen because this will make the styling process much easier and less time consuming.

It is also important to choose the cor-rect hair type if the hair is fine or Afro, and the right colour to ensure it looks as believable as possible.

Choosing a suitable length may sound obvious but when you have a client who is desperate for long hair it is easy to overestimate and buy stock that is much too long. You then end up cutting a lot of it off and wasting money. It is difficult to quote your client a price accurately if you do not know exactly how much to order.

hair extensions are to the 21st Century what the wig was to the 60s and provide a rapid return on investment, says Michael Barnes

Michael Barnes is a specialist in bridal

hair, long hair and extensions.

he has styled Keira Knightley and Lily

Cole. Michael Barnes hairdressing is in

Shaftesbury Avenue, London.

LoNG viEW

www.nhf.info MAY/JUNE 2010 SALONFOCUS PAGE 25

We stock Goldwell Colourmatch which is matched to our colour system. I would then cut them if necessary and show the client how to apply them herself.

I would recommend pre-bonded Remy hair – we use Cinderella.

We, like most salons, do not keep a lot of hair in stock and most exten-sions companies operate a next day delivery service.

dEpoSitOnce we have decided on the hair type, length and colour we will order it and make the appointment. A deposit is usually required.

A full head of permanent bonded extensions takes on average about six hours and we charge accordingly. The client needs to be alerted to the fact from the outset that this is not a low-cost or quick operation either.

Salons charge £600-£2,500 per full head. The cost usually relates to the time the procedure takes, multiplied by how many cuts you could do in that

ConSultAtionThe consultation is critical. Paying proper care and attention to this is imperative and will go a long way to ensuring that you have a happy client. The most important question to ask is what the client wants and expects to get from extensions.

Does she want length, body or colour or possibly all three? If she wants extra length I would warn her that this will require a fairly steep lifestyle altera-tion. Her hair will take much longer, and probably require more effort, to dry. Long hair, even if it has been acquired instantly, is still not a low-maintenance option. If the client wants colour then a traditional colour consultation is also necessary to determine which colours and effects are required.

I would recommend bonded exten-sions if a client wants to have the extra length and forget about them. These will last anything up to six months. If she just wants something temporary, I would recommend clip-in extensions.

time, then adding a premium to make it worthwhile. The cost of the hair itself is also factored in to the equation.

The initial cost of buying the kit and training is not expensive. Most companies do great deals in the hope you will feel an allegiance and buy their products in the future. You would expect to break even after only two full heads of extensions.

Good extensions are now almost impossible to spot, are natural looking and make the hair appear in great condition. In the future I have no doubt that there will be quicker, easier ways of applying extensions and they will have no impact on the condition of the natural hair.

AftERCAREHair extensions need to be applied cor-rectly and it is imperative that you do not cut corners. Aftercare products are available, and we build them into the price to ensure clients will not compro-mise the longevity of our work.

One of the most important aftercare items is a special looped extension brush that will not pull or tangle the extensions. We usually cut the exten-sions with a razor or use slide-cutting techniques because we feel the result looks far more realistic than traditional layering methods.

Our male extensions clients are few; they tend to have partial extensions for a fringe or maybe some length at the back. They are the type of men who have edge, are extremely fashion conscious and have creative jobs where they can express themselves.

We find that the classic extensions client is the woman who wants it and wants it now. She is in control of every area of her life and does not see why she should have to wait two years for the hairstyle she wants on the night she wants it. Thankfully we are now in a position to help her get exactly what she requires.

SUPERMODEL LILY COLE GOES FOR THE DRAMATIC LOOK

HAIR ExTENSIONS NEED TO BE APPLIED CORRECTLY AND IT IS IMPERATIVE YOU DO NOT CUT CORNERS


The products must be compliant with the European Union Cosmetics Directive and the supplier must be able to fulfil a minimum order and maintain consistent supply if they are to be considered for rollout throughout the business.

The central buying, merchandising and marketing departments work together to create a plan-o-gram for every range that is in-store.

Our detailed plan-o-gram, created for every range and sub range, comprises an agreed strategy and tactical plan for the product. It might contain everything from shelf plans for product display to information on key selling points and anticipated sales figures.

REviEWEdThe entire retail proposition is reviewed quarterly during our product and mer-chandising meetings when we consider how each product is performing against goals set.

We discuss whether the strategy needs to be reviewed or if the product simply is not viable for our business. We also discuss potential new lines and

talk about what lifestyle trends might offer new opportunities for us.

Regis examines the entire nature of a new partnership with a distributor when considering new lines and not just the goods and the margins available.

We look at the overall visibility of the products nationally and how they are supported with marketing, PR and advertising. We also

consider the product education on offer and work with the distributor or manufacturer to push through sales with promotions and team incentives.

We have a dedicated buying and merchandising team that maximises the relationship for everyone, ensuring the suppliers are well managed and that product supply is reliable and uninterrupted.

Logistically the management and movement of such large volumes of stock is highly sophisticated. Some goods are purchased directly from the US and Regis seeks to hold four to six weeks of stock in the central warehouse.

Data is drawn down from each salon’s computerised stock and sales system every night and replenished by an automated replacement system.

A window exists during which salon managers can adjust orders, any changes are reviewed and then fulfilled with the automated order.

CHECKEdManagers set minimum and maximum quantity parameters for products used in-salon and, to avoid wastage or anom-alies, orders and stock held are checked by the area supervisors when they visit.

The “just-in-time” stock ordering system contributes to the optimum efficiency for each salon and the corporate company.

The group has carved out a harmo-nious system where warehousing and distribution costs are as small as possible, while buying, marketing, merchandising and promotion create maximum profit.

Regis UK blends all the experience of its global parent with its own domestic knowledge to ensure this essential busi-ness process is integrated, intelligent and efficient.

SUccESSFUL

BUYiNG For ProFiT Jackie Lang has been

managing director of Regis UK since 2008. She is responsible for 450 salons that include Regis’s UK branches and vidal Sassoon salons in the UK, germany and USA.

Astute buying is crucial for achieving the right product mix and desired margins, writes Jackie Lang

TRADE SECRET IS UNUSUAL IN THE UK FOR ITS HEAVY FOCUS ON PRODUCTS

Regis UK has developed a hairdressing business that has harvested years of commercial experience to hone its business processes for success.

Buying products for salon use and retail is no exception and our company has a strong structure in place to tackle everything from assessing potential new lines to reviewing how each unit performs.

All our buying is done centrally from our Coventry corporate office. We bring product into our depot near Solihull using a logistics company and then outsource national distribution to our salons around the UK using a courier.

We buy from many suppliers both for retail and in-salon use and list products right through the spectrum from global companies, such as L’Oreal, down to small national companies, such as Tangle Teezer.

SCAlERegis is a huge consumer and retailer of product and moves about eight million units through the business in any single year. This gives an indication of the scale that our buying processes tackle. We have rigorous conditions with which we require potential suppliers to comply but they are all realistic and achievable.

It is in our interests to seek the highest margins and best terms but the sup-plier also has the advantage of putting product through 450 salons with one central deal and achieving amazing volume.

The Regis Artistic Team, led by Julie-Anne Newton, first test potential products for a month before going on to be fully piloted in several salons around the UK once they are happy with them.

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I tell clients what I am doing with the hairdryer. You have to show them how to care for it at home. You get fewer complaints, customers have more faith in you and there will be more of a change.

Usually when you start hairdressing at 16 or 17 you begin with a reasonably priced hairdryer from Babyliss or Remington. When I started working with Lee Stafford everyone in the salon had a Parlux which is a hairdressers’ hairdryer and is to hair-drying what Wahl is to clippers or ghd is to straighteners.

Parlux is not just about the power and the heat but it is the longevity that also impresses me. With most hairdryers the motors blow. I expect a hairdryer to last at least 12 months, using it five or six days a week, on five or six clients a day. Even if mine has not worn out, I replace everyone’s dryer annually.

QuAlityA salon of my size with 15 hairdressers would spend about £700 a year on hairdryers.

In BBC 3’s Young Hairdresser of the Year, which I judged last year with Beverly C, I found the finishing of hair was the weakest area of students’ work.

Blow-drying is about being able to finish some-one’s hair without intro-ducing clips and hairspray. I think once people have learnt the fundamentals of hairdressing there should be an extra crash course on finishing.

The industry teaches people how to cut and how to do a cut-and-finish look but we do not really teach them how to finish hair beautifully. Putting the right finish on a haircut can make all the difference.

Hair-drying, if you ask any hairdresser, is the last thing you really master. You will always find the client will complain most times about the way their hair has been finished rather than the way it has been cut.

You could give someone a basic haircut, finish it beautifully and it could look like a million dollars. There are thousand ways to dry hair but techni-cally only a few ways to cut hair.

fuSSyI am fussy about the finishing of hair – it is the last thing I pass people on. Where a lot of hairdressers go wrong is they spend 45 minutes in the shops and make it look like a million dollars, wave goodbye and the client wakes up two days later and says what the **** has he done to may hair?

Quality remains the key factor for most salon hairdryer purchases. It is the most used electrical appliance within the salon so longevity and power are key attributes that you should look for. Purchasing a trusted quality brand in the long term is better value for money as opposed to choosing a cheaper dryer that will only last a fraction of the time.

The lifespan of a hairdryer can depend on many factors, one of which is the quality of the equipment and how it is made.

Most professional hairdryers use AC heavy-duty motors, while retail dryers use lightweight DC Motors which can produce heat, but not power, and do not have the long life of an AC motor.

A professional, reputable brand is always advised for efficiency, durability and value for money.

Another factor is how well they are looked after. It is always essential to make sure that the rear filter of a dryer is kept clean and free of hair. If the filter becomes blocked this can damage the

Drying hair correctly is a craft in itself so it makes sense to buy the best

equipment you can to help make the best of your skills, says Adee Phelan

Adee Phelan is an award-winning hair stylist, who rose to

fame on Channel 4’s The Salon. he is a

favourite with a host of celebrity clients. his

eponymous salon is in Covent garden, in London’s West end.

he is ambassador for hair tools.

ThE ArT oF

MASTEriNG hAirDrYErS

HAITO DRYER COLLECTION:HAIR DRYER WHITE ON BLACK.

HAITO DRYER COLLECTION:PURPLE HANDS HAIR DRYER.


motor and therefore significantly reduce the lifespan.

All stylists should be using a high quality professional brand because they are much more durable than a consumer electrical product as well as delivering the best performance. Also certain dryers offer special features that can result in hair that is healthier. Ceramic Ionic Technology, for example preserves the natural moisture in the hair.

Expensive does not necessarily mean the best but, as a rule, you do get what you pay for.

I hope hairdryers improve in the future. My biggest pet hate is cables and leads. They say if you make them cordless they will lose power. Leads get-ting tangled up in chairs and wrapped around clients’ necks is a nightmare.

My dream scenario would be a cord-less hairdryer that actually works.

Hairdryers have become smaller over time but with more power. Continuous research and development within the hairdryer market means they have

developed vastly over the past years, in power as well as design.

Hairdryers continue to improve in wattage and airflow which results in a higher power and therefore faster drying time. Also hairdryers are now being designed more ergonomically and lighter which results in a more comfortable machine to work with and reduces operating fatigue.

REtAilI sell about 20 professional hairdryers from the salon a month. They sell them-selves. There is a retail opportunity there for salons and novelty dryers can come into their own here.

The trend at the moment with regards to novelty dryers is patterns and colours. The Haito dryer collection, for example, offers fun, eye-catching designs, such as ladybird, wood effect and handprints.

Another popular novelty item is the mini dryer which is good for selling in the salon for their portability. People buy straighteners from salons, so why not dryers?

The salon provides an excellent platform to present and sell products to their clients and is a more effective selling tool than trying to sell from a shop shelf.

Clients are more inclined to buy a product if they can see the end result through demonstration and also if a professional recommendation is given.

Retail sales within the salon have always been a major part of the hairdressing service. The professional advice offered to your clients is an important selling tool. There is no need to compete with the high street and supermarkets; the key is to concentrate on promoting the professional angle.

It is essential that salons emphasise the difference between retail and professional appliances and that buying professional products rather than the standard retail electricals is more economical in the long run.

Clients are more willing to pay higher prices for professional products that can help them sustain and recreate the salon look at home. As a salon owner, it is essential that your staff are up-to-date with features and benefits of the products you sell.

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they show an interest. You could get a list printed on a postcard or leaflet, or just talk them through the steps they should take if you prefer.• Suggest a new look that is specifically designed to make the hair look thicker. You could develop some cool cuts with innovative names to tempt them.• Recommend subtle colouring tech-niques that will change the texture and appearance of their hair to enhance the thickness. I work with Goldwell which has some amazing products for effective colouring without damage.• Recommend your client takes a vitamin supplement that is proven to promote hair growth. Leading tricholo-gist Dr David Kingsley endorses the Nourkin range.• Suggest they have a medical check up to eliminate any potential problems such as diabetes, thyroid conditions or menopausal symptoms.• Encourage them to consider exten-sions, especially if you offer the service. Modern extensions products and techniques are great but make sure you get the job of cutting them.

Summer is on its way and it is great to feel the first signs of our long, awaited recovery from recession. My friends at GMTV asked if I would join them to perform quick-fix transfor-mations on the shoppers of Manchester.

Resident GMTV clothes stylist Mark Hayes, celebrity make-up artist Daniel Sandler and top hairstylist and friend Steven Glendenning completed the dream team, and we were camped out at the Arn-dale Shopping Centre

in Manchester for three days. We had a blast. It was great fun, sat-

isfying and testing my creativity to the limit, especially when doing a full restyle and finish in less than 20 minutes.

tHinning HAiR Thinning hair affects about thirty per cent of the population, and while it is becoming easier to talk about hair loss from cancer treatment, it is otherwise still relatively taboo to discuss the issue of thinning hair.

One out of three clients could suffer from it and they would be really appreciative of help from their hairstylist so this is something that presents an opportunity to help your clients and your business.

I am launching a campaign to address the issue and would like to share with SalonFocus readers my tips on how to tackle the problem:• You can bring the sensitive issue up with a client who has thin or thinning hair by saying you are involved in a salon campaign to help everyone achieve thicker-looking hair.• Suggest they follow your top tips if

• Experiment with styling techniques using straighteners or tongs. Often a client just needs to be shown how and

they will become devotees and buy everything they need from your salon.• Do not forget that shampoos and finishing products can all make hair look thicker. Do not be afraid to recommend.

Just starting a dialogue will lead to you offering so many solutions. Your client will feel and look better and will be grateful for your expertise, and you will sell many more products and services than you would have done before.

Use the information you compile and maybe a client story to get some valuable PR in your local press.

You could become the thinning-hair expert in your area.

So take a tip from me: help your clients, help your business and help reduce the problem of thinning hair.

SEASonAl tREndSIt is not long now until summer arrives and this is what you should be talking to your clients about to make the most of current trends: plaits – loose and undone; hair accessories – bows and flowers; crimping – not all over, just random sections and low ponytails – fixed to one side.

Now is also the time to plan summer colour.

I look forward to catching up with you all again in July.

hairdressing icon Beverly C has twice

won the British hairdresser of the

Year Award and she was the first female

hairdresser to be awarded an MBe. She is a brand ambassador

for Goldwell and Babyliss, and she

is a regular face on tv and in the press.

ThE

BEVERLY CoLUMN BEVERLY C

DEMONSTRATES HER SKILLS ON STAGE

L-R RESIDENT GMTV CLOTHES STYLIST MARK HAYES, CELEBRITY MAKE-UP ARTIST DANIEL SANDLER AND BEVERLY C AND SESSION STYLIST STEVEN GLENDENNING


A range of exclusive stationery and literature for NHF members

salonplus

www.nhf.info

New brochure out now or visit www.nhf.info

NHF06084 eshop ad 2.indd 1 13/4/10 14:12:54

eveNtSnot to BE MiSSEd…

NhF eveNtS

OtheRS

Please send in your events to the NHF at enquiries@

nhf.info by May10 to appear in July/August, July 10

to appear in September/October and September 10

to appear in November/December. Updated events

listed on www.nhf.info.

10OCtCheshire Championships, NK Theatres, Romiley Forum, Compstall Road, Romiley, Stockport. Call Ian Barrell on 0161 427 6953.

16-18OCtSalon International, ExCel, London. Tickets on sale from May 1. Contact the sales team on 020 8652 8268.

6-8NOvThe World hairdressing Championships, Mondial Coiffure Beaute, Porte de Versailles, Paris. For further details call Stephanie Munno on 01234 834 381.

21NOv South of england Championships at the Novotel Southampton. Contact Andrea Light on 01794 521849.

16-14JUNehair expo Australia, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. Tickets online from www.hairexpoaustralia.com.au.

5/6 JULYWella Professionals Business Network event. Call 01256 490806.

19-20 SePtOlympia Beauty, at Grand Hall, Olympia, London. Free trade tickets available from www.olympiabeauty.co.uk.

27 SePteast Midlands Area has booked Patrick Cameron, Festival Hall, Kirkby in Ashfield. Call Ivan Blount, 01773 745580.

Wella Professionals Trend Vision Awards 2010 UK Final. Call 01256 490806.

3-4 OCtNhF AgM & Conference, Apex City Quay Hotel, Dundee, Scotland. Call 0845 345 6500 or 01234 831965.

23MAY South West Area Championships. Contact Pat or Doug Cording on 01386 561704.

30-31MAYAfro hair and Beauty Live, Alexandra Palace, London, N22. Tickets £12 on the door. Available from www.afrohairshow.com, call 020 7498 1795 or email [email protected].

1-3JUNeBeautyworld Middle east at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. More details at www.beautyworldme.com.

16MAY British Open Championships at Cardiff City Stadium, home of Cardiff City Football Club and Cardiff Blues Rugby Club. Open to all hairdressers. A must for those interested in developing their creative career. NhF Inspire will be showcased throughout the day. Presentation awards for NhF Photographic Stylist of the Year. Call 0845 345 6500.


Open to all Hairdressers

Sunday 16th May 2010

Cardiff City

StadiumLeckwith Road,

Cardiff CF11 8AZ

Closing Date For Entries

2nd May 2010

National Hairdressers’ Federation

1 Abbey Court

Fraser Road

Priory Business Park

Bedford MK44 3WH

Tel: 0845 345 6500

01234 831 965

Fax: 01234 838 875

Website www.nhf.info

Join us,

you’ll love it!

BRITISH OPENHAIRDRESSINGCHAMPIONSHIPS

NHF Inspire

A5 Champs Flyer 10/12/09 4

:32 pm Page 1


Nail art has something to offer every-one who is interested in capturing the imagination.

Most trends stem from the fashion industry and celebrity endorsement: the dark, black-red of Chanel’s Rouge Noir that Uma Thurman wore in Pulp Fiction 16 years ago is still as popular a shade as it was in the 90s.

You can spot the next Rouge Noir by keeping an eye on fashion trends in cult films, on the catwalk and by indulg-ing in a spot of celebrity-spotting. Eve and Lindsay Lohan regularly use this medium to express creativity.

The younger clients will often be the ones to embrace new trends first but these trends are modified over time to entice even the most conservative of middle-aged customers.

MEtAlliCS Celebrities, such as Mischa Barton and Heidi Klum are sporting metallics - the hottest trend for 2010.

There is a metallic shade to suit everyone, whether you want to make a strong, bold statement or require a trendy twist on a nude or neutral shade.

A desire for black nail polish will remain for a long time yet. It provides rebellion in a bottle, giving a dressed-down grungy look on the one hand, while it can be cool and classy, too, on the other: perfectly polished black nails add an edge to ultra-feminine outfits.

However, black is high-maintenance colour because it shows every little chip. This is a factor that gives the added opportunity for increased revenue from frequent repolishing services or retailing of nail-care products.

Black also gives a perfect backdrop to either metallic silver or white nail-art designs which will be a good evening look this year.

Another hot trend will be shades of white and matte colours, both of which provide a perfect canvas for fresh spring and summer designs.

a jewel or two, or the most understated of metallic designs.

Do not overwhelm them. Consider their profes-sion, lifestyle and personal tastes to ensure the design is appropriate.

For those who already love and enjoy nail art, work on new designs that you can show them on their next visit.

Inspiration can be taken from almost anywhere, including fabric designs and elements from nature.

dEMAndIntroducing nail art does not involve a huge capital outlay so there is really no financial risk in trying out new designs.

It always helps if customers can visu-alise designs so displaying sample nails is vital, and reception and manicure staff should model designs on their own nails.

Seasonality as well as fashion trends influence designs. As trends change from season to season, nail art provides an inexpensive and fun way of keeping something fresh going on in your salon throughout the year.

Whatever your clients choose, the result will be unfailingly eye-catch-ing and will get people talking about your business.

Floral designs are always popular in the summer and this does not look like it will change. Nail art for toes are also expected to be popular this summer, especially simple floral designs.

WEddingSNail art has become more popular for weddings and brides still request French manicure.

The classic pink and white look can be given a twist with a line of fine crys-tals across the “smile line” or adding small, discreet bows or butterflies in pink or white to bring the classic French nail look up to date.

Nail colour and nail art is linked to face make-up and we have been seeing lots of purple lips on the catwalks and on celebrities such as Rihanna.

Purple lipstick is not for everyone, but your clients can be on-trend and look pretty in plum with purple shades on their nails combined with metallic, abstract nail-art designs.

Many clients are still conservative when it comes to choosing nail art for themselves even though more and more celebrities are taking to it.

Clients seem to either love or hate it but some have never even considered it. The trick is to convert new clients to nail art, building on the current trend for more fun in fashion. This is where subtle, simple designs on natural nails come in.

Try starting with basic stickers which are perfect for this because they enable clients with natural nails to experiment, perhaps by adding one or two floral designs.

A client who has never had nail art before is more likely to try nail art for an evening function when even the most conservative can easily be introduced to

NAiLiNG iTSilver, platinum, chrome and graphite are the hottest nail-art trends to watch out for this year, reports Angela Bartlett

A HOT NAIL REPERTOIRE WILL WOW YOUR CLIENTS AND KEEP

THEM COMING BACK FOR MORE

Angela Bartlett is chairman of the British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology and the Confederation of International Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology.

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www.nhf.infoPAGE 34 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2010

BACKWASh

JOhN ARMStRONg What interests you most about hairdressing? I am NeC member for eastern Counties and what inter-ests me about hairdressing more than anything else is the clients and colleagues – the satisfaction of provid-ing a total experience for the client. I have always been interested in the technical side of hairdressing.

What would you like to achieve?My hairdressing ambitions for the future focus on the NhF. In the last year we have made a huge move forward and achieved what we had not managed to do in the previous 10. I am determined to see the objectives set out in the Strategy for the 21st Century achieved. the key ones for me are to increase membership, and to make the NhF the national voice of British hairdressing – not just one of the players – and raise standards and professionalism in hairdressing.What interests do you have outside hairdressing?I enjoy fishing, watercolour painting, a bit of golf, supporting Norwich City and being with my three grandchildren. they sharpen up the little grey cells with their constant questions and speed of actions.

ANN gODDARDWhat interests you most about hairdressing? I chair the West of Scotland Area. hairdressing is excit-ing and there is always something new to learn be-cause of changes from season to season. hairdressing is an obsession with me, especially competition work.What would you like to achieve?

I hope to gain a wealth of new experiences as part of the new NhF structure and as a new member of the NeC so that longer term I will be in the position to pass on my hairdressing strengths and knowledge to further the education of others and encourage train-ing within the industry.What interests do you have outside hairdressing?I am a member and past president of Inner Wheel of hamilton, the ladies section of Rotary. We do lots of work to raise money for chari-ties. I am a team leader at our local drop-in centre and sit on the main organising committee which is run through the local churches of Scotland.

NEC-FactorSalonFocus helps you get to know some of the big policy makers in the NHF from the National Executive Council (NEC)

If you have stories for Backwash, send them to the editor at head office or e-mail to [email protected] putting editor Backwash in the subject line.

WHAt SpARKly

did nExtThere is charity and there is charity but Toby Rundle’s sparkly hot-pants will not be to everyone’s liking.

The celebrity stylist donned his tight little number complete with white socks at Jo Hansford, in Mayfair, as part of a campaign to raise sponsorship funds for the Hair & Beauty Benevolent’s charity-skydive.

Rundle raised £300 that day towards his goal, and no doubt a few eyebrows, too.

He threatened to wear the dinky little number again when he planned to join other salon staff for the stratospheric plunge.

Backwash hopes birds on the wing will be wearing sunglasses.

Terrible news, Backwash readers – Lancashire barber Jeff Stone has been barred from taking clients’ hair home to use as compost.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council says discarded hair qualifies as trade waste and must be emptied at landfill sites.

Stone is understood to be terribly upset.

And his hairicot beans are thought to be all the poorer.

Stone me!

lAzy dAySDid you read about the Norfolk Jobcentre Plus that initially refused to accept an ad for a “reliable” worker for fear it discrimi-nated against unreliable people?

Imagine a salon forced to run the following: “This salon welcomes applications from lazy and hard-working hairdressers equally.”

Backwash is all for inclusivity but sometimes political correctness can be taken too far.

gonE WitH

tHE HAiROur condolences go to the family of Tran Van Hay, of Vietnam, who has finally departed this world.

The length of his “unwashed” hair at the time of death was put at 22ft 3ins.

He apparently had been growing his mane for more than 50 years because he often got sick after a haircut.

Backwash feels sure it would have been a different story if he had visited an NHF-member salon.

New customersCall 0800 731 8921*

Existing customersCall 0845 702 3344**

Making the most of the connections you already have.

Important notesHSBC Merchant services reserve the right not to open a card processing facility. This offer is not available with any other offer and is subject to our card processing Terms and Conditions. * Textphone 0845 602 4818.Lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) *Lines are open everyday (except Christmas day) 8am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm Sunday, 10am to 4pm public holidays. To helpus continually improve our service and in the interest of security, we may monitor and/or record your communication with us.

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