SALON MAGAZINE: WINTER 2025

TEXTURE

& STYLING

TIPS FOR

expanding

your skills

for curly hair

A GUIDE TO

creating holiday,

bridal and specialoccasion

styles

NEW YEAR, NEW

OPPORTUNITIES

Smart strategies

to help grow your

business

WINTER 2025 | salonmagazine.ca

“

IGORA

VIBRANCE

IS A GAME

CHANGER

TRACEY CUNNINGHAM

U.S. Creative Director of

Color & Technique

”

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Offers fuller deposit with up to 70% grey blending

• HEALTHY-FEELING,

SHINY HAIR

AQUAXYL + Vitamins B3 and B5

help protect hair’s integrity

• EASIER LIFT

For future color services and changes

no direct dye build-up

• 90+ CUSTOMIZABLE SHADES

For limitless creative mixes

GET EVERYTHING TRACEY

USED TO SWITCH TO VIBRANCE

Conversion

Guide

Number System

Training

Alkaline Demi

Color Explained

More!

@SchwarzkopfCAN @SchwarzkopfCAN @SchwarzkopfProfessionalCanada Schwarzkopf Professional Canada

© 2025 Henkel Canada Corporation

MOROCCANOILPROFESSIONALS.COM.

NEW MOROCCANOIL TREATMENT MIST

Light-as-air dry oil spray instantly absorbs into hair

for enhanced manageability and shine.

SHADES

OF INTENSITY

NEW INTENSE REDS, COPPERS, AND VIOLETS

Intensified pigments, high-impact results, and endless customization.

7RR/7.66 6RR/6.66 5RR/5.66 4RR/4.66

7CC/7.44 5CC/5.44 10VV/10.22 9VV/9.22 8VV/8.22

Color Rhapsody Permanent

Color Calypso Demi-Permanent

MoroccanoilProfessionals.com

Winter 2025

34

MELISSA DUGUAY,

THE SAVVY SHOP,

DIEPPE, N.B.

“Representation is so

important because we

live in Canada, which is

such a melting pot. It’s

essential to learn how to

do all types of hair.”

22

FEATURE

Shake Up Your Skills

As more curly-haired

clients are looking to rock

their natural texture, there

is a growing demand for

hairstylists to be able to

work with all hair types. Get

tips on how to expand your

texture skills and become a

more versatile stylist.

26

FEATURE

Styling for the Season

From holiday and bridal

parties to special occasions

and events, we’re breaking

down some expert tips for

achieving this season’s most

requested styles. Plus, find out

ways to boost business with

in-salon treatments and hair

extensions.

31

INSPIRATION

Collections

Erin Fernandes; Melissa

Duguay; Frede Bassette,

Melanie Foster & Martin

Menard; Annabel Payne;

Industry Hair and Esthetics

— RASHAD ANTHONY, A TORONTO-BASED CURLY-HAIR SPECIALIST

AND REDKEN ARTIST

ON THE COVER: HAIR: ANNABEL PAYNE, TONI&GUY, LONDON, U.K., MAKEUP: LOUISE LEREGO

WARDROBE STYLING: BORNA PRIKASKI, PHOTO: NARITA SAVOOR

salonmagazine.ca / Winter 2025 7

10

Editor’s Letter

12

LET’S GET DIGITAL

SalonMagazine.ca

Stay up-to-date on industry

news and Contessa

announcements. Plus,

discover new trends,

techniques and inspiration

with our latest how-tos and

collections.

13

WHAT’S NEW?

Hairlines

Get to know some of this

season’s latest launches in

styling, haircare, colour and

more. Plus, get haircutting

tips for creating healthy and

expensive-looking shapes

and styles.

38

ANNABEL PAYNE,

TONI&GUY, LONDON, U.K.

32

ERIN FERNANDES,

BON BON SALON,

LONDON, ONT.

42

See the Contessa

2026 Finalists!

46

P R O F I L E

Curl Queen

Discover how Canadian

salon owner, hairstylist

and curl expert Reema

Jaber got her start in the

salon industry and what

motivated her to specialize

in curly hair. Plus, learn

about her signature curly

dry-cutting technique.

48

P R O F I L E

Style Savant

Learn how Vancouver-born,

celebrity hairstylist Harry

Josh works with his highprofile

clients for some of the

biggest red-carpet moments

and continues to appreciate

his work with clients behind

the chair. Plus, get his top tips

on education, consultations

and this season’s hottest

trends.

50

BUSINESS

Planning Ahead

With downtime approaching

for many salons, now is the

time to consider making

meaningful changes to your

business. From hiring staff

and retaining clients to

increasing retail and pricing,

get expert tips on how to

boost business and plan for

success in the

new year.

52

Events + Scoop

64

SALON SOURCE

Entering a New Era

With the opening of new

corporate and franchise stores

across the country, Chatters

has been continuing to grow

and evolve. We caught up

with their new CEO, Kelly

West, along with Chatters’

ambassadors to learn more

about their stories and

discover how Canada’s largest

salon chain has been retaining

its stylists for more than

34 years.

8 salonmagazine.ca / Winter 2025

DISCOVER

MORE–

RIGHT AT YOUR

FINGERTIPS

BUILD A

REWARDING

CAREER

GET THE

LATEST

INDUSTRY

NEWS

SEE STUNNING

COLLECTIONS

FIND THE

TECHNICAL

ADVICE YOU

C R AV E

alonmagazine.ca

salonmagazine

SalonMag

Salon_Magazine

9 salonmagazine.ca / September 2020

SalonMagazine

Salon Magazine

ISSN 1197-1495, VOLUME 34, ISSUE 4

SALONMAGAZINE.CA

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Veronica Boodhan

veronica@salonmagazine.ca

Editor’s Letter —

ART DIRECTOR Barbara Burrows

DIGITAL SPECIALIST Shanice Romelus

shanice@salonmagazine.ca

DIGITAL COORDINATOR Lauren Farrugia

lauren@salonmagazine.ca

CONTRIBUTORS Aleah Balas, Corinna Reeves

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Marc Gadbois

marc@salonmagazine.ca

PRODUCTION MANAGER Alan Swinton

production@salonmagazine.ca

Here for You

At the time of writing this, our team is putting the final touches on planning the biggest

night of the year: the 37th annual Contessa Awards!

This much-anticipated event is truly a culmination of all the hard work we put in over

the past 12 months to ensure that the biggest night in Canadian professional beauty is

one to remember.

And this year, the celebration is bigger than ever with the addition of our new

Contessa Connective education day, featuring look-and-learn presentations from 23

artists across seven professional brands. Saying there’s a lot to be learned from this

experience is an understatement, and we’re incredibly proud of the range of talent we

have participating in this inaugural event.

Because at the end of the day, the Contessas are not about us. They’re about you—the

hairstylist, colourist and beauty pro who is dedicated to their craft every day and always

seeking ways to step outside of their comfort zone.

Hosting this globally recognized event has been a privilege that we don’t take lightly.

And for as long as I have a seat at the helm, we’ll never lose sight of that.

Something I’m also proud to be leading is Salon’s ongoing focus on curly-textured

hair. For our Winter Texture & Styling issue, we’re combining two worlds that have lived

separately for far too long. In “Shake Up Your Skills” (page 22), we’re taking a deep dive

into the journeys of curl specialists and hairstylists who understand the importance of

diversifying their skills. As the number of clients and their frequency of salon visits is

changing, there’s no better time to consider expanding your skill sets to be a more

well-rounded and inclusive stylist.

In “Styling for the Season” (page 26), we’re equipping you with tips and tricks to

transform your hairstyles this winter and beyond as we tackle the holidays, bridal hair,

special occasions and more.

For those who are ready for some much-needed downtime, we’re breaking down ways

to use the time off to benefit your business in “Planning Ahead” (page 50) and help set

you up for success in the new year.

As I count down the days to celebrate with all of you, I encourage you to challenge

yourself and take on something new. Whether it’s mentoring, volunteering or trying a

new skill, these are the times we get to rediscover ourselves and the love of our craft.

Go for it!

Veronica Boodhan

Editorial Director

PHOTOGRAPH BY DOUG MCMILLAN, HAIR AND MAKEUP BY DIANA CARREIRO

OFFICE MANAGER Lucy Arkell

lucy@salonmagazine.ca

CIRCULATION MANAGER Adrian Holland

helpdesk@subscriptions.salon

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & PUBLISHER

Tom Arkell

tom@salonmagazine.ca

Salon Magazine

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Find Your

Inspiration

Explore our extensive

archive of editorial

collections by global, awardwinning

hairstylists and get

ready to fuel your creativity

with new ideas that will

elevate your hair game.

GET CONNECTED

Relive the power of

connection from the

first-ever Contessa

Connective, a full day

of look-and-learn

presentations featuring 23 Canadian

and global artists across seven

industry-leading brands. Learn more

about this year’s lineup and stay tuned

for interviews with the educators.

YOUR DREAM

JOB AWAITS

Looking for a fresh

start in the new year?

Browse our job board

to learn about new

opportunities in the

beauty industry or post

a free listing to attract

new talent.

See the

Winners

The highly anticipated

37th annual Contessa

Awards delivered

unforgettable moments

onstage as the

2026 winners were

announced. See all the

winning collections

and stay tuned for

Q&A interviews to

learn more about their

inspiration, career

journey and more.

Be in the Know

Stay ahead of the trends

by subscribing to our

weekly newsletter for

exclusive updates on

the latest beauty news,

Contessa announcements

and expert tips delivered

right to your inbox.

Holiday-Hair

Magic

’Tis the season for

show-stopping glam!

Follow our how-tos

and step-by-steps

to recreate dazzling

holiday-hair looks that

will make your clients

the star of every party.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): HAIR: CAROL RITCHIE, CAROL RITCHIE HAIR, SOUTHSEA, U.K.,

MAKEUP: SAFY BURTON, WARDROBE STYLING: LEWIS ROBERT CAMERON,

PHOTO: DESMOND MURRAY, HAIR: ANNA PETERS, HAIR ASSISTANT: MANDI DAVIDSON,

MAKEUP: TIFFANY SIMONS, PHOTO: TRACY ARREDONDO


PHOTO: HAIR: BILL TSIKNARIS, CHRIS TSIKNARIS & TEAM, TSIKNARIS HAIR, AUSTRALIA, MAKEUP: BROOKE CLARKE, PHOTO: BILL TSIKNARIS

GET SET FOR THE

WINTER SEASON

WITH THE LATEST

IN STYLING, CARE,

COLOUR AND MORE.

To celebrate the art of

transformation while

discovering the connection

between texture, individuality

and bold colour, this Australian

award-winning collection,

Emerge, by Bill Tsiknaris

and his team, combines

contemporary haircutting

with striking styling and

shades. Inspired by feminine

strength and self-expression,

the whimsical collection

blends carefully sculpted

shapes and a range of hair

textures with vibrant pops of

colour and strokes of pastel

hues to convey the team’s

narrative of empowerment and

creativity. It’s sure to inspire

experimentation in both you

and your clients.


Hairlines — NEWS

DID YOU KNOW?

ORIBE’S DRY

TEXTURIZING SPRAY

WAS NAMED THE TOP

STYLING PRODUCT

IN SALON’S 2025

READER’S CHOICE

AWARDS!

Transformative

Results

Level up your colour and

styling game this season with

Moroccanoil’s intense reds, coppers

and violets. Plus, get your clients

ready for the holidays with the new

Texture & Volume Powder.

With high-saturated pigments for impactful results and

infinite customization, Moroccanoil’s latest Color Rhapsody

Permanent Cream Color and Color Calypso Demi-Permanent

Gloss and Cream Color shades are perfect for creating some

of this season’s most highly requested looks. From cherry-cola

red to vibrant copper to pearlescent violet, the shades can be

used to intensify your colour or neutralize tones with the violet

shades to cancel out unwanted warmth and yellow undertones

for icy blonde results.

For styles in need of an extra boost this season,

Moroccanoil’s Texture & Volume Powder provides instant

yet lightweight lift. Designed for all hair types, the powder is

especially beneficial for fine, thin and flat hair since it provides

soft, buildable body for natural, effortless-looking volume.

Signature

Style

Rediscover Oribe’s

bestselling Dry Texturizing

Spray this season with the

Look More campaign.

In honour of the iconic spray’s 15th

anniversary, Oribe has released its Look

More campaign, which is inspired by the

brand’s co-founder and namesake, Oribe

Canales. According to global principal

artist Mandee Tauber, the campaign

features styles that are designed to

celebrate female empowerment with

an effortlessly cool finish. “The hair is

all about volume, natural movement

and seductive texture, with a lived-in

finish that embodies strength, style and

confidence,” says Tauber. In addition to

building luxurious texture and volume, the

invisible dry spray absorbs oil at the root

without any powdery residue.

Joining Forces

Henkel Canada announces its

partnership with Strategies for the

launch of Business Education on Club H.

In collaboration with Strategies—a leader in salonbusiness

education—Henkel Canada is launching

Business Education on Club H, a rewards program

for salons and independent operators. This new

initiative will bring an array of professional

development tools and training opportunities

to help salon owners and stylists improve their

businesses, maximize profitability and boost their

confidence. From coaching packages that include

one-on-one mentorship and hands-on coaching

to training events featuring in-person workshops

to a growing library of free online lessons that

cover topics like leadership, communication and

financial literacy, Club H now offers its members

access to exclusive training that’s specific to the

salon industry and both practical and applicable.

PHOTO (CLOCKWISE): MOROCCANOIL, WELLA PROFESSIONALS, DAVINES, AVEDA, CLUB H, ORIBE


Sleeker Than

Your Average

Transform hair from the inside out with

Smoothfiller, the new in-salon service

from Wella Professionals.

Whether your clients are dealing with hair that is

naturally frizzy, prone to frizz due to humidity or

damaged from overuse of hair dryers and hot tools,

this revolutionary demi-permanent keratin treatment

offers smooth results with reduced frizz for up to three

months. With its minimalistic formula featuring only

eight ingredients that are vegan, fragrance-free and made

without the use of silicones and mineral oil, it also emits

low fumes. The treatment addresses porosity gaps in the

hair that can contribute to frizz.

How does it work? The formula’s active ingredient

deeply penetrates hair beneath the surface. With

thermal activation through blow-drying, the

active ingredient fills porosity gaps with

a longer-lasting bond, so the results are

instantly smoother hair with less frizz.

Best of all, it can be completed in less

than two hours. Plus, since it’s not

a straightening service, it can be

used on all hair textures (including

curls and coils) for softer hair and

improved manageability.

MORE TO LOVE

Davines adds four

new warm shades to

its demi-alkaline colour

line, The Present Time.

From bold coppers and bright golds to

soft blondes and rich brunettes, these

four nuances from Davines’ The Present

Time demi-alkaline colour line are right on

trend with what many clients are looking

for this season. Nuance 01 (Orange) is

a vibrant hue that offers intensity and

shine. Nuance 02 (10,34) is a soft goldcopper

mix for a warm, buttery blonde.

Nuance 03 (8,43) is a warm-copper

shade for depth and vibrancy. Nuance 04

(6,34) is a dark copper-gold blonde that’s

ideal for warming up your darker-haired

clients this season.

Hairlines — NEWS

The Bigger, The Better

Create extra-voluminous hair with Aveda’s Abundant Blowout.

For clients seeking big hair this season, Aveda’s all-over volumizing spray

instantly doubles hair’s volume for up to 24 hours. The spray’s fine micromist

provides even coverage with an ultra-lightweight, flexible finish.

With a vegan formula containing 98 per cent naturally derived ingredients,

it features a heat-activated botanical volumizing carb complex of rice protein

for plumping, pullulan ferment for strand separation and cane sugar for

structure. Plus, it provides humidity defence and heat protection up to 450°F.


Change Up

Create effortless styles with BaBylissPRO’s Style/Switch

curl attachments.

Hairlines — NEWS

Just in time for the holidays, this two-piece set of air curling attachments

for the brand’s Nano Titanium Style/Switch Ionic Multi-Styler & Dryer

features 1.5-inch barrels for left and right curls and a 5.5-inch barrel length

that’s perfect for creating big, bouncy curls. Featuring streamlined airflow

technology, which gently attracts, wraps and styles hair, the attachments

help curl hair faster without damage from extreme heat. Plus, each

attachment features a cool-to-touch tip. Pro tip: Use the attachments

on slightly damp or dry hair and set the curls with the Style/Switch’s

cold shot button.

Dig Deep

Help your clients embrace dark,

intense tones with Pravana’s

ChromaSilk Deep Chroma.

The four permanent crème colour

shades are 3.11 (Deep Intense Green

Brown), 3.99 (Dark Intense Blue

Brown), 4.66 (Dark Intense Red Brown)

and 4.77 (Dark Intense Violet Brown)

and are suitable for all hair types,

ranging from curly and coily to wavy

and straight. Lasting up to 20 washes,

the colour boosts shine after one use

and leaves hair softer after a single

service. Plus, these permanent shades

can be used with Pravana’s Zero Lift for

demi-permanent like results.

CURL WORLD

Enhance your client’s

natural texture with

Curl Shampoo and

Curl Conditioner

from Alcôve.

As more people look to embrace their natural

curls and coils, Alcôve’s Curl Shampoo and Curl

Conditioner are designed to tame frizz and

protect strands from environmental damage

for soft, bouncy and defined results. Plus, both

products are vegan, cruelty-free and formulated

without sulfates, parabens, silicones, salts,

gluten and any harsh additives.

PHOTO (CLOCKWISE): DANNYCO PROFESSIONAL, GELISH, OPI, BIO SCULPTURE, ORLY, ARTISTIC NAIL DESIGN, INSTAGRAM, CND, ALCÔVE, PRAVANA


MIXED METALLICS

HOLIDAY INSPO

Gelish

Crystal Snowdrop, a silver diamond

glitter from the Floral Wonderland

collection, is sure to help your clients

shine bright for the holidays.

1

2

3

Hairlines — NAILS

OPI

For some rose-gold glam

this season, reach for

Butter Me Up from OPI’s Good

Enough to Treat collection.

4

5

6

Festive Flair

From warm and cozy tones to dark and decadent hues to shimmery and shiny shades, we’ve

rounded up some of our favourite nail looks of the season to help your clients slay the holidays.

Bio Sculpture

Create magic manis with

Star of Wonder, a reflective gold

glitter from the Holiday

collection.

Orly

The 2000s collection

features a range of millenniuminspired

shades like the icy,

brushed-silver chrome

Chillax.

Artistic Nail Design

Create enchanting looks

with the Starlight Trance collection,

featuring the gold-glitter shade

Starlight Abyss.

1 In celebration of Diwali, actress Priyanka

Chopra Jonas rocked this dazzling ombré

glitter look by celebrity manicurist Michelle

Humphrey using Bio Sculpture’s EVO colour

Odette.

2 Also by Humphrey is this holiday-ready

French tip with a shimmery deep-red shade,

complete with crystal embellishments.

3 For this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion

Show, Los Angeles-based nail artist Kim

Truong created this red-hot look for singer

Karol G using Aprés Nail Official’s gel couleur

in Vampire Drink.

Oils for All

Give nails fast-absorbing moisture with CND’s LightningOil.

Plus, add a sensorial experience to your services with the limited-edition

SolarOil Amber Woods and Jasmine Blossom.

4 Celebrity manicurist Tom Bachik used

a fall-favourite oxblood shade to create

this “vampy cherry-cola” look for Jennifer

Lopez.

5 For actress Emily Blunt, celebrity manicurist

and educator Julie Kandalec created this

“toffee glacé” look, featuring glittery-gold

French tips.

6 It was “go gold or go home” at the recent

Alice + Olivia show at New York Fashion

Week, where nail artist Miss Pop painted

almond extensions with gold chrome and

silver glitter.

For clients who struggle with dry cuticles, nails and skin, CND’s LightningOil provides

lightweight hydration with quick absorption, and is perfect for clients with normal to oily or

combination skin. Formulated with a blend of copra, rosehip and rice bran oils and vitamin E,

the oil features a yuzu-ginger scent and is recommended for morning use for all-day moisture.

To step up your nail services for the holiday season, the brand’s limited-edition SolarOil

Amber Woods and SolarOil Jasmine Blossom are infused with jojoba oil and vitamin E to

moisturize and condition nails and cuticles while offering an aromatherapeutic experience.

SolarOil Amber Woods has an inviting fragrance that combines creamy sandalwood, amber

and sweet cherry, while SolarOil Jasmine Blossom features floral notes of sweet bergamot,

jasmine and lily of the valley.


Season of Gifting

Hairlines — HOLIDAY SETS

Moroccanoil

From hydration and volume to repair and

frizz control, Moroccanoil is addressing

some of the most common hair concerns

with its holiday collections. These bundles

include some of the brand’s signature

argan-oil-infused hair and body products,

making them the perfect addition to

your retail offerings this season. Each set

includes a full-size shampoo, conditioner

and shower gel, along with a mini of the

award-winning Moroccanoil Treatment.

Plus, the products come with a luxe quilted

pouch that’s ready for gifting.

From special-edition sets to holiday-inspired packaging,

see how some of your favourite brands are celebrating

the festive season with their latest product offerings.

Kerasilk

For the 2025 holiday season, Kerasilk has teamed up with

Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Maggi Simpkins to

create four exclusively designed haircare sets. Inspired by

Simpkins’s own story of entrepreneurship and artistry,

combined with Kerasilk’s innovation, the collaboration

is designed to showcase strength, artistry and classic

beauty. The collaboration includes the Repairing Trio,

Color Protecting Trio, Smoothing Trio and Travel Repairing

Trio. The Repairing, Color Protecting and Smoothing sets

include a full-size shampoo and conditioner, along with a

75-millilitre bottle of the brand’s Taming Balm or Multi-

Purpose Hairspray. The travel set includes a 50-millilitre

bottle of Kerasilk’s Liquid Cuticle Filler.

Oribe

Continuing its annual tradition of

collaborating with a groundbreaking

artist, Oribe has partnered with Finnish

multidisciplinary artist Kustaa Saksi

on the brand’s latest holiday sets.

Specializing in statement-making

storytelling through patterns, textiles and

installations, Saksi has created Golden

Threads, a woven artwork design that

garners inspiration from Oribe’s goddess emblem and the brand’s

signature black-and-cream design for its bestselling Gold Lust

collection. Among the four sets are the Gold Lust and Gold Lust

Liter sets, along with the Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Set and

Côte d’Azur Hand Wash and Crème Set—the perfect way to elevate

your client’s salon experience by appealing to their senses with the

brand’s signature fragrance.

PHOTO (CLOCKWISE): MOROCCANOIL, KERASILK, REDKEN, KMS HAIR, DESIGNME HAIR,

MILK_SHAKE, ORIBE


Redken

Inspired by the brand’s

signature street style,

Redken has released four

limited-edition holiday

gift sets for some of its

beloved and bestselling

haircare lines. The Acidic

Bonding Concentrate

Complete Set includes

a full size of the line’s

shampoo and conditioner,

along with the 24/7 Night

& Day Serum. The Acidic

Color Gloss Complete

Set includes shampoo,

conditioner and the

Naked Gloss Lightweight

Shine Oil. The All Soft

Duo includes a full-size

shampoo and conditioner.

The One United Holiday

Gift Set includes a full-size

and travel-size Leave-in

Conditioner.

KMS Hair

Whether it’s bond-building repair or long-lasting colour,

KMS Hair has two three-step haircare sets that are designed

to promote hair health and colour vibrancy. Featuring a

full-size shampoo, conditioner and treatment, the sets

include upcycled ingredients that offer high performance

and are clean and eco-conscious. As a stocking stuffer, the

brand has also released the KMS Hair Favorites Sampler

Set, which features a 75-millilitre bottle of Moistrepair

Shampoo and Conditioner, Thermashape Quick Blow Dry

and Hairplay Dry Wax. It’s ideal for clients who are travelling

or just in need of a quick pick-me-up this season!

DesignMe Hair

To continue to showcase the power and importance of

inclusivity, DesignMe Hair has extended its partnership

with JEM Workshop—a non-profit organization that

offers assistance to adults with different abilities—to a

wide range of holiday kits that include full-size products

and minis. The Hair in the Clouds kits include a fullsize

shampoo and conditioner, along with a travel-size

treatment from DesignMe Hair’s bestselling haircare.

Hairlines — HOLIDAY SETS

milk_shake

Celebrate the season in style with five curated Trio kits from milk_shake’s bestselling

haircare lines: Color Care, Color Care Flower Power, Integrity, Moisture Plus and Icy

Blond. Each set includes shampoo, conditioner and the brand’s signature Incredible

Milk leave-in treatment.

For some extra festive fun, milk_shake has also released six mini holiday

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Lotion, Leave In Conditioner, Leave In Conditioner Flower and Dry Shampoo, making

these the perfect retail add-ons and stocking stuffers!


Hairlines — SHORTCUTS

A Cut

Above

WITH RISING DEMAND FOR HEALTHY,

EXPENSIVE-LOOKING HAIR, WE CHECKED

IN WITH THREE EXPERTS FOR THEIR TOP

TIPS, TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES TO HELP

YOU ELEVATE YOUR HAIRCUTS.

Using terms like “old money” and

“expensive,” clients are not only looking

for services that offer a more polished

finish but are also seeking stylists and

salons that can offer them an elevated

experience.

While expensive-looking hair colour

has been a trend lately, it shouldn’t stop

there. After all, the haircut is what sets

the tone for your client’s overall look.

“When we colour hair, we usually

blend the formula and plan the entire

service before starting, and I think we

should do the same with haircutting,”

says Tania Lacoste Major, a Montrealbased

hairstylist and Moroccanoil artistic

team member. “Creating a road map and

having clear intentions will really make

a difference. Without it, you’re going

to fall into creating the same look on

everyone.”

“Luxury means personalization, not

repetition,” she adds. “A luxury haircut is

about customization and enhancing your

guests’ favourite features and softening

the ones they’re less confident about.

That’s a level of artistry that will set you

apart from other stylists.”

Knowing the Difference

When trying to achieve more expensivelooking

results, start by understanding

the differences that would turn a good

haircut into a great one.

“You can have a good haircut done

where your client walks out of the salon

and they’re good for a few weeks, but

then the cut starts to lose its shape,” says

Nadia Mack, an Ottawa-based hairstylist

PRO TIP

WHEN CLIENTS ARE

SEEKING EXPENSIVE-

LOOKING HAIRCUTS,

THEY’LL OFTEN REQUEST

A STYLE THAT OFFERS A

LOT OF MOVEMENT, WHICH

CAN INSTANTLY ELEVATE

THE FINAL LOOK. EXPERTS

SHARE THAT YOU SHOULD

CONSIDER ALL FACTORS AND

OPTIONS, SUCH AS C-SHAPE

AND CONCAVE LAYERS, AS

WELL AS INTERNAL VERSUS

EXTERNAL LAYERS.

and field education trainer for Wella

Company. “A great haircut would be

a cut that’s suited for the client’s hair

type and style, and, therefore, cut in a

way that it will wear itself. There’s not

much effort needed in styling it—a great

haircut styles itself. For example, if you

cut a pixie in the way that the hair wants

to fall, the client doesn’t need to put in

much effort with a flat iron or round

brush. It’ll wear itself.”

In addition to creating a haircut that

doesn’t require much styling effort from

the client, thinking about the ways that

you can customize the cut based on each

individual client is essential in taking the

final result to the next level.

“I think how the cut complements the

head shape is a big one,” says Angelo

Vega, owner of Salon Evolution, a

barbershop in Laval, Que., and a Redken

artist and educator. “When a haircut is

done from a beginner or someone with

less experience, they tend to do a haircut

that’s just more comfortable to them, not

something that can be customized to the

client. I look at the lifestyle of the client

and their willingness to maintain the

haircut. That plays a huge role in what

haircut I choose.”

Techniques and Tools

Hairstylists take pride in having a wide

range of haircutting techniques they can

use, as well as a kit full of their favourite

tools. However, to take a cut from good

to great, some of these may be more

useful than others.

“I think less is more, so I love the

texture line-cutting technique,” says

TEXT: LAUREN FARRUGIA, HAIR: DAVID CORBETT, DAVID CORBETT HAIRDRESSING,

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, MAKEUP: MADDIE AUSTIN & LAN GREALIS,

WARDROBE STYLING: CLARE FRITH, PHOTO: MICHAEL YOUNG,

HAIR & WARDROBE STYLING: NICOLE KAE, NICOLE KAE CREATIVE, AUSTRALIA,

MAKEUP: CHEREINE WADDELL, PHOTO: ANDREW O'TOOLE


“I LIKE SEEING THAT THE TRENDS ARE BECOMING

A LITTLE MORE STRUCTURED AND EXPENSIVE

LOOKING, AND THAT CLIENTS ARE CRAVING

ELEVATION AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT.”

— TANIA LACOSTE MAJOR, A HAIRSTYLIST AND MOROCCANOIL ARTISTIC TEAM MEMBER, MONTREAL, QUE.

Lacoste Major. “It’s very simple—it’s

cutting everything with point cutting.

This way, you’re adding texture and

removing length at the same time. It

allows me to avoid putting any harsh

lines anywhere, so I’m creating texture

and focusing on my shape.”

“A common issue I see is removing

the first guideline [on their clipper or

trimmer], being the zero to the 0.5. That

first line is very hard for people because

their machine isn’t zero gapped,” adds

Vega. “Zero gapped means that the

blades are stuck to each other and there’s

no space between the two blades, so

that way it can be a longer length than a

zero. It’s important to have one machine

that’s made to remove that line and then

another machine that’s made to do the

rest of the haircut.”

It’s also important to go back to the

basics and consider body position and

techniques for wet- and dry-cutting to

ensure the most even finish. According

to Mack, she often sees stylists making

the mistake of letting some of the hair

dry throughout the cut.

“We start with wet hair, but as we’re

working, it starts to dry, which causes

the hair to bounce up so it’s not at the

same length anymore, but we’re still

going with the same guide,” she says.

“Next would be posture. When stylists

are too close to the client, they might not

be looking from the right angle. So step

back, take a look and then make sure you

have the right body posture and angle

before you start cutting.”

Making the Cut

Experts share that many clients are

asking for the expensive version of

haircuts and trends that have been

around for a while, so just nailing your

existing techniques for how you would

normally cut these styles can take your

finished product a step further.

“If my client is asking for something

‘old money’ or ‘expensive,’ they need to

show me a picture because expensive

can mean something to me, but it might

be different to everyone,” says Lacoste

Major. “I’ve been getting asked a lot

about the ‘old-money bob,’ and I think

the success to mine is creating a true

square line and not having the front

pieces jump like an Italian bob.”

“For bobs these days, what I’m

seeing with trends is that clients want

something that will appear one length.

But to create a very good square line that

appears one length, you need to master

cutting your bob with low tension,” she

adds. “So take your section into your

comb, not your fingers, and you want to

make sure it doesn’t flip out. You also

need to leave a little bit of length in the

front so once it dries, it looks one length.

That sounds easy to do, but it’s about

knowing what amount of length to leave

in the front so it will appear one length.

Sometimes you need to do more internal

texture than external texture on a bob

because clients want the bob to appear

one length, so just understand how you

can debulk and use graduation to your

advantage.”

Just like the bob, longer, layered

haircuts such as shag or mullet have been

around and modified into new trends

like the butterfly, wolf and octopus. “The

butterfly has that beautiful long hair, but

you don’t want to layer too much to get

rid of the fullness at the bottom of the

cut because there’s nothing worse than a

long, stringy haircut,” says Mack. “Really

save the length and the fullness from the

occipital bone down to the nape and then

just bring everything forward.”

Since the butterfly haircut is based

on face framing and layers, classic

techniques can be used, but the key to

nailing these new and expensive-looking

haircuts is understanding what they are

and knowing what techniques you can

use to achieve your client’s ideal result.

“I love TikTok for putting new names

on things that we’ve been doing for years

behind the chair, but let’s not be scared

of new names and trends—just dissect

them,” says Lacoste Major. “Another

example of this is ghost layers, which, for

me, go back to internal texture. Maybe

you need to do your ghost layers with

a graduation elevation to preserve the

density of the hair, so you have to know

what you’re doing to decide on the right

layer for your client.”

For his male clients, Vega has noticed

that many are steering away from

haircuts inspired by the baggier styles

from the 2000s and opting for more

expensive, European-inspired looks.

“People want flow and texture in their

hair,” he says. “They’re looking for midlength

haircuts with flow, texture and

tapers. I like to build length internally on

the head and go shorter externally. So

the sections that I’m making are to build

weight on top, so, that way, the transition

looks flawless from, let’s say, a taper to

the long hair on top.”

For any length of cut and all genders,

experts agree that it really comes to

perfecting the base of the cut.

“I really encourage a great foundation,”

says Mack. “It comes down to clean and

neat sectioning—that way you end up

with a neater line. Sometimes, stylists

can get carried away and take bigger

sections, which become messier. Having

a precise line is what’s going to elevate

that and make it look more expensive.”


HAKE UP

YOUR SKILLS

As more people embrace

their natural curls, coils

and waves, there’s no

better time to expand

your skill set and cater

to a wider range of

clientele. Find out how

these hairstylists and curl

experts levelled up their

education, and discover

ways you can, too.

BY ALEAH BALAS

The lack of education around textured

hair has been an ongoing issue for

decades. Since professional training in

Canada has largely followed European

standards of beauty, it has left many

hairstylists without the comprehensive

education—and confidence—to work

with the full spectrum of hair textures.

Considering that an estimated 65 per

cent of the global population has textured

hair, it’s clear that this disparity needs to

be addressed with more hairstylists doing

their part to fill in the gap.

“Being able to accommodate as many

people in the community as possible

is not only beneficial to your business

but also your confidence,” says Cyan

Caruso-Comas, a Montreal-based curl

specialist and co-founder of Aura Beauté.

“Being able to confidently say ‘Yes, I can

cut your hair, no matter the texture of it’

or ‘We are specialists in haircutting for

all textures’ and offer something that a


“I’M SO THRILLED TO SEE THE CHANGE IN

OUR INDUSTRY WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS

WITH EXPERTS NOT GATEKEEPING THEIR

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE AROUND IT.”

— ROBIN LACHANCE, A CONTESSA-WINNING HAIRSTYLIST AT TINTED LOVE HAIR STUDIO IN BARRIE,

ONT., AND MEMBER OF THE SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL CANADIAN ARTISTIC TEAM

PHOTO: HAIR: PETTERI RANTAEILOLA, SCOTT COOPER & ERROL DOUGLAS FOR INNERSENSE, MAKEUP: RUTH MARCELLA,

WARDROBE STYLING: BORNA PRIKASKI, PHOTO: CHRIS BULEZUIK, HAIR: SARAH MCCULLOCH, SARAH MCCULLOCH HAIR, U.K.,

MAKEUP: LOUISE BROWN, WARDROBE STYLING: MICHELLE WATSON, PHOTO: LEE JARRED HOWELL, ADOBE STOCK

lot of other people don’t is really the way

to stand out. That’s how you’re going to

attract people.”

Cultural Shift

With the beauty industry undergoing

a powerful shift toward individuality

and authenticity, hair is at the heart of

it. However, it wasn’t always the case.

Historically, stylists who have been

interested in learning curly-textured

skills have had to actively seek out

additional education opportunities on

their own time and at their own expense.

“I really took it as my own personal

responsibility,” says Robin LaChance, a

Contessa-winning hairstylist at Tinted

Love Hair Studio in Barrie, Ont., and

member of the Schwarzkopf Professional

Canadian artistic team. “Within the

last decade, there wasn’t as much

information out there, so if we don’t

know how to do something, we need to

source out how to do it.”

While paid education can be a

challenge, especially as stylists and

salons are still adjusting to the new

normal of clients returning to their

chairs less often, investing in yourself

doesn’t always have to be monetary. It’s

the time spent seeking out education

opportunities and guidance that can also

do wonders.

“As a stylist, it’s taking that next step

to learn,” says LaChance. “Being able

to connect with people differently,

especially with social media. To peek

into those areas and not just have to try

to search it out on YouTube, Instagram

and TikTok and have 1,000 different

videos come up. It’s OK to reach out to

them and be like, ‘Hey, can you further

explain this?’ Because most people that

are putting stuff out there want to raise

the bar of our industry. They want to

connect with people, educate them and

give them that skill set. Being open to

learning something new and taking

that next step by opening the lines of

communication will just elevate it so

much more.”

“Doing curly hair has changed my

career,” adds Caruso-Comas, who

has more than 20 years of industry

experience and has trained with Sassoon

and DevaCurl. “It really took it in a

whole different trajectory. I wouldn’t

have been able to open my salon and

have it be this successful without being

known for curly hair. It’s become such

a big part of what I do, and it’s changed

the way I approach everything—even for

clients with straight hair.”

Making Strides

For Marlo Steenman, an award-winning

hairstylist based in Edmonton and the

creator of Curls Gone Wild—a learning

platform for curly-textured hair—the

desire to create her own education

stemmed from the experiences with her

own curly hair and the lack of availability

of resources in the industry.

“As time went on, I was frustrated,”

she says. “I knew what I was going

through and thought, ‘If I’m a

professional and I’m struggling, can

you imagine what the world is going

through?’ I took what I had learned

over the years and started to really

implement everything into Curls Gone ➤

PRO TIP

WHILE STRAND TESTS

ARE TYPICALLY RESERVED

FOR COLOUR SERVICES,

LACHANCE WILL SOMETIME

USE ONE FOR HER CURLY

HAIRCUTS. “I TAKE A LITTLE

PIECE, JUST TO SEE WHAT

THAT SPRINGBACK LOOKS

LIKE, AND THEN I KNOW

HOW MUCH WILL BE TOO

MUCH OR HOW MUCH

WON’T BE ENOUGH.”


Wild, and my education program came

to life. It’s based on my life, clients and

experiences.”

According to Rashad Anthony, a

Toronto-based curly-hair specialist and

Redken artist, it’s been a decade of work

that’s led him to where he is today. “I’ve

been doing hair for more than 10 years

and, earlier this year, I was named by

Redken as the first black male curl artist

on their team in Canada,” he says. “It’s a

pretty big title.”

“I’m known for my signature curly cut

called ‘The Moon Cut,’” adds Anthony,

who was also one of Redken’s featured

artists at the 2025 Chatters Symposium,

where he presented The Moon Cut and

other curly-hair techniques onstage. “It’s

a moon shape where, ideally, I want to

keep length on the bottom but also add a

little bit of layers. I started doing a lot of

videos and three of them went viral on

TikTok and Instagram, hitting above 2.4

million views! I’m between Los Angeles

and Canada because the demand has

become very high now.”

PRO TIP

What People Should Know

While the industry has been evolving

with more textured-hair education,

some stylists still find curly-textured

hair to be intimidating, but as curl

experts unanimously agree, it doesn’t

have to be. With the right education

and approach, working with curls, coils

and waves can be some of the most

rewarding parts of the craft.

“I wish more people knew that it’s

similar to an art canvas,” says Anthony.

“There’s so much potential with curly

hair. It’s about understanding the

porosity of the hair and the curl type and

knowing those basics.”

“It doesn’t have to be that hard,” adds

Steenman. “Hairdressers often overthink

it. If you don’t know the curl type, you

will never have a successful haircut—it

doesn’t matter what you do. It’s not

about cutting wet or dry—it’s about, ‘Do

I know what I’m getting into?’”

While technique plays a crucial role

and can vary, depending on the curl

type and hair condition, generally it’s

important to understand that curly

textures tend to be more fragile.

“Really being gentle with it and

having looser tension, holding the hair

differently than we would for more

smooth-textured hair,” says LaChance.

“You can’t pull it so tight that you don’t

see any of that texture or curl anymore.”

“Patterning is another big one,” she

adds. “Think about the shape that you

want to make before you start cutting. If

I want something more spherical—like

a globe or halo kind of curl—I’m going

to have to use a round pattern. When we

work with textured hair, it tends to defy

gravity. If I were to pick up coily hair and

cut it like a traditional long layer, I’ve just

made a rectangle.”

In addition to understanding the hair’s

porosity and curl type, product

knowledge is key since curly

hair often lacks moisture

and requires products

such as creams, oils

and gels to keep the

hair hydrated.

“You don’t

need 18 products

to make it look

good—just the right

ones,” says Caruso-

Comas, adding that

clarifying and sulfatefree

shampoos are her

go-tos, along with hydrating

conditioner, cream or gel stylers and

mousse. “Experiment with a curly-haired

mannequin and take classes with people

in the space to learn by working with all

different textures of hair.”

Ultimately, what the experts want

stylists to know is that it’s not about

perfection—it’s about understanding.

Once you learn how textured hair

moves, feels and responds, it stops being

intimidating and starts becoming a

valuable part of your skill set.

“If you are a stylist and want to expand

into texture, it’s not one type of class,”

says Steenman. “Ask every hairdresser

who’s also a good colourist, how many

colour classes they’ve taken and they’ll

tell you hundreds. It’s the same thing

with curly hair—you have to take more

than one.”

“Every educator has something

brilliant to share,” adds LaChance.

“There are [at least] 25 different ways

to do every single thing, so maybe

number 23 is the one that’s your ‘aha’

moment.”

STEENMAN SAYS THE

CONSULTATION IS EVEN MORE

IMPORTANT FOR CURLY HAIR

SINCE SOME CLIENTS CAN

HAVE MORE THAN ONE CURL

TYPE. TO ASSESS THE HAIR,

SHE LOOKS AT THE CROWN,

ABOVE THE OCCIPITAL BONE

AND AT THE HAIRLINE, AS

WELL AS TOUCHES THE HAIR

TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH

SPRING IT HAS WHEN ANY

TENSION IS APPLIED.

PHOTOS: HAIR: PAOLO GIAMATTEI, MARC ANTONI, U.K., MAKEUP: KATIE MOORE, WARDROBE STYLING:

ELLEN SPILLER, PHOTO: JAMIE BLANSHARD, HAIR: HOT SHOTS TEAM: ADAM HARANT, ELLA STEWART, DOMI

NOVELLA & VICTORIA FLETCHER, MAKEUP: KYLIE O’TOOLE, PHOTO: ANDREW O’TOOLE


“EDUCATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF

WHAT WE DO. IT’S NOT GOING TO BE JUST HANDED

TO YOU, BUT IF YOU CAN GO OUT AND LOOK FOR

THAT EDUCATION, THAT’S HOW YOU’RE GOING

TO KEEP YOURSELF FRESH. WHEN YOU STOP

LEARNING, YOU STAGNATE.”

— CYAN CARUSO-COMAS, A CURL SPECIALIST AND CO-FOUNDER OF AURA BEAUTÉ IN MONTREAL

Understanding Your Client

Once stylists overcome the fear of

working with textured hair and gain

the right technical knowledge, the next

step is learning to truly see the person

in the chair. Understanding a client’s

story begins long before the first snip.

A thoughtful, thorough consultation is

a non-negotiable when working with

curly-haired clients.

“First and foremost, it starts on the

phone,” says LaChance. “I always ask

my guests to come in with their hair

in its natural state. I sit down,

eye to eye, on my cutting stool

so that we’re face to face. That

immediately creates something

more comfortable instead of

talking through a mirror, which

creates separation. We sit

together and I can assess what

their hair is doing and what

their lifestyle trends are like.

For example, if somebody is

very low-key, I’m not going to

give them something very high

maintenance.”

“Listening to them is

crucial for having a rock-solid

consultation,” adds Caruso-

Comas. “I’m not picking up

my scissors for a good 15 to 20

minutes if it’s a first-time client.

I talk a lot before I even start

cutting because it’s important to

know their struggles and what

they love. Then, when we’re

talking about the haircut, I’m

physically showing them things.

Your inch is different than my

inch, so we get visual.”

Once the stylist understands

the hair’s behaviour,

communication becomes the

most powerful tool.

“When you come to me,

I always ask, ‘Definition or

volume?’” says Anthony. “That’s huge

because it dictates the overall cut. If

they say volume, I’ll lift more at the

root and diffuse differently, but I’ll also

explain that more volume means more

shrinkage. If they prefer definition,

I’ll choose products and techniques

that enhance curl formation and

reduce shrinkage. If they want both, I

communicate the balance of how we

can create more volume with an afro

pick to pick it out a bit more or diffuse

for more volume.”

“It’s cliché, but I always say, ‘Measure

twice, cut once,’” adds LaChance. “You

can always take more off, but you can’t

put it back.” That’s why taking the time

to consult, observe and truly understand

each client’s hair and preferences is just

as important as the skill itself.

The Business of Curls

In addition to all the artistry and

creativity behind working with textured

hair, there’s opportunity that can have

positive benefits for your business

and brand.

“It’s vital to create an inclusive,

safe space where everybody feels

like they can come in and get a great

service done,” says Caruso-Comas.

“Whether I’m cutting waves or coils,

I need to make sure that anybody

feels like they can come in and get a

good haircut.”

“If we’re not doing everybody’s

hair, we’re leaving people out,”

adds LaChance. “If we’re turning

people away because we don’t know

how to do something, then we’re

immediately losing money.”

While times are changing,

curly-haired clients continue to

be an underserved demographic.

However, it’s important to note

that they’re often the most devoted.

“Curly-haired clients are never

going anywhere,” says Steenman.

“They are the absolute most loyal

clients you will ever come across.

If you’re good, building up a

curly-haired clientele is the easiest

business you can get. And it’s not

just about learning to cut curls

but also about learning to colour,

highlight and style. It’s learning to

love it. The goal with curly-haired

clients is showing them not just how

to work with their hair but also how

to love their hair.”


Styling for

the Season

With holiday,

bridal-hair and

special-occasion

styling keeping

salons booked

and busy, we

checked in with

industry experts

for their top tips

on achieving

some of this

season’s mostrequested

looks.

Plus, discover

ways to build

business with

hair extensions

and treatments.

BY LAUREN FARRUGIA


“THE LAST FEW

YEARS HAVE

BEEN DIFFERENT.

YOU HAVE TO

BE A BIT MORE

CREATIVE WITH

WHAT YOU’RE

OFFERING.”

— EMILY BAKER, OWNER OF FABSTYLE

HAIR DESIGN IN ORILLIA, ONT.,

AND A WELLA TOP ARTIST

Special Treatment

In addition to booking your clients for styling services around their special occasions, it can be a

great time to help promote and boost your in-salon treatment services.

“My favourite look is to show off healthy hair because healthy hair never goes out of style,” says

Adrien Fiorio, a hairstylist at Salon Daniel in Toronto and certified educator for Balmain Hair.

“Hair is a fabric, and you don’t want it to look frizzy, destroyed or dry. Every trend for every season

should be healthy hair because it’s going to have that glamorous and expensive look that everyone is

trying to achieve.”

“I love to have my clients come in once a week for a blowout and have their hair washed at the salon so I

know that I’m 100 per cent taking care of them and using professional products,” he adds. “It’s a package

at our salon, and we offer them a discounted price so they can afford to come in once a week. These

clients come in for treatments as well, and this allows me to build the relationship not only with the client

but also with their hair to help them achieve healthy results so they can continue to look better.”

In addition to deep-conditioning masks and treatments, the holiday season can be a great time to

promote higher-ticketed services, including smoothing treatments that can help improve the overall

look of the hair.

For Michael Zeineddine, who works with MK Professionals, the brand’s treatment sells itself. “We

offer Hair Botox in our salon,” he says. “When clients hear the name, they think of the cosmetic side of

things and their ears perk up. Clients are always telling us that their hair is super dry, frizzy and full of

static, and many of them want a solution, but they don’t want any chemicals. That’s where Hair

Botox comes in because it doesn’t have any harsh chemicals or formaldehyde.”

“When I teach stylists how to use Hair Botox, I tell the stylists that this is a luxury brand,”

he adds. “It’s a luxury treatment and, for us as owners, it’s expensive. But you’re investing in

that product because you can do about eight to 10 treatments from one bottle, so the first

service you do pays for the product and the rest is all profit. Income-wise, it helps business.

For occasions like destination weddings, Hair Botox helps because clients won’t have frizz or

static. And even if they have the rehearsal or a party the day before, they want their hair to

look good at all of the wedding events—not just the wedding itself—and this will help them

achieve that.”

PHOTOS: HAIR: BONA JOERG, BY BONA, GERMANY,

MAKEUP: KATIE MOORE, WARDROBE STYLING:

ELLEN SPILLER, PHOTO: JAMIE BLANSHARD

Whether it’s for an Old Hollywoodinspired

curl set, a polished updo or an

extension installation, special occasions

are always an exciting time for clients

to be in the salon. As well, the change of

pace and increase in revenue is often a

much-anticipated part of the season.

“Holiday and special-occasion hair is

so fun,” says Sarah Amson, co-owner

of Dome Hair Studio in Toronto and

a L’Oréal Professionnel artist and

educator. “It’s an opportunity to do

something a little different

that’s more elevated and

glamorous. It gives us

stylists a great outlet to be

creative and try styles that we

wouldn’t necessarily get to do

throughout the year. Many of

us are used to doing blowouts,

beach waves and soft curls, but

these appointments give us the

opportunity to really flex that

creative muscle. It’s also a great

opportunity for connection

with our clients.”

Setting Up for Success

While many cut and colour

appointments usually end with some

sort of style and finishing service,

holiday, special-event and bridalhair

appointments should feel more

special for the client. After all, these

appointments are meant to highlight

their big day or are booked so that clients

can look and feel as good on the outside

as they do on the inside during these big

milestones in their lives.

“These appointments are unique

because clients have things to do and

they want to feel special for these events

and around the holiday season,” says

Emily Baker, owner of Fabstyle Hair

Design in Orillia, Ont., and a Wella top

artist. “Some clients may even feel a bit

drabby around the holidays, so it’s a great

time for them to do something special

with their hair and appearance.”

While many clients may want to try out

different styles for a party, bridal event

or wedding day, experts agree that it’s a

great time to provide them with moreelevated

and polished versions of their

go-to looks that help them feel most

confident.

“It all comes down to prepping the hair

and all of the things we do before we even

start the actual style, just to give them

that elevated look they’re hoping for,”

says Danielle Borodey, owner of Salted

Waves Studio in Red Deer, Alta., and a

Philocaly educator. “Round-brushing the

hair might not be something that your

client does at home, so you’re going to be

able to give them that smooth, beautiful

blowout with a lot of volume that’s going

to last all day.”

“Let’s say your client likes to pin their

hair at the sides,” she adds. “At home, ➤


“AS MUCH AS CLIENTS VISIT

THE SALON FOR A CUT

AND COLOUR, STYLING

APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING

TO HELP FILL YOUR BOOKS

AND CLOSE ANY GAPS

THAT YOU MAY HAVE.”

— DANIELLE BORODEY, OWNER OF SALTED WAVES

STUDIO IN RED DEER, ALTA., AND A PHILOCALY EDUCATOR

they might just twist the hair and put it

in place with a pin, whereas in the salon,

we’re going to smooth the hair using

certain tools, like a boar-bristle brush, to

create that seamless look. And we know

how to use hair pins that we can hide. All

those little things elevate the final look a

bit more from their everyday style.”

For Adrien Fiorio, a hairstylist at Salon

Daniel in Toronto and certified educator

for Balmain Hair, he says that the attitude

and connection that stylists bring to

a special-event appointment is just as

important as the hair itself.

“From a regular blowout to bridal

or special-occasion hair, every day is

special,” he says. “It really comes down to

what you do for the client from the inside

out. At the end of their appointment or

when that client leaves the salon, you

want them to feel as good as they look,

and that can start from within. It’s not

just doing their hair—it’s how we treat

them that can have a huge impact on how

all of our clients feel, especially those

who are coming to us for these very big

life moments.”

Prep in Your Step

As with any service at any time of the

year, prepping the hair is a huge part

of many appointments. While that’s no

different when it comes to special-event

styling, this is the time to take it one step

further. “When we do everyday hair, the

idea is for it to be movable, touchable and

soft. When we’re doing special-occasion

hair, we really want to focus on building

a solid foundation and structure, so the

approach is going to be different,” says

Amson. “I have three pillars when it

comes to bridal and special-occasion

hair: foundation, structure and finish.”

“We’re looking for something

that’s built to last,” she adds. “I like

to approach it like I’m shaping and

sculpting a structure, as opposed to

finishing a beautiful, soft set. I like to

start by building in my product base—I

always use more than normal because

I’m not worried about the hair being a

little stiff—so it’s about building and

layering product. When I say structure,

I like to work with more sectioning and

be more intentional with the face frame,

curl sets and backcombing so I can build

the structure, especially when it comes to

creating something that I’m going to be

sticking pins or hair accessories in. When

it comes to the finish, I want to use a

stronger hairspray or setting technique.”

Baker suggests thinking of your work

as building the house first and then

decorating it. “It’s not that I wouldn’t

build a foundation in a daily finish—it’s

just that I don’t really need to,” she says.

“If the style is for a bride, they need to

be able to wear it for several hours. I

build ‘the house,’ whether that is putting

a base in there, like a ponytail or added

backcombing. The products I use might

change as well, and I might opt for more

serums and shine products to achieve

a glowy finish. I’m going to opt for

something that is workable but also has

more hold to it while also being resistant

to humidity.”

Since stylists can often feel a lot

of pressure during special-event

appointments—from both themselves and

the clients—trying not to overcomplicate

the process may help relieve some of the

stress while also helping to achieve the

best final look. “Sometimes, stylists can

overcomplicate it,” says Borodey. “They’ll

get their client’s hair curled and then it

gets to the styling part and they get lost.

I like to break it down into three steps. I

always deal with the crown—the top and

PHOTOS: HAIR: BONA JOERG, BY BONA, GERMANY, MAKEUP: KATIE MOORE,

WARDROBE STYLING: ELLEN SPILLER, PHOTO: JAMIE BLANSHARD


back of the head first—as I like to make

sure that’s placed exactly where I want it.

And then I deal with the bottom of the

hair. I leave all of the face framing and

side pieces to the end, so I can place them

where I need them to sit for the look we’re

going for. I think it’s important to step

back and break it into those three steps—

that helps a lot.”

As obvious as it may seem, a

consultation is often the most important

aspect of nailing your bridal and specialevent

styles. Fiorio says that getting to

know your client, as well as their hair, can

really help take your confidence to the

next level.

“I find doing a client’s hair for the

very first time on the day of their special

event or wedding a little unorganized,”

he says. “A consultation and trial are

so important because you get to know

the client, their personality and their

particular hair type and texture. That

way, you’re warmed up for the big day.

I’ve made the mistake of not doing a

trial and the hair took longer than it

should have because I was doing the

consultation as I went. There have even

been a few times when I’ve invited the

client back for the second time—on my

own time and expense—so I can be fully

confident and ready for their big day.”

Upgraded Updos

Whether it’s for brides and bridal parties

or holidays and special occasions, it goes

without saying that updos continue to be

a popular choice.

“Updos are coming back with a

vengeance,” says Fiorio. “I’ve noticed in

the last two years, people aren’t afraid to

put their hair up. They’re slowly coming

out of their comfort zones and going for

classic upstyles. Old-money bridal hair is

also coming back.”

Experts share that many of the styles

we’re seeing today are classic looks that

have been around for a while but with a

modern take that can come from small

tweaks to the overall look.

“I think a classic low chignon will

always be popular,” says Amson. “We’re

seeing a lot of sleek looks lately, like a

sleek bun, but we’re also seeing some

really fun [and more-undone] updos

inspired by Pamela Anderson, with soft,

romantic pieces.”

“When it comes to sleek looks, like

a low bun, I think a lot of stylists miss

making sure to layer the product,” she

adds. “We can’t just slap the product

in where you can see it. I like to take

it section by section and layer in the

product, so every strand is coated. That

way, I’m ensuring that everything will

be locked into place and has a solid

foundation to be swept up into that

sleek look.”

Amson says that another common

mistake is using too tight of an elastic

to keep the updo in place. “I love to use

a bungee for this look because you’re

more likely to get lumps and bumps with

a hair elastic,” she says. “With a bungee,

you have better control and can really

focus on sleeking, brushing and spraying

as you go.”

For Baker, it’s all about finding ways

to customize classic looks while still

working efficiently.

“A French twist never goes out of style,

and there are a lot of ways that you can

make it look a bit more modern,” she

says. “I like to make it look a little more

relaxed. That way, I can customize the

look with the front pieces. We can leave

more hair out around the face or even

add more volume, which makes it a

versatile look.”

“One of the techniques I use for the

French twist is done by taking all of the

hair that I’m going to put in the twist and

put it in a ponytail,” she adds. “I create

a hole, similar to those topsy tails that

were popular in the ’90s, and I pull the

hair through the centre and tighten it.

This creates a base for me. Then, with

the hair that’s left out, I can backcomb

and work with it to pin it in place. I find

that this is easier, so we don’t have to

add an excessive number of pins down

the seam like we used to. It gives it more

volume but also makes the final look a

little looser.”

Down Styling Done Right

While updos may be a go-to or happy

change for some, others may prefer to

rock their hair down, especially if that

means they won’t have to venture too

far from their everyday look.

In fact, most experts agree that guiding

your client toward a look that they’re

used to may be the better option than

trying something new on their big day. ➤

PRO TIP

WHEN CREATING AN UPSTYLE TO COMPLEMENT

YOUR CLIENT’S FEATURES, AMSON SAYS IT’S

IMPORTANT TO TAKE NOTE OF THEIR BONE

STRUCTURE. “IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO A SLEEK

LOOK, PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE THE CHEEKBONES

ARE AND FOLLOW THAT TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD,

AND PUT THE BUN THERE. THAT WILL GIVE YOU

GREAT LIFT AND HELP CONTOUR AND DEFINE

THE FACE.”


With that said, it’s important to be able to

take your down styling to the next level

to help provide the most elevated service,

look and finish.

“We’ll always reference Old Hollywood,

especially when it comes to holiday

hair,” says Amson. “Get your curl sets

ready and start practising those. The big,

beautiful blowouts are huge as well, so

a lot of volume and really anything that

brings more glamour.”

“If I’m doing a curl set, I would allow

the pins to set and work with volumizing

products to give the hair more volume

and elevate it,” adds Baker. “I would

maybe even use an accessory—if the

client would like one—and we could

pin the hair to one side. That way, the

look is still mostly down. We could even

incorporate some kind of braid, so it feels

fancy or elevated.”

While veils and hair accessories

can work with just about any bridal

or special-occasion look, opting for a

simpler down style is often best to ensure

that you’re enhancing the look with the

PRO TIP

PROVIDING

YOUR CLIENTS

WITH IN-DEPTH

INSTRUCTIONS

ON WHEN AND

HOW TO WASH

AND PREP

THEIR HAIR

BEFORE THEIR

APPOINTMENT

IS CRUCIAL TO

ENSURING THAT

THEY ARRIVE

WITH HAIR

THAT’S EASY TO

WORK WITH.

accessorized touch.

“When it comes to hair accessories, I

like to place them according to the facial

structure or where there’s an open space

in the hair that needs to be filled,” says

Fiorio. “It’s sort of like a picture frame

going on a wall. I want to complement

the client’s facial structure, so if I want to

elongate the cheekbones, I’ll follow the

natural line and make sure to take that

all into consideration before picking the

spot. For veils, I always get the bride to

stand up and place a chair behind them

and stand on the chair. I like to have them

looking in a mirror and I don’t want them

to be sitting because I want them to get

the full portrait of what it’s going to look

like, so we decide together where it’s

going to sit.”

Extending the Possibilities

Most hairstylists can attest to having a

client show them an inspiration photo

and, no matter how hard they try, they

aren’t able to achieve the exact look due

to the simple fact that the client’s hair

is shorter or they don’t have the same

amount of hair, thickness or density. Hair

extensions can be your secret weapon

in helping to add length or volume while

increasing the cost of your overall service

ticket. Plus, with the range of options

available, they can be customized for just

about any client.

“I think it’s extremely important to

have extension services in your salon,

even just having some clip-in extensions

in stock for your special-occasion clients

that you can upsell and add to their

service,” says Fiorio. “This can be for

any event, and then you can upgrade

them from there to a more-permanent

solution, like a K-tip or weft. They 100

per cent help business and revenue. It’s

an amazing upsell because you’re not

only selling the hair but also selling your

experience and time.”

“I would say that about 80 per cent of

my clients will go with more-permanent

types of extensions, compared to clip-in

extensions, because the price point isn’t

that far off from extensions that they can

wear for a full year,” adds Borodey. “I try

to guide them toward this option because

hair extensions are, literally, an extension

of their hair. They won’t have to part their

hair, backcomb it and then install them.

They can just get up, wash their hair and

then blow-dry and style it, just like it’s

part of their heads.”

Although many people may hear the

word extensions and automatically

think about a very long and thick

Barbie-inspired look, experts note that,

with how far the technology has come,

extensions can be a great tool for a wide

variety of clients with different hair or

even health concerns.

“I do a ton of volume installs,” says

Borodey. “If I have a client that has really

fine, thin hair and they want to be a little

thicker but with not a lot of length, I’ll

do a volume install, which is a couple

of rows in the front and the sides. I also

offer mesh integration, which is when

you install the extensions to the mesh

rather than a client’s natural hair so that

the weight of the extensions gets spread

out. These are great for clients who are

experiencing alopecia or female-pattern

baldness or growing their hair back from

cancer treatment. As a stylist, it’s the

most amazing feeling because I can give

clients with no hair a full head of hair and

we now have options for everyone.”

PHOTOS: HAIR: BONA JOERG, BY BONA, GERMANY, MAKEUP: KATIE MOORE, WARDROBE STYLING: ELLEN SPILLER,

PHOTO: JAMIE BLANSHARD


CO

LLE

CTIO

NS

Winter

An inspiring selection of hairstyles that will motivate

you to take your craft to the next level.

Collections — ETHEREAL BEAUTY

Soft, romantic

styles are

juxtaposed with

dramatic, avantgarde

texture in

this Canadian

collection.

CONTESSA 2025 FINALIST, TEXTURE HAIRSTYLIST Erin Fernandes, Bon Bon Salon,

London, Ont. MAKEUP Marlene Gerschon WARDROBE STYLING Erin Fernandes

PHOTOS Natasha Gerschon



Collections — POSE

This Canadian

session shoot

combines soft

textures and

feminine styling

for a fun range of

editorial-focused

looks.

CONTESSA 2025 FINALIST, SESSION HAIRSTYLIST Melissa Duguay, The Savvy Shop,

Dieppe, N.B. MAKEUP Heidi Fleming WARDROBE STYLING Melissa Duguay

PHOTOS Denis Duquette



Collections — FINESSE

Strong editorial prowess

unites this Canadian

collection of masterful

haircuts and artistic

finishing with textured

styles and colour.

CONTESSA 2025 FINALIST, COLLABORATION Frede Bessette, Melanie Foster

& Martin Menard MAKEUP Josianne Bourque PHOTOS Alain Comtois



Collections — FOCUS

This British

collection

strikes a balance

between bold

editorial shapes

and commercial

styles that

demonstrate expert

craftsmanship and

finishing.

HAIR Annabel Payne, Toni&Guy, London, U.K. MAKEUP Louise Lerego

WARDROBE Borna Prikaski PHOTOS Narita Savoor



Collections — NIGHT WATCH

Airy texture and

feminine styles

are brought

to life in this

Canadian salon

team’s collection.

CONTESSA 2025 FINALIST, CANADIAN SALON TEAM Industry Hair and

Esthetics, St. Catharines, Ont. MAKEUP Rachel Hilton

WARDROBE Marilyn Vendittelli & David Vendittelli PHOTOS Natasha Gerschon



THE CONTESSA !! FINALISTS!

Canadian Hairstylist

James Abu-Ulba, Method Education, Langley, B.C.

Frank Cini, Taz Hair Co., Toronto, Ont.

Erin Fernandes, Bon Bon Salon, London, Ont.

Isabelle Lachance, Oblic Salon Urbain, Montreal, Que.

Suzanne Maurice, Changing of the Garnet, Orillia, Ont.

Michelle Oliver, Freelance, Edmonton, Alta.

Nicole Pede, InStyle Salon & Spa, Aylmer, Ont.

Vanessa Secondino, Le Salon Mods, Westmount, Que.

Josie Vilay, Hairology Studio, Winnipeg, Man.

Julie Vriesinga, Salon Entrenous, London, Ont.

Canadian Salon Team

Beau Salon, Vancouver, B.C.

Changing of the Garnet, Orillia, Ont.

Industry Hair and Esthetics, St. Catharines, Ont.

Kroma Salon, King City, Ont.

Pretty & Co., St. Catharines, Ont.

Supernova Salon, North Vancouver, B.C.

Taz Hair Co., Toronto, Ont.

Valentini Hair Design, Guelph, Ont.

Valentino’s Grande Salon, Whitby, Ont.

Verde Salon, Winnipeg, Man.

Canadian Colourist

Tina Casciato, Renaissance Salon & Estetica,

St. Catharines, Ont.

Armineh Damanpak, Beau Salon, Vancouver, B.C.


Natashia Gagnon, Pretty Young Thing Studios,

Saskatoon, Sask.

Dara Man, Kroma Salon, King City, Ont.

Saori Nakazono, Suki’s First Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

Mai Nguyen, Suki’s Salons, Vancouver, B.C.

Nicole Pede, InStyle Salon & Spa, Aylmer, Ont.

Julio Rodriguez, Valentini Hair Design, Guelph, Ont.

Josie Vilay, Hairology Studio, Winnipeg, Man.

Elite Master Hairstylist

James Abu-Ulba, Method Education, Langley, B.C.

Jenny Bell, Blunt Hair Lounge, Stouffville, Ont.

Anica Iordache, Modmop Hairdressing, Ottawa, Ont.

Robin LaChance, Tinted Love Hair Studio, Barrie, Ont.

Martin Menard, La Belle et La Tête, Québec, Que.

Master Colourist

Krysten-Ashley Garrod, Studio Fontana, Toronto, Ont.

Alma Head, Alma’s Family Hair Salon, Sydney, N.S.

Stephanie Karellas, Kroma Salon, King City, Ont.

Roch Lemay, Salon Pure, Montreal, Que.

David Vendittelli, Industry Hair and Esthetics,


Avant Garde Hairstylist

Tai Do, Suki's Downtown, Vancouver, B.C.

Breanne Gershon, Glam Breanne, Calgary, Alta.

Amanda Thompson, Cutting Room Creative,

Nanaimo, B.C.

Antoine Vadacchino, Le Salon Mods, Montreal, Que.

James Valiant, Suki's Salons, Spa and Academy,

Vancouver, B.C.

International Colourist

Chrystofer Benson, Chrystofer Benson Collective,

Glendale, Calif.

Dani Blakeley, Yoshiko Hair, Melbourne, Australia

Tracey Devine-Smith, French and Ivi, Belper, U.K.

Danilo Giangreco, Danilo Giangreco London, London, U.K.

Gianluca Grechi, Gianluca Grechi, Milan, Italy

Kristie Kesic, Cobelle Creative, Toowong, Australia

Chetan Mongia, Vision Blonde, South Melbourne, Australia

Steven Smart, Smartest73, North Somerset, U.K.

Andrew Smith, Andrew Smith Salons, Hampshire, U.K.

Jorge X, Quantum Hair, Madrid, Spain

International Hairstylist

Rafael Bueno, Rafael Bueno Peluqueros, Málaga, Spain

Tracey Devine-Smith, French and Ivi, Belper, U.K.

Danilo Giangreco, Danilo Giangreco London, London, U.K.

Benjamin Martin, XVI COLLECTIVE, Melbourne, Australia

Lauren McCowan, Lauren McCowan, Kangaroo Point,

Australia

Jude McEwen, Toni and Guy Perth, Perth, Australia

Chetan Mongia, Vision Blonde, South Melbourne, Australia

Rick Roberts, Rick Roberts, East Yorkshire, U.K.

Emma Simmons, Salon 54, Thirsk, U.K.

Steven Smart, Smartest73, North Somerset, U.K.

Collaboration

Quinn Enright, Katia Jananji, Nicole Pede & Mark

Chamberlain

Erin Fernandes & Robin LaChance

Dana Lyseng & Lisa Smith

Martin Menard & Michael Dubuc

Joseé Renaud & Annie Boucher

Emerging Hairstylist

Venera Genova, Kaaz, Montreal, Que.

Shohrè Kavari Boushehri, Moods Hair Salon,

Vancouver, B.C.

Hana Woldeyes, Hair by Hana, Vancouver, B.C.

Emerging Colourist

Abby Bruneel, Renaissance Salon & Estetica,


Shohrè Kavari Boushehri, Moods Hair Salon,

Vancouver, B.C.


Men’s Hairstylist

Kerrigan Bowey, Suki’s Salons, Vancouver, B.C.

Meghan Hildebrandt, Renaissance Salon & Estetica,



Vanessa Secondino, Le Salon Mods, Westmount, Que.

Jeremy Tremblay, Apart Studio, Montreal, Que.

Multicultural Hairstylist

Karine Bélanger, Karine Styliste Salon, Montreal, Que.

Jorge Joao, Koi Hair Studio, Brampton, Ont.


Lukas Press, Lukas Press Hair Studio, Toronto, Ont.


Vancouver, B.C.

Session Hairstylist


Breanne Gershon, Glam Breanne, Calgary, Alta.

Robin LaChance, Tinted Love Hair Studio, Barrie, Ont.


Mandy Rogers, Hunt & Gather Hair Company, Victoria, B.C.

British Columbia Hairstylist

Tai Do, Suki's Downtown, Vancouver

Saori Nakazono, Suki’s First Ave., Vancouver

Mai Nguyen, Suki’s Salons, Vancouver

Amanda Thompson, Cutting Room Creative, Nanaimo

James Valiant, Suki's Salons, Spa and Academy, Vancouver

Alberta Hairstylist

Jenna Engel, Plush Salon & Spa, Medicine Hat

Osaka Jagoda, Chatters Hair Salon, Calgary

Jessica McColm, Freelance - Jessica McColm, Edson

Saskatchewan/Manitoba Hairstylist

Natashia Gagnon, Pretty Young Thing Studios,

Saskatoon, Sask.

Ashley Ruecker, Salon Haze, Regina, Sask.

Lisa Schoor, The Hair Club, Winnipeg, Man.

Ontario Hairstylist

Robin LaChance, Tinted Love Hair Studio, Barrie

Halley Murray, Changing of the Garnet, Orillia

Nicole Pede, InStyle Salon & Spa, Aylmer

Mamak Tabatabaei, Red Carpet Hair Salon Inc., Toronto

Jerica Wentzell, Gingersnap Salon, Sudbury

Quebec Hairstylist

Frede Bessette, Freelance, Laval

Annie Boucher, Kapillar-Studio, Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil

Kathleen Kelso, L'étrange, Beaupré

Isabelle Lachance, Oblic Salon Urbain, Montreal

Jose Osorio, SACO, Montreal

Atlantic Hairstylist

Jasmine Bishop, Urban Salon, St. John’s, Nfld.

Alma Head, Alma’s Family Hair Salon, Sydney, N.S.

Sharon LeClair, DastousDio, Dieppe, N.B.

Texture Hairstylist

Frank Cini, Taz Hair Co., Toronto, Ont.

Jorge Joao, Koi Hair Studio, Brampton, Ont.




Vancouver, B.C.

Barber


Osaka Jagoda, Chatters Hair Salon, Calgary, Alta.

Jeremy Tremblay, Apart Studio, Montreal, Que.

Canadian Nail Artist

Genevieve Auger, Salon Sylvie Fournier, Granby, Que.

Shayna Osazuwa, Shayna O Esthetics, Regina, Sask.

Miz Wang, MizwNAIL, Richmond, B.C.

Makeup Artist

Angela Balbon, Mz B Artistry, Vancouver, B.C.

Pénélope Bélanger-Thibault, Karine Styliste Salon, Montreal, Que.

Natalia Farahmand, Desiderio Beauty, Vaughan, Ont.

Gaëlle Le Cunff, Au Premier, Montreal, Que.

Alex MacPherson, Melo Artistry, Regina, Sask.

Salon Interior Design

My Hair Affair Salon, Toronto, Ont.

Refinery House, Chilliwack, B.C.

Salon Artemys, Montreal, Que.

Thatch & Fringe, St. Jacobs, Ont.

The Salon, Belleville, Ont.

Sustainability Achievement

Nook Salon, Toronto, Ont.

Queen’s Shop – Fine Hairdressing Inc., Toronto, Ont.

Salon Freyja, Montreal, Que.

Freestyle

Daniel Grieco, Salon Gaboa, Vaughan, Ont.

Meghan Hildebrandt, Renaissance Salon & Estetica,


Jessica McColm, Freelance – Jessica McColm, Edson, Alta.


Kye Pyeon, Suki’s Downtown, Vancouver, B.C.

The recipient of the

John Steinberg Award

for Community Service

will be announced

at the 37th annual

Contessa Awards gala.


Relive

the

Magic

Thank you to

everyone who joined

us for the 37th annual

Contessa Awards gala!

MISSED OUT? WATCH OUR FULL LIVESTREAM:

SPONSORED BY

Thank You for Being

Part of Contessa

History at the First-Ever

Contessa Connective!

Stay tuned for highlights from our exciting lineup of seven,

45-minute look-and-learn presentations.

James Abu-Ulba

Last year’s Contessa Canadian Hairstylist of the Year winner and Davines showcase artist

Jorge X, Norm Wright, Antonio Quintieri & Monia Grieco

Quantum Hair’s global team, supported by

Kevin Hughes, Lisa Dinh, Jessica Scott Santo & Tania Lacoste Major

Moroccanoil’s global and artistic team

Michelle Oliver, Robin LaChance, Nicole Pede,

Mario Cicciarella & Jessica McColm

Canadian artistic team

Peter Gosling and Hugh Kingston

Glassbox Education team, supported by

Leonardo & Marco Redavid with Katherine Sims

Redavid’s co-founders and artistic team lead

Joseph Santiago, Lorraine McAndrew, Kat Ginga & Kimberley Wallace

Sassoon Academy Toronto’s artistic team

Curl Queen

Profile — REEMA JABER

From owning an inclusive salon to creating the renowned

Cadō Curly Cut, Reema Jaber is continuing to break barriers in

hairdressing. Learn more about her journey in the industry and

how she is uplifting others through her craft.

How did you get started in hair?

For me, hair is like an art form, and I

just love art. I was painting at the time—

I didn’t know what I wanted to go into.

I was a paralegal and wanted to become

a lawyer, but unfortunately, I just didn’t

feel like that was my future. My dad

recommended hair school to me since

I loved doing hair. I didn’t expect my

Middle Eastern dad to give me that as

an option, and he was so proud of me.

I ended up going to the Aveda Institute

in Toronto, and it was the best

experience ever.

What were some of the challenges you

faced early on in your career, and how

did you overcome them?

I did experience challenges. I do wear

the hijab and I’m Muslim, so that was

kind of a big thing for me. It was a really

big deal for me to be teaching in Berlin

[for Schwarzkopf Professional’s Hair

by Schwarzkopf Festival]. It was so

amazing and such an opportunity for me.

I was so proud because it wasn’t always

that way.

At the beginning, it actually was

something that hurt me. I faced a little bit

of racism here and there, but I didn’t let it

bring me down. I just educated people—I

always believe in educating people. And,

you know, it never really upset me, but I

did feel like it was de!initely a challenge

at one point.

I always tell people, “Don’t let

something like that be a limitation. You

can overcome anything.” And I truly

wanted to succeed in this industry. I

wanted people to see me, whether I wore

the hijab or not. I just wanted them to see

my talent, and I believe I have gotten to

a point where they see my talent and see

the hijab, which I love. I’m so proud that

they see what I can do. It doesn’t have to

be I’m seen because I wear the hijab—I’m

seen because I do good hair and I also

wear the hijab.

“I LOVE MY HAIR, AND I LOVE

MAKING PEOPLE LOVE THEIR HAIR.

I LOVE BRINGING OUT THE BEAUTY

IN PEOPLE AND MAKING THEM

FEEL CONFIDENT.”

Tell us about your salon, Hair by Reema,

and how you’ve built a team and space

that’s welcoming.

I found a team that’s so amazing—

they’re so open, and we just support each

other. We’re a very multicultural salon—

we have people of all backgrounds,

cultures and beliefs. We all just accept

each other, and we attract clients that are

like that as well. They come in and feel

accepted and comfortable in our salon.

We have many hijabi clients that come.

We have three floors in the salon, and

the third floor is where we accommodate

people who wear the hijab. The girls

make them feel safe and comfortable.

We want our salon to be a safe space

for everyone.

What motivated you to specialize in

curly hair?

I’ve been working on my techniques for

curly and coily hair since I was in hair

school because my friends had curly and

coily hair. I’m Palestinian, and we have

all kinds of curls and types of hair. Many

girls with curly and very coily, thick hair

have never really been to a salon—or

a high-end salon anyway—and felt

like they can go in there without being

judged. They were also apologetic for

their own hair. Now it’s, like, give me

your thick hair! That’s what we want.

We make people feel comfortable, and

that’s what we love. We have all kinds of

clients: kids, male clients with curly hair,

non-curly hair, female clients with all

types of hair. We just do all kinds of hair,

and we’re so proud of it.

I had a lot of curly-hair clients, but

they weren’t as open [to embracing their

natural hair texture] as they are now.

In 2019, I started to do a lot more curly

hair. I started actually posting it on social

media, and I !inalized my curly-hair

method that I wanted to start teaching

my team. During [the COVID pandemic],

more people accepted their curls, and

people were seeing all the curly-hair

work we were doing on Instagram. I

started going viral because everyone was

so interested in it.

Tell us about the Cadō Curly Cut and

how you created it.

I really wanted to brand [my education]

and make it something where I certify

stylists and give them really in-depth

education. So that’s where Cadō was

born. Every technique that I create, I

really want to simplify it. I do a class and

people can recreate it right away. And

I’m using the foundations of whatever

it is—cutting, colouring, highlighting,

everything. I’m so proud of what it’s

created. It’s solid education that really

helps stylists take it to the next level.

It’s mainly a dry-cutting technique,

but you can also do it wet. I’ve created

something that’s using the foundations

of cutting and colouring hair and making

it simple, so making it into a system

where stylists can follow it and it will be

easy for them to achieve what the client

is asking for.

It just !ills in the gaps and makes it

so much easier to understand. Curls are

so different, which makes it fun as well

because it’s actually not the simplest

thing to do because you could have,

PHOTOS: REEMA JABER


like, four different curl types and two

different types of porosities on one head.

We now have more than 300 stylists

that are Cad! certiied, and they’re all

over the world. It’s so amazing to see.

What advice do you have for

hairstylists who are looking to expand

their skill sets and learn how to work

with all hair textures, including curly

and coily hair?

Deinitely invest in yourself. Classes

can be expensive, but it’s so important

to invest in yourself. When you’re

working in a salon, it’s easy to just rely

on whatever education is given to you.

But take classes and invest if you’re

interested in something. I always say,

“Be a versatile and well-rounded stylist.”

Know how to do everything because

you don’t know what’s going to be the

next trend.

You’ve grown a strong following on

social media, with more than 650,000

followers on Instagram. What were the

keys to your success?

Hair is my canvas, so Instagram was

where I published my art. It was my

artistic outlet. I just loved showing my

work, and it was free advertising. As

soon as I started hair school, I started

my page [when Instagram launched] and

my business started right away.

For a while, I felt like people were just

doing what was accepted or whatever

Instagram, TikTok and Facebook liked.

As soon as I started pushing that to the

side, I became more authentic. I never

really wanted to show my face. I would

just do hair and create videos. And I

loved that, too. I was getting attention

by creating videos and posting my clients

as well. As soon as I started posting

myself consulting with clients, I became

really known for consultations. It was

just real—it wasn’t something I really

thought about. I just put my phone there

without a tripod or mic and started

recording.

Don’t put so much pressure on

yourself to be, like, Insta-famous. It’s

all about using these platforms as your

creative outlet, showing people the work

you do so that you can attract clients.

You’re an ambassador for Schwarzkopf

Professional. What do you most enjoy

about your role?

Everyone knows that I’m a diehard

Schwarzkopf fan. It was a dream of mine

to become an ambassador—and now

I am an ambassador! They really feel

like family. Whether it’s the Canadian

team, pro team or U.S. team, I feel so

comfortable working with everyone.

They support me, and they’ve always

supported me since before I did curly hair.

They supported my balayage and colour

corrections. When I started concentrating

more on curly hair, they supported me

then and they still support me now. It’s a

brand that I will work with forever. I only

work with brands that I love. I really try to

be as authentic as possible. I’m not going

to work with any brand unless I can truly

use it in my daily salon life.

What’s next for you? Anything you’re

working on now that you can share

with us?

As of right now, we’re just working

on creating beautiful hair. I’m going

to Dubai for another workshop. I’m

pregnant right now, so I’m holding off

on education until next year—2026—to

release more dates and classes. As of

right now at the salon, we’re just excited

to do more hair.


Style Savant

Profile — HARRY JOSH

You’re known for creating memorable

red-carpet moments, including at this

year’s Met Gala for Priyanka Chopra

Jonas. Tell us about that look.

Priyanka wanted to make sure it seemed

contemporary and modern—not a

throwback to a different era. For the hair,

we did a couple of different versions to

really find a place where it just collapsed

into a natural style—almost like she

might have washed her hair, did a light

blow-dry and added a small little braid in

the back. It was very curated.

She’s a lot of fun—never boring.

We laugh a lot. We’ve been working

together for about six years, on and off.

Everything works on her. That’s the

other thing—which is so amazing for me

as a hairdresser—is, like, she can play

up or down, messy or high glam, and

everything works. Yeah, it looks good

on her, no matter how you slice it. So it’s

very fun for me to be able to play with

someone like that and be able to bring

her up or down, no matter what.

As a hairstylist, you must love working

with celebrities who are open to

change, especially since some tend

to stick with the classics.

Yes, if anything, Priyanka is always

looking to switch it up. But it might be

the hair and makeup [teams] that may

not want to switch it up because, often,

if we’re feeling good about a look, it

really works. It keeps them in a certain

window of how we see them looking

the most effortless and beautiful. I

get it if they’re bored of this, that and

the other, but this is really where they

look the most beautiful. So there is an

aspect of that with people in general

and any celebrity who may want some

excitement.

Then you might have the opposite.

For example, I’ve worked with Gisele

[Bündchen] for 20 years, on and off.

She does not like to sway from what

From supermodels Gisele Bündchen and Irina Shayk to actresses

Kate Bosworth and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Harry Josh is trusted by

Hollywood to create iconic red-carpet hair moments. Get to know this

Vancouver-born, New-York-based celebrity hairstylist and find out

how he’s continuing to raise the bar for the art and business of hair.

works for her. She’ll say she doesn’t

want a “hairdo.” We’ve done different

things—straight, romantic waves, ponies.

But ultimately, when you just see her

walking, it’s like you don’t want to touch

her. It just works.

And not everyone can pull that off.

Some people are much more excited and

glamorous. With J.Lo, we want to see her

in 100 hair looks because they all look

great on her. All these crazy things look

so good on her. Everyone’s got their own

personality and their own vibe. I think

the hair and makeup team they use also

has a point of view and a vibe, so it’s

about balancing those. They’re trying to

balance those energies to find the kind

of happy medium or at least what’s the

right thing for the right client.

What specific education or training

helped you prepare for working with

high-profile clients and building a

loyal clientele?

Education is everything, and you

honestly can’t learn everything from

YouTube. You can learn a lot, but be on

the front line and offer your services—

even for free—when it comes to any type

of education. Even if they need assistance

backstage at a show, holding pins, do it

because when you’re around those types

of creative people, you’re seeing things

that you would never see in a salon. And

approach products differently because

a lot of the looks you’re seeing are not

your traditional day-to-day looks.

My advice would be to show up any

time there are fashion shows or group

creative shows, and just be around

people doing different stuff. That is

the only way you’re going to become a

well-rounded, better hairdresser who is

more equipped to do these high-fashion

global events.

With all the work you do with

celebrities, you still work behind the

chair. Why has it been important for

you to continue working in the salon?

I think the salon is the most exciting place

for inspiration because you have the

most courage to transform a customer

versus someone who is an icon and may

have 80 million fans who are very upset

if you cut the wrong length or give her

bangs. But you’ve got all these customers

that are really open. You can give them

a curtain bang or some layers and, all of

a sudden, I’m now inspired by her to do

something different on the next client. So

the inspiration does come a lot from the

people in the chair that I work with on a

day-to-day basis. It allows me to put on

my thinking hat and see what we can do.

What advice do you have for

hairstylists who are struggling

to encourage their clients to try

something new?

Try and upsell colour. Talk to them

about subtle colour changes: “Your hair

could do with some shine” or “Your hair

could do with some volume.” If we add

colour to it—not to change the colour but

truly just to change the cortex of the hair

to make it smoother, fuller and thicker—

it could be a great introduction for them.

It can literally just be that the hair is

now fuller because there’s a demi-gloss

in there or something that wasn’t there

before. Maybe they have a few greys and

it’s time to address that.

PHOTOS: KERASILK, HARRY JOSH, INSTAGRAM


“EGO IS A BIG PART OF

WHY PEOPLE CAN’T

GROW. THEY FEEL

THAT THEY ARE TOO

ESTABLISHED OR TOO

SUCCESSFUL TO STEP

DOWN AND LEARN

SOMETHING.”

It’s a baby step, but now that client is

drafted into doing this every six to eight

weeks because, for example, she notices

her hair looks thicker with the gloss in

it. Eventually, you build that trust and

business. Trust me, it worked for me.

That’s why a consultation is important,

even for your repeat clients.

Your consultation will not only secure

your clients coming back to you but also

inspire you because you’re thinking.

When you’re consulting, you’re

processing. When you’re mixing up

colour, you’re doing it. So you want to

get to that point where you’re creating—

you’re creating thought, you’re creating

something—and make that your

intention. Before you go to the salon,

look at your list. Think about those

people before they walk in the door so

it’s not an impulsive thought. Believe

me, two of those five people will love

something. And that’s how it starts.

What do you enjoy most about your role

as a brand ambassador for Kerasilk?

Being an ambassador is the greatest

gift because it gives you a megaphone

to reach the masses. No matter how

successful you are as a red-carpet,

fashion-editorial or model stylist, being

a brand ambassador is the megaphone

everybody wants. I have a voice and an

opinion. I want to educate

people, and I think being

a brand ambassador really

helps lend itself to being

that megaphone because

I get face time with more

people and media.

For me, that’s the

greatest gift: having this

role in which I was not only

instrumental in feeding the research and

development of these products based

on my experience but also integrated

before they’re finished and sent off

to me so I can give notes. I can tweak

products and say it has too much of

something or needs something else.

This real marriage between brand and

ambassador can help create not only

the right products but also the right

messaging that goes behind it. Being an

ambassador is a big part of my life. I feel

very empty when I’m not with a brand

because I feel like my voice is lost.

What are some of the trends you’re

seeing in styling, hair colour and cuts?

Any that you’re most excited about?

I’m really excited about seeing a return

to the haircut. For so long, we’ve been

seeing long hair and layers—that’s all

we ever see in Hollywood. But now, all

of a sudden, we’re seeing girls who are

cutting bobs and bangs. Shaggy haircuts

are back. I’m seeing more wolf cuts and

statement haircuts, which I think is a lot

more exciting and will open the door for

salons to create more looks. When you

have your long-haired basic layer, which

looks beautiful and nice, there’s very

little maintenance with that—you can

go four or five months and it still looks

good. When you get into these shorter

haircuts with shags and layers, you need

to go every eight weeks to keep all the

angles right and keep it tight.


Planning Ahead

Business —

Reflecting on this past year shouldn’t just

stop at your profit margins. Whether you’re

looking to grow your clientele or shake things

up with your service menu, two industry

experts share their insights to help you

transform your business for the new year.

As many of us experience downtime in

the salon after the holiday rush, it’s a

time to celebrate our accomplishments

and look ahead to what’s next. For salon

owners, managers and stylists, it’s a

great time to be thinking about the year

ahead and what that means for business,

ranging from retail sales and staffing

to social media and goal setting to

everything in between.

“I’m always looking six to 12 months in

advance with my business,” says Kristie

Leslie, a salon retail educator and owner

of Theorie Salon in Saskatoon. “I’m

definitely thinking about our plan for the

new year right now before we get into the

wildness of the busy season. Right now,

I’m thinking about getting really clear

on what I want things to look like, what

my goals are and how my retail brands

connect to that.”

Keys to Success

As the old adage goes, “Failing to plan is

planning to fail.” The key to preparing for

a new year is creating a plan for yourself

and your team while making your

priorities and goals as clear as possible.

“I usually plan out a calendar year

ahead,” says Peter Ciardulli, owner of

Calia Hair in Toronto, Ont., and founder

of Salon Smartz, a salon business

coaching, mentoring and consultant

company. “I started doing my planning

in the last quarter of this year. Of course,

with that, things can always get refined

as time goes on, month to month, in the

new year.”

It’s also important to remember that

plans aren’t meant to be “one and done.”

Instead, setting aside a couple of times

a year, or even every month, to have

check-ins with yourself, your business

and growth, and your team can help hold

everyone accountable while being on

the same path working toward the same

goals.

“I typically meet a couple of times a

year with my team and share progress

reports and staff performance,” says

Ciardulli. “We go through them, so I can

get their feedback as far as where they

see themselves growing. It’s more of an

accountability thing on their end to see

where they want to be within the next

year. With my ideas and their ideas, we

work on a plan together for how we can

get there.”

According to Leslie, who teaches a

retail class that’s available through the

L’Oréal Business Academy—a hub for

salon owners and stylists to find curated

education that focuses on building their

businesses—she always considers the

connection between her brand and those

she carries. “Right now, I’m re-evaluating

my brand heading into the new year and

preparing for that, and just making sure

that the brands [we carry] are aligned

with my vision, our goals and our culture,”

she says. “I also plan education for the

next year—what we want to invest in and

where we want to spend our time, as well

as what we want to learn. Planning as a

team is important. The whole team has

their own vision and goals, and then we

figure out how we can come together to

make those things happen.”

Finding Your People

Since the pandemic, salon owners

have been struggling with hiring and

retaining staff, while stylists have become

increasingly concerned about having

TEXT: LAUREN FARRUGIA, PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK


“IT’S NOT ABOUT REINVENTING—

IT’S ABOUT REFINING. IT’S TAKING WHAT

WE ALREADY HAVE THAT’S SUCCESSFUL

AND REFINING IT TO MAKE IT BETTER.”

— PETER CIARDULLI, OWNER OF CALIA HAIR AND FOUNDER OF SALON SMARTZ, TORONTO, ONT.

PRO TIP

INSTEAD OF PLACING

A BULK ORDER ON

A MONTHLY BASIS,

CIARDULLI SAYS A BIG

STRATEGY FOR HIM IS TO

AVOID OVERSTOCKING AND

PLACE WEEKLY ORDERS

OF COLOUR. HE ALSO

PRIORITIZES MEASURING

COLOUR TO REDUCE BOTH

FINANCIAL AND PRODUCT

WASTE.

a profitable yet balanced career amid

decreasing clientele, especially as the

prices of both everyday and business

essentials continue to rise.

“I’ve been in this business for 25 years,

and I’m seeing a lot of stylists who are

spinning their wheels and having a hard

time getting to the next level of growth,”

says Leslie. “The number one pillar we

have to look at is retention. If we’re not

retaining clients, we’re going to have a

really hard time growing. It’s also about

retaining and attracting the right ones,

too, and that goes for both clients

and staff.”

According to Ciardulli, the key to his

very low turnover rate among his staff

has been to not give them a reason to

leave. “I’ve had people on my team for 20

years and some have been with us for 10,”

he says. “You have to fill those gaps in

and find out what your individual stylist

needs and requires. I will say, successful

salons keep up with education. It keeps

us motivated and holds us accountable,

and everybody likes to have structure

within a business, knowing that there are

rules to follow and targets to hit.”

“I rebuilt my business on a much

clearer vision of what I wanted and who

I wanted to be as a leader,” adds Leslie.

“I really dug deep and

thought about what kind

of people I wanted to work

with. I think authenticity is

the most important thing

in our business right now.

Everything looks great and

shiny online, but when

we’re authentically who

we are, we attract clients

that way. If we’re not being

authentic, we’re going to

have trouble with building

and retaining.”

Rethinking Your Retail

While colour and technical

services are often the

ones bringing in the most

money for both salon owners and stylists,

experts share that ensuring you have a

plan for your in-salon retail success can

be critical to not only increasing revenue

but also taking care of your clients, which

keeps them coming back.

“We look at our retail numbers very

often, and that tells me how well we’ve

cared for our clients,” says Leslie. “I’m a

very firm believer that retail bridges the

gap between a salon service and a salon

experience.”

“I think about the three Cs of impactful

retailing,” she adds. “The first one is

conversation, and it must be a part of the

conversation all the way through. When

clients walk in, instead of telling them

to take a seat while they wait, I tell them

to shop around, and that creates that

shopping idea in their mind. The second

one is connection, so connecting with

your clients on a deeper level and asking

those bigger questions that allow you

to dig deeper. And, lastly, it’s care. The

numbers tell us how well we’ve cared

for our clients.”

Pricing and Services

With clients opting for more lived-in

looks that require less maintenance,

which, in turn, allows them to extend

the amount of time between their

appointments, the new year may be

a good time to consider refreshing

your salon’s service menu and pricing

structure.

“I always challenge stylists to

communicate with the guest about

fitting their budget,” says Ciardulli.

“For example, if someone gets

highlights, we can try partial highlights

more frequently, which still keeps the

hair looking refreshed while being

budget conscious and helping them

avoid spending larger amounts. I call

these ‘fit-in services.’”

While Ciardulli looks at price

increases once or twice a year, he says

it’s important for stylists to work toward

an increase, which is determined by the

salon’s progress reports. “We also do

market evaluation within our area,” he

says. “I don’t like to go below or above.

I stay within the mid- to high range.”

Although introducing new services

can help attract new clients and increase

your salon’s ability to add on services to

appointments, Leslie says her focus is on

new approaches to existing services. “I

want us to dial in the way we do things

to connect with our clients on a deeper

level,” she says. “I think, sometimes, if we

add in too many things, it can get messy.

So this year, I’ll be focusing with my team

so everyone can kind of have a bit more

of a niche and specialization, so really

building on customer care instead of

newer services.”


—

The STMNT Summit celebrates craft, culture and self-expression and

the annual gathering combines community, education and creativity,

allowing attendees to fully immerse themselves into the world of STMNT.

Events —

The second day, Train the

Trainer, brought together

STMNT ambassadors for

an inspiring session that

focused on education,

empowerment and

performance excellence.

The day focused on the

technical and soft skills

that work together to

elevate everyday salon and

shop work into artistry.

A Look Inside the World

of STMNT Summit

Barbers and hairstylists traveled to the Golden State for

a four-day event hosted by STMNT Grooming Goods.

When & Where: July 16 to 19, Los Angeles, Calif.

—

Among the attendees were a range

of Canadian hairstylists and barbers,

including Michelle Oliver, creative

manager for Henkel Canada and a

Contessa-winning hairstylist; Paige

Caletti, Henkel’s brand manager of

styling; Montreal-based barber and

STMNT educator Paul Doyle; Torontobased

barbershop owner Brian Lat;

Toronto-based hairstylist and educator

Diego Lauro; and Ontario-based

barbershop owner Kam Cyril.

|

Among the attendees were the

brand’s creators, Julius Arriola

(a.k.a. Julius Cvesar), Sofie

Pok (a.k.a. Sofie Staygold) and

Miguel Gutierrez (a.k.a.

Nomad Barber).

—

Day one of the summit was Ambassador Activity day and kicked off with a

sneaker personalization workshop. Attendees were then invited to hit the

streets of Los Angeles for a city tour, with the day coming to a close with a

rooftop dinner that offered breathtaking views of Santa Monica Beach.

—

The final day

of the Summit

celebrated the

brand’s creativity,

purpose and

evolution.

Attendees had

the opportunity

to explore

styling stations,

product and hair

showcases, as

well as interactive

moments, and the

brand’s creators

even hosted live

Q&As and panels.

The third day featured a range

of sessions that each blended

personal development with

technical expertise. The sessions

were hosted by creators Cvesar,

Staygold and Nomad Barber as

well as ambassador Zach Ignacio

and included topics like hands-on

cutting workshops, purposedriven

evolution, building an online

presence and crafting a brand

aesthetic and visual identity.

PHOTOS: LAB STUDIOS, INSTAGRAM


Events —

Celebrating a Milestone in

Beauty at John Paul Mitchell

Systems’ Desert Bloom

In honour of its 45th anniversary, John Paul Mitchell Systems (JPMS)

hosted its highly anticipated Desert Bloom, a Gathering Event, which

united 1,800 stylists, beauty pros, distributors and Paul Mitchell Schools

for two exciting days of inspiration, education and celebration.

—

The brand’s

leadership

team—including

DeJoria’s daughter

Michaeline DeJoria,

chief executive

officer, and Jason

Yates, president of

JPMS—were also in

attendance.

When & Where: August 3 and 4, Las Vegas

PHOTOS: BIGTOM PHOTOGRAPHY (PHOTO BY TOM O’CONNOR)

| Celebrity hairstylists Jen Atkin, Justine

Marjan, Vernon Jackson and Justin Anderson

were also in attendance and participated in

Q&A and panel discussions.

|

To kick off the festivities, a

special VIP welcome reception

was hosted by JPMS co-founder

John Paul DeJoria and featured

a poolside reception that

showcased models and set the

tone for the event.

—

JPMS hosted look-and-learn

classes and product activations

in its Brand Experience

rooms, which included Paul

Mitchell, Neuro, Tea Tree and

Professional Haircolor.

| The event concluded with the

evening’s Gala Under the Stars,

which featured Vegas-style live

entertainment and models with

avant-garde, desert-inspired hair,

led by editorial director Noogie Thai.


Events —

The three-day event’s official welcome party began with a cocktail

reception, followed by a theatrical stage performance featuring

the Moroccanoil leadership team, including Robert Ham, senior

vice-president of global education, and Antonio Corral Calero, global

creative director.

The night concluded with a runway show of models to showcase the

brand’s latest launch in hair colour: intense reds, coppers and violets.

All the High-Energy

Inspiration and Education

from Moroccanoil’s The

Collective 2025

More than 1,200 hairstylists, colourists, salon owners and

beauty pros from around the world travelled to attend

Moroccanoil’s The Collective 2025.

When & Where: August 4 to 6, Las Vegas

|

Among the attendees

was Amer Jomaa, CEO

of Modern Beauty

Supplies.

Kevin Hughes, vice-president of artistry for

Moroccanoil, also participated in a special

artistic presentation with the team. With the

theme of “Dare to Dream,” Hughes, Ham

and Corral Calero took the stage for an

immersive and fun presentation.

|

PHOTOS: MOROCCANOIL


Attendees were able to

register for up to six breakout

sessions, which ranged

from haircutting and curls

to dimensional blonding

and luxurious brunettes to

upstyling and bridal.

—

Events —

The Moroccanoil Global Hair

Competition Gala marked the

big reveal of the work of this

year’s finalists and winner.

Congratulations to Tatiana

(Tati), from Puerto Rico,

whose winning collection was

inspired by her culture and

featured a range of vibrant

colours.

|

|

Montreal-based hairstylist and Moroccanoil

artistic team member Tania Lacoste Major

offered her haircutting tips for creating

geometric shapes.

|

Carmen Tal, co-founder of Moroccanoil,

took the stage to extend her heartfelt

gratitude to this year’s attendees.

The final day began with a panel

featuring industry experts,

including Vince Riverso, general

manager for Ontario at Modern

Beauty Supplies.

—

Moroccanoil global color

ambassador Greg Gilmore

shared haircutting techniques

and styling tips for curly hair.

|

For the beach blonding session, Toronto-based salon owner and

Moroccanoil global color ambassador Lisa Dinh shared her foiling

tips and tricks for creating sun-kissed results on darker levels.

—

Following the additional technical

sessions, the event concluded

with the Moroccanoil Global Hair

Competition Gala. Members of

the brand’s global trend team,

including Gonzalo Murillo, Barri

Gibson, Kumi Ito, Michel Baltazar

and Tatiana Dudley, participated

in a high-energy hair jam.


Events —

Aveda’s global artistic directors

Allen Ruiz and Luis Gonzalez

took the stage to showcase their

latest collection, Caution, in a

high-energy runway show with live

colour and styling demonstrations.

|

Highlights from

Aveda Congress 2025

More than 1,000 salon owners, hairstylists, colourists and beauty pros

were united for Aveda Congress 2025—the brand’s highly anticipated,

global biennial education event.

When & Where: August 16 to 18, Minneapolis, Minn.

—

The highly anticipated evening stage presentation, led by Aveda’s

global senior vice president of professional artistry, Antoinette

Beenders, showcased four nature-inspired segments with braiding,

haircutting and colour demos.

The event’s theme, “Seed a

Revolution,” was designed to

motivate attendees to help

grow the beauty industry

by mentoring students and

showcase the power of the

brand.

|

PHOTOS: AVEDA, SALON STAFF


—

To open the show, Aveda’s president of global brands, Shane

Wolf, took to the main stage to showcase a voluminous

transformation in celebration of the brand’s latest launch,

Abundant Blowout All-Over Volumizing Spray. “I’m proud

to be the only president of a major international, prestige

haircare brand who has actually owned a salon and worked

as a stylist,” he says. “It means that I not only understand you,

but I’m proud to be one of you.”

Events —

To close the show, awardwinning,

avant-garde

hairdresser Sylvestre

Finold shared his latest

collection, Twinsburg, and

took the stage for avantgarde

haircutting and

styling demos.

Celebrity hairstylist Jawara opened

up about his journey in the industry.

Best known for work with textured

hair, he has worked with celebrities like

Beyoncé, Rihanna, Naomi Campbell

and Solange Knowles. To close his

presentation, he showcased a series

of models with bold, textured and

braided, sculptured hair.

The following

day was filled

with inspiring

presentations by

Aveda artists and

team members,

including Aveda

Japan’s creative

director, Masa

Honda, and Aveda’s

Texture Team.


The festivities kicked off with a spectacular gala night

at New City Gas, which was transformed into a desert

dream with the theme of “Desert Oasis Chic.” Attendees

were treated to a gala dinner, followed by a high-fashion

hair show led by renowned Contessa-winning hairstylist

Guylaine Martel.

Events —

Inspiring Artistry at

L’Oréal Professionnel’s

Immersion 2025

—

Opening remarks were

delivered by national

education manager

Caroline Verreault. “Get

ready for an unforgettable

evening and an

enchanting interlude

infused with the very

essence of what L’Oréal

Professionnel is,” she

says. “What we do best:

we create, we inspire and

we elevate.”

Hairstylists, colourists and industry professionals

gathered in Montreal for L’Oréal Professionnel’s first-ever

Immersion, a three-day event filled with education and

inspiration from the brand’s artists and educators.

When & Where: September 13 to 15, Montreal, Que.

Vice-president of sales Julien Descoteaux also

addressed attendees and shared his admiration for the

industry. “You are the backbone of our industry and the

reason our brands are thriving,” he says. “You are beating

at the heart of our inspiration.”

—

—

We also had exclusive backstage access, which gave us a glimpse into the

opening show’s avant-garde presentation as Martel and L’Oréal Professionnel

artists transformed models on stage in a show-stopping performance, setting

the stage for the weekend of education and inspiration.

—

Among the attendees was Stephan

Arsenault, president of L’Oréal’s

professional products division.

PHOTOS: THE OPAL WHITE CREATIONS, SALON STAFF


Marketing director Karlana Blakely shared the vision

and mission of L’Oréal Professionnel, highlighting the

brand’s century-long legacy of supporting professional

hairstylists since 1909.

|

—

The event also spotlighted

technical education, with shorthair

techniques demonstrated

by Thaddeus, a precision

haircutting and business coach

and founder of Gradient, and

Mathieu Mainville, a Contessawinning

stylist and owner of

Sans Bon Sens.

Events —

—

Artists like Sarah

Amson, a celebrity

hair specialist and

co-owner of Dome

Hair Studio in

Toronto, showcased

Autumn/Winter

2025/2026 haircolour

and styling

trends and shared

insights for creating

espresso tones and

edgy yet modern

looks.

|

Textured and long-hair cutting was

demonstrated by ambassadors Lyette

Belanger, co-owner of Salon Funky

Toque, and Nadia Abouwaked.

Hair-colour and blonding techniques were shared by

Joannie Blais, a bespoke colour specialist and owner

of Studio ColorByJoannie.

|

|

L’Oréal Professionnel artists and ambassadors,

including Jason Williams, transformed models in a

show-stopping performance, setting the stage for

a weekend of education and inspiration.

|

The weekend concluded

with hands-on sessions in

cut and colour. Participants

trained directly with L’Oréal

Professionnel portfolio artists

and ambassadors, exploring

creative techniques to bring

back to the salon.

—

For business owners, there was

a special Industry Expert Series

that highlighted the launch of

L’Oréal Business Academy, which

gave attendees tools to elevate

their careers and businesses.

Joshua Balint, director of

business excellence, opened the

panel and shared more about the

academy’s objectives.


Events —

“We wanted to create something that

was very education focused,” says Kelly

Conroy, head of global education for

Kao Salon Division. “With the changing

world of education, we wanted to have

something focused on Goldwell and

focused on hair colour as a brand, since

we know that’s what helps drive services

in the salon. We wanted it to be elevated

education and inspiration, [showcasing]

services that people can take back to

the salon.”

|

| The two-day event combined editorial inspiration with salon-friendly education—ranging from

masterclasses and interactive workshops to model showcases and trend talks—for a wide range of learning.

A Recap of the Award-Winning

Artistry and Immersive Education

at Goldwell’s ColorSphere 2025

Goldwell took over the fashion capital of Milan, Italy, for its first-ever ColorSphere—

the debut of the brand’s new global event experience—which united more than 1,200

hairstylists, colourists and beauty pros from around the world.

When & Where: September 14 and 15, Milan, Italy

|

Also in attendance were members of Kao Canada’s

leadership team, including Michael Parsons, division

vice-president of Canada salon and commercial

strategy and planning for the Americas; Laura de

Sousa, senior national sales manager; Monika

Chawla, associate director of human capital

development; Nadia Mitro, marketing leader; and

Kathy Reilly, senior associate director of education.

|

Artists Seung Ki Baek and Kylie Bussing led Spectrum Secrets, an innovative editorial and

salon-friendly colour seminar that was inspired by Italian artistry and showcased new

colour techniques using the brand’s Elumen hair colour.

PHOTOS: KAO, GOLDWELL, SALON STAFF


—

The Canadian competitors included New Talent Colorist finalist

Harmony Taylor of Valentino’s Grande Salon in Whitby, Ont.,

Creative Haircutter finalist Kye Pyeon of Suki’s Downtown in

Vancouver, B.C. and Creative Colorist finalist Stephanie Karellas

of Kroma Salon in King City, Ont. Fun Fact: Pyeon and Karellas

are also Contessa finalists!

Events —

The show concluded with a

high-energy hair jam featuring the

brand’s global artists, including

Tammie Axworthy, a member of

Goldwell Canada’s artistic team.

—

Among the attendees was awardwinning

hairstylist Michelle Pargee,

who mentored the Canadian

competitors.

|

—

In Chroma Chronicles,

Ashley Hood from Suki’s in

Vancouver, B.C., shared haircolour

tips for blondes.

To showcase two of Kao’s key

brands, Oribe global principal

artist Nicci Welsh and Goldwell

artist Huub Eysink joined forces to

transition editorial inspiration and

techniques into salon-friendly looks.

|

Didier Lachapelle

from Quebec led

The Finish Line, a

hands-on styling

session.

|

Masterclasses were led by Goldwell’s global artists

and educators, including Gianluca Spagnuolo and

Marianne Jensen, who led Trends Translation,

o!ering a technical breakdown of colour, style and

fashion forecasts for 2026.


Events —

The four-day event was held at the Hard Rock Hotel

resort and kicked off with interactive brand experiences

to showcase Beautynova’s brands: milk_shake, Medavita

and Depot – The Male Tools & Co. “It’s a way to bring

customers and cultures together,” says John Moroney,

senior vice-president of global education for Beautynova.

“Each of the brands occupies such a different space. There

is room for all three brands in any given salon.”

|

All the Incredible Moments

from milk_shake’s

Hairtopia 2025 in Ibiza!

To mark the end of summer and celebrate a new era for

Beautynova, more than 1,100 hairstylists and beauty pros from

across Europe and North America

travelled to the iconic island of

Ibiza to celebrate Hairtopia 2025.

When & Where:

September 28 to October 1,

Ibiza, Spain

Among the attendees were

Stefano Banfo, chief executive

officer of Beautynova Group; Cory

Couts, president of Beautynova

Americas; and Aubrey Schutté,

vice-president of marketing for

Beautynova Americas.

|

|

The event also included a party at the renowned

Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel for a special DJ set by

David Guetta.

“We’re very happy to have a pretty large contingent

for us from North America, and it’s part of that buzz

we’ve been generating for the past year,” says Couts.

“We’ve been on a very high growth trajectory for the

last year, and this just helps cement that.”

|

|

Hairtopia’s main attraction was the high-energy, music-festivalinspired

education sessions, which were held outdoors at the

resort’s main stage and featured artists and educators from

across Beautynova’s brands, including milk_shake’s international

hair artist and educator Diego Avellini.

PHOTOS: BEAUTYNOVA GROUP, SALON STAFF


Among the educators

were Andrew Smith

and Gianluca Grechi,

who are global artistic

ambassadors for

milk_shake, as well as

Contessa finalists for

International Colourist.

Italian hairstylist and milk_shake

international artist Maverik Calzavara took

the stage with avant-garde styling and

braiding techniques.

|

—

In addition to onstage hair jams,

live DJs took education to the next

level, transforming the sessions

into a lively party, with attendees

gathered around the stage for

a truly unique and fun learning

experience.

With looks inspired by the

overarching theme of “a tribe from

another planet,” the artists and

educators showcased techniques

ranging from avant-garde styling

and innovative colour placement to

editorial-focused looks and curlytexture

techniques.

|

Events —

|

International artist and colour technician

Sabrina Nicolazzo demonstrated innovative

colour and styling techniques.

—

Avant-garde

hairstylist and

milk_shake U.K.

ambassador Shelley

Lane created a

Medusa-inspired

look.

—

Educator Miki Moi showcased a

water-inspired look that symbolized

strength and power.

|

The next day featured lots of time to network

before the “Be a Rock Star” closing party,

which featured a bu!et dinner and night of

dancing.


Events —

The event’s gala featured the exciting

announcement of the Chatters Dare to

Hair competition winners.

Congratulations to all winners, including Sonal

Dodiya of Chatters Hair Salon in Winnipeg for

her Avant-Garde style. Learn more about this

winning look in an upcoming issue of Salon!

Celebrating Creativity at the

2025 Chatters Symposium

Franchise owners and stylists from across Canada travelled to

Calgary for the 2025 Chatters Symposium. The biennial education

event featured education by some of Chatters’ top brands, including

Redken, Moroccanoil, Reuzel and more, along with meetings for

Chatters’ franchise owners and vendors.

Among the Mane Stage Stando! judges was

Katrina Smiley, education director for Redken.

|

When & Where: October 20 to 22, Calgary, Alta.

—

Throughout the event, brands such

as AG Hair, Biolage, Moroccanoil and

Pureology participated in the vendor

expo, allowing salons and stylists to

learn about new products.

—

The event was hosted

by Patrick Cleary, vice

president of human

resources, culture and

learning for Chatters.

—

The three-day event kicked o! with

a warm welcome from Chatters CEO,

Kelly West, who thanked attendees

and reflected on her past nine months

as the company’s leader.

|

Five hairstylists took the stage for the Mane Stage Stando!, a live

competition to showcase their styling skills. Congratulations to the

winner, Zahra Mobarakabadi of Chatters Hair Salon in Winnipeg!

Redken hosted

educational stage

presentations led

by their artists

including Sara

Botsford and Cindy

Duplantis, who

shared updo and

styling tips for the

holiday season.

PHOTOS: CHATTERS., SALON STAFF


—

New York-based hairstylist, salon owner and Oribe

brand ambassador Stacey Ciceron took the stage to

showcase three looks on coily-textured hair, ranging

from braids to a twisted ponytail.

Inside the Stylish

Evening with Oribe Event

Events —

More than 140 hairstylists, salon owners and beauty pros

from across Western Canada gathered for an inspiring night of

editorial styling and creativity hosted by Oribe’s team of artists

and ambassadors..

When & Where: October 26, Vancouver, B.C.

—

Also in attendance was the

Suki’s Salons & Academy

team, who hosted the prep

for the evening’s event.

|

Held at the Hollywood Theatre,

the event immersed attendees

in the art of editorial styling and

design, with beauty pros from

British Columbia, Alberta and

Saskatchewan.

PHOTOS: TONY NGUYEN

|

Connor Lange, a Toronto-based freelance hairstylist

and Oribe local artist, showcased the brand’s

signature ’90s bouncy blowout and an updo.

Long-Lasting Leadership

Kao Corporation has promoted Michael Parsons to division

vice-president of commercial strategy and planning for the Americas.

Beginning his career as a warehouse associate, Parsons has spent

more than two decades in progressive sales and sales management

roles with Kao Salon Division Canada. After working as the director of

sales, marketing and education, he was appointed to general manager in

2016. Throughout his tenure with Kao, Parsons has developed a deep knowledge of

the professional beauty industry in Canada and across the Americas. He has served as

a key member of Kao Salon Division’s North American Leadership Team and Americas

Region Leadership Team, contributing to strategic initiatives and helping to shape

the division’s long-term vision across multiple markets and channels. In his expanded

role, Parsons will continue to lead Kao’s Canadian salon division as general manager

while taking on the responsibility of commercial strategy and planning across all of

Kao’s salon brands in the Americas. His ongoing leadership and vast experience will be

instrumental in driving growth, alignment and innovation across the region.

Scoop —


Entering a New Era

Salon Source —

From its fresh leadership to ongoing expansion, Chatters is opening doors for business owners

and beauty professionals across the country. Learn more about the company’s evolution and how

Canada’s largest salon chain is helping its stylists learn and grow.

With more than 115 locations and a

team of upward of 1,200 hairstylists,

Chatters has been making waves in

the salon industry. Now, under the

leadership of its new CEO, Kelly

West, the company is continuing to

make strides in providing growth

opportunities for beauty professionals.

We chatted with West at this year’s

Chatters Symposium, which marked her

official debut since joining the company

this past January. “From the first salon

to a national chain, Chatters has always

been about people—our stylists, our

clients, our franchise owners and the

communities we serve,” she says. “Our

success is rooted in the values and

culture that have guided us from day

one—collaboration, creativity and care.

That human connection is the heart of

who we are and continues to drive our

growth and purpose today.”

Since being founded in 1991 in Red

Deer, Alta., Chatters has evolved into

the largest salon chain and professional

hair-product distributor in Canada (the

third-largest in North America), with

more than 70 professional brands.

To build on its retail strength, one

of West’s first initiatives has been

spearheading the launch of Chatters

Rewards, the company’s new loyalty

program that’s designed to help with

client retention by bridging the gap

between stylists, services and retail sales.

West leveraged her vast experience

and knowledge from working for large

consumer chains to create a program

that helps stylists by providing exciting

retail incentives for their customers.

“I have in-depth experience in loyalty

and how that can really help deliver

personalization and a differentiated

way to speak to customers,” she says.

“The unique differentiator with Chatters

Rewards is the earn on service and retail,

rewarding clients across all parts of their

salon experience. We were very excited to

launch this in the market.”

Another key to Chatters’ success

has been its employee retention. Many

of its stylists have been working with

the company for upward of 10 years

and credit its wide range of education

offerings, employee benefits and retail

opportunities.

“Chatters is an incredible place to

build your career,” says Angie Hunt, a

Winnipeg-based hairstylist who has

been with the brand for more than 18

years. “Even seasoned stylists benefit

from ongoing education, and Chatters

consistently delivers. There’s a wide

range of learning opportunities, with

the flexibility to choose the brands and

techniques you want to focus on. It

keeps us current and competitive in a

fast-evolving industry.”

For Cindy Duplantis, a Torontobased

celebrity hairstylist and Chatters

ambassador, she made the move

to Chatters in Mississauga, Ont., in

2019 after working at independent

and boutique salons. “Chatters is an

exceptional fit for stylists who thrive

with structure,” she says. “Scheduling,

ordering—everything is taken care of

for you. If you appreciate that level of

organization, it’s hugely motivating. And

beyond that, the ongoing education is

outstanding. You can learn as much and

as often as you want.”

“Because it’s such a large company,

you also have access to full benefits,”

she adds. “As a single mom for many

years, that support was essential. We

even have a pension—something almost

unheard of in this industry—along with

vacation pay. Knowing you have that

level of security behind you is incredibly

valuable.”

In Partnership With:

PHOTO: CHATTERS


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