The 2024 NZ Hair & Beauty Expo recently took place at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland, drawing in a crowd of hairdressers, barbers, salon owners, beauty therapists, and skin experts from across New Zealand. The event, which was a sellout for exhibitors for the second consecutive year, saw a notable increase in Australian hair exhibitors.

Show director Shaughan Woodcock expressed his enthusiasm for the growth in the industry, noting that despite its challenges, the hustle is paying off.  “We’ve seen such growth within the hair, beauty, barbering, health and wellbeing sectors. We also saw a big increase in interest from the hair industry looking to stock beauty products as an upsell to their clients.”

ProCollective’s sales director Wendy Steele also commended the high energy atmosphere, as well as the well laid-out space and visually appealing displays. “It was buzzing! People were highly engaged with the exhibitors. It was easy to navigate, highly visual and colourful, with lots of products and demonstrations. It really drew me in – I wanted to visit every stand!”

Education sessions were hosted by Trudi Nelson, with industry leaders such as Gay Wardle, Tracey Loughran, Niki Loe and Caroline Parker providing valuable insights for attendees.

Familiar exhibitors included well-known beauty distributors, like House of Camille, Two Hundred Doors, Beauty Care, RevitaLash Cosmetics, deSpa Cosmetics, ASAP Skincare and Observ. Meanwhile, many first-time exhibitors joined the fold, including iBody, Zena Cosmetics ANZ, Lumini Skincare, Holski, Bronsun, and Grace Beauty.

Networking opportunities were plentiful, with attendees forming valuable connections while learning about the latest industry advancements. “For me personally, I made lots of contacts and learnt a lot about each company and the brands they represent,” said Steele. “I’d highly recommend participating next year. You make great connections, learn about new products, the latest technology and upcoming launches.”

Despite economic challenges, the industry showed resilience and unity at the expo. The event was a clear success, with plans already in place for next year. Mark your calendars for the 14th and 15th of June 2025!

Below, check out a few of the highlights from this year’s NZ Hair & Beauty Expo…