Hair Festival 2024 took to Sydney’s ICC on June 30 and July 1 and education was just one part of a frenetic two days that ignited the hairdressing industry.

Alongside the live Hair Festival competitions, the Wonderland party, the packed Festival Hub of expo stands and THE STAGE. for bite-sized, free education and the REALtalk Business Forum for salon owners and managers, the Education Rooms inspired throughout the event.

19 education sessions covering cut, colour, hair extensions, hair straightening, business, trichology, barbering and so much more, not to mention an additional free meditation session led by Jake Putan to kick off Monday morning, inspired attendees. Some of the biggest names and brands in local and global hair took to the stage, and we have some key insights if you somehow missed a moment. Read on.

Turn Content Into Cash With One Zero One Education

Eoin McCarthy and Leigh Winsor inspired on the approach to both your team and clients. For your team, they asked why people should come work for you and what you stand for. “It’s not about being cool, young people want to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves,” they said. “Market that, it’s like a magnet.” For clients, they reminded the audience that most of the money you generate in your business already exists in your business. “80 per cent of revenue is probably generated by 20 per cent of your clients, stop looking for things you already have,” they said, telling attendees not to seek out virality, likes and comments for the sake of it. “Don’t forget about the people you have, there’s latent money sitting in your business – create content for the clients you already have, in your emails, apps and booking systems.”

Endless Possibilities by Seamless1 and Sarah Emilia

Social media star – think 129,000 Instagram followers – Sarah Emilia educated on technical know-how like colour, volume and layering for and with hair extensions, as well as business education, including how to price hair extensions and various services within this category, such as cleansing the extensions. Sarah educated from her largely self-taught and iconic viewpoint, cutting the hair extensions to create a look live on stage.

Exclusive BaBylissPRO Barberology Masterclass with Sofie Pok

Hailing from LA and teaching precision techniques, Sofie taught to create and follow guidelines to prevent taking the shape too high, telling the audience that once they master the skill it’s easier to translate it later to different styles of fading. Beyond essential social media tips about attracting and diversifying clientele through your content, she also taught the importance pf photography to check the style and lighting in creating it. “You can’t fix what you don’t notice,” she shared. “Lighting is 80 per cent of the result you’re going to get. If you can’t see because of too much or not enough light it changes the depth of the cut.”

From Manes To Men: Creativity Unleashed with Matt Clarke and Tarik Jasrevic

Tarik and Matt showcased the power of Heiniger clippers, creating live men’s and women’s looks with the tools. They taught about how to create soft, natural and organic styles that lean into the growth of the hair in the cut and gave essential tips on using texturising scissors to soften the hair, warning not to go too deep or over-do it with this tool or you’ll destroy the hair.

Lorna Evans Reveals: Fast and Fabulous Event Styling

Lorna offered her speed secrets and tool tips – including the ergonomic tools that will save your shoulders, the necessity of boar bristle brushes to create shine and tension, and hacks like the use of bungee tape to help in fastening the hair. An important tip was her “jigsaw puzzle theory”.

“Start at the outside corners,” she shared. “The sectioning pattern is the outside part of your jigsaw puzzles, the inside puzzle is your technique, that’s where education is paramount, that’s the toolbox.”

Multi-Million Dollar Moves By Circles Of Hair and L’Oréal PRO.CONNECT

Sharlene Lee and Jessica Del Borrello offered key takeaways for building a successful salon business, inspiring the audience by reminding them “we created this brand by taking risks and failing sometimes as well”. Important insights included to not be afraid and invest in your business, know your goals and take risks, put out what you want to attract, celebrate and reward your team and don’t let fear get in the way. “We all need a structure to get to that multimillion dollar salon,” they explained.

Signature Hair Extension Methods With Shakira Jade, Tenyka Rowe and Lori-Anne Hall for Hair Candy Australia

The trio discussed practical insights, such as the longevity, rebonding potential and application methods of keratin bond hair extensions. They also educated on business, including how to consider your experience level, speed and point of difference when charging clients for hair extensions. They recommended 20 minutes per row of extensions and finished with key tips on finding a competitive edge and unique selling point for your salon, as well as making sure to educate yourself on business, join a community and find a mentor.

Spectrum Of Possibility with Fiona Dessaix, Diana El-Sayed, and Becky Mcevoy for De Lorenzo

De Lorenzo put the Nova360 colour range in the spotlight, showcasing the power of technology that treats hair as you colour. The trio discussed colour blocking, and its ability to create covetable colour combinations without having to do a full hair of foils and spending hours colouring, styling and brushing techniques that variously create definition, volume or texture and at home care knowledge. The educators instructed to think about the hair from the beginning for consistent product selection, such as ensuring you don’t prep with a constrictive product if you’re wanting a voluminous result.

Essential Looks 1:2024 with Schwarzkopf Professional

Dee Parker Attwood, Jason Fassbender and Jennifer Morgan showcased an Essential Looks collection led by silhouettes, which is less cluttered than former iterations. The collection is diverse, inclusive, led by advocacy and powerful with something to say. “They’re changemakers and serious rebels, they’re rebellious because they want to make a difference,” the team said. They presented commercial options in this collection, as well as Marilyn Manson inspired, edgy hair show-style looks from the brand’s Australian Fashion Week show for The Injury.

Become a BKT Nanoplasty Pro with BKT Beauty And Leticia Prado

Leticia taught the power behind Nanoplasty, a salon service that repairs and restores damaged hair using nanoparticles that penetrate the hair fibre, provide deep hydration and repair structural damage. The audience asked questions around client care, the service in relation to various hair types and styles and the longevity and potential for recurrent use of the service. Leticia taught the intricacies of the system, and also her use of client consultation forms, where she focuses on ensuring she’s meeting the client’s needs and that they understand the process.

Missy Peterson Introduces Malibu C Head Lab®

All the way from the US, Missy Peterson educated on scalp health and trichology. She talked through the Japanese head spa category and explained that clients are experiencing hair loss due to mineral build up and blocked follicles preventing growth.

Discussing how every one of her clients buys retail, Missy says she tells clients what they need in their hair journey, rather than asking them, and the Malibu Head Lab scope makes them want to fix their scalp, winning new clients and new business. “Don’t give clients permission to say no,” she said. “Every time I bring this scope out I make money.”

The Danger Jones Show: A Creative Color, Blonding, Toning, Cutting, and Styling Event

Alexis Thurston, Mary Ott, Jessica Powers, Holly Sharpe, Kate McFarlane and Lexie Shay put on a rock show in hair form. In both cut and colour, they gave tips for blending and layering, broke down the formula for various looks and discussed branding, theming and aesthetic. They taught not to rush the finished style after the colour and to showcase the colour at its best. Espousing the benefits of social media, the team also referred to social media feeds as the “pre-consultation”, where clients can see your work and find your niche, so you can build your brand within a brand.

MAMAWEST’s Signature Shag Haircut with Sheridan Rose Shaw and Timely

Offering technical insights into the shag haircut, Sheridan taught not to neglect the often forgotten middle part of the head, which has the most amount of weight in the haircut, and instructed on how to bring the diaphragm out for structure and to create the shape. More broadly, she taught about the significance of constant practice, mentorship and head sheets to hone your skills. “Hair cutting is like going to the gym it’s like a muscle, you have to continually build it,” she said. “I’m always learning and growing.”

Joico Trendscapes

Carolyn Gahan, Joshua Congreve and Mikelah-Jayde Riley educated on versatile looks that combine cut, colour and finish, saying styling can make or break colour. Josh discussed salon services that cater to natural fall and movement, as salon styles still have to look good to be worn with ease when clients aren’t in salon. The trio discussed talking to your clients about their maintenance routines and the importance of client communication and consultations generally to figure out what your clients want.

Asymmetrical Creative Crop with Ben Kane and Wahl

Talking about clients who ask for hard lines with this style, Ben instructed on anchoring the style from a design line and working his way up from there, balancing keeping the lines sharp but also natural. “Don’t cut far in as the longevity of the hair cut is important from the service,” he said, also teaching a clipper over comb technique to lightly feather the hair and weight line. Another great tip was in using the lines of the comb itself to guide where to place the clipper.

Elevate + Dominate with Caitlyn Muir

Cait offered some necessary truths in life and business, such as to say no to things that don’t serve you, to stop taking advice from people who bring nothing to the table and that if you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got. She also countered some of the most offered excuses, such as not having enough time, saying that one per cent of your day is 14 minutes, which is enough time to go for a walk, post on social media, call clients or make a healthy dinner. You need to find time saving hacks, like app blockers, which are a game changer. She additionally highlighted being a salesperson by leading the consultation and conversation, asking open ended questions and to keep asking until you know the answer.

Mane Masters with Sharon Blain, Bernadette Beswick and ELEVEN Australia

Sharon and Bernadette inspired with classic styles and renowned looks like the famous Sasoon veil, while giving the benefit of their enormous experience. Techniques on offer included Sharon’s matting technique, where the comb is pushed in and the hair doesn’t fall apart when you hold the hair open, and using chopsticks or skewers to hold the shape so hair can be expanded around it. Sharon also shared the impact that being educated in floristry had on her career. “It’s hard to know when to stop without that eye, people do too much without learning to pull back and define, you need a good plan,” she said.

Wahl Creative Textured Mullet with Sarah Wall

Sarah taught important tricks in fading and detail lining, such as her penchant in holding the clipper upside down for precision, and the tools necessary to texturise, line up beards and offer close detailing without irritation. Sarah’s essential tips also included stance, hold and positioning, teaching attendees to keep their elbow loose, stay fluid, don’t be stiff and follow the head shape in creating the look. She also advocated for artistry in elevating your skillset. “Open your mind, be creative, I’m lucky I have clients who want me to adventurous,” she shared.

Open Mic

Caterina Di Biase, Benni Tognini, Dave McCulloch, Kristina Russell, Nicole Healy, Sheridan Rose Shaw, Simon Doyle, Nicole Lamers, Loz Main, Jake Putan and Nathan Yip, with Clive Allwright And Gary Latham as emcees, brought a comedic, real and vulnerable session to finish Hair Festival, discussing stories of mental health and substance abuse, with connection as the antidote to addiction. Hero styles and colours, including a thematic butterfly look from Caterina, traversed shapes, ethnicities and sexualities, while love and camaraderie was the unifying theme on stage.

For more information visit www.hairfestival.com.au

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