HJ NEWS

NHBF Joins Government to Tackle Ill-Health

More than 60 major and small employers are joining forces with the government to tackle the rising tide of ill-health that is pushing people out of work. The Government will partner with employers to reshape how health issues and disabilities are managed in the workplace with the launch of employer-led Vanguards who will develop and refine workplace health approaches to build the evidence base for what works. Caroline Larissey NHBF Chief Executive says: “The NHBF already provides comprehensive health, safety and legal resources, to help our members protect their businesses and teams, and we’re proud to bring this expertise to the Keep Britain Working initiative as a Vanguard partner. We understand the concerns small businesses may have about additional burdens, which is why this voluntary programme is so important.”

COLOURISTS ACHIEVE HAIR COLOUR DEGREE LEVEL DIPLOMA

The Wella Company has announced that 24 students have achieved the Wella Colour Higher Level Diploma. The expert colourists took 20 months to complete the highly intensive course and celebrated their success at a formal graduation ceremony on 1st November at Glasgow University’s Clyde College. The Wella Colour Higher Level Diploma is an industry first SCQF Level 9 qualification, which recognises the professionalism and technical acumen needed to be a true hair colour expert. Wella’s Senior Education Manager, Paul Fensome said: “It’s an incredibly challenging syllabus with academic modules designed to push experienced colourists to the limit. All 24 students, which comprised 22 external and 2 internal students, passed the course, which certainly bodes well for the future of this degree course and the ongoing delivery of hair colour excellence for UK clients.”

300%

THAT’S HOW MUCH GOOGLE SEARCHES FOR THE ‘MESSY FRENCH BOB’ HAVE SOARED BY WITH STYLISTS AT NEÄL & WØLF NAMING IT THE ‘IT GIRL’ HAIRCUT FOR 2026 – READ MORE AT HJI.CO.UK

RUSH HOSTS LEGENDARY AFTER DARK EVENT

RUSH recently hosted their RUSH After Dark event, hosted by International Creative Director, Andrew Heasman. The interactive showcase was attended by over 120 RUSH employees, providing a unique platform for them to meet and mingle with members of the award-winning RUSH Artistic Team, Education Team, Academy Team, and Operations Team. Attendees were free to walk around the creative space and get up close to see how looks were created, being encouraged to ask lots of questions to each of the presenters. “It was a fantastic evening,” shared Andrew. “After Dark is an exploration of the very best of RUSH, collating the talent and specialities of our wonderful team. It’s amazing to get together, chat, ask questions and learn more about the new activities and courses at the Academy.”

Tressly Hosts Third Annual Tress Gala

Tressly, the all-in-one business software for independent hairstylists, hosted the third Tress Gala on Monday 27 October 2025 at The Londoner Hotel, Soho. Tress Gala is an event aimed at celebrating the UK’s thriving Black hair styling industry. As well as providing a safe space to network and share ideas, there were also six awards given out this year ranging from Best Braider to the all-new Best Barber category. HJ is the proud media sponsor of Tress Gala, alongside headline sponsors L’Oréal Professional Products and silver sponsor Myavana. Antoinette Ale, Tressly Co-founder and CEO, opened the event by announcing the launch of Tressly Studios coming later this year in South East London, a co-working space for black stylists and creatives in the industry, head to hji.co.uk to see this year’s winners and to find out more about Tressly Studios.

Jordanna Cobella Announced as Lead Centred Collective Partner

Hair wellness brand, CENTRED, has announced Jordanna Cobella as its new Lead CENTRED Collective Partner. The partnership reflects CENTRED’s commitment to supporting professionals with education, in-salon training, and tools that enable stylists to guide clients confidently through their hair wellness journey. “We’re thrilled to welcome Jordanna as Lead CENTRED Collective Partner, says Laura Tudor, co-founder of CENTRED. “We created CENTRED after my own personal hair loss experience in 2017, so it is important to us that we work with industry leaders with integrity and expertise. We’re excited to lead this new era of conscious, intelligent haircare built around wellbeing.”

DENMAN GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

It’s been a busy six months for Denman Professional, with the Bangor-based heritage brand ramping up its community support through a range of CSR initiatives. The team backed Quilts for Carers by funding materials for handmade quilts gifted to care leavers, helped Ulster Wildlife create a wildflower patch and bee bank to boost biodiversity, and joined the Great British Beach Clean to tackle coastal litter. A charity bake sale and raffle also raised £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Denman’s culture of kindness continues to shine through every stitch, seed, and slice of cake!

Speaking at British Beauty Week, Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Rt. Hon Rachel Reeves commented:

“THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY IS A BRITISH SUCCESS STORY. A HIGH-GROWTH SECTOR DEMONSTRATING THE BEST OF BRITISH ENTERPRISE AND INNOVATION. FROM HIGH STREET SALONS AT THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO PIONEERING BUSINESSES LIKE THE BEAUTY TECH GROUP LISTING ON THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, THIS SECTOR IS DRIVING GROWTH, CREATING GOOD JOBS AND RAISING LIVING STANDARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.”

Philip Kingsley Announces New CEO

Philip Kingsley has appointed Joseph Scott Grigsby as its new Chief Executive Officer. Anabel Kingsley, Brand President and Consultant Trichologist at Philip Kingsley shared: “My father Philip Kingsley was a pioneer in hair and scalp health. Our mission is to uphold his legacy of trust, expertise, and care – while continuing to formulate cutting-edge products for our customers. With Joseph at the helm, I’m confident we will accelerate our growth and further strengthen our position as the leaders in trichology.”

ALFAPARF Milano Professional Hosts Global Customer DREAMLAND IBIZA Event

ALFAPARF Milano Professional brought together 236 guests from the UK and Ireland on the stunning island of Ibiza for their Dreamland Ibiza event where luxury met creativity in a celebration of community, connection, and Italian excellence. Under the creative direction of Global Creative Director Rudy Mostarda, the DREAMLAND Hair Show was a display of inspiration, artistry, and imagination. Featuring breathtaking hair creations, dramatic fire performances and dancers, guests commented it was an “unreal” true celebration of creativity and the power of dreaming big.

Sweet Squared to Become Exclusive UK Distributor for John Paul Mitchell Systems

From January 1, 2026, Sweet Squared will become the exclusive distributor for Paul Mitchell products in the UK. “We believe that our core values... perfectly align with the Paul Mitchell ethos of integrity, creativity and care. Together we’re ready to bring something truly special to professionals across the country,” says co-founders Samuel and Samantha Sweet. They will deliver Paul Mitchell’s professional colour, care and styling ranges, and education, business support, and community engagement.