NEWS

Government Delivers Autumn Budget

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the Autumn Budget on Wednesday 26 November 2025 in the House of Commons. Key factors that will impact hairdressers and the hairdressing industry include a freeze on Income Tax Thresholds and from April, there will be a 4.1% increase to workers over 21, bringing the minimum wage up to £12.71 an hour. Rachel Reeves also announced that training for under-25s on apprenticeships will be made free for small and medium-sized businesses. For a full breakdown and response from the industry head to hji.co.uk.

KEVIN.MURPHY Appoints First Global Professional Ambassador

KEVIN. MURPHY has announced Eugene Souleiman as the brand’s first-ever Global Professional Ambassador. “Eugene has a rare ability to transform thought into shape, emotion into texture, and concept into something undeniably human,” says Kevin Murphy. “His work has influenced not just trends, but the way the industry thinks about hair. Bringing him into KEVIN. MURPHY is not just a collaboration; it is a commitment to elevating the craft at every level.” Over the next twelve months, Eugene will collaborate across runway partnerships and professional education.

SECURE YOUR PLACE AT THE SALON GROWTH SUMMIT

Book your tickets to the first Salon Growth Summit, taking place at Olympia London on 1-2 March 2026, brought to you by the Professional Beauty Group. Salon Growth Summit is a dedicated business event designed to help strengthen your salon for 2026 and beyond. Access high-impact education from industry experts, hear from inspiring speakers and discover practical strategies you can implement straight away. You can also meet leading professional brands, explore new suppliers and have commercially focused conversations that support smarter investment decisions for your business. Head to hji.co.uk to get your tickets.

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THAT’S THE PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR 2026 - OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CLOUD DANCER. DESCRIBED AS “A LOFTY WHITE THAT SERVES AS A SYMBOL OF CALMING INFLUENCE IN A SOCIETY REDISCOVERING THE VALUE OF QUIET REFLECTION,” FIND OUT WHAT THE INDUSTRY THINKS AT HJI.CO.UK.

NXT COLOURIST OF THE YEAR 2025 WINNER ANNOUNCED

NXT is delighted to reveal Aimee Read of Barnets by Aimee as the newly crowned NXT Colourist of the Year 2025. Aimee’s entry delivered a transformation that combined meticulous colour correction with a fresh, fashion-led palette – earning unanimous praise from this year’s judging panel. The judges, Hooker & Young, NXT Brand Ambassador Holly Bullock and Jayne Lewis-Orr, highlighted Aimee’s thoughtful approach to placement, control over warmth and exceptional final polish. They agreed the look exemplified both creativity and commercial appeal, marking her out as a colourist to watch. This year’s competition continued to grow in scale, drawing outstanding entries from across the UK.

HJ Business Academy Celebrates First Year of Entrepreneur Programme

The HJ Business Academy has marked a successful first year, wrapping up its 2025 programme with nine aspiring salon owners gaining invaluable business education from industry entrepreneur, Sean Hanna. The six-month initiative offered delegates practical guidance on everything from financial planning to marketing strategy. In the last session, participants pitched their own business plan and won the opportunity to present at Salon International 2025 on the Business Live stage, alongside Sean. Top honours went to Rachael Dee from Leeds, who scooped first place, followed by James Foster in second and Jade Williams in third. Stay tuned for next year’s plans on hji.co.uk.

The British Beauty Council’s Hair Equity Taskforce has submitted an open letter to the UK government to mandate textured and Afro hair training in all government-funded hairdressing and barbering qualifications. Antoinette Ale, British Beauty Council Hair Equity lead and founder of Tressly:

“AS HAIR EQUITY LEAD, I SEE HOW THE LACK OF TEXTURED-HAIR EDUCATION AFFECTS REAL PEOPLE - THEIR SAFETY, THEIR DIGNITY, AND THEIR ACCESS TO QUALITY SERVICES. BY BRINGING THE INDUSTRY TOGETHER, WE’RE CREATING THE MOMENTUM AND CREDIBILITY NEEDED TO FINALLY EMBED TEXTURED-HAIR COMPETENCE ACROSS ALL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PATHWAYS.”

PHOREST CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF CLIENT EXPERIENCE AWARDS

Phorest is celebrating a milestone this year as its Client Experience Awards (CEAs) mark their 10th anniversary. Each year, Phorest team members volunteer to hand-deliver awards in their local regions, creating moments of real celebration for business owners and their teams. Luke Doolin, UK & Ireland Country Manager at Phorest, says: “Our Client Experience Awards have always reflected something fundamental: great businesses are built on great client care. These awards don’t rely on entries or nominations; they’re earned through the everyday moments that matter to clients. Reaching ten years feels significant because it shows just how consistent and people-focused our industry is.”

Revlon Professional Visionaries Re:Mastered 2026 Entries Open

Revlon Professional has launched its mentoring programme, Visionaries Re:Mastered 2026. The scheme is open to all Revlon Professional salons and applicants must be a hairdresser and a colourist with a minimum of four years’ hairdressing experience, to include an NVQ 2 qualification plus two years’ salon experience.

Applications close on Friday 27 February 2026 with the final taking place in London on Monday 23 March 2026. The four successful finalists will be invited to form the new Visionaries Re:Mastered Team for 2026. The Visionaries Team will enjoy an incredible year of opportunities.

Hear from the 2025 team below:

“This programme has let me be a creative artist. It’s genuinely reignited my passion and shaped my path forward.”

Ellie Smith

“It pushed my creativity, expanded my technical skills and helped me grow not just as an artist but as a person."

Irene Moreno

“What’s stood out most is how supportive everyone has been throughout the journey.”

Lukas Payne

“The sense of community has meant the most; being surrounded by people who genuinely lift each other up has been powerful.”

Phoebe Bashford.

Enter now at rpnews.co.uk/ VISIONARIES-2026/RP/RP/VIS/