WELCOME
HAIR: SMARTEST 73 ARTISTIC TEAM
MAKE-UP: DEBRA SMART
STYLING: GINDER NINJA
PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMIE BLANSHARD
Running a successful salon requires a constant balancing act between creative passion and sharp financial management. While it is easy to get caught up in broader economic noise, the latest data from our HJ Insider survey shows that salon appointments and revenues are holding steady or improving across the board.
The landscape is shifting, though. Over half (52%) of your clients are now prioritising lower-maintenance services. We are seeing this reality play out across all sectors. In our Colour Notes feature, Chloe Phelps discusses the commercial necessity of building beautiful, grow-out-friendly techniques like her signature ‘Snowlights’ to accommodate guests who are stretching time between appointments. It is a sentiment echoed by colour icon Jack Howard ahead of his Salon International Masterclass (page 41); the modern consumer is rejecting high-maintenance, blanket coverage in favour of grey blending and sophisticated longevity.
Faced with longer gaps between visits, smart salons are diversifying into high-margin services to protect profitability. This month’s deep dive into extensions highlights a commercial evolution. Extensions are no longer a one-size-fits-all solution for dramatic length. Instead, they are driving significant salon revenue through targeted volume, density, and solutions for clients experiencing menopausal or medication-related thinning.
Adapting to modern client expectations also means looking closely at how you structure your service menu. On page 12, George Waterfield, co-founder of The Secret Garden, makes a compelling case for abandoning traditional gendered pricing and shifting to a transparent system based purely on haircut type, hair length, and time, to build trust and a truer sense of belonging.
Refining your technical menu is equally vital for keeping clients engaged, and our feature on page 22 explores how the Bixie cut is helping stylists to look at clippers through a fresh lens. Rather than using them for sharp barbering lines, top educators outline how high-quality clippers and trimmers are essential for personalising texture.
Of course, filling books for these services requires visibility, and this month's HJ Debate around the importance of social media highlights a divide between digital acquisition and the undeniable power of authentic, local reputation.
Enjoy the issue!
TEAM HJ
Managing Director Mark Moloney
Head of Editorial Eve Oxberry eve.o@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7378
Acting Deputy Editor Abbie Skliarsky abbie.s@thepbgroup.com • 020 73494 798
Editor Charlotte Grant-West charlotte.g@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7369 (Maternity Leave)
Content Editor Chloe Weldon chloe.weldon@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7362
Senior Content Writer Josie Jackson josie.j@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7362
Group Sales Director Jackie Brown jackie.b@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7366
Group Sales Manager Matt Crane matt.c@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7367
Account Manager Max FitzGerald max.f@thepbgroup.com • 0207 349 4793
Account Manager Jane Thomson jane.t@thepbgroup.com • 0203 841 7363
Senior Events Executive Anna van der Walt anna.v@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7377
Exhibition & Awards Executive Betlem Martinez betlem.m@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7365
Awards Contributor Angela Jones angela.j@thepbgroup.com • 020 7351 0536
Executive Assistant Katie Matthews katie.m@thepbgroup.com • 020 7349 4792
Marketing Director Chloe Monina chloe.m@thepbgroup.com • 020 7349 4799
Events Marketing Manager Phoebe Ollerearnshaw phoebe.o@thepbgroup.com • 020 7351 0536
