
The Beauty Pro Book Club: 4 Reads to Inspire Growth and Success
Four publications for beauty industry professionals to enhance their leadership skills, financial awareness, professional growth, and joy!
The Independent Academy Sessions brings independent education to Delray Beach in Florida next February.

IAS or Independent Academy Sessions is a group of the salon industry’s top educators who will share their expertise, passion, and talent on stage at the famed Delray Beach Marriott Resort on February 5, 2017
The event is called IAS because it claims its independence from manufacturers. The event is being branded as raw unfiltered education; because salon industry professionals can gain incredible knowledge without being specific to any brand, making the content of powerful education available to all salons and salon professionals regardless of what they use and sell in their salons. More importantly, the group is bringing unity through education. Education is the common ground that binds our industry regardless of business model.
The history of hair is being featured as an integral part of this event. The legendary Robert Lobetta (the face of British Hairdressing in the 1970s-80s) will serve as Master of Ceremonies along with two-time NAHA Winner Charlie Price, who appeared on the television hair competition Shear Genius, and is one of today’s most recognizable faces in the North American hairdressing.
Joining these powerhouses are several other top professionals. Albie Mulcahy, of the John Sahog Salon, is known as an editorial commercial stylist and educator and is a rock star talent who constantly gives back to the industry. Chad Clark from California has wowed audiences nationwide with the multigenerational message of outstanding education. Phil Ring known as the pixel hair color illusionist, has joined IAS to represent the new generation of innovative hair color concepts. And, Misael Aponte is an internationally renowned master colorist and educator as well as the international color director for Oligo Professional. With his infectious enthusiasm and innovative visuals, he will show attendees the fine art of color placement.
IAS is beauty-on-the-beach education. It’s a chance for salon professionals to get up close and personal with five generations of talent on one stage. IAS is about the history of hair, a continued learning process in the age of art and science, and giving professional hairdressers the most up-to-date career growth through education and inspiration.
In addition to the mainstage class to stage education, there will be small classroom opportunities throughout the venue to meet peer to peer professionals, educators and sponsor companies.
For more details about the event, please visit www.iasraw.com. To purchase tickets, click here.
Eric Charles Mokotoff, founder of The Independent Academy Sessions has been educating hair color for two decades, sharing knowledge from top color companies during his early career in NY. Now, the owner of Hair Studio Artists Salon in Delray Beach. Florida, it’s been his dream to bring outstanding education to South FL where the message is industry unity, history and education being more important now than ever before. Offering his unique brand of independent education, Mokotoff still travels nationwide to the top hair shows to teach. For the past four years he has been inspiring participants at the American Board of Certified Haircolorists’ annual summit. When creating IAS, he simply reached out to his salon industry friends. IAS is not backed by anyone, it’s simply a dream to be lived out to be shared by all.

Four publications for beauty industry professionals to enhance their leadership skills, financial awareness, professional growth, and joy!

Ulta Beauty has announced its partnership with Black Beauty Roster to launch the pilot of All Textures Certification (ATC). The new program is aimed at addressing gaps in education within the beauty industry and raising the level of skills and guest satisfaction for all.

Mireya Villarreal, founder of From Chair to Boss™, is bringing together beauty industry leaders for a new one-day educational event designed to help salon professionals strengthen the business side of their careers. From Chair to Boss Live! will take place September 28 at the Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Salon owner, tech founder, and educator Universe Walker will bring her signature workshop, The Art of Dry Cutting, to Brooklyn on July 20, offering stylists a chance to deepen their understanding of shape, movement, texture, and dry cutting.

As part of our ongoing commitment to sharing resources that help beauty professionals stay informed, we thought it was worth introducing our audience to The Chatter and the unique perspective it brings to industry conversations.

Celebrating 60 years in haircare, Dippity-Do is honoring its styling heritage with its Girls with Curls collection, a reimagined Light Hold Gelée inspired by the brand's original 1965 styling gel.

Covet & Mane has expanded its Pro Color System with the launch of Color Boost Drops, completing what the company says is the first professional color system engineered specifically for hair extensions.

The 2026 Beauty Changes Lives Legacy Award has been awarded to Sam Villa for his trailblazing contribution, advocacy and mentorship that has profoundly transformed and elevated the professional beauty industry.

CND is relaunching its SHELLAC system with a new CND Visible Light Lamp, updated packaging, and an expanded shade offering.

Curl Cult founder Janine Jarman, a hairstylist, salon owner, educator, and product creator, is opening a community investment round that gives hairdressers and clients the opportunity to own a stake in the company they helped grow.

The night honored the artists and collections shaping the future of professional beauty during PBA NAHA 2026.

The ultra-lightweight, handle-free dryer is designed to reduce wrist strain while delivering powerful performance behind the chair.

Aura Salonware is proud to announce its 2026 scholarship recipients. This first-time scholarship in partnership with the Professional Beauty Association awarded three different scholarships to support beauty professionals at every point in their professional journey.

SalonCentric has announced its expansion into Alaska, marking the distributor’s presence across all 50 states and bringing additional access to professional beauty products, education and business support to licensed salon professionals in the region.

The 2026 Faces of Sola Visionaries encompass industry leaders driving innovation and meaningful change on their own terms.

Though their Astronaut of Hope collection of brushes and clips, ERGO Styling Tools raises $33,000 to support HairToStay, the first and only national nonprofit dedicated to making scalp cooling treatments affordable for cancer patients.

A new professional smoothing collection designed to help stylists control frizz and humidity while maintaining natural-looking results.