This 2011 International Salon and Spa Expo (ISSE) is turning out to be an amazing show. Chock full of education, product launches and industry celebs, you need at least 2 days to do this show justice. Thousands of people are here in Long Beach, California, learning more about Kim Vo's new color education program, the new "Vibe" clipper by Oster, hottest tools by HOT and the purest ingredients by Bioken. There's so much education in and around the show floor that you really have to be off your game to not come out a better artist after spending some time at this show. Thousands of salon professionals are here to up their skills and bring better services to their clients.

There's an entire floor devoted to Esthetics America and Wellness. I learned more about Romane, the very first fragrance line devoted to the salon industry. The first offering (with two more planned later this year) is called Jet 365. It is the most delicious scent and delivered in a small roll on. The very cool display is meant to make the impulse purchase impossible for your client to resist. It's pretty, affordable, profitable and smells great. What's not to love?

Many new products here are sulfate free or made with "green" ingredients lo designed to make your services even better like the Malibu water purifying crystals. I've loved learning about all the new extensions, nail services and products, brushes, wet lines and accessories.

2011 ISSE Long Beach…Quite the ShowI have two favorite moments from ISSE so far. The first was when Brig Van Osten, Shear Genius star and owner of P!ay Hair Lounge in Smii Valley, California, stopped by the Modern Salon Media booth to say hi. Before you knew it, a crowd formed to have their picture taken with the Season 3 winner. Dozens of fans lined up to shake her hand and a bit of a frenzy broke out. Poor Brig…it was the end of the day she was just trying to get out of there! But graciously, she stuck around for a bit more than one hour until EVERYONE was kicked out.

The other incredibly exciting moment was when Pierce Austin, celeb hair stylist (he's been doing Will Smith for years) stopped by our booth. He was there with Sacha Quarels (the famed lead hairstylist for dozens of films including the most recent Wall Street film and the latest Men In Black and the Sex and City tv series). While chatting, Frank and Shannon Peters, newlyweds and owners of the Bqute salon in Palmdale, California came to the booth to meet the Modern editors. Frank and Shannon's "Tabatha's Salon Takeover" is going to be aired tonight. Pierce was so excited to meet THEM because he's been captivated by the commercials showing Shannon slugging someone in the salon! Pierce grabbed my microphone (ok, I gave it to him) to interview the couple. Turns out, Frank and Shannon have not yet seen the finished episode. They are as excited as the rest of us! This interview will be up in our gallery soon (I'll let you know…it's a good one!)

Tabatha, Derek J, Damien Carney, Martin Parsons, Michael O'Rourke are here; Sherri Jesse is doing a presentation for Rusk and Marco Pelusi is doing a technical class for Aloxxi...The place is crawling with thousands of salon professionals. I really can't wait to get back to the show because in addition to meeting with Jan Arnold of CND who is going to show the latest in nail artistry and trend, I am going to watch Nick Arrojo demonstrate his new appliance line.

 2011 ISSE Long Beach…Quite the Show  
 Nick Arrojo
 Sherri Jesse
 Tabatha Coffey

Gotta go. Will give a full wrap up when the show wraps up tonight!

Photos from Naz Kupelian:

2011 ISSE Long Beach…Quite the Show

2011 ISSE Long Beach…Quite the Show

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