Produced by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), the International Salon and Spa Expo (ISSE) Long Beach has become the West Coast’s largest and most influential beauty event open exclusively to licensed beauty professionals, students and instructors. With nearly 40,000 beauty professionals expected, ISSE Long Beach has evolved beyond the traditional “hair show” to a complete beauty event for hair, nails, cosmetics, esthetics and advanced education. The nearly sold out show floor of more than 350 top international beauty brands will include Alterna, Bio Ionic, Conair / BabylLiss / Forfex / Rusk, Inc. / Satin Smooth, CND, Dreamlook, Fromm, Lanza, Matrix, Mirabella, Obliphica Professional, Olaplex, OPI Products Inc., Pravana, Sexy Hair, Vidal Sassoon, Young Nails and Zotos International.  With approximately 150 educational classes, live stage performances from top industry icons, and hair, nail and barber competitions, ISSE Long Beach 2015 is the place to be for beauty professionals to stay up on the latest trends and advance their careers. 

Based on the highly professional nature of the show and large number of qualified attendees, ISSE Long Beach has also become the event to launch new beauty products, services and trends. From international beauty powerhouses to indie brands seeking to enter the market, ISSE Long Beach carefully curates the exhibition hall, including the EstheticsAmerica & Wellness Pavilion and The Nail Spot (new for 2015), to maximize the attendee’s experience. PBA members receive a 50% discount on admission to ISSE Long Beach. Registration is required and exceptions apply. Exhibitors wishing to reserve space should do so immediately, as ISSE Long Beach 2015 is nearly sold out. Details at probeauty.org/isselb.

Show Highlights and What’s New for 2015

Stage Presentations Featuring the Industry’s Biggest Names: Some of the most popular features at ISSE Long Beach are the stage presentations featuring some of the biggest names in the industry. Attendees will see presentations from: Ted Gibson, Chrystofer Benson, Nicholas French, Charlie Price, Sam Biddle, Lydia Sarfati and more. ISSE Long Beach features three main stages, including Center Stage and the NAHA Stage and the new Cut, Color & Style Stage – showcasing the latest techniques and creating the most sought after styles at any skill level.

NAHA Stage: The North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) continues to be the industry’s premier photographic hairstyling competition. The ISSE Long Beach NAHA Stage features NAHA winners and finalists, showcasing their talents, reviewing what a NAHA win can do for a beauty professional’s career and explaining how to create a successful entry. From learning how to select models to directing a successful photo shoot, the NAHA Stage is the perfect way to learn how to enter NAHA as well as learn the latest styling techniques and trends. 

The Nail Spot: New for 2015! Dedicated to nail professionals, The Nail Spot is an area featuring creative and technical education, nail competitions and more. Nail professionals looking to enhance their knowledge, creativity and skills, will find it all at The Nail Spot.

The EstheticsAmerica & Wellness Pavilion featuring CIDESCO Section USA: Growing each year, the EstheticsAmerica & Wellness Pavilion provides exhibitors and attendees with a dedicated environment devoted to skincare, wellness and the latest in treatments and education for this rapidly expanding industry segment. Many of the largest esthetics brands will be on hand to offer advanced, hands-on training and certifications, including a line-up of CIDESCO Section USA skin education.

Hair, Barber & Nail Competitions: Students and licensed professionals are invited to show off their skills and earn career prestige at the ISSE Long Beach 2015 hair, nail and barber competitions.

ISSE Long Beach competitions will kick off with Major League Barber’s Hot Hands Barber Brawl on Sunday, January 25. Prior to the competitions, competitors can attend the Barber Summit to hear the ins and outs of the industry from leading barbers and manufacturers. Competitors can register for categories including Original Tag Team - Design and Color, Conservative - Basic Haircut, and Fastest Barber in the World - Bald Fade. 

The Nailpro nail competitions take place on Sunday, January 25, and count toward the 2015 Nailpro Cup. Categories include: Soak Off Gel Application, On My Own – Your Own Hand – No Model, Embossed Elegance – One Hand, It’s All About the Bling! and 3 in 1.   

PBA’s hairstyling competitions for students and professionals take place on Monday, January 26, with categories including Long Hair Bridal and Avant Garde by NAHA (new for 2015). All competitors use mannequin heads for entries. Students and professionals compete separately. Deadline to register is January 22, 2015.

Try-outs for OMC Hairworld 2016: New this year, competitors can also enter for a chance to be on Team USA at OMC Hairworld 2016 in Seoul, Korea. The U.S. will be represented by four teams in 2016: Senior Ladies’ Technical, Senior Ladies’ Fashion, Junior Ladies’ Technical and Junior Ladies’ Fashion. Tryouts will be held on Monday, January 26, in conjunction with the ISSE hairstyling competitions. Only one spot is available on the Senior Ladies’ Technical Team. All four spots are available on both Junior Ladies’ Teams. OMC categories are open to all contestants. Competitors must compete in both technical categories or both fashion categories to be eligible for the Team USA try-out.    

PBA Beauty Bar: PBA is excited to bring the PBA Beauty Bar back to this year’s show. ISSE attendees will have the opportunity to hand-select five deluxe product samples from select ISSE exhibitors in exchange for a donation to the PBA’s CUT IT OUT®: Salons Against Domestic Abuse charitable program. The PBA Beauty Bar will be located at Booth #2834 and will remain open throughout the show. All proceeds from the PBA Beauty Bar will benefit CUT IT OUT®, a program dedicated to mobilizing salon professionals against domestic abuse by building awareness and training salon professionals to recognize warning signs and safely refer clients, colleagues, friends and family to local resources. 

The First Annual Southern California Beauty Career Fair: PBA is proud to host the first annual Southern California Beauty Career Fair at ISSE Long Beach 2015. Show attendees and beauty professionals can speak one-on-one with representatives from beauty companies and salons/spas about available job opportunities on Monday, January 26, from 1:00pm - 3:00pm in the Long Beach Convention Center. The career fair is open to the public but qualified attendees must purchase a ticket to access the show floor. 

Night Out Party:  This event is exclusively for ISSE Long Beach attendees and exhibitors. After two days of walking the sold-out expo floor, attendees are invited to a private party at Sevilla Nightclub on Sunday, January 25 from 8:30 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Grab a bite to eat at the Sevilla Restaurant Tapas Bar and then head upstairs for the private nightclub party, featuring signature cocktails and a dance floor. 

ISSE Mobile App: From show times and class schedules, to a show floor map and list of exhibitors, the ISSE Mobile App is the perfect way to plan your ISSE experience and maximize your time at the show. Download the free app for your Android, iPhone, iPad or Blackberry device. Just search for ISSE Long Beach.

ISSE Long Beach ticket registration is sponsored by Hairlocs and will continue to feature group registration, making it quick and efficient. The show is open to licensed salon/spa professionals, cosmetology students and instructors only. To maintain a professional atmosphere, attendees must present proof of license and a valid photo ID. In addition to purchasing tickets through PBA, attendees may also purchase tickets at Cosmoprof Beauty Supply, SalonCentric, Nancy’s Beauty Warehouse or Sweis, Inc. professional beauty supply stores. For additional information on ISSE, including the full show line-up and to purchase tickets, please visit probeauty.org/isse.  Also, stay connected to everything ISSE Long Beach 2015 on social media using #ISSELB15. 

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