
ASCP, ISPA and PBA Receive 2026 Power of Associations Award for Esthetics Licensure Compact
This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.
Our guest blogger, an exec at Hair Cuttery Family of Brands, takes you inside the organization to reveal what it's like to be a stylist in a salon that values recognition and achievement.

The journey to becoming the best version of yourself as a stylist requires you to constantly redefine your success and accomplishments. It’s an ongoing process of benchmarking and goal-setting to reach new milestones at every point in your career. Achievement is less about being the best in your salon and more about the steps you take to beat your own personal record. When our stylists at Hair Cuttery Family of Brands outperform and overachieve, it’s important for us to say “thank you.” We’ve learned as a company that even the smallest acknowledgement of their hard work has incredible power to make them feel needed and valued.
Hair Cuttery Family of Brands created our annual WOW Conference to honor the achievements of our top performers. This highly anticipated extravaganza gives our stylists the year-long ambition they need to reach their goals. More than 200 of the best stylists in the business get invited to the company-wide celebration based on targets they’ve met in home haircare sales, service commission, and upholding our MVP (mission, vision, and promise) values.
What fun is a salon environment that’s all work and no play? Our Associate Promise is to provide limitless opportunities for our stylists to live their best lives. Our WOW Conference is one of the best examples of how we make good on that promise. When our stylists are in the salon week after week, giving exceptional hair experiences and boosting other people’s confidence, they deserve the ultimate getaway.
Our 2021 WOW Conference took place at a five-star resort in South Florida where stylists enjoyed private beaches, fine dining, water sports, and luxury spas. This was our thank-you gift to stylists who went above and beyond during 2020. Expenses such as airfare, hotel stay, and meals were taken care of. Stylists also got paid their daily rate so they wouldn’t miss out on income for being away from the salon.
WOW serves as a once-in-a-career opportunity for Hair Cuttery Family of Brands associates to network with top stylists from across the company. It also provides face-to-face access with executives from our Stylist Support Center and with CEO Seth Gittlitz. Everyone at WOW is there to fellowship and learn from each other.
WOW is different from other industry conferences, because the weekend agenda is designed with 4-8 hours of leisure each day—because that’s the point! Attending WOW shouldn't feel like more work. We carefully curate technical sessions that are most relevant to our top performers. This year we hosted seminars on styling textured hair and learning the latest chemical treatment trends in the industry. Sponsors like Paul Mitchell, L’Oreal, and Design Essentials also hosted demos on their new-to-market products and tools.
At WOW we don’t only nurture technical skills, but also soft skills and marketing your brand. Our “Becoming a Trending Top Performer” panel taught stylists how to maximize their social media presence to increase exposure. Panelists also walked through proven online storytelling tactics that have helped our other stylists land PR opportunities in outlets such as Modern Salon and "Good Morning America."
During WOW we roll out the red carpet for our winners—literally! Our awards ceremony is the one night we indulge in full pomp and circumstance to formally congratulate our stylists. Winners are invited onstage to accept their trophies. The energetic applause they receive from their fellow stylists is unmatched. When you join Hair Cuttery Family of Brands, you are immersed in a celebratory salon culture that takes any and every opportunity to recognize and reward our salon professionals. Events like our WOW Conference are our way of showing love and gratitude to the stylists who make our company what it is today.

This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.

In Dubai, a salon visit isn’t an appointment. It’s a weekly routine, and clients can spend $800 to $1,400 a month on it, according to Gaurav Tripathi of MADI International. On October 6-8, 2026, the market behind those numbers opens its doors as Beautyworld Dubai marks its 30th edition at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together distributors, brands, stylists and salon owners from all over the world.

The Good Patch is a leading wearable wellness patch brand, offering wellness and skincare patches that support everyday needs including energy, sleep, relaxation and more.

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.