It’s that time of year, when the hair and salon industry’s biggest and best do’s are shown off in Vegas. This year’s award ceremony promises not to dissapoint and the following stylists have been announced. The event will be held at the Mandalay Bay, in Las Vegas Nevada on July 13th.

From all over North America, talented stylists have been selected to compete in 12 categories. There are 60 finalists, entered from over 600 entries, and the judges have admitted that these are some of the best entries to date.

Editorial Stylist of the Year
Michael Albor (The Loft Salon + Day Spa, Boston, MA)
John Donato (Donato Salon and Spa, Toronto, ON)
Nicholas French (Matrix Global Academy, New York, NY)
Charlie Price (Click Salon, Denver, CO)
Maryl Velbeck (Trend Wave Studios, Los Angeles, CA)

Make-Up Artist
Raquel Atienza (Toronto, ON)
Giancarlo Intini (Aurora, ON)
Janell Geason (Eden Prairie, MN)
Angelia Senevisai (Minneapolis, MN)
Tatoulian Sevan (St. Laurent, QC)

Master Stylist of the Year
Edwin Johnston (The Cutting Room Creative, Nanaimo, BC)
Alain Pereque (Salon Pure, Montreal, Quebec)
Charlie Price (Click Salon, Denver, CO)
Ruth Roche (RARE, New York, NY)
Brian & Sandra Smith (Dahon, GA)

Student Hairstylist of the Year
AbBear Blasi (Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS)
Daniella Bowman (Aveda Fredric’s Institute, Cincinnati, OH)
Denise Joyce (Eric Fisher Academy, Wichita, KS)
Whitney Vallee (Inpure, Montreal, Quebec)
Chelsea Vittorio (Aveda Fredric’s Institute, Indianapolis, IN)

Salon Team
Deborah Gavin (Fresh Hair Studio, South Hampton, PA)
Daniel Holzberger (Van Michael Salons, Atlanta, GA)
Suzanne Martin (Three Small Rooms, Barrie, ON)
Tony Ricci (Ricci Hair Co., Edmonton, AB)
Ryan Teal (Capello Salon, Milwaukie, OR)

Hairstylist of the Year
Maureen Anlauf (Juut Salon Spa, St. Paul, MN)
Marjorie Clarke (The Hair Force, Paradise, Newfoundland)
Daniel Holzberger (Van Michael Salons, Atlanta, GA)
Charlie Price (Click Salon, Denver, CO)
Dimitrios Tsioumas (HiLites Hair Salon, Fulton, MD)

Haircolor
Rene Antonio (Salon Gregories, Balboa, CA)
Dana Lyseng (Supernova Salon, North Vancouver, BC)
Lisa McAuliffe (Afif Salon, Toronto, ON)
John Simpson (Lewis Salon, McDonald, Pennsylvania)
Chisun Tsang (Blushes, Ottawa, ON)

Fashion Forward
Maureen Anlauf (Juut Salon Spa, St. Paul, MN)
Lucie Doughty (A.T. Tramps, Venice, CA)
Shirley Gordon (Strands Hair Studios, Weaton, MD)
Ryan Teal (Capello Salon, Milwaukie, OR)
Lisa Vann (Etherea Salon Spa, Seattle, WA)

Salon Design
Scott Cole (Paul Mitchell the School, Carefree, AZ)
Van Council (Van Michael Salon, Atlanta, GA)
Eric Fisher (Eric Fisher Salon, Wichita, KS)
Bruce Osgood (Osgood-O’Neil Salon, Dallas, TX)
David Wagner (Juut Salon and Spa, Edina, MN)

Contemporary Classic
Maureen Anlauf (Juut Salon Spa, St. Paul, MN)
Chrystofer Benson (Logics, New York, NY)
Marjorie Clarke (The Hair Force, Paradise, Newfoundland)
Steve Elias (Elixir Salon Spa, Berkeley, CA)
Matt Swinney (Evolution, Minneapolis, MN)

Texture
Maureen Anlauf (Juut Salon Spa, St. Paul, MN)
Nicholas French (Matrix Global Academy, New York, NY)
Shirley Gordon (Strands Hair Studios, Weaton, MD)
Charlie Price (ClicMaureen Anlaufk Salon, Denver, CO)
John & Rebecca Sentell & Morris-Hele (Fresh Hair Studio, South Hampton, PA)

Avant Garde
Martin Alarie (Pure Salon, Montreal, QB)
E. Darian Bishop (Toni & Guy, Dallas, TX)
Nicholas French (Matrix Global Academy, New York, NY)
Daniel Holzberger (Van Michael Salons, Atlanta, GA)
Janine Jarman (Hairroin Salon, Los Angeles, CA)

NAHA 19 will start with a Red Carpet Reception at 6:30pm followed by the Awards Ceremony at 8:00pm. The event will be emcee’d by the witty and beautiful Victoria Jackson (of Saturday Night Live fame). Additionally, special artistic presentations by NAHA 2007 Fashion Forward winner Veronica Bessey, sponsored in part by TIGI, and NAHA 2006 Master Stylist winner Heather Wenman will end the evening.

For tickets, visit www.probeauty.org/naha or by calling 800-630-3603. NAHA is held in partnership with Cosmoprof North America, visit www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com for more information. Article tip courtesy of Behind the Chair.

Beauty Launchpad, a respected beauty industry publication, has released their spring fashion article of the month which highlights the organized chaos that seems to be this year’s trend. Perhaps questionably labeled, but appropriate none-the-less, launchpad notes “Style schizophrenia is spring’s new mania.”

Due to the apparent ’style indecision’ evoked by loud contrasting designs and colors, spring seems hell bent on mixing things up and forcing even the most avant-guard fashionista’s to strut outside of their comfort zones.

Here’s a clip from the article by Karie L. Frost

The dueling voices in your head create a fashion fracas whenever you poke through your closet. The pull of sublime minimalism dukes it out with the desire for ostentatious ornamentation. While the bohemian in you is tickled at the sight of free-flowing shapes, your right-leaning style pundit calls for tight, tucked silhouettes. Punchy tropical hues catch your eye, but, then again, so do those moodier jewel tones that suss out your more sophisticated side. The good news:

This spring, you won’t need meds to silence your internal bickering since designers are celebrating contrast in its many forms. Pulling inspiration from art, nature, politics, fashion, pop culture and everything in between, designers churn out a crush of contrasting trends to reconcile your fighting fashion personalities.

Get the full article here.

Here’s a great article from Beautynewsnyc.com on hair style, and hair’s important role in women’s lives - and what men think - or don’t think. The article address things like “cleanliness” “bone structure” “personal style” and “femininity”

A woman’s hair is her identity. It symbolizes what’s going on inside of her head and what she’d like to portray to the world. It reveals ethnic backgrounds, social class, age. It is our most personal adornment.

It is only natural that we are concerned with its appearance and, of course, what the other half thinks of it. But does it really matter if you look more like Audrey Hepburn rather than Gisele Bündchen. For most guys probably not—then again, everybody’s different.

Your hair should give men something to consider after you’ve left. Whether you’ve wowed them with your strength and independence, with your scent or with your ability to out-style everyone else in the room, it’s part of what makes you, you.

You can read the full article here, at Beauty News NYC’s Hair blog.

PRESS RELEASE: VIA Hairextensionguide.com

Fairfax, VA Daniel Funk, publisher of Passion International Stylebooks and Larry Oskin of Marketing Solutions, announce plans for many new 2008 Passion International Photography Competition Sessions. Today, Passion International remains respected as the global leader in professional stylebooks that are provided to salons for use in their reception areas across the globe.

Funk notes, “Now is your chance to get famous! Many of the 2008 Passion International Stylebooks that are being hosted and art directed in cooperation with Larry Oskin and the Marketing Solutions Team are exclusive, yet open invitational events. Participating hair designers must provide their own models, makeup and wardrobe artistry while matching the desired theme of each stylebook title.”

Passion Hair Extension Stylebooks: The very first Passion Hair Extensions Stylebooks has just been released under hard cover, with international acclaim. The following photography sessions are now planned:

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Had occasion yet this season to do a triple take at that lady passing on the street? It’s not her clothes (although undoubtedly well put together) or the “do” (also most likely stunning), but what makes you crank your neck around in disbelief is the amazingly layered makeup.

Beauty Launchpad magazine is calling these ladies the Sirens of fall - and beware, those Manhattan sidewalks could be a little closer than imagined.

Here’s a clip from Karie L. Frost’s Launchpad article this month on makeup trends for this fall:

Forget Avon calling—the sirens’ call is in full effect for fall’s biggest makeup trends

Don’t be alarmed if your neck feels a bit sore this fall. You are probably suffering from SMW (Siren Makeup Whiplash), a dull pain brought about by the constant double- and triple-takes you instinctively do when spotting a lady all done up in fall’s screen-siren makeup trends. The looks are so willful, so in-your-face, that you can’t help but be drawn to them—repeatedly!

But, beware: Most of the bolder trends center around one feature—the eyes, lips or brows. To blend any two of these scene-stealing trends would be cosmetic blasphemy! We’ve isolated five of the season’s femme-fatale looks and paired them with the freshest fall offerings from cosmetics companies. Add to that the A-list makeup artists’ tips that we’ve included for giving these trends a glam go, and you’ve got sirens calling!

For the full article, click here.

Beauty Launchpad’s article of the month for July examines the hair workings of stylist Sean James as he wrangles one of fashion weeks stray shows in Los Angeles.

Here’s a clip of of the article written by Karie L. Frost:

Six shows. One man. With styling tools at the ready and a fierce attitude to get the job done, hairstylist Sean James tackles the black sheep of the world’s fashion weeks: MERCEDES-BENZ LOS ANGELES. As far as fashion weeks go, some regions deliver the goods in a consistent manner. New York is known for its Americana sportswear and slicked-back ponytails.

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Since Congress has demanded that spring come a few weeks early this year, what with the early daylight savings etc, we thought it would be more than appropriate to feature an article or two on coming trends for Spring 07. It looks like this Spring it’ll be more than bright colors that bring us out of the drab winter months of January and February - fun fabrids and other unique materials are being heralded as the color/layer cure to the winter blues. Here’s a bit of Dayspa Magazine’s article by by Andrea Renskoff:

From featherweight frocks to a timeless queen’s ruffles, spring fashion frames femininity in an otherworldly glow. Perhaps to escape real world problems and to shed the long, dark winter days, spring fashion lightens us up this year with a surprise: It’s fabrics, not colors, that take center stage. From voile to chiffon, satin to crepe, paper-thin materials wafted their way onto almost every designer’s runway, as draped, sheer dresses and skirts with loads of sweep whispered like a carefree, midday breeze. Style vanguard Marie Antoinette fits right in this season with her billowing sleeves and bodices that use yards and yards of silk. Ethereal, fairy-like looks are completed with flower hair accessories—just give us tulle wings and we’ll fly away!

Gossamer visions float on the street as well, with refined, layered separates and moonlight-catching evening wear. The key is in resisting typical spring colors. “Spring can bring vibrant colors, but this year it’s a subdued and sophisticated palette that’s pretty next to the skin tone,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Carlstadt, New Jersey. Gray makes its move from fall into spring with a soft and shimmery undertone. “Strawberry Ice is a combination of warm and cool pinks that cast a beautiful glow on the skin, especially in combination with gray,” Eiseman says.

To read the full article, click here.

Oscar night is always a good indicator of the latest trends in fashion and beauty. This year the dresses were minimalistic yet elegant and the hair do’s were free flowing - even no fuss. All around, Oscar style was naturally pretty yet remained chic.

It was a refreshing change from nights past, when curls, waves, and extensions clouded the small screen. It appears that straight is back for a while, so feel free to set aside your curlers and rods - just let it go!

Despite the increasing number of metrosexual men in the world, most women would probably love it if their beau were to drop the hammer and tool belt and pick up a pair of tweesers, once in a while. Beauty Launch Pad Magazine’s feature article for February gives some great advice on improving your “better” half. Here’s a snippet of the article by Amy Dodds and Jeryl E. Spear

You can remodel him. You have the tools to build him into the perfect specimen. Sharper, cleaner and sexier than ever before.

Lynne Luciano, author of Looking Good: Male Body Image in Modern America, laments, “…Look at America’s historical heroes—cowboys and frontiersman who didn’t give a damn how they looked or what people thought of them. That’s what we should value…not fussing about ourselves.”

Lament away, Ms. Luciano. The male sex symbol with the etched face and steel gray hair is as dead as the Marlboro Man. So are metrosexuals, for that matter. In their stead are übersexuals who may not ask if their butt is too big, but still make sly, sideways glances in the mirror to ensure that it stays in check. übersexuals are überpremium salon clients who are committed to uncompromising quality in all areas of their lives—including the services they receive at the hands of their stylists and the products they use. Even mainstream sex symbols like Russell Crowe fancy facials and wouldn’t dream of leaving home without their signature mussed looks. Becoming gender benders of mammoth proportions, manly men who meticulously groom their hair, skin and nails are the new male sex symbols. Ah…there can never be too many men like Russell Crowe.

Read the full article here.

Spring fashion is already buzzing and we’ve barely entered the new year. What may seem at first glance to provide nothing for the normal shopper, a closer examination reveals that there are in fact some pieces that are practical for everyday wear, and will show off the everyday woman - not just the 6′ plus super model. Beauty Launchpad magazine has a feature article that rounds up this year’s spring fashion. Here’s a snippet of the article by Karie L. Frost:

The overall tone for spring seemed to lack cohesiveness, with some designers teleporting fashion far into the future and others waxing nostalgic for retro ’60s inspiration. Overly frilly frocks took a backseat to gauzy, transparent confections minimal in embellishment, yet heavy in innovative construction. And while waistlines moved up, up and away, hemlines did the same, leaving miles and miles of bare gams. Did designers have everyday women in mind when creating paper-bag waists, trapeze silhouettes and hot pants that practically double as knickers? Perhaps not, but among the styles sent down spring runways, plenty of wearable garments abounded, and with tons of trends to choose from, you’re sure to find your look for spring.

For the full article, click here.