The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) Announces the 2014 International Salon & Spa Expo, ISSE, at the Long Beach Convention Center January 25-27. The Image Of Magazine is proud to be apart of this years coverage. We plan to bring you even more uniques raw images and stories from this years show. Last year, the competitions were one of the major attractions to the weekend. Seeing the best in their perspective industry vie for the award as the years best, bring out the newest and latest trends that may become the industry standard. There will be plenty of new releases from the industry leaders in hair care, skin care and cosmetology. If you are a novice or professional in the business, attending the hands on classes and training from the best in the industry is as valuable as for the trainee as it is for moving the industry forward. Please visit www.probeauty.org to get dates, times and events for the weekend. This years convention has grown from last year where over 40,000 attendees fill the halls of the convention center and the streets Long Beach.
From left to right: NAHA entry photos from winners Matt Swinney (Avant Garde), Allen Ruiz (Hairstylist of the Year), Dimitrios Tsioumas (Master Hairstylist of the Year), and Matthew Morris (Men’s Hairstylist of the Year)
THE INTERNATIONAL SALON AND SPA EXPO LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO GROW, ATTRACTS BIG CROWDS IN 2013
- POSTED BY PRESS4PBA
Phoenix, AZ (January 31, 2013) – The 2013 International Salon and Spa Expo Long Beach (ISSE Long Beach) continues to be the West Coast’s largest and most influential total beauty event. An energetic crowd of nearly 40,000 beauty professionals from around the world attended the show, produced by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA). PBA’s ISSE concept has evolved beyond the traditional “hair show” in the past years to be the industry’s most complete beauty event relating to hair, nails, cosmetics, esthetics, wellness, massage and advanced education.
ISSE Long Beach always has a diverse exhibitor base, and 2013 was no exception. Known as the launch pad for new beauty products and services, ISSE Long Beach 2013 featured a sold-out expo floor, welcoming more than 400 leading beauty brands. Ranging from international beauty leaders to indie trend-setters, exhibiting brands included Andis Company, ARROJO, BaByLiss, Farouk Systems, Johnny B Hair Care, Macadamia Natural Oil, Moroccanoil, Keratin Complex, OPI, P&G Salon Professional, Repechage, RUSK, Wella, Young Nails and Zotos International. On-site sales and reservations for 2014 exhibit space exceeded expectations as brands appreciated the professional caliber of the show and did not want to miss out on space in 2014.
Always working to improve the attendee experience, PBA streamlined and expedited the check-in process. New and/or improved processes for attendees to check in, including online ticket activation to a PBA members-only check-in line, sped up the entry process and eliminated long lines and wait times. Regular posts on social media platforms also helped guide and direct attendees to the correct check in and credential check locations. These improvements helped get attendees out of the rain on Sunday and onto the show floor promptly and efficiently each day.
ISSE Long Beach also featured more than 100 complimentary educational opportunities as part of the ISSE Long Beach expo ticket. The NAHA Stage, which featured Martin Parsons and many past NAHA winners such as Faatemah Ampey, Steve Elias and Charlie Price, was continually at room capacity. Beauty professionals learned first-hand from these individuals on how to conceptualize and create a winning entry for the North American Hairstyling Awards, the industry’s most elite photographic hairstyling competition.
ISSE Long Beach 2013 Show Highlights
Expansion of EstheticsAmerica & Wellness:
ISSE Long Beach 2013 saw the continued expansion of its increasingly popular EstheticsAmerica & Wellness, which provides a dedicated environment for skin care, cosmetics, massage, wellness,and the latest in treatments and education for these rapidly expanding segments of the beauty industry. CIDESCO Section USA education was again offered in 2013 and continues to be a desirable option for many esthetic professionals looking to continue their education. PBA aims to continue the growth of the pavilion for the 2014 show with even more esthetic brands and classes.
Emphasis on Charity:
In the wake of the numerous national disasters that affected the U.S. in 2012, salon owners stepped up and raised money for their salon brothers and sisters across the country. Two Southern California salons, Studio DNA Salon and Salon Platinum Black in particular, presented checks at ISSE from their fundraising efforts, which raised $2,400 and $1,800 respectively for PBA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).
Great Clips also raised $2,200 selling pins to benefit to one of PBA’s signature programs, CUT IT OUT, which is dedicated to raising awareness and stopping domestic violence across the U.S. As a Premium Sponsor of this program, this money raised adds to Great Clips previous donation of $100,000, which is being used to create a new CUT IT OUT website, provide ongoing outreach, print and maintain collateral materials, and develop additional marketing initiatives aimed at educating beauty professionals on domestic violence.
Beauty education also benefited from generous donations at this year’s show. PBA’s Sally Beauty Scholarship Fund received a $10,000 check presented by Mike Spinozzi, president of Sally Beauty and Jan Roberts, director of corporate communications for Sally Beauty. Sally Beauty continues to be a long-time supporter of industry education and their contributions are greatly appreciated.
Smooth ‘N Shine also funded one full-tuition scholarship up to $25,000 and 10, $1,000 scholarships to cosmetology students. PBA Executive Director, Steve Sleeper and Robert Jones, the grand prize student scholarship recipient, accepted the check which was presented by Sean Gossage, assistant brand manager of Smooth ‘N Shine and Heidi Meinholz, brand manager of Schwarzkopf & Henkel and Smooth ‘N Shine celebrity stylist Larry Sims at this year’s show.”
Hair Competitions Were A Success:
After being well-received at the 2012 show, ISSE Long Beach brought back its hair competitions in 2013. Open to students and licensed professionals, the hair competitions allowed individuals to show off their skills and win cash and career prestige. While honors were given to the top seven in each category, winners included:
- Ladies Trend Cut, Color and Style – Pro: Leti Jimenez (first place) | Angel Llewellyn (second place)
- Ladies Trend Cut, Color and Style – Student: Martha Diaz (first place) | Terri Holian-Gross (second place) | Patricia Conterars (third place)
- Long Hair Bridal – Pro: Tangela Thomas (first place) | Natalya Nardyrona (second place) | John Marcel Lopez (third place)
- Long Hair Bridal – Student: Oxana Kim (first place) | Hala Jeon (second place) | Henadzi Harbaruk (third place)
- Fantasy – Inspired by Hollywood – Pro: Miki Fujika (first place) | Kanako Ishii (second place) | Angel Llewellyn (third place)
- Fantasy – Inspired by Hollywood – Student: Amber Harris (first place) | Gema Ramierez (second place) | Sukari Cobbs (third place)
Nail Competitions Bring Out New and Seasoned Entrants:
The ISSE Long Beach nail competitions, sponsored by NailPro Magazine, featured an array of new and seasoned entrants. Winners were awarded cash and prizes depending on placements. Winners include:
- Fantasy Nail Art | Theme: King & Queens | Category: Veteran – Wan Jou Chen (first) | Allison Banry (second) | Sandy Combs (third)
- 3-D Nail Art | Theme: Game Pieces | Category: Novice – Wan Jou Chen (first) | Ikumi Takeshira (second) | Yuumi Omori (third)
- 3-D Nail Art | Theme: Game Pieces | Category: Veteran – Amy Becker (first) | Michelle Aab (second) | Chiaki Hitomi (third)
- Hand Painted Nail Art | Theme: The Eyes Have It | Category: Novice – Mayu Suehiro (first) | Sato Hashimoto (second) | Amanda Lenher (third)
- Hand Painted Nail Art | Theme: The Eyes Have It | Category: Veteran – Robert Nguyen (first) | Vu Nguyen (second) | Amy Becker (third)
- Salon Success | Theme: n/a | Category: Novice – Mari Kawasaki (first) | Mayu Shuehiro (second) | Billyne Dowdy (third)
- Salon Success | Theme: n/a | Category: Veteran – Mayumi Hase (first) | Gabriella Kovacs (second) | Azumi Kanene (third)
- Freestyle Sculptured Nails | Category: Novice – Frederic Edange (first) | Konomi Ouchi (second) | Christian Mans (third)
- Freestyle Sculptured Nails | Category: Veteran – Mayumi Hase (first) | Gabriella Kovacs (second) | Azumi Kanene (third)
- The Longest Nail | Category: Non-Divisional Winner – Amy Becker: 42” (only one place)
- Inspired Artistic Genius | Category: Non-Divisional – Allison Banry (first) | Classic Mully (second) | Amy Becker (third)
- Tip & Overlay Team Relay | Category: Non-Divisional – Kyoko Amemiya Team 2 (first) | Mayumi Hase (second) | Eri Fukada (third)
- Tip & Overlay Team Relay – Spirit | Category: Non-Divisional Winner – Team EZ Flow (only one place)
NAHA Stage Experiences Capacity Crowds:
The North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) continues to be the industry’s premier photographic hairstyling competition and awards ceremony. The ISSE Long Beach NAHA Stage featured past NAHA winners and multi-category finalists in an intimate setting where attendees learned up close and personal from some of the industry’s biggest stars on how to take a winning NAHA collection from concept through submission. Presenters included Faatemah Ampey, Steve Elias and Charlie Price. Due to overwhelming demand, every NAHA Stage presentation was at or near full capacity.
Awards for Top Booths Spark Competition:
Many companies launched new and/or expanded booths at the 2013 show. From layout and signage updates to complete makeovers, firms invested in their image. Launched in 2011, ISSE Long Beach awards top honors for winners in each category. Booths were judged by industry and non-industry peers on corporate branding, product presentation, exhibit personnel and booth design. Winning booths at ISSE Long Beach 2013 include:
Best Island/Peninsula Booth: Vidal Sassoon (first place) | Neuma (second place) | Vodana (third place)
Best Island Booth: Moroccanoil (first place) | Keratin Complex (second place) | Brazilian Blowout (third place)
Best Linear Booth: G The Body Art (first place) | Vani-T PTY (second place) | Hair Couture (third place)
Revamped Stage Concepts:
Focused on continually evolving to meet the needs of the industry, ISSE Long Beach revamped some of its stage concepts and streamlined offerings to help attendees better access presentations and maximize their time at the show. Center Stage and Stage Right were again popular among attendees and featured top creative teams and educators from across the industry, including Farouk with Julian Macias, Lisa Yamasaki, P&G Salon Professional, RUSK, and Nick Arrojo.
Many of the same features that make ISSE Long Beach a success will also be incorporated into ISSE Midwest, PBA’s newest ISSE concept trade and educational event. ISSE Midwest, which runs November 3-4, 2013 in the Chicago area, serves as the industry’s much needed and requested fall/holiday trade show. Onsite sales for exhibitor space at the upcoming ISSE Midwest 2013 were strong during the Long Beach show.
