I’m heading off to Cosmoprof tomorrow for the annual beauty show for professional beauty distributors.

Way back in the 1980’s, the show was called the BBSI (Barber & Beauty Supply Institute). Industry icons and pioneers took massive booth space, showed off their innovative products and then held impressive parties at night for their customers.

I remember both Jan and Jim (owners of Creative Nail at the time) held incredible parties with theme decorations, unlimited food and drink, and even a few awards. George of OPI fame spared no expense either and although I missed out on most of them, they were so cool you wanted to peek in the door to see the action.

The show itself was huge with hundreds of booths. The owners were doing their thing. I remember Jack Sperling (Alpha 9), Ben Edwards (Design Classic), Sunny Stitchcombe (Gena), Lynn Rae Reis (S.F. Nails), Katia (Kami), Michael Falley (Realy’s and we really miss him), Geoff Giles (Flowery), Dal (Tweezerman-will he be President of the U.S. one day?), Dottie Reiner (Kayline), Marlene Sortino (Snails) and so many more. They were handing out jewelry, gifts but mostly, excited about showing off their products.

The bi-annual show moved to an annual show and over the years, the owners sold out, moved on and it eventually was bought by SoGeCos, an Italian outfit known for holding the best show in the world each year: Cosmoprof Bologna.

This year I have a couple of meetings but the excitement of the show is long gone. Many distributors have sold out and moved on too. Retailers are ever present and the blur between professional and retail goods keeps diminishing. The parties are long gone and so if the jewelry and gifts. In fact, you have to pay for tickets just to get in!

I’m hoping to find a couple of innovative products to share with you. My eyes will be wide open and I will report back to you on Wednesday with my findings.

If there are any products you can think of that you want to see, let me know and perhaps I can find them for you. Happy Friday!

I remember my first visit to Chicago years ago. Huge buildings, lots of traffic, the beautiful lakeshore, the museums, the restaurants, the shopping and the caramel corn. The Windy City was alive and well.

I also remember it two years ago when I ran my first and only marathon. It was a cool October morning and 40,000 runners partook in the annual affair that draws more than 1 million spectators. It was actually cool running 26.2 miles and watching the action on the sidelines when we were supposed to be the action.

And I will remember Chicago this Labor Day weekend when my oldest son gets married.

Soon, I will have a new love with Chicago because we are bringing Kemon into the market. I personally know a lot of salons that are so excited and with our Pavilion showroom adding a Kemon Academy, we are going to be offering amazing education and give hairdressers something to finally hang their hair on.

I would love to know your favorite spots and salons in Chicago. Further, if you are interested in selling Kemon or bringing it into your salon, i would love to hear from you to.

The Windy City is in for some exciting times.

Happy Thursday!

Long, long, long time ago I started our very first newsletter called Nail World. It was black and white and featured new products, nail stuff and even horoscopes by the infamous Peter Perrone (don’t know what happened to him).

Based on response, we moved the newsletter to a magazine format and the page count grew. Then Deborah Carver decided she wanted in on the nail industry and we struck a deal for the magazine which became Nailpro.

Over the years, we developed other communication pieces for our customers until we finally settled upon The Industry Source magazine. The bi-monthly magazine is the only business magazine for beauty industry professionals and has quickly become the most read magazine.

In fact, the latest issue, July-August, is our biggest issue ever. It is packed with new products, sales strategy articles, education information, special Kemon section and much more.

The one thing I don’t know is what you really like and dislike about the magazine. We are always striving for the best and we need your input. If you haven’t received it yet, you should be receiving it shortly. I would love to read your comments!

Happy Wednesday!

As a longtime supporter of The American Cancer Society (ACS) and our fight to conquer breast cancer, I have come across hundreds of women at events who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation to fight this dreaded disease. There have also been too many family members and friends that have fought the battle too.

While I am happy to say the five-year survival rate is at an all-time high, the side effects of chemotherapy haven’t changed. We all know too well that the first side effect is loss of hair. Luckily, wigs are available and the appearance over the years have changed so much, most people can’t even recognize a wig when they see one (in fact, 20% of all wigs purchased are bought as a fashion accessory).

My wife took one of her best friends wig shopping recently. They found a wig and the friend wore it out of the shop feeling so much better about herself. For this very reason, ACS developed the Look Good, Feel Better program (visit acs.org for more info).

But I thought about the salon community and it struck me that clients trust their hairdresser and would prefer to have their hairdresser not only recommend a wig but style it as well. Virtually all salons send their clients away because they can’t offer the service (we are working on that too).

I am proud to announce that The Nailco Group through its Pavilion division is opening the first nationwide Raquel Welch Wig & Styling Boutique scheduled to open September 1.

This first-ever idea will allow the intimacy of the hairdresser/client relationship to shop the boutique, pick out the wig of choice and then style it in TheAcademy so the client walks out feeling beautiful.

The boutique will have a spa environment, private dressing rooms and more than 40 styles to select from with no special ordering required. Based on the success of the boutique, we will expand it to our other Pavilion showrooms in Chicago and Ft. Lauderdale.

Working with ACS, we are going to take the Look Good, Feel Better program to the next level. This is a truly exciting idea whose time has come.

Happy Tuesday!

As the proliferation of booth rental salons continues throughout the U.S., I thought now would be a good time to reflect on your thoughts of this trend that has reached the tipping point.

Way back in the day, the coasts (LA and NY) started booth rental due to high real estate costs and difficulties in getting prime locations. This trend picked up steam and spread in TX and many of the New England states.

The Midwest has been mostly commission but even in Michigan, we are seeing more booth rental salons open.

Peter Drucker, perhaps the most influential business writer and teacher of all time (he wrote more than 30 books) talked about the 5 basic questions businesses should ask themselves on a constant basis. One of those questions is, "What value do we bring to our customers?"

In assessing the value commission and booth rental salons bring to customers, what are the differences? I would love to see your answers to this question.

The other question that needs to be addressed is the value salon owners see in opening a booth rental vs. commission salon. Here are some of my thoughts:

Commission salon advantages:

1. Cohesive team of employees
2. Increased retail business
3. Team meetings
4. Scheduled education
5. Consistent talent that customers identify with
6. Better amenities such as complimentary soda, single-dose coffee bar, newspapers, snacks
7. Ability to implement spiff’s, contests, dress codes
8. Easier to implement employee benefits such as 401(k) plans and health insurance
9. Employees using similar brand of products

Booth rental salon advantages:

1. Steady income regardless of business flow
2. Don’t have to pay high commissions to attract stars that bring in lots of customers
3. Don’t have to manage employees
4. Quicker return on investment if rent all space
5. If renter doesn’t fit image, don’t renew contract

What are your thoughts? Please share if you work in a booth rental or commission salon and if you worked in both types, which you prefer and why. And finally, which type of salon would you like to see the industry leaning towards for the next five years?

Happy Monday!

In my continuing exploration of our new products introduced in the July-August issue of The Industry Source magazine, another must-have product is Biotone Organic Massage Creme.

I have been a Biotone fan for years and love their Dual Purpose Massage Creme especially when applied by my favorite therapist, Mandy, at the MGM Immerse Spa in Detroit. The creme goes on smooth and doesn’t need to be reapplied frequently.

With so much stuff going green, one would think the spa industry would be totally green. But it’s not so easy to make organic products that perform consistently and are as good as the original products.

For instance, I find organic body wash to leave my skin sticky and I have tried plenty. Most shampoos and conditioners don’t lather and/or leave my hair dry (although Villa Lodola is an exception).

So when I tried the new Biotone product, I was pleasantly surprised. Like the Dual Purpose, it went on smooth and provided deep hydration. It is hypoallergenic, paraben and fragrance-free ( you can always mix a carrier oil if you so desire). And it comes in my favorite 7 oz. refillable container.

I’m not sure the next time I’m going to visit Mandy but one is for sure, I’ll make sure MGM puts this on their shopping list.

390487 7 oz. $11.75  390488 Gallon $69.75

Once you get the magazine, let me know what your favorite new products are.

Happy Wednesday, only 2 more days to July 4!

Our biggest issue of The Industry Source magazine is out and it is jammed packed with articles, a special Kemon section, The Academy and S.P.A. course information and so much more.

One of the highlights of this issue is thebeautybook new product section. It is filled with lots of new products and my blog for this week will focus on the best of the best.

The Belava Pedicure Heater/Massager Unit is compact, modern, and the most versatile pedicure system available. I tried it out and found the 3 levels of soothing vibration and 2 levels of heat to work well.

I love the disposable liners than ensure each service is clean and sanitary. The unit also features an automatic shut off and anti-splash feature. You can also use the base unit for a dry massage if you so choose (extra service at the manicure/hair station).

It’s affordable and will take portable pedicures to the next level. They are in stock but I’m sure they will fly out the door once word is out.

301222 Belava Pedicure Unit 287.00 ($10.00)

301221 Belava 100-ct Liner Refills 65.00 ($5.00)

Happy first day of the second half of the year!