Beauty Launchpad Magazine

DEC 2015

Brings the hottest beauty products and fashion trends to the salon and spa industry. Launchpad focuses on new products, tools and services for hair, skin, make up and nails.

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114 | BEAUTY LAUNCHPAD | DECEMBER 2015 News French Lessons Skyfall Academy, hosted by Matrix Artistic Director Nicholas French, was not about being a double agent or skydiving as the name might suggest, but instead focused on creating looks so stunning they would make any Bond girl envious. The hands-on three-day event, which was hosted at French's Palm Springs, California home, was part of the prize package for the top 24 winners of the Regis POP Art contest. The winners practiced coloring and styling under French's guidance before partaking in an unforgettable wrap party at the Hard Rock Café in Palm Springs. Rock—and style—on! Forty years ago, 20 Vietnamese women made history by becoming the fi rst nail technicians in the US. The women, who were largely wives of high-ranking military offi cials, met actress Tippi Hedren through her volunteer work at Hope Valley refugee camp near Sacramento, Califonia. Hedren helped the women, dubbed "The First 20," graduate and fi nd work as manicurists. Now a staggering 80 percent of nail techs in SoCal are Vietnamese, with the majority of nail techs in the US being of Vietnamese descent. To commemorate the event, American International Industries (A.I.I.) hosted "The Second 20 (plus 3)," a three- day intensive training for three of the Southern California manufacturer's top nail brands; ibd, EzFlow and SuperNail. Attendees underwent extensive training led by A.I.I. Lead Educators Terry Burciaga, Teresa Hamm, Vicki Ornellas and Sreynin Peng, with classes covering product knowledge, chemistry, technique and presentation skills. At the end of the training students participated in a nail art competition judged by one of the original 20, Ms. Thuan Le, or the "Godmother of the Vietnamese Nail Industry." Mark Moesta, A.I.I. Vice President of Professional Sales, thanked the group for their contribution to the nail industry: "An overwhelming percentage of our business is Vietnamese-based. The footprint you as nail stylists have on the industry is impressive. You have revolutionized the business and made it what it is today, and we are excited to partner with you to help make it better, make it more profi table and more fun all at the same time." Nailing the Industry Nail technique training in progress! TED TALKS Celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson gave the keynote speech at "Beauty Behind the Fashion," the opening night of Fashion Week San Diego devoted to hair and makeup artistry—the unsung heroes of fashion. The evening also included inspiring runway presentations from Bellus Academy students and educators, as well as the ted gibson artistic team. The next day, Gibson and his husband and business partner, celebrity colorist Jason Backe, hosted a ted gibson advanced academy at Bellus Academy in nearby Poway, California, touching on sundry topics—including fi nding the confi dence to raise your prices. (Gibson speaks from experience: His cuts are $1,500!) But it all comes back to that basic training, says Gibson: "In my 25 years as a hairdresser, it's really remarkable just with a beauty school license the things I've been able to do." —Angie Reiber Matrix's Nicholas French imparts styling knowledge to an eager crowd. From left: Eden Sassoon, Bellus Academy President and Owner Lynelle Lynch, Ted Gibson, Fashion Week San Diego Founder and Director Allison Andrews, Bellus Academy Director Carrera Bailey, Jason Backe COURTESY OF BELLUS ACADEMY

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