Balayage Summit 2020
Well, well, well… we just returned from the Balayage Summit 2020 and we have kinda been gushing about it to everyone we know. It is no secret we are super nerds and love education, but this was next level. Have you ever been to a class and thought, “ Yes! This is going to be so incredible!”… only to enter into an event with over inflated egos who spend hours telling you how cool and rich they are? It can be scary to invest your hard earned money into education, right?
The Balayage Summit has our official stamp of approval! It was pure education without the hype and distractions.
Format
Let’s start by saying the format of this event is BRILLIANT. It was completely optimized for learning and if you disagree with us we will fight you. (Ok probably not, but for real.. it was good stuff.)
Each day was designed the same after they provided breakfast. Things kicked off with a balayage demo panel. Attendees watched 3 transformations simultaneously during this interactive segment where they were encouraged to ask questions.
Afterwards, during lunch there was an informational product discussion. Once everyone finished their boxed lunch, things got super interesting. India Dunn led the group in a guided meditation of gratitude to help get centered before beginning to learn again.
Afternoon segments began with one of the educators coming back on stage and reviewing the technique they taught for a second time quickly. Then everyone headed to their station to replicate the technique. This happened an additional two times, for a total of three new skills being applied to the mannequin while the educators walked around the room giving one on one guidance. Participants also received a brand new mannequin each day. Could you just die?!
Emcee + Special Guests
Brenda Amaral had us literally laughing out loud with one liners like “I’m a salon owner so people think I just sit at home playing with my money”. Not only does she interject humor and keep the show going but she has worked in most segments of the industry so she adds valuable insight.
Even though American Board of Certified Haircolorists is known for being what we like to call “Brand Agnostic” (You can thank John Simpson for that little gem) they still need products to use in the hands-on portions of the class. Enter Jack Winn from Jack Winn Pro and Malibu C Pro… both were on hand to provide product but also the chemistry behind ingredients and technology. We never felt like a brand was being forced down our throats, merely presented as an option.
Educators
Amber is the co-founder of the business of Balayage , Board Certified colorist (and Newly appointed ABCH board member) , founder of House of Collaboration and salon owner of Gold and Braid in Mission Viejo, CA. Talk about a bad ass resume right? Add to that her kind and generous nature and ability to explain even the most complicated scenarios.. we were blown away by her education.
Katie has taken a list of education that would rival even the most dedicated Hair Nerd. She shared open air balayage and and gorgeous sombre technique. Katie was incredibly forthcoming with her pricing structure, assistants, and behind the scenes of her business.
Anny wowed us with an open air balayage and root color application demo on a gorgeous dark haired model. Anny also recently opened a salon and shared some awesome insight on the struggles of salon ownership and creating a culture that people want to join.
One of the things that Kelly did that we loved was taking the attendees outside to see how she takes photos for instagram. She built a quick, interactive photo workshop to help stylists figure out the best way to capture their transformations.
Jill from Nine Zero One taught her tap and tone technique and really explained the importance of being the expert for your clients.
A-Ha Moments
We asked a handful of stylists their favorite things or “a-ha” moments from the Summit…
“How to use the light and dark. Placement was huge for me. Seeing that these transformation didn’t take forever was really motivating. ”
“Realizing how much of what we are seeing in the magazines is actually root work. Placement. Taking more time in the front and time saving tips. Just lots of ways to efficiently complete a transformation that I previously thought would take 5 hours.”
“The format. Seeing the original transformation, then going back over the individual technique and then applying it on the mannequin. It all made sense. ”
Which Nerds Should Attend?
First let us say this is QUALITY education and would be perfect for every level in the industry. However we kept talking about how great this would be for a newer stylist because of the immense value. The price point is wild for this 2 day Summit, now add in that ALL of the tools and products are provided, a sweet swag bag packed full of products, and 2 meals a day being included. It is the ultimate all inclusive vacation of the hair industry. We were also delighted to see the amount of one on one attention attendees received. They entire event felt incredibly intimate.
Final Thoughts
This was truly an amazing experience. If you miss The Balayage Summit next year, you are going to be kicking yourself... Can’t wait a whole year? Check out the ABCH Energizing Summit coming up in June! We are already preparing our list of potential stalking victims for that bad boy!