Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about Alan Howard professional hair and beauty supplies. From ordering and delivery to product details and trade accounts, our FAQ page has everything you need to know. Get expert support today!

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How To Maximise Salon Profits With These Speedy Salon Services

Let’s face it, we’re already prepping for the festive season, and with it comes jam-packed schedules and appointment bookings, last-minute walk-ins and clients being extremely eager to look their best for the party season. But with strict timings and an overflowing column, being efficient is everything. That’s where fast salon services come in. From express colour to speedy treatments, these quick turnaround options allow you to fit in more clients, maximise profits, and keep your guests looking and, of course, feeling incredible! Let’s dive into how to make every minute count this season with time-saving salon heroes your clients will love…

Summer Hair Care 101

"I'm a professional hairdresser and this is my ultimate summer hair care guide". Summer is nearly here and it's time to get your clients prepped with a summer hair care routine for the hot summer months that are to come. We've teamed up with our Education Development Manager, Adam Murphy, who has a vast amount of knowledge on all the summer hair care tips and tricks we can't wait to share.

Styling Tools Your Salon Needs with Alfa Italia

Ready for a salon styling makeover? Or simply want to up your salon styling game? Enter Alfa Italia - a brand creating cutting-edge tools for professional stylists that provides innovative, high-performance styling solutions perfect for in-salon use. Alfa Italia’s range of tools ensures effortless styling with exceptional results, making them the perfect choice for a salon-styling upgrade. If you’re a stylist looking to upgrade your salon tool kit, we’ve dived into our must-have Alfa Italia styling tools that will take your styling game to the next level…

The Ultimate Party Season Salon Must-Haves

It’s finally time to equip your salon with the right tools to ensure your clients look their best this festive season, and we have just the essentials to make this possible. With clients going from Christmas parties to New Year's Eve celebrations, there’s no doubt that everyone wants to feel their absolute best. And as professionals, this is your time to elevate their experience, boost retail sales and make sure your salon is fully stocked with the industry's best! We’ve rounded up our top professional must-haves that will help you get your clients festive-ready…

Introducing Quif magi:form wave system

Have you heard? Perms are back, but not as you know them. Introducing magi:form - a wave system changing the narrative on perms. Unlike the classic 80’s hairstyles full of frizz and uneven texture, perms are here to make a modern comeback, and they’re nothing like their reputation. Quif magi:form is an innovative waving system designed to deliver your ideal wave from soft waves, lived-in texture and defined curls, all with the flexibility, strength and health of today’s haircare science.

Get To Know The Viral TikTok 'Curly Girl Method'

With millions of tutorials and product recommendations flooding TikTok’s ‘For You Page’, the viral 'Curly Girl Method' is everywhere, and for a good reason! But with so much information out there, it can be extremely overwhelming for clients to know what really works for their unique curls, coils or waves. That’s why it’s essential that your clients turn to their trusted hairdresser for credible, professional guidance on what will work for their specific hair type.

Introducing Quif Professional X Little Princess Trust: The Importance of Raising Awareness within the Professional Hair Industry

In collaboration with Alan Howard, we sat down with the amazing team from the Little Princess Trust, Phil & Wendy, to talk about their journey, the impact of their work, and their exciting new collaboration with Quif Professional. Through this collaboration, Quif have redesigned their foils, gowns and aprons to create a limited edition bundle of salon essentials, so professionals and clients can embody the cause in their salon every day.

Klarna

Discover the convenience of Klarna at Alan Howard. Shop now, pay later or split your payments into 3 instalments. Enjoy a smooth shopping experience with secure transactions and reliable customer support.

Hair Bonds 101

As professional hairstylists, understanding the science behind hair bonds is crucial for providing effective treatments and ensuring the optimum health of your client's hair. This is because hair bonds play a significant role in maintaining the strength, elasticity, and overall structure of our hair strands. We'll delve into what hair bonds are, how they break, the science behind them, and practical tips for repairing and educating clients on this essential aspect of hair care. Let's dive in.

The Trending Luxurious Hair Shades of 2026

If there is one thing that’s defining hair colour in 2026, it’s quiet luxury. Over the past couple of years, clients have been moving away from harsh contrasts and high-maintenance blondes, and instead leaning into rich, glossy and effortlessly expensive-looking colour. Including deep brunettes that give that mirror-like shine, and creamy blondes with soft dimension, these are the hair shades that give the hair a healthy, seamless look that is super wearable.

The Effects of Hard Water vs Soft Water On Hair

As hair professionals, we know that water quality plays a significant role in the health and appearance of our client's hair. Whether you're a hairstylist or a salon owner, understanding the effects of hard water and soft water is crucial for providing the best possible service to your clients. In this guide, we'll delve into the differences between hard water and soft water and explore how they affect the hair.

Trending Party Season Hairstyles

As the festive season approaches, it's the time that your clients will be preparing for their Christmas celebrations, and what better way to enter the new year than with a banging hair-do? This year, we’ve lined up the trending festive hairstyles of 2024, that combine chic accessories with full-on glam, to ultimately transform your client's look. Let’s dive into how your clients can achieve these easily recreateable hairstyles for any festive occasion with the styling tools provided by your salon.

Introducing the Alfa Italia Portofino Pro Styler

Introducing the latest addition to the Alfa Italia styling line-up—the Alfa Italia Portofino Moisture Lock Pro Styler. Meet your new and improved go-to styling tool for effortless, professional-quality styling. This styler reflects sophistication and functionality, incorporating timeless elegance and vibrance into your salon styling routine. While the Portofino carries on the reputation of the iconic Lustro styler, the Portofino takes styling innovation to the next level with advanced features and benefits, as well as a striking electric blue colour. Available in a wide plate, this styler is perfect for stylists looking to style faster and even sleeker, frizz-free finishes with their clients. Let’s take a deeper dive into why you need this styler in your salon.

How To Achieve This Summer’s Trending Soft Mullet

Straight from Australia to the salon chair, the Aussie-inspired Soft Mullet is the haircut everyone is talking about this year, and now that it’s summer, it’s taking off yet again. This modern, wearable mullet is an update to the classic mullet, being heavily blended with short, faded sides with longer, textured lengths at the back. This creates that edgy, low-maintenance and effortlessly cool vibe everyone has been looking for. The best part? You can personalise this to your client's hair type and length so they can make it their very own.

The Haircut Trends Of 2026

We’re back with another lineup of haircut trends that we’re super excited to see throughout the year. 2026 is shaping up to be a bold and confident year for women’s hair, striking the perfect balance between wearable and low-maintenance finishes with cuts that still feel fun yet personable. With striking cuts to soft, lived-in layers, let’s dive into the women’s haircut trends set to dominate salons in 2026.

The Warrior Cut: The Trending Male Haircut of 2026

A cut that’s masculine and extremely cool, The Warrior Cut, a bold revival of the classic 90’s haircut worn by Brad Pitt, is making its way into 2026. Becoming one of the most requested haircuts in the salon, this style has a strong shape with a deliberate messy vibe to it. The Warrior Cut embodies controlled chaos that feels both nostalgic in a cool, edgy way. Popularised by Hollywood heartthrob Austin Butler, this messy spiked yet soft look is the ultimate reference for clients wanting more length and volume, which is still wearable.

Oscars Best Hair Looks 2025

The biggest night in Hollywood, full of glitz and glamour, has come to a close, but for hair professionals, the inspiration is just beginning. The 2025 Oscar Red Carpet looks were full of standout hairstyles that are sure to influence trends in salons and the editorial space this year. We’ve taken a deep dive into some of our favourite standout looks from the night that we can’t wait to see recreated on the salon floor…

How To Clean Your Salon Hairbrushes

As professional hairdressers, maintaining a clean and hygienic salon is essential to ensuring your clients gain the best salon experience. But, one essential task often gets overlooked: cleaning your hairbrushes. These tools collect hair, product residue, oils and dust on the daily, meaning that regular maintenance is critical for both your client's hair health and your brush's durability. Here’s why cleaning your hairbrushes on a regular basis is an important matter, along with a simple how-to guide to ensure they stay in top nick!

Introducing The Luna Hybrid Pro Smart Dryer

Meet the new Luna hybrid pro smart dryer, a fusion of creative design and smart technology, created to give you an experience like no other when drying your client's hair. Available in two stunning colourways - glossy black and rose gold - the Luna brings the ultimate aesthetic touch to your salon’s styling sessions. Discover the all-new smart features the Luna brings to your salon styling sessions…

How to Achieve the Soft Mullet

Discover how to achieve the soft mullet haircut with our expert tips and techniques. This guide will help you master the art of the soft mullet, blending modern style with effortless texture for a fresh look.

Trending Party Season Hairstyles with Melissa Timperley & Alfa Italia

Alfa Italia is all about versatile styling, and these party-ready, trending looks show just how easily you can achieve these styles in your salon chair. On her recent shoot with Alfa Italia, award-winning stylist and salon owner Melissa Timperley set out to create two contrasting styles, from sleek and understated to bounce and glamour, perfect for the party season to come. Both looks were brought to life using the Alfa Italia’s Lustro Styler and Tropea Multi-Curl Kit, proving just how versatile these professional tools can be.

The Importance of Cleaning your Hair Brushes

As professional hairdressers, we understand the importance of maintaining a clean and hygienic salon environment. Let's take a deep dive into the Alfa Italia step-by-step guide on how to effectively clean your hairbrushes, and ensure you on how to maintain a high standard of cleanliness in your salon, and to why it is such an important step in your hair care routine.

Christmas Nail Trends of 2024

The Trending Festive Nails of the Season...It’s finally time to start bringing festivity to your appointments, and for some clients, finding inspiration for the ultimate Christmas mani can be challenging. Luckily for you, we have this year’s Christmas nail trends that are versatile, chic, and perfect for every aesthetic. Here are the top Christmas nail trends for 2024 that every nail technician should know to inspire their clients this festive season.

Trending Male Haircuts of 2024

Staying ahead of the trends is crucial when meeting your client's needs and with the men’s grooming industry being ever-evolving, 2024 has brought a classic blend, with contemporary twists, in men’s haircuts this year. Let’s jump into the trending male haircuts so far in 2024.

Halo By Pure Nails

Halo by Pure Nails offers you a premium selection of professional products, designed by nail technicians for nail technicians to elevate your skills to craft seamless, stunning manicures and pedicures.

Modern Slavery Policy

Learn about Alan Howard's commitment to combating modern slavery. Our policy ensures ethical and transparent practices throughout our supply chain. We maintain a zero-tolerance approach, fostering awareness and accountability.

Dermaplaning 101: Why The Right Tools Make All The Difference

Dermaplaning has become one of the most talked-about at-home skincare treatments, and for good reason. This gentle exfoliation technique, often dubbed “face shaving,” uses a fine blade to sweep away peach fuzz, dead skin cells, and grime, revealing a smoother, brighter complexion. The results lead to your skincare to sink in deeper, and makeup applies like a dream. But here’s the catch: not all facial razors are created equal. That’s why, among the many options, including multi-use and beginner-friendly razors, the Tweezerman Facial Razor stands out as a dependable favourite.

Trending Male Haircuts 2025

The trending male haircuts set for 2025 are in, and this year, it’s all about structure, versatility, and effortless style. Whether your clients are into a low-maintenance cut or prefer to wear an edgier do, these haircuts are set to take over appointments this year. Let’s dive into the trendiest male haircuts for the year ahead…