How To Save Money Without Sacrificing Salon Quality

With the unpredictable circumstances 2025 may bring, running a successful salon can be tough work, and providing top-tier service while keeping costs under control can be a serious challenge. Fortunately, we’ve discussed some smart strategies that can allow your salon to cut expenses without compromising the quality of your client's salon experience. We’ve explored some actionable tips and tricks on how your salon can save money while maintaining (and maybe even elevating!) the standard your clients expect. Let’s jump in…

Essentials You Need In Your College Kit Bag

​Beginning your journey as a hair professional is an exciting time, with so much to learn in an ever-evolving industry. Whether you're passionate about creative colour techniques, styling, or simply transforming your clients’ looks, starting hair college is your first step towards mastering your passion. To help you hit the ground running, we’ve put together a list of student essentials that will not only make your college experience smoother but also set you up for success in your future career!

Naomi Rose

The Naomi Rose range of professional self tanning products, nail care essentials and body waxing products.

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!

The Ultimate Salon Spring Clean Guide

Spring has sprung, and there is nothing quite like that fresh spring feeling and the mindset of new beginnings. And just like your clients are thinking of a seasonal refresh, now is the perfect time to give your salon a little TLC, too! Spring makes the perfect opportunity to refresh your salon space, motivate your team, and improve your clients' overall experience. If you’re a salon owner or hairdresser and looking to have a salon reset, here’s our go-to guide to spruce up your salon space this spring!

Kit Bag Essentials For Hairdressers

Whether you’re a remote hairdresser, a freelancer, or a student, having the right tools in your kit bag can make all the difference when on the go. If you’re looking to refresh your kit bag and start anew, here’s a guide to the essential items you should always have packed. This will ensure you’re prepared for any styling situation without having to pack your entire salon! Let’s dive in.

Hair Trend Predictions for 2025

As we approach 2025, within the professional hair industry colourists are eager for fresh ideas, techniques and most importantly trends, that are going to set the creative scene within salons. We sat down with Education Team members, Sara Simpson and Adam Murphy, our hair colour experts who have an immense amount of knowledge on all things hair colour, to get their predictions and insights into what the hairdressing industry has to bring in 2025.

Unlock The Secrets To A Healthy Scalp

As a professional in the world of hair care, it is essential to understand the scalp when providing your clients with the best service. A healthy scalp is the base of the hair follicles to achieve ultimate strength and optimum hair health. Therefore, providing your clients' scalp with the proper treatment and care will ensure them with the healthy and vibrant locks they are longing for. Here, we'll share everything you need to know about scalp health, along with our favourite professional scalp-care products to stock up on, so you're equipped for every clients scalp issue.

Skin Republic

Scientifically formulated and dermatologist tested, our range of products focuses on skin care for the face, under the eyes, neck and décolletage, hands and feet.

Meet The Lightener That Does More Than Just Lift

Want lift that is clean, cool, and leaves the hair in optimum condition? Enter magi:light+ Premium Silver Lightener, the game-changing formula that’s redefining how colourists can achieve a cooler-toned blonde without the brass. With the magic ingredients of charcoal, graphite pigment, and argan oil, this lightener ensures maximum protection, neutralisation and ultimate clarity. Designed to lift up to 9+ levels of lift, while controlling warmth and removing impurities, magi:light+ Silver delivers results that don’t just feel luxurious, but feel it too!

The Ultimate Tanning Guide For Clients

Summer is finally approaching, and your clients will be eager to achieve that sun-kissed glow. Whether your clients opt for the flawless finish of a spray tan or prefer the convenience of a session on the sun bed, it’s important for beauty therapists and salon owners to ensure their clients do so knowingly and responsibly. Let’s dive into our comprehensive tanning guide just in time for the summertime, so your clients know what to expect from your service.

Kent Salon

Kent Salon is a renowned brand known for its high-quality hair brushes and combs, crafted with precision and care for both professionals and personal use.

Get Hair Therapy with Shed Treatments

In the overwhelming world of haircare and choosing the right solution for your client's hair needs, simply conditioning the hair isn’t enough. Clients seek solutions to address specific hair concerns. That’s where Shed’s new therapy masks come in, and they’re about to take over your salon's backwash. With a HVP + Oil complex, get all your client's hair care needs delivered, to give moisture, strength, shine, and protection. With Shed’s new therapy masks, you’re not just treating your client’s hair… you’re transforming it.

A Salon’s Guide To Going Self-Employed with Brooke Evans

Brooke Evans, once the owner of a fully employed salon BE Ironbridge, recently took a bold step in her career as a salon owner, and decided to transition to a self-employed business model. With the rising national insurance and VAT costs being a huge strain for businesses, Brooke’s decision wasn’t entirely by choice but left her with no option to close her salon and re-open as The Grid Collective. From Brooke’s experience, the shift to self-employment has not been easy, but as Brooke’s journey shows, it can be empowering, financially rewarding, and ultimately, life-changing.

Lash FX

Lash FX supplies professional and retail lash and brow products worldwide with brands Lash FX, Hi Brow, Brow FX, and Magnetise.

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.

Get the glow with Naomi Rose Tan

Achieve natural, healthy looking skin with the easy to apply, quick drying and streak-free Classic 8% mist or reach your desired depth of colour with the advanced, fast acting Express 10% mist with a smart-shade complex, both infused with blissful coconut fragrance.

Trending Valentine’s Day Nails

The season of love is well and truly approaching, and whether your clients will share the day with a partner, their friends, or simply be embracing the self-love vibe, your client's nails have got to look the part! In collaboration with Halo, we’ve rounded up the top trending Valentine's Day nails your clients are going to love! Stock up on these high-quality Halo gel polishes that deliver long-lasting, vibrant colours and flawless finishes. Let’s explore all the inspiration you need for the ultimate set of Valentine's Day nails with Halo Gel Polish…

How To Achieve Caramel Brownie Brunette

With summer just around the corner, it's likely that your brunette clients are craving to add some brightness to their everyday hair look. Luckily we have the perfect trending shade that will satisfy your client's craving: 'Caramel Brownie Brunette'. With warm and golden hues that add instant brightness to your client's hair for a sun-kissed look, Caramel Brownie is the perfect hair colour for those clients who can't decide between blonde or brunette. Indulge in this deliciously stunning shade for the ultimate summer glow-up and sprinkle some sweetness into your client's new hair-do.

Alan Howard 2024 Favourites

It’s time to welcome the Alan Howard 2024 favourites brought to you by the professionals at Alan Howard themselves. From new product launches to this year's trending picks, we have the low down on all things hair & beauty that we have been loving. Let's dive into our 2024 favourites that you can take with you into the new year…

Products You Need To Weatherproof Your Styles

As we step into the wetter, windier months, it’s time for salon owners and hairdressers to adjust their haircare strategy to ensure your clients’ hair stays smooth, frizz-free, and healthy. The shift in weather can lead to more moisture in the air, which often causes problems for many hair types. To help with weatherproofing your clients’ locks and keeping them looking flawless, here are the essential products you should be using in your salon and of course, retailing to clients.

Old Money Blonde: The Trending Hair Colour Taking Over 2025

With the new year slowly unfolding, salons are back in business and ready to take on the 2025 grind. But if January blues have you feeling a little uninspired, don’t worry - we’re here to fill you in on the trending hair shade that’s set to dominate the hair colour world this season - Old Money Blonde. Want to recreate the Old Money Blonde look in your salon? We’ve teamed up with our Alan Howard Educator, Sara Simpson, to recreate this sophisticated and timeless shade using Quif Professional. Let’s dive into how to achieve Old Money Blonde perfection.

Spooky Salon Horror Stories

As Halloween approaches, it’s time for some hair-raising spooky salon stories straight from the salon floor. While salons are the place of relaxation and bliss, for some, salons are more terrifying than we think! Here are some of our favourite ‘Halloween horror stories’ that our customers have sent in to share just in time for Halloween. Keep reading if you dare…

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!

Procare Foil

Procare Foil is a trusted name in the professional hairdressing industry, known for delivering high-quality foils and dispensing systems that streamline the colouring process.

Trending Spring Hair Colour: Chestnut Teddy Bronde

Who says you can’t go a little darker in Spring? Hear us out! While the lighter, sun-kissed shades usually dominate the warmer seasons, 2025 is changing things up with the all-new cool-girl shade Chestnut Teddy Bronde. This rich, dimensional shade is redefining the Spring hair colour game, and whilst adding a nod to the 2024 craze of the Teddy Bear Blonde shade, we’re seeing much more warmth this year. Inspired by trend-setter icons Hailey Bieber and Zendaya, this ‘cool-girl’ shade blends warm chestnut, golden bronde, and a very subtle reddish-brown tone for a glossy, low-maintenance, and effortless look.

Hair Care 101: Protect Your Locks from Winter Damage

The cold winter months are upon us, and unfortunately it's when our hair becomes brittle, broken and dry. As salon visits tend to be quieter in the new year, we have the perfect winter hair care routine so your clients don't suffer in silence.

5 Low Maintenance Hair Colours To Try This Spring

2025 spring is all about refreshing your clients' colour that not only looks stunning but also lasts longer without the upkeep. While bold, high-contrast hair colours will always have their moment (we’re talking about you, copper), we’re seeing a major shift towards more soft, dimensional, and low-maintenance shades throughout the spring and summer months. Think sun-kissed, depth, soft transitions, and lived-in luxury, minus the constant touch ups. If your clients are ready to give their hair a break through the summer months or are simply too busy for their next appointment, we have the ultimate trending low-maintenance shades that are the perfect solution.

Professional Vegan Hair & Beauty Products For Your Salon

Veganuary is here, and with it being the biggest movement to kickstart the New Year, Veganuary encourages people to follow a fully vegan lifestyle, whereby eating a plant-based diet and only using vegan products, including hair & beauty. Within the professional hair & beauty industry, there is no better time to stock your salon with vegan products, that can still guarantee amazing benefits to your clients hair. Here’s a round-up of our must have vegan beauty products to inspire your January vegan product updates…

Vegan Hair & Beauty Brands for your Salon

Veganuary is here, and if you're unsure of what Veganuary is, or where to start, we have you covered! Veganuary is an annual challenge that takes place in January and requires you to follow a fully vegan lifestyle, and this doesn't stop at diet! Luckily we have listed our top vegan hair & beauty brands to stock your salon with. Let's explore our top brands perfect for Veganuary.