Jack howard reveals the art of balayage
Published
27th Mar 2019
by laurahusband
Hair colourist Jack Howard is touring the country in the coming months with his education course 'Introduction to the 4 Gestures of Balayage.' Here he explains why he became a hairdresser and has become known as the 'King of Balayage'.
What was your route into hair?
I started out as a Saturday boy when I was 14 doing the lunch runs and sweeping up the floor. I moved onto shampooing and neutralising perms before attending full time at the age of 16. I had so much fun working with such interesting people and I learned a lot in those early years.Can you tell us about your present role?
My present role is quite diverse. I am the director of my own business Jack Howard and when I’m in London I’m based at Paul Edmonds where I look after clients. It’s a collaboration that works very well for both of us as it gives me a fantastic London base in an amazing salon. For the past eight years I’ve also run my own education courses in the UK under my own banner. As well as courses, I offer online videos and tutorials on my website. I love education and working with commercial hairdressers to help people work faster and smarter. I’ve been working on a new collaboration with Denman for the past 18 months which launches this summer so that’s very exciting. I’m also the global BlondMe ambassador for Schwarzkopf Professional. This involves lots of travel and teaching, which is what I love. My first launch with them was my 14 pieces technique back in February which was introduced to the global team. I’ve finally started a podcast too that will be launching very soon so watch out!What are the pros and cons of your role?
I absolutely love what I do and it has been one hell of a ride. The pros are having my own platform to speak about the professional difference and talking to hairdressers worldwide who work hard behind the chair. For this role, time management is key and I believe I need to stop and enjoy the moment as I’m always super busy. This industry is really fantastic and has so many opportunities but it’s physically hard work. Nothing comes to those who are complacent and I believe you need to make it happen.What are your tips for building a name in the industry?
Get involved with as much as you can and meet people to get your name out there. Social media has really helped me and my following has increased with the processing pictures I upload. Connect with hairdressers and potential clients via social media as this helps to get your name out to the public. Find your point of difference as this will help people to understand you. Work with a great PR as you want someone who really gets you and can communicate your message to a wider audience.Nothing comes to those who are complacent and I believe you need to make it happen.
What challenges have you faced in your career so far?
At the start of my career a lot of people in the UK didn’t really catch on with balayage but I didn’t let it bother me. I’m glad I didn’t because balayage is huge now. There have been a few mishaps along the way with brands that didn’t want to work with me but in these moments you find your light, dust yourself down and get on with it. I don’t like the word ‘no’ so I try to look for solutions and always surround myself with positive people.