Congratulations to L’Oréal Professional Products who has proudly opened the doors to its new state-of-the-art London L'Oréal Academy. For over a century, L’Oréal has been serving the needs of professional hairdressers, helping them provide the highest quality services to their clients. Product innovation was just the beginning of what continues to be a lifelong mission to elevate the professional hair industry, with products and services steeped in science and dynamic education designed to upskill all hairdressers.
A Hub For Educational Excellence
On 12 October 2023, the great and good of the industry came together to celebrate this new space and the evolution of L’Oréal’s approach to education. Alongside their existing well-renowned technical courses, for the first time L’Oréal Professional Products has launched an innovative Hair Pro Experience Hub. Designed to immerse and inspire hair stylists, this cutting-edge space is set to redefine industry standards.
Showcasing best-in-class online and offline retail execution, the hub seamlessly integrates leading digital innovation with a completely immersive experience. Hair stylists will leave feeling equipped with the tools and passion they need to drive sustainable and impactful change within their salons, marking a new era in hair stylist education.
The Academy also features the following new and immersive touchpoints:
Retail Showcase: Focused on L’Oréal Professional Products’ retail portfolio.
Hair Stylists’ Favourites: Updated each quarter, here you’ll find recommended routines and hero products nominated by L’Oréal Education Teams.
Curated Edit: A continuously evolving catalogue of trending, innovative & seasonal professional haircare.
Colour Atelier: L’Oréal Colour House’s iconic formulas for professional use only.
Consultation Hub: Digitally enhanced and featuring L’Oréal Professionnel Paris’ Colour Virtual Try-On technology.
Pro Hub: Seamless access to L’Oréal Access and L’Oréal Partner Shop.
Hairstylist for the Future Wall: Introducing dedicated tools and solutions to support hair professionals on their sustainability journey & showcase the new L’Oréal Academy’s eco-credentials.
Supporting Hair Stylists for the Future
Securing a sustainable future for the UKI Hairdressing Industry with their Hairstylist for the Future initiative is critical for L’Oréal. The new L'Oréal Academy is designed with sustainability at the heart across three key areas:
1. Managing water sustainably: All backwash stations are equipped with L’Oréal Professionnel Water Saver showerheads, reducing water flow by up to 69%*.
2. Preserving natural resources and reducing waste:
Supporting zero waste to landfill through:
o The installation of optimised sorting & recycling processes.
o Circular solutions for harder to recycle waste streams such as hair and metals.
3. Managing carbon emissions and energy usage:
• The Academy is a carbon neutral site, fully powered by renewable energy.
• L’Oréal is committed to measuring and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions on a yearly basis, aiming to have the Academy certified as Net Zero by 2030.
• All furniture and appliances have been selected with careful attention to their sustainability footprint.**
David Higgin, Managing Director L’Oréal Professional Products UKI comments: "Our brand new London L'Oréal Academy is a centre of excellence for education and has been built with hairdressers at the heart. The space fully embraces the evolution of our industry, with particular focus paid to the digital and sustainable transformation journey we are all on. Not only does it house the finest resources for technical upskilling and training, but the inclusion of our Pro Hub and our Consultation Hub brings the key digital and sustainable considerations that salons and stylists need to future-proof their businesses. I am extremely proud that our new L'Oréal Academy will enable us to train over 10,000 hairdressers a year and I hope that its fresh, vibrant and modern design inspires creativity for every professional who comes through the doors."
Stewart Roberts MBE, Founder of Haircuts 4 Homeless says: "It’s so exciting. You can tell it’s going to be an amazing space for education and learning. When I came, I instantly thought all the young professionals that are going to be coming here are going to see this wonderful space that has been made just for them and will feel so important and part of this wonderful industry."
Cos Sakkas, Global Creative Director Toni &Guy says: "When I walked in, I thought 'wow!' - the technology, the lighting, the life-size campaign imagery. I can’t wait to come back here and educate in this space."
The Evolution of Education
The new L’Oréal Academy is the latest in a long line of educational innovations from the Professional Products Division, as they adapt and evolve to meet the industry’s ever-changing needs. The launch of their 24/7 online learning platform, L’Oréal Access, in 2017 enabled hair professionals and students to learn anytime, anywhere. And with more recent shifts in the professional landscape, the need for flexible learning proves to be more important than ever.
Between March 2022 and April 2023, The Office of National Statistics reported that there were a total of 126,700 working hairdressers and barbers in the UK - 49,500 of those were employed and 77,200 were self-employed. Now, the typical ‘working day’ looks different for many and so does the time put aside to upskilling and learning.***
As well as online learning, L’Oréal recognises the importance of hands-on education and human interaction with many satellite hubs spread across the country to provide educational excellence and proximity. Consumer behaviours are continuously changing and the expectations they have for the businesses they interact with go beyond the services they offer. To support salons in adapting to this, L’Oréal not only provides technical upskilling across its educational sites and online, but business upskilling too.
For example, a recent L’Oréal survey found that nearly half of British women (45%) said they made more sustainable choices in 2022 than in previous years. Then, when looking more specifically at salons, 43% wanted to see their salon doing more to be sustainable.**** This is a clear sign for much needed support when considering a salon's sustainability journey and the development of the Hairstylist for the Future E-Learning, elevated through the new L'Oréal Academy.
By continuously listening to the needs of the industry, and providing the support required to succeed, L’Oréal
Professional Products remains committed to a positive future for hairdressing. Through a lifelong commitment to innovation and education for all, they are providing hairdressers with the building blocks to future proof their business.
*Average difference vs 26 French salons’ pre-existing non-water saving, standard shower head. Water flow is the amount of water passing through a pipe
during a set period of time, measured in litres per minute. Water flow reduction may vary depending on location. Compatibility requirements apply
**Full details can be provided upon request
***Office for National Statistics, annual population survey, Occupation by sex, employment status and full/part-time Report, Jan 2021-Dec 2021
**** 2021 Salon Emotion Customer Journey, n=1004 British women and L’Oreal Net Zero Salons, You Gov, Jan 2023, n=1077 British women