What we saw on the hj stage at salon international

The HJ Stage was back and bigger than ever at Salon International 2021. From editorial and Avant Garde look to performance-worthy hair, here are just some of the incredible hair moments we have seen so far.

HJ Stage at Salon International 2021

Saturday 16 October British Hairdresser of the Year finalist Adam Reed took to the stage to showcase his editorial looks that inspired his BHA collection. Adam took his models' hair to new heights by creating gravity-defying volume and modern texture by back-combing tonged hair. Think modern beehives and imperfectly imperfect hair that is characteristic of Adam's work. Adam's advice to other hairstylists is to steer clear of using filters or photo-editing apps on finished looks. "Don't use filters – create hair that's good enough that you don't need it," he said. Meanwhile, Georgia Bell and her team from Society by Georgia Bell looked to the 1970s and 80s for their inspiration. The team were inspired by disco lights flittering through club smoke and replicated this effect on a grey mullet with prismatic application of rainbow colours. Georgia showcased a braiding technique around hair pins to create a zig-zag texture before dressing out the hair to create glam rock volume. The final show of the day saw Karoliina Saunders showcasing her looks created for the Alternative Hair Show, inspired by 70s and 80s punk. Using a wig piece, Karoliina showed the audience how to secure wig pieces that are fit for performances, including how to wrap hair for a wig cap and securing wigs in place with grips. She also shared her top tips for creating hold and shine on larger wig pieces. The audience were then treated to a punk performance that showed just how secure the wigs were (no matter how much head-banging you do!) Sunday 17 October The Room97 team took to the stage to showcase some very wearable yet perfectly executed looks, including a slick wet-look ponytail and bouncy curls. The team shared their experiences and advice to apprentices looking to start their career in the industry and further their education. Zoe Irwin gave a masterclass in working with your model's natural hair texture to enhance what they already have. Known for her hair ribbons, she weaved and knotted grosgrain ribbons throughout her looks to show how you can really elevate your clients look. Her top tip is to closely watch how your client naturally touches their hair; whether they bring it forward and up or pushed back, this will help guide you on how to perfectly style your client's hair and add a bespoke touch.   Monday 18 October  Dylan Bradshaw and Larry King took to the stage to share their 80s and 90s looks, inspired by Clueless and Helena Christensen. Using the Dyson hair tools, they created modern undone texture and used the new flyaway attachment to smooth unwanted frizz around the crown. Michelle Thompson's looks were a celebration of texture on the HJ Stage. Using ghd tools, she showcased her tips and tricks to creating her modern editorial yet wearable looks on different hair textures.

Here’s what’s going down on the Colour Stage at Salon International