Source: HEBS Hair Education Beauty Summit / Courtesy of Brand
Hundreds of Black women descended upon the Meadowlands Expo Center, in New Jersey, for the
HEBS Hair Education Beauty Summit. The two-day event brought together top industry names like
Kim Kimble,
Arrogant Tae,
Cliff Vmir,
Terrence Davidson,
Kevin KirkPro, Jay Majors, and more for a communal masterclass in all things hair.
Both days consisted of vendor setups with 60 exhibitors, 1,814 attendees, competitions, panels, and live performances stretched across the spacious venue. HelloBeautiful Editorial Director
Shamika Sanders was on the scene for day one to moderate the beauty trends/sustainability panel with Kim Kimble, Kevin KirkPro,
Terrence Davidson, Natalia ‘Tali’ Moses, and Mecai Adeola. And Charlene Masona, Social Media Manager, tackled Day Two where she had a front-row seat to the highly anticipated Barber Competition, Wild & Free Fantasy hair competition, and a student competition.
Source: HEBS Hair Education Beauty Summit / @Shamika_Sanders
“When entering the HEBS hall, one could immediately feel the positive energy, joy, and laughter emanating from our educators, competition winners, and individuals enjoying the music. The atmosphere welcomed everyone who shares a passion for education, beauty, and barbering, creating a sense of belonging akin to a family reunion,” said
HEBS CEO Nicole Shuler.
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One of the main goals of HEBS is to educate the masses by providing live demos, expert panels hands-on opportunities to learn from the most successful stylists, business owners, and barbers in the game.
“The education and networking components form the fundamental basis of our organization, HEBS. Our events provide attendees with the opportunity not only to observe but also to try for themselves,” explained Shuler. “For example, at our Barbering Experience Pavillion, there were barbering demonstrations, but attendees were also encouraged to participate in hands-on activities under the guidance of experienced professionals.”
She continued, “Our attendees had the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning of new techniques and to directly interact with the professionals presenting their work. This interactive format allowed attendees to ask questions, receiving immediate, on-the-spot answers from the experts.”
2025 Beauty Trends
Source: HEBS Hair Education Beauty Summit / @Shamika_Sanders
suggest consumers are interested in clean products that are gentle on the environment and their hair. A
ccording to a consumer report, interest in plant-based haircare increased by 31.1% in 2021. That means an increase in hair products with natural ingredients to promote sustainability. It also means reducing waste from salons that use a lot of excess water and toxic/harmful chemicals like perms or hair color.
During the beauty panel, hair mogul Kim Kimble, announced she will be reopening a salon and doing her part to help reduce the harmful effects associated with the brick-and-mortar business. According to Green Beauty Community, “A sustainable salon is a salon that promotes “green” or eco-friendly choices every step of the way. It starts with, but is not limited to, improving waste management, reducing water and energy usage, and lowering the eco salon’s overall carbon footprint.”
Kimble also talked about the importance of using products she trusts. Inspired by the women in her family, who used ingredients found in their kitchen to create products beneficial to Black hair, Kimble reiterated there needs to be a balance between raw ingredients and preservatives to ensure hair products are natural and safe to use.
Source: HEBS Hair Education Beauty Summit / @Shamika_Sanders
“Blonde is making a big comeback in the braide industry,” said Tali Moses, known for slaying Beyonce’s braids in
Black Is King. “The girls want to be blonde. The boho braids is a big deal right now. I think it’s the perfect combination because it gives you that weave look while also having that protective style. Layers are coming back. You’d be surprised to know you can get layers with braids, They want it short in the front and long in the back. Definitely the braided baldie – that’s a big one.”
Keep scrolling for photos from the two-day HEBS Expo.
