The Professional Beauty Association's 2015 International Salon and Spa Expo Long Beach took place Jan. 24-26 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Event organizers have reported record attendance, reaching a crowd of nearly 43,500 beauty professionals from around the world.
This year’s event featured more than 379 exhibiting companies, promoting 420 beauty brands. Ranging from international beauty leaders to indie trendsetters, exhibiting brands included Amika, CAILYN Cosmetics, Enzo Milano, Gelish, Johnny B Hair Care, LightStim, Matrix, OPI Products, Sexy Hair Concepts, Vidal Sassoon and Zotos International.
Corporate event sponsor Beauty Systems Group continued its support in the ticket-selling process and participated on the exhibit floor. Additionally, with SalonCentric returning to the event as a corporate show sponsor, ticket seller and exhibit-floor participant, ISSE Long Beach was able to secure eight companies that had not exhibited in five years or more.
This year's event highlights included the new Blogger Cafe, the First Annual Southern California Beauty Career Fair, The Nail Spot and Cut, the Color & Style Stage, the EstheticsAmerica & Wellness Pavilion, the Sally Beauty Mobile Nail Studio, PBA's Sally Beauty Scholarship Fund presentation, the 2014 Minerva Beauty Cosmetology Scholarship winners, the PBA Beauty Bar, the PBA’s annual Night Out Party, the Best of Booth Awards, ISSE Hairstyling Competitions, Barber Brawl Competitions, Nail Competitions, tryouts for OMC Hairworld 2016, and education and stage presentations. Of course, there were presentations from top industry talent, including Ted Gibson, Beth Minardi, Ammon Carver, Lydia Sarfati and Adam Tran.
With three main stages to choose from, including Center Stage and the NAHA Stage and the new Cut, Color & Style Stage, ISSE Long Beach also featured more than 150 complimentary educational sessions. Attendees were able to create a personalized schedule of professional sessions in hair, nails, skin and business, including a lineup of Hands-On Workshops, CIDESCO Section USA, and Student and Early Professional classes.
The ISSE “Best Of” Awards winners included:
Hair
Best New Product: Glam Palm Simple Touch Flat Iron
Best Established Product: Color Wow Root Cover Up
Skin
Best New Product: Glycelene Rejuvenation Cream
Best Established Product: Daily Concepts Konjac Sponges
Nails
Best New Product: Caption by Young Nails
Best Established Product: MoYou Nail Stamping Kits
Best of Show
Daily Concepts Konjac Sponges
The 2016 International Salon and Spa Expo will take place Jan. 30–Feb. 1 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Visit www.probeauty.org/isse for more.
Check out images from the show below!
[Images of people courtesy of Beauty Store Business, by Marc Birenbaum; and top image courtesy of the International Salon and Spa Expo Long Beach]