Events, Education, Excitement at ABS Chicago

The 94th America’s Beauty Show (ABS) by Cosmetologists Chicago featuring hair care, nail care and skin care for salons and spas was a smashing success for the more than 70,000 salon professionals, students and exhibitors in attendance.

The ABS Exhibit Hall boasted 400+ companies showing the newest and most essential products for salons and their clients and covering the entire McCormick West Hall. Manufacturers included American Crew, Aquage, Beauty & Pin-Ups, Belvedere, Brazilian Professional, CND, Cote Hair, Great Lengths, HairUWear, Matrix, Moroccan Oil, Olaplex, Olivia Garden, Peter Coppola, Pibbs brand, Redken, Repêchage, Sam Villa, Wahl and many more presented their best.

ABS Nails Central was the place for nail technicians to find companies and products in just one up front location. Favorite brands, including Famous Names, J&A Pedi Spa, Mini Mani Moo, Orly, Static Nails, Young Nails and more were in the spotlight.

The ABS Barbers Gallery was jamming throughout the show with the latest in trends for your male clients! Educational offerings included dozens of workshops and education at every turn - from Donald Scott to Johnny B to Andis, V76by Vaughn, Locked & Loaded, and Major League Barbers and more.

There were non-stop presentations on THREE ABS Runways, in conjunction with CosmoProf and SalonCentric, where icons of the salon industry and manufacturer’s educators presented amazing hair trends and education. America’s Beauty Show sponsored the inimitable Van Council, Artistic Director for Intercoiffure America/Canada, who showed amazing hair presentations on The ABS Runways throughout the weekend.

The Beauty Changes Lives Experience, hosted by America’s Beauty Show and powered by Pivot Point, was an incredible late-night affair featuring NEXTGEN industry artists’ interpretations of a “Shout Your Beauty” theme. Dr. Howard Murad received the Beauty Changes Lives Legacy Award that evening.

The BeautyBASH on Sunday, March 12, was a blast for ABS attendees, exhibitors and friends. Van Council, Intercoiffure’s Artistic Director, Tabatha Coffey and Chrystofer Benson, Christopher Dove and John Simpson—were all featured and showed the latest trends and sneak peeks for the season!

The setting was hot, hot, hot Havana and included awards presentations, including The Jerry Gordon Salon Business Leadership Award, presented by Jerry’s wife and business partner, Karen Gordon to Nick Arrojo.

Intercoiffure America/Canada honored long time member Mario Tricoci that evening with its coveted Heart & Soul Award. There was also an appearance by Nick Viall from ABS’s The Bachelor, arranged by Quality Beauty Supply and Katie from Beauty & Pin Ups, which partners with the Best Buddies organization, led by Anthony Kennedy Shriver.

70+ Continuing Education Classes allowed for salon pros to receive their required hours right at the show. In addition, there were free one-hour CE classes by Chicago Says No More – to provide pros with information on domestic violence and sexual assault. The ABS Product Knowledge College offered manufacturer education about the products salon pros love from Matrix, Pravan, Andis, L’Anza, Mizani, Product Club, Sexy Hair, Surface, Tearsheet, StyleNet and many, many more.

New! COLORFest had it all for colorists who love their craft. Guests took in techniques and trends from colorists at the top of their game, including Larissa Love, Chrystofer Benson, Karen Gordon and Deb Gavin, all interviewed by Modern Salon’s Editor in Chief Alison Alhamed. Steve Reiss interspersed the colorists’ presentations with important hair color research from Process and many of the Process research sponsors hosted information tables for attendees.

New! TEXTUREDHAIRFair offered both trend and technical topics for every hair texture.

Trayce Madre, Stephen Adams, Isabella Vasquez, and Ken Burkeen were on the panel, moderated by Michelle Breyer of NaturallyCurly.com. Mizani’s Kate Oechsle-Truesdale presented models and showed technicals on how to achieve current styles with every level of textured hair.

New! The Healthy Hairdresser motto at ABS this year was Stay Hydrated, and the first 500 pros that came to the show on Sunday morning (3/13) received a special Healthy ABS, Healthy Hairdresser water bottle and goodie bag.

New! The Great Beauty $how Buy Off $ale closed the show with exhibitors offering their products at BIG discounts for pros. The deals were not to be believed!

Save the date! America’s Beauty Show 2017 takes place March 25-27, 2017, and will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Visit americasbeautyshow.com.