The Sydney International Spa & Beauty Expo took place on August 13 and 14, when the spa and beauty worlds united at the Sydney Exhibition & Convention Centre. Trends, technology and talent kept visitors captivated over the weekend with hundreds of brands showcasing their latest products, live demonstrations, seminars, competitions and more.
“The expo stays abreast of the latest trends on the international circuit and brings them to the expo floor in exciting and engaging initiatives,” says Lauren Ebbeck, Event Director, with 2011 being no exception. New additions this year included the New Business Zone and the Organic Food Chain Pavilion, in the Organic Zone.
The expo floor, buzzing with new trends and technology from over 300 brands, had salon owners, industry professionals and technicians in a non-stop bustle, watching back-to-back demonstrations and picking up the latest industry news.
Future Spa was a magnificent and worthy focal point of the entire Expo. The incredible “white dome” installation was the home to never before seen movie montages of Australian Spa leaders.
International celebrity makeup trends set the scene at the main stage. Rae Morris’s Advanced Class was again an expo highlight, with two packed out sessions. And crowds crammed to catch a glimpse of Nicola Burford as she shared tips on top trends for the season in her Runway to Reality demo. The hottest trend, according to Nicola, is a strong lip with a bright, pop colour.
Rachel Montgomery’s Colour Perfect session excited visitors with the wonders of corrective contouring and how to inject colour. Rachel hailed the return of the strong brow – a beautiful look she is happy to see back on trend, and her top seasonal tip is to experiment with colour.
Tangle Teezer, the ingenious professional detangling brush, was hugely popular this year, taking non-stop orders throughout the weekend. It has been announced as Your Hair Magazine Best De-tangling Brush for 2011.
Expo first timer Mind to Body launched their Hot Oil Hair Treatment Candle, which sold out in 2 hours! The phenomenal success of this Australian company comes with 15 years of research and development of the range which uses melted candle wax as pourable massage lotion.
Deborah Thomas made a special appearance late Saturday afternoon on the main stage. She spilled an editorial secret or two to the crowds, before making herself at home on the Dermaviduals stand.
Melli Cosmetics has had ongoing success with their new Beauty Pod, Australia’s newest foundation applicator, after launching at last year’s expo. Since then, the unique product has impressed a wide spectrum of makeup artists.
Blue nail polishes made a huge splash this year as the colour for the upcoming summer season. The blue wave continued with the OPI Shatter Polishes at International Beauty Supplies, where blue and turquoise shades sold like hot cakes.
Two of the hottest nail products, Minx Nails and Bio Sculpture Gel, sponsored the booked out Nail Bar. As ever, visitors flocked to try these top trends by rejuvenating with a manicure on one hand and cocktail in the other!
The expo might be over, but the ball keeps rolling in the beauty domain, with the return of Salon Melbourne, to be held March 31 – April 1, 2012 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Mark it in your diaries and visit www.salonmelbourne.com.au for further information.