Vivid Goes To Vegas!

Redken Symposium 2019 was epic! This three-day education seminar taught us how to Learn better, Earn better and Live the best! We were able to attend state of the art educational classes, explore exhibitors, and mingle with stylist from all over the world!  Redken’s 2019 Symposium was Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019 to Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

At this event, salon professionals had the opportunity to sit in on over 32 different classes by leading global educators. Additionally, Redken’s world-renowned ambassadors like, Rodney Cutler. shared secrets and taught classes that will provide invaluable skillset training for now and in the future!

As we arrived from the Las Vegas Airport (LVA), the beautiful skies where lit up with all the marvelous lights echoing from the Vegas strip. Las Vegas is known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife. This Nevada lime life is far from ordinary.  This is possibly one reason why Redken hosts such a spectacular hair show every other year here at the Mandalay Bay Resort. This will be my second Symposium and my fellow coworkers that attended Gianna Ricco and Jena Nieves first. Seeing their faces was priceless!

We arrived and checked into the Luxor resort. We were greeted with beautiful Egyptian statues and monuments. The hotel's rooms line the interior walls of the main tower, which has a pyramid shape. The hotel is named for the city of Luxor in Egypt. Walking around we were so excited we wanted to explore! I treated the girls to a surprise helicopter ride down the Vegas strip. What a beautiful sight! As we rode over the city lights we knew this week was going to be everything magical!

The next day we decided to head over and check out the Redken’s Symposium.  Sunday, we arrived and registered for all the exceptional classes for us to participate in. The gallery was beautiful and eye-opening. We saw so many new products and gadgets and gizmos to all the latest and greatest that Redken had to offer. Our excitement rose and we knew that this was just the beginning! The Symposium is located at Mandalay Bay Convention Center next door to the Luxor. Mandalay Palace is one of the largest privately owned convention centers in the world.

Sunday night we had a grand opening experience presented by Redken that gathered everyone who attended the all-out celebration bash. This diverse experience a fast-paced next generation song and dance mixed with showcasing a mix of multi culture of today’s looks and techniques was everything but true Vegas style. This is why traveling to Vegas makes you realize we are not back on the East Coast anymore!  The show was out of this world and the stage was interactive as it lit up at the Colosseum with fire dancing show women to go-go dancers, hipsters, break dancers, flappers and more! It was so unique how they collaborated music, dancing and hair all into one. It was fascinating!

Monday was the beginning of our full day of sit in classes. I experienced classes by top notch educators on various of topics.  My first class was “Superstar Salon Education Program” presented by my mentors Chris Moody and Chris Baran of Redken. They opened my eyes to some different salon education ideas to bring back to my staff to create my superstar team. Next, I experienced “Redken Around the World and on the Streets.” This was performed by   Hugo Urias and the ever so funny Justin Isacc. This gave a hip, Indie outlook on today’s latest Redken fashions.  After this class I “Got Inspired” by Catherine Allard and the Global Artistic Director, Kris Sorbie and Redken artist Adam Browne. Here they gave inspiring color looks that awaken the creative colorist inside of stylist and to find inspiration in everyday things and sights around you. Inspiration is all around us!!! Thank you for this eye-opening class! I loved it! During this time, I then went to lunch and enjoyed people watching checking out the thousands of creative artists walking amongst me. After lunch I then went to “Salon Owner Evolution”.  This class talked about how our clients are evolving. My staff is evolving.  Also, to realize that I am too1 This talked more about a business ownership/’ management class to talk about accountability and personal development to achieve my truest potential. After this motivating class I was able to see what is “Hot Off the Press!” Guests speakers Philip Barwick, Lindsey Olsen and Jorge Joao gave the latest tricks, tips, techniques to get my work published and strengthen my creative finishing skills. After all this in one day I had my last class of the day left, “Just Be”. Empowered! It’s all in the Mindset! This was presented by a past mentor and director of Redken when I was an Redken Artist, John Stellato. It was nice to see him speak again on main stage and talk about the five key elements to overcome team barriers and lead and empower your salon staff! What a great to finish off a great productive day!  Redken once again surprised the Redken tribe to an amazing Monday night bash to more spectacular guest’s performances with even surprise artist like Brittany Spears dancing the night away! Only in Vegas baby!

Tuesday was such a great day to really learn more one on one with professional artist and today’s top celebrity stylist, Tracey Cunningham. Tracey is a Redken creative consultant for color. Here we were able to learn how to recreate famous red carpet hair. SHE SHOWED us three looks behind the scenes as she dove into her top techniques and formulations. She was very interactive with the stylist that attended and answered a lot of questions. She was so informative and real about her day to day formulas that she does which intrigued us especially when it came down to the Kardashian secrets. We were so impressed we skipped our next organized class to see her perform again in the open Redken gallery. She was so informative and impactful. Definitely a Vivid Hair Salon & Spa favorite. After lunch we then decided to change the pace and learn a little bit about what cut and styles are key for today’s proper grooming and barbering inspired techniques. This “Groom Room” class was presented by MJ Deziel, Keith Owen and Redken artist Jamie Digrazia. It was refreshing to see what cut and styles where happening all over the world as they showcased looks from Australia all the way to London. So, Cultural, I love it! To end a full three-day event, I thought it was fitting to end it with the class “You First” with Bobbi Foster-Kelly, guest speaker. She entertained us with her kind-hearted advice on how to create work/ life balance, beat physical and emotional fatigue and find sustainable inner peace and confidence.  This journey of self-awareness and self-care to discover personal stressors to help leave with the tools to help me stay grounded. Thanks, Bobbi!

Vivid Hair Salon & Spa came and we conquered! What a great and successful week we had! I can proudly say I feel so energized and inspired to motivate my staff and to bring back the most creative and outstanding looks and trends to my Vivid clients! What can I say we learned: Balayage, balayage, balayage! We learned more color techniques about the best Melted Roots, Ombres, Tint Backs, Baby Lights, highlighting.

Clients are excited for that subtle, sun-kissed look. Advanced Class builds on these cornerstones, in foil work—Faux Balayage—and stepping outside the box with Balayage-color techniques. We also learned to take on color-correction challenges.  So much business and motivational presentations will help us to the new beginnings!

Watch out 2019 Vivid Hair Salon &Spa clients, because we are bringing a piece of West Coast Vegas to New England! We look forward to all the amazing hair transformations and beauty makeovers in the near future! I am so grateful and proud to have this opportunity with my staff members and all the incredible people that we were able to come across. Thank you for allowing us to spread our wings and fly to our true passion of BEAUTY!