Polski
A Pole's London Triumph and a Viral TikTok Hit Conquer Target – Industry Roundup
This week in the hairdressing and beauty industry shows two completely different paths to success, and both are worth knowing if you're following where the market is heading. On one hand, there's a prestigious, grand gala in London, where Polish talent won international recognition, while also debuting a product that fits right into the clean beauty trend. On the other hand, there's the story of a brand built almost from scratch, without investors, powered solely by social media, which has just landed on the shelves of one of the biggest retail chains in the US. See what these two stories say about the direction the entire industry is heading today.
01 · Awards & Innovation
Wella Rewards the Best Stylists at TrendVision Award 2026 – A Pole Wins
Wella Professionals handed out awards during the TrendVision Award 2026 gala in London, and one of the winners was a Pole – Radosław Lewandowski from the mcIntyres salon, who received the Editorial Visionary Award UK [1]. This is a huge source of pride for the Polish hairdressing community, since competition at events like this is international and unforgivingly demanding, and the TrendVision final itself has for years been regarded as one of the most important editorial events in the industry, setting directions that later make their way into salons around the world. A Polish stylist's success on such a big stage is also good news for the domestic market – it shows that Polish salons can confidently compete with the best in the world.
The gala itself was also an opportunity to showcase something more than just talented stylists. The evening opened with a show presenting the new Pure Perfection line – the brand's first-ever fully ammonia-free permanent color, free from mineral oil, PPD/PTD, and fragrance [1]. This is a strong signal that even in the professional coloring segment, the clean beauty trend is no longer a niche but is becoming a growth direction for the biggest players in the market – something that should interest salons looking for products that meet clients' growing expectations for safer, gentler color formulas. The event brought together more than 450 professionals from around the world, which gives a good sense of the scale and prestige of the occasion [1].
02 · Retail Expansion
Viral British Brand Hair Syrup Enters Target Stores in the US
While Wella celebrates success on salon stages, the British brand Hair Syrup proves that the road to success in haircare can start somewhere completely different – on a phone screen rather than a red carpet. The company, founded in 2020 by student Lucie Macleod without any outside funding, has just entered more than 600 Target stores in the United States as part of the Target Beauty Studio program [2] – a huge leap in distribution scale for an independent, self-funded brand, and proof that major retail chains are increasingly willing to bet on brands that grew out of the internet.
Hair Syrup built its position on products supporting scalp circulation and health, and its online success speaks for itself: even before the products hit physical shelves, the brand's website was recording more than 19,000 visits a day, and the brand itself ranked among the top 5 haircare brands on TikTok [2]. This is further proof that organic, viral social media marketing can build real market power comparable to the traditional, costly advertising campaigns of major cosmetics corporations – and for smaller, independent brands, it's an inspiring example that scaling a business without investors is still possible, as long as you know how to build a loyal online community and consistently respond to its needs.
Summary
Summary
This week shows two faces of the industry: on one hand, craftsmanship and innovation in coloring recognized on the world's most prestigious stages; on the other, the power of authentic customer connection built on social media. These two worlds – craftsmanship and modern marketing – will meet at the HAIR & BARBER Week Poland trade fair. Stay tuned for the next installments of our roundup, and be sure to visit the fair, where you can see the latest coloring technologies and products live, and talk to the brands and experts who are conquering the market through social media and bold distribution strategies.
Invitation
From London galas to viral brands conquering Target – the entire industry comes together in one place at HAIR & BARBER Week Poland. See the latest coloring technologies live, discover brands building their reach on social media, and talk to the experts setting the trends. Save the date and stay up to date with what's about to arrive in Polish salons.
HAIR & BARBER Week Poland 2026Footnotes
[1] Estetica Magazine — https://www.esteticamagazine.com/2026/09/16/trendvision-award-2026-wella-professionals-unveils-winners-at-spectacular-new-look-final/[2] PR Newswire — https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/viral-british-haircare-brand-hair-syrup-makes-us-retail-debut-joins-target-beauty-studio-bringing-hair-and-scalp-care-solutions-to-target-guests-nationwide-302873270.html