Wrap Up: 2018 NABBA Conference

The National Association of Barber Boards of America (NABBA) recently held their 92nd annual conference in Kansas City, MO. The Intrinsics team, along with 200+ other attendees, gathered for a 5-day conference to discuss all-things-barber.

Those in attendance were barber school owners and students, professional barbers, and Barber Board delegates and administrators. Key conference vendors included Intrinsics, Barbicide, Hampton Manufacturing, Andis, and Pivot Point.

But first, a bit of background...

NABBA was formed in 1926 for the purpose of maintaining professional standards and policies in the barber industry. NABBA’s mission is to support the barber boards in protecting the public by upholding and maintaining health and safety standards. NABBA membership is open to state barber boards and entities responsible for licensures and other regulatory functions of the barbering profession.

NABBA Conference: Trends and Regulations

The conference began with the NABBA Lab on Sunday and Monday. The Lab focuses on regulations and current trends in the industry. One of the biggest current trends the Lab highlighted was the Fade. Fade haircuts are popular because they work for virtually any hair type.

An example of the fade haircut.

Another trend worth mentioning is the mini-facials that barber shops are beginning to offer. Barbershop facials occasionally feature a charcoal peel. Since cotton may catch in facial hair, barbers prefer to use the proper tools for removal and exfoliation, like the Intrinsics 12-ply Gauze Wipes.

Later in the week, the conference shifted focus to regulations and standards. By far the most important safety standards in the barbering profession are the sanitary regulations. The requirement to have a barrier between the neck and the cape is where Intrinsics comes in. Our Neck Strips were a hot item at the NABBA conference. Lots of happy barbers went home with a carton of the new softer, longer, and stronger Neck Strips. John Christopher of Johnny’s Barbershop Down Under stated that he will “use the Neck Strips religiously” and asked where he could find more.

Curious about our newly-formulated Neck Strips? Get your free sample here!

As NABBA came to a close, there was a moment of silence held for two former board members, Charles Kirkpatrick and David Reed, who unfortunately passed away earlier in the year. Speeches were also given in honor of their memory. To wrap up this year’s conference, the outgoing president, Sondra Clark, passed the torch to new board president Michael Belcher.

Until next time, NABBA!