Hair and beauty week blasts off

NATIONAL and local manufacturers, product technicians and professional stylists from top brands in the industry will be among 50 exhibitors at the inaugural Africa Hair and Beauty Week today.

The event starts at Buffalo Toyota in Beacon Bay at 10am today and finishes on Sunday.

Stakeholders include Buffalo City Metro, Seda and the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA).

Activities include dialogues and educational workshops for stylists, business owners and anyone else interested.

There will also be great entertainment from local and national artists on offer.

Local exhibitor Joy Duffield, owner and principal of Beauty Academy International, said she was excited about having a platform to share essential beauty tips with BCM.

“There is a growing trend of people doing nails – a skill others may have learnt from a friend. As much as they may look okay, people need to understand the science behind the art and the products to avoid fungal infections, and damaged and brittle nails, which are often blamed on the products.

“If you don’t know the correct way of using products there can be serious consequences, and this doesn’t apply just to nails but to skin treatments and hair products too.”

Duffield encouraged BCM residents to support the event to ensure that it happens annually.

It will be officially opened by BCM mayor Xola Pakati at 10am.

ECRDA chief operations officer Navy Simukonda said the agency aimed to promote radical economic transformation by boosting the hair industry.

“We are a public entity and our mandate is to support rural development. For several years we have focused on agriculture, but we have expanded to other avenues which promote rural development.

“We offer financial support through loans and give guidance to aspiring business owners. We are all about creating employment opportunities. This growing industry has been neglected for so long, yet it has so many job opportunities.”

Simukonda said the agency had offices throughout the province to promote easy access.

● Tickets are available at R200 from Ticket Pro and Edcon retail stores.

Each ticket gives access throughout the event. —