Seed A Revolution: Aveda Congress 2025
Jaida, Chris, Sye, Shannon, Sami and DeAnna attend Aveda Congress 2025
Some of our staff traded the desert sun for Minneapolis skies this month, and let us tell you—Aveda Congress 2025 did not disappoint. Six of us—Chris, Sami, Sye, Shannon, Deanna, and Jaida—packed our bags, and just enough warm layers to survive a northern August, and flew in on Saturday. By Monday evening, we were back in Phoenix with full hearts, recharged spirits, and enough inspiration to light up Camelback Road.
For those who haven’t heard of it, Congress is basically the Super Bowl of the Aveda world—a once-every-two-years global gathering where hairdressers from across the globe meet to learn, connect, and witness artistry at its absolute peak. Imagine: four days of live demos, sustainability talks, dazzling hair shows, and creative breakthroughs so bold they could power their own light grid. It’s not just about trends—it’s about the future of beauty.
The Teams Favorite Highlights
Global Stage Glamour: Editorial edge met red-carpet glamour in shows that pushed every boundary of cut, color, and creativity. It was equal parts inspiration and goosebumps.
Elevate Hair Team: A team of visionary artists and specialists in various aspects of hair, makeup, and styling. Their work at Aveda Congress 2025 was highlighted and then they hosted an after party event with a Dj and live hair cutting.
Jawara: An editorial hairstylist known for bringing avant-garde concepts to life in high fashion magazines and was inducted into the 2025 Aveda Hall of Fame during the event.
Van Michaels Salon: Revealed in depth transformations and men's hair trends from their newest barber shop.
Mesa Honda: AVEDA's Japan creative director Honda is so creative with an abstract approach to avant-garde presentation of hair and costuming.
Experience Area: Hands-on demos, product exploration, launch of new products to come, and one-on-one connections that reminded us why education is the backbone of our craft. Plus our favorite Aveda Team, Connie Estenson (AVEDA Salon Development Partner) and Leona Benyamin(Retail Education Specialist).
Night Shows by Antoinette Beenders: If hair had a Broadway, this would be it. Dramatic, dazzling, and packed with artistry that reminded us beauty is as much a performance as it is passion.
We came home not just with notes and photos, but with that electric “anything is possible” energy that makes us want to try something new on every head of hair we touch.
Standing Ovation: Jocelyn Wins Big
The brightest moment of all? Watching our very own Jocelyn Henderson. Jocelyn was named a winner in Aveda’s Dream in Color Transformation Contest, which challenged artists across the country to reimagine beauty using Aveda’s new Full Spectrum Demi-Color.
Her entry was more than a transformation—it was pure artistry. The before-and-afters speak volumes, but the moment that sealed it: Jocelyn’s name announced by Shane Wolf, President of Global Brands for Aveda and Bumble and bumble, live at Congress. For us, it felt like watching family win an Oscar. Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Top 200
And if that wasn’t enough confetti for one weekend, Mane Attraction Salon was recognized as a Salon Today Top 200 Salon in the Nation! Fun fact: 75 of those 200 honorees are Aveda salons, making us part of a mighty network of beauty leaders. For our team, it’s a reminder that the hard work, creativity, and community you all support every day puts Phoenix on the map in a very big way.
The Takeaway
We left Minneapolis with fired-up imaginations. From the artistry of the Global Stage to Jocelyn’s standing ovation to our own recognition as a Top 200 Salon, it was a weekend that reminded us why we love what we do—and why bringing that inspiration back to you is the best part of the job.
Check out our Instagram @Maneattractionsalonphx for photos, videos, and maybe even a few behind-the-scenes laughs from our whirlwind trip. Trust us, this was one for the books—and we’re just getting started.