Professional luxury hair brand MOOD is delighted to announce its brand new 2026 Lifestyle Team, selected following an exceptional day of blind auditions at Blank Space Creative in Nottingham. The team will join MOOD Creative Director Tracey Ann Smith and MOOD on a year of creative and educational initiatives designed to showcase and develop the very best talent in the industry.
During the auditions, finalists worked to a pre-determined creative brief, producing a complete cut, colour, and style using MOOD products. Candidates were assessed on technical ability, creativity, presentation, and overall suitability for the MOOD Artistic Team. The judging panel comprised Tracey Ann Smith, alongside industry experts Marlene Lamont, Owner of Urban Hair Beauty and MOOD Brand Ambassador, Simon Tuckwell, Owner of Blank Space Creative, and Barrie Stephen, Owner of multi-award-winning salon group, Barrie Stephen Hair, and Neil Smith, Artistic Director at Barrie Stephen Hair.
MOOD Creative Director Tracey Ann Smith commented, “The standard of talent we saw during the auditions was exceptional. This Lifestyle Team represents the very best of MOOD, artists who will inspire, innovate, and carry the brand’s vision forward over the year.”
The new MOOD Lifestyle Team members are:
- Billy Dodds – @billydoddshair
- Connie Graham – @connielife_
- Connor McIntyre – @hairbyconnormcintyre
- Kate Ledbrook – @hairbykateledbrook
- Nicole Cain – @cut.with.care
- Danielle Laverty – @daniellelaveryhair. The new MOOD lifestyle team members will join existing team member Danielle to create a hugely talented collective.
Over the course of the year, the Lifestyle Team will participate in a range of creative and educational opportunities, including precision cutting with Colin McAndrew, wolf cutting masterclasses with Simon Tuckwell, a professional photoshoot directed by Tracey, technical training with Kevin Hamm, industry events and further collaborations.
The MOOD Lifestyle Team embodies the brand’s message: “Creating a community, be part of a lifestyle.” Each member will contribute to MOOD’s vision, develop their craft, and represent the brand at the highest level within the hair industry.