
Kelly Huether Reacquires Life of Riley and Riley Salon Resources
Life of Riley Salon Supply and Riley Salon Resources are back in the family, as Kelly Huether acquires the professional distributor he co-founded in 2013.
The biotech-powered brand launches a global initiative designed to champion the educators and stylists shaping the future of the professional hair industry.

The K18 Pro Lineup, a biotech-powered brand pioneering a science-first approach to hair health and longevity.
K18, the biotech-powered brand pioneering a science-first approach to hair health and longevity, announces the launch of the K18 Pro Artist Program, a global initiative designed to champion the educators and stylists shaping the future of the professional hair industry.
Since its debut, K18 has been an artist-first brand committed to supporting stylists behind the chair and creating professional products that unlock creative expression without compromising long-term hair health. The K18 Pro Artist Program expands this mission by elevating the K18 Pro Artists who teach, inspire, and build community, offering them a platform to grow their reach, evolve their education offerings, and connect globally through the K18 ecosystem.
The K18 Pro Artist Program spotlights educators who are already leading classes and creating engaged communities. Participants gain access to a blend of technical and advanced hair-science courses led by global industry educators, alongside robust support from K18, including product resources, promotional opportunities, and collaboration in brand-led classes, events, and campaigns.
“The future of hair artistry is being shaped behind the chair every day, and by talented educators sharing their expertise within the pro community.” said Kathy Lewis, SVP of Global Education at K18 Biomimetic Hairscience. “The K18 Pro Artist Program is our commitment to investing in those artists—amplifying their teachings, expanding their reach, and supporting the communities they’re building. This is about elevating the voices already moving the industry forward and redefining what modern hair education looks like as hair longevity becomes a new priority in the professional channel.”
Aligned with K18’s biology-first approach, the program supports stylists exploring innovative techniques in color, cutting, and styling, while preserving the long-term integrity of every hair type and texture. Through its global network of K18 Pro Artists, the program will highlight how K18’s peptide-powered technology integrates seamlessly into professional services and today’s longevity-driven hair trends.

Artist Tonisha Scott with one of her favorite products, Heat Bounce.
Beyond the US, the program is launching across key international professional markets, including Australia, the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Ireland, the UAE, France, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Costa Rica—expanding K18’s reach across countries, cultures, and creative expression.
K18 Pro Artists are selected through applications, recruitment of established educators, and identification within K18’s stylist community. Selection is ongoing and prioritizes educators who teach independently, build engaged audiences, and demonstrate leadership within the professional space.
For more information on how to become a K18 PRO Artist to scale your education, learn more at: https://www.k18hairpro.com/pages/pro-artist-program-application
Find local professional classes and events at: https://www.k18hairpro.com/pages/classes
About K18: K18 uses a biology-first approach, powered by biotech. K18’s mission is to liberate the freedom of self expression through healthy hair. Its patented K18PEPTIDE™, is a breakthrough ingredient developed from biotechnology that is revolutionizing the industry. Unlike traditional treatments, the K18PEPTIDE™ works at the molecular level, mimicking the natural structure of human hair to repair broken bonds and reverse damage in just four minutes. This science-backed innovation powers the brand’s hero products, the Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, as well as the K18REPAIR™ Service- a 2-step salon-exclusive damage repair service that protects, strengthens, and preserves hair health through even extreme salon services.
As a leader in synthetic biology for beauty, K18 sets itself apart by addressing hair health from the inside out, rather than relying on surface-level solutions. With over 20 billion TikTok views, 40+ prestigious awards, and availability in 100+ countries, K18 has redefined the future of haircare, blending cutting-edge innovation with sustainability and artistry. Acquired by Unilever in 2024, the brand remains at the forefront of innovation, creating transformative solutions that repair, protect, and elevate hair care to a whole new level.
For more information, visit https://www.k18hair.com or follow @K18Hair on Instagram and TikTok. For press inquiries, please email K18@dkcnews.com.

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