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In the Chair - Real People Real Hair - Rodolfo

September 30, 2020

In the Chair - Real People Real Hair - Rodolfo

In this series of blogs, we look at why people struggle with their hair and the common mistakes hairdressers and barbers make.

“It’s so bushy on top it feels like a hat. And the front keeps falling in my eyes, so I have to keep pushing it back.” – Rodolfo

Zaha Hadid must have pushed her structural engineers hard to achieve the beautiful organic shapes she became famous for. Building a hair shape is also architectural, and uses a structural engineer’s understanding of stresses and strains to allow the most interesting shapes to be fashioned out of hair. Needless to say, if Rodolfo’s ‘before’ hair was a building it would have fallen down long ago.

Before – Too short on top, too short and solid around the nape. Holes and steps everywhere. A sort of shark-attack haircut, and one that draws attention for all the wrong reasons. The wearer won’t feel or project confidence.

What Rodolfo experienced as difficult hair: not staying in place, looking clumpy and frizzy, with a fringe that kept falling in the eyes could all be explained by a poor haircut. Apart from all the steps and chunks missing, the barber clearly had no understanding of the energetic movement and fall of hair. Sadly, with the majority of hairdressers and barbers no longer able to layer properly, these haircuts are now the depressing norm.

This is what we did

Stage 1 – Rodolfo’s hair is very thick and slightly wavy. It had been cut very short on top and left long under the crown and at the front. This made the top separate from the rest and stand too high and curly. Combined with a short hard unnatural line at the nape it amplified this distortion.

I sculpted a balanced shape using our signature Diamond Dry Cut™. This is the
only method that allows precise balancing of the hair shape in a natural organic way.

After - No length was cut from the bottom or from the shortest hairs on top. But everything was rebalanced and refined.

Stage 2 – One haircut isn’t enough if some hairs are already much too short but the balance of the outline lengths was now transformed. I like to refine further, so removed more weight by tapering into the hair with point-cutting. Then the hair would lay more effortlessly and hold in shape for even longer., looking good right up to the next haircut.

Now the different lengths and weight densities of the hair across the head were balanced, the hair is easy to style, and Rodolfo has the confidence to forget about his hair.

If you want a shape that works: looks great easily, and lasts, you have to have precisely connected layers. This is what our unique Diamond Dry Cut™ method gives.

“It’s the best haircut of my life.” – Rodolfo Kotsura

For Rodolfo’s hair I used pretty much what I use on myself. After cleansing with Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo, I applied a little LifeSaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment. This replaces the conditioner and also helps keep the fluffy top layers smoother whilst they dry. Once dry, a little Ten Second Transformation gave finish, shine, texture and hold.


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Email: reception@vanclarke.com


 Michael Van Clarke

Forward to all the men in your life



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