Let’s start at the very beginning…
Having been taught the foundations of cutting hair at the most famous institution of hair dressing VIDAL SASSOON (now simply SASSOON) was as transformative for me just as it was for everyone else going through their training programs.
I sincerely hated most days of every week to be perfectly honest and with no exception dreaded Monday, our training day. Yet again I had only managed to secure two, not the required three models. I do not know how many hours I must have spent during those months loitering outside Munich’s universities and colleges to accost strangers begging them to let me cut their hair. No social media, no whatsapp groups, no mobile phones!
Once in a while there was a flicker of hope having completed a hair cut when I wasn’t told it was utter rubbish and I best start all over again.
The educators were utterly ruthless in their pursuit of perfection. No ever so slightly wonky line would do. I knew I was in deep sh*t noticing an eye brow raise when they cross checked or the guide line could not be found. Yikes! They were all British perfectionists not German, just so we are clear.
Of course it was hugely exciting yet massively scary to be allowed to assist during a collection production or to come along to a presentation. Such an invite was considered a great honour!
There was only one salon team I wanted to join after that: ULRICH GRAF, the best and most creative salon in Germany at that time. Himself a SASSOON disciple who had developed his very own creative flair. Five critical years of honing my craft cutting hair behind the chair and teaching others made me; and almost broke me.
When wanting to teach colour for AVEDA UK it meant another training program to pass. I did not mind. Nothing could be as hard as SASSOON. How wrong I was. My foils were never neat enough, that tint never applied cleanly enough.
As a result of constant prodding I did learn how to perform ‘scissor over comb’ properly and place my foils in perfect rows just like the raked gravel in a Japanese garden.
Those years of training are permanently locked in my brain. The precision techniques and understanding of the fabric we call hair are retrieved during every single hair cut or colour I do. Even decades later. Of course l have evolved and progressed since. Standing still is certain death in our industry. I do use a razor and a round brush.
Sarah and I have been around long enough to notice a massive change in our industry. Where are those intentionally designed cuts and colours of our youth? Lines, angles and shapes enhancing the wearer’s features? Colours so intricately intwined with the cut and texture they were as one?
Where are those competent, thorough and personal consultations? Why the ‘inspo pic’ portfolios on the client’s phone brutally suffocating individuality and creativity?
I rejoice when I see a concise beautifully constructed cut and colour on social media. You can still find the odd gem luckily, but you have to dig through a ton of overly styled long wavy blondes. You know the hair which only looks great on instagram and no client can ever recreate at home.
We at Chaulk Education love the glorious light bulb moments during our hair colour science course BECOME A COLOUR MASTER. Translating and breaking down the gobbledygook of most colour brands and discovering misconceptions or misunderstandings of the chemicals in hair colour we use every day is so rewarding.
If only we could break down the principles of an exceptional hair cut and colour in a one day class?
We can?
Come join us in London or Manchester and relearn the ABC of great hair. Hair that says something.
Join our ABC course here
