It almost always happens the same way: I’m growing out my hair, loving life with my long locks, when BAM! I’m suddenly hit by the irresistible urge to make a change. Maybe it’s the turning of the seasons (or the fact that it was suddenly taking me twice as long to blow my hair dry), but a couple of weeks ago, I suddenly could. not. stand. it. anymore, and just had to get my hair chopped immediately. Luckily, we had our next Beauty Tutorial shoot set to happen at Roar Salon just a few days later, and talented stylist Erica Rae was more than up to the challenge of transforming my long stressed-out tresses into a fun and stylish long bob. (Or “lob,” for those of you who insist.) Keep reading to see the result, and get Erica’s tips on talking to your stylist about making a similar change that’s perfect for your hair.
“The importance of having a consultation with your stylist before cutting is crucial,” says Erica, who has 15 years of salon experience. “I probably wouldn’t give this cut to someone who has ‘high maintenance’ hair and likes a low maintenance routine. Camille’s hair is pretty fine but she does have a lot of it. The look I was going for did have a textured look to it but I didn’t have to do much texturizing. I was able to achieve the look I was going for by adding textured curls with a flat iron and adding different products to give her fine hair more grit and volume.”
Erica specializes in cutting and styling, and always considers a client’s hair type before pulling out the shears. “For this cut, if a client had a coarser/thicker texture, I would recommend having the cut tailored and texturized with just the right amount of weight taken out. There is a such thing as over texturizing. You don’t want to lose the shape entirely, you just want to take out some of the bulk. I would then recommend different smoothing products to help fight frizz and add shine. This cut can actually be great for someone with a lot of hair because of the actual length. With thicker/coarser hair, you don’t want to go too short. It’s not realistic to expect a client to want to fix their hair every day, especially when it requires a little more work. It’s nice to have the option to do other things like braiding the hair or pulling it back into a slick pony tail.
SUPPLIES:
- kerastase k lift vertige root uplifting gel
- kérastase fluidissime
- kérastase k spray a porter
- kérastase résistance fibre architecte
“If someone was wanting to achieve a similar look, I would advise them to ask their stylist for a consultation to determine if this cut suits their style and lifestyle,” says Erica. “Once the decision is made their stylist can then determine the length. I decided to cut Camille’s hair just past her shoulders with long layers to add movement. I used her collar bone as my guide for the perimeter, this length is a flattering length on just about anyone. For her layers, I kept them past her chin. This way she could still pull her hair back and up when needed. The typical bob can be a bit high maintenance because of how often it needs to be cut. Choosing to keep her length a little longer makes the grow out phase much easier to maintain. She can also still pin her hair up and wear her hair in different styles. A messy “top knot” with a bit of dry shampoo can look great and is perfect for her lifestyle and for anyone who has as busy of a schedule, whether it’s keeping busy in the corporate world, chasing toddlers around or BOTH!”
Thanks, Erica! I am seriously loving my new long bob.
*top “before” photo by Wynn Myers
