5 Styling and Cutting Tips You Can Use Right Now

Psssst—we know what cuts, colors and styles your clients are going to ask for next season. Nope, we don’t have a crystal ball, we have something better—The Salon by InStyle Trend Book shoot!

The Salon by InStyle Creative Directors Michelle O’Connor and Dilek Onur-Taylor invited BTC to spend a day at the shoot, where they revealed it all—how they determine what next season’s hair trends will be (they start with editorial shoots and Fashion Weeks around the globe and hone in on how to make these looks commercial and wearable) and the techniques the 1,300 hairdressers in these salons can learn (in hands-on classes that they get PAID to take).

Join us in Austin, Texas Aug. 20-22 for BTC’s COLOR, Cut & Style show and see Michelle and Dilek in action when they take the stage with the Matrix team!

We can’t show you the final looks from the shoot yet, but we can give you a couple of their best tips to round it all out. Let’s get started!

Trend: Colorful Curls
No question that texture is a mainstay in today’s (and tomorrow’s) trending looks—The Salon by InStyle is focusing on coloring, cutting and styling these curls.

Twisted Knots
We love this how-to from Michelle that incorporates the ’90s mini bun influence you see at music festivals with Bantu knots for a fun styling technique you can give a client before she leaves your chair. You can use this same twisting technique on any texture, too—how cool would it be to create a chignon at the nape with larger twists and many more coils all knotted together?

Pro Curl Tip
Intimidated by curly texture? Divide and conquer, Michelle says. Hair that’s expansive and takes up a lot of space can’t be approached the same way you approach straight hair or you’ll be overwhelmed. Take smaller sections, whether you’re cutting, coloring or styling, and you’ll inch your way through it in a more manageable way.

Trend: Done Yet Undone
There’s an art to finishing and dressing hair, and even though you may see those “effortless” looks on your Instagram, they still take finishing skills—she didn’t wake up like that. Dilek and Michelle say all signs point to a more polished yet undone look.

3-Minute Braid
Taking the time to style your client beyond a basic blowout not only lets you practice and play, but makes her feel special—meaning you’ll win her loyalty. Dilek demonstrated a super quick braid you can offer her before she leaves your chair—it’s easy, but the payoff is big. Check it out!

Relaxed Waves
Matrix Artistic Director Daniel Roldan gave his model a chic texture by tapping curls with a flat iron to remove the “ringlet” and give it more polish.

Cutting Quickie
Matrix Bilingual Artistic Director Pati Rodriguez used Daniel Roldan Dry Cutting Shears to remove weight on a wig that she was cutting into a shag (the ultimate done/undone cut). Watch her work!

 

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Check out more photos from behind the scenes!