Haircuts

Why the Finish Makes or Breaks the Shape + Wolf Cut Mistakes To Avoid The wolf cut is a heavily layered cut defined by a heavy fringe, ultra-layered face frame, bold crown volume and shaggy, piecey movement through the ends. Think part shag, part mullet—with just the right amount of chaos. Wolf cuts come in a wide range of interpretations—from soft, curly and romantic to bold, choppy and high-contrast. This versatility is what makes the cut so customizable for different hair types and personal styles.     Nailing the shape is only half the job, styling is what makes or breaks it. So we asked Ashlee Norman (@ashleenormanhair)—Schwarzkopf Professional® Artistic Team Member and K18 Hair® Ambassador—for her expert take. Known for her precision and modern, lived-in finishes, Ashlee shared six key tricks stylists can use to style a wolf cut with the right balance of edge and intention.   [the_ad_group id=“12934”]     Keep scrolling for her styling essentials—plus the mistakes to avoid. But first, here's some styling inpo:     [btc-insert-slideshow ids="813646 800262 813638 800258 800261 800268 800263 813642 800260 800247 800255 800266 813639 800421 813645 800248"]     Want to get technical? Here’s how the wolf cut compares to a shag and a mullet—and what makes each cut unique.           1. Start With the Fringe and Face Frame For Ashlee, the wolf cut’s foundation lives in the front. Get the curtain fringe and face frame right, and the rest of the cut falls into place. “The face frame opens around the eyes and then closes around the jawline, leaving an opening around the cheekbone,” Ashlee says. “It’s important that the side bit above the ears comes forward towards the lips. If you get the front right first, the rest falls into place.”       Below, Belinda Lee Mills (@belinda_lee_mills)—evo™ hair Ambassador—shares one of her favorite tricks: drying the roots in the fringe with a fine-tooth comb to control cowlicks and wavy hairlines. She preps with evo™ hair whip it good moisture mousse for control and softness. Press play to see her technique:     [btc-banner id="813641"]     Want the perfect curtain bangs? See How to Recreate Sabrina Carpenter’s Bangs   2. Avoid Styling It Too Pretty The wolf cut isn’t meant to be polished; it should feel raw and full of attitude. “The wolf cut is supposed to be animalistic and have ‘predator attitude.’ I think of wet fur texture or a girl who curled her hair before going out to the club and her hairstyle sweat out. It’s easy to make the styling too pretty,” Ashlee says.     3. Adapt the Approach for Different Textures Ashlee stresses that texture changes everything about how the wolf cut should be styled. “I think this cut is perfect for wavy or curly natural textures. With wavy hair, I’ll enhance the style with deconstructed curls with texture spray at the roots and shine or wax spray at the ends. For curly or ‘S’ shape textures, I will twist the hair in the directions I want it to go and diffuse dry,” she says.     Watch Ashlee’s process below:   [btc-banner id="813640"]   4. Finish With Separation and Shine The finish is what gives the wolf cut its edge. “You really need the ends to be pieced out, so having a wax or shine spray helps,” Ashlee says.     Belinda uses evo™ hair the shag beach paste to scrunch through the ends and then pinches and places pieces with her fingertips for airy separation and movement. Watch her full styling technique below:     [btc-banner id="813653"]     A great finish is key, but the right color can take the look even further. For this look, Ashlee uses Schwarzkopf Professional® color to create a mocha wolf formula. Click the image below to see her formula and technique:     [btc-banner id="814436"]     5. Teach Clients a Low-Maintenance Routine One of the wolf cut’s biggest draws? Clients shouldn’t have to work too hard at home. “If cut properly, it should not be too much work to style. I mainly show them the shape of the fringe and then let them air dry the rest,” says Ashlee. “Then they can make tweaks with their hands and product to finish the look. I tell them to let it be wild!”     Belinda uses her hands to pinch and lift sections as she diffuses, encouraging natural volume and shape—exactly the kind of simple technique clients can replicate at home.     [caption id="attachment_813654" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo Credit: Instagram via @belinda_lee_mills[/caption]   6. Choose Products That Keep the Shape Alive To maintain volume and grit, Ashlee always reaches for texture spray. “Texture spray helps for volume and soaks up oils to avoid it getting greasy and flat.”     While texture spray is a dry-finishing product, Marco Firriolo (@marco_firriolo), Wella Professionals® Brand Ambassador, prefers to build grit earlier in the process. He uses Wella Professionals® Ultimate Smooth line to control frizz, then applies Wella Professionals® EIMI Natural Volume Mousse to enhance movement. “It instantly gives the right texture and helps me bring out the hair’s natural movement,” Marco says.       Midway through the blow-dry, Marco mists on Wella Professionals® EIMI Ocean Spritz, a sea salt spray. “It adds a bold, undone finish—perfect for shaggy or wolf cut styles,” he explains.     [caption id="attachment_813639" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo Credit: Instagram via @marco_firriolo[/caption]     Up Next: Shag Haircut Mistakes: How To Maintain Balance, Movement & Shape