Big Shot Men's Finalists 2017

Should clients face the mirror during a haircut… or is there value in turning them away? That question sparked a strong response from hairstylists after BTC reposted a video from hairstylist and educator Ray Hornback (@rayvoltagebeauty) on Instagram, who shared why he turns clients away from the mirror during the cutting process. “I did this … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/should-you-turn-clients-away-from-the-mirror-during-a-haircut/">Continued</a>

Every hairstylist has a secret. Maybe it’s a technique they swear by that would make an educator cringe. Maybe it’s a client trick they’ve perfected over the years. Maybe it’s a story they only tell after a long day behind the chair. So we asked BTC followers on Instagram one question: What’s a hairstylist confession … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/10-wild-hairstylist-confessions-that-belong-in-the-hall-of-fame/">Continued</a>

Pink color blocking continues to trend, but creating dimension doesn’t always mean coloring every shade directly into the client’s hair. In this tutorial, Australian hairstylist Belinda Lee Mills (@belinda_lee_mills) shares how she uses custom-colored Showpony Clip-In Extensions to build on an existing pastel pink base with lighter pink ribbons, brighter pops of color and a … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/how-to-create-pink-color-blocking-with-clip-in-extensions/">Continued</a>

A shadow root can help soften a blonde—but according to Ana Karla Remon Suarez (@anitabeautypage), Blonding and Extension Specialist, educator and ULTA Beauty Artistic Collective member, strategic placement can help create that softness from the start. During a BTC Live, Ana shared how she builds softness directly into the blonding service through strategic placement, backcombing … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/want-to-skip-the-shadow-root-try-these-2-placement-tips/">Continued</a>

When a client sits down with years of DIY color, banding and gray coverage, it’s easy to assume the correction is going to require multiple toners, lowlights and extra steps to blend everything together. But for Patricia Nikole (@paintedhair), the solution started before the blonding service even began. During a recent BTC Live, the Redken … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/this-color-correction-trick-helped-eliminate-years-of-banding/">Continued</a>

Instagram shows off your work, but your Google reviews tell a potential client if you’re actually worth the money. Stop replying to Google reviews with just a “thank you.” Learn the exact strategy to turn your salon’s review replies into free ad space that packs your books. According to Google Business Profile Help, responding directly … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/how-to-write-google-review-replies-that-book-salon-clients/">Continued</a>

When blonding curly hair, texture plays a major role in how brightness, dimension and lift appear throughout the hair. That’s why many curl specialists adjust everything from developer strength to foil placement to create their desired result. We took three of BTC’s most-viewed curly blonde transformations to identify the techniques and decision-making strategies behind their … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/3-curly-blonding-mistakes-that-can-cost-you-curl-integrity/">Continued</a>

Natural red hair isn’t made up of a single tone—it’s a blend of multiple shades working together to create depth and dimension. That’s one of the key principles celebrity colorist, Schwarzkopf Professional® U.S. Creative Director of Color and Technique and co-owner of Mèche Salon in Beverly Hills, Tracey Cunningham follows when creating her signature reds. Whether she’s taking one of … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/how-tracey-cunningham-creates-rich-multi-dimensional-reds/">Continued</a>

Many stylists focus on the toner when creating a gray blend—but according to Redken Artist, global educator and expert in gray transformations Kaine Vakai (@kainevakaihair) one of the biggest mistakes happens much earlier in the process. During this eight-hour gray blending correction, Kaine removed years of artificial color and banding while intentionally preserving the existing … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/the-gray-blending-mistake-that-happens-before-you-even-tone/">Continued</a>

While many stylists rely on root melts and glosses to soften their blonding work, TRUSS Professional Ambassador and #ONESHOT Winner Marina Sellecchia (@colorbymarina) teaches that the most seamless balayage-inspired results are actually built inside the foil. At her TRUSS Class “Modern Brunette” at True Beauty Concept in Southampton, Pennsylvania, Marina shares: “The blend is created … <a href="https://behindthechair.com/articles/how-to-create-a-balayage-effect-with-foils/">Continued</a>