How-Tos > Hair > SHORT AND SWEET: Kevin Murphy’s Vogue How-Tos
Last updated: January 13, 2010

SHORT AND SWEET: Kevin Murphy’s Vogue How-Tos

ALL PHOTOS SLIDESHOW
GET THE HOW-TO
close formula

SHORT AND SWEET: Kevin Murphy’s Vogue How-Tos

Departing from his usual long hair styling, Australian hairstylist Kevin Murphy worked with a young, modern model for Vogue Australia’s 50th Anniversary issue. The feature was all about short hair and pretty dresses, and Kevin tapped Princess Diana for inspiration.  Here are his complete how-tos.


To learn more, go to www.kevinmurphy.com/au



Subscribe to behindthechair.com “On Paper” Magazine–5 Issues Only $19.95! 

HOW-TO STEPS

  • close formula
    1

    “The model, Holly, was discovered at a skate park and she rocked into the shoot on a skate board looking very new-age mod,” says Kevin.

    First, he used HEATED.DEFENCE as a setting lotion to prep the hair, then he set it on a really tiny curling iron. The set was a C-section, beginning at the front of the head and rolling the hair to one side. “I cheated a bit by rolling the top and back of the head forward so there was a clash of hair at the front,” Kevin says. “This technique gave me maximum volume.”

     

  • close formula
    2

    Next, Kevin back-brushed the hair for control, leaving it to sit in the hair for about 10 minutes.  He then brushed the teasing out fully except for in the fringe area. “I left the teasing in at the fringe and just brushed the outer surface of the hair,” he says. To finish, Kevin used FULL-ON.PROTECTION to keep the hair up all day long.

  • close formula
    3

    The shoot was all about a new silhouette—short pretty dresses and high waist bows on everything. “There was lots of excess,” Kevin says. “Earrings were big and there was certainly no shortage of accessories. The shoot would not have worked if Holly’s hair were long. It was really refreshing to do some short hair for a change. Holly really makes short hair look sexy again.”

  • close formula
    4

    For the cut, Holly’s hair was cut short into the nape with the sides blending into the back. The back was graduated and the front of the hair was pulled back to meet the graduation to give maximum length at the front. “When cutting the top you would want to slightly round off the corners so it does not turn into a bob or look like a “Flock of Seagulls” do,” says Kevin. “This shape was about softness and femininity. There were no graduation lines, so the cut gives Holly lots of versatility.”