July 8, 2015

Sweet Fade With Racing Stripes

Martie Hair, Makeup and Beauty barber, fade haircut, fade with racing stripes, haircut, hairstylist, men's fashion, Wahl Tattoo Trimmer 4 Comments

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of what’s hot in men’s fashion..a rockin’, sweet fade with racing stripes! As a beauty professional, I highly recommend that you find a trained barber or stylist to create this look for you.  If you’re a barber or stylist yourself, or even in training, this post is for you. I’m also a realist, so I know some of you awesome readers might like to DIY, and I’m sharing with the world the tool that helped me create this look.

Fade With Racing Stripes

Sooo…I worked in the salon yesterday for the first time in ten days, and I have to say it was an awesome first day back.  I was extremely busy, which is definitely the way I like it!  I also love a good challenge, and that is exactly what I got yesterday. When someone requests a haircut that requires me to use the best tool for this job, the Wahl Tattoo Trimmer, I get all excited!!

 

What is a Wahl Tattoo trimmer?  It’s this awesome salon tool that allows you to cut with serious precision, so you can create designs in the hair. The possibilities are limitless when it comes to hair, and I’ve seen some amazing artwork in the form of haircuts before! You can even write words in the hair with this amazing tool!

This is a client whom I have known since he was a toddler, and his Mom always brought him in for the cutest little Dutch Boy haircut!  He’s a college student now, and has his own ideas about his haircuts.  This time, I got to bring out the Wahl Tattoo Trimmer, because this guy wanted some racing stripes!

How I Did It

I did his fade haircut first, starting with a  1/8″ (1) guard at the bottom and working my way up to a 3/8″ (3) guard with my Wahl Taper 2000 clippers (this comes in a two-piece set with the matching neck trimmers).

I cut the top with scissors and blended it some with a clipper-over-comb technique, and some scissor-over-comb.  I did some texturizing in the top so he could style it out with a little product and get some separation.

He also wanted a stripe in his brow…see it there?

Wahl Tattoo Trimmer Jitters

As always when I break out the Wahl Tattoo Trimmer, my hands began to shake a little (I still haven’t gotten over the walk-in a few years ago who wanted the name “Luis” in the back of his hair because he lost a bet). This tool is not for the faint of heart, but for those of you who are daring and bold enough to take some hair plum off. I worked through the short bout of nerves, then cut in his racing stripes!  He knew how he wanted them to look, and I think I pretty much nailed it.  I got a great hug before he left, so I call that a pleased customer! A successful fade with racing stripes can really make a hair artist’s day!

I LOVE doing haircuts like this!  I don’t want to do the same old stuff, day in and day out, and I love keeping my skills fresh for lots of different styles and techniques. Not only does it mix things up a bit, but it helps me appreciate even the most mundane of salon services that I have to perform…getting my adrenaline up and accomplishing a challenging task can make my day.  I was pretty ready to go back to work anyway, but having a fun day like yesterday just ices the cake!  It’s not everyday that I get to do a fade with racing stripes, after all, and it’s definitely a rare occasion that I get to play with my Tattoo Trimmers.

You Can Cut Racing Stripes, Too!

As I mentioned, this tool is not for the faint of heart, but I know you can do it!  Plan ahead and know exactly where your victim client wants the stripes to be placed.  Take your time, and find a comfortable grip on the trimmer. You can use your non-dominant hand to prop your dominant hand on, to keep it steady.  Do a little at a time; you don’t want to just zip a stripe into the hair.  Cut a little, then check your work, and make sure you keep the stripes straight. If you’re lucky enough to have someone who will let you practice on them, then take advantage of it!

Once you get the hang of this amazing tool, you can let your imagination run wild. I’ve seen haircuts with flowers, mandalas, zig-zags, even portraits in them!  There’s no end to what you can create.

May you never have to cut “Luis” into someone’s hair.

Happy Hump Day to all, and may you all have a fabulous hair day!!

X,O,X,O,    Martie