The New Clean: The Haircut That Doesn't Look Like a Haircut

Sometimes I have a client book a cut, but that’s not what he really needs. Men notice more hair on their neck and around their ears or they see the shape of their haircut is starting to look bulky and they call me up.

But when I see them, I know what they really need is a clean-up— the simple taper and maintenance to their beard, mustache and neck.

It’s a haircut that doesn’t look like a haircut. It's the in-between stage. They don’t want to see all their hair falling to the floor. They want to look clean and crisp. I call them my "two-weekers.” Often, I see them on a Friday wanting the Week-ender look or before a meeting, appointment or something important that they want to look clean and well groomed for.

Here’s how I do it, every other appointment, in three easy steps:

1. DO THE FINISH WORK FIRST:  The first thing men notice is the sprouting hair on their neck, sideburns, ears, nose and eyebrows. To them, this is an indication they need a haircut. Clean up and detail the outline and secondary hair with your favorite Wahl trimmer.  

2. REBALANCE: While it might not look long, it feels long to the client. Usually at this point it’s getting thick or bulky. I look in the mirror at the overall balance of the hair and determine where it needs to be tweaked. The texture and style will determine how much I remove. Wahl’s All-In-One blade is a styling/texture blade that allows me to control how much hair is removed, unlike thinning shears where you are committed to the exact amount. 

3. RE-BOOK: Make their next appointment. I offer a “consideration rate” for those who pre-book and stay on the two-week schedule.

About: Laura VanderMoere is the Director of Education for Wahl Clipper Corporation, North America Professional Division. Her basic training has been in barbering, but her approach is not just for men. “Men wear their hair long, women wear their hair short, and they both utilize color, so it doesn’t matter what goes on under the cape as long as you understand the fundamentals and your canvas, regardless of the gender,” she says. Laura loves cutting hair, but she is also incredibly passionate when it comes to teaching about style, tools, trends and technology. Using her artistic touch and passion for education, she effectively communicates in a manner that is easy to understand, regardless of the participant’s skill level. While there are a handful of core techniques that all barbers learn, Laura believes an artist must push past that foundation to create style.