Clippers and combs are critical to the art of barbering, and adding a blow-dryer into the mix is an amazing way to achieve the perfect finish. "A blow-dryer is what’s going to create the shape, and the product seals it together," says Wahl educator Trevor Moots (@tailorfade). "It’s important to know the settings that come on a dryer and how to use it."
There are speed settings, heat settings and a cool shot button, which seals the hair cuticle and freezes hair into place. Nozzle size is also key—the large one is used to create a pompadour or when working on longer hair, while the narrow nozzle allows more concentration and is great for straightening a hair cuticle or working on a fringe or crop.
Here, he demonstrates how to create a European style crop on curly hair.
- Take the hair when it’s 50 percent damp and apply product, like Wahl Professioanl Thickening Styling Cream. Apply about a dime size into your hand and rub it around. Show your guest in the mirror how you’re using it so they can recreate. Use fingertips to apply product all the way through the damp hair to set a foundation. This gives the hair some muscle and strength during blow-drying to create the shape.
- Use the larger nozzle of the blow-dryer to cover the surface area, on high speed and high heat. It will help straighten the curl pattern.
- Take the brush and blow dryer and follow—wherever your brush moves, your dryer follows right behind. Work hair side to side to straighten the hair cuticle and the curl pattern.
- Once the middle portion is dry, focus on the sides. That’s when you want the hair to lay down. Switch to a narrow nozzle for this area, because that’s where the curl pattern really starts to lift up. Use high speed and high heat.
- After it’s smoothed into the shape you want, create some texture . Work fingers through hair almost like you were applying product and use the cool shot button to let the hair fall into natural texture and allow volume to come to life.
- Add your individuality. I use the wide teeth of my comb to comb hair into position. A trick to create separation: Take a clipper attachment comb and use the teeth through the hair to give it that rake finish. For more volume and separation run fingers through the hair.