Shawn sat in Candice Pereira's chair looking for something new. He initially started growing out his hair 3 years ago just to see how long he could go without cutting it and also to see what he would look like with long hair.

 

"He had never had anything but a short men's cut his entire life with exception to a small rat tail/mullet as a young kid," Pereira says.

 

Somewhere along the way, Shawn decided he wanted to have a purpose for growing long hair and to donate once it was long enough. The Chris McMillan Salon in Beverly Hills, California, was the place (where Pereira is a stylist specializing in cuts, blowdrying and styling).

 

"Apparently Shawn did his own research and decided to donate his hair to Wigs For Kids," Pereira says. Shawn is getting married next month and wants to start the next chapter of his life with something fresh and new.

 

TIPS FOR LONG TO SHORT

 

  • For this big change, cut the ponytail dry first. Then shampoo the hair. Isolate the top and start working around the perimeter to create the length for the haircut

 

  • "For men's cuts, I always wash first and use the blow dryer throughout the cut to help mold the hair into the direction of the desired cut (eg: pushed back and parted)," Pereira says. "It helps me see how the hair length and texture is working with the style."

 

  • After each cut, rinse, then dry the hair thoroughly again molding with the blow dryer using hands and a round brush at the front if needed. To finish, apply Shu Uemura Shape Paste and a little Shu Uemura Sheer Lacquer hairspray to help hold the style.

 

  • Use the paste to see how the cut will lay with the style, and if needed, cut into the top of the hair with the thinning sheers (or point cut) depending on the hair texture.

 

  • For guys, Pereira recommends going as long as possible without shampooing. "Once styled, the natural oils in the hair help make the cut mold, shape, and hold better. If needed, I tell my male clients to just rinse their hair in the shower and only add conditioner."

 

Follow Pereira on instagram: @candicenicolle

 

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