Red-Carpet Cut

Before

1. Starting at the front, take the first section and determine the length of the cut. Use this as the guide all the way to the crown.

2. Comb down all hair on the sideburns to establish length around the ears. Cutting on a diagonal, curve around the ear. Use shear over comb in the sideburn to blend.

4. Use shear over comb to blend the bottom section into the nape section. Create a clean line at the nape. Next, use texturizing shears to blend all over.

5. Use trimmers to maintain a natural nape shape and clean up any strays.

6. Trim the beard using shear over comb and blend into the sideburns. Clean up any strays around the ears.

7. Blow dry using a flat wrapping technique with a Denman brush. Dry left to right, then right to left, allowing the hair to lay fl at and straight. Then using a medium-sized round brush, create volume in the front.

8. Rake a nickel-sized amount of styling cream evenly through dry hair, to create separation.

3. Using the guide from the front, work through to the back of the top section. Then use this to create a new guideline for the back. Continue through to the nape.

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Before

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1. Starting at the front, take the first section and determine the length of the cut. Use this as the guide all the way to the crown.

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2. Comb down all hair on the sideburns to establish length around the ears. Cutting on a diagonal, curve around the ear. Use shear over comb in the sideburn to blend.

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4. Use shear over comb to blend the bottom section into the nape section. Create a clean line at the nape. Next, use texturizing shears to blend all over.

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5. Use trimmers to maintain a natural nape shape and clean up any strays.

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6. Trim the beard using shear over comb and blend into the sideburns. Clean up any strays around the ears.

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8. Rake a nickel-sized amount of styling cream evenly through dry hair, to create separation.

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3. Using the guide from the front, work through to the back of the top section. Then use this to create a new guideline for the back. Continue through to the nape.

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As the leading lady of style for Hollywood’s top male celebrities, Diana Schmidtke’s average day is spent on a film or press junket tour for an upcoming movie. Working with stars including Taylor Lautner, Ashton Kutcher, George Clooney and John Hamm, she’s developed some insight into working with the male client.

“About 85 percent of men have scars, cowlicks or whirls they’re conscious of—ask them up front in the consultation so you know where they are and run your hands over their scalp—don’t start cutting too short, or you’ll see those imperfections,” she advises. “Men often don’t know what they want, but they definitely know what they don’t want.”

John Paul Mitchell Systems is tapping into Schmidtke’s expertise to help its team create the look for Mitch, the company’s male-oriented line launching this month. While shooting a cover for MODERN’s sister publication SALON TODAY at the Angus Mitchell Salon in Beverly Hills, California, Schmidtke created this suave and sexy look for model Ryan Francis, an up-and-coming producer and director.

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