Sally Hershberger, the famed hairdresser (think Meg Ryan, tons of celebs), salon owner (think New York and LA) and product designer (think the Sally Hershberger line of products), is also an inspiration to the dozens of colleagues and assistants working in her salons, as well as to the greater salon community who look to her as a mentor and icon.

I have been trying to get her to do something with us forEVER...so imagine my surprise when she contacted me a few weeks ago to  invite me in to observe as she demonstrated creating her classic long shag on her receptionist/ model. The demo took place at her Sally Hershberger Downtown salon in the meatpacking district of NYC.

The 24 minute "operation" was oddly intense and effortless at the same time.  It was clear that Sally has this design on auto drive.  That's not to say it's "cookie cutter"...the constant checking and re-checking and shaping to the model's face is her way of personalizing the cut. Even before the shampoo...during the consultation... Sally starts cutting layers with a razor. "It's important to 'cut' with the razor," she says when asked about the concern many long haired clients have when faced with a razor. "If used improperly, a razor can damage the ends of the hair." Clearly Sally IS using the razor properly and most importantly, it's her savvy eyeballing throughout the cut that is truly impressive. It's a deserving star making signature style.

Make sure to check out  the icing on the cake as she takes that cut and shows "How to Get Genius Waves"...the Sally Hershberger way.

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