Frank Barbosa, celebrity stylist and co-owner of Frank Antonio Hair and Makeup in Newport, Rhode Island, has learned many tricks in his years as a hair department lead for several films and television shows. Recently he held a class, as part of the Rene Furterer Academy, for 28 stylists learning more about blow drying, layer cutting and Rene Furterer products. Here are some of the top tips:

-Include the client in the cutting process and let her know what you are doing and why. I use my Washi shears with textured tips to point-cut hair. I do not blunt-cut layers. Blunt cuts are dated and all you see are the layers. Think Janet Jackson in “The Pleasure Principle” or Ellen Barkin in the ‘90s. When you point cut, you cut from the way out, not the way in. Point-cutting adds movement and makes layers imperceptible.

-Create movement while blowdrying. When each section is almost dry, I twirl the brush mid-shaft three times to give hair a bend. In film we have a short window to get hair ready. Blow-drying sections while I’m cutting adds movement to the hair and speeds up the cutting process. I double and triple book myself, which is why a speedy technique works best for me. I always have two chairs going—a cut like this takes about 45 minutes.

-Twirling the brush acts like a hot roller so you can skip the curling iron process—that means the client goes home with less heat damage. I let the hair cool off a bit before removing the brush. I also have the client bring in her own tools; learning how to use them gives her more confidence.

-Working with one-and-a half-inch-wide sections at a 45 degree angle I “marry” each wet section into the dry section behind it, using it as a guide, a line of demarcation for where to point cut.

Frank Barbosa left the students with these inspiring words: “We’re all taking this journey together and we should all be here to support each other. Most of all, whatever you learn, teach.”

For more info on upcoming classes, go to www.renefurtererusa.com.