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HOW TO and TIPS: Controlled Chaos by Sam Villa

Sam Villa shows HOW TO create "Controlled Chaos" in this video using a razor and powerful sectioning.

Maggie Mulhern
Maggie MulhernBeauty and Fashion Director, MODERN SALON
Read Maggie's Posts
July 22, 2014
2 min to read


CONTROLLED CHAOS – a technique that does not use cutting guidelines - is the latest offering from Sam Villa, Founding Partner of Sam Villa and Education Artistic Director for Redken 5th Avenue. The technique results with loose texture that makes it look like the hair has been cut freehand.

Villa cleverly uses clips as a means of control. The clips are inserted into previously cut sections with the ends of the clips acting like arrows pointing in the direction needed to proceed. They also serve as measurement for over-direction. According to Villa, "It’s controlled chaos."

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Villa offers tips on creating the perfect CONTROLLED CHAOS finish:

-Use vertical partings inside rectangle sections and medium strokes with a Sam Villa Signature Series Razor to achieve scattered graduation of texture.

-Stay stationary, moving the chair instead of your body to control the chaos.

-For additional control and comfort, keep the palm of your hand holding the hair up and facing you, making it easier to see the edge. It keeps the body and wrist in an ergonomically correct position.

Villa finishes the look using fingers and a Sam Villa E-T.C Light Professional Ionic Blow Dryer. (A comb or paddle brush may be used for more direction.) Villa finishes with a medium hold mousse (like Redken guts 10) and once dry, applies a medium to strong hold paste (like Redken mess around 10) to show off the interior texture of the hair. The end result is loose texture with shorter complimenting longer pieces – controlled chaos!

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