CosmoBiz Magazine November 2015 | Page 53

For this look, I went for a more utilitarian undercut. Fading the sides high and tight with a 1A ceramic blade just below the parietal ridge and tightening the perimeter with a 0A blade to keep the base tight and seamless. The top was kept short and blunt. To finish this look I used a clay product and blow dried it with a Denman brush to enhance the texture. Top knots with braids are getting a lot of attention right now. And why shouldn’t they? I am in love this look! For this shape, I used a 000 blade and carved a V shape into the lower portion. Using your mirror is absolutely crucial when executing a precision shape like this. I cut the right side first and followed the pattern in the mirror on the left side by assessing the dimensions relative to the facial features. Next, I continued the V pattern thru the parietal ridge and dropped the point of the V into the crown to mirror the design concept below. I then refined the part with my t-edger to enhance the shape. The top was prepped with a light pomade and braided back and finished with a top knot at the base of the crown. Believe it or not, this entire shape was cut with clippers. First, I established the part by carving a semicircle part from the front, following the curvature of the head and ending in the nape. I then used a 000 blade and carefully faded the sides pivoting off of the center of the semicircle which in this case, happened to be the top of the ear. For the top portion of the hair, I used a clipper comb and pulled the hair up at a 45-degree angle and ran the clipper along the top of the comb to produce a blunt, compressed look. To achieve this style, I applied a styling cream and diffused the hair to remove some of the moisture without over-drying it. I then finished the look with a flexible hairspray and let it set into place. 53