For those of you with long hair who can go for months without a haircut - well, carry on… this story isn't for you. However, with the hair salons and barber shops closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there are an increasing number of people who are starting to fill a bit, shaggy. There is hope, however, with a new YouTube channel designed to get you back looking as good as you can, for now…
Stylist Peter Anthony Sosnowski has been cutting hair for 45 years, but it was just recently that he decided to share his talents with those, he calls 'kitchen cutters,' online. Yes, it’s for those who might be thinking about how cut their hair, right there on the kitchen floor.
“Three years ago I was thinking about creating a show to help moms and dads people across the country,” he said – “that really can’t afford to come into salons - and have several children - and making it easier for them to understand how to do hair in their kitchens because if you go online right now and go on YouTube and look around - it’s mostly pros teaching pros which is great but you get very confused, very lost. So, I wanted to do haircutting 101 to help them get through and this timing it couldn’t have happened any better to launch our project.”
He says has no intention of putting anyone out of business…
“To get worried about cutting somebody out of business, I don’t think so,” he said. “I still cut hair in the salon, those people are not going to not come in. Nobody is going to run out and buy clippers to do it on their own in normal times, but right now, it’s the perfect timing to show it.”
The best piece of advice he can give when cutting hair is - don’t go overboard…
“With so many situations in life,” he said, “less is more, right? I mean there’s so many things where you go, if I just didn’t go that far, it would have been perfect. Well, guess what, it’s the same with hair design. Dry it, move it around, if you need a little more, you can always go back and remove a little more hair. Less is more.”
For those thinking they can do this – invest in a pair of clippers and half-cut shears. The half-cuts can be used for softening edge work. But be forewarned, they will cut out chunks of hair. He says it helps to use the half-cuts cutting vertically into the hair, rather than across.
For those using clippers to cut short hair – start with a number 4 blade – and go down from there – following the bone contours of the head.
And he suggests that you cut someone else’s hair – rather than your own.
Barber tools can be inexpensive and found at discount stores. Better shears – which can cost hundreds of dollars – are available at beauty supply stores.
The good news is while there is potential for disaster by cutting hair at home – know that it’s only temporary. Hair grows back. And these days - with the stay at home order in effect– you can always stay inside…
