With so much incredible creative work on social media and in the hairdressing press, it’s great to be inspired by these artistic creations. However, Daniele de Angelis, TONI&GUY's International Artistic Director and two-times London Hairdresser of the Year at the British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, advises to master the classic hairdressing techniques to be able to fully embrace this creativity.
“A huge part of my career has been developing beautiful photographic collections, and creativity plays a major part in the entire process from concept to shoot,” Daniele says. “But without the classic techniques that I learned early on in my career, creating these looks would not be possible. Having an artistic eye is only part of the process; mastering certain classic techniques gives me greater freedom and the ability to stretch myself creatively for the best results.”
He outlines some of the techniques that have helped him to creatively flourish.
Finger waves
Daniele claims that techniques like the finger wave will never completely go out of style because they are the foundation of so many beautiful hair looks. Plus, the skill needed to create finger waves is a great way to develop dexterity in your fingers while working with hair. With this technique, you will learn how to place your fingers and brush hair in a way that will create continuous movement that is visually stunning. As with all these classic techniques, once you have mastered the basics, you can develop and modernise the process to create looks that are contemporary but with a nod to the classic; today, we see modern interpretations of finger waves on the catwalk and the red carpet.
Setting
While acknowledging that this technique is considered old-fashioned and unlikely to be requested by a salon client, Daniele claims you might be surprised to know that the outdated 'shampoo and set' is a great way to create volume in hair. It will survive the rigours of a show or photoshoot, making it a skill worth learning in the world of contemporary hairdressing.
Tonging
Daniele comments that most hairdressers will regularly use a pair of tongs, but are not necessarily getting the most out of them. He states that every hairdresser should own a pair of tongs and understand the variations in curl and textures that they can achieve. Tongs are not the same as irons; the results achieved using tongs can be more subtle including creating root lift and volume, a flat wave, a deep wave, or an irregular wave. Mastering this familiar tool can help you stretch your creativity and create beautiful finishes, whether in the salon, for a show or for a photoshoot.
Backcombing
This technique is the basis for a beautiful up-do. Daniele advises that if you don’t master backcombing, you will never excel at up-dos. He compares that creating big hair without using the proper back-combing technique is like building a house without the right foundations. If you don’t backcomb from the roots, you will just create a knot in the hair. He states, whenever you see an incredible, voluminous hair-up look, you can be sure that backcombing was used to create it.
Blow-drying
Today, a lot of stylists forgo a blow-dry in favour of using rough-drying or heated tools because these methods produce faster results. However, he instils that nothing beats the beautiful finish created simply using a round brush, tension and a hairdryer.
