Shear Genius Recap!

The Winning Look: Before

The Winning Look: After

Ok, so we're getting down there with Shear Genius. At the start of last week's show, we started with just 7 contestants and we're whittling them down to the top talent (or, in the case of Brig, the top attention whores).

Here's a recap of the show:
For the shortcut challenge the stylists were greeted by Moulay Yacoubi (I'm glad I looked that up because I had no idea what this guy's name was. Thanks, Camila and your crazy accent!), world-class dry cutting instructor. Along with Camila, he informed the stylists that they would be giving various curly-haired models a straight, graduated bob. Now here's one complaint I have about Shear Genius: I am not a stylist. I have no idea if it's hard to cut curly hair into a bob. I don't know why dry cutting is better or worse than cutting wet hair. And I don't understand why one contestant (April) was so offended that she had to cut a graduated bob. WTF? Chill lady...just cut the damn hair.

So the stylists had to dry cut the hair (which is apparently difficult) and they would also have to do the cut on dry hair and to turn in their cutting tools before shampooing and blow-drying. Once again, Matthew and Janine made up the top two with their sleek and sophisticated bobs, and Janine won the challenge. At the bottom sat Brig, who over-cut and under-whelmed with her disjointed haircut, and April, who fought the challenge and the judges every step of the way.

The next day, the stylists met Camila and Orlando in the salon, along with red carpet master stylist Robert Vetica. The elimination challenge would prove to be an emotional one for the contestants and seven army wives whose husbands were currently serving overseas. The goal was to “create 40’s pin-up style using finger waves or pin curl set” and the finished styles would be captured in video messages to their husbands, along with a pinup photo.

Once the photo shoot was over, the judging began. At the bottom sat a nervous Janine, whose original hairstyle plan was ruined by poor time management; Amy, who seemed to lack the reference point for a true 40’s hairstyle; and April, whose vision seemed spot on, but whose finished product was less than complete. In the end, Amy’s lack of knowledge sent her home. At the top sat Matthew, whose striking 40’s vintage hairstyle transformed his client into a true pinup starlet – but, perhaps to his own surprise, he was knocked off of the winner’s pedestal by Brig, whose spun-gold color and ambitious, pin-up look won the day.

This challenge was so-so for me. I loved the idea of a pin-up challenge, but I felt a little bad for the women who had to get all done up in a way that was not natural to them and then to shot a video for their husband while being filmed and while having their hairstyles judged. It seemed a little awkward.

Anyway...here's how to get Brig's winning look. The tips, as always, come from Nexxus Creative Director Kevin Mancuso.

Go retro with finger waves and curls for a fun and flirty “pin-up worthy” style!

• Apply a styling gel, like Nexxus Exxtra Gel, to damp hair and distribute evenly to the ends.
  
• Blow dry with a smaller-sized round brush, concentrating on smoothing the ends.
• Use a medium-size iron to create curls and then clip each into place with a bobbi pin to hold shape.
• Once curls are completely cool, remove bobbi pins and use fingers to tousle and style into a retro shape that frames the face.
• Finish the look with a misting of light-hold hairspray, like Nexxus Comb Thru, to help hold the style