Off The Wall By Rex A.C. Silver

Undoubtedly one of the most exciting artists on the education circuit in Australia right now is SARAH WALL. I was lucky enough to see her in action at the Barber Temple for Wahl recently and it was an amazing insight into texture, bold lines, and a true master class on what you can do with a set of machines.

To get to know our featured artists, I like to go back to the beginning, witnessing the building blocks of what shapes the creative forces we see before us today, this interview doesn’t disappoint.

ENJOY MEETING SARAH WALL…

I was born in Ashmore QLD 1984, then moved to Sydney for a short amount of time before moving out to country NSW.

I started off in Coonamble, which was an awesome way to be a kid; spending time along the river at the end of my street swinging off rope swings in the tree, fishing for yabbies and harassing the very old lady next door by climbing her fence and playing in her back shed and old chicken coop. (she didn’t mind. I don’t think half the time she knew ha-ha)

Time in my youth outside of school was spent at friends’ properties on 4-wheel motorbikes and yabbying in their dams, when not at their properties. Time would be spent building billy carts and entering races; my friend and I won 1 once!! We also built cubby houses and we spent a lot of time in the pool.

We always had pets… cats’, dogs, guinea pigs and mice!!

Just before high school, we moved to Belrose in Sydney. As a country girl, that was a hard transition as typical school bullies would harass me with “you’re a westie.” I quickly sorted that out weeks into arriving don’t you worry!

I grew up on music, my first cd ever was The Monkeys I got from my father as a 13th birthday pressie. My parents always had music like Bowie, George Michael, Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac (could go on for hours ...) so music for me s very important. Even now, I can’t go anywhere without earphones in or music playing around the house. My ultimate is Pink... boy oh boy what a role model she has been for me from the first day I saw her on RAGE ...Like Most Girls... I was like Dayammn!!... Who is this chick with pink hair, and she is sooo cool! But my music taste ranges from P!nk – Korn - Fleetwood - Spice Girls - Abba - Infected Mushrooms - Marylin Manson - Taylor Swift – Grimes etc. Really depends on my moods and head space needs!

How and when did you discover hair and know that this was your calling?

I was working at Woolworths as a checkout chick during school. I then realised that school was just not for me and left halfway through year 12. I worked full time for a couple of months. I loved it as I got to chat to all the locals and have a good chin wag with them each time they came in.

I came home from a shift one day and my mother sat me down and told me she wanted to get a career under my belt, I had no idea what I wanted to do however, since the start of year 12 I was cutting my own hair, home bleaching it and getting really creative, or as much as you could with home do stuff at the age of 17. Mum picked up on this and knew how I loved to have a chat to the customers at Woolworths and she put two and two together…”Sarah should become a hairdresser”. She had already circled a job in the paper.

So off I went, called and organised an interview, got the job and that was 19 yrs ago!!

My first gig was a little tiny salon in Seaforth and the eldest client was 106 so you can imagine what I was learning there; roller sets and sausage blow-dry’s. The real classic old school hairdressing and don’t forget the perm… do not forget the perm!

I did 1 year with that salon during which time, they sent me to a Matrix creative cutting course. I came back from that course and pulled a dolly head out and did this Mohawk cut on it. My boss came up to me and said, you’re wasting my time and your time here doing cuts like that so put the dolly head away. That was when I knew I needed to leave and go knocking on Toni&Guy’s door in Manly.

I landed an apprenticeship with them and that’s where the magic began! I wasn’t the kind of apprentice to sit around and do nothing. I would organise 6 models in a week and had some very good mentors and trainers to help push me to where I needed to be. I fast tracked my apprenticeship and got on the floor within 3 years (back then it was a 4 year gig)

Due to fast tracking my training I was allowed a lot of ‘free-range haircuts’, and short hair always gave me a fire in my belly and excited me the most. I wasn’t allowed to use clippers back then as it was so called ‘cheating’ cutting hair, which I never understood, but it meant I learnt how to cut incredibly short hair, all with scissors.

Over the years I slowly trained myself with clippers trying new techniques on friends and even clients (I’m fortunate enough to have clients comfortable and trusting enough to say just do it, try new things, and see what happens!) I got a lot of inspiration from the streets, watching other stylists cut, adding my flare to it all.

Over the years I moved around within Toni&Guy, moving to Newcastle and Brisbane and then back to Sydney. I climbed the position ranks quickly as I was constantly attending education sessions and then started training the apprentices. Once I moved back from Brisbane, I then decided it was time to talk to my boss\ educator and mentor Katy Reeve, who I worked alongside during my apprenticeship and as a senior. She taught me everything I know! I said to her, “its time I bite the bullet and try and get into head office and start educating there”.

I then moved into full time education teaching Toni&Guy Classic Foundations, Men’s, and Creative courses alongside teaching Cert 3 students and also Head Vardar Educator within the company (Vardar is the final 6-week program all Toni&Guy staff need to go through to work on the floor within the organisation)

Let’s talk in shop…. Sarah my take on your hairdressing is that each client has their individual bespoke image created by you, often with an edgy twist or paradoxical element to it. Please give us an insight into your approach and how it feels to have your guests say, “You just do what you think!”

Walking into my studio is like walking into my home/lounge room. I have created it this way to make each, and every single guest feel like we are on the same page as each other, comfortable and no hierarchy and a safe space for all genders and labels.

Having a session with me is not just a haircut, but it’s a journey of self-growth love and image. I get to know my client’s needs and wants, what they do for work, how often they are wanting to see me and what sort of routine they put in place at home with their hair.

All of this starts the base of the perfect haircut for my client, I then analyse their face shape, hair texture, growth patterns purely to figure out what I can do and not do to their hair.

I am a very visual cutter, so I always tell new clients this. I will talk about the shape I will do and what that will do for their face shape and hair type, down to the techniques of texturizing and personalising. shape alongside weight lines and graduation created within the haircut. A haircut not only needs to look good from the front but also side and back, and this-is-why I heavily take into consideration head shape, crown movement cowlicks etc... You can sit back and enjoy a tea, coffee, hot chocolate, chai latte, whiskey, beer, wine, champagne or even a fireball if you dare ;)

Do you do any colour work?

I have specialised in cutting for 19 years now, but I do have 4 clients I do colour for and these are all scalp lighteners with creative toners. I don’t do any other colour due to wanting to solely focus on the cutting side of things. I use Wella because I love the premium colours and integrity of the hair after the colour session is done.

Let’s talk about hair in more technical sense. Tell us what tools you love to use and why...

Scissors: For my scissors I use Osaka. I have been able to try various scissors from Osaka and they continue to deliver exceptional results and service. I use the Tan 7-inch black scissors, the fact that they are black is right up my alley. It’s not often you will find me in any coloured clothes; black and white is my signature. The scissors are super lightweight and have a pointed top which enables me to get a really detailed finished look on my haircuts and have twisted rings so sits very comfortably in my hands. I also use the YMS sword 7 inch, these bad boys have a lot of strength in them to help me create a really blunt precision look and are exceptional on thicker hair.

Machines: I’ve worked with Wahl clippers since the first day I picked up a clipper, and boy! oh boy! They have not disappointed ever. To talk about which ones I use we would be here for hours! (We are not going anywhere…Ed) Wahl has many clippers available, and they all do different things, so it’s good to know your hair type, what the final achievement is you want and then you can pick your tools. My favs, purely because of the work I do, is the Magic Clip. It has a stagger-tooth blade and the crunch-blade technology which helps me create that beautiful seamless fade, due to the stagger teeth it cuts two different lengths, making it much easier and quicker to get the perfect fade.

The Detailer LI - with the T-blade which is 40.6mm, helps me create my sharp edges and it’s the bad boy I use for all my detail line work! It gets close to the scalp and it’s so precise you can’t go wrong with it! The Finale Foiler - this epic machine, I think, is very misunderstood, there are so many things you can do with it. First and foremost it is great to get down to skin level without irritating your guests’ skin, which eliminates redness and inflammation. It also is great to use in my style of work to give the ultimate finish and, is great to get rid of split ends! Yes! You heard me! Remember those lint remover machines? Think of it like that, so, great to perfect a skin fade leaving the ultimate smooth result and the cleanest finish on your detail lines and getting rid of split ends! Do I need to say more?!

Styling products… I have worked with Label M since 2005 and at the moment, there are 96 products in the range (however that may change as they are doing a revamp) The reason I love this product is because it’s made by a team of hairdressers alongside the science wizz guys behind the scenes. Every product is tested first by the hairdressers, and then sent back to be perfected before being released.

The key products I use are:

Matte Paste - Gives the ultimate hold but with flexibility. It does not leave a sticky or hard texture feel, actually it’s a very natural feel but with the benefit of the hold and texture created. If you want to change the style up hours later you do not need to add more, just manipulate the hair to where you want it and boom... all done!!

Souffle - This product is the ultimate for curly/wavy hair and longer hair, it’s a soft conditioning cream wax that gives volume, a natural shine, definition, and undone texture (depending how you work it into the hair). Once again this product leaves your hair feeling natural and workable, with that natural shine Blow Out Spray - This bad boy is great for long, medium, or short hair giving it a light aerated texture feel with natural shine and movement. A great product to blow-dry into the hair to take away that just washed fluffy fly away feel without making the hair stiff and unmanageable but gives it the grunt, lift, hold and texture the hair needs.

When did you first get approached to educate on the open stage and what does it mean to you to share your passion and knowledge on to others?

I got approached to educate earlier on in my hairdressing career, but I felt personally I was not ready and had a huge fear of public speaking. Once I got back from Brisbane, which is now around 7yrs ago I knew within myself I needed to push and drive myself harder, and sharing my knowledge is what fuels me and also inspires me, as I learn from students and other hairdressers at the same time.

I have been an ambassador for Wahl Aus./NZ for 2 years now and have recently come back from a “boot camp”, with the team, for 9 days learning everything down to clipper weight, blades, charge times, which clippers to use when and what results to expect to get from each machine, also how to cut long hair with clippers.

I have been an ambassador for Osaka for 2 years also, helping educate students and colleagues on which scissors would be right for them, why that’s the case, and what each scissor will do.

I was an ambassador for Label M which involved me doing in salon training sharing the education of the product down to the ingredients and what they do, the benefits and how to talk to clients about what they are using and why. This was in an educational aspect; not selling (selling to clients never works, you must educate your client).

Describe your Studio at Salon Lane:

Within Salon Lane there are 21 studios which consist of Injectables, Teeth Whitening, Eyebrows, Hair, Barber, Nails, Facial/Massage and in the middle, there is a salon set up with 19 chairs. Every studio and chair is for independent My studio is situated at the front of Salon Lane, near the coffee bar which is great because I get interaction with everyone, and can be seen by everyone which makes it fun, interactive, and exposed but I can also close the door and create that safe quiet environment for myself and guests.

Its 10metres by 12metres so is the perfect space for myself, my guest and even their partner or friend if they want to sit in the big red throne!!

There is a lot of natural light and loads of plants, giving it that homely touch. Everything I need to run my day is within the studio, barber’s chair, mirror, basin, and massage chair (clients LOVE this) and cupboard, sink, fridge etc and the rest I have decked out myself. Walking into my studio is like you have walked into my lounge room or even my 13 yr. old self’s bedroom! I have stuff stuck all over the walls lol, I’ll never grow up! It also has a unique piece of Lego (yes big kid) which is awesome, but most importantly, all walks of life are welcome.

Tell us all about SARAH WALL EDUCATION and what you will be offering.

Currently, I am about to release my own brand of education which will include precision work, creative work, classic work, and short hair work (including clipper work)

All these courses will include determining face shapes, how to master cowlicks and difficult hair types, what the actual shape of the haircut will do and why. For example - cutting a square layer will add width, cutting a round layer will add softness and volume, adding graduation will build up weight, talking about choosing cutting shapes for certain face shapes and head shapes and hair types. For example if you do a graduated effect on really thick hair it’s going to accentuate the thickness and will that be the right end-result for your client?

Consultation techniques - How to become more confident in that area. Classic foundation haircuts, teaching a solid understanding of what each haircut does, who you would do it on and what result it will achieve, because when you want to break the rules in hair you need to have a solid understanding of your foundations.

Creative work is all about breaking rules, where to start, different cutting techniques with scissors and clippers, how to know what will suit a client and understand if the creative haircut will be suitable for lifestyle and work. Fashion forward, refuelling the passion and excitement, undercuts, detail lines, creative long hair work

I also offer one on one training which can be done in my studio or off site (at the students’ salon) as I also offer salon training where I travel to the salon and train for the day or half day depending on needs and wants.

Full days consist of 2 live demos and the afternoon spent cutting 3 looks. Half days are 1 demo and 1/2 cuts depending on level of students

Live demos are also available. I also tailor education sessions to what is needed, so there is always strong communication before the education session happens, so I can deliver the needs and wants of what’s needed from the session for the student/students.