When did you realize you wanted to be a hairstylist?
I fell in love with hair as a child. I was in awe of Barbie and wished terribly that my GI Joe had hair like hers. When I was a young boy, I would help my aunt with her synthetic wig business. Her wigs had what was called a living part because it looked like the scalp. I would help her style them for mannequins. When I was about 11, one night I told my mom and dad I wanted to be a hairdresser just like my aunt. That night I was instantly retired as her helper.
What was your favorite decade for hair?
The 40s. I feel that somehow I must have lived then. The glamour of the waves cascading into the eye—I don't think hair ever looked as good as that.
Which celebrities have you worked with in the past, and do you work with anyone regularly?
There have been so many: Marcia Gay Harden, Dakota Fanning, Kyra Sedgwick, Kevin Bacon, Sting, Debra Winger, Barbra Streisand—I even appeared in her movie The Mirror Has Two Faces … Cheryl Ladd, Reba McEntire, Elaine Paige, Barbara Hershey, Natasha Richardson, Dennis Leary, Victor Garber, and Rosie O'Donnell and all of her brood are a few that come to mind.
When brainstorming with a client for an awards show, what's the most requested look?
For awards show there are three things that people love: a classic updo of curls, a long sexy Brigitte Bardot set, or a waved style using finger waves and pin curls, all of which I love to do. I love styling hair.
Are there any hairstyles you wish would disappear forever?
Heavy asymmetry. I hate one side shaved and the other to the chin; I don't think it makes anyone look pretty.
What's the one thing women can do to look younger?
Keep your hair simple; to me that is the best way to look younger. I'm a big believer in less is more—use products that aren't heavy, get a cut that moves, and by all means don't shear your hair so short that your face is totally exposed. Hair should frame an aging face.
How can someone look great in an instant?
Having a cut that is versatile can make anyone look great. By either pulling it back or up or by adding a light gel, you can transform your look.
