For as long as I have known Annie (since she was a student in the cosmetology school I was working in…) she has had a very strong connection with the Sassoon ethos. Over the years, we became very close with Vidal’s daughter, Eden, but every time I brought up her taking a Sassoon course… a meltdown ensued. A few months ago, I received a text with a screenshot of a course and a message that read she was thinking of taking a 2 day class in Seattle. Ummmmmm what?! Had the time finally come? Was Annie finally going to dive head first into the world of Sassoon cutting? I had so many questions!

I think for a lot of us, advanced education can be terrifying. We doubt our skills and worth… We hope by sharing her journey, someone will decide to take the leap because what happens after the fear is absolutely brilliant.

I know that Vidal Sassoon was such a huge inspiration to you, even before cosmetology school. What took you so long to take a Sassoon Academy class.

Money. Time. Intimidation.

Money and time really go hand in hand. Its not that the classes are too expensive, but everything else that goes along with it. Hotel, food, travel, time out of the salon, it was too much for me as a new stylist, who also had a full load of “adult bills” to pay.

Intimidation came from a place of hearing other people in the industry talk about Sassoon Academy and the high level of education and craft that comes with it. It made me feel like I had to already be a skilled hairdresser to take or even understand the education that would be provided.

The other part was that Vidal held this place in my journey (you can read about it here) and I could feel myself never wanting to take a class so that I wouldn’t be able to fail at it and feel like an embarrassment to our industry. It was a mix of the things others had said and then putting all of that into this idea I had created of failure.

The haircut – what was that experience like

To say I was nervous was an understatement, but I was also so excited to get my hands into some hair. We met with our clients, consulted with them (shout out to Jason Backe and a class we covered where he went in-depth into a proper consultation) and then we were able to share with Sophie what we had discussed with our clients. Sophie really went over all aspects of the haircut we were about to do and talked about the client’s head shape, hair type/texture and features of the face to give them the best outcome. It was really refreshing to have someone hold your hand to make sure you are 150% comfortable and confident with what you were about to do. You could tell that Sophie was able to see what each student needed and how hands on to be with them, which is incredible to see in a teacher.

Making my way – slowly – through one of the most difficult Sassoon cuts, I was able to use a lot of the info we had gone over in our lecture and apply it to my client. Was I nervous the entire cut.. very much so, but over time we made it through another section and were able to go over it and talk about what was right and wrong and how to fix it, it was clicking more and more.

Many hours later we were finally done and doing finishing touches and Sophie once again took the time to show all the ways to finish the cut. It was the first time that I have taken a hands on cutting class that someone took the time to show me that three hairs make a difference.

You made it! Would you do it again?

Absolutly 100% YES. Now that I was able to show myself that I can do it.. my next goal would be a 3 or 5 day class. Baby steps.

Three of your biggest “Ah Ha” moments… go!

The way I learn best is by watching and then doing, watching then doing and so on. I have to see it for it to click, so my biggest moments that clicked were during hands on.

Not being scared of my guide.
When finishing a cut – how three hairs can make a huge difference.
Going back over graduation, layers and shapes really helped me connect to haircuts in a way I was never able to before, visually.

Questions from other #hairnerds. We get these a lot.

I heard you have to already be a skilled cutter/colorist to take any of the classes.

Absolutely not!! The beautiful thing about taking any class with Sassoon Academy is that they going over fundamentals. That means they are breaking everything down to the very basics on how to cut hair. Yes, they are going to show you precision cutting, but you can’t be precise if you don’t understand the foundation. I would say someone in school or new to the industry would greatly benefit from any cutting class as well as a seasoned stylist.

The classes can be really pricy, is it worth the money?

100% yes. To be honest, I’ve walked out of classes I felt weren’t benefiting my education, but within the first 10 minutes I was on the edge of my seat furiously taking notes and fully engaged. Many of the Academies offer two day, three day, five day up to six week courses to fit any schedule and budget.

If money is a major concern, we would suggest starting with a 2 or 3 day course and test it out, if you love it, save those tips and put it towards a longer class.

I’ve never taken a Sassoon class before – Should I go all in and take the 6 week?

For me – I don’t get to cut hair in a salon every day and practice the way I would like (I full-time Hair Nerd to bring you guys amazing new content everyday), so my insecurities were VERY HIGH and confidence was very low. The 2-day course was just perfect for me. I got to go over theory from the very beginning and have it explained in a way no one has before. We had two models, one each day, and Sophie gave each one of us an amazing amount of attention – while still making you think about what you’re doing without doing it for you. I think if i jumped into a full 5 day class it would have been too overwhelming for me.

We got to experience the 2-day ABC 1 Cutting class, at the Seattle Location with Sophie, and now we want to take a 5 day more than anything, not because we feel we didn’t receive enough education, but because our confidence grew more everyday and we want to keep that feeling going and do nothing but practice, practice, practice! For a more confident stylist or someone that is looking to jump fully in, maybe a longer class would be right for you.

Interested in finding out more about a class near you?

The Academy is currently offering a 2 for 1 special in July and August. Recruit your #hairnerd bestie to hold your hand and split the cost. To check out the class schedule, click here. You can also find the complete schedule on our education calendar here on The Hair Nerds.

Be sure and follow:

@sassoonacademyofficial

Watch our adventure on YouTube and make sure to subscribe!

Three Hairs Make a Difference