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Salon Confessions: The Dry Cut
RED BANK — You’ve probably heard of a dry haircut, where a stylist dries the hair and then snips away. Seems simple enough. But when you perform a dry cut the way it’s intended, it’s hardly as simple as it seems.
MARK SCHWARTZ
An innovative cutting technique created by the late and legendary stylist John Sahag, the dry cut is as difficult to perform as walking a tightrope across, say, Niagara Falls. The level of focus, detail and discipline necessary to perfect the cut is extraordinary. “It takes years of practice,” says Mark Schwartz, owner of the Schwartz Salon on Monmouth Street in Red Bank and arguably one of the leading dry cut artists in the country. “You have to want to be more than just a hair cutter, but rather a craftsman.”
Schwartz, who studied under Sahag for 12 years at the prestigious John Sahag Workshop in New York City, says the fundamental difference between a traditional wet cut and a dry cut is “love.”
With a dry cut, every single strand of hair is tended to as opposed to just the ends or a few haphazard layers.
Every dry cut, he adds, is “one of a kind and created for the individual client.”
Because the cut is so particular, time spent in the salon is much longer—a dry cut takes approximately two hours. The benefits of the cut, however, are worth every minute. As a dry cut grows out, it never loses its shape, which allows for most women to go three to possibly even six months before booking their next appointment. It also costs twice as much as a traditional haircut, but with less frequent trips to the salon, there’s the potential to actually save money.
Schwartz’s passion for the dry cut takes him to Manhattan once a week, where he continues to work at the John Sahag Workshop. Additionally, he frequently tours the country to train eager-to-learn stylists, as well as dry cut the hair of women who aren’t lucky enough to live locally. The diehard devotees call the results “magical.”
If you’ve seen his work, you’d most likely agree that there’s certainly a magic to the cut. Schwartz’s scissors are, in fact, much like a wand, wielding over the hair, transforming it right before your very eyes.
The preparation of the hair prior to the cut to the actual cut itself requires the utmost accuracy and concentration. It’s essentially an art form, where the stylist meticulously sculpts and carves the hair into a soft, feminine yet distinctive shape that “moves like you were born with it,” says Schwartz.
The Dry Cut
Not everyone is cut out to do antique watch repair, perform microsurgery, or paint Old Master miniatures. The same is true of dry cutting hair. "It takes a bit of a mad man." says hairstylist and salon owner Mark Schwartz.
The Dry Cut is a highly specialized technique popularized by the legendary John Sahag, with whom Schwartz worked as a stylist, instructor and director of education for twelve years.
More than simply cutting hair while it is dry, as many stylists now do, the dry cut is a discipline unto itself.
Schwartz performs the dry cut from his Red Bank, NJ salon with the same level of craftsmanship previously available only at The John Sahag Workshop in New York City, and Maniatis in Paris, where the technique evolved.
The method is akin to sculpting, enabling the cutter to visualize a new shape as it takes form. It is performed with painstaking attention to detail, from preparing the hair, to layering and tapering, virtually one strand at a time. The scissors touch every single strand of hair -- not just the ends.
The first step is straightening the hair and preparing the texture for precision cutting. If the cuts looks good straight, it will look good any way -- straight, curly, long or short. The next step is tapering into the bulk, even for styles that don't appear to be "layered".
It is with layering and shifting weight that the new shape is created. Unnecessary bulk is then removed through the crown and back to give the style more lift and volume.
"Learning the dry cut requires many years and uncompromising commitment to one's craft," Schwartz adds. "Doing it on a daily basis takes a motivated perfectionist with the desire to work magic." Indeed, for Schwartz, styling hair seems more like religion than vocation. He has
developed his craft circling the globe, studying throughout Europe, working in Hollywood films and television, and styling supermodels for runways across Asia, Europe and South America.
Devotees attest to the magic, to the exceptional movement and volume of their hair. The dry cut delivers a highly distinctive but soft shape that fits each individual's hair type, lifestyle and spirit.
New Jersey and the Region: Salons and Beauty
When you want to look your best and indulge yourself in luxury, there's only one place to go!
The Schwartz Salon
in Red Bank specializes in The Sahag Dry Cut, an exclusive technique used by master hair stylists from Paris to New York. This technique enhances each person's individual image and personality.
When Mark Schwartz opened Schwartz Salon, he brought Madison Avenue style to Monmouth Street in Red Bank, according to manager Salma Harris. Schwartz, a protege of the legendary John Sahag, specializes in the dry cut technique. The advantage, notes Harris, is that a
dry cut follows the natural fall of each strand of hair. Rather than trends, the stylists at Schwartz Salon emphasize each client's personal style. As for color, the salon offers the Balayage technique - color is carefully brushed onto the hair, using Wella and Redken products. Loyal clientele will find Schwartz back in Manhattan on Tuesdays, at the John Sahag Workshop.
Mark Schwartz's creations can be seen on:
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The runways of Oscar de la Renta - Escada - Betsey Johnson
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On the pages of Vogue - Elle - Glamour - Harper's Bazaar
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In the salons of John Sahag - Warren Tricomi - Vidal Sassoon
Hair Falls to Pieces for Fall By Jenifer D. Braun
Fall's fashions heap one layer of opulent fabric on another - lace over velvet over thick, chunky knits. To stand up to this haphazard pile of luxury, Mark Schwartz, hair stylist and owner of the Schwartz Salon in Red Bank, who created the styles for this fashion package, says you need a haircut that has exuberant edge of its own.
"For fall, hair is very ...very shattered, I'd call it. It's reaction to our times, the crazy world we live in," says Schwartz.
"There are lots of layers, lots of shingles. It's playful and sexy, but also very messy. Layers upon layers."
Schwartz is a protege of John Sahag, the famed stylist who brought the dry-cut hair cut to the U.S. from Paris. Dry-cutting, just like it sounds, involves snipping locks after they've
been dried, sometimes a strand at a time. Few stylists in New Jersey offer a Dry Cut--for one thing, it takes patience, as a dry cut can take an hour and a half - and fewer still have Schwartz's resume: He has styled for photos for Vogue, Elle and Glamour and dolled up models on runways for Oscar de la Renta and Diane Von Furstenberg.
An Edison native, Schwartz spent time behind the chair at some of New York's most prestigious salons, including Warren Tricomi and Prive, before coming back to his home state and opening his own place, a Zen enclave decorated with hand-made furnishings created by Amish and Menonite artists in Pennsylvania.
To give hair that "shattered" feeling, Schwartz added a spiky edge to some familiar styles: loose ponytails held together with a strand of hair that has been backcombed so small pieces stood out, or hair ironed flat and then vigorously combed through with fingers to add fly-away tendrils.
"It's a look that's very popular in Europe and trendy with young people - it looks amazing in photographs, that piecey-ness. But for our clients, we try to take the look and make it individual, so there's a naughtiness to the look, but at the same time, a woman knows she can get up in the morning, put herself together in a short time and go about her busy life," Schwartz says.
He adds that hair care for early fall should definitely include some kind of revitalizing treatment for hair that has likely been damaged by exposure to sun, salt and chlorine. He recommends Vita Cement and Chroma Protect, two treatment products by Kerastase, to get hair healthy after the summer.
The Schwartz Salon is at 17 Monmouth St. in Red Bank, (732) 741-7337. Makeup styles in these photographs were created by Kristin Silvonen of LuxeBeauty, www.luxebeauty.com, (973) 655-0510.
Experience The Zen Of Haircutting At The Schwartz Salon By Joan LaBanca
HAVE YOU HEARD about the Dry Haircut at the Mark Schwartz salon in Red Bank? Apparently, many people have, since approximately 75% of the salon's business is gained through word-of-mouth. According to salon manager, Chris Maline, "Clients are amazed by Marks work, it is nothing like anything else in the area." The Red Bank salon will have its one-year anniversary on May 1, although Mark Schwartz has had over twenty-five years of training and hair styling all over the world before returning to his native New Jersey.
The Schwartz Salon's specialty is the Dry Cut. This is a highly specialized method that was developed in Paris at Maniatis, then popularized and brought to New York by stylist, John Sahag. Schwartz worked with mentor and coach, Sahag at his Workshop on 49th and Madison in New York City as a stylist, instructor, and director of education for twelve years.
So, what exactly is a Dry Cut? Just as it sounds, the hair is cut while it is dry versus wet. First, the hair is straightened and the texture prepared. Then the styling and cut begins. The process is one of sculpting and shaping the hair as the cut is being performed. Virtually each hair is cut individually, and the entire process takes from one to two hours.
This is as painstakingly careful as it sounds, and even Schwartz says, "It takes a lot of dedication, the desire to follow through, and (you have to be) a bit of a mad man!" Even a haircut that does not appear layered as a finished product will consist of multiple lengths and layers to build the shape and give the hair volume. Schwartz works with the client and visualized the new shape as he is working with and cutting the hair.
One question I had was whether this method is more appropriate for men and women with straight hair who wish to wear it in a sleek fashion.
According to Mr. Schwartz, "This method works for straight, wavy, and curly hair and the philosophy behind it works for any texture. That's the beauty of it. Those of us who use this method cut the hair as we see it." The Dry Cut is priced at $100 (significantly
less than in NYC): and the salon also offers wet haircuts and hair coloring.
Schwartz's desire to become a hair stylist started as soon as he graduated high school, and he immediately moved to New York City. "If I was going to be a hairdresser, then I wanted to learn from the best." His background includes extensive work in the fashion industry, as a hair stylist for runway models of Oscar de la Renta, Escada and Betsey Johnson, and for models in the Vogue, Elle, and Glamour fashion magazines. His work and study of his craft has brought Schwartz to famous salons in Europe, South America, Asia, and back to New York City, and now, here to Red Bank. Schwartz is enjoying the task of settling into his own business and salon, and says it is his new love. The same care and attention to detail that he brings to cutting and shaping hair, he also
brought to designing the salon.
In looking for just the right decor, Schwartz found an antique console piece of furniture with beautiful ironwork. He then searched first in NYC and later in the Amish Country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania until he found Samual Blank, a blacksmith who handmade all of the display cases and vanities in the shop with the intricate ironwork. There are stained glass windows that add both privacy and color to the shop.
The atmosphere of the Schwartz Salon is relaxing and soothing. All of the effort has paid off; in addition to his new clients including some of the local area celebrities, several of Mark's NYC clients board the train regularly to visit the salon in Red Bank.
The Schwartz Salon is also a source for beauty products that are hard to find outside of New York. Both the John Sahag product line from New York and the Rene Furterer product line from Paris are used in the salon and are sold here. These product lines are comprehensive hair treatments including scalp treatments, specialized shampoos and conditioners, sun care products, and treatments for thinning hair.
The Schwartz Salon is located at 17 Monmouth Street in Red Bank. Phone is 732-741-7337.
Schwartz Salon Has Grand Re-opening
Red Bank's getting ready for a celebration! Internationally renowned hair artist and educator, Mark Schwartz is planning the grand re-opening of Schwartz Salon, 17 Monmouth Street, Red Bank which he has announced as the permanent home of his unique salon and services. The event is on Friday, September 19, 2008, and the festivites include a ribbon cutting ceremony with Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna at 4:00pm and a cocktail party from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Both are open to the public. Client appreciation services including complimentary treatments, blow-outs and product demonstrations are available from 11:00am to 3:00pm by appointment.
Schwartz Salon, the Monmouth St. haven characterized by a "Zen-like" feel for relaxation and service was established in 2001, when Schwartz, an Edison native, returned to his roots to open his first salon. After an illustrious twenty five year career spanning the globe working with fashion designers Oscar de la Renta, Escada, Betsey Johnson; fashion magazines Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Hollywood celebrities Diane Keaton, Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas, Robert DeNiro; supermodels Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Rumson celebrity rocker Patti Springsteen; and US most prestigious salons Vidal Sassoon, Warren Tricomi, Elizabeth Ardon Salon & Spa, the John Sahag Workshop; Schwartz settled in Monmouth County's most cosmopolitan city; Monmouth Street without the commute.
The salon feels "Zen-like" because of the natural wood decor and mute colors that help create a calm atmosphere. Schwartz searched the tri-state area until he found just the right display cases and vanities, which he commissioned to be handmade out of intricate ironwork by Amish-blacksmith, Samual Blank. Schwartz himself made the stained glass windows that add a dash of the oceans colors to the interior.
Schwartz specialized in the world famous "New York Dry Cut", a technique that was developed in Paris at Maniatis, then brought to New York and popularized by the legendary John Sahag, with whom Mark Schwartz worked as a stylist, instructor and director of education for twelve years. Schwartz meticulously performs this sought-after technique with painstaking attention and shaping, virtually cutting each hair at a time. The result is exceptional movement and volume, along with a highly distinctive but soft shape that fits each individuals hair type, lifestyle and spirit.
According to Schwartz "This method works for straight, wavy, and curly hair, and the philosophy behind it works for any texture. That's the beauty of it. Those of us who use this method cut the hair as we see it." Schwartz continues, "Learning the dry cut requires many years and uncompromising commitment to one's craft. Doing it on a daily basis takes a motivated perfectionist with the desire to work magic."
Schwartz is known for utilizing this technique to create signature styles, which display his talent to transform hair according to each individual's personality.
Of the result, Red Bank's Wooly Monmouth owner, Dori Kershner, explains, "I wouldn't go anywhere else. Mark's precision is totally unsurpassed. I have extremely curly hair and never thought the dry cut, which is performed when your hair is dry and straightened, would work for me. But it does. Somehow my hair always looks amazing. And the cuts last. It's not worth it to trek into the city anymore when Mark's right here. Karen's the best too."
"Karen", is Karen Zerbo, the salon's senior colorist. One of the only 500 Board Certified color practioners in the US, Karen consistently satisfies her clients with both the Balayage technique - color that is carefully brushed onto the hair, as well as with advanced foil techniques. Karen personalizes each technique to flow with the design of each client's hair. Redken and Wella color products are used, and the salon exclusively uses a water system that pumps purified
water to all of the sinks for the highest grade of shampooing and rinsing. Several assistants are on hand to give complimentary scalp massage with each shampoo. Clients are also treated to complimentary refreshments, cheese and crackers, and chocolates on silver platters.
David Brodsky, a 10-year-veteran stylist in NJ and Florida joined the staff in July. In addition to an established following, David offers cut and color services to Schwartz Salon clients on the go.
Success breeds expansion and the Schwartz Salon is not only celebrating its grand re-opening, it's expanding. Beverly Hills salon specialist, Chanel Botton, joined Schwartz Salon earlier this year to sprinkle stardust on the salon's marketing and management. She shares, "Schwartz Salon's future is very bright. With the sophistication of a Beverly Hills or Madison Avenue salon here in the heart of Monmouth County where many of us now live, Schwartz Salon is poised to appeal to the upscale client, both young and mature, for their business, leisure and charity circuit needs."
Beauty products hard to find outside of New York are also available at Schwartz Salon. Kerastase and John Sahag product lines, the Mason Pearson brush line, Jessica Simpson clip hair extensions, and hair ornaments are now sold right in Red Bank.
Schwartz Salon is located at 17 Monmouth Street in Red Bank. Phone is (732) 741-7337. Hours of operation are Tuesdays - Saturdays beginning at 9am with last appointments at 6pm, They are closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Schwartz warmly suggests, "I would encourage everyone to come in for a consultation, and get a little insight as to what the dry cut is. The best way to do that is in front of the mirror. Please feel free to call anytime for a complimentary consultation."
Mark Schwartz: Home for the holidays and his future
Red Bank salon owner, and internationally recognized hair artist and educator, Mark Schwartz, speaks of Hanukka with the same warmth and giving spirit that embodies his persona, and that friends and family love and cherish.
"Hanukka is a time of giving." shares Schwartz, It's a times for charity, a time for
me to give to as many people - family, friends, the people that work for me - as I can. I grew up in a religious home, and these values were instilled in me. They've made me the man I am today."
A native of Edison, Mark went to beauty school fresh out of high school and subsequently embarked on a most distinguished career - one that spanned the globe in fashion magazines, on designer runways, and in the most influential hair salons for over 25 years.
Robert DeNiro, as well as designers Betsey Johnson, Oscar de la Renta, and Vogue, Elle, and Glamour magazines.
But after 9/11, Mark decided to bring his vast experience and talents home, and set up his signature shop, SCHWARTZ SALON, in Red Bank, "I love living and working in New Jersey. It's been wonderful coming back home, and giving to the community that I came from. After living in Manhattan and abroad for so many years, I feel as if I belong here. I'm grounded, and It's a good feeling." beams Schwartz.
Annually observing and celebrating the High Holy Days at temples and homes of family, friends and clients, Mark looks forward to continuing to carrying out the values and traditions set by his parents. A single man, he also looks
forward to sharing his Jet-setting between Paris, Milan, New York, and Beverly Hills, Marks clients have included Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Lopez, Diane Keaton, and generous nature and moral and social integrity with "that special someone," now that he's back in New Jersey, settled and thriving.
Not Just Another Clip Joint: A visit to Vidal Sassoon is a social experience
Some of us dream what it would be like to be filthy rich - not just well-to-do, but really rolling, rollicking in dough.
Once in a while, we just have to pretend we're a Rockefeller or an Actor or a Ford and splurge. There are times when I won't even spend what it takes to get a McDonald's hamburger.
Ah, fantasy, thy name is New York. That's where I nearly spent $75 for three hours at Vidal Sassoon's 5th Ave. hair salon. No, the master of the clip didn't do my hair. I never even saw him. But Mark, my stylist, was worth every second and every penny.
Now, you understand that going to Sassoon's isn't like walking into a corner beauty shop for a quick trim. It's an event, a social experience, a chance to be someone you're not. Sassoon's doesn't have customers. It has clients. And what the client wants the client gets, be it coffee, tea or a soft touch. I was just a few minutes late (how could I?) for my 9am appointment. A receptionist used the intercom system to tell Mark his client has arrived, and summoned a slave to lead me to a coat room where an attendant took my coat and handed me a smock.
I was escorted to "Mark's chair." Mark appeared behind me. He was about 5 feet 6 inches tall, with dark hair, a Mediterranean complexion and a shirt unbottoned just enough to hint a brush of chest hair. He began running his fingers through my hair. This was going to be an experience.
"What did you have in mind?" Mark asked, still testing the texture and body of my hair.
"Well, I'm open for suggestions" I said, determined to be sophisticated.
I hadnt' had my hair cut for nearly a year. It had been short, and now the bottom four inches carried the remnants of a desperation permanent several months old.
I tried not to be embarrassed.
"I want something that's easy
I stole a nervous glance at another color technician whose own hair was kind of a purplish red. "Well, something not too startling." I said. After mixing up my own private color, Ralph began scooping the glop onto my hair. It was then I casually brought up the subject of money.
"I'm curious, " I said, bent on preserving my image of wealth. " How much does something like this cost?"
"This is only $28."
Only $28? I spend less at the grocery each week.
Caught between real and dream worlds, I sat for 20 minutes until yet another apprentice apprentice rinsed the color out of my hair and returned me to Mark, who instructed an apprentice on how he wanted my hair to be blow-dried. to take care of, with as much length as possible." I was ashamed of my do-it-yourself style.
"Your face is too round for all this hair," Mark said, pulling it this way and that. "I'd like to take some off the sides, leaving it longer at the back."
"Sounds good to me."
The style decision made, Mark told the person who would wash my hair, "Give her a nice shampoo." Stylists never get their hands wet.
The shampoo was slow and deliberate, using Vidal Sassoon products, of course. With a towel wrapped around my head, I was led back to Mark. I was a veritable picture of glamour.
Mark made modest attempts at conversation as he studiously snipped.
"What do you do for a living?"
Was it obvious that I was not one of the pampered rich? I considered telling him : "I'm Jackie Onassis' private secretary. We just flew in for a quick shopping trip at Saks and it's off to Monte Carlo tonight. " or "I'm a stand-in for Bo Derek. You probably don't recognize me without the braids," or
"I'm Lady Diana. Won't Charles be surprised when he sees my new do?"
Honesty won out. "I'm a copy editor for the Milwaukee Journal." My job had never sounded so dull before. I just hoped Mark wasn't too disappointed to finish the cut.
He murmured something and concentrated on his work. An hour later, the left side finished, he was ready to begin the right.
"I've never had anyone spend so much time cutting my hair," I said, making another stab at sparking conversation.
"You call this long?" He barely looked up. "I haven't even started yet."
Showing my patience, I observed some of the other customers. Most didn't look terribly rich, but rich people don't have to look rich. They wear old blue jeans and flannel shirts
Minutes later, I was in Mark's hands for a final trimming. He deftly used his brush and his fingers to sweep the hair away from my face.
Finally, he was finished. It had been three fanciful, painful, wonderful and expensive hours. The bill came to $36 for the cut and style and $28 for the color conditioner. Mark got a $10 tip.
The total: $74
I thought I look sophisticated.
The friend who picked me up thought it made me look old. The receptionists were talking about Beverly Sills, who had been in the previous day. I wondered how much Beverly paid and what she thought about while Mark, or someone like Mark worked away.
Do fantasies have fantasies? Because they like them, not because that's all they can afford.
Another stylist had two clients, each with hair that fell below their waist. After shampoos, they stood up while he sat on a short stool and trailed his scissors along the bottom, cutting off a couple of inches. Instead of using clips to hold the hair to the side, someone actually held the hair while the stylist worked.
I had discovered the Sassoon caste system.
There are stylists, there are hair holders, who, I deduced, were apprentices to the apprentices, who help clients into their smocks, wash hair and sweep the floor.
One night a week, Sassoon clients can get their hair cut for free. The catch is that an apprentice, who already is a licensed hairdresser, does the cutting and the cuts are variations on several new styles. Apprentices get experience and clients get a free ride.
As I worked out the Sassoon hierarchy, Mark finished my basic cut.
He stepped back to look and then ran his fingers through my hair again, showing me how nicely it fell into place. I had trouble concentrating.
"Your hair is so soft", Mark told me, "but it's a little dry. I'd like you to have a color conditioner. We'll put on a lighter shade that won't change your natural color."
I knew the haircut cost between $36 and $50. Would it be a gouche to ask the price of the conditioner? I decided not to risk it. An apprentice apprentice was asked to bring over a color technician.
Minutes later, Ralph was deep in consultation with Mark. I was led to another portion of the salon while Mark gave his attention to a young man who just wanted a trim. Ralph sat me down in his chair and began eyeing my locks. "Does your hair get reddish in the summer?" he asked. It did. "I'd like to give you some red highlights." He hit on my secret desire to be a redhead....