Albie Mulcahy – The Shape of Hair

As a 40 year veteran in the hair industry, International Platform Artist and Senior Educator Albie Mulcahy is in favor of all non gimmicky approaches to cutting, or in his case shaping hair (with scissors, razors or clippers). He has used them all in his day.

“To me there are only two approaches to cutting hair, technical (Sassoon) and creative (Sahag). If there would be a third it would be a combination of the two. I always say cutting hair wet can be like having a bad boyfriend. If you’re not aware, he lies to you right away. Wet hair does not tell the truth, it hides and distorts the reality of what is there.”

Mulcahy says everybody’s hair looks good wet, the weight of the water covers up everything (frizz, holes, a bad haircut and any damage etc). Dry hair, in its natural state, is all about honesty. What you see is what is. You can then proceed and leave what is needed, or remove what is not needed. It’s best to have the hair clean and ironed out in order to see any mistakes or unwanted lines in the shape. It’s a completely different mindset. Many out there are saying the cut hair dry, but are they? Or are they just using an old mind set and using wet cutting techniques on dry hair? Some say they cut wet first then finish dry. WHY? They are two different approaches and don’t make any sense. In his classes at shows and in salons, he teaches both approaches. He shares the BIG difference. Most hairstylists cut hair evenly. He shapes hair purposely uneven to create a balance.

When living in South Beach, Mulcahy got a call one day from an Australian sounding gentlemen who said he was John Sahag.

“Now mind you being a hair nerd from day one in 1975 I was well aware of who Sahag was. He was this amazing editorial hairdresser who had a fab salon in NYC that every top model, rock star and VIP went to go see. So I’m thinking why is this guy calling me? A regular guy doing hair in South Beach.”

Sahag (who was considered one of the top 15 greatest stylists by the fashion industry) was starting a new line of products and upon investigation, was told if he wanted a guy in the industry to represent his line and market it appropriately, to call Mulcahey. “Needless to say I was humbled, and a nervous wreck, when he sent me a ticket to NYC to meet with him. For me it was like going to have dinner with a Beatle.” Sahag offered him the position of Director of Education for Sahag products. It was time to go to school.

“Before working with John, I was a Sassoon trained wet cutter. This was not allowed in his workshop. So, I spent the next 30 days getting ready for my first Sahag show in Boston (my hometown) doing a method of shaping hair that I was completely clueless of. It’s a very creative approach of looking at the way hair grows and falls in its natural growth best observed in a dry state. We spent at least 10 hours a day 7 days a week changing, not only the way I stood and worked, but more importantly looked at developing a shape as opposed to doing a haircut. The results are a shape thats lasts twice as long as a traditional haircut and you received a personalized look according to your facial shape and lifestyle. The layers are seamless and invisible. It was a game changer for me and I have not cut wet hair in almost 15+ years. Changing one’s mindset on the way they work is like becoming new again.”

It’s a somewhat funny story that many men have claimed to be the reason, but for me it’s a fact. After getting out of the Army in 1971 I was a complete mess at only 20 years old and no clue what laid ahead of me. I spent some time in rehab to get normal again and my counselor through the VA was trying to find me a path in life. He would offer to send me to school to be an air conditioner repair guy, plumber and so on. Not my style. I got a job in the Post Office at some point on the midnight to 8am shift and I thought I was going to go insane until I went to the movies and saw Shampoo. That was it! A straight guy going to work on a motorcycle, dressed up, not getting dirty and making good money with so many girlfriends lol What 20 something party guy would not want that? So that’s how it started. The VA paid for everything and within 3 weeks of starting school I knew it was a lifetime of having fun!

After being in the industry for 3 years Mulcahy opened his first salon in 1979. In 1980, a tall skinny guy with a tan walked into his salon and introduced himself. His name was Paul Mitchell and he informed Mulcahy about a show he was doing in Boston and needed some backstage help. He was a volunteer, not knowing where it would lead.

As it turned out, it became a 10 year friendship where his educational stage work took off. Within a couple of years Mitchell asked Mulcahy to move to LA and work for the corporate office, opening up most of all the Southeast Asian market, all of Canada and some of South America. This lasted until 1990 when Mulcahy left LA and moved to South Beach. In 40 years, he has worked in over 45 countries (both on main stages and in salons).

“Not bad for a messed up kid from Boston who was told he had no future and would end up dead or in jail.”

Never settle with what you think you already know. I’m still learning, not necessarily something new, but a new way of doing something to keep it fresh. Burnout is a problem these days with younger hairdressers. They think they’re working too hard if they have to come in at 10 and stay till 7 or they refuse clients or walk-ins because “they don’t feel like it “

Know the history of why you do what you do, who came before you, what did they bring to the table etc. Education should be constant. Go to shows and classes as much as you can. Never say no. There are hundreds of ways to do it the right way. Take what feels right for you because the only wrong way is to think yours is the only way.

Mulcahy says, “There are only 2 reasons to become a hairdresser: one is to make money and the other is to have fun. Every other reason you give will fall under one of those two. Your success will be depend on which you make a priority. If you put making money first you will burn out early and work too hard. Put fun first and you will have a great life and the money will follow you.”