Want all of the fun of a Shag haircut without the commitment of chopping precious inches off? Easy! The Faux Shag is the way to go, and it’s definitely going to be this Fall’s hottest hair trend!
Traditionally, the Shag haircut includes lots of layers and disconnection, which leads to the rockstar texture. This look took off in the 70s, with some notable celebrities quite literally rocking this style. Some of these celebs include Joan Jett, Debby Harry, Stevie Nicks, and Chrissie Hynde!
The Traditional Shag
If you want to go the traditional route, there are many options. Go for a medium length and a single shade, like Joan Jett. Or, if you’re feeling a softer edge, follow in the footsteps of Stevie Nicks for a super long, extra wavy, dirty blonde shag. Now, if you’re feeling extra bold, dare yourself to go for the extra short shag, made famous by Halle Berry and Zoe Kravitz!
The Faux Shag
Now, the traditional Shag haircut is edgy in its own right, but the Faux Shag is just as edgy without the harsh lines! Recently, Riawna Capri of Nine Zero One Salon perfectly exemplified this must-have trend with a look she debuted on her Instagram! Instead of cutting the traditional shag layers she opted for a few contrasting sections around the face-frame and texturized ends throughout. If a cut isn’t something you’re committed to, you can also recreate the look through styling.
What Makes the Faux Shag Different
With fewer layers, less commitment and more styling the Faux Shag slightly differs from the OG Shag. The great thing about it is that any hair type can emulate the Faux Shag with just a few simple steps and some great hair products. The Faux Shag has three key elements; layers, volume, and attitude.
Get The Look:
First things first, if you want to get the Faux Shag look, you’re going to have to play with your hair to create the illusion of layers without cutting it. To do this, play with highs and lows. As always, before styling, you’ll want to wash your hair with a salon-worthy shampoo like KEVIN.MURPHY BALANCING.WASHh and then secure your fresh hair with a leave-in like STAYING.ALIVE, also by KEVIN.MURPHY.
Now, it’s time to style. Once your hair is clean, detangled, and towel-dried, separate your hair into a middle part. Grab a strong mousse that suits your hair texture and massage a couple of dollops into your hair using your fingers. For straight or wavy hair, we recommend Style Soft Mousse No. 44 by Keune, and for thick curly hair Keune’s Style Strong Mousse No. 74. As you are going through your hair, be sure to scrunch and mold each section in a way that goes along with your natural hair texture pattern. It’s key to remember that this step is intended to help define your natural texture while sculpting your locks for the Faux Shag look.
Once you have evenly applied the mousse throughout your hair, it’s time to diffuse! Begin diffusing your hair section by section, starting at the back of your head with a salon-quality dryer like the Sam Villa Light Professional Ionic Blow Dryer with a diffuser attachment. You’ll want to use the scrunch and diffuse technique, which will allow your hair to dry while maintaining the perfect shape. Diffuse from the ends of your hair and work your way up to the roots, having the diffuser act as a basket for your hair. You’ll want to do this until your hair is about 80% dry, leaving the roots slightly damp.
If your hair lost a little volume while diffusing, there is no need to worry! We can fix that. This is where your curling wand will come in handy. Once again starting with the back of your head, begin to curl your hair, but don’t use your normal curling routine. Switch up the tension and timing to create the faux shag effect. On lower sections of your hair, leave your hair wrapped around the wand for a few moments so that the hair is more relaxed and less curled to shows more length. Then, around the mid-section keep your hair in the wand slightly longer than you did for the bottom, to make sure the hair has texture but rests above the lower section of your head. Finally, keep the hair around the crown in the wand hold the longest. This will ensure it comes out looking shorter than the rest of your hair, giving you the faux layers that the Faux Shag requires.
You’re almost done now! Once your hair has been curled, run your fingers through it and tease it up with your hands. You might even want to add a little holding hairspray to lock in the style and give it more of an edgy feel. For this, try using Keune’s Style Spray Wax No. 46.
Last, but not least, the biggest component of your Faux Shag look is to have the rockstar attitude to match this look! Swing on your leather jacket, rub on your red lip, and swing your hair like the fierce icon you are!
Written by: Sahara
