Man-Makeover: Second Edition

Subject: Dimitry: aspiring actor, student, and travel enthusiast
Challenge: He needs something more youthful that is also polished and put together.
Stipulations: It must look natural, with a movie-star vibe.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Dimitry while I was working in Los Angeles. After chatting with him for a few moments I was completely enthralled with his story. Dimitry calls himself a permanent LA transplant, and I quickly learned why. A year ago he won a Green Card Lottery and was granted U.S. citizenship. He was born and raised in a small city in Russia, where he only dreamed of visiting America. All of that changed rather quickly when Dimitry heard the astonishing news. He packed a few suitcases, left all of his family, and enrolled in an acting program stateside. He booked a ticket to LA, where he was determined to make a successful life for himself.

Although Dimitry’s new future was off to a rather rapid start, finding a stylist he could trust and consult with in LA was daunting. His agency expressed a lot of interest in his acting talent but the only problem he faced was their perception of his age. “I need to look 10 years younger, more GQ as you say it, can you help me?” Dimitry asked. Yes, of course! We decided that in addition to finding a look that is age appropriate for a 28-year-old, we also needed to make Dimitry’s first impression more approachable. Being that English is not his first language and American culture is still fairly unfamiliar, his image is going to be a major interpretation of character.

So how can hair simply address all of our concerns? Very carefully—with a bit of color, a whole lot of cutting, and a styling lesson, Dimitry is off to a better-looking life and newfound confidence in LA.

My intention with Dimitry’s color was to give him a look that would only need to be touched up twice a year. I hand picked thin slices of curls throughout the top to paint a beachy, sandy dark blonde using Balayage technique. Balayage, or hand painting, gives a colorist the opportunity to place tiny ribbons of color naturally without foil or staining—perfect for men with low-maintenance color.  My idea was to keep Dimitry looking youthful while blending away a few grays. The trick is not to overdo it—no frosting cap here!

For Dimitry’s haircut I focused on removing bulk from the sides, especially near the parietal bone at the widest area of the head. By keeping the sides and nape tight to his head we could keep the wave and length on top, giving him the option to enhance the curl or wear a smoother pompadour look.

I’m pretty excited for Dimitry’s dapper new look…who deserves a man-makeover in your life?