I’m a reality TV junkie, so I readily admit to having enjoyed both seasons so far of “
Shear Genius,” the Bravo network’s “Project Runway” style competition that pits hair stylists against each other in a series of challenges that range from doing period hair
and bold color placement to taking turns on the same client and coiffing dogs. The audience sees some of the drama—friendship and fighting, generosity and jealousy—that goes on among the participants, but this season has dialed that down and most of the episodes focus on the hair.
Generally, I feel the program shows the industry a lot of respect, and I believe that just airing a well-produced series like this helps to promote professional cosmetology—in a good way! The show is sponsored by Nexxus and, although host Jaclyn Smith is not a hairdresser, the guest judges and coaches almost invariably are industry people. Sometimes the level of competition feels high; other times the contestants turn in work that does not look all that professional.
But I’m not a television critic; I’m here to talk about your
continuing hair education. It’s hard to watch “Shear Genius” and not want to try out the challenges yourself. Maybe you don’t want to start styling a dog, but why not grab a few mannequins and try your hand at some of the competitions? Next year check out season three, and meanwhile you can go online to see what went on this year. It's like holding your own private
hair workshop classes.
Photo: Charlie Price was this season's "Shear Genius" runner-up.