Featured on: behindthechair.com

BTC barber bro Matty Conrad (@mattyconrad) is our go-to for men’s grooming education because he’s always down to dish out innovative tips and techniques for the men in your chair. So, it’s no surprise that Matty stopped by The BTC House to go live on Facebook and break down a men’s classic cutting how-to. We snagged his best tips and where to find them, so check it all out and watch the full video below!

1. How To Determine The Appropriate Comb Size

For clipper-over-comb cutting, always use a comb that’s big enough to cover the surface area of the clipper. How fine the comb’s teeth are will determine how smooth the panels will be. Use fine-tooth combs for precise lines and wide-tooth combs for a softer, blended finish. (10:06)

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2. Avoid This Common Mistake Around The Ears

Every client has ears (and yes, they bend and bleed!) but don’t let them interfere with carving out the outline. Avoid aggressively moving the ear around because this will interrupt the outline and create a hole once you release it—this is important because the outline is 50% of what people see in a men’s haircut! (17:03)

3. Matty’s #1 Rule For Texturizing Shears

Men’s texture—whether it’s chunky, diffused or piecey—lives in the last inch to 1/2-inch of the hair, so only use texturizing shears through the ends. The hair will be thickest at the roots and finest at the ends, and will result in a haircut that sits naturally and is more responsive to styling. Avoid using texturizing shears from roots to mids to prevent thinning out the hair. (36:25)

4. Try This Clipper-Over-Comb Trick

When using the clipper-over-comb cutting technique, keep the clipper directly against the teeth of the comb (like trains on a track!) to make clean panels and keep consistent tension and control. (6:24)

5. Men’s Blowout Steps—Stop Ignoring The Cool Shot Button!

Follow these steps for a volume-building blowout. (41:02)

1. Apply Victory Barber & Brand Super-Dry to your palms, emulsify and work through damp hair to reinforce the blowout and add volume. Avoid product build-up by only applying to areas that need control. 
2. Blow-dry the top section forward to create volume at the front and use the air flow to compress the rest of the hair to create a strong, square-shaped style.
3. Finish by locking in the style with the cool shot button. Hair is malleable when hot (like plastic), so applying cool air will help set the shape.

Watch The Full Video How-To

Peep the finished look!