Due to the coarsness of yak hair in comparison to human whiskers, using a relaxed style helps create a more realistic, yet sharp, look. The coarsness of the yak hair mixed with this gentle style mimics a very magical and storybook appearance without overdoing it (as some would say extremely hard curls do). If you like the look of Kurt Russell in The Christmas Chronicles, this is the way to achieve that.
One could say to properly create what I have dubbed the "Relaxed Style" that curlers and the techniques of the earlier shared styles are unneeded. I prefer to start with hardened curls for all three of these styles so I can take away the excess style to achieve the look I want. As a boy scout we were taught that on a hike it was easier to take off layers when one got hot than to put on layers we didn't have if it got cold. The same mindset has crept into my styling practices. It's easier to take away curls than it is to add some during this style.
I have to admit that during the season the styles come and go depending on my mood, but if I start out with the curliest style, I can comfortably move to a bushy style and then even to a relaxed style if things are done properly. Currently, I have my sets up on their heads but my Hero set is very much in need of some attention since I packed it away for my visit to ProSantaSchool in North Carolina. It's looking a bit flat and I have a photo shoot Saturday!
The purpose of this series of styling vidoes was to document what has worked for me. I understand there are more professional services and resources out there one could hire to achieve a similar goal.
I've only recently come to realize I am strongly against the idea of "giving a man a fish."
If I really wanted to clip other's wings I would say, "There's no way to achieve a good beard, mustache, or wig style at home!" I faced that same problem when starting out. It seemed to be witchcraft, how others styled their sets and many just said to give up on the venture of trying to learn styling and just ship it off to someone who could do it for me. Not only do I not have the funds to do that (I believe in a strict budget), but that robs me of the knowledge that any decent Santa Claus representative should have.
Let's "teach a man to fish." The best way to reach the Santa community around the world isn't by visiting them one by one and showing them in person how to style, or having them send their sets to me and never giving them a chance to take that step. I spent a lot of time figuring out a set-up and what videos I would include in Season 02 this year. Along with the video production episodes, it was clear that a few on how I personally style - showing my process from beginning to end - could be beneficial in the long run.
We have two more theatrical beard episodes after this. A "No Heat" style (for those of you who are not comfortable using heated curlers) and an episode devoted to the sets I personally have/use (hopefully this will answer a lot of questions from interested parties). After that we'll jump into affordable prop making and some additional topics to round out the season.
Do you have a favorite episode so far?
You can watch this week's episode here: Season 02
Yours as always,
Santa Stuart
