Barber A-ROD Offers Tips on Creating the Perfect Fade

There are some names in the grooming industry that need absolutely no introduction. Barber A-ROD is without a doubt one of those names. To give back to barbers and stylists across the globe, A-ROD offered valuable styling techniques during an online webinar hosted by Booksy.

So, if you’re ready to hear from this industry juggernaut with over 2 million Instagram followers who recently kicked off two major partnerships—one with Booksy and another with Wahl—keep reading this short article that summarizes the styling advice A-ROD shared during the webinar.

In addition to sharing professional grooming tips, A-ROD and his business partner Jay Nouri talked about the L3VEL3 partnership with Booksy. Their goal is to provide exclusive discounts to Booksy providers who appreciate top of the line L3VEL3 grooming and skincare products.

Click the video below to hear all of these details and more via the 45-minute webinar, which is available on the Booksy YouTube page. Or, keep reading to hear from this Booksy Ambassador with one of the strongest reputations in the industry, who wants to help industry pros level up.

Professional Grooming Tips from Barber A-ROD

A-ROD kicked off the educational session by talking about the balancing act that grooming professionals have to maintain. After dedicating over 18 years to the industry, A-ROD fully comprehends  the importance of maximizing business opportunities, especially when it comes to selling retail products. But he also understands the need to use master level styling techniques to make the most out of every appointment with a client.

Moving forward with the tutorial portion of the webinar, A-ROD then directed his attention to his client, who proudly sported a head full of dark, thick curls. And with regards to creating a perfect fade on a client, A-ROD recommends taking the following steps:

Step One:

A-ROD picked up a pair of Wahl Seniors adjusted to the zero setting and the taper lever closed to create a guideline on the back of the model’s head. He moved the clippers from the center to the side of the model’s head. After that, he removed the remaining bulk of hair with a pair of Wahl Detailers by moving his hand up and out in a wavy motion. 

“You go in and you come right back out, so you don’t create another guideline. You're just cleaning the area. And at the same time, you’re making sure that you’re not going into the guideline that you already did with the zero (with the clipper). If we don’t do this, the fade and the blending will keep going up and up, and instead of a taper, you’ll end up with a bald head,” A-ROD said with a laugh.

Step Two: 

After clearing and cleaning the area, A-ROD then picked up the Wahl Seniors again and chose the 1.0 guard to create another guideline above the one that he created, while the clippers were on the zero setting. After creating that second guideline, he then blended the two areas with the Wahl Seniors on the zero setting and the taper lever entirely open. 

A-ROD used the same wavy motion to go in and out, while creating a blend in the hair. These same steps can be applied to different areas. Use this technique on a beard, the back of the head, or the side of the head. But remember to take advantage of the corner of the blade, especially if there’s a small area that you’re cutting and want to attack, said A-ROD.

Step Three:

For the next step in the haircut, A-ROD used the Wahl Senior clippers with the 1.5 guard and set the lever completely open. He recommended starting at a higher setting and then working your way down. This strategy lessens the margin of error, since it’s easier to avoid making any mistakes. 

“You can always take more off, you can never add more hair to the head. So, you want to start every time with the higher guard and then come down. That’s a great, safe way to create these fades. At the same time, you have a smaller margin of mistakes. If you make a mistake, you can go and fix it real quick. Or, it prevents these mistakes from happening,” he said.

A-ROD then switched between the 1.0 and the 1.5 guard while using the corner of the blade in a wave motion to create a blend to match the other side of the fade that he created moments ago. The result was a nice, smooth blend. The final steps that A-ROD elaborated upon involved attacking the lining, followed by advice on creating enhancements. Check out the online video for these tips and more information from A-ROD.

The Booksy and L3VEL3 Partnership 

The webinar wrapped up with details about the Booksy and L3VEL3 partnership. For those who don’t already know, Booksy just kicked off a unique partnership with L3VEL3 that was spearheaded by L3VEL3 CEO Jay Nouri and Barber A-ROD, the L3VEL3 co-founder. Their combined goal is to offer savings to barbers and stylists, who demand quality hair, skin, and styling products, which L3VEL3 creates.

All Booksy providers are eligible for this discount on L3VEL3 products that can be managed via the product inventory tool within the Booksy software, which makes it easier than ever for you to sell retail products to your customers.

More specifically, the L3VEL3 and Booksy partnership offers two programs: The Booksy Authorized Dealer program is designed to help shop owners push their businesses to new limits. And the Booksy Professional Barber and Hair Stylist program is geared towards barbers who work as independent contractors and use L3VEL3 products while working with clients.

According to Jay Nouri, any Booksy professional who uses L3VEL3 products on their clients could save 30% - 40%. Booksy business owners who sell L3VEL3 products in their shops or salons could make three times their initial investment. To learn more about the two programs or to sign up, simply click the link: L3VEL3 and Booksy. Follow the steps to apply.

To keep gaining the most from the Booksy software, stay tuned for more information about partnerships, educational resources, and new software features, which are always on our horizon. Check out our webinars and visit the blog site for more information to learn how to take your business to new heights by making sure you take advantage of everything that Booksy offers.