Parker All The Way

Hi there. I'm Roy Teeluck, Nexxus editorial director and owner of the Roy Teeluck Salon in NYC where I get to work with some of the most influential women in the city. I'm back again to give you the insider scoop on the new season of Shear Genius. You'll see me this season providing styling tips and I'll be appearing as a guest judge on the Nexxus Challenge episode coming up in a few weeks. Well, once again we've lined up an eclectic group of hairdressers. I'm sure that some of them will end up blowing us away, but right now you can just tell that a lot of that confidence is covering up some real nerves. No one wants to be the first to go home! The Shortcut challenge was pretty crazy, right? I don't think that's something I'd ever dare to try, but I totally get what they were going for though.

Confident people always say, "Oh, I could do that with my eyes closed." So that's exactly what they put them up to. It's an interesting barometer of how much the stylists have a feel for hair as well. Most of the time when you're working on a client's hair, you're talking to them, and that requires a certain amount of maneuvering through distraction. They should definitely be given credit for attempting the blind cuts, but even without being able to see, the looks they went for were just very typical. I was much more excited by the results of the Elimination Challenge. At the elimination, I thought hands down that Parker won the challenge, and then he didn't even make the top three! That cut was a perfect modern take on Betty Boop, and it was terribly flattering for his client. She looked so sexy with those little curls. Daniel did a really nice job on the Wilma Flintstone, but watching it on television, I just wasn't as big of a fan as the judges.

I rooted for Parker all the way. Neeko made a good point this week about Daniel's use of styling product. When used correctly, a good hairspray can be an essential tool for getting hold and support, but it shouldn't be used to actually create the style and then seal it in. I love the Nexxus 360 Volume Bodifying Finishing Mist; it provides great lift and hold without weighing hair down or making it feel stiff. We should be going for glamour queen, not beauty queen. I also really liked Matthew's presence. His work wasn't up to par, but he admitted it. He seems like the kind of stylist a client would love and I think he took a good approach after the look wasn't received well. He's easing into the competition so he doesn't fall flat on his face -- like poor Oshun did. It's a tricky place for competitors this early in the season. There hasn't been enough time to get to know their personalities and their talent, so all we have to go on is what they bring to the hair show. And risk-taking is either rewarded or sends you packing.