Meet Edward Katz

National Hair Journal Interview with Edward Katz
"Meet Edward Katz"
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NHJ: How does this compare with a traditional template and hair sample?
EK: You may have noticed hair wearers who have what I call a "one-dimensional" look. That's because their hair system does not have the kind of subtle blending I've just described. I try to make my client's hair look "lived in," natural. Here in California, I want my client's hair to look "sunlit." Their hair has to be right for the life they live.
NHJ: Let's go over things step by step, starting with blending. You mentioned two hundred different shades; how does that compare with other hair centers?
EK: Any discussion of color has to start with the type of hair. I mentioned that we work only with synthetic hair. This is a key factor. In most hair centers, a client provides a swatch of his or her hair which is then matched against another blend of human hair. Unfortunately however, human hair can start to oxidize and change color after only a day, or a week or two because of exposure to the sun, pollution and poor hair quality and so it will no longer match the client's existing hair. It will have to be dyed or replaced.
NHJ: So there are two moving targets; the client's growing hair, which is oxidizing as a result of exposure to the sun and pollution, and the hair system which is subject to its own color change at a different rate?
EK: That's correct if you are talking about human hair systems. It's a huge challenge for the blenders and for the stylists. The processed human hair used in most factories is especially vulnerable to oxidation because it has been stripped of its protective layer of cuticle.
NHJ: If human hair is constantly changing, why don't the human hair factories work with a greater range of colors?
EK: Human hair would be unmanageable. Every color oxidizes at a different rate. We can work with a broader palette than they do because our colors do not change. Where they limit themselves to five or six shades, we may use fifteen different shades to get a "full dimensional" look. We may use gray, or a combination of grays and blondes, in the front because the front should be "sunlit." This is where the sun would be hitting your hair. We are looking for a very natural, soft look that will blend into the client's skin.
NHJ: I'd like to talk about templates. You mentioned that a lot of hair replacement salons only take a hair sample from the back of the head. I'm looking at one of your templates and it looks very complicated. What is it telling me?
EK: You're looking at those "zones" we talked about. If the person has temple hair and sides, we'll take a blend from there. We'll also take a blend from the back. Then on the top of the person's head we will make another blend, probably a shade lighter. That may take another fifteen different shades of color. Then we will go to the front and create a hairline that is totally different with another group of colors. All of these zones have to come together and match to give a full three-dimensional look instead of the one dimensional look that human hair pieces commonly give.
NHJ: What about the mold? What method do you use?
EK: We take plaster molds because they provide a very detailed map of the client's head. Most hair centers use a film and tape template because they have to mail them to an overseas factory. This is not a concern for us because we do all our production right here on our own premises.
NHJ: Let's talk some more about human hair and synthetic hair. What led you to decide to work with synthetic?
EK: I told you that synthetic hair does not lose its color, but it is also very light. Our whole hair piece weighs only 3 grams, which is about 50 to 100 times lighter than a human hair piece.
NHJ: I'm going to interrupt you Ed, because I don't cook and I don't know how heavy 3 grams is. Give me a comparison!
EK: It's about the weight of a business card. NHJ: That's light! I'm glad I asked the question!
EK: It's so light the client does not feel anything on his head. There are no ridges, no tracks or anything like that. The base is transparent and porous so you can look right down and see the scalp.
NHJ: There's another thing you do differently. You typically create multiple duplicate hair systems for your clients. How does this work?
EK: It began with the movies. When the studios shoot a film, a scene may be started today in one location and then continued three weeks or a month later in another. The pace of production does not allow studio stylists to work on the actor's hair after every take, so he will probably be wearing another hair piece for the second scene; especially if they are filming action sequences! That hair piece must be identical in every respect. The camera picks up everything. In a close up scene, you could be looking at a ten-foot hair line on the theatre screen. There's nowhere to hide! So we learned how to create identical hairpieces... initially for the movies and now for all our clients.
NHJ: Actors put a lot of trust in their make up and styling technicians. That's a huge responsibility isn't it?