Celebrity Interview: Adee Phelan

Welcome to my first Celebrity Hairdresser interview for OneFreeChop, this is not only special for being my first online interview but also special for being with one of the hairdressers who inspired me into taking up my career, Mr Adee Phelan.
Any body who knows about Adee knows that he has not only cut hair for the celebs, but also starred in Channel 4's 'The Salon' and 'Secret Millionaire'. Currently he's now started a chain of salons across the country and an ever expanding product range, so i sat down on my dining table with Man City v Barcelona having a casual kick about on the tv and had a chat with Adee about his career so far, personal life and what the future holds.

At 25, you were a late starter as hairdresser is there any reason you didn’t start straight from school?

A: No just one those things really a natural progression for me from interior design, its all art and creativity.

What was Adee doing before Hairdressing?

A: Previously interior design, again all art all design, i like to design my own salons and still into it now its what i love to do...

Was there someone who inspired you to become a hairdresser, maybe somebody that u looked u at and thought ‘i wanna be like that guy’?

A: No, not really. Natural progression for me from interior design. I went to an awards show back in 1998 to watch my friend who became 'Mens British Hairdresser of the Year’ in the end and it was that night that i decided i wanted to be a hairdresser. 

You became a celebrity Hairdresser almost instantly, would u say its exactly what you thought it would be or is it not always the exiting, extravagant way of living?

A:  The whole being a celebrity or working with celebs is not what I’m interested in, i love fashion and art but i cut David Beckham's hair, won mens british (hairdresser of the year|) and it all just kept going, but becoming a celebrity wasn’t intentional and wasn’t planned 

You have cut many celebs, models and professional athletes hair is there any one that you have ever been star struck by?

A: Ermm not really no, but i suppose you could say Liza Minnelli, shes an institution so i wasn’t nervous i was excited. 

So you have cut David Beckham’s hair, possibly the envy of every hairdresser out there. Most famously recognised in that GQ magazine photo shoot for the World Cup in 2002, tell us about that..?

A: it was just another shoot, i had done lots of photo shoots, but this shoot was with David LaChapelle my favourite photographer. The hair was spontaneous, the colour wasn't planned, the cut wasn’t i hadn’t really thought about it i was just really excited to work with David (LaChapelle), in the end won lots of awards for it. It was a haircut i had been doing for over a year and the colour i had done a few times already with side mohawk, but this was on the most famous man in the world and it just captured the look of the 'World Cup', it wasn’t planned it was just a case of lets try this, lets do that.

Going back in 2000 only ONE year into your professional career you became ‘British Mens Hairdresser of the year’. Thats a massive achievement that all hairdresser strive for how did that feel?

A: it was my first awards ceremony and it was exactly two years to do the day from when i started hairdressing when i watched my friend do it. It was a massive achievement and i was in the final 6 years in a row. I had never been turned on by the thought of winning awards but that was special for me, to win it for that cut (Beckham) i was doing that haircut for 18 months and it was being done for 50 years before me, but again it was on the worlds most famous man, the haircut wasn’t something that hadn't been done before 

You have put so much into hairdressing, with your salons, franchising and product rages, whats is that currently drives you the most do you have time to be a hairdresser?

A: oh yeah I’m still a hairdresser I’m always hairdressing theres never a time when I'm not. Design is what drives me it is a massive part of life and always has been i even took a year out to design the Birmingham Salon.

I always have an eye on your hair products and have seen you have brought out a Hair Colour Remover range, tell us about this product..

A: well its just i was in boots on day and i noticed there’s 100s of colours but nothing to remove it, its a niche product in the market. Everyone else are always bringing out, colours, hairdryers, combs, brushes, straighteners etc. Its a unique gap for consumers

to have a colour removing product available but hairdressers are even using it in salons which is incredible to think, its just an amazing product.

Whats your favourite product you have put your name to over the years?

A: i think its my new extension range, looks cool, cool packaging, an amazing product that was launched in november (2013) and its something I’m very excited about. 

What is next for the Adee Phelan Brand?

A: Im just about to launch my new e-commerce site next week. I have a new product range to be launched in super drug in may, hopefully opening a new academy in summer salon and eventually open a salon in new york 

questions about you…..

What do you do when your not being a Celebrity Hairdresser?

A: i dont, i do nothing else I am always hairdressing, when I’m not hairdressing I’m doing nothing!

Whats your guilty pleasure?

A: nothing really other than football i like watching football

Where the best place you have visited?

A: Iv been a few, Thailand, New York, LA, Hong Kong, China but i have to say…..Miami and Thailand are up there

Is there anywhere in the world you want to visit?

A: Brazil is currently top of the list. world cup? Yeah ill probably go out there for the world cup watch a few of the games. 

Your a massive football fan like myself and your team (Liverpool) are having a pretty good season up to now, whats your greatest memory with football?

A: 2005, Champions League final 3-0 half time, 3-3 full time to go on and win 3-2 on penalties thats it, incredible!

Birmingham or London?

A: London to me its the fashion capital of the world second best city in the world to New York

Liverpool or Manchester?

A: Liverpool 

You tattoos are impressive and fascinating is there one that particularly means something to you?

A:  No no defiantly not, they all have a meaning and answer i have put thought and reason into ever tattoo i have got. My You’ll never walk alone tattoo i suppose does especially mean a lot to me tho. 

Finally what advice would you give to any young hairdressers out there that may be reading this?

A: Yeah don’t worry about being a celebrity or having famous clients, technique..technique…technique..foundation..foundation….foundation. when needed keep you mouth shut watch and learn, learn more, break rules, whatever your ideas give it a go, if it doesnt work rethink and try again, execution is key for me, when i am judging a competition i always check the execution of the cut thats what excites me about peoples work its the most important part of hair and i always acknowledge people who try. Don’t listen to people asking what you doing that, just do it and try it nothing is wrong to try believe in yourself.

Thank you Adee... 

From this interview i have learnt a few things about Adee that have surprised me. Now i have spoken to the man who looks to be more brash than business, rock star as a-pose to entrepreneur, i know now that this look acutally is all part of his creativity flowing out of him.

People reading this interview like myself could possibly relate to the phrase used at the beginning of the post when Adee said "..natural progression", i have found this to be true with my hairdressing now becoming a platform to build my blog where as Adee did it all at a similar age (27) to turn his artistic flair into a fast paced business acumen.

It was an interview that instantly took a different direction as i learnt that this man who i have looked up to as a hairdresser and celebrity was actually more ambitious, artistic and level headed than i ever had imagined. Its fair to say that for every budding entrepreneur out there, Adee is living proof that you can have fun and be cool whilst doing it. Adee has already achieved so much as a hairdresser but what was apparent and constant throughout the interview was that all he has done so far is just a benchmark for his global aspirations, but It was clear to me that hairdressing is the foundation to sharing and demonstrating his passion for art and design.

Massive thank you to Mr Phelan from myself personally and the readers of this post for OneFreeChop and ill end this with one of my favourite pictures, Adee and Marco Pierre White..


Thanks for reading
@Simon_townley
@onefreechop

Product Review: Fat Jacks Tash Wax, Moustache Wax

Well this time last week i received a parcel from Fat Jacks Tash Wax with 2 tubs of 15ml Moustache wax, one was Mentha and the other Vanilla.

So as a thank you i thought why not make a little video how to and write about how much i have loved using this product over the last few days.

Fat Jacks is a UK based company and these tubs retail at £5 which is one of the cheapest ranges of moustache wax i have come across, but do not let that deceive you. I personally don't have the thickest toughest of Moustaches so i can't stress enough how much the phrases 'less is more' comes into play with this product.

When scraping about a pea sized amount then splitting this into two, i roll the now two pieces between my index finger and thumb gently until the wax disappears.

Dividing my tash down the middle i work the wax through and style :) its a simple as that. Now i did use this while play Wheelchair Basketball at the weekend and is passed that test so as far as how long it lasts theres no worries there.

When i applied the correct amount it shaped my 'Mo' without leaving it looking like a had egg for breakfast, but be sure to remember to apply little bits as apse to a lump at once

I have never been a fan of Vanilla smells, maybe thats due to memory of sitting in the back of my dads car when i was a child while the vanilla air-freshner made me nauseous. But, this is a pleasant smelling product i must say, not overwhelming nor does it linger throughout the day, it may even cure my brain for disliking car air-fresheners.....maybe.

Overall i must say I'm delighted with this product and would recommend it to all my 'Mo' friends out there.

I have poster a little video of how i apply it here, please share and like as its why I'm doing it after all :)

Thanks to FatJacksTashWax

and thanks for reading, please share if you like what you see

@Simon_townley
@onefreechop

Product Review: Handmade Soap Co. Moustache Wax

Is 2014 the year of the Bearded man? well as far as i am conceded it is.. I have been growing my self named 'Man Beard' for just over 3 months now and its safe to say, it is in need of a little taming.  My Dad, whom is not a fan of the beard was out and about enjoying a freezing winters day in a beautiful part of the north west of England Little Budworth, called into The Hollies Farm Shop where he promptly phoned me to let me know he had picked me up a little bargain. I will admit my 'tash' was becoming a bit of a problem and i was quietly excited to test out this small tub of moustache wax.

The Handmade Soap Co. Moustache Wax was delivered to me when i met up with my Dad so i thought i would share it with OneFreeChop and here it is.

So after examining this little tub that my Dad brought to me i opened the lid and was greeted with a gentle smell of what I can only describe as the smell of Germolene which is in my books is always a good thing for a product that is going to be sitting directly under the nose!

Now i am not exactly experienced in using a wide range of beard or moustache products yet but i can only say what my experiences are whilst using this product. It takes a bit of practice, a lot of moulding of the wax between the fingers then time manipulating the moustache to where you want it to go but after 3 days of persevering i think iv cracked it.

For a products that smells as good as this holds my tash is a direction without making it look wet or oily and all for a price just shy of £8 i certainly would recommend it.

As you can see my moustache is now looking more curled than ever and i have now grown even more fond of my beard..... 

Thanks for reading and if you like what you read please feel free to share

Simon :)