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36 | BEAUTY LAUNCHPAD | JUNE 2017 Plan, practice and perfect your photos. Make your images provoke some sort of emotion that translates your message without words. It's not always easy, but if accomplished, they become more than just pictures of cool designs." Sexy Hair artistic director Rafe Hardy chats with assistant editor Jasmine Coreas about inspiration, traveling and advice to live by. Outside the Box Trendsetters/ Mood Board COURTESY OF SEXY HAIR (3); TOP, RIGHT: GETTY IMAGES MAKE YOUR MARK I try to keep an open mind when I'm looking for inspiration, as it comes in many forms. Nature, architecture and other stylists are my main sources of inspiration. The task is to translate whatever inspires you into your own form of art. Sexy Hair artistic director Rafe Hardy BUDDY SYSTEM Being a stylist for over 30 years, I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing artists. I'm blessed to have had two major infl uences in my career that inspired me both personally and professionally. Alan Benfi eld Bush, a Vidal Sassoon protégé and founder of ABBA haircare products, improved my understanding of hair design through his condensed cutting method. Michael O'Rourke, founder of Sexy Hair, inspired me to push my creativity and ability to share information to a different level. He is a true mentor in life and art. WANDERLUST Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to travel to six continents and 49 countries. Experiencing different cultures, trends and fashion on a global level has defi nitely infl uenced the artist I am today. I have been traveling to Latin America a lot lately and I admire the culture, art, tenacity and passion of the stylists there. Their willingness and open-minded approach to try something new is inspiring. BE DIFFERENT The best advice I've received is, "Stay real, stay humble, and if you share with passion, people will listen." As a stylist and educator, you may not be better than others, but you will be different and sometimes that's all it takes. SEXY GO-TO If I had to choose just one favorite product, it would be Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Paste. It adds defi nition to any style or hair type, nourishes strands and adds a bit of shine. It's great for fl yaways, piecing out texture, and is a must for braids. FINDING BALANCE My advice is to never stop growing and always remember that no matter what type of working environment, you are running a business. Creative people often fi nd it challenging to master a good balance between business and art. Try to be good at a lot of things, but be great at one. Hardy loves travel! Shown: Buenos Aires, Argentina Industry icons: Sexy Hair founder Michael O'Rourke and Hardy