By: Amanda Gram
Rusana Plonsak is a skilled professional in men’s haircuts whose work extends beyond simply cutting hair. For her, every client is not just someone in need of grooming services, but a unique individual whose personality she helps reveal through style and image. She believes that a haircut is not a mechanical task, but a form of self-expression where every detail can be important.
Rusana’s path into barbering was unlike that of many other professionals. It began with self-education. She started learning from video tutorials, carefully observing the work of international barbers, and soon realized that becoming truly skilled required more than just knowing techniques — it meant understanding that haircutting is much more than scissors and clippers. From the very beginning, she focused on quality and on achieving results that were not only stylish, but also comfortable and practical for the client.
That’s why she chose to study at Anastasia Karpenko’s barber school and later attended several masterclasses with recognized industry experts to deepen her knowledge and skills.
But Rusana didn’t just want to become a good barber — she aimed to become a master who could work with each client’s unique features. She is convinced that every haircut should be tailored to the individual. Even if a person’s head shape or hair texture presents challenges, that should never be an obstacle. She’s not afraid of difficult tasks and is always ready to offer creative solutions. For example, she uses unique scissor techniques that help her achieve precise fades even in complex cases. To her, it’s important that a haircut not only looks great but fits the client well, taking into account every personal feature.
One of the core aspects of Rusana’s work is adaptive haircuts. To her, there’s no such thing as a “standard haircut,” because she sees every person as unique and requiring an individual approach. If a client wants a haircut that closely matches their head shape but their hair has specific characteristics, she will always try to find a way to make it work. This is where the barber becomes a true artist — someone who can turn limitations into something creative. Every time she works with a client, she not only listens to their preferences, but also helps them highlight the facial features that make them distinctive.
Rusana constantly strives for improvement and embraces challenges. She acknowledges that her work demands ongoing personal development. With each client and each new project, she learns something new and refines her skills. It’s not enough for her just to do her job — she’s committed to growing, staying up-to-date with the latest barbering trends, attending workshops and competitions. She understands that the industry is always evolving, and staying current means continuously learning and adapting. Yet through it all, she remains grounded in her unique philosophy: the client and their individuality always come first.
She also believes there’s little room for rivalry in barbering. Instead of competing with colleagues, she sees them as allies with whom she can share experiences and learn. In her view, supporting one another is more important than competing. After all, every barber has their own unique technique and approach, and that diversity enriches the industry. This mindset allows her to feel part of a large, supportive professional family where everyone can grow and learn — not out of fear of competition, but out of inspiration.
In addition to working with clients, Rusana is passionate about educating other barbers. She has already helped several students master her techniques, but she doesn’t see her teaching as simply giving lessons. She believes that education is a process in which it’s important not just to pass on knowledge, but to inspire — to help others find their own technique and personal style. Her students appreciate her method because she fosters not only technical skill, but also self-confidence.
Rusana’s success comes not only from her professionalism, but also from her deep passion and love for what she does. She finds joy in every client who walks out not only with a haircut they like, but with a renewed sense of confidence. And that, perhaps, is a significant achievement for any barber — not just making someone look good on the outside, but helping them feel better on the inside.
Her philosophy is that a haircut should not simply follow trends — it should be a tool for self-expression that helps a person feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. And it’s this approach that makes her work distinctive — and her clients, generally satisfied.
Published by Jeremy S.
