Chapter 16
Haircutting
Learning Objectives
• Identify the reference points on the head and
understand their role in haircutting.
• Define lines, sections, elevations, and
guidelines.
• List the factors involved in a successful client
consultation.
• Explain the uses of the various tools of
haircutting.
• Name three things you can do to ensure good
posture and body position while cutting hair. (continues)
Learning Objectives (continued)
• Perform the four basic haircuts.
• List the multiple ways to section and cut the
bang (fringe) area.
• Discuss and explain three different texturizing
techniques performed with shears.
• Explain a clipper cut.
• Identify the uses of a trimmer.
Introduction
• Foundational skills start with being educated in the
principles of haircutting and precision haircutting
methods.
• Precision haircutting is about the application of a
systematic plan when cutting hair
• When it is combined with the principles of haircutting,
you will have a better understanding of how to
approach any haircut.
• However, first you must know the rules before you
break them. You will need to have an understanding
of the techniques and tools of cutting.
Understand the Basic Principles of Haircutting
• Reference points
– Parietal ridge
– Occipital bone
(continues)
Understand the Basic Principles of Haircutting
(continued)
• Apex
• Four corners
Areas of the Head
• Top
• Front
• Sides
• Crown
• Nape
• Back
• Bang area
Lines, Sections, and Angles
• Lines
• Types of Straight Lines
(continues)
© EvaStory/Shutterstock.com
– Horizontal
– Vertical
– Diagonal
© Flora Borsi/Shutterstock.com
Used with the permission of the
authors, Martin Gannon and
Richard Thompson, as featured
in their book Mahogany: Steps
to Cutting, Colouring and
Finishing hair. © Martin Gannon
and Richard Thompson 1997.
Lines, Sections, and Angles (continued)
• Straight Lines
(continues)
Lines, Sections, and Angles (continued)
• Sectioning
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Horseshoe section
Pivoting section
Profile section
Radial section
Elevation
• Elevation – angle at which
hair is held from head
• Graduation – layers
described in degrees
• Shrinkage – hair contracts
as it dries
Cutting Line
• Cutting line – angle at which fingers are held
when cutting
Guidelines
• Stationary guideline – does not move
• Traveling guideline – moves as haircut
progresses
Overdirection
• Comb the hair away from its natural falling
position.
• Used mostly in graduated and layered haircuts.
Conduct an Effective Client Consultation
for Haircutting
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•
•
What does client want?
Does she have time available for maintenance?
What is his or her lifestyle?
Is classic or trendy preferred?
The Face Shape
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Pull hair back or wrap with towel.
Note length and width of face.
Note balance of features.
Weight and volume.
Profiles.
Determine parting.
Hair Analysis
• Hairlines and growth patterns
• Hair density – hairs per square inch
• Hair texture – diameter of a hair strand
• Wave pattern – amount of movement in the hair
strand
Show Proper use of Haircutting Tools
• Haircutting and
texturizing shears
• Straight razor
(continues)
Show Proper Use of Haircutting Tools (continued)
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Clippers
Trimmers
Sectioning clips
Wide-tooth comb
Tail comb
Barber comb
Styling/cutting comb
All About Shears
• Steel
– Gauging hardness
– Rockwell hardness
• Cast shears
• Forged shears
Parts of a Shear
• Cutting edge
• Pivot
• Adjustment knob
• Finger tang
• Ring-finger hole
• Thumb hole
Shear Maintenance
• Daily cleaning and lubrication
• Daily tension adjustment and balancing
• Weekly cleaning and lubrication
• Disinfecting shears
• Sharpening shears
Left-Handed vs. Right-Handed
• There is a difference between a right-handed
and a left-handed shear. Simply taking a righthanded shear and turning it over does not make
it appropriate for a left-handed cutter, because
the blades of the shear need to be reversed.
Purchasing Shears
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•
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Know how the shear was manufactured.
Ask about the steel quality.
Decide on the right blade edge.
Decide on the best handle design for you.
Be sure of fit.
(continues)
Purchasing Shears (continued)
• Hold shears in hand.
• Swivel thumb shears.
• Learn about service agreement.
• Ask about warranty.
• Analyze cost.
• Determine how many needed.
Fitting the Shear Correctly
• Fitting ring finger
• Fitting thumb
• Relaxing grip
• Correct finger position and alignment
Holding Your Tools
• Holding shears
Holding the Shears and Comb
Holding the Razor
• Method A
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Open razor so handle is higher than shank.
Place thumb on thumb grip.
Place index, middle, and ring fingers on shank.
Place little finger in tang.
Position razor on top of subsection.
(continues)
Holding the Razor (continued)
• Method B
– Open razor so handle and shank form a straight line.
– Place thumb on grip and wrap fingers around handle.
Handling the Comb and Tension
• Both the wide and fine teeth of the comb are
regularly used when cutting hair.
• The wide teeth are used for combing and parting
hair, while the finer teeth comb the section
before cutting.
• Tension is the amount of pressure applied when
combing and holding a subsection.
Understand Proper Posture and Body Position
• Position the client.
– Sitting straight
– Legs not crossed
• Center your weight.
– Knees slightly bent, not locked
– Bend one knee to lean slightly
• Stand in front of section being cut.
Hand Positions for Different Cutting Angles
• Cutting over fingers
• Cutting below fingers
• Cutting palm-to-palm
Maintain Safety in Haircutting
• Palm shears.
• Do not cut past second knuckle.
• Take care around ears.
• Be careful when working with a razor.
Blunt haircut
• Also known as a
one-length haircut.
• Hair comes to a single
hanging level, forming
a weight line.
Photography by Tom Carson, Hair by Laura Donnelli for Vanis Salon and
Day Spa, Scheveville IN. Makeup by Amy Malone and Gretchen Wilson.
Cut Hair using Basic Haircutting Techniques
• Build up of weight.
• Caused by cutting the
hair with tension, low to
medium elevation, or
overdirection.
• The ends of the hair
appear to be stacked.
Photography by Tom Carson. Hair by Antonio Morosi, hair stylist for Above
and Beyond Salon, Vermillion, Ohio. Laura Hall, Color for Above and Beyond
Salon, Vermillion, Ohio. Makeup by Laura Hall.
Graduated Haircut
• The hair is cut at higher
elevations, usually
90 degrees.
• Layered haircuts
generally have less
weight than graduated
haircuts.
• In a layered haircut, the
ends appear farther
apart.
Photography by Tom Carson, Hair by Carmen
Cutrona for Carmen Carmen Salon e' Spa,
Charlotte, NC
Layered Haircut
• Gives more volume to hairstyles.
• Can be combined with other basic
haircuts.
• The resulting shape will have
shorter layers at the top and
increasingly longer layers toward
the perimeter.
Photography by Tom Carson
Long-Layered Haircut
General Haircutting Tips
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Partings
Lines and sections
Crown and neck area
Around the ears
Tension
Head position
Moisture
(continues)
General Haircutting Tips (continued)
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Guideline
Cross check
Use the mirror
Check both sided
Stand in front of your section
Curly hair
The Blunt Haircut Procedure
• Precision haircut
• Head position
• Elevation
• Tension
Other Blunt Haircuts
• A-line
• Longer blunt haircut
© iStockphoto/Chris Gramly
• Blunt haircut on curly hair
Graduated Haircut
© iSotckphoto/Nadeika
• Basic haircut that works with a side or middle part.
Graduated Haircut Procedure
• Versatile Haircut
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Stationary and traveling guide used
Hair Texture
Neck line
Tension
Uniform-Layered Haircut
© Stock Avalanche/Shutterstock.com
• Uniform layers
Uniform-Layered Haircut Procedure
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Interior traveling guideline
Shape
Length
Vertical sections reduce weight
Long-Layered Haircut
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Volume
Texture and density
Traveling or stationary guideline
Length
Long-Layered Haircut Procedure
• Length
• Length in top sections
Understand other Cutting Techniques
• Shrinks more than straight
hair
• Minimal tension
(wide-tooth comb)
• Naturally “graduates” itself
• Expands more than
straight hair
Photography by Tom Carson, Hair by Yellow Strawberry Global
Salon, Sarasota, FL.
Cutting Curly Hair
Cutting the Bangs
• The bang or fringe area includes the hair that lies
between the two front corners.
• Be sure the hair is either damp or completely dry.
• Do not use tension, allow for the natural lift of the
hair.
• The five basic types of fringe.
Asymmetric Bang (Fringe)
• Start by placing an offset triangular section of hair at
each corner of the eye.
• Take a 1/2-inch (1.25 centimeters) subsection at the
narrowest part of the offset triangle, elevate at 90
degrees, and cut 2–3 inches (5–7.5 centimeters) (or
longer) in length—this will become a stationary guide.
• Continue taking 1/2-inch (1.25 centimeters) subsections,
elevate to 90 degrees, and overdirect to the stationary
guide or, for thick hair, overdirect to the previously cut
section.
• Finish by blowdrying with a flat brush or comb. Using
your comb for precision and angle, cut to desired length.
© dinkat/Shutterstock.com
Side Swept Bang
© iStock.com/impulseglamour
Versatile Bang
© iStock.com/Ploter
Short Textured Bang
© Mayer George/Shutterstock.com
Square Bang
Razor Cutting
• Gives a softer appearance than a shear cut.
• The razor is a great option when working with
medium to fine hair textures.
• When working with a razor, the ends are cut at
an angle and the line is not blunt.
• This produces softer shapes with more visible
separation, or a feathered effect, on the ends.
• Guide above fingers.
Razor Cutting Tips
• Avoid using on coarse, wiry, or damaged hair.
• Always use a guard.
• Always use a new blade.
• Keep hair wet.
• Hold razor at an angle; never force.
Slide Cutting
• Used to cut or thin hair.
• Blends shorter hair to longer.
• Useful in texturizing.
• Only on wet hair.
Scissor-Over-Comb
• Hair held in place with comb.
• Shear tips remove length.
• Method used to create short tapers.
• Works best on dry hair.
• Lift hair with comb; comb acts as guide.
(continues)
Scissor-Over-Comb (continued)
• Do not hold hair between fingers.
• Shears and comb move up head together.
• Strive for continual motion.
Texturizing with Shears
• Point-cutting and notching
(continues)
Texturizing with Shears (continued)
• Free-hand notching
• Effilating or slithering
• Slicing
• Carving
• Carving the ends
Texturizing with the Razor
• Removing weight
• Free-hand slicing at midshaft
Texturizing with Thinning Shears and Razor
• Remove bulk or weight.
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Section as for haircut.
Comb subsection from head.
Cut 4 to 5 inches from scalp.
Stay farther from scalp for coarse hair.
• Remove weight from ends.
(continues)
Texturizing with Thinning Shears and Razor
(continued)
• Thinning shears-over-comb
• Other thinning shears techniques
• Free-hand slicing with razor
• Razor-over-comb
• Razor rotation
Photography by Tom Carson. Hair
by Vickie Poole. Makeup by Nico
for Elon Salon, Marietta, GA.
Photography by Tom Carson. Hair by Michelle Azouz for
Tangles Salon, Wichita Falls, TX.
© Valua Vitaly/Shutterstock.com
Basic Haircuts Enhanced with
Texturizing Techniques
• Diagonal forward blunt cut
• Graduated cut
• Uniform layered cut
Effectively Use Clippers and Trimmers
• Electric or battery-operated tools that cut the hair
by using two moving blades held in place by a
metal plate with teeth.
• Mainly used for cutting shorter haircuts and can
be used to create a taper.
Tools for Clipper Cutting
• Clippers
• Length guard attachments
• Haircutting shears
• Thinning shears
• Combs
Clipper-Over-Comb
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Stand in front of the section.
Comb placement.
Hold the comb stationary.
Stop to cut.
Clipper Cutting with Attachments
Using clipper guards
• Quick
• Easy
• Creative
Men’s Basic Clipper Cut
• In this cut, the hair is cropped close along the
bottom and sides and becomes longer as you
travel up the head.
Using Trimmers
• Using trimmers around the ears
• Using trimmers at the neckline
• Using tattoo trimmers
Trimming Facial Hair
• Using tool-over-comb method
• Cutting against comb
• Using length guard
• Brow and ear hair
Summary and Review
• A good haircut serves as the foundation for
numerous other services.
• The more familiar you become with basic
haircutting and shaping techniques and with
haircutting implements, the more solid that
foundation will be.
• If you understand the anatomy of the head,
elevations, angles, and degrees, you’ll be able
to deliver consistent haircutting results for clients
Summary and Review (continued)
• A client consultation allows you to understand
the client’s desires, needs, and lifestyle so you
can make appropriate choices and
recommendations for the client.
• The five characteristics of hair play an important
role in your ability to create a quality haircut.
• As with any service, proper disinfection
procedures for haircutting services are very
important
Chapter Review Questions
1. What are reference points and what is their
function?
2. What are lines, sections, elevations, and
guidelines?
3. What are important considerations to discuss
with a client during a haircutting consultation?
(continues)
Chapter Review Questions (continued)
4. What are a razor, haircutting shears, styling or
cutting comb, and texturizing shears used for?
5. Name three steps to ensuring good posture and
body position while cutting hair.
6. Name and describe four basic types of haircuts.
(continues)
Chapter Review Questions (continued)
7. What is another name for bangs? When should
you avoid cutting bangs? Name five basic
types of bangs.
8. Name and describe at least three different
texturizing techniques performed with shears.
(continues)
Chapter Review Questions (continued)
9. What is a clipper cut?
10. How is a trimmer used?