HAIR CUTTING

This the process of cutting tapering texturizing and thinning using any hair cutting tool in order to create
shape
It is very irritating for a client to leave the salon covered with pieces of hair
So gown up properly wet hairs are difficult to remove from the skin but by the use of talcum powder and
a neck brush makes their removal easier

REASONS FOR CUTTING HAIR

1. To enhance the shape
2. To make hair manageable
3. To design a new shape
4. To remove damaged hair
5. For fashion statement

ADVANTAGE OF CUTTING HAIR DRY

1. Hair is not as elastic as when wet
2. You can see the split ends clearly
3. It is easier to use electric clippers
4. The client may not have enough money for wet cut
5. Less hair is removed when thinning hair with special thinning hair

ADVANTAGE OF CUTTING HAIR WET

1. Hair is clean and not tangled
2. You can see natural fall clearly
3. Precision cutting is always done on wet hair because the guideline can be seen clearly
4. Most varied cutting techniques e.g. razor can be used on wet hair

Hair thickness and waviness

Very thin or fine hair can be difficult to cut because unless you are careful steps can appear. On the other
hand so coarse and wiry hair will need sharp tools to cut it easily

Cutting tools
All cutting tools must be
-Sharp -clean
-sterile and in good condition
You should never keep them in pocket or leave them around out of their casas
1. Scissors[shears]
Good quality scissors are made of well tampered or combat steel and available in various sizes
i.e. from 10-18 cm
-long scissors are useful for cutting afro Caribbean hair and barbering
 Looking after your scissors
i. Never use them for cutting anything other than hair
ii. Keep blades clean by wiping them with cotton wool and surgical spirit
iii. Lightly oil the blades and pivot screws
iv. Try not to drop your scissor
v. Keep scissors in their protective case
vi. If your scissors needs mending or sharpening always send them to a professional hairdressing
scissor company

Holding your scissors

You can always spot a professional hairdresser by the way they pick up and hold a pair of scissors. Hold
your scissor using thumb and third finger. This helps achieve maximum control during cutting
Holding comb and scissors in one hand during cutting is known as palming
 2. RAZORS
There are two main types of razor
a) An open or cut throat razor
An open razor may be used to shorten the hair and to remove thickness. They are commonly used to
create a clean hair cut around the haircut
It is important to hold razor safely so that it does not close up on your hands during cutting
b) Shapers or safety razors
These razors have a guard over the blade so that only part of the hair is cut
They produce feathered uneven effect. They are easier to use than open razors
NB.both razors are used on wet hair because razoring on dry hair is painful. Razor must be kept sharp or
they will tare the hair

3. CLIPPERS
Electric clippers are now commonly used for both men and women hair to give the same effect as the
scissor over comb techniques
Detachable clipper head are available so that the closeness of the cut can be altered. The larger the
number the longer the length and the smaller the number the shorter the length
COMBS
Cutting combs are normally used during cutting but barbers comb can be used if you need to cut the
hairline short

HEADFORM
Skull anatomy
This is the head shape that help to create consistence and successful results in hair cutting guiding you on
how you decide the results
Reference point
They are points on the head that mark where the surface of the head change or the behavior of the hair
change e.g. eyes, jawline, occipital bone
Ways in which the head starts
1. Parietal ridge-it is the widest and also refer to as the crest area. They are 2 in number and are
located on the sides of the cranium. They form the sides and the top of the head [crown]
2. Occipital bone-protrudes at the base of the skull. I.e. located at the back of the cranium. Through
this passes the spinal cord nerves and the blood vessels
3. Apex-this is the highest point on top of the head i.e. by placing the comb flat on head it will rest
on the highest point
4. Frontal – at the forehead forms the forehead and the upper walls of the eye sockets
5. Temporal –located at the sides of the head
6. Ethmoind located between the eye socket forms the part of the nasal cavity
7. Sphenoid-it is located at the base of the cranium back of the eye socket –it is a bat shaped bone
which joins together all the bones of the cranium

NB.a man’s occipital bone tend to be flatter than a woman’s occipital bone
CUTTING TECHNIQUES USING SCISSORS
1. Club cutting
This is common and often called precision cutting or blunt cutting. The subsection of hair must be
cleanly combed through held at 90 degrees then even tension applied before cutting. It may be
done on wet or dry hair
2. Taper cutting
Taper, slither or feather cutting will reduce both length and thickness of the hair. The hair is cut
underneath the fingers
Tapering is a sliding slithering backward and forward movement along subsection of hair, close
the scissor blades as you move towards the roots.
3. Pointing and texturizing
Pointing and texturing can be used to to achieve feathered effects and to soften hard lines created
by club cutting. Take subsections of hair and insert the scissors over the fingers to chip out small
pieces at the ends of the hair.
When larger pieces are taken at the ends of the hair it’s called texturing.
4. Scissor over comb
This technique is used to give the same effect as clipper over comb. It is done with the hair
around the nape and side when you want them short.
With a cutting comb pick up the hair, keeping the scissor pallarel to the comb, lift the hair so that
it sticks through the cut it off.
5. Thinning hair with thinning scissors.
These scissors remove only thickness or bulk from the hair and not the length
They are also known as;
i. Aesculaps
ii. Serrated
iii. Texturizing scissors
Use thinning scissors only on dry hair. When wet you may thin too much.
Do not thin hair;
i. Around the hairline
ii. At the crown area
iii. Too close to the scalp
iv. Along any partings.
This is because spiky ends will occur.
Thinning scissors are of two types;
1) Those with notched teeth on both cutting edge__ they remove maximum bulk from the hair
2) Those with notched teeth on the cutting edge of one blade only__ they remove minimum bulk
and weight on the hair
Cutting tools and techniques
Technique Tools Cut wet/ dry Effects
Club cutting Scissor Wet/ dry Removes length
Clipper Dry Hair curls less
Ends of hair look
thicker
Taper cutting Scissor Dry Removes length
Razor Wet Removes thickness.
Pointing and Scissors Wet or dry Hair curls more
texturizing Razor Removes thickness
Creates spiky textured
effects
Used to remove steps
on hair cut
Scissor/ clipper Scissors Dry Removes length
Over comb Clippers Dry Used for short
graduated hair cut
Thinning Thinning sheers Dry Removes thickness/
Razor Wet bulkiness from hair.

Points to remember during cutting

1. Be sure that the style will suit the client, but also make sure you are discussing the hairstyle with
the client
2. Check natural growth pattern and don’t work against it for the client to be able to manage the
style.
3. Use sectioning clips to hold the hair so that you can work cleanly and neatly.
4. Keep your cutting sections short and narrow so that you can always see your guideline.
5. Always keep water spray close to dampen the hair if it starts to feel dry
6. With short graduations, hand mirrors are useful to check underneath the hairline
7. Check your clients head position level (they should not cross their legs)
8. Use parts of the face (nose & eyes), to check if the lengths are equal.
9. Ask the client throughout the cutting whether the length is correct.

Cutting tight afro hair

Wet curly hair will spring back and become much shorter than expected, which is why it’s better to cut it
dry.

Afro hair that has been permed or straightened need some techniques as straight or wavy. However,
naturally tight curly afro hair needs different consideration

1. Always cut it dry after shampooing and drying it naturally

2. Use wide toothed comb to lift it up and remove tangles
3. Spray the hair lightly with instant oil moisturizing spray to make it easy to comb.
4. Use freehand cutting and allow the hair to fall freely then cut
5. Keep lifting the hair with afro comb to check the balance of style
Natural movement and hair growth pattern
Growth pattern Where found How to deal with it
Window’s peak Prominent point found at the Hair works best when styled
front hairline backwards
Fringes are kept long to avoid
spiking
Double crown Circular movements forward on Found on wavier hair, leave hair
the crown longer in these areas to avoid
spiking
Nape whirl Found in the nape, strong The hair needs to be left slightly
circular movements on either longer, so it will remain flat.
sides of the head Or cut hair very close to scalp to
avoid spiking
Cow lick Strong movement in the front Cut hair in the direction in
hairline, directing the hair the which it naturally falls. Leave
left. weight on fringes to avoid
Found in straight and wavy hair spiking and make the hair lie
flatter.

Cutting angles and lines for different styles

There are only 3 style plans from which all other styles can be achieved;

1. The one length cut

2. The layered cut
3. The graduation (long/ short)

One length cut

The hair is cut to fall at the same outside length. Hair often look looks thicker when cut in this style

The guidelines are taken horizontally or diagonally starting at the hairline. Each section is taken parallel
to the cutting line.

Always cut one length, cut from the natural fall. To check that the cut is even.

Ask the client to slowly move their head from side to side and backward and forward.

Any unevenness long ends will be clearly visible.

The layered cut

In a basic layered cut, all the hair sections are of the same length.

The outline shape is cut first and then the inner shape is cut by holding up at 90 degrees

To check that the cut is even, comb the layers in the opposite direction to the way in which you have cut
them.

They must be perfectly even with no long ends.

The graduation
A short graduation cut
In this cut, the inner layer of the hair lengths are longer than the outline shape. It is cut using a
combination of a one length and scissor or clipper over comb

Procedure for graduated cut

1. Drape, consult, analyses then shampoo and condition the hair

2. Divide hair into 4 or 5 section. Sub divide the hair at the nape area
3. Cut the guideline close to the neck at 0degre angle
4. Take 3 subdivisions of hair down until the solid line is formed in the nape area
5. Blend the hair in the nape area by layering at 90 degree angle
6. Take horizontal sub sections of hair and create the internal guideline by cutting the hair at 45
degree, do not lift the hair higher that the ears when graduating at this angle
7. Make sure that the hair is combed from roots to ends to ensure that hair is cut evenly
When the back of hair is completely cut, proceed to the sides
8. Establish the side guideline and blend to the back guideline. Once a solid line has been
developed start lifting the hair using the same technique.
9. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the head
10. Cross check the cut

A long graduation cut

This is a long layer cut in which the inner layers of the hair length are shorter than the outline shape. The
longer layers have to be over directed to match the shorter layers and the blend together

Achieving fashion look

Once you have mastered the basic cutting methods and techniques. You should be able to produce any
of the latest fashion

=A guideline or baseline is the cut section of hair that is used as a cutting guide for the next section

Sometimes there is more than one guideline i.e. with a short graduation

=stationary guideline

It does not change. All sections are combed to the guideline and cut at the same length and angle

=traveling guideline

Also known as movable guideline –moves / changes as the haircut progresses

Cutting terminology
Analysis- stylist looks at the natural growth pattern and hair movements and decides on technique to
use

Asymmetric – one side of hair is cut longer than the other

Blending – technique that describes the continuation or blending of one section of the hair cut into
another

Channel cutting- working in lines throughout the hair cut

Consultation – discussion between the client and the stylist on look to be achieved manageability and
aftercare.

Crown – top middle section of the head

External shape – the perimeter of the hair cut

Fashion cutting – using combination of cutting techniques to create fashion look

Free hand cutting – cutting the hair without tension-not holding the hair during cutting

Guideline – first section of hair cut to establish length and shape to be achieved

Hairline – hair growth forming the outside of the head nearest to the face and neck

Horse shoe section – the hair sectioned from the crown to the front hairline in a horse shape

Internal guideline – 1st section of hair cut to determine the internal shape

Mesh – subdivision or smaller pieces of hair taken from the main section

Occipital bone – bones that sits between each ear sometimes identified by a prominent bump

Sculpture cut – cut following the contours of the head

Symmetric – both section of hair cut are the same length

Tension – the amount of stretch placed on the hair during cutting

Weight – Length and bulk of the hair