5 Ways to Cut Hair

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Cutting your hair can be an exercise in creativity, a method of saving some money or the cause of a horrible hairstyle that lasts for days. Here are some tips, based on professional training, to help you get started.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Prepare the Hair

Step 1. Wash your hair

Just as a painter starts with a blank canvas, you must start with clean hair. Dirty or product-rich hair will not allow you to truly evaluate the final result once the cut is complete.

Use a shampoo and conditioner made for your specific hair type. There are products for all needs - dyed, dry, damaged, fine and low volume hair - so choose the one that best suits the hair you are about to cut.
If your hair has a tendency to develop knots, use a conditioner or spray that can dissolve it. So your comb won't be stopped by knots when you throw it through your hair.

Step 2. Keep your hair wet if you cut it with scissors or a razor

You can better judge the natural fold of the hair when it is wet. Plus, it's easier to follow the cutting guidelines on wet hair, and your cut will be more precise.

Keep in mind that this is only good with straight hair. Cutting curly or wavy hair properly when wet can be difficult, as the water will temporarily make it flat and straight. Not seeing the natural course of the hair you could accidentally cut it in the wrong place; you would then end up with uneven hair, perhaps cutting some curls in half and others completely).
Wet hair sticks, which causes it to stay in place as you cut it.
Keep a spray bottle with water on hand so that you can get your hair wet if it starts to dry as you cut it.

Step 3. Work on dry hair under specific circumstances

Make sure your hair is dry if you are going to use a hair blower and if you want to carefully thin your hair to make sure you don't reduce its volume.

Do a dry cut if you are simply looking to remove split ends; they are easier to see on dry hair.
If you're short on time, a dry cut will save you washing and drying time.

Part 2 of 5: Choosing the Hairstyle

Step 1. Choose a hairstyle

Whether you are cutting your own hair or someone else's, you must first choose your cut and hairstyle. Ask the person what kind of cut they want, how long their hair should be, and if there is a style they can refer to.

Step 2. Determine the shape of the face

A hairstyle should match the person's face shape and complement their features.

Oval. An oval face shape can be combined with any hairstyle.
Roundabout. Choose a layered hairstyle that provides volume and height and thinning hair below the cheekbones to lengthen the look of the face and give the impression of a thinner chin line.
Heart shape. Choose a style that offers more volume in the lower part of the face and less volume on the forehead.
Square. You will need to soften your facial features, so choose fringes and wavy hairstyles to create this effect. It is best to avoid straight lines, straight bangs and straight hair for this face type.
Oblong. Consider a fringe, especially a layered fringe to create the illusion of a shorter forehead.
Diamond. Choose a layered cut. Avoid bangs unless you want them slightly to the side.

Step 3. Get detailed instructions for the type of cut you have decided to perform

You can't go "off the cuff" when it comes to creating a hairstyle. There are tons of sources you can consult to get step-by-step directions for creating the style you want.

Watch videos on the internet. Check YouTube and hair websites for videos showing the steps required to create the hairstyle of your choice. Make sure the person doing the demonstration is an experienced hairdresser.
Browse hairdressing magazines. Some magazines offer tutorials with photos that will show you how to make the cut.
Check out the sites that belong to the hair product companies. Companies that make and are hair products often have guides on their sites.

Step 4. Familiarize yourself with the terminology

You will need to understand some of the technical terms used by hairdressers when talking about haircuts so that you can follow directions more easily.

Angle indicates the position of the scissors at the moment of cutting; you can hold them vertically, horizontally or at 45 °.
Elevation refers to the direction in which the hair is pointed when you hold it to cut it. When the tips are pointing to the ground, the hair is considered to be at zero elevation. If they point to one side and are parallel to the floor, they are at 90 degrees. If they are held so that they point towards the ceiling, they are 180 degrees.
Thinning is a technique used to create wispy hair or to remove volume and thin the hair.
Layering means creating different lengths of hair through a pre-established cut. The longer layer gives the illusion of length and the shorter layers create volume.
Scaling is a cut style in which the hair is cut progressively shorter towards the back of the head to create a curvilinear shape.

Part 3 of 5: Making the Cut

Step 1. Divide the hair into sections

Cosmetic courses teach a standard sectioning technique known as seven-section division. Divide the skin into seven sections: upper, right side, left side, right crown, left crown, right nape, left nape. Leave a 1.5 cm hair band around the perimeter of the hairline.

Start by creating a clear parting line from the point behind the ears on one side to the one on the other side. Then, create parting lines on each side of the head along the parietal bones to isolate the hair on top of the head.
Comb your hair towards the center of the section above your head and tie it with a knot and butterfly clip to secure it. Do the same on the right and left sides of the head.
Now, create a parting line along the center of the nape. Isolate the right and left crown sections by dividing the hair with a line from behind the ears to the center line you just created.
- These horizontal partings should meet to form a straight horizontal line along the nape of the neck.
- Comb through these sections and insure them like the previous ones.
The two remaining sections - right and left nape - can be easily secured in two different knots.
After the sections are secured, return to the head, section by section, and leave a 1.5cm strip free along the hairline. Then proceed to insure the sections again.

Step 2. Follow the styling instructions

In some cases, you will work from back to front; in others you will start from the front; in still others you will start at the hairline and work from there. Each hairstyle is different and requires a different process.

Step 3. Go slowly

Remember that a typical hair salon appointment can last anywhere from half an hour to an hour and a half. You are not a professional hairdresser, so it will take you longer to complete the cut. Do not rush. A wrong hairstyle may require a professional's hand to correct, and only time can correct a cut that is too short.

Step 4. Cross-check your cut

Take sections of hair from symmetrical points of the head and bring them to a central point. They should be of equal length. If not, your cut is uneven, and needs to be corrected.

Part 4 of 5: Texturing

Step 1. Understand the purpose of texturing

Texturing means thinning the hair to remove excess volume. Texturizing scissors, regular scissors and razors are all tools used for cutting hair.

Step 2. Use the point cut

The point cut is typically used for long to medium length hairstyles, to soften the harshness of the cut, to add texture and interest, or to reduce volume. It is a technique also used to texturize curly hair.

Comb and lift a thin section of hair; you should hold the hair between your fingers and perpendicular to the skin.
Point the scissors towards the skin and cut inwards at an acute angle to create the "tips" and a textured edge.
The width and depth of your tips will determine whether the effect is subtle or fuller.
The deep, parallel stitch cut uses the length of the blade to reduce weight, creating a "layered" look without actually creating the layers.

Step 3. Learn to carve

Carving serves the same purpose as point cutting; the difference is that it is used on shorter, smoother hairstyles to create a wild or spiky look.

Step 4. Try freehand carving

To use this technique, take the scissors and randomly cut parts of the hair to remove bulk and volume. The freehand one is done higher up the hair than the notch, which focuses on the tips.

Step 5. Use swipes

This is a good technique if you want to remove bulk from the ends of long hair.

Keep the hair perpendicular to the skin and keep the scissors slightly open.
Slide the scissors along the hair away from the scalp.

Step 6. Use slicing

Slicing adds movement and texture while reducing the weight of the hair. This technique is done when the cut is complete and can be done on dry or wet hair.

Keep the scissors open and slide them along your hair, slowly opening and closing the blades as you go.
The more you open and close the scissors, the more hair you will be able to remove.

Warning: Be careful not to close the blades completely or you will cut an entire strand of hair

Step 7. Try the scissors-on-comb technique

This technique is often used for men's hairstyles. It allows you to cut close to the head and achieve a softer look than if you had used a hair blower.

Starting at the hairline, lift a section of hair with the comb.
With the lower blade of the scissors parallel to the comb, cut the hair that protrudes from it.
Keep the scissors blades moving; stopping halfway through the cut will leave small marks.
Do most of the cut with the center of the blades rather than the tips, which can result in inaccurate and uneven cuts.
After cutting the first section, lift some of the cut hair along with the next section of hair to guide you. Don't cut the hair from the previous section - it's just to guide you. Continue by cutting all your hair using this technique.

Step 8. Cut with a razor

A razor can be used to remove bulk. In some cases, razors are used in place of scissors to complete a cut.

Part the hair vertically along the center of the head and horizontally again about the middle of the nape. Collect the two upper halves and leave the lower one free; this is your starting point.
Use a fine-toothed comb to lift the hair to an angle of approximately 45 ° and slide the razor (also held at a 45 ° angle) in short strokes from the root of the hair to the tips.
Continue to use the razor all over the nape of the neck and then on the sides. If your hair is short, you can razor some of it over your head as well, as long as it's covered with other unshaven hair.
Do not use the razor on thin, wavy or curly hair; you will end up creating frizzy, unkempt or falling hair.

Part 5 of 5: Finishing Touches

Step 1. Sweep the floor

Before you start drying your hair, it's a good idea to brush away any that has fallen on the floor.

Step 2. Dry your hair

You cannot see the true look of a cut until the hair has been dried and styled. When the hair is dry, you will be able to see and cut any uneven ends or shorten the length of the fringes or the entire cut.

If possible let the hair dry naturally by 70-80%.
Set the hair dryer to the coldest temperature by holding it about 6 inches from the hair and moving it continuously.
Despite blow-drying's bad reputation, one study found that using a hair dryer at the right distance and temperature can actually cause less damage than letting your hair air dry. Water causes hair to swell. The longer the hair stays wet and swollen, the greater the pressure exerted on the delicate proteins that keep it intact, and this can lead to damage.

Step 3. Make the final cuts

Check the length of the hair again and fix the parts that are uneven. It is also the time to cut too long bangs or to remove some volume from the parts that are too full.