Understanding your clients’ hair texture and hair type is important to determine the tools and techniques to use when they’re sitting in the chair.
The first thing is to identify your client’s hair type. “The main thing that determines how I approach a haircut technique and the tools to use, depends on the density of the hair,” says Luca Jones,at Kitch. “Do I need to trick the eye with clever layers building up the weight to create width, or do I need to strengthen the ends by creating blunt edges, a mixture of both, or shatter the ends to reduce weight and add texture?”
Hence the vital importance of conducting a consultation to find out exactly what your client is after.
“Never think you can use the same technique on the same styles on every client; everyone’s hair lines are different, and the texture is different,” says Robert Kirby, Robert Kirby London. “Always check head shapes and ask if the hair will sit with too much graduation. When cutting bobs, everyone’s head shapes are different, people have one ear higher than the other which will change the direction you cut the hair. Take at least five minutes checking these things before you start and once you master these things, you will master your craft.”
“What we have to remember is that every client is unique, so every client we encounter is going to build our expertise, intuition, knowledge and understanding,” Maria Grazia of Maria Grazia, Bedford adds. “Which technique you use, whether it’s a sectioning technique, or a cutting technique, will depend largely on the suitability for the client, and also if it’s a realistic approach for when they style it themselves, maintenance, how often they have to return to the salon, and the investment.”
Over the years, there has been much debate over whether a dry cut or a wet cut is best. But what do the experts think? “I find working on short hair is best cutting on dry, clean hair, as you can see how the hair sits in its natural form,” says Robert. “Working using scissors-over-comb technique is best on dry hair.”
Yet Maria has always opted for cutting hair after it has been cleansed and treated, believing cutting on wet hair achieves the best results. “When you break haircuts down to its purest form, and techniques you learn along the way, all techniques begin life as a classic cut,” Maria says. “Precision hair cutting on wet hair is by far the best, especially for short and very short looks like a pixie cut. These styles need to be wet throughout the cutting process as it’s so close to the head and we are following the curvature of the head. Whilst the hair is wet, you can see how the hair moves naturally and properly assess the hair growth pattern as well as map out the technique you want to use.”
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