Learning the Fundamentals of Haircutting at Cosmetology School
Hairdressing is one of the most in-demand cosmetology services and takes up a large portion of time at cosmetology school. While it isn't as permanent as tattooing, an uneven cut or one that doesn't suit your customer's face can make a big impact on his or her quality of life. It is crucial to absorb the fundamentals of haircutting during your time at a hair academy. There are several key elements involved.
You must tailor your haircutting techniques to your clients' hair types, bone structure, and hair growth patterns. Cosmetology school courses in haircutting instruct students how to:
- Section and distribute hair relative to the skull's bone structure
- Section and distribute hair relative to its growth patterns
- Properly use tapering scissors, shaping scissors, razors, and electric clippers
- Customize basic cutting patterns and styles according to each customer's hair type
Key Haircutting Lesson: The Seven-Section Part
Cutting your clients hair in a controlled way is much easier when know how to use the seven-section part. One of the basic lessons at hair academy, this procedure involves sectioning the hair into seven distinct areas before starting the cutting process. There are three sections across the front of the head (excluding the fringe or bangs), two sections across the crown, and two sections across the nape. The back sections exclude the bottom border of hair along the nape of the neck, in order to help keep the sections manageable.
Characteristics of Different Haircuts
A haircut can be characterized according to four different features that define it and make it unique. Each cut has its own form, line, structure, and texture.
Courses that focus on haircuts and styles in beauty school teach you that:
- Form is a function of the length, width, and depth of the haircut. It represents the outer edges of each of these measurements.
- Line is not a single characteristic of the hairstyle, but many. Lines can be straight or curved, may differ from one side of the head to the other, and may come together to form angles. Different styles of lines create different feelings and looks in a hairstyle. Think of bold, straight lines compared to soft, indistinct lines. The major lines in a haircut include the back of the head, the fringe or bangs, the part to the ear, and others depending on the complexity of the style.
- Structure, also known as layering, describes the way the lengths are arranged across different curves of the head.
- Texture is determined by your client's individual hair type, and by the micro-structure of the cut.
Most people would agree that excellent haircutting is an art form. As a hairdresser or barber, it is vital to know the intricacies involved in giving a truly complimentary cut.
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