If you’re looking to sharpen up your hair-cutting technique, we have teamed up with Leaf Scissors to learn more about their master-cutting techniques and signature styling tools.
The brand’s mission is to produce and source the highest quality hairdressing tools whilst pushing its sustainability goals. For example, Leaf uses 100% recyclable packaging and has collaborated with the Eden Reforestation Project.
Our mission is to plant 1 Million trees by 2025. So far, we have planted over 70,000 trees and have provided over 7000 hairdressers around the globe with high-quality Japanese steel scissors and tools.
Leaf Scissors
How To Master Hair Cutting Techniques
Learning to cut hair is a continuous process – there are always new methods to try. But understanding the fundamentals is key to progressing onto expert techniques.
Here are all the steps you should follow to create flawless haircuts…
Understanding Shape and Form When Cutting Hair
As hairstylists, your geometry lessons from school are extremely useful when learning to cut hair. Geometric shapes such as squares, triangles and circles should all be used when creating a cut. Typically one haircut is made up of a variety of smaller shapes, but they all come together to form one primary shape. By learning to cut using geometric shapes, your haircuts will have a strong outline and a flawless, defined shape.
How to Part Hair for Cutting
It is also important to part the hair when cutting as it is one of the biggest factors that change the shape of the haircut. It also allows you to be thorough and precise when creating a haircut. There are many different patterns of partings, but the method you use depends on the haircut you are trying to achieve and how you want the hair to move.
In general, to get a clean section every time, take a fine-toothed or parting comb. Take both forefingers and place them on the tip of the tooth, placing your palm on the hair. Glide the comb, putting pressure on the tip through the hair. You will then have a perfect, clean section to work with.
Distribution in Hair Cutting
You have your sections, but now you need to think about how you comb the hair in relation to the sections you have created. This is what we call distribution. You must consider the following when using distribution:
- The weight distribution of the haircut.
- Whether the line will be cut strong or soft.
- Whether the cut will move in the desired direction.
Elevation in Hair Cutting
The elevation is how you lift the hair away from the head before making a cut. Elevation changes the silhouette of the haircut by removing more or less weight from the perimeter of the cut. It is usually referred to in angles, such as 45° or 95°.
What Are The Different Cutting Techniques?
Now that you have prepared the hair for the cut, you can get your scissors ready. But there are many different techniques to consider, and again, each will have a huge impact on the final result of your creation.
Blunt Hair Cutting Technique
This technique adds definition to the hair by creating a solid, sharp line. It is great for thicker hair as it adds focus to the fullness of the hair.
Make sure your sections are thin, as thick sections will cause a lack of definition. Get your client to tilt their head forwards and comb the hair downwards. Holding the comb just above where you want the length to sit, take your scissors parallel to the comb and cut a straight line.
Point Cutting Hair Technique
Point cutting softens the line of the cut, so you can avoid the harsh lines which we created with the blunt cutting technique. It is a very simple technique: cut a straight, dominant line. Hold the hair between your fingers, and point your scissors towards the head. Cut along the dominant line without changing the position of the scissors.
Razor Cutting Hair Technique
Razors are a fantastic tool that should be used more often – they allow you to seamlessly remove weight and length from the hair much more quickly than normal scissors. As always, ensure the hair is parted and sectioned.
Working on the perimeters of the hair, hold the hair in front of the second knuckle, place the blade against the hair and lightly glide it over. Our Black Edition Feather Scissors razor is lightweight and comfortable in your hand, allowing you to create the perfect looks easily.
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Slicing Hair Cutting Technique
This technique requires you to slice the hair naturally to fall to create texture and encourage direction, much like the razor-cutting technique. The more pressure you use with slicing, the more weight you will remove. It is also important to do it on wet hair.
All you have to do is point your scissors downwards, away from the scalp, and slide them down the lengths of the hair. The more times you repeat this, the more weight you will remove.
Keen to learn more? Download Leaf Scissors’ PDF, which includes even more cutting tips and techniques that you can learn.
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“So in every single direction, you think of, it has a positive impact on your cutting and the environment.”
Charlie Gray Founder, Hair in motion Education
You may also enjoy Everything you need to know about Leaf Scissors.
Discover Leaf Scissors FREE ambassador tutorials
Head over to the Leaf Academy and use the discount code: LEARN, and you will get four tutorials worth £40 absolutely FREE.
The courses include achieving the perfect curly razor cuts, men’s creative razor cuts, the commercial mullet haircut and the modern shag.
“If you are looking to upgrade or even buy your first pair of scissors you won’t be disappointed with these”Ky Wilson, Founder, The Social.
Leaf Scissors have exceeded its target of planting over 100,000 trees this year! Thanks to their planting partners, Eden Projects, and to all their customers.
Leaf Scissors aim to plant 1 million trees by January 2025!
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