Milady Cosmetology Chapter 16

Scissor-Over-Comb

A barbering technique that has crossed over into cosmetology. You hold the hair in place with the comb while using the tips of the shears to remove length.

Graduated Haircut

A graduated shape or wedge. Most common elevation is 45°. There is a visual buildup of weight in a given area.

Slide Cutting

A method of cutting or thinning the hair in which the fingers and shears glide along the edge of the hair to remove length.

Guideline

A section of hair that determines the length the hair will be cut.

Trimmers

A smaller version of clippers. They are mainly used to remove excess or unwanted hair at the neckline and around the ears, and to create crisp outlines.

Poifnt Cutting

A technique performed on the ends of the hair using the tips, or points, of the shears. Can be done on wet or dry hair.

Slicing

A technique that removes bulk and adds movement through the lengths of the hair.

Line

A thin continuous mark used as a guide.

Bang Area

A triangular section that begins at the apex and ends at the front corners.

Carving

A version of slicing that creates a visual seperation in the hair. It works best on short hair.

Weight Line

A visual line in the haircut, where the ends of the hair hang together.

Blunt Haircut

All the hair comes to a single hanging level, forming a weight line.

Notching

Another version of point cutting. More aggressive and creates a chunkier effect. Is done toward the ends.

Diagonal Lines

Are between horizontal and vertical. They have a slanting or sloping direction. Used to create fullness in a haircut and to blend long layers into short layers.

Nape

At the back part of the neck and consists of the hair below the occipital Bone.

Hair Texture

Based on the thickness or diameter of each hair strand. Described as coarse, medium, and fine.

Crown

Between the apex and the back of the partial ridge. On many people, it is flat and the site of the cowlicks or whorls.

Top

By locating the parietal ridge, you can find the hair that grows on the top of the head. This hair lies on the head shape. Hair that grows below the parietal ridge, or crest, hangs because of gravity. You can locate this area by parting the hair at the parietal ridge, and continuing all the way around the head.

Back

By making a parting or drawing a line from the apex to the back of the ear, you can locate this area which consists of all the hair that falls naturally behind the ear.

Front

By making a parting, draw a line from the apex to the back of the ear, you can seperate the hair that naturally falls in front of the ear from the hair behind the ear.

Free-Hand Slicing

Can be used throughout the section or at the ends, and should be done on wet hair.

Removing weight

Can use the razor to thin out the ends of the hair.

Sectioning Clips

Come in a variety of shapes, styles, and sizes and can be made of plastic or metal.

Layers

Create movement and volume in the hair by releasing weight. Can be created with a traveling guide, a stationary guide, or both.

Stationary Guideline

Does not move. All sections are comes to this guideline and cut at the same angle and length. Are used in blunt haircuts, or in haircuts that use overdirection to create a length or weight increase.

Graduation

Elevation occurs when a section is lifted above 0 degrees.

Layered Haircut

Graduated effect achieved by cutting the hair with elevation or overdirection. It is cut at higher elevations, usually 90° and above. Generally have less weight than graduated haircuts.

Long-layered Haircut

Hair is cut at a 180-degree angle. Gives more volume to hairstyles and can be combined with other basic haircuts.

Taper

Hair that is cut very short and close to the hairline and that gradually gets longer as you move up the head.

Gives a softer appearance

How does a razor cut differ from cutting with shears?

1/2"-2+"

If hair is curly, how much will it shrink when dry?

Sides

Includes all hair from the back of the ear forward, below the parietal ridge.

Interior

Inner or internal line of the cut.

Center Your Weight

Keep your body weight centered and firm. Keep your knees slightly bent rather than locked. Instead of bending at the waist, try bending one knee of you need to lean slightly one way or the other. When sitting, keep both feet on the floor.

Barber Comb

Mainly used for close taper on the nape and sides when using scissor-over-comb technique.

Haircutting Shears

Mainly used to cut blunt or straight lines in hair. May also be used to slide cut, or to implement other texturing techniques.

Wide-tooth Comb

Mainly used to detangle hair. Is rarely used when performing a haircut.

Texturizing Shears

Mainly used to remove bulk from the hair. They are sometimes referred to as thinning shears, tapering shears, or notching shears.

Tail Comb

Mainly used to section and subsection the hair.

Position the Client

Make sure your client is sitting up straight and that her legs are not crossed. Move the client by turning the chair or raising/lowering of the chair, whichever gives you the option of keeping your body in the same place, or by angling the client's chair so you can see what you are doing on the mirror.

Four corners

May be located in two ways. 1.) Placing two combs flat against the side and back, and then locating the back corner at the point where the two combs meet. 2.) Make two diagonal lines crossing the apex of the head, which then point directly to the front and back corners.

Traveling Guideline

Moves as the haircut progresses. Used when creating layered or graduated haircuts. The guideline travels with you as you work through the haircut.

Cross-Checking

Parting the haircut in the opposite way that you cut it to check for precision of line and shape.

Reference Points

Points on the head that mark where the surface of the head changes or the behavior of the hair changes, such as ears, jawline, occipital Bone, apex, and so on; used to establish design lines that are proportionate.

Subsections

Sections divided into smaller partings.

Work in Front of Your Section

Stand or sit directly in front of the area you are cutting. By doing this, you keep your body weight centered.

Beveling

Techniques using diagonal lines to create angles by cutting the ends of the hair with a slight increase our decrease in length. Angles are more important elements in creating a strong foundation and consistency in haircutting because this is how shapes are created.

Tension

The amount of pressure applied when combing and holding a subsection. Created by stretching and pulling the subsection.

Cutting Line

The angle at which the fingers are held when cutting the line that creates the end shape.

Elevation

The angle or degree at which a subsection of hair is held, or elevated, from the head when cutting.

Overdirection

The best understood by comparing it to elevation. Occurs when you comb the hair away from its natural falling position, rather than straight out from the head. Mostly used in graduated and layered haircuts, and where you want to create a length increase in the design.

Occipital Bone

The bone that protrudes at the base of the skull. To find, simply feel the back of the skull or place a comb flat against the nape and find where the comb leaves the head.

Growth Pattern

The direction in which the hair grows from the scalp.

Sections

The hair is parted into uniform working areas.

Hairline

The hair that grows at the outermost perimeter along the face, around the ears, and on the neck.

Apex

The highest point on the top of the head. Located by placing a comb flat on the top of the head. The comb will rest on the highest point.

Part / Parting

The line dividing the hair at the scalp, seperating one section of hair from another, creating subsections.

Hair Density

The number of individual hair strands on 1 square inch of the scalp. Described as thin, medium, or thick.

Perimeter

The outer line.

Texturizing

The process of removing excess bulk without shortening the length. Can be used to add or remove volume. Can be done with cutting shears, thinning shears, or a razor.

Slithering

The process of thinning the hair to graduated lengths with shears. Reduces volume and creates movement.

Angle

The space between two lines or surfaces that intersect at a given point.

Parietal Ridge

The widest area of the head, starting at the temples and ending at the bottom of the crown. Found by placing a comb flat on the side of the head, it is where the head starts to curve away from the comb.

Horizontal Lines

These are parallel to the horizon or the floor. Direct the eye from one side to the other. These lines build weight and are used to create one-length amd low-elevation haircuts and to add weight.

Head Form

Understanding of the shape of the head.

Styling or Cutting Comb

Used for most haircutting procedures. It can be 6-8 inches long and has fine teeth at one end and wider teeth at the other.

Cutting Over Your Fingers

Used most often when cutting uniform or increasing layers.

Cutting Below the Fingers

Used most when cutting a blunt haircut or a heavier graduated haircut.

Cutting palm-to-palm

Used most when cutting with a vertical or diagonal cutting line. Helps maintain control of the subsection.

Razors

Used when a softer effects on the ends of the hair is desired.

Clippers

Used when creating short haircuts, short tapers, fades, and flat tops.

Free-Hand Notching

Uses the tips of the shears. Do not slide the shears, but simply snip out pieces of hair at random intervals.

Vertical Lines

Usually describe in terms of up and down and are perpendicular to the floor; they are the opposite of horizontal. Remove weight to create graduated or layered haircuts and are used with higher elevation.

Top, front, sides, crown, nape, back, bang area

What are the areas of the head?

45° and 90°

What are the most commonly used elevations in haircutting?

You are removing weight, or layering the hair.

What happens when the hair is elevated above 90°?

You are building weight

What happens when the hair is elevated below 90°?

Blending weight lines on fine textured hair, and on thick coarse textured hair that is cut very short.

What is scissor-over-comb most useful for?

Position of the client, center your weight, work in front of your section

What is the next body position to help you move more efficiently and maintain more control over the process?

Soften weight lines and causes the area to lie closer to the head.

What is using razor-over-comb best for?

1/4"-1/2"

When hair is wet, how much longer should you cut it than the desired length?

Distribution

Where and how hair is moved over the head, when locating the bang area.

Thinning hair and blending

Why were thinning shears originally created?