Considering Color? Consider This...

As a tool to the hairstylist, color is an asset not only in changing someone's look, and even influencing their total appearance. Another thing that makes color such an asset to the stylist is on the financial end. Color for just one client brings a steady flow of income into the salon. And to stylists, selling color (or treatments) can be somewhat like selling cars. Managers and stylists with leadership roles in the salon will notice an up-and-comer if they can sell these things. This being said, its not a competition, as to who can sell more per say, however, more income for the salon means more money in everyone's pockets.

If you are considering having your hair colored in any way, I suggest you read this article has to say beforehand, so that you at least know what you're getting yourself into.

The 3 C's Principle: Color Comes at a Cost

        Color isn't cheap. In fact, it's pretty expensive if you do the math. At a decent salon, partial highlights can cost $85! At very upscale salons that I have worked at in the past, partial highlights have cost even more than that! One should also remember that even though many haircuts grow out well, color does not follow the same trend. This means you'll likely be taking a trip to the salon for a color touch up once per month. Over the course of a year, that adds up to... hold your breath for this one... over $1,000. To me (as I personally have no color in my hair), that is an outrageous amount of money to be spending on one's hair.

Turning Back Isn't Easy....

       So let's pretend for a moment. Let's say that during a recent trip to the salon, at your stylists prodding, you have decided you wanted to color partially highlight your hair, or even color your hair fully. In about four weeks, you'll begin to see a substantial bit of regrowth at the roots (which of course does not match the color of your highlights/new haircolor). You will then (presumably) go to the salon and have your color touched up, as if you didn't, your hair would look fairly awful. This process then repeats itself for sometime. Then one day, before your next touch-up, you notice that the color of your highlights has changed a bit from the color that they were just after your last touch up. During your next touch up, you ask the stylist about this. She/he responds "Well, that's actually fairly normal, as the color does tend to yellow a bit over time." You've now come to the realization that all the money that you have been spending on in-salon haircolor has really only bought you a nice looking head of hair for about a week after you leave the salon, leaving the other 3+ weeks to yellowing color and regrowth. So now you've had enough of this money pit you say? Well you have a few options at this point. You can: wait untill there is quite a bit of regrowth (2-3 inches worth) then cut your hair short, wait untill regrowth eventually overcomes the current haircolor (takes time, several months chin length hair), or dye your hair back to it's natural color.  The third option seems like the best out of the three, however that does not necessarily make it a good one. IF YOU ARE VERY LUCKY: your stylist will be able to dye your hair back to natural base on the first try (this costs money). IF YOU ARE VERY UNLUCKY: it will take multiple attempts, quite possibly multiple salons, a lot of dissatisfaction, and wait for it... tons more money, to once again achieve natural base color.

In Review:

1. Haircolor is a money pit.
2. Haircolor requires extensive upkeep, maintenance, and investment.
3. Once you have haircolor and are in the money pit, you will find that such a money pit has very high walls and is extremely hard to get out of.

Repertoiore Cuts: Sleek Long Layer

In this article, you will learn how to cut a long layered haircut with a sleek finish. The long layered cut is a must-know cut for the developing repertoire of any fledgeling stylist. This specific example of this haircut rests on the shoulders. Mastery of this cut and its basic concepts is just one of the many steps in mastering the use and manipulation of layers, which exponentially increases the versatility of a haircut while also making it much more personalized to the client.

Concepts you will learn in this article:

•  Round and Square Layering
• Face Framing Layers

Concepts you should know before attempting this cut:

• Blunt Cutting 
• Point Cutting
• Washing Hair PROPERLY
• Sectioning
• Overdirection
• How to check for balance
• Blowdrying and Flat Ironing techniques (eg. how to hold, dry and section properly)

Tools/Products Required (items marked with a "*" are not necessary but prove extremely helpful and enhance the haircut):

• Sharp Shears (designed specifically for haircutting, not your kitchen scissors)
• A Wide Toothed Comb (with sectioning tooth or tail)
• Sectioning Clips (+3, these are best)
•  Smoothing Shampoo*
• Moisturizing Conditioner*
• Rinse-Out Smoothing Treatment*
• Medium Round Brush
•  Ionic Blowdryer (with focusing nozzle)
• Flat Iron
• Heat Protective Spray

Step-by-Step

Consultation:

The consultation between a client and stylist is one of the most important aspects of the entire hairstyling profession. A good consultation with a client can make or break a haircut, and factors hugely into whether or not the client is pleased with your services. Long story short, make sure that the client is prepared to go through with the haircut (this is very important relative to the length of hair you'll be cutting), and that they have a full understanding of your plans for the hair, as well as a decent idea of what the finished product ought to look like.

Prep and Sectioning:

1. Wash the hair using the recommended shampoo. For a tutorial, click here.
2. Condition the hair using the recommended conditioner, applying from roots to ends.
3. Apply the smoothing treatment, making sure to achieve coverage on the hair and not the scalp.
4. Dry the hair, removing excess water, so that the hair is damp.
5. Comb through all the hair so that it is straight back and tangle free, as shown in this picture.

6. Establish a profile parting (straight, center), running from the forehead hairline to the nape.
   
7. From the nape profile parting, section horizontally just above the occipital bone, running all the way around the hair to meet the front hairlines on each side. Image below.
   

Cutting:

1. Point cut the baseline, rounding toward the sides, remembering to cross check for balance. Continue taking horizontal sections from the crown area and point cutting to the guide length. Repeat the second half of this step until all the hair has been cut to the guide length.
2. Establish a horizontal profile parting, running from the profile to the back of the ear on both sides, to isolate the front from the back. Clip off both front sections. Then take a radial section at the crown, intersecting with the horizontal profile on both sides, creating a crown section.
3. Point cut one inch layers (.5-1 inch horizontal sections) in the crown, overdirecting the hair back and up. Establish a guide in the middle, continue using pivoting sections, overdirecting each to the middle and cutting to the length of the guide. Image below.

4. Take a half inch wide profile section from the crown to the forehead, and point cut using the guide formed in the crown. This creates a new guide for the top of the head.
5. Begin taking half inch wide diagonal back sections (running from the center profile to the crown), and point cut to the guide established in step 4. Repeat this step until all of the hair in the top area has been layered.
6. Unclip both front sections.
7. On one side, take a diagonal forward section (parallel to the front hairline), overdirect down and forward (45 degrees), and cut on a diagonal (see picture). continue doing this until you reach the back of the head.
8. Repeat step 7 on the other side.
   

Styling:

1. Blowdry the hair using the medium round brush. Brush down to avoid volume.
2. Apply the heat protective spray, and flat iron the hair (remember that you should use a comb).
3. Finished Product:
   

Find of the month: April

As my blog gets rolling, I'm starting a new series, my Find of the Month. Sometime each month, I will post a tool, product or hair accessory that I've found that I think is just great.

Find of the month, April 2011: Suvorna Ador 6.25" Shear Set

Features:

• 6.25 inch Straight Cutting Shear
• Convex, razor-sharp blades forged from high strength J2 Japaneses steel
• Multi-axis thumb grip
• Removable finger rest and grip inserts
• Easily adjustable tension nob
•  6.25 inch Straight Thinning Shear
• Convex, razor-sharp blades forged from high strength J2 Japaneses steel
• Multi-axis thumb grip
• Removable finger rest and grip inserts
  
• Easily adjustable tension nob
• Hand Crafted Leather Cutting Case
• Allows for easy transport.

Price: $90

Review: You need these shears. You just do. They are great. The quality of the steel is great for the price ($45 per shear), and they don't dull as often as most store-bought shears of this price. Another thing I have to point out about these shears that I just LOVE is the dual-axial swivel thumb. Let me explain that a little bit about what that means. When looking at the grip of a standard pair of shears, you should notice that the finger and thumb grips are the same shape and orientation. However, this standard grip shape does not fit the natural layout of your hand. This is where the swiveling thumb-ring comes in. As your thumb, which controls the cutting blade of your shears, moves, the rings swivel and compensate the position, decreasing tension and strain on your hand and allowing it to use natural motions.

Experimenting with Graduation and Layering

I recently started using new graduation and layering techniques, which I'd like to share. These work especially well on fine hair at enhancing the effect of graduation and layers.

1. Diagonal Graduation
            When hair is pulled out to 90 degrees, angle your fingers(to the degree of your choice, although only a slight angle is needed) so that the lengths vary, the shortest being closest to the top of the head. This way, the hair will have more graduation.
2. Graduated Overdirected Layer
            This technique is one I use primarily when I know that the style for the cut I'm creating will be curly. The hair is pulled straight up (from the bottom hairline), overdirected forward and the fingers angled down. This way, multiple layers will be created in one cut. When styling, I blowdry each layer independently with a diffuser, thus stacking curls for a much more luxurious effect.

If you don't understand any of the topics explained in this text, email me through "Ask the Stylist."

Enjoy.

A Bob I Just Love

Hello readers. This may be my first post, but I intend to get straight to the point.

Today, I had a client come into the salon, asking for a change. Her hair was in good condition, but it wasn't doing much, and for a single lady, we thought her hair could be doing a lot more for her beautiful face.

Her current style was that which I refer to as the "swingback" bob.

I decided to stay with the general bob shape, but to add much more movement and create disconnection and asymmetry. The rest of the article will explain in depth (step by step) how this cut is executed.

Preparation and Sectioning

Note: Much of this process will involve references of the head anatomy. Make sure you understand and are familiar with the anatomy before beginning.

1. The hair is prepared with Redken Color Extend Shampoo, to bring out the color done on the client earlier.
2. The hair is conditioned with Redken Real Control Conditioner which is used as a cutting agent, allowing for a smooth yet bodied finish.
3. The hair is combed back entirely, into the pre-section shape (shown below).



Presection Shape.

4. An off-center profile parting is established over the middle of one eyebrow, taken from the front hairline to the crown. See image below.

   

   Off-center Profile Parting
   
   

   
   
5. A horizontal cross-section parting is taken from the back end of the profile parting, running from the profile to slightly behind each ear. This separates the top and crown sections. See image below.
   

6. Establish a central vertical parting, beginning at the crown, down to the nape hairline. This will isolate two back sections, back left and back right.
7. From the central horizontal parting, along the parietal ridge, a slightly curved section is taken from the central area of the parietal ridge to the central vertical parting in the back of the head. This is done on both sides, establishing two triangular upper crown sections, and isolating the nape area. An aerial view should look similar to the image below.

8. A 45 degree diagonal section is taken from one inch from the front hairline along the profile, towards the back of the head (it should lead away from the profile on the side of the head with more hair). This will isolate another triangular section. See the image below.

9. From the point where you began your previous section, section off another triangle in the same way, but at a steeper angle. This triangular section will also be much smaller than the one taken in step 8. See image below.
   

10. The sectioning process is now complete. Be sure to check that all the sections are straight and clean. Review the images below for consistency.

Cutting: Interior

 Let's cut some hair!

Note: Many of the techniques used in this haircut are advanced. Make sure you are familiar with techniques such as (but not limited to): overdirection, elevation, point-cutting, and slide cutting. It is also important that you are able to complete this haircut successfully on a mannequin several times before attempting it on a real person.

1. Take down one of the crown sections. Divide the section into a half inch wide subsection. Elevate the subsection to forty-five degrees, overdirecting backward, and cut to the desired length on a square line.  Use blunt cutting technique, in a chopping method (open the blades wide, and close them hard, using the first third of the blade to cut)
2. Take parallel sections from this area as many times as necessary and repeat step 1, using small portions of each cut subsection as a guide.
3. Re-pin the cut section.
4. Repeat steps one, two and three (in that order) for the other crown section (though leave a small portion of the previous guide unclipped, as it will be used for this section).
5. Once both crown sections have been cut, unclip both sections, and check for balance visually.
6. Take down the larger of the top triangle sections. 3/4-1 inch subsections are taken horizontally, beginning at the back. The subsection will again be elevated to forty-five degrees and overdirected towards the back. Cut using the guideline established in step one, again referencing the techniques and guidelines outlined in step 1.
7. Repeat step 6 as many times as necessary.
8. The small triangular top section is now taken down. Cut following steps 6 and 7.

Cutting: Exterior

1. Reestablish the central vertical nape parting. From the center of the nape, take a half-inch vertical subsection. Elevate the section to ninety degrees (parallel to the floor) and cut to the desired length (follow your guide from the interior layering if necessary). This subsection will be used as a pivoting guide around the headshape. Do NOT follow this guide into the top area. That area has already been cut and should not be affected by this step. Re pin the sections if necessary as a visual aid to help you know where to cut (strongly recommended).
2. Repeat step one all the way around the back of the head, following the headshape (do not go past the central vertical division along the ear).
3. Establish a baseline. Comb all the hair in the back straight down, very close to the head. Cut a "U" baseline, following the shape of the neck and arcing up slightly (angle is your choice) towards each ear. Use of point or blunt cutting is your choice (point is easier, to be refined later).
4. Half to one inch past the central vertical division along the ear, section down from the parietal ridge to the side hairline. Pull all the hair in that section back, along with some hair previously cut as guide, and over direct up and back, to a forty-five degree angle. Cut on a square line. 
5. Make sure that each section is continued across the headshape (towards the off-center profile, but not past it) and cut according to the guide set in the crown.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you reach the side hairline.
7. Repeat steps 4 and 5 on the other side.
8. Re-wet the hair.
9. On the shorter side, extend and refine the baseline visually, point cutting with zero elevation along the face-shape, following and extending the outline angle previously set in step 3. Don't worry if you're cutting a lot of hair in this step. This is establishing the base shape, while most of the previous steps established internal shape.
10.  On the longer side, follow step nine until you reach the bottom corner of the jaw. As this point is reached, the baseline will curve back down, following the angle of the jawbone. This step creates asymmetry.
11. Prepare the hair for drying. Make sure that the hair is damp (if it is not, wet it again with a spray bottle), and apply Satinwear 02 Lotion as a drying agent. Rootful 06 Root Lifting Spray is applied as a root lifter.
12. Blow dry the hair using a Denman Brush. When the hair is damp, brush it in the opposite direction of which it is meant to fall, thus resulting in root lift, and then blow dry into place.
13. Repeat step twelve as desired.
14. Refine the baseline once again, this time using slicing techniques. Slice close to the nape hairline, being sure not to completely close the blades, and removing small amounts of hair at a time.
15. For softness, point cut along the baseline.
16. Finish the haircut as you see fit (tousling, etc.). Notice that the front section of the hair can be combed to either side, one showing a more exaggerated asymmetry.
17. Make sure your client likes their hair!

Voila! Finished Product!