haircutting

1. Chapter 16 Outline
INSTRUCTOR NAME: Rosie L. Hammond DATE TAUGHT: Nov 25, 2021
SUBJECT: Hair Care
TOPIC: Haircutting
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Upon competition of the lesson, the student will be able to:
A. Identify reference points on the head form and understand their role in haircutting.
B. Define angles elevations, and guidelines.
C. Explain the use of various tools in haircutting.
D. Name three things that you can do to ensure good posture and body position while
cutting hair.
E. Perform the four basic haircuts.
F. Discuss and explain the three different texturing techniques performed with shears.
G. Explain what a clipper cut is.
H. Identify the uses of a trimmer.
IMPLEMENTS, EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES REQUIRED:
STUDENT INSTRUCTOR ITEMS
X X TEXTBOOK
X X WORKBOOK
X X NOTEBOOK
X X PENS, PENCILS
TEACHING AIDS (Audio/visual equipment, handouts, etc., used by instructor):
1. Whiteboard
2. LCD Projector
3. Standard DVD Series
FACILITY: Theory Classroom, Building 3 – Room 112
TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 to 2 hours (adjust based on school schedule and student
activities/participation)
PRIOR STUDENT ASSIGNMENT:
1. Read Chapter _16__, Milady Cosmetology Standard Textbook, 2016
EDUCATOR REFERENCES:
1. Milady Cosmetology Standard Textbook, 2016
2. Milady Cosmetology Standard Workbook, 2016
NOTES TO EDUCATOR:
1. Review chapter, entire lesson plan, and Milady Standard Cosmetology
instructor-support slides prior to lesson.
2. Ensure that new terms are defined.
3. Ask questions to assess understanding.
4. Reteach as needed.
5. Ensure that learners are actively involved.

2. Outline
Chapter 16
Haircutting
I. Learning Objectives
A. Identify reference points on the head form and understand their role in haircutting.
B. Define angles elevations, and guidelines.
C. Explain the use of various tools in haircutting.
D. Name three things that you can do to ensure good posture and body position while
cutting hair.
E. Perform the four basic haircuts.
F. Discuss and explain the three different texturing techniques performed with shears.
G. Explain what a clipper cut is.
H. Identify the uses of a trimmer.
II. Why Study Haircutting?

3. A. Haircutting is a basic, functional skill upon which all other hair design is built.
B. Being able to rely on your haircutting skills and technique often creating a haircut is
what will build confidence, trust, and loyalty between a stylist and client.
C. The ability to duplicate a haircut from a photo will build a stronger professional
relationship between stylist and client.
D. A good haircut that is easy to style and maintain will make clients happy with their
service and will build repeat services.
III. Basic Principles of Haircutting
A. Good haircutting begins with an understanding of the shape of the head; called the
headform.
B. Hair responds differently on various areas of the head, depending on the length and
the cutting technique used.
C. Reference points on the head mark where the surface of the head changes:
1. Ears
2. Jawline
3. Occipital bone
4. Apex
D. Understanding of head shape and reference points will help you in the following ways:
1. Finding balance within the design; even on both sides.
2. Developing the ability to duplicate the same haircut consistently.
E. Reference points when it is necessary to change techniques (flat crown).
1. Parietal ridge-Widest area of the head (crest area).
2. Occipital bone- Bone that protrudes at the base of the skull.
3. Apex- Highest point on the top of the head.
4. Four corners- Can be found by placing two combs flat against the side and back, and
then locating the back corner at the point where the two combs meet.
F. Not all reference points will be used for every haircut.
G. Areas of the Head
1. Top- Hair that grows on the parietal ridge because of gravity/crest (hangs).
2. Front- All hairs that falls in front (after parting from apex to the back of ear) is
considered the front.
3. Sides- Hair from the back of the ear forward, below the parietal ridge.
-Crown- Area between the apex and the back of the parietal ridge.
-Nape- Area at the back of the neck and consists of the hair below the occipital bone.
4. Back- Hair that falls naturally behind the ear (after parting from apex to the back of
the ear).
5. Bang area- (fringe area)- Triangular section that begins at the apex and ends at the
front corners.
H. Lines and angles- Angle is the space between two lines /surfaces that intersect at a
given point.
1. Horizontal lines:
-Parallel to the horizon or to the floor.
-Direct the eye from one side to the other.
-Used to create one-length and low-elevation haircuts to add weight.

4. 2. Vertical lines:
-Perpendicular to the floor (up and down).
-Remove weight.
-Create graduated or elevated cuts.
3. Diagonal lines:
-Between horizontal and vertical.
-Used to create fullness.
- Blends long layers into short layers.
4.Beveling (stacking):
-Technique using diagonal lines to create angles by cutting the ends of the hair with
a slight increase or decrease in length.
-Angles are important in creating a strong foundation in haircutting.
I. Elevation
1. Sections- Parted into uniform working areas.
2. Subsections- Smaller partings.
3. Part/Parting:
-Line dividing the hair at the scalp
-Separates one section of the hair from another creating subsections.
4. Graduation:
-Elevation creates graduation usually in degrees.
-Blunt or one-length hair cut there is no elevation (0 degrees).
-Elevation occurs when you lift the hair above 0 degrees.
5. Shrinkage- Hair contracting or lifts through the action of moisture loss/drying.
J. Cutting line:
1. Angle at which the fingers are held when cutting the line that creates the end
shape.
2. Known as the cutting position, cutting angle, finger angle, and finger position.
K. Guidelines
1. Known as a guide (section that determines the length that hair will be cut).
2. Perimeter- Outer line.
3. Interior- Inner or interior line.
4. Stationary line- Line that does not move.
5. Traveling guideline (traveling guideline)- Movable guideline.
L. Overdirection
1. Best understood by comparing it to elevation.
2. Used mostly in graduated and layered haircuts; want to create increased length
appearance.
IV. Client Consultation
A. A consultation is a conversation between the cosmetologist and the client.
-Begin by analyzing the client’s cleansed and unstyled hair.
-Explain client’s hair texture, possible treatment, and cut styles to suit her face shape,
etc.
- Use gentle persuasion to suggest what will look best.
B. Face shape:

5. 1. Pull the hair away from the client’ face to analyze the shape:
-Look for the widest area.
-Look for the narrowest area.
-Look for the balance of the features.
-Look for the features that you want to bring out or de-emphasize.
2. Look at the client’s profile for best features.
3. Hair shrinks when it dries.
-Hair shrinks one -fourth inch to one half inch as it dries.
-Curly hair shrinks one-half to two inches or more while drying.
C. Hair Analysis (Four characteristics that determine the behavior of the hair):
1.Growth patterns
2. Texture
3. Density
4. Elasticity
D. Hairline and growth patterns:
1. Both hairline and growth patterns are important to examine.
2. Hairline is the hair that grows at the outer most perimeters (face, ear, neck).
3. Growth pattern- Direction in which the hair grow; natural fall (cowlicks, whorls).
E. Hair texture- Based on the thickness or diameter of each hair strand (coarse,
medium, fine).
F. Hair density- Number of individual hair strands on one square inch of scalp (thin,
medium, thick).
G. Wave pattern- amount of movement in the hair strand; varies in wavy, curly, hair.
V. Hair Cutting Tools
A. To select the right tools, you have to understand the function and characteristics of
your tools.
B. Suggestions for using/caring for your tools:
1. Haircutting shears:
-Known as scissors.
-Used to cut blunt or straight lines in the hair.
-May be used to side cut, point cut, others.
2. Texturing shears:
-Used to remove bulk from the hair.
-Referred to as thinning/notching shears.
-Notching shears have larger teeth.
3. Razors:
-Used when a softer effect is desired.
-Used to thin and texturized the hair.
-Can be used for the entire haircut.
4. Clippers:
-Used to create short haircuts.
-Used to create fades, tapers, flat tops, and guards of various lengths.
5. Trimmers (edgers):

6. -Smaller version of the clipper.
-Used to remove excess or unwanted hair at the neckline, ears, and to create lines.
-Mostly used on men’s haircuts and short women’s cuts.
6. Sectioning clips -Come in all sizes (plastic and metal).
7. Wide-tooth comb- Use to detangle hair; rarely used in a haircut.
8. Tail comb- Used to section and subsection the hair.
9. Barber comb- Used in the scissor over comb technique (tapers on the nape and
sides); narrow end allows the shears to get close to the head.
10. Styling or cutting comb (all purpose comb)- Used for haircutting procedures.
C. All about shears
1. Steel:
-All professional shears are made of steel.
-Soft steel cannot hold up to sharpening.
-Shear with a Rockwell hardness of at least 56 or 57 is ideal.
-Many grades are steel are available.
2. Forged versus cast shears:
-Professional shears are either cast or forged steel.
-Cast shears are made when molten steel is poured into casts.
- Forged shear is made by a process of working metal to a finished shape by a
hammering process.
-Forged process creates a more durable shear.
3. Parts of a shear:
-Cutting edge
-Thumb -hole
-Bumper
-Pivot and adjustment area
-Ring finger hole
-Finger tang
4. Shear Maintenance (Important points to remember):
-Daily cleaning and lubrication.
-Daily tension adjustment and balancing.
-Weekly cleaning and lubrication.
-Disinfect shears
-Sharpen shears
5. Left-handed versus right handed shears- Decide which one you want (your
dominant hand).
6. Purchasing shears (Information to look for):
-How were they manufactured?
-How about the steel quality?
-What about the right blade edge?
-What about the cost?
7. Custom fitted shears:
-Ill -fitting shears can cause carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal
disorders.
-Good practice to invest in quality tools to void health disorders.
-Considerations when shopping for tools:

7. *Warranty
*Service agreement
*Cost
* Number pairs of shears you need (chunking, texturizing, thinning, blending).
8. Fitting the shear correctly (Four components):
-Fitting the ring finger
-Fitting in the thumb
-Relaxing your grip
-Correct finger position and alignment
9. Holding your tools (Reasons to hold them properly):
-Gives the best control and results.
-Helps avoid muscle strain in hands, arms, neck, and back.
10. Holding your shears:
-Open right hand (or left hand, if left handed) and place the ring finger in the finger
grip of the still blade and the little blade and the little finger on the finger brace.
-Place the thumb in the finger grip (thumb grip) of the moving blade.
-Practice opening and closing and closing the shears; concentrate on moving the
shears.
11. Holding the shears and comb (Holding both at the same time; dominant hand does
most of work).
-Palming the shears-Hold comb between thumb, index, and middle fingers.
-Transferring the comb- Placing comb between the thumb and index finger of your
holding hand (the hand holding the subsection).
12. Holding the razor
-Method A:
*Open he razor so the handle is higher than the shank; place thumb over on the
thumb grip, and the index, middle and ring finger on the shank.
*Place the little finger in the tang, underneath the handle.
*Position the razor on top of the subsection (part facing you) when cutting a
subsection.
-Method B:
*Open the razor until the handle and shank form a straight line.
*Place the thumb on the grip and wrap the finger around the handle.
13. Holding the comb:
-Wide teeth are used for combing and parting the hair.
-Finer teeth comb the section before cutting.
-Finer teeth provide more tension; useful when cutting around the ears.
14. Tension- Amount of pressure applied when combing or holding a subsection in
haircutting.
VI. Posture and Body Position (Cutting hair)
A. Good posture and body position will help a cosmetologist avoid future health
problems.
B. The following body position will help the cosmetologist move more efficiently during
the haircut; maintain more control.

8. 1. Position the client to sit up straight and legs not crossed.
2. Center your weight; keep knees slightly bent and not locked.
3. Work in front of your section; keeps body weight centered.
C. Hand positions for different cutting angles:
1. Cutting below your fingers- Use horizontal cutting line when doing a blunt
/graduated cut.
2. Cutting over your fingers (or on top of your knuckles)- Used when cutting uniform
or increasing layers.
3. Cutting palm-to palm- Best way to maintain control of a subsection of hair; helps to
prevent strain on the back.
VII. Safety in Haircutting
A. Keep safety first when cutting hair (dealing with sharp objects).
B. Always palm the shears and the razor when combing or parting the hair.
C. Do not cut past the second knuckle when cutting below your fingers or when cutting
palm-to- palm.
D. Take extra care when cutting around the ears.
E. Be careful when cutting the bangs or any area close to the skin.
F. Use a razor guard when working with a razor.
VIII. Basic Haircuts (Can create any haircut from these basic cuts)
A. Blunt haircut- (one length):
1. Hair comes to a single hanging level forming a weight line.
2. Hair line can be horizontal, diagonal, or round.
3. Has no elevation or overdirection.
4. Makes hair look thicker.
5. Other blunt cuts include pageboy, bob, bowl cut, etc.
B. Graduated haircut:
1. Graduated shape or wedge.
2. Caused by cutting the hair with tension, low to medium elevation, or
overdirection.
3. Visual build-up of weight in a given area.
4. Common elevation is 45 degrees.
C. Layered haircut:
1. Graduated effect achieved by cutting the hair with elevation and overdirection.
2. Layers create movement and volume.
3. Layer haircuts have less weight.
D. Long layered haircut is cut at 180 degrees.
E. Uniform-Layered (90-Degree) haircut
1. All hair is elevated to 90 degrees; uniform layers.
2. Interior guideline is inside the haircut rather than on the perimeter.
3. Perimeter of hair will appear soft and rounded (will fall softly).
4. Can create a shag haircut by using uniform layers and elevation (beginning at the
top area).

9. IX. Other Cutting Techniques
A. Cutting curly hair can be a challenge.
B. Cutting with growth patterns can be a challenge.
C. Graduated haircutting/ blunt are basic styles.
D. Cutting the bangs (fringe) includes the hair that lies between the two front corners.
1. Work with the distribution (where and how hair is moved over the head).
2. The bang is cut using a stationary guide.
3. Some types of bang cuts:
-Layered bang cut
-Short, curved bang design.
-Short, curved bang cut.
-Long bang design.
-Long bang cut.
-Wispy bang design.
-Wispy bang cut.
-Bang blend to layered top/sides.
E. Razor cutting can give a totally different result than any other cutting technique.
1. Razor cut gives a softer appearance than a shear cut.
2. Ends cut at an angle; line is not blunt.
3. Razor- Guide is above your fingers; shears (guide below your fingers).
4. Razor can be kept parallel to the subsection or come into the subsection with the
blade at an angle.
5. Move from top to bottom when cutting a section.
F. Slide Cutting:
1. Method of cutting or thinning the hair.
2. Fingers and shears glide along the edge of the hair to remove length.
3. Useful for blending and texturizing.
4. Should be only performed on wet hair.
5. Way to layer long hair.
6. Two methods to slide cut:
-Hold the subsection with tension beyond the cutting line.
-Place shears on top of knuckles; then use both hands to move (at same time) out
the length to the ends.
G. Scissors-over- comb (shear-over-comb):
1. Barbering technique that has crossed over into cosmetology.
2. Hold hair in place with comb while using the tip of the shears to remove length.
3. Scissors-over-com used to create taper/short hair to longer lengths.
4. Best to use this technique with dry hair.
5. Steps when using the scissor-over-comb technique:
-Stand/Sit directly in front (eye-level) of section you are working on.
-Place the comb (teeth first) into the hairline, turn comb so that the teeth are
angled away from the head.
-Steel blade of scissor parallel to the spine of the comb; begin moving comb up the
head continually opening and closing the thumb blade (smoothly and quickly).

10. -Angle the comb away from the head as you reach the area you are blending to
avoid cutting into the length.
H. Texturing- Process of removing excess bulk without shortening the length.
1. Can be used to create spikey results.
2. Can be used to add or remove volume.
3. Can be done with cutting shears, thinning shears, or a razor.
G. Texturing with shears:
1. Point cutting- Technique performed on the ends of the hair using the tips/points of
the shears; can be done on wet or dry hair.
2. Notching (version of point cutting)- Creates a chunkier effect; nothing is done
toward the ends.
3. Free-hand notching- Uses the tips of the shears; snips out pieces of the hair at
random.
4. Slithering (effilating)- Process the hair with shears to graduated lengths; hair
strand is cut by a sliding movement.
5. Slicing- technique that removes bulk and add movement; when cutting twist the
section to be cut and never completely close the scissors
6. Carving- Version of slicing that creates a visual separation in the hair.
H. Texturizing with the razor
1. Removes weight:
-Can be used to thin out the ends of the hair.
-Damp hair (fingers at the end); hold the section out from the head.
-Place razor flat on the hair (2 to 3 inches) away from your fingers.
-Gently stroke while removing a thin sheet of hair.
2. Free-hand slicing;
-Can be used through the section or at the ends.
-Should be done on wet hair.
-Work midshaft of the hair.
-Relieves weight from the subsection.
I. Texturizing with thinning shears and razor
1.Removing bulk:
-Thinning shears were originally created for the purpose of thinning/blending.
-Comb subsection out from head; cut at least 4 to 5 inches from the scalp.
-Repeat process again and again on longer hair.
-With curly hair use the free-hand notching technique.
-Avoid thinning the top surface on a blunt haircut.
2. Removing weight from the ends.
-Works well on many textures of hair.
-Helps taper the perimeter of graduated and blunt haircuts.
-Place shears at an angle to cut.
3. Scissor-over-comb with thinning shears- Useful for blending weight- lines.
4. Other thinning shear techniques- Texturizing techniques can be done
by haircutting shears and thinning shears.
5. Free-hand slicing razor:

11. -Free hand slicing can be used on the ends of the hair to produce a softer
perimeter.
-Hold the ends of a small piece of hair in your fingertips.
-Slice down one side of the piece toward your fingers.
6. Razor-over comb:
-Comb and razor used over the surface of the hair.
-Used on shorter haircuts.
-Softens weight lines and causes the area to lie close to the head.
-Place comb into hair (with teeth pointing down).
-Make small gentle strokes on the surface of the hair with the razor.
-Move comb down as you move the razor down.
7. Razor rotation- Like razor over comb; make small circular motions.
J. Basic haircuts enhanced with texturizing techniques:
1. Texturizing blunt haircut.
2. Texturized graduated haircut.
3. Texturized uniform-layered haircut.
X. Clippers and Trimmers
A. Electric or battery operated.
B. Blade action is faster than the eye
C. Clippers can be used as follows:
1. Without length guards to completely remove hair.
2. Without length guard to taper hairlines from extremely short lengths into longer
lengths using the clipper -over the -comb technique.
3. With length guard can perform layered cuts (attachments that fit over the blade
plate and vary from one- fourth to one inch for short layers).
D. Tools for clipper cutting:
1. Clippers:
-Trimmers are called edgers.
-Come in different shapes and sizes.
-Can be used with or without attachments.
-Used to clean the neckline and the ears.
2. Length guard attachment- When attached allows you to cut all of the hair evenly.
3. Haircutting shears- Used mainly for removing length and detailing the haircut.
4. Thinning shears- Great for removing bulk.
5. Combs:
-Wider-spaced teeth are intended for coming and cutting.
-The finer-spread teeth are used for detailing, scissor-over-comb, and clipper-over-
comb techniques.
-Classic barber comb is often used in the nape, at the sides, and around the ears.
-Wide-tooth comb is used when cutting thicker and longer length hair.
E. Basic clipper techniques:
1. Clipper over comb allows you to cut the hair very close to the scalp and create a flat
-top or square shape.

12. 2. Use the scissor –over- comb technique (difference: the clippers move over the
comb).
3. Clippers more accurate when used on dry hair.
4. Tips for working with clipper over the comb technique:
-Stand directly in front of the section you are working with.
-Place the comb (teeth first) into the hairline and turn the comb so that the teeth
are angled away from the head.
-Work against the growth pattern.
-Hold the comb stationary and cut length against comb (moving the clippers from
left to right (dominant hand).
-Stop to cut the section; remove the comb and start again.
5. Clipper cutting with attachments- Use of the length guard is a quick and easy way
to create short haircuts.
6. Men’s basic clipper cut- Hair is cropped close along the bottom and sides (becomes
longer as you travel up the head).
F. Using trimmers
1. Using trimmers around the ears- Use both hands to hold the edge sideways; use
outer edge on the skin, arc the edger up and around the ear.
2. Use comb to hold hair in place as you reach the area behind the ear.
G. Trimming facial hair
1. Clippers and trimmers can be used to trim mustaches and beards.
2. Techniques used are like scissor-over-comb and clipper-over-comb.
3. Use the comb to control the hair when removing length.
4. Length guard help control the length when cutting.
5. Facial hair is very coarse and will dull shears.
6. Check the hair (ears, eyebrows) of men when trimming their facial hair.
Glossary
1. Apex-Highest point of the head.
2. Beveling- Haircutting technique using diagonal lines by cutting hair ends with a slight
increase or decrease in length.
3. Blunt haircut- One level haircut; hair comes to one hanging level.
4. Carving- Done by placing the steel blade into the hair and resting it on the scalp, and then
moving the shears through the hair while opening and partially closing the shears.
5. Clipper-over-comb- Haircutting technique where the clippers move side to side across
the comb rather than bottom to top.
6. Cross-checking- Parting the haircut in the opposite way from which you cut in order to
check for precision of line and shape.
7. Crown- Area of the head between the apex and back of the partial ridge.
8. Cutting line- Angle at which the fingers are held when cutting; line that is cut (known as
the finger angle, cutting position, or cutting angle).
9. Distribution- Where and how the hair is moved over the head.
10. Elevation- Projection or lifting; angle or degree at which a subsection of hair is
held/lifted when cutting.

13. 11. Four corners- Points on the head that signal a change in the shape of the head from flat
to round or vice versa.
12. Free-hand notching- Random snipping of pieces of hair in haircutting technique.
13. Free –hand slicing- Haircutting technique used to relieve weight from a subsection
(allows the hair to move more freely).
14. Graduated haircut- Wedge hair cut; cutting the hair with tension (low to medium
elevation/or overdirection).
15. Graduation- Elevation happens when a section is lifted above 0 degrees.
16. Growth pattern- Direction that the hair grows from the scalp; natural fall.
17. Guideline- Section of hair located at the perimeter or the interior of the cut that
determines the length of the cut.
18. Layered haircut- Graduated effect by cutting the hair with elevation or overdirection;
hair is cut at higher elevations, removes weight (90 degrees angle).
19. Overdirection- Combing a section away from its natural falling position rather than
straight out from the head, toward a guideline.
20. Slide cutting- Cutting or thinning the hair in which the fingers and shears guide the hair
to remove length.
21. Scissor-over-comb- Haircutting technique where hair is held in place with the comb
while the tips of the scissors is used to remove length.
22. Slithering- Thinning the hair to graduated lengths; known as effilating.
23. Texturizing- Haircutting technique used to remove bulk without shortening the length
or changing the appearance using thinning shears or a razor.
Review Questions/Summary:
I. What are the reference points on the head form and what are their roles in haircutting?
2. Define angles, elevations, and guidelines.
3. Explain the use of various tools in haircutting.
4. Name three things that you can do to ensure good posture and body position while
cutting hair.
5. Name and describe the four basic haircuts.
6. Discuss and explain the three different texturing techniques performed with shears.
7. What is a clipper cut?
8. How is a trimmer used?