Cutting and Blending
Skip if you are not a Licensed Hairdresser!!! Advice for Professionals Only!!
Blending also involves cutting the extensions to the required length. Never club or blunt cut – a razor should be used to blend. If the client’s hair is bulky and club cut prior to attaching the extensions, it may be best to shatter the ends before the addition of hair. When cutting and trimming, you can follow the basic methods of haircutting—blunt, layered, and graduated—using the same sectioning and elevations as on a real head of hair. Or you may do what many top stylists prefer to do, which is to cut free-form on dry hair. If you use free-form cutting, always work toward the weight. Vertical sections create lightness. Diagonal sections create a rounded beveled edge.
Horizontal sections build heavier weight. To use this visual approach, begin by cutting a small section and observe how the hair falls. Your next step will be based on how the hair responds. Draw a diagram of the silhouette or have handy a photo image for reference. These will work as a kind of blueprint for you to follow.
Free-form cutting is usually done on dry hair, which allows you to see more easily how the hair will fall. When the hair is wet, it can be hard to judge how the hair will fall. You will discover that the wet cutting method was more controlled and technical, while the dry cutting method was freer and more abstract. Often, the more abstract method results in a cut that looks more realistic.
Remember, when you are cutting hair extensions, you are aiming for a natural look. You will need to remove the bulk and soften the shape to blend the natural hair with the additions. You will lose balance and shape by misplacing extensions or putting them in areas such as the crown and occipital bone.
Importance of cross-checking the cut for accuracy
It is important to cross-check the cut and the balance of the hair extensions to ensure accuracy and the overall symmetry of the look. As you work through the sections you have arranged, look in the mirror to check that the balance is correct throughout the extension service and the haircut stage. You can swivel the chair as you work to check that the style is growing into a balanced shape.
