From the coiffed and cropped to the long and textured, we’ve seen a gamut of haircuts this year. Whether it’s the resurgence of retro trends like the bowl, shag or mullet, or newer trends like curtain bangs and the octopus cut, clients are looking to you—the expert— to customize these looks to suit their facial features and lifestyle.
“If a client is bored with their hair and wants a change, the biggest impact is always going to be around the face,” says Mark Chamberlain, a Schwarzkopf Essential Looks artist and owner of Tonic Hair Studio in Peterborough, Ont. “In the salon, we always say, ‘We cut the back for a client’s friends and the front for them.’ If we’re really going to do something that looks different and makes an impact, it has to be in the front.”
In the eyes of many clients, celebrities are the ones who help bring some of these haircutting looks to the masses, yet it’s Fashion Week that often births inspiration amongst stylists. Regardless of where trends are born, however, it’s vital that hairstylists are able to take the looks clients are craving and transition them into consumer-friendly options.
1. Short
From sleek undercuts and tight fades to textured pixies and bobs, short haircuts can work wonders for accentuating a client’s facial features. And while you may not consider these styles a way to build business in the salon or barbershop, they can be a lot more versatile than you may think.
“We’re definitely seeing more pixies and are creating softer fringes with length hanging over, creating a look that combines the classic with the unique. Even though it’s a pixie, it’s not all the same length.” — Lorraine McAndrew, senior creative director, Sassoon Toronto “Short bobs have been a big trend on the runways with length that hits above the jawline and just below the ear. We’re creating a lot of texture in them with undercuts and are seeing more geometric shapes, and triangles around the occipital area that are very textured, so we have a rounded but flat finish at the nape.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oréal Professionnel
“There’s been a large demand for more textured bobs. They still have sharper lines but instead of graphic shapes, we’re doing more point-cutting so it’s more lived in. It’s still polished but with a bit more layering and movement. Plus, it’s something clients can still blow-dry without having to be fanatical about it with a Denman brush.” — Mark Chamberlain, a Schwarzkopf Essential Looks artist and owner of Tonic Hair Studio in Peterborough, Ont.
“We’re also working with bobs with a light undercut, but not shaved underneath— just with disconnected panels to create a bit more movement and texture in the hair.” — Lorraine McAndrew, senior creative director, Sassoon Toronto
“For men, we’re seeing skin-and-taper fades with variations of top length, such as a buzz, or keeping a bit of length to push up and over to the side, and the look is really groomed. Short textured crops that are worn forward are also popular and are great for men who want to cover a bit of a receding hairline.” — Scott Ramos, educator for Andis, Winnipeg
PRO TIP
CHAMBERLAIN SAYS YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER AVOIDING USING A SMALLER SHEAR IF/WHEN YOU USE YOUR MIRROR WHILE CUTTING, SINCE YOUR HAND MAY GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR VIEW.
Shear Confidence
Not sure how to select the right shears? We asked these haircutting experts for their tips.
“The length of shear is massively important. Also, they have to be comfortable in the hand. E.g., I can’t use a straight shear—I have to use an offset. I’m a big fan of longer shears. If I’m cutting a bob line, I’ll use a long comb and a long pair of shears because I look at it as two rulers; I can draw a longer, straighter line if I have a longer, straighter line with my tool. I can mimic a five-inch shear with a six-inch but not a six-inch with a five-inch.” — Mark Chamberlain, a Schwarzkopf Essential Looks artist and owner of Tonic Hair Studio in Peterborough, Ont.
“Whenever I’m doing short haircuts (unless it’s a bob) or pure lines on short or long hair, I always use double- swivel shears to make sure my wrist is in the correct position. You want your wrists to be as straight as possible, and to have your elbows in. You have a lot more control on how you cut when you’re comfortable. I like using a smaller shear, such as a four- or five-inch, when creating texture to create small openings in the hair. For layering long hair, I always use seven-inch shears and for scissor-over-comb, I love using a bigger shear—between six and seven-and-a-half inches.”— Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oréal Professionnel
“I use smaller shears (five to six-and-a-half inches) for more precision cutting on short, medium and long hair. I use seven-inch shears for scissor-over-comb, shaping an Afro, etc. I even have a pair of nine inches from the streets of Manila, Philippines, that I use for beards!”— Scott Ramos, educator for Andis, Winnipeg
“At Sassoon’s, we don’t use super-long scissors. It’s not wrong to; it’s just our preference. For me, I generally use a five-inch and a five-and-a-half-inch would be the biggest. We use the same for all lengths. I know some salons will use a six-inch for things like scissor-over- comb, but for me, to create more detailing and perfect it more, a smaller scissor is better. You have more control.” — Lorraine McAndrew, senior creative director, Sassoon Toronto
“FOR RETRO-INSPIRED LOOKS, THE KEY IS TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE CLASSIC LOOK. THE TECHNIQUES MAY HAVE EVOLVED BUT THE CUT SHOULD STAY GENUINE. I’M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN’T ADD A LITTLE FLAIR, BUT IF WE CHANGE THE CUT TOO MUCH, IT’S NO LONGER RETRO.”— SCOTT RAMOS, EDUCATOR FOR ANDIS, WINNIPEG
2. Medium
From bowl cuts and mullets to longer bobs, medium- length haircuts can be flattering on a wide range of face shapes.
“Mid-length hair on the shoulder is a great look; it’s got a little bit of length, but you can still style it wavy or straight so it’s very versatile. We’re also working with bi-level layering shapes and bowl shapes.” — Lorraine McAndrew, senior creative director, Sassoon Toronto
“Mullet bangs is another look we’ve seen on the runways. It’s like two haircuts within a haircut. There’s a very strong line around the jawline, and then the back of the hair is just flowing. It’s like having a bob and a longer haircut at the same time.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oréal Professionnel
“For medium-length hair for men, it’s about keeping some length on the sides for a brushed-back Clark Kent look; a style that’s timeless, clean and sexy.” — Scott Ramos, educator for Andis, Winnipeg
“I have so many male clients that have longer hair down to the jawline or even to the shoulders, so we’re adding in layers for more definition and versatility.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oreal Professional
PRO TIP
JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE WORKING WITH LESS HAIR FOR SHORTER CUTS DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD SKIP THE FUNDAMENTALS OF A GREAT HAIRCUT. FOR EXAMPLE POINT CUTTING TO CREATE A MORE TEXTURED FINISH.
3. Long
From shags to octopus cuts, longer styles are now emphasizing more of the face with layers and bangs.
“For long hair, we’re seeing curtain bangs and face- framing cuts. We’re even having the face-framing a bit disconnected from the outline so it’s more of a modified shag.” — Lorraine McAndrew, senior creative director, Sassoon Toronto
“For curtain bangs, I always take a little section down the middle that’s going to be cut around the bridge of the nose, which is going to be my guideline. Then, I take the two other sections/ triangles, and give it a feathery effect with a razor or scissors by slide-cutting or point-cutting so it’s more deconstructed.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oréal Professionnel
“For those who wear their hair straight, I’ll do more texturizing work with point- cutting and a texturizing blade. If it’s more of a polished finish, I’m definitely working more out towards the end of the hair with point-cutting and texturizing blades. If they wear it loose and more casual with lots of movement, I’ll go with more freehand with slide-cutting and slicing on more of the interior of the hair so there is a looser feel.” — Mark Chamberlain, a Schwarzkopf Essential Looks artist and owner of Tonic Hair Studio in Peterborough, Ont.
“For women, it’s hair that’s down to the mid-to-low back with lots of layers and face- framing. For men, they’re also loving the shag. It’s nice seeing more men grow their hair out!” — Scott Ramos, educator for Andis, Winnipeg
“USUALLY, WE WOULD SUGGEST A SQUARER SHAPE FOR MEN AND A ROUNDER SHAPE FOR WOMEN, BUT NOW WE’RE BREAKING THOSE RULES. WE’RE SEEING A LOT MORE LENGTH FOR ALL GENDERS, AND MORE SALONS ARE CHARGING BASED ON TIME INSTEAD OF GENDER.”— EDOUARD MARTIN, HAIRSTYLIST AT ORBITE IN MONTREAL AND AN ARTIST FOR L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL
When working with your client’s natural texture, there are several factors to consider before making the cut.
“I’m doing tons of slide- cutting and free-cutting. I like to use gravity, so I don’t elevate things; I use natural fall for everything. A lot of it is personalization; standing back and looking at my shape—we use the word ‘pruning’ when we’re training—but I’m not trying to just build a shape. I’m building a customized shape around how it naturally falls to suit the client.” — Mark Chamberlain, a Schwarzkopf Essential Looks artist and owner of Tonic Hair Studio in Peterborough, Ont.
“When cutting curly hair, once the tension from your fingers is released, the hair will spring back. Don’t cut too much. Less is more! Depending on the desired cut and curl pattern, just make sure you use a hair pick and comb the hair thoroughly before you cut.” — Scott Ramos, educator for Andis, Winnipeg
“Whether we go with a very textured haircut or a full-length haircut (with no layers), I’m always working in some texture in the ends so the haircut has some movement. With that said, it’s best to leave hair a little longer as you’re cutting; you can always go back in to shorten it, if needed.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oreal Professionnel
PRO TIP
CHAMBERLAIN SAYS IT’S IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS HOW CLIENTS WORK WITH THEIR NATURAL TEXTURE ON A REGULAR BASIS. “IF I GO THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF A HAIRCUT ON SOMEONE WHO HAS WAVY HAIR AND I START CREATING A LOT OF MOVEMENT AND TEXTURE, IT’S GOING TO BE HARDER TO STRAIGHTEN.”
“I’ve done a shag haircut on a client with texture by smoothing it out before bringing the wave back, and then going through the cut to check it. We’re also seeing lots of bowl shapes right now—especially with curly hair. It’s very ’70s-esque and is especially great for curly hair because it makes it look bigger with more volume.” — Lorraine McAndrew, senior creative director, Sassoon Toronto
“Make sure you don’t over- texturize the hair, which can create more flyaways. For curly and textured hair, I try to cut as blunt as possible. I’ll texturize a little bit, but some stylists choose to texturize right away and when you do, you have less control over the curl’s finish.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oréal Professionnel
4. Texture
When working with your client’s natural texture, there are several factors to consider before making the cut.
“I’m doing tons of slide- cutting and free-cutting. I like to use gravity, so I don’t elevate things; I use natural fall for everything. A lot of it is personalization; standing back and looking at my shape—we use the word ‘pruning’ when we’re training—but I’m not trying to just build a shape. I’m building a customized shape around how it naturally falls to suit the client.” — Mark Chamberlain, a Schwarzkopf Essential Looks artist and owner of Tonic Hair Studio in Peterborough, Ont.
“When cutting curly hair, once the tension from your fingers is released, the hair will spring back. Don’t cut too much. Less is more! Depending on the desired cut and curl pattern, just make sure you use a hair pick and comb the hair thoroughly before you cut.” — Scott Ramos, educator for Andis, Winnipeg
“Whether we go with a very textured haircut or a full-length haircut (with no layers), I’m always working in some texture in the ends so the haircut has some movement. With that said, it’s best to leave hair a little longer as you’re cutting; you can always go back in to shorten it, if needed.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oréal Professionnel
PRO TIP
CHAMBERLAIN SAYS IT’S IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS HOW CLIENTS WORK WITH THEIR NATURAL TEXTURE ON A REGULAR BASIS. “IF I GO THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF A HAIRCUT ON SOMEONE WHO HAS WAVY HAIR AND I START CREATING A LOT OF MOVEMENT AND TEXTURE, IT’S GOING TO BE HARDER TO STRAIGHTEN.”
“I’ve done a shag haircut on a client with texture by smoothing it out before bringing the wave back, and then going through the cut to check it. We’re also seeing lots of bowl shapes right now—especially with curly hair. It’s very ’70s-esque and is especially great for curly hair because it makes it look bigger with more volume.” — Lorraine McAndrew, senior creative director, Sassoon Toronto
“Make sure you don’t over- texturize the hair, which can create more flyaways. For curly and textured hair, I try to cut as blunt as possible. I’ll texturize a little bit, but some stylists choose to texturize right away and when you do, you have less control over the curl’s finish.” — Edouard Martin, hairstylist at Orbite in Montreal and an artist for L’Oréal Professionnel
PHOTOS: HAIR: GEORGE SMITH, TONI&GUY, U.K., MAKEUP: MADDIE AUSTIN, WARDROBE STYLING: RUBINA MARCHIORI, PHOTO: ALEX BARRON HOUGH, SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS: SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL, SASSOON GLOBAL, HAIR: JASON HALL, JASON HALL HAIRDRESSING, U.K. PHOTO: LEE HOWELL PHOTOS: HAIR: LAURA SCOTT AND BAYLEIGH PEACE, MARK LEESON, U.K., MAKEUP: LAUREN MATHIS, WARDROBE STYLING: BERNARD CONNOLLY, PHOTO: RICHARD MILES, SASSON GLOBAL, SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL
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