Haircutters encounter a different head every time a client sits in their chair.
Having a full tool box of skills for taking on any hair texture lets us service all who show up with money seeking our assistance. It is great to be able to take their money, send them home happy and see them return… with more money.
Here are ClipperGuy's top five tips for tackling texture.
1. Mind set
Think of texture as just that. It is not ethnicity. It is not age or race. It is just hair texture. Members of the same family can display differences in hair textures. Individual clients can have texture differences throughout their own head.
Feel and see what you have got to work with. Deal with it as it is. Adjust your products and tactics as the texture dictates.
2. Scale
Think of texture from 1 to 10. One is perfectly straight porcupine hair. 10 is tight curly. Generally speaking, you will work with hair from one to seven in one manner and from eight to 10 in another.
The scale is not perfect. Think in ranges. Look at and feel the hair.
In your mind, assign a number range to it. For example, my hair is a four to five texture—not perfectly straight, not too thick, kind of average.
3. Moisture
When cutting different textures, the degree of moisture applied to the hair is a big factor in haircut success. Especially in short, clippered haircuts like my area of specialty, cut textures one to seven damp and cut textures eight to ten dry.
4. Hydration
The higher the texture number, the naturally dryer the hair will generally be. As hair moves from straight to curly, the level of moisture is able to retain drops. Curly textures drink up moisture products. Straighter textures get flat, limp, and feel heavy with too much added moisture.
5. Products
The use and application of hair care product will differ with texture. Not only will the products be different, but the amount used will need to be varied as well.
- Curlier, drier hair textures should be shampooed less often, but they love conditioner.
- Fine, straight hair gets greasy fast and needs daily shampooing, but goes flat, limp, and dead with frequent conditioning. Wax-based products are better suited to straighter hair.
- Curly textures need oily styling products.
The best way to learn about these decisions is to experiment. Try many things in differing amounts and pay attention to the results.
Experimentation is a great way to learn. Fortunately, an oops in this category does not have long term impact.
Have fun exploring hair texture and becoming a texture pro in the eyes of your clients. The more you know and can share—the more you can charge for the information you have.
Visit me at clipperguy.com for more information. Use my “ask Ivan”: tab to Q and A directly with me for FREE 24 hours a day.
