Men’s Haircuts and the Graduation Technique
Hollywood Institute
When you choose to become a barber, you’re embarking on an exciting career. It’s a great opportunity to escape the grind of the traditional 9 to 5 job, as you can usually set your own hours and even start your own business. Before you can start your new career, however, there are some basics that you’ll need to master. Here are some things you learn about cutting men’s hair when you enroll in a barber school in Orlando like the Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers.
The Haircut Shape
There are essentially two shapes to men’s haircuts: square and contoured. A square shape is just like it sounds. In cutting a square haircut, you’re attempting to put a square-shaped pattern on a round head. At its most extreme form is the flat top cut, but all square haircuts follow the same characteristics. The bangs need to be longer so that they can be combed back or to the side, as does the round of the head section which allows the client to comb the hair down or back without the hair sticking out. Longer hair in the crown encourages it to lie down better. Contoured haircuts, on the other hand, are those that closely follow the head’s shape so that the hair doesn’t grow long in the corners or top of the head. While square cuts are the most common in professional haircuts and low fade haircuts, contoured cuts are the domain of mohawks, fauxhawks, brush cuts, caesar cuts, and any other haircut that requires a flip in the front.
Not as complicated as it might imply, “graduation” merely refers to gradually cutting the hair from shorter to longer. The barber will need to determine where the graduation is to take place. The length of the top of the head is the determining factor in making this decision. The longer it is at the top, the more dramatic and lower on the head the graduation is to occur. On shorter haircuts, the graduation will be located higher on the head than on longer haircuts. These rules apply across the board, regardless of whether it’s a businessman’s haircut, a low skin fade, or a blowout haircut. The only difference is in the techniques and tools that are being utilized for the cut.
When you attend Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers barber school in Orlando, you’ll be able to practice such techniques until they become second-nature. Once you’ve mastered the basic shapes, you’re well on your way to a successful career as a barber. Call (407) 681-2410 or visit our website hi.edu to get started today!