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Many stylists begin their careers learning just the basics. We perfect our blunt lines and layering techniques. After learning the basics we then move on to the more difficult.. and let's face it , more fun stuff. We begin to work more on detailing to create a better quality cut. We perfect our point cutting, slide cutting, slicing etc. and really up our hair game!
The more we hone our craft, the more we need the right pair of shears for what we want to accomplish. Having the right pair of shears for different techniques will help improve and fine tune our cuts. And the best part, make our job easier!
Slide cutting has really taken off in the hair stylist world. It has become an ever popular texturizing technique helping us to create beautiful, light, soft movement in our cuts. So to understand the importance of slide cutting shears we must understand all there is about Slide cutting!
Simply put slide cutting is the process of sliding your shears along the hair shaft to remove weight. However, it is so much more than that. Slide cutting can be done on wet or dry hair and can be used to remove bulk, create texture, add volume and create softness through out a hair cut. Slide cutting can really help you personalize and achieve the perfect cut.
Slide cutting can also be used to remove length. Unlike a blunt cut you will achieve a softer, smoother finish. The most common use for slide cutting, when removing length, is for a face frame. Slide cutting around the face gives you that great piece-y, soft face frame we all love. Using shears on wet hair to remove length is definitely a more advanced haircutting technique and takes a bit of practice. It is important to pay attention to how fast your hand is moving, your tension on the hair and how much you open and close your shears. You need to have enough tension and control to remove the length, but too much tension and pressure and you can easily cut off too much length.
Slide cutting dry hair is best done at the end of a haircut to complete the look. You can use slide cutting to blend layers seamlessly, and create more movement. By sliding your shears down the length of the hair you create a seamless blend and remove weight to make the hair feel softer and look nice and smooth.
Like all cutting techniques we have come to love, they are not suited for everyone! While slide cutting may seem like a fun and easy technique, there is a skill to it. It is important we know when and how to use this skill.
When you are slide cutting you are sliding your shears down the cuticle of the hair. If you do not have the proper shears you can cause damage to the hair cuticle. This can negate all the positives of slide cutting and instead cause frizz. This also means that if a client has very damaged, wirey hair, slide cutting may not be the best option for them. If the hair cuticle is damaged slide cutting, if not done correctly, may cause more. It is best to stick to other texturizing techniques when dealing with damaged, wirey hair.
A client that sits in your chair with thick straight hair will fall in love with your sliding skills. However these same sliding skills can be devastating to someone with very thin hair. It is pretty obvious that thin hair most likely does not need to be thinned out more. You can use slide cutting to create some volume for a thin haired person. You can achieve this by slide cutting from the interior of the cut, out. This creates shorter pieces underneath which will push the hair up, creating lift.. or volume. However, thin hair shows mistakes more so it is important to keep your movements small and delicate, as not to remove too much weight and hair.
There are a few different ways to use your shears to slide cut. Slide cutting shears will help you produce the best results.
The basic science behind the slide cut is how quick you move your hand, how much pressure is applied to the hair and how much you open and close your shear. Your thumb is the most important piece of the slide cutting puzzle, after the shears of course. Your thumb is in charge of opening and closing your shears and determining just how much hair you are removing. Short quick movements of your thumb will result in a soft blend, while longer movements with a bit more pressure will help you remove more length.
To cut a face frame on wet hair you must first part the hair to its natural fall. You will then comb the front pieces forward and elevate slightly. In your other hand you have your slide cutting shears. Determine where you will want the face frame to begin. Most people will want a face frame at or around chin length. You then take your slide cutting scissors and using a sliding motion move them down the hair shaft, opening and closing your blades, slowly, with your thumb. They key is to not open and close your blades fully. It is also important to note that depending on if you're right handed or left handed will determine where you stand and on which side you will need to flip your shears. Flipping your shears on the opposite side of your dominant hand will help you achieve a similar angle on both sides, resulting in a more even face frame.
Now it is all about using our slide cutting shear to finish and detail a cut. For detail work it is best to be done on dry hair. With the hair laying flat, pinch small sections and begin half way to three quarters of the way up the hair shaft. You do not need to elevate the hair if you are just planning to remove some weight and blend layers. Simply slide your scissors down the hair shaft, slowly, opening and closing your blades using your thumb. This technique helps to smooth hair and blend layers, making them light and soft. You can also use slide cutting to remove weight from the interior of your haircut. Simply section the hair and elevate it, then slide from the interior, out. Slide cutting does help achieve all different types of texture.
So why is it that we need another pair of shears?
The slide cutting shear has been created to give you the best slide cutting results. When slide cutting it is important that we continue to protect the integrity of our clients hair. Using the wrong shears can create damage to the hair cuticle, especially on dry hair. Damaging the cuticle can create frizz, which is exactly the opposite of what we are trying to achieve . So we need to ensure that our blades are super sharp as not to damage, drag, or pull the hair.
Slide cutting scissors have a wider, curved blade. This blade design helps the hair to slip along the blades, making your scissor slide smoothly through the hair. Slide cutting shears can also offer incredible versatility. They can be used for different ways of texturizing on dry hair, like point cutting . It is also important to note that slide cutting shears should be made with a high quality steel, ensuring that they will stay sharper longer and hold their edge as cutting on dry hair can dull your blades quicker.
Now that you know all about slide cutting shears, what they do and how to use them, its time to consider making the purchase!
If you haven't yet mastered the art of the slide cut these are the tool for you ! Slide cutting can help you in creating high quality cuts and impress your customers. The beauty is in the details!
