Two hair sections that share the same length can act entirely differently: one will fall immediately once smoothed, the other will push forward, maintain lift, or not let the comb go through. This is why beginners must observe texture, density, and direction before selecting which parts of the hair to cut or blow dry. These characteristics are the hair’s way of giving you a forecast.
Texture is the hair’s nature. It can be thin, thick, straight, wavy, curly, soft, porous, or hard to style. Hair that is thin is more likely to reveal the result of a trim, especially at the ends, as there is less hair to obscure irregularities. Texture requires you to slow down while brushing and cutting, focus on creating clean parts, and adjust how much force you use. When one student applies the same technique to every section, the results appear random.
Density is how much hair the model has in the area you’re working on. In the crown you can feel the hair is much heavier than in the bangs, even though you parted it with the same-sized section. If your part has dense hair, the comb and clips might have a hard time working through it and the hair might make you take larger or bigger parts. If you have less hair, you need to take things easy, otherwise you could pull the hair so tight that it changes the result you see in the mirror. Density determines whether you need smaller or larger parts, less or more weight, or fewer clips.
Direction is important because the hair does not always grow or fall as beginners assume. The growth pattern in the nape, crown, hairline, and sides causes hair to grow or move in all directions, such as forward, backward, or in a whirlwind. During blow-dry practice, airflow against natural direction results in frizz or a rougher surface. During cutting, pulling against natural fall leads to apparent balance when held by hand but a different appearance once released.
One practice technique that works before any cutting is this: set up a mannequin or model with a comb, clips, a handheld mirror and spray bottle. Lightly spray an area, comb in the natural falling direction and watch where the hair settles. Select and let go of a small piece and note the way it behaves (falls straight down, bends a little, separates, or bounces back up). Repeat this process with the sides, crown, bangs, and nape. This practice is designed to strengthen observation skills before the hands begin cutting.
Beginners usually confuse density with texture. Hair can be thin but has high density, or thick but lacks density. This becomes an issue when determining part size and pressure. With a part of thin, dense hair, you may need more care with clipping because there are a lot of hair in the section. With a part of thicker but less dense hair, use gentler pressure so that the hair won’t look like it’s being pulled or manipulated. When these distinctions become more obvious, the novice can quit blaming the tool and the instrument for every problem, and begin understanding the hair.
Before making a trim or blow dry, begin with this practical question: what is this section trying to do? If a particular piece is falling forward, standing up, lying flat, or rolling in a loop at the base, the parting, pressure, brush and mirror are affected by this. Hairdressing practice becomes less stressful when hair is not viewed as something to battle but something to watch.