"Diamond sections are a great way to create movement at the crown in shorter layers," says Sam Villa, 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner and co-founder of Sam Villa and Global Artistic Ambassador for Redken 5th Avenue. Villa uses diamond sections with over direction and diagonal finger angles to create the perfect amount of volume and movement.

“You’re going to start seeing a degree of shortness and square shapes at the crown, and diamond shaped sections are the way to go," adds Villa. "Essentially you’re distributing areas of weight and length in the corners of the diamond.”

Tips

  • Pay close attention to the quadrants of the diamond (each a triangle and numbered 1-4).
  • Always start cutting the hair on the dominant side and stand opposite of it (if right handed quadrant #2, if left #1)
  • Fingers should be diagonal to the head so when hair falls it will lay short to long and tilt away from the face.
  • When over directing, over direct section 2 to 1, 1 to 2, 3 to 4 and 4 to 3. 
  • Villa suggests using the Sam Villa Signature Series Reversible Blending Shear with the blunt blade on the bottom and cut left to right and right to left repeatedly until all hair is cut in each section – it is a blunt cutting action, but yields a diffused line like point cutting.
  • After cutting each line to desired length, go back in 1” above the ends and soften more with the bending shear. 

Villa will be offering an up-close and personal educational experience at the Redken Exchange on September 11-12 called Directors Cut.  As one of the industry’s most sought after educators, Villa teaches fashion-forward cutting and finishing methods inspired by street style, music and culture - unique techniques that are adaptable to any design and inspire stylists to grow.

VIDEO HOW-TO:

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