Graduation is a great way to add interest to a hair cut, especially shorter styles, because the variance in weight can be used to create cool shapes and accents. Andrew Carruthers, Education Director for Sam Villa, says there are five things to think about in order to execute graduation correctly.
- Work with the head-shape! Create cutting lines that curve with the natural head shape for a softer more balanced effect versus straight hard lines.
- Use a higher elevation and finger angle/cutting line to develop a leaner graduation that works well for super short haircuts.
- Choose a lower elevation to maintain more weight.
- Take more vertical sections for lean graduation, horizontal sections for low and heavy graduation, or diagonal sections when attempting to build weight in a certain direction.
- Razors and graduation play well together because razors create a more lived-in edge and it's easier to create a curved cutting line.
“Graduation can be worked into longer cuts too, the results are just a bit more diffused,” says Carruthers.
For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.
media brand