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Five Tips To Mastering The Bob

It is a classic and a silhouette that every hairdresser should know how to perfect. But creating a bob is really more detailed than you think. Get a breakdown of the cut and learn the five MUSTS to mastering the shape.

Maggie Mulhern
Maggie MulhernBeauty and Fashion Director, MODERN SALON
Read Maggie's Posts
August 22, 2019
Five Tips To Mastering The Bob

Mastering the bob

1 min to read


Think a bob is easy to cut? Think again! It is a beautiful shape and can work on most clients, but mastering the silhouette takes skill, practice and patience.


Andrew Carruthers, Sam VillaDirector of Education, is an expert on that classic shape, having created thousands throughout his career. In his classes, Carruthers points out that understanding the head shape and using the right products and tools will help any artist get that strong perimeter edge with balance and blend.

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Here he shares his “Five Tips To Mastering The Bob”:

  1. Pre-section based on the natural head shape. “This is essential.” Carruthers says.

  2. Set up the cut in a “Foundational Breakdown” so you can visualize the major changes that will impact the natural fall of the hair.

  3. Cut the wet shape with the client’s head in an upright position to create even and balanced perimeter lines.

  4. Utilize blending shears with tight tooth spacing to create a strong shape with soft edges. (For this step Carruthers uses the Sam Villa Signature Series Reversible Blending Shear)

  5. After the blow dry, tip the client’s head forward and to the side to reveal little pieces that can be slightly undercut below the perimeter line. This creates a bob that looks flawless at any angle.

In this detailed video, Carruthers breaks down the bob:

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