Two real cuts

I had my first real haircuts on strangers this week! For this post, I’ll talk about them together, since I find myself having similar reflections on both cuts, but I’ll also lay out a format I can use to discuss future haircuts individually.

The Clients

A is an elderly gentleman with an oval face, fine grey chin-length hair (type 2a), and male-pattern hair loss. He asked for short sides and back with a slightly longer top, which he referred to as a “pensioner’s haircut.” He also had a nape whorl, a distinct natural part despite his thinning hair, and a lot of direction and movement at his crown. He also had hearing aids in both ears, which I decided to work around rather than ask him to remove.

B is a young man with an oval face, fine blonde shoulder-length hair (type 2a), and no MPHL, but a naturally high, squared hairline. He initially seemed to ask for a simple one-length cut taking the hair to his chin. However, as we spoke, he seemed to become more confident in my abilities, and ultimately he asked if I could make him look like Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith (my response: “Yes. Absolutely.”). B didn’t have a strong natural part or crown, but pushing his hair back and forth, I noted that his hair seemed to lie a little more neatly when parted on his right side.

(Note to self: In the future, remember to get “before” photos.)

The Cuts

I was literally trembling for the entire duration of A’s cut. My instructor advised me to rest my knuckles against his skull and cut into my palm, which didn’t stop the trembling, but did successfully make it a non-issue.

I completed the entire haircut with scissors since we hadn’t had much opportunity to practice with clippers up to this point. This undoubtedly took more time than it would have with clippers, but it’ll at least increase the longevity of the cut, and it allowed me to achieve some sublime blending and tapering on the back of the head, if I do say so myself.

For B’s haircut, I was surprised to find that I didn’t tremble at all. I started by setting lengths: I took the hair up to the chin/neckline as originally planned, the sides up to just graze the tops of the ears, and the top up to graze the eyebrows and create that nice side-parted Obi-Wan fringe. I then began blending and tapering all those things together like it was my life’s mission, which took the vast majority of the time involved.

For both cuts, I cleaned up the edges with trimmers, which I definitely need to practice more (the stiff-eared and unnaturally-rooted mannequin heads aren’t great for this).

The Styling

In both cases, with me running short on time, I stuck with what I use personally, which is an eensy bit of paste to get stubborn hairs to travel more cooperatively and sea salt spray for texture.

The Takeaways

First, the obvious: pastes and waxes are too heavy for fine hair. I’d be better off with lighter products in these instances, and I’d do well to expand my product knowledge in general, so that’s a target for at-home study going forward.

Second, while I’m proud of these cuts, both of them are noticeably lopsided, and not in the same ways! A’s hair is a bit longer on the right side (my dominant side), and B’s hair is a bit longer on the left side (my non-dominant side). Some of this is about the way their hair naturally grows and parts, but I should be better accounting for that when I cut. I need to practice taking sections correctly, checking lengths in the mirror, and just stepping back now and then so I don’t lose the bigger picture.

That said: These cuts turned out so well for my first-ever cuts on strangers, and both clients were very happy with them! A was very impressed I’d achieved such a short cut with only scissors. B started smiling into his selfie camera before we’d even gotten to the check-out desk. In both cases I was asked to create styles I hadn’t specifically practiced, and I was able to apply my skills and achieve results that met those requests. At no point did my instructor need to step in to rescue the cuts.

I need more practice, but that was an inevitable conclusion. Today, I feel affirmed that I am getting better at this.