Haircutting Vocabulary

Front

Cross-checking

Back

A technique used to check for precision by parting the hair in the opposite direction from which it was cut.

Front

Dry cutting

Back

Performing a haircut on dry, styled hair to focus on details and how the hair will naturally lay.

Front

Slithering

Back

A texturizing technique that thins the hair to graduated lengths using a sliding movement with partially opened shears.

Front

Elevation

Back

The angle or degree at which hair is lifted and held away from the head while cutting.

Front

Graduation

Back

A technique that involves gradually increasing hair length, often creating a stacked or weighted effect. It can range from low (soft) to high (more dramatic).

Front

Layering

Back

A technique for cutting hair at higher elevations to remove weight and create volume and movement.

Front

Uniform layers

Back

All hair strands are cut to the same length by holding them at a 90-degree angle from the head.

Front

Disconnected layers

Back

Layers with a clear, visible break between sections of different lengths.

Front

Face-framing layers

Back

Shorter layers cut to frame and enhance the client's facial features.

Front

Overdirection

Back

Combing a section of hair in a direction away from its natural fall before cutting. This technique is used to create length and blend layers.