Cutting and Hairdressing Techniques
What the exam tests
This domain tests precision cutting: sectioning, elevation, distribution, tension, guide lines and finishing. It expects you to select techniques that suit hair type, growth pattern and client lifestyle, then cross-check the result.
Core rules
- Section cleanly and consistently; section size should allow control of the hair you are cutting.
- Elevation is the angle at which hair is held from the head. Distribution is where hair is directed relative to the section. Tension is how firmly it is held. These are separate variables and each changes the result.
- A guide line controls length; establish it clearly and cross-check later sections against it.
- Blunt cutting creates a solid line, graduation builds weight, and layering removes weight and creates movement. Point cutting and slide cutting soften ends but can fray a fine perimeter.
- Work with natural growth patterns, cowlicks and hairlines rather than forcing hair against them.
- Cut dry or in small sections when checking curl shrinkage, and cross-check both sides for balance.
Worked example
A client with a strong cowlick at the front hairline wants a short, blunt fringe. Reasoning: cutting against the cowlick creates a gap or a stubborn lift. Choose a slightly longer fringe with soft point-cut ends, work with the growth direction and check the dry result before finalising. Explain that the cowlick will still influence styling.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing elevation with distribution when explaining a cut.
- Using inconsistent tension, causing one side to be shorter.
- Not cross-checking, so the cut looks balanced wet but uneven dry.
- Forcing a blunt line through a strong growth pattern.