Lost confidence cutting and need help!

[furiousfrog]

I would love to hear other people's thoughts on what I can do to get my mojo back!

I work mobile and used to have no problems doing cuts. I did an apprenticeship and have been fine but since going back to college recently I've really lost the plot.

Background is: I never actually properly qualified the first time round. Despite being an apprentice for almost 4 years and cutting hair in the salon, I did a day release for a couple of years but didn't get my city & guilds certificate as the salon went under shortly before I finished. I went mobile afterwards and was fine for ages.

Anyway, after a break the last few years, I thought I'd go back to college and actually get the qualification, so I signed up for NVQ2. 90% of the course was a walk in the park, all except for the cutting. It was done in a different way to the way I was taught and I found that difficult. I wanted to wholeheartedly commit, so I tried to forget what I was taught so I could learn the basic cuts properly and assumed I'd be able to adapt them afterwards for more styles.

Even basic one-lengths seemed really weird the way college taught me. I'd cut a section and the tutor would comb it and it'd look really bitty or soft-edged. I couldn't understand what I was doing that was different, although to be fair, I don't think my tutor was great at explaining things.

However, a year after finishing the course, I am now so unhappy about cutting hair that I'm avoiding doing them wherever possible and dislike doing any layers or graduations. When I look at a finished cut, all I can see is the problems. I haven't had any complaints and everyone's seemed pleased but I just realised that I'm subconsciously whittling down customers and avoiding cutting wherever possible, which is a RIDICULOUS situation. I can't even seem to revert back to my old style of cutting as it never seems as clean as when I used to do it.

I signed up to myhairdressers.com and bought a job-lot of mannequin heads so I could practice to help improve and try out new things, but this is done in a different way yet again and on occasion their stuff seems impractical and over the top. One cut started with 11 sections which took me half an hour to replicate before I even started cutting.

Would welcome any advice or thoughts or if anyone's been in a similar situation before. I've been looking at courses - the Sassoon one-week course looks pretty good but I'm worried about spending up to £1000 and learning something in yet another different way that'll confuse it further. Would anyone have any recommendations?

 

[L0tus]

Go on as many courses as you can there are many hair cutting teckniques but also basics that u should know inside out !

Don't worry keep practising get models ect and soon ul get ur mojo back !!

 

[Bethbowers90]

When I had just qualified I didn't feel confident with cutting at all. I used to watch other stylists do cuts, and think about why they were doing it that particular way. Another thing I did was had like an intensive training session with a really experienced stylist. I'd get models in with what I was struggling with, and she would have a consultation with me, and then go through the hair cut with me. That really helped me out! x

 

[Amberjox]

When I had just qualified I didn't feel confident with cutting at all. I used to watch other stylists do cuts, and think about why they were doing it that particular way. Another thing I did was had like an intensive training session with a really experienced stylist. I'd get models in with what I was struggling with, and she would have a consultation with me, and then go through the hair cut with me. That really helped me out! x

I was soo scared when i finished but 6 months later i love cutting but now when i check everything i still find bits that i have to correct. Just keep practising, dont avoid doing them and dont give up, and take your time. I do loads at home to practise and watch scissorboy.com which can be helpful. At college we had the toni&guy basic cuts CD and they were really easy to follow. xxx good luck

 

[faerififi]

You will get taught different ways but its up to you how to replicate the cuts in your own interpretation (as long as the basic guide lines are there of course). Myhairdressers does some very complex cuts, so I would try to to reteach yourself one length, short grad, long grad, box layers and uniform layer and make sure you are confident in those before you go on to anything else. Most wholesalers do refresher cutting courses at not that expensive so i would maybe try there before you go onto sassoon, though eventually i would love to do sassoon training aswell. You just might get more out of it if your confidence is restored a bit before hand.

 

[furiousfrog]

This is great, thank you all for lots of replies! I think it's a bit to do with getting older too (or just growing up even!) as my confidence used to be dent-proof but I struggle with it now.

Also, not cutting day after day doesn't help either. I used to cut friends, family and friends of friends during my time out but it's not the same as doing it every day for 8 hours a day. :/

I think I'll carry on with the practicing like you all say - I'm probably just going through the pain of knowing all the things I don't know, whereas before I had no idea just how much I didn't know (hope that sentence made sense?!)

Also, faerififi - thanks for the advice. I was worrying about wasting a week at Sassoons being too busy stressing to get the most out of it so I think you're absolutely right. A & F have got a couple of courses that look good and so do wella.

I also get a bit perfectionist about it sometimes which can be a real nightmare - I need to learn when to stop cutting and walk away! :lol: