Struggling with my one length assessments

[Gemmamcqueen]

Ive been training towards my NVQ Lvl2 in a hair salon and enjoy everything i have done so far. I feel that my knowledge in terms of colour theory is up to scratch (largely thanks to a couple of wella colour training classes) I enjoy doing shorter cuts (short graduation/graduated bobs etc) and even find long graduation okay.

My biggest struggle is the dreaded one length.

I was so pleased to turn out a short graduated cut today and was on a bit of a high, so pleased with the outcome so when my client came in and wanted a one length above shoulder bob I decided to do it for assessment. It was a total disaster from start to finish. While I can cut a straight line competently the client was a total nightmare, she couldn't keep her head in one place, tilting it to the side and moving it every time I combed a section. Every time I corrected her head she would move and this resulted in graduation. In the end I stopped my assessment and had my trainer fix the cut.

I guess I have two questions. The first is how to deal with difficult clients, it seems that no matter how many times I corrected her head she moved it!!! Even my trainer said rather loudly to me to correct her head position in the hope the client would stay still but she didn't. Would it be considered rude if I had just told her outright that if she didn't keep her head still her cut wouldn't be straight or level? It left me really doubting my abilities despite having completed one length cuts before.

My second question is I find cutting the sides of a one length cut rather difficult. For assessment, you have to bring the sides to the back to cut and I keep cutting off corners, I realised I was doing this because I was moving about too much while cutting and I now use a cutting stool which has helped a lot, I just wondered (and I know its probably really difficult to explain over a forum) exactly where the sides should be when I bring them back to cut them. I've tried numerous times to explain to my trainer my problem but I don't think she gets it :S (Her method is she shows you once then leaves you to it, checking when you ask her, when she checks she just corrects, doesn't really explain)

And I've just realised this post has turned into a major rant! So I apologise but at least I feel a bit better!

 

[spikeyfaerie]

You're perfectly within your rights to tell the client that if she continues to move her head that it will affect the cut and could she please try and stay still. Before I cut a fringe or round ears I always tell them to hold extra still. I tend to get a bit heavy-handed as well when I move their head into position if they keep lolling it around.

You say that you can cut competently so don't let this one client get to you, it wasn't your ability that was at fault.

When you pull the hair back from the side are you tilting your hand that's holding the hair while you cut? If you're angling your hand it might be making you cut at an angle...

If it's meant to be one-length why would they tell you to pull it back, that would make the front longer than the back? We got taught to move around to the side and continue the cut using the back as a guide. Also, when it came to assessment so long as we had neat sections and a correct finished cut it didn't matter which way we did it - we got taught 2 or 3 ways usually to give us all a chance of finding a way that suited us.

 

[Gemmamcqueen]

I have no idea why we can only do it that way. I was taught it that way to begin with, and when I struggled with the sides my trainer taught me to move round the sides and cut it, when I asked if i could cut it that way for assessment as I found it easier she said no. That we had to bring it back. It does make the front longer than the back. To be fair, she has had 9 years of hairdressing experience and yet when teaching us our one length she failed to mention that you cut each section slightly lower than your guideline.

Its possible I'm angling my fingers slightly, I'll be making sure I concentrate on making sure everythings all straight! I think it may be because when bringing the hair back it makes the front longer, which doesnt help when you look at the cut as 'one length' we literally have to bring it all back so it is all a straight line along the back.

Once I'm qualified I'm going to be leaving this salon and taking on an extra 6 months training somewhere else before getting proper 'salon floor' experience. I'm embarrassed at the way we are trained to be honest. We have a few trainers but as I'm in the class closest to qualifying (Its a training academy within the salon rather than a few apprentices and college) we get the main trainer who tends to teach you 'her way' and make you stick to it, loads of us training have had problems with her teaching us her way, and when asking another trainer getting taught totally differently, which can be confusing as she will then make you go back to her way of cutting once she is assessing you. I may ask about with the other trainers if I really do have to bring the sides back as I'd rather cut from the side.

And I think next time I will have to tell the client out straight, it was the most frustrating 45 minutes of my life! And i was so gutted as one lengths are hard to come by and I really needed to pass the assessment!

 

[RachaelDB]

To be honest i had alot of issues like this when i trained i felt totally unsupported by my tutors ..who would show us a cut once and expect us to be fine with it when doing any type of one length i move around my client and found this much better .....alot of the clients that i trained on where children and even though i hated it because i could never get it just right ....it taught me alot in dealing with clients that wiggle and tilt and slump in the chair .....I also hate it when client turn their heads to look at you when they are talking that drives me bonkers dont be scared to move the head into position.

You will get the hang of it ...it comes with practice and self confidence keep believing in your abilitys xx

 

[synchronized]

Tbh you will get this a lot and you will be better off telling your client that if she/he doesn't keep their heads still that their cut will be un even, if she doesn't like it tough your there to do a job and do it well and if their head movement is going to affect then you should.
Dealing with awkward clients is a tough one, i always just try a.d be polite and just explain to them calmly and clearly what the problem is and how to solve it. Hope this help
Love sync x

 

[jimjamjarz]

I got taught when I was training to bring it round to the back too I think this is to make sure you get it even length at the front but it doesn't make sense coz it made it longer but we couldn't pass an assessment unless we done this. I think you shouldn't let this one client get to you and also I really don't think someone woul be offende if you were to say I'm not going to be able to complet this cut or make it an even line if you keep moving (obviously of you said it in a huffy way then they might take it personally but it's all I'm the tone of voice I think when being firm with clients. Well I find that anyway)

Sorry if I wasn't much help but soldier on!! I swear to you one day it will just click and you will think why didn't I know how to do this!!? X

 

[natbc1985]

Hi, when starting out I was taught to bring the hair to the back too and the reason being was to stop the shoulder getting in the way of the cut.

Now when I get to the sides, I stand at the side, I get the client to turn their head to the opposite side slightly, so the previously cut section from the back falls in front of the shoulder and continue to cut in a straight line.

I was taught this by a different tutor. I don't understand this do it from the back or you're not getting assessed attitude. My tutors have always said it's the end result that counts and if you get an accurate cut standing at the side I don't see the problem. In the end everyone develops their skills their own way anyway.

Good luck




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[KayaPapaya]

I'm also taught to pull the hair back if it's below shoulder length. If it's above shoulder length you move round the head.

cutting stool helps a LOT.

I am sligtly older so perhaps I scare people to keep their heads still!! I usually have to move the heads, and tell them to uncross legs, sit up straight. But I do move their heads and put it in position if they keep wriggling.

good luck.

 

[Prettyflamingo]

Hey there , you will get more confident in telling clients to keep still as your confidence grows , my clients move their heads and it's a massive bug bear of mine, I kindly explain if their head is wonky, so is their hair!!! In terms of the cut itself, below shoulder is overdirected back to your previous cut line, to create a " one length" line at the back , if not you will create a rounded shape, which in all fairness is not a true one length, for bobs and over shoulder , then the length is taken round the sides following the guide from the back providing the client doesn't want the hair " A line" . Take small sections, keep hair wet, sit at eye level to the line you cut , tilt clients head slightly forward ( not when cutting bobs or sides) to eradicate graduation ,and take your time!! It will come!! Remember a one length is the foundation for most other cuts, so if the perimeter isn't even then neither will the internal layers !! Good luck!

 

[Gemmamcqueen]

I will be talking to the few trainers we have about this, I can understand that below shoulder one length should be brought to the back but with above shoulder it is difficult to do it that way, and when my trainer correct the cut on this particular client, she cut the sides at the sides, not bringing them back, so maybe I've misunderstood her somewhere.

I really appreciate all the advice I do need more confidence in telling clients what they need to do to ensure a good cut so its something I can practice on from now on.

 

[lea2721]

I will be talking to the few trainers we have about this, I can understand that below shoulder one length should be brought to the back but with above shoulder it is difficult to do it that way, and when my trainer correct the cut on this particular client, she cut the sides at the sides, not bringing them back, so maybe I've misunderstood her somewhere.

I really appreciate all the advice I do need more confidence in telling clients what they need to do to ensure a good cut so its something I can practice on from now on.

Ive just done my level 2 and was never taught to bring it back x

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[Tonyarts]

It depends what kind of baseline true pulling it back does make the back one length but also makes the full cut a long graduation lil bit.

I got told to start with upside down y then do sections then move onto the sides. I always check to see if there is connection from back to sides. I pull the hair down to the front using my guideline to make sure it's even.

This tends to create concave effect if you pull the hair bàck.


Does this explain anything? Or am I confusing lol


Hope it helps x x

 

[Tonyarts]

Also practicing on kids really tests your patience!! Maybe try that then you will get used to naughty clients??

 

[Prettyflamingo]

I will be talking to the few trainers we have about this, I can understand that below shoulder one length should be brought to the back but with above shoulder it is difficult to do it that way, and when my trainer correct the cut on this particular client, she cut the sides at the sides, not bringing them back, so maybe I've misunderstood her somewhere.

I really appreciate all the advice I do need more confidence in telling clients what they need to do to ensure a good cut so its something I can practice on from now on.

Yep it is difficult which is why it is simpler to cut it to natural fall around the sides , as I said , unless u want to create an "A line" shape , however below shoulder should be overdirected back to create a "one length " line , otherwise it isn't technically a one length shape x

 

[lea2721]

Yep it is difficult which is why it is simpler to cut it to natural fall around the sides , as I said , unless u want to create an "A line" shape , however below shoulder should be overdirected back to create a "one length " line , otherwise it isn't technically a one length shape x

Yes we were taught to pull back for long hair but not a bob x

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[kellylill]

I was always taught to pull all the hair back to cut one length. Obviously then afterwards for a client I'd shape the sides round however they wanted it. Make sure your client has a gown and a cutting collar on and that she is looking at the floor with her head down. Don't take your sections to big and try not to use your fingers just comb down with one hand and cut with the other or you will end up with some elevation. Make sure the clients legs are uncrossed as well.