Lack of volume makes up more than half of the hair complaints we hear from clients in the salon. Clients will spend hundreds of dollars on products and hours educating themselves on how to achieve volume yet by the end of the day, their hair is back to flat.
The right haircut is the solution to our clients volume concerns. As hairdressers, we have the ability to customize haircuts to promote longer-lasting volume in all the right areas!
Sam Villa, Redken 5th Avenue Global Artistic Ambassador and the Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Sam Villa Company shares a custom cutting technique using a diamond section, split into four at the top of the head. The end result is volume and soft, shorter layers in the crown to complement longer lengths! Read on for valuable, hot tips to create maximum volume!
WHY IS A DIAMOND SECTION IMPORTANT?
A diamond section creates volume and different variations of weight within specific areas. For this haircut our goal is to create volume at the crown area. To customize this technique, Sam has connected the points of four triangular sections at the top of the head, forming the shape of a diamond.
This sectioning will help to achieve a degree of shortness in the center of the crown and help to maximize volume.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE FOUR TRIANGLES?
The four triangles allow us to cut small degrees of shortness over the center, top of the head. This will allow the shorter layers to seamlessly blend into the ends.
The triangles are labeled one through four and will help to follow the technique as we will cut odd numbers to odd numbers, and even numbers to even numbers.
This may also help you to follow along if you choose to practice the cut as you are watching the video!
HOW DO YOU SECTION THE FOUR TRIANGLES?
Mastering this sectioning is extremely important!
Each section is labeled as follows:
- (#1) Left front, (#2) Right front, (#3) Right back, (#4) Left back.
Set aside four Sam Villa Dry Sectioning Clips and your Sam Villa Signature Series Short Cutting Comb. Follow this technique to help carve out each section:
- To find the highest point of the head using a comb:
- Lay the comb vertically on the top of the head (Front to back).
- Move the comb gently until it balances on the head on its own. (Remove your hand).
- The point at which the head and comb touch, is the highest point. Place your pointer finger here.
- Use your comb to draw a straight line down to just below the crown.
- Then, follow a straight line from the highest point to the front hairline. (Use the bridge of the nose as a guide).
- This line will be known as your middle part.
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To carve out side parts:
- Starting at the highest point of the head, use your comb to carve a straight line down to the top of the right ear. Isolate the right front from the right back.
- Follow the same technique on the left side.
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To carve out your four triangles:
- Start at the left, front (#1).
- Place your comb at the center part, 2-inches away from the hairline.
- Carve a diagonal back, straight line to the middle of the side part on the left. The triangle will be your section #1 (left, front).
- Place a clip to isolate.
- For the left, back (#4).
- Place your comb at the middle of the left side part you’ve just created.
- Carve a diagonal back, straight line to the middle part just below the crown. This triangle will be your section #4 (left, back).
- Place a clip to isolate.
- Mirror the same technique using diagonal back, straight lines as you move around the head to complete the right back (#3), and right front (#2).
Hot Tip:
- Lower your client so you’re able to look down on the top of their head.
- To ensure each of your four triangular sections are even, hold all four sections straight up at the middle of the head so you’re able to see the diamond you’ve sectioned out!
WHAT IS THE CUTTING TECHNIQUE?
Before starting your cut, you’ll need your Sam Villa Signature Series Reversible Blending Shears and Sam Villa Signature Series Short Cutting Comb.
Why use the Reversible Blending Shears? This shear will create a very soft, diffused edge allowing for a seamless transition.
We will be bringing odd numbered sections to one another, and even numbered sections to one another.
To create your guide:
- Remove clip from section #1 (left front).
- With your palm facing up, grab section #1 in-between your pointer and middle finger.
- Over-direct #1 to section #3 (right back), and lay the section flat on top of the head, holding the ends straight out to your chest. (90 degrees with the floor).
- With the teeth of the comb facing up towards the ceiling, guide your fingers using the comb and stop at the desired length.
- This will determine the length for the point of the triangle; the center top of the head.
- Position your finger angle to mirror the base of the section/diagonal back parting.
- To cut your first section, place your Reversible Blending Shears horizontally, and move from left to right as you close the blades down onto the hair. Continue this technique until all of the hair is cut.
- Hot tip: Moving the shears from left to right will diffuse the ends.
- Comb the same section (#1) one more time to the same position, place your shears about 1-inch from the ends and gently press the shears down 2-3 times to soften the inner edges.
To complete the haircut:
- Find your guide at the center top of the head and gather into section #2 (right front).
- With your palm facing up, grab section #2 with your pointer and middle finger.
- Direct section #2 back, to meet section #4 (left back).
- Direct section #2 back, to meet section #4 (left back).
- Insert your comb with the teeth facing up, and follow with your fingers down about 2-inches.
- Before you reach the desired length, stop and fold the ends up to find your cutting guide underneath the section.
- Once you have visualized where the guide is, flip the hair back over, and gently slide the fingers down the section until you feel the guideline.
- Position your fingers to mirror the base of the section/diagonal back.
- Insert your shear and move from left to right as you close the blades down onto the hair.
- Continue this technique until all of the hair is cut.
- Follow the same technique as above, bringing section #3 (right back) to section #1 (left front).
- Follow the same technique bringing section #4 (left back) to section #2 (right front).
WHY ARE WE TO HOLD THE COMB WITH THE TEETH FACING UP?
If the teeth are facing down, you will most likely pick up hair from the other sections. By holding the teeth up, you prevent picking up hair that’s not meant to be cut.
Hot tip: Use a Sam Villa Dry Sectioning Clip to hold the hair in place, underneath the section.
COULD YOU ADJUST THE ELEVATION FROM 90 DEGREES?
Yes! Depending on the angle in which you hold your section, the variations of length will be greater.
- For this sectioning and cutting technique;
- Elevating to above 45 degrees, the hair will be much shorter at the point of the triangle (center at the top), and gradually longer at the base of the triangle.
- Dropping the elevation below 45 degrees the hair at the point of the triangle is long, and slightly longer towards the base of the triangle.
WHY DO WE NEED TO CUT SOFT LAYERS?
For clients that lack volume, hair can appear thinner the longer it is. Simultaneously, layering becomes a challenge due to the limited amount of hair we have to cut, and the variation in length required when layering. Without the use of the right tools and the proper layering technique, we are challenged with creating seamless, soft transitions.
One result of this challenge, hair stylists refer to as "steps". This is when too much hair is cut at each layer, resulting in hard lines carved into the hair, resembling the steps of a staircase.
The other challenge is the transition from short layers to long lengths. If the transition is visible without any blending, you’ll be left with an outdated style similar to a mullet- not the modern approach we see today!
These challenges are why our suggestion to use Sam Villa Signature Series Reversible Blending Shears is a no-brainer! These shears were specifically designed to blend hair seamlessly, diffuse ends, and remove excess bulk to guarantee blended haircuts!
FINAL WORDS
With the skill set and the right tools in our kit, we have the ability to solve one of the top hair challenges of our guests- Volume! Next time you speak with your client about their hair concerns, we hope you choose to use this technique. Our goal is that you have gained new skills to customize your haircuts to maximize volume for any and all hair lengths!
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