One of the most frustrating outcomes of a haircut is when the planned shape doesn't pan out. Master stylist and educator Roger Molina says stylists can get better results in many instances by using a tried-and-true haircut hack: no-tension cutting, holding the hair with a comb instead of in hand.
“Sometimes holding hair in our hands to set guides leads us astray," says Molina, an award-winning Sam Villa ArTeam educator. "Our desire for exact shape can set us up for failure if there’s not a natural distribution and good balance of hair.
'“In some cases, like bobs or other free-falling shapes, the most natural fall and distribution can be found by switching your guide while holding it in the comb rather than your fingers."
Molina recommends no-tension cutting to achieve one of three results:
- Airy Texture. Remove bulk and produce a more open, loose effect by elevating sections with less tension at the mid-strand and working through to the ends.
- Correction. No-tension cutting is a good technique for fixing or removing something that isn’t desired — softer edges and texture can hide flaws!
- Soft Edge. Some shears are designed to let hair slip as it’s being cut without tension to create a nice soft edge. Pairing them with a comb to hold the section creates an even more diffused effect.
Use equal distribution with all hair riding in the same side of the comb, Molina says. "The fine side provides more control; the coarse side supports natural tension and fall."
Pro Tips for No-Tension Cutting
- Use a comb that's a contrasting color from the hair, to better see the cutting angle.
- Use 2 different pairs of shears, the teeth cut on different sides of the section — underside, outside, underside, outside — so the hair has equal drift even though bigger sections are being cut. (Molina uses Sam Villa Classic Series Dry Cutting Shears and Signature Series InvisiBlend Shears.)
- The sections work better when cut wet. Spray each before holding in the comb.
- Use the comb to not only hold hair, but as a guide to create the proper angle and elevation.
- Twisting the fringe in the comb and point-cutting a horizontal line creates a nice curtain fringe.
- The principle is to keep striking shear to hair from the top surface, meaning keep the blade hitting from the top down to build graduation correctly.
Get the video tutorial for a no-tension bob here.
Roger Molina will be teaching "Precision in Motion: Elevating Hair Cutting Efficiency" and "Hairvolution: Trending With Precision" at the International Beauty Show-Las Vegas from June 22-24. Get more info here.