The Leaf Hair Blog
How to Be the Best Hairdresser: Interview with Charlie Gray
Wondering how to be a good hairdresser? We sat down with Charlie Gray, founder of Hair In Motion, to get some insightful tips on how to be the best in the industry. Here’s what we learned. Are there any skills and qualities for hairdressing that are important to have? Patience One of the most integral qualities in hairdressing is patience. It is very easy to get frustrated with the level you’re currently working at, but it is important to remember that learning any creative craft takes time. Indulge in your learning and you’ll see major improvements in your skill, but don’t expect to see huge progress overnight. Confidence Another vital skill to build is having a sense of composure and self-confidence. Whilst working in hairdressing, especially in a salon or barbershop setting, you might begin comparing yourself to others. It is easy to let yourself gravitate towards this kind of mindset, which will only negatively affect your work. “You need to develop strong confidence in your own ability. Focus on your own vision and goals, and really discipline yourself so that you’re not constantly comparing yourself to others.” Courage It’s easier said than done. But be courageous every once in a while. Hairdressing is an avenue of exploration; you should define your own goals, stick to your strengths and find out what you truly enjoy. Once you’ve found your passion don’t hesitate to take the necessary (bold) steps to make it happen. What kind of customer service skills in hairdressing should you strive to develop? Hairdressers are very much people-orientated. You’ll often hear the joke that we are also therapists, which isn’t far from the truth. We’re very relaxed and open-minded people, which are qualities that naturally improve your customer service skills. Generally, you’ll want to be approachable and easy-going. Clients can really open up to you during an appointment, and you should be able to reflect this openness back to them. Of course, we’re talking more about personal qualities here, but learning people skills will come naturally with practice. What advice would you give to those just starting out their career? The main skill you’ll really want to drill down into in the beginning is developing a strong willingness to learn. “Become a sponge: make it your mission to use everything as a learning opportunity. Observe and take in everything around you and don’t be afraid to get really stuck into what you do.” Your job needs patience but also dedication. You need to invest a lot of your time to learn such a meticulous craft. You’ll likely need to make sacrifices if you want to exceed people’s expectations. A key thing to bear in mind before throwing yourself into hairdressing is that you likely won’t make a lot of money in the beginning. It’s a common misconception that hairdressing is easy and that you’ll rake it in from the get-go. This is simply not the case, and, just like with any job, you’ll need to work your way up. “But most importantly, take advantage of the freedom you have to express yourself creatively.” Being a successful hairdresser: How can you improve hairdressing skills? First and foremost, you’ll want to crack down on your fundamental knowledge from the very start. Learn techniques, get experience and take opportunities to be creative and explore, as this is the most effective way to learn. The best way to do this is to work with a good academy. Many of the bigger salons in the industry provide fantastic training opportunities. Once you know your techniques you can move into exploring your skills more creatively at niche independent salons. If you really want to improve your skills, then start prioritising knowledge over money. You’ll start finding that when you do this, you’ll have more opportunities to learn and do what’s best for you. Money can always be earned, but knowledge and skill are priceless in this industry. “For me personally, I spent around 5 years of my career building my knowledge. Once I had this, I was able to pursue bigger things, like learning to teach others and how to run a business. Your journey in this industry simply shouldn’t stop at cutting hair.” What do you love about the profession? One of the biggest advantages of being a hairdresser is the opportunities it brings. “For me, I’ve been able to meet incredible people and travel to amazing places which I probably wouldn’t have gone to without pursuing this career. Everything I do now, I owe to hair.” What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Trust your gut instincts! If something doesn’t feel right for whatever reason, learn to take risks to change for the better. If you’re never willing to take risks, then you won’t know what kind of decisions will backfire, and equally, you’ll miss out on great learning opportunities. So, trust your gut and learn to take risks. What is an insight that you wish everyone in the industry knew about? “It’s not how long you’ve been in the craft, it’s the dedication you’ve put into it.” The majority of people lack the mindset to become the best at what they’re doing. This just goes to show that having a winners mindset is so much more important than skill set. In fact, a hairdresser who has 1 year of experience can easily be a better hairdresser than someone with 30 years of experience. This just comes down to that mindset of being willing to learn and improve. If you stop developing your skills and striving for success, you’re always going to be stuck in the same place. Start growing and developing in your hairdressing career Did you find Charlie’s insights useful? His platform, Hair In Motion, has released a 10-week Mentorship Programme for individuals who want to push the boundaries in their teaching career. Find out more here. Or, keen to build on your fundamental skills? The LEAF Academy offers innovative haircutting tutorials from top names in the industry, including Charlie Gray! Check out all the courses here.
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Hair Salon Ideas for Becoming an Eco-Friendly Hair Salon
With more and more salons choosing sustainable values, it is great to see positive change in the hair industry. But it can be tricky to pick the right eco-friendly changes to make in your salon. Here are some sustainable work practices in hairdressing and barbering to help.
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The Pros and Cons of Going Self Employed as a Hairdresser
Once you become a qualified hairdresser, the world is your oyster. But it can be difficult to really know what you want to do, and that’s okay! We’re giving you a deep dive into two options: going self-employed or working in a salon. What is a Freelance Hairstylist and How Does it Differ From Working in a Salon? A freelance hairdresser is typically self-employed and works independently with their own client base. They might have a location where they work, or they can be mobile and visit their clients’ homes. On the other hand, working in a salon would mean you are employed by someone else, whether that be by a small independent salon or a big chain. The Pros of Becoming a Self Employed Hairdresser Firstly, you choose your own hours and location. This makes your work very flexible, as you can work on your own accord and choose any location that suits you. You can also pick the products you love and use them, rather than being restricted by a certain product brand at a salon. With hard work, your income can be improved as you are free to set your own prices. Some people feel very accomplished and successful by working for themselves, as you have earned your success and income off your own back. Finally, you can choose how to educate yourself and have the freedom to choose courses. The Pros of Working for a Salon In a salon setting, you are part of a team which means you can have support from others and can constantly learn from people around you. There is a sense of collective ambition which you can’t achieve on your own. You also receive assistance from the salon’s marketing to grow your client base. Usually, a salon will invest a lot of money into marketing, so you might be able to gain clients at a faster rate than if you were a freelancer. Often salons will provide educational opportunities which are sourced for you, and there are also career growth opportunities, for example, working in management or specialising in a service. In terms of income and expenses, there is a lot more financial security as you have a clear and consistent pay packet every month. Additionally, you won’t be spending your income on supplies, as all tools and products are provided by the salon. The Cons of Being a Freelance Hair Stylist Working on your own might be fulfilling, but at times you might feel lonely or miss the team dynamic of working in a salon. But don’t forget, you’ll still have all those lovely social interactions with your clients! You also have to seek education opportunities yourself. It can sometimes be hard to know which areas you need to improve without an outside perspective, so it can be difficult to stay motivated to improve. Lots of people don’t consider the administrative work that you have to do on your own, including accounting and taxing, as well as your own marketing to grow your client base. This could mean you are constantly in work mode and do long hours. The Cons of Working for a Salon At the salon, there is not much flexibility in terms of hours and the products you use in the salon. This might lead you to feel quite restricted by your job. For some, you might feel like there is a ceiling on their career, as you might feel more limited as you’re not working for yourself. Additionally, people often forget that your client base is not your own, and they technically belong to the salon you work for. Contrary to being self-employed, a % of your earnings are retained by the salon. Again, this might make you feel like you are not earning your full potential. Should You Choose to Go Freelance or Work for a Salon? There is no right or wrong answer, as some people thoroughly enjoy working for a salon, whereas others might want to work for themselves. Either career path can make you feel just as successful, the most important thing is that you are happy and love what you do! But generally, we’d recommend that you really take your time deciding what the best path is for you. There is no rush when it comes to hairdressing, so figure out what you enjoy and what you want to accomplish before making any rash decisions. Develop Valuable Skills for Any Career There's no doubt that you'll need to develop exceptional skills, no matter what career path you take. Why not check out our LEAF Academy? Here, you'll learn from the best in the industry. Learn more about LEAF Academy here.
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Hairdressing Career Advice From LEAF's Founder: Stephen McManus
We are excited to share with you an interview with LEAF Scissors’ founder, Stephen McManus. Keep on reading to get tips for hairdressers to help you excel in your career. If you’re looking for hands-on video tutorials to improve your technical skills head over to the LEAF academy to get access to our classes. Starting From Zero - How Do You Become A Hairdresser? Being a hairdresser is a technical job and needs an involved level of education, so it’s harder than most people think. To become qualified, you’ll take an NVQ Level 2 or 3. There are two main routes that you can consider taking to complete this: Hairdressing at College College will feel a little bit more like school and less like work. You’ll learn the theory in a formal environment. But you won’t totally miss out on the practice. As well as working on real clients, you should also have the opportunity to get work experience. Overall, this route is for those who want to stick to a school environment. And we understand: It can be daunting going straight into the working world. Hairdressing Apprenticeships An apprenticeship will give you more insight into the day to day at work. Steve believes that doing an apprenticeship is the best route you can take to become a qualified hairdresser. Whilst you are still exposed to lots of theory, you also gain the customer and team experience which is crucial. This will give you a much more in-depth skill set than college will. Remember, a great hairdresser has hard and soft skills. “Take your time and really get a feel for what you want to do.” What Are The Different Career Options in Hairdressing? One of the amazing things about becoming a qualified hairdresser is that there is a multitude of career options out there. The obvious choice is to become a hairstylist and work in a salon, but even with that, there are so many possibilities. You can choose to specialise in cutting, colours or both and learn to build a client base. You can branch into management or even own your own salon. Is salon work not for you? There is creative or editorial work, as well as jobs in film and TV. A big industry where you’ll also find an abundance of options is the fashion industry, or you could even become a celebrity stylist. How To Gain Exposure As A Hairstylist Gaining exposure as a stylist has never been easier. Before, the best opportunities were in big cities such as London, Paris and New York, but the internet has brought a spectrum of opportunity. The hair industry is up for grabs for all. Social media is your ticket to success; you can upload your best work to create a public portfolio, and network with stylists globally. Your work could fall into the laps of anyone, so it is well worth having an online presence. What Is The Best Way to Set Up Your Own Salon? Start with an apprenticeship to build the relevant skills. Gain real work experience for 2-3 years, preferably getting into a management role. Take the time to decide to open a salon - you’ve got to really want it. Find your USP (unique selling point), what do you care about and how will you make a difference? Choose a great location. Consider your branding - what’s your business’ style/personality? Apply for a loan. Spend time to hire the right people. Ensure you invest in marketing. Curious to learn more about setting up your own salon? Keep your eyes peeled for a course we’re working on. The Advantages of Being a Hairdresser - What Do You Love About The Profession? “I believe the hairdressing industry is unparalleled to any other industry. It is filled with unique, creative, passionate people with a willingness to wear their heart on their sleeve. The energy created by these people is outstanding. They are very caring and giving and genuinely care about their clients, and boosting people’s self-esteem. I couldn’t be more proud as an industry”. What Is The Best Tip You’ve Ever Gotten? “Education is more than teaching someone how to cut hair, you’ll give them a skill set that will provide for them for the rest of their lives”. There is a direct correlation between the education you provide and how successful they will be in life, so you should appreciate the opportunity you have to teach someone. What’s a Tip for Hairdressers That You Wish Everyone Knew About? “Never stop learning, you’ll never know everything and if you think you do then something has gone wrong. Education is what leads to growth.” Steve’s top hairdressing tip is to write down one thing you have learned every single day. After a year, you’ll have a collection of learnings, whether big or small, to commemorate your hard work and dedication to your career. Learn Even More with LEAF Exciting changes are happening at LEAF, and we’re pleased to be bringing you educational content for hairdressers and barbers. From industry insights to cutting tutorials, we’re releasing an abundance of resources to help you be the best that you can be. Sign up to the LEAF Academy to get access to expert hairdressing tutorials.
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Top Tips for Left-Handed Hair Stylists
When becoming a hairdresser or barber, being left-handed might feel like a bit of a curse. However, with the right tools and training, it can turn out to be the ultimate gift and the perfect source of inspiration.
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Complementing Your Scissors: 5 Essential Tools for Hairdressers
There is so much more to great hairdressing than the scissors. Here are some essential hair tools that all hairdressers should have!
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The Ultimate Hair Cutting Techniques Guide
Learning to cut hair is a continuous process - there are always new methods to try. But understanding the fundamentals is key to progressing onto expert techniques. Here are all the steps you should follow to create flawless haircuts. If you’re keen to get into the details download our free PDF guide. Understanding Shape and Form When Cutting Hair As hairstylists, your geometry lessons from school are extremely useful when learning to cut hair. Geometric shapes such as squares, triangles and circles should all be used when creating a cut. Typically one haircut is made up of a variety of smaller shapes, but they all come together to form one primary shape. By learning to cut using geometric shapes, your haircuts will have a strong outline and a flawless, defined shape. How to Part Hair for Cutting It is also important to part the hair when cutting as it is one of the biggest factors that changes the shape of the haircut. It also allows you to be thorough and precise when creating a haircut. There are many different patterns of partings, but the method you use will all depend on the haircut you are trying to achieve, and how you want the hair to move. In general, to get a clean section every time, take a fine-toothed or parting comb. Take both forefingers and place them on the tip of the tooth, placing your palm on the hair. Glide the comb, putting pressure on the tip, through the hair. You will then have a perfect, clean section to work with. Distribution in Hair Cutting You have your sections, but now you need to think about how you comb the hair in relation to the sections you have created. This is what we call distribution. You must consider the following when using distribution: Weight distribution of the haircut. Whether the line will be cut strong or soft. Whether the cut will move in the desired direction. Elevation in Hair Cutting Elevation is the way you lift the hair away from the head before making a cut. Elevation changes the silhouette of the haircut, by removing more or less weight from the perimeter of the cut. It is usually referred to in angles, such as 45° or 95°. What Are The Different Cutting Techniques? Now that you have prepared the hair for the cut, you can get your scissors ready. But there are many different techniques to consider, and again, each will have a huge impact on the final result of your creation. Blunt Hair Cutting Technique This technique is great for adding definition to the hair by creating a solid, sharp line. It is great for thicker hair as it adds focus to the fullness of the hair. Make sure your sections are thin, as thick sections will cause a lack of definition. Get your client to tilt their head forwards, and comb the hair downwards. Holding the comb just above where you want the length to sit, take your scissors parallel to the comb and cut a straight line. Point Cutting Hair Technique Point cutting softens the line of the cut, so you can avoid the harsh lines which we created with the blunt cutting technique. It is a very simple technique; first, cut a straight, dominant line. Hold the hair between your fingers, and point your scissors towards the head. Cut along the dominant line without changing the position of the scissors. Razor Cutting Hair Technique Razors are a fantastic tool which should be used more often - they allow you to seamlessly remove weight and length from the hair, much more quickly than normal scissors could. As always, ensure the hair is parted and sectioned. Working on the perimeters of the hair, hold the hair in front of the second knuckle, place the blade against the hair and lightly glide it over. Want to try out this technique? Our Black Edition Razor is lightweight and comfortable in your hand, to allow you to create the perfect looks with ease. Slicing Hair Cutting Technique This technique requires you to slice the hair in it’s natural fall to create texture and encourage direction, much like the razor cutting technique. The more pressure you use with slicing, the more weight you will remove. It is also important to do it on wet hair. All you have to do is point your scissors downwards away from the scalp, and slide it down the lengths of the hair. The more times you repeat this, the more weight you will remove. Download Our Free Cutting Techniques Guide Keen to learn more? Download our PDF that includes even more cutting tips and techniques that you can learn. Keen to learn more in the long-run? With LEAF Academy, you can watch tutorials from top names in the industry. Find out more here.
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Bangs, Bangs, Bangs!
Cutting Your Locks Post Lockdown If you're looking to give the hair a fresh look after coming out of lockdown without compromising the length you've grown over the Corona hibernation, look no further than cutting those bangs. From subtle face-framing to full-on curtain bangs, I will discuss 2 types of fringes that will help change up your look while still looking stylish. Shaggy 70s Bangs When cutting 70s bangs a là Stevie Nicks you have to go at it quite visually and remember points of the face you want to accent eyes, cheekbones and jawline. This style works with most cuts! It's great paired with a shaggy layered hairstyle, or if you want to rock chick up a simple one-length cut. It allows the hair to look great even when it's put up, allowing pieces to fall really helping to frame the face. When cutting, imagine tramlines starting at the recess of the hair or the peak to the end of the eyebrows going parallel back and remembering to never go below this, staying in between the sections. Part this down the middle and your first cutting section should be a right-angled triangle in the centre. Then, taking even sections on both sides of the parting, cut the hair straight down with no elevation.This allows you to see exactly where each section will fall. This first cut is the most important in regards to shape as it will define where the flow of the bangs will come from, you can start it at the eyebrows for a full-on look, I tend to never start it longer than the cheekbone but you could go a bit longer if you aren't as daring. Then follow the same triangle sections going back and cutting straight down. The width of the sections is totally up to you, and you can go smaller if you want a softer look. Or, go larger if you want a really choppy, snagged look. It's important that with the length of every section you take back, you leave the same length when you cut. Do not follow the guide on this one as you are cutting this freehand and the guide is your eyes. Keep going back until there is no length to cut. This will be quite far back with a long one length but not too far back for a layered style. This allows the fringe to fall into the haircut and blend nicely. If the hair is a little thicker or very straight I would recommend afterwards bringing the hair straight up and point cutting it just to help soften it up and slightly texture the ends. Style this roughly, possibly with a diffuser, letting the natural texture do its thing. Use a salt spray and loosely wrap the tongs around it if needs be, but refrain from holding it on too long. Less is more! Curtain Bangs Source: @annabelnugent on Instagram Think less Ritchie from 5ive and think more Dakota Johnson, Camilla Cabello or Jameela Jamil. Firstly decide where you want the length to sit. You can take it from above the eyebrow all the way down to the jawline depending on what you are initially comfortable with. Keep the hair nice and wet, part the hair in the middle and similarly to the sectioning of the 70s bangs, we will be working with right-angled triangle sections. Start at between the peak to the end of the eyebrows depending on how thick you want to cut, but remember to not take it any further. Now you're left with a large triangle section at the top. Section away or put up the rest of the hair. Part your triangle section down the middle to split the section in two, and taking one side over the opposite side of the face, cut parallel to the part. Depending on the thickness, you may be able to do this in one section, but if it is a lot, take it in two or three sections. Repeat the same for the other side and let the bangs fall naturally. Once you are happy with the length, start styling. Take each of the two sections, and depending on the length, use an appropriate sized round brush and hairdryer. Blow-dry the hair forward and toward the opposite side where you want the hair to fall. If the hair feels a little too chunky, then bring each section straight up and point cut deeply until it softens the ends, allowing it to fall effortlessly around the face. To see some more inspiring post Lockdown haircuts, check out Oliver's Instagram page: @oliverdrama.
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Professional Hairdressing Scissors - A Guide To Using Texturising Scissors
Texturising scissors are a must-have tool for all hairstylists. Not only do they add volume and texture to your haircuts, but they can also work in the same way as thinning scissors. Here’s everything you need to know about texturising shears. WE LOVE THE LOOK THAT TEXTURISING SCISSORS PROVIDE JUST AS MUCH AS YOU USE CODE 'TEXTURE' FOR 30% OFF STOREWIDE Texturising Shears vs Thinning Shears How are texturising scissors different from thinning shears? In most cases they are the same but some hairdressers might argue that texturising scissors have fewer teeth with wider gaps to create texture, whereas thinning scissors have more teeth with less space between them to remove weight from the hair. However, both types of scissor can achieve similar results. Texturising scissors can also reduce thickness, and both scissors can be used to soften the edges of a haircut for a more seamless finish. What Do Texturising Scissors Do? Texturising scissors, as mentioned, have fewer teeth with wider gaps between them. This design ensures that they can remove more hair than thinning shears. However, the end result of the haircut has more volume, and the shape of the cut is enhanced with added texture. As with most hairdressing tools, texturising scissors can be used in different ways to achieve different results. If you use them in a similar way to thinning scissors, they can be a useful way to work on really thick hair. You can learn how to thin hair on our previous blog post, which you can find here. How To Use Texturising Scissors An important first step to cutting hair with texturising scissors is to make sure the hair is completely dry. This ensures you can see how the hair naturally falls as you cut. The hair should also be cut into the desired shape and length. You are now ready to start cutting. Working in sections, take the ends of the hair between your fingers and make a cut. Be conscious that the more cuts you make, the more hair you will remove from the ends. For an in-depth look into cutting men’s hair, you can see how our ambassador, Charlie Gray, uses our Black Edition Texturising Scissor: What Hair Types Can Texturising Scissors Be Used On? Texturising scissors are ideal for thick hair. If used correctly, texturising scissors can also be used on fine hair without removing unwanted amounts of hair. Take your scissors and cut very close to the ends of the hair. This will add texture without removing too much weight. Be mindful when working on curly hair with texturising scissors. Removing too much hair on a curly head can damage the natural curl pattern and cause frizz. Generally, curly hair - especially coils - already have a lot of texture and volume. But if you decide to use texturising scissors on curly hair, keep them close to the ends, and don’t over-do it! The Perfect Bundle - Our Texturising Scissor Is Available In Our Subscription Our Complete Black Edition Set not only includes our Black Edition Scissor and razor, but also our amazing Texturising Scissor! We are proud to make our scissors affordable and accessible, which is why this set can be yours with a monthly subscription. For more information, you can find the whole set here. WE LOVE THE LOOK THAT TEXTURISING SCISSORS PROVIDE JUST AS MUCH AS YOU USE CODE 'TEXTURE' FOR 30% OFF STOREWIDE
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