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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Consult with client and assess hair.
   • Determine, through discussion and questioning, client satisfaction or dissatisfaction with current haircut structure.
   • Discuss client preferences, and expectations of desired finished result using visual aids to assist.
   • Engage client in discussion about lifestyle and self-care factors that may impact on success of haircut design.
   • Visually and physically examine and analyse client hair characteristics and existing haircut structure.
   • Evaluate client facial features and bone structure for suitable complementary haircut designs.
   • Consider all factors to visualise, communicate and recommend haircut designs appropriate for the client.
   • Determine the best design and obtain client agreement to proceed with recommended haircut structure.
2. Select equipment and prepare for service.
   • Select appropriate cutting techniques to achieve planned haircut design.
   • Select and prepare equipment according to planned design and cutting techniques to be used.
   • Apply wraps to ensure client protection and safety.
3. Cut hair into combined structures.
   • Maintain client and operator comfort, safety and hygiene throughout haircutting service according to organisational procedures.
   • Position and adjust client head and neck during service to enable access and achieve required angles of lift.
   • Section and secure hair to divide into manageable and controllable areas.
   • Establish external design guidelines, direction of design lines and internal design lines according to desired hair length and component haircut structure and cross-check throughout service.
   • Take clean sections, using appropriate angles of lift and distribution suited to the component haircut structure.
   • Apply even lift tension, use cutting tool at appropriate angle to parting lines and cut hair using techniques suited to the component haircut structure.
   • Position cutting hand with palm toward or away, up or down according to operator comfort, length of hair, and line and area of head being cut.
   • Maintain evenly wet or dry hair and follow a logical sectioning and parting pattern to combine or blend haircut structures, according to the planned design.
   • Clean or dispose of equipment and dispose of hair waste according to health regulations and organisational procedures.
4. Finish hair to shape and review service.
   • Select finishing tools, products and techniques and use to finish planned haircut designs to client satisfaction.
   • Review service outcomes against client design expectations and confirm client satisfaction with result.
   • Propose remedial action in response to any client concerns and post service analysis of hair design appearance.
   • Reach agreement with client on proposed solutions through positive and open communication.
   • Advise on after service maintenance and recommend home care products.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:

consult with at least six clients and complete a pre-service analysis covering the following characteristics to design and recommend appropriate haircuts involving structural combinations:

facial features and bone structure

natural hair type

hair texture

hair density

growth patterns

fall and movement

complete haircuts for those six clients to their satisfaction and combine at least two of the following for each haircut completed:

solid structures

graduated structures

layered structures

tapered structures

textured areas

straight lines

curved lines

soft lines

hard lines

use at least six of these cutting techniques cumulatively across the haircuts completed:

blunt cutting

pointing

notching

slicing

end tapering

strand tapering

scissor-over-comb

clipper-over-comb

razor bevelling, arching and rotation.

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Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:

different facial shapes and combined structured haircut designs which best complement particular shapes

characteristics of the following hair features, how these will impact on finished haircuts involving structural combinations and appropriate combined structure designs for best outcomes:

natural hair types:

European

Asian

Euro-Asian

African

hair texture:

coarse

medium

fine

hair movement:

straight

wavy

natural curl

chemical curl or waves

natural distribution and growth patterns of hair:

crown area

hairline

neckline

cowlicks (whorls)

shapes, structure and texture for haircuts that combine two or more haircut structures:

solid

graduated

layered

tapered

proportional relationships between structures

starting point, sectioning and parting patterns and the impact on the finished result for haircuts involving structural combinations

techniques used to create texture and blend haircut structures

industry practices and organisational procedures for:

client comfort, safety and hygiene with particular emphasis on:

using gowns to protect client clothes

monitoring client comfort

preventing cross-transmission of infection between customers

work health, safety and hygiene for haircutting, with particular emphasis on:

using correct posture and adjusting height of client chair to avoid fatigue and injury

using correct techniques to hold, grip and manipulate cutting tools and combs to avoid fatigue and injury

preventing cross-transmission of infection during customer contact

minimising product wastage

waste disposal with particular emphasis on environmentally sound disposal methods for hair waste.

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