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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Research and analyse haircut trends.
   • Research current and emerging trends for creative haircuts and develop a portfolio of creative haircut designs.
   • Analyse creative haircut designs, identify structures and techniques and develop a range of haircut plans within portfolio.
   • Develop own designs and techniques for cutting hair creatively.
2. 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 portfolio designs and all client factors to visualise, communicate and recommend creative haircut designs appropriate for the client.
   • Determine the best creative design and obtain client agreement to proceed with recommended haircut design.
3. 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.
4. Combine haircut structures and textures for creative effect.
   • 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 haircut waste according to health regulations and organisational procedures.
5. 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.
   • Advise on after service maintenance and recommend home care products.
   • Update design portfolio to include full details of haircutting service.

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:

complete a research project, using information from at least three different sources, to identify and explore creative haircut designs and:

write a brief report on current and emerging trends

compile a portfolio of at least six creative haircut designs

for each of the six designs complete an analysis and develop a haircut plan using a 2-D structural graphic representation showing:

structure of the design

interior and exterior design lines

soft or hard lines

starting point of haircut

sectioning and parting patterns

angles of lift in degrees

distribution of hair

cutting techniques

consult with at least four clients and complete an analysis covering the following characteristics to design and recommend appropriate creative haircuts:

facial features and bone structure

natural hair type

hair texture

hair density

growth patterns

fall and movement

complete creative haircuts on the above clients which each combine at least two of the following features:

solid structures

graduated structures

layered structures

tapered structures

square shapes

textured areas

straight lines

curved lines

soft lines

hard lines

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

blunt cutting

pointing

notching

slicing

end tapering

strand tapering

scissor-over-comb

clipper-over-comb

serrated scissors over-comb thinning

razor rotation

record the following details of the hair cutting service for each client in own portfolio:

pre-service analysis

client preferences and adaptions of own designs

outcomes achieved.

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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 haircut designs which best complement particular shapes

characteristics of the following hair features, how these will impact on finished haircuts involving structural combinations and how creative designs can enhance or accentuate:

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)

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

solid

graduated

layered

tapered

proportional, symmetrical and asymmetrical structures and how these can be combined for creative effect

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 or accentuate haircut structures

contents and formats for haircut plans

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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