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Head Shape, Growth & Foundations
First understand where the hair grows and what the head needs. Then divide, direct and control it.
Before you divide, direct or control anything, you have to read what is already there. Hair grows the way it grows and the head is the shape it is. The order is always the same: first understand where the hair grows and what the head needs, then divide, direct and control it.
Growth patterns
Natural parting, cowlicks, whorls, hairline direction, crown movement, nape growth. Work with these, not against them. Fighting a whorl loses by the ceremony.
Head landmarks
Crown, parietal ridge, temporal area, occipital projection, nape, hairline, and the flat and prominent areas. Know where each one sits before you decide where volume goes.
Where the head needs structural volume is not always where the face needs visual balance.
Foundations
Sectioning, clean division, tension, direction, surface control, anchoring, weight distribution. Clean partings and consistent tension give you smooth, lasting, repeatable results. Secure the foundation before building height or detail.
Remove "dirty hair is better." Don't teach beginners that dirty hair is inherently preferable. Teach instead: clean hair can be prepared for the grip required. Don't rely on oil or accumulated product as the foundation of a style. Choose prep according to texture, condition and the intended result.
Find the landmarks, then read the profile. Locate crown, parietal ridge, occipital area and nape. Then see how the same silhouette behaves differently on different head profiles.
- Whorl
- A point where hair grows in a circular pattern, most often at the crown; it directs movement and cannot be styled away, only worked with.
- Occipital projection
- The rounded bony area at the back of the head; a key structural landmark for placing volume and weight.
- Parietal ridge
- The widest part of the head where it curves from top to side; a reference line for sectioning and shape.
- Anchoring
- Securing a section or foundation so the style holds; you anchor before you build height or detail.
- Tension
- The consistent pull applied through a section that keeps partings clean and results smooth, lasting and repeatable.
You notice a strong whorl at the crown while planning an updo. What is the professional call?