How To Cut A Perfect Bob Haircut
August 14, 2022Cutting that perfect bob can be very trying at times. If you’re a seasoned hair stylist this may be your simplest hairstyle to cut, but if you're slightly out of the game or learning, then this can be a daunting haircut to master for sure.
There are different variations of a bob weather that may be a long hair bob (Lob), Concave bob, short hair bob, asymmetrical bob haircut, to name a few. As long as you know the principles of cutting a simpler bob, then you can really take those skills into cutting any type of bob.
Although a Bob haircut is essentially a straight baseline cut, for it to actually sit perfectly and not flick out.. There are tricks you may need to master over time.
Today we will go through a simple Baseline bob haircut, the tools you will need and the stand out hairdressing scissors for the job.
What tools will I need?
Firstly it's always good to get all your tool's lined out and ready to undertake your desired haircut.
You will need:
- Scissors
- Cutting Comb
- Sectioning Clips
- Cutting Cape
- Hair dryer and flat Iron
- Round brush
- Water Spray Bottle
Best scissors to use for cutting a bob haircut
Salon Scissors
Salon shears are traditional hair cutting scissors that every hairstylist would use. Even though these scissors are a no-brainer for scissors you will actually need, we added these to assure you that these scissors will always be needed in all aspects of haircutting.
Barber Shears
If you are wanting to cut a perfect blunt bob then barber scissors are a really great tool to get the most precise and blunt line. Barber scissors are longer than salon scissors, therefore they cut more hair at a time which is a win for a blunt line. Sometimes several small cuts can make a baseline slightly uneven where a large cut with your barber scissors will give you a more crisper and perfect result.
Precision Scissors
If you are looking for hairdressing scissors that have narrowed tip blades then these are your girls! Precision scissors are great for point cutting your bobs to blend and harsh lines and for precise cutting around the neck or "hard to get areas".
Precision shears typically sharper than other hairdressing scissors which makes a perfect blade to blunt cut too.
Thinning Scissors
Really saving the best to last here. Thinning Scissors Are nicknamed the "finishing tool" as they finish out and soften any great haircut. After you have finished your clients haircut and have blow-dried the hair straight then this would be the time to use these scissors.
Always go in and cut on and angle on dry hair. After each cut, comb out the loose hair to see how it looks. The thickest areas of your haircut will be the back of the hair and any blunt areas near the baseline that need softening.
Step by step guide
- Discuss first with the client how short or long they would like the blunt bob and if they have any reference photos to show you.
- Wash the clients hair or wet down the hair.
- For the first section (using the natural part) part the hair in the middle center and start from the forehead. Part the hair all the way down to the nape of the neck. For the second parting, part the hair then into quarters from the top of the head down to the back of the ears. (make sure the parted sections are neat and straight). Secure each section with a section clip (four in total).
- Starting with the back two sections, section 2 inches from the bottom to start your first section for cutting. Secure the rest up and out of the way with your clips.
- Combining downward the first section prefect straight, access and discuss with the client where they would like the length to sit. once you have established your length. Start the first cut (underneath your fingers) in the middle and use this as a guide for the sectioned cuts next to the middle cut.
- Check you have made a straight line at the base and check that what you have cut is perfectly even, as this will be the guide for the rest of your haircut.
- Once you are happy, section out another cm of hair from the section above and continue on combing down and using your guide to cut each section until you get to the top.
- Once the back section is cut perfectly and you're happy with how even it looks, next start a small section above the ears around the side.
- Starting with the side take a cm section above the ear, when combing this section to cut make sure you're not pulling the tension too hard over the ears. use the wide part of the comb for these sections and if the tension is too tight over the ears, this will create a hole in your baseline.
- Continue on using your first section as a guide to do small 1 cm sections until you have reached the top. (continue on the same steps on the other side).
- Once you have completed your hair cut, check both sides even by looking in the mirror and pulling down the hair with your finger to check they feel even.
- Once you are happy with the length, dry off and blow dry and flat iron the hair straight. Straight hair will show you any imperfections with your cut that you can quickly fix when dry.
- Once the hair is dry, have a discussion for the client to see if they are happy and want the hair now thinned out. (always use your thinning scissors for dry hair).
We understand that sometimes reading steps on "how to do a haircut" can be confusing, so we also recommend searching on YouTube some tutorials so you can visually see how to cut a Bob Haircut too.
As we have discussed above a bob haircut can transform into so many different options like shorter layers, a long bob that's a blunt bob, Bob with bangs or that long hair bob with a face shape or frame. No matter what type of Bob you are cutting the principle of any bob comes down to a blunt bob first and any shaping or layers can be added after.
If you're reading this blog and have never cut a bob before then we recommend always watching as many tutorials on YouTube as you can first, because to create a perfect bob takes time and practice.
Remember that when hair is cut wet that it shrinks up and goes shorter when dry, so when your cutting always cut longer then your desired length. If the length is still too long when dry then that's okay because you can always cut more length off, you just can't glue back length that is cut too short.
We hope you found this helpful !