Well, This Looks Interesting: Channel Cutting Technique For Thick Hair
Channel Cutting For Thick Hair? Here’s What You Need To Know!
Do you have trouble removing the weight inside a haircut for your thick-haired beauties? Then you might want to look into channel cutting. This viral haircutting technique isn’t new but it definitely has the hairdresser community divided on its unique at-the-scalp application.
You Guys Were Shook When We Posted This Video On Our Insta!
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KMS United States National Art Director Sonno Brado (@sonnabrado) swears by this hair thinning technique for her clients and says if done right the grow out is seamless! Scroll down to watch the technique in action and get her tips.
What Is Channel Cutting?
Channel cutting is a hair thinning technique used to remove density and add texture to thick hair by cutting “channels” at the roots parallel to the direction the hair will be styled. Sounds scary right? Sonna agrees with you there. “[This technique is] definitely not for the weak at heart! I use channeling like this when there is a head of hair that has maximum density. I prefer this method to slicing or traditional thinning because it reduces bulk at the scalp area, not just at the mid-lengths to the ends.”
How Is The Grow Out Process?
When we posted the video above on our Insta featuring @hairbysafiyaa, the most frequently asked question was all about the grow out. Well, here’s your answer! “Placing the channels parallel to the travel of the hair creates a similar result to placing color parallel to the fall of the hair. It becomes stronger and you can see the line more,” says Sonna. “When the channels grow out they blend in with the hair. I can easily retrace them by parting the hair across the channels, laying them open and re-cutting the line. Similar to picking up a highlight and re-coloring it.”
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Here’s What Not To Do
If you want to give this technique a try, here’s what you shouldn’t do. “It isn’t a disaster when it grows out, but it could be if done incorrectly,” remarks Sonna. “This should be done on dry hair and NEVER on the top layer for long hair!”
For the video above, here’s how she went about thinning the hair. “I worked with diagonal sections and placed my thinning scissors directly on the scalp… My sections were about ¾-inch apart and focused on the crown and back sections. She didn’t have as much density in front of the ears so it wasn’t needed there.” This can be done using either texturizing shears for a more diffused effect or regular scissors for more definition.
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Curious to know where Sonna even learned this technique? She says, “I learned it in the ’80s from either Trevor Sorbie or Geri Cusenza or some other fabulous artist at that time.”
What do you guys think? Is this something you’d consider adopting for your thick haired clients?
