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Hair Distribution
Distribution is the way or direction the hair is combed away from the parting.
The four types of distribution we deal with in haircutting are natural, shifted, perpendicular and directional.
Natural Distribution
This is also referred to as natural fall, as it indicates the natural direction the hair takes as it falls from the head with gravity. The natural distribution can be used from various angled partings such as horizontal and diagonal and others, but the main use for natural distribution is when cutting solid and graduated cuts.
Shifted Distribution
This distribution is any direction except 90º degrees or right angles (perpendicular) to the base parting or natural distribution. This is not generally used when cutting solid form. Shifted distribution should be used to blend different areas of the hair and to create large length increases.
Perpendicular Distribution
This hair direction is combed up or down from the base parting at 90º degrees or right angles. As the hair is combed out of natural fall, this distribution should be used for graduated and layered haircutting.
Directional Distribution
With this distribution the hair is combed either straight up vertically or straight out from the head horizontally. This distribution will give you length increases because the hair is on a rounded shape. A typical use of directional distribution is creating the flat surface of a flat top haircut.
Projection
Projection is the amount the hair is lifted off the curve of the head prior to cutting. The most common projection angles are 0º (being flat to the surface of the head) 45ºand 90º.
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0º or flat to the surface of the head and natural fall would normally be used to cut a solid form haircut. When cutting hair 0º, refer to the way that straight hair naturally hangs.
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Angles between natural fall and 90º will result in graduation. The most commonly used angle is 45º. If a pizza is cut into eight equal pieces, the angle between each piece is 45º.
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A 90º angle is the angle formed by a line sticking straight up or out from another line. Lifting all the hair away from the head at 90º and cutting will result in uniform layer. However, if only some areas of hair are lifted to 90º or less, a graduation cut will result.
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Lifting the hair up from the nape of the neck so that it is touching the head above the cutting section, produces a 180º angle. 0º, 45º, 90º and 180° are angles used to cut increase layer, but in relation to a stationary cutting guide.
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0º
45º
90º
180°