One Length Haircut Tutorial + Flat Wrap Blow Dry Technique

This YouTube hair cut tutorial is taken from Matt Becks channel free salon education.  

The one length cut and the flat wrap blow dry is a look that will bring you back to basics, or, teach something new for those of you just starting out in hairdressing. Re-capping cuts is always great to re-fresh and touch up on training you learned early on. We also have a few interesting dry cutting techniques for you to try out on your guests. Check out the video below for the full visual. 

Begin working on the wet cut. 

Part the hair in the middle. This is a basic one length cutting technique, but were going to take you through step by step, keeping it clear and concise. 

The goal is to push the weight forwards in the haircut. Start in the back, beginning to section the hair in the occipital to behind the ear. This is a slight diagonal forwards, following the round of the head. Then we begin snipping away! 

Start cutting your guide in the hair 

This initial cut will determine the length of the look, so we need to cut this section our perfect length. 

We comb the hair down with an even tension, and begin in the middle. We begin cutting in the middle of our section to maintain balance on both sides. The hair is took in-between the fingers, and we cut palm to palm. It is taken at the lowest elevation point, giving a ''one length effect'' through the hair. Technically this is a slight elevation because we have a finger beneath the section. Our horizontal line is cut in the back, and will be cleaned up when we dry cut. 

Work methodically up the head 

Keeping consistent in sectioning, elevation and tension is the key to a good balanced one length cut. 

Working up the back of the head, all of this cut is taken back to the same point. The guide is stationary and the only elevation is from the under the finger, keeping it one length and consistent. The over-direction of the hair will push it forwards. Meaning the longest point of the cut will be around the face. 

Flat wrap blow dry technique 

We're using the Ergo Polishing Paddle and a blow dryer to smooth out this hair cut with a flat wrap technique. 

We start out focusing on the root- mid shaft. Using a nozzle on our blow dryer to condense air flow and smooth. We brush back and forth with the ergo paddle and angle the blow dryer nozzle down the hair from above the head. Once we have the root-mid dry, we work with a leafing technique. Picking up hair with the paddle brush, following with the blow dryer and smoothing out the length in a downwards motion. Not only does this smooth the hair, it also creates a bevel, following the round of the head.

Sectioning for the flat wrap blow dry 

The sectioning is divided in two on this tutorial. With a top and bottom, divided on the parietal ridge. 

The sectioning follows the parietal ridge is around the head. When Matt does his leafing technique, he uses his pinky fingers to divide the hair. The flat wrap technique is also great for guests that have growth patterns, and need that extra work to tame them. Then we section out the hair in the same way we cut for out ironing. 

Dry cutting techniques 

Matt has a variety of dry cutting techniques to demonstrate on how to soften this one length look. 

Firstly, Matt decides he wants to soften the shape, but sharpen up the edge. He decides to go in with a clipper to achieve this. The clipper has no guard and is a closed blade, at the shortest length it can be. Matt also moves the head side-to side to see how the hair falls once moved about, just checking over the sharpness. 

Point cutting the one length hair cut 

We're sectioning the hair and point cutting to soften the harshness in the ends, this will give the look a nice gentle fall. 

When we point cut, we follow the sectioning that we did when we cut in the original shape. This is because we do not want to disturb the overall shape by cutting it away. This will help remove bulk and weight, not create layers. 

Tap cutting technique  

This technique is quick and skilled, it takes a little practice but is a great option for bulk removal. 

Matt holds the hair in between his fingers, in a horizontal section. Matt is barely opening the scissor and uses a tapping motion. When the 'tap’ hits his fingers holding the hair, Matt snips the hair as it hits. This is a very subtle hair removal technique, and you wouldn’t necessarily use it on this look. 

Deep point cutting the hair 

Matt shows us a deep point cutting technique to remove weight in the ends. 

Matt takes the hair in between his finger leaving 1-2" out of the ends. Matt then spreads the hair out so it's easy to snip into. Deep point cut into the length. It softens but removes more hair. Then Matt demonstrates a sliding tap cutting technique. This is done closer to the head but tapped while slipping fingers up the hair removing soft pieces. Check out the finished result below.