Watch: How to Trim and Clean Up a Difficult Neckline

“Erratic growth patterns at the neckline can be intimidating, do you take the hairline up high and cut away the chaos or do you let it grow to cover the problem?” asks Andrew Carruthers, Director of Education for Sam Villa. The solution? Take a soft approach and turn to special tools used in specific ways to manage the growth and cultivate a natural looking groomed hairline.

1. Clean Up the Neckline.
Using a Sam Villa Razor with Straight Blade, remove the neck hair directly below the edges of the hairline. A razor gets closer to the skin than a clipper can and it leaves a softer edge. Be sure the blade is new so it will not irritate skin on the neck, if a guest is sensitive, dab conditioner on their neck for extra protection. The casings of the Sam Villa Signature Series Razor Blades are coated with silicone for a smooth glide on the hair as well as the skin.

2. Remove Weight & Manage Density.  
Using the Sam Villa Signature Series InvisiBlend Shear, chip away hair at the edges to remove weight and manage density – be aware of the light and shadows within the area. The InvisiBlend Shear will not leave any lines in the hair as the blunt blade is highly polished and does not cut the hair. The cutting blade has 23 teeth with very sharp convex edges, which allows slide-out in any direction with zero drag or pull. When both blades of the shear are closed, the hair is pushed down onto the blunt blade with the teeth – this creates soft arched cutting lines rather than hard straight lines.

3. Address Sides of the Neckline & Create Balance Throughout Light & Shadowed Areas.
Proceed to the sides and lightly remove the density in the areas that appear heavy, be aware of the light and shadows within the area as to not create too much separation. The hair on the side of the neck may be longer than it is at the center bottom of the hairline. If the sides are taken as short as the center bottom, this area will be noticeably lighter, ‘see through’ to the skin. Keep the density as consistent as possible by moving slowly and paying attention to the other areas already cut. To address the shadows (the denser areas) cut into those areas with the InvisiBlend Shear as it will extract weight without leaving lines, offering seamless blending that delivers natural looking results.

4. Maintenance.  
Pre-book the guest’s next appointment based on how quickly the hairline will once again begin to look chaotic…doesn’t even have to be for an entire haircut, a quick neck trim in between appointments is also an option!

“We want to manage these challenging necklines with the right tools to result in a very natural and visibly pleasing look - no squared or rounded off shapes. Using a lighter hand when cutting and attention to detail will definitely ensure the natural look,” says Carruthers.

[Image/video courtesy of Glow Communications]
 

More in Home