Graduation is a great way to add interest to a haircut, especially shorter styles, because the variance in weight can be used to create cool shapes and accents. Andrew Carruthers, Education Director for Sam Villa, says there are 5 things to think about in order to execute graduation correctly.

“When you’re precision cutting, you have to think much smaller in terms of tools, tension, elevation and sectioning to achieve the exactness it requires.  You have to take big ideas and break them down,” says Andrew Carruthers, Education Director for Sam Villa.

Gone are the days of joining a tribe and doing things one (or their) way. The key to success in 2017 will be combining techniques from many different tribes to achieve modern looks that add value to guests.

Craft hairdressers are playing a major role in bringing the haircut back. Joseph Longmore, Sam Villa Show Ambassador, explains how these stylists’ pursuit of excellence has brought precision cutting into the limelight.

“Whether you are a stylist that works in a salon, on stage, does runway or shoots editorial, time saving tips and tricks allow you to do more, better,” says Andrew Carruthers, Director of Education for Sam Villa. Here are his top three tips: