Razors Put Unmanageable Hair on the Cutting Straight-Edge

Those closely cropped bobs and shags may be the hallmark of the carefree waif look, but they are anything but carefree if your hair is too straight, curly or limp.

To make these new ‘dos work for a variety of hair types, stylists are rediscovering the hair-shaping benefits of that barber shop staple: the straight-edge razor.

“By removing excess bulk, a razor cut gives your hair more body. It also gives the hair mobility, because it doesn’t blunt the ends like a scissor cut does. The result is a softer look,” says Michael G. Black, a hairstylist at Baker St. West Salon in Costa Mesa.

Here’s what a razor cut can do for various hair types:

* Fine hair and straight hair: creates body and lift without a perm by removing bulk (yes, even baby-fine hair tends to droop under its own weight).

* Thick hair: Lets you wear spare, tapered styles by thinning out surplus volume.

* Curly and wavy hair: Gives hair a sleeker look by eliminating up to 5% of curls or waves.

Black cautions that in the hands of a neophyte, a razor can cause more problems than it solves.

“Different hair textures require different razor-cutting techniques. You have to know how much pressure to put on the hair and where to place the razor,” he explains. “For example, if you overthin extremely curly or coarse hair, the ends will look frizzy.”