Style Blog

Cutting children’s and teenagers’ hair can be very rewarding, but it comes with its own unique set of challenges and responsibilities. James Helton, Keune regional educator and Keune Advanced Academy facilitator, offers his perspective and tips on how to navigate kid and teen haircuts, as well as the fall/winter season’s top trends for the younger set.

How to “Manage” Kids in Your Chair

Know this: it’s not up to you as a stylist to manage the children that sit in your chair. James recommends always speaking with parents in advance of a child’s visit and agreeing, “If today isn’t the day, then today just isn’t the day.” Meaning that if a child refuses the haircut or throws a tantrum, then everyone involved should let it go and reschedule the appointment for another time. James never suggests forcing a child to get a haircut—there are scissors involved, after all, and the outcome could be unpleasant.

That said, he has a few handy distractions up his sleeve for a wiggly youngster: a toy, a clip or even a clipper guard will buy you some time to get the job done. “Don’t be afraid to let them hold something. Let them have ownership of something, and when you’re done, just tell them you are going to keep it for them and they can hold it next time,” he says. James also advises to forgo the lollipop treat until the little one is heading home. “Picture ‘kid syrup’ from a lollipop on the cape, the chair, you…yuck!” 

And the reward for your patience is priceless. “What makes it really fun to cut little kids’ hair is the look on their faces when you are finished. You’ve done something they think is literally magic!” James admits.

Start Educating Teens Early

Teens want to express their individuality—and a stylist can help with that! Talk to the teenagers in your chair about how they style their hair, and offer up tips and product suggestions. “Educate! Start small, and build from there,” James says. It’s an opportunity to not only get to know your young customer, but also to grow their interest in the products you offer.

Girl Haircut Trend 

The long bob, or LOB, is going strong for girls’ hair right now. “In my experience, whatever adults were doing with their hair last year, children will be doing this year,” James explains. “This year is a very long-bob-strong year for little girls. Depending on the child’s hair texture, this trend can feature either no fringe, a very strong fringe or a straight, softer fringe.” James adds that long hair and braids also never go out of style for young girls.

Boy Haircut Trend

The trend in boys’ haircuts is the “little man” look, mimicking a style you would also see on adult men, such as the faded haircut. “Whether a longer, more parted or combed back look or an extremely short, more athletic style, the faded haircut is aggressively shorter around the sides and back,” James says.

Teen Haircut Trends

Teenage girls are going for very beachy, soft, romantic hair, James says. “Top knots are also still very much in, but less ‘I woke up like this,’ and more on purpose,” he adds. These looks both have a slightly lived-in appearance, so products that have a drier finish really serve a dual purpose of giving the hair texture as well as camouflaging any second-day-hair unpleasantness. Products that James recommends suggesting to your teenage girl clients to achieve these looks are: BLEND Refreshing Spray, Design Dry Shampoo and BLEND Salt Mist.

As for teen guys, they are shaking things up a bit this year. “Instead of sleek and combed back, they are moving toward rougher, dryer textures combed forward,” James explains. “No one is quite ready to give up on that super sharp, low fade and/or even having an undercut, so the top can remain a little disconnected. However, they are juxtaposing that element with the less-than-coiffed, roughed-up, very loose, very textured hair pushed forward and off to the side.” To achieve these types of looks, Keune has a virtual flurry of products to choose from. James likes BLEND Clay or Glue or Design Power Paste for a super-matte, dry, firm appearance. For a softer, less matte, but not shiny appearance, suggest to your teen client that he use BLEND Paste or Shape or Design Press Wax or Texture Cream.

Armed with these trends, product suggestions and tips for kid and teen haircuts, you’re ready to maximize your time with and best serve your younger clientele.

Keune Promotion Alert! Stock up your backbar or sell-through to the client at up to a 30% discount with our Liter Sale. Purchase any Keune Design or So Pure Liters at 30% off. For more information, please contact your Distributor Sales Consultant. 

Looking for more ways to advance your craft? Check out what Keune Advanced Academy’s Editorial Workshop is all about HERE.