California Cosmetology Written ExamHaircuttingMedium
A stylist sections the hair and holds each subsection at a 0-degree elevation while cutting, keeping the fingers and shears parallel to the floor. Which basic haircut is being created?
- ALong layer haircut
- BGraduated haircut
- CUniform layer haircut
- DBlunt (one-length) haircut
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Blunt (one-length) haircut
Cutting hair with 0-degree elevation (no lift, hair held straight down or out with no projection above the natural fall) produces a blunt or one-length haircut, where all the hair falls to the same line with no graduation or layering. Graduation and layers require elevation above 0 degrees.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Long layers require high elevation/projection, not 0 degrees.
- B. Graduation is typically cut at low to medium elevation (like 45 degrees), producing a wedge, not a blunt line.
- C. Uniform layers require 90-degree elevation, not 0 degrees.
0-Degree Elevation / Blunt Cut
Cutting hair with no elevation (0 degrees) produces a one-length, blunt haircut where all strands fall to the same weight line.
- 0 degrees = no elevation, hair cut at natural fall
- Produces a solid, weighted perimeter line
- Basis for the blunt/one-length haircut
Memory trick: Zero elevation = zero layers = one blunt line.