When I started, hair education lived in two frames of thought: the English side of hairdressing and the French side.
At the time, one of the largest education groups in the world was Sassoon. That's where I was heavily influenced when I first started. What I found was that it was very one-sided. You followed the rules they set. There wasn't much creativity outside of that, and you were made to feel it was the only way to do things. There wasn't a whole lot of evolution.
A lot of educators eventually went out on their own or took versions of that education to other companies. But the systems stayed very similar, and they still relied heavily on that English method.
The other side
On the flip side you had the French method. It was a lot more free-form. I worked with a lot of French hairdressers who were incredibly talented, and their approach was the complete opposite of the English one.
Neither side was wrong. Each was missing what the other had.
What we did instead
For Kaizen, we use all the tools and all the thought processes. We work from precision to a more intuitive style, because sometimes you need a very strict linear design, and sometimes you need something fluid, natural and organic. The client in front of you decides which. Not the school you came from.
We don't set rules saying you can't use certain tools, certain brush sizes, certain scissors, or no razors. You use whatever you need to get the job done.
We wouldn't want it to be like painting and say you can only paint with black paint.
That would eliminate some of the most beautiful art in the world: the colorful pieces. Banning a tool does the same thing to a haircut. It takes options away from you and from your client.
Why this matters behind the chair
When you only know one system, every head of hair has to fit that system. When you know both, you can look at the person and choose. Strict and graphic when the shape calls for it. Soft and lived-in when that's who they are. Razor, shears, thinning shears, a wide-tooth comb, your fingers. Whatever gets you there cleanly and quickly.
That's also why we teach all hair types. Hair is like a fabric, and I believe every hairdresser should be able to work with every fabric. You can't do that if half your toolbox has been taken away.
So when someone asks which method Kaizen teaches, the honest answer is: both, and whatever else works. The goal was never loyalty to a school. The goal is the best result for the person in your chair.
Want to see how we teach it? Browse Kaizen classes, book private mentoring, or bring us to your team with in-salon education.