What is the best way to identify a client's hair growth pattern?

Observing the natural fall of the hair is the most effective way to identify a client's hair growth pattern. This method allows the barber to see how the hair lays naturally, which provides insight into the direction of the growth—whether it's straight, wavy, or influenced by other factors. This observation is crucial for determining how to cut or style the hair effectively, ensuring that the final result aligns with both the client's wishes and the hair's natural tendencies.

While asking the client how they style their hair can give some information about their preferences, it doesn’t provide a clear understanding of the hair's natural growth direction. Measuring the hair's length might be relevant for specific styles but does not indicate growth patterns. Testing with different styling products may showcase how the hair behaves with those products, but again, it does not accurately identify the inherent growth direction, which is best assessed by observing the hair in its natural state.