Some beauty admin is easier than others. As for how to cut your own hair, that one's on the trickier end of the spectrum, since a fair bit of our hair is at the back of our head where, um, we can't actually see it. Even if you've got full view of the situation (see: your own fringe, your friend/ flatmate/ partner's hair) there's no guarantee it won't end up looking like a mushroom. Hair stylists train for years to get a grasp of layers, so it's understandable that we may have some difficulty coaxing the best out of our strands when we don't know what we're doing.
But, if you can't make it to the salon, we've called on the help of the pros for their tips to ensure you don't emerge from your DIY chop with a wonky 'do. Their first piece of advice? Don't do it. "Wow this is a tricky one," says top hairstylist, Syd Hayes. "I don't recommend it," stresses leading hairdresser, Hollie Rose Clarke. "I've seen so many horror stories. If you can wait, then wait."
But, "if you are going to do it, I'd rather help you through unchartered territory," offers Hollie. It won't replace your hairstylist (especially if you want beautifully blended layers and ultra straight edges), but for those wedded to their six-week trim, there are ways to keep split ends at bay, and fringes, in check. Anything more technical, steer clear. "Ghost trims, nano cuts and micro dusting will be enough to improve the condition and remove split ends from travelling up the shaft," says Hollie. Start small and save any drastic cuts for your next salon visit."It's best not to get creative or carried away, less is definitely more," she adds.
Here are the pro tips for how to cut your own hair...
What tools do you need to cut your own hair?
The scissors pros use are not the same as the ones we use in our kitchens. "Sharp is critical. The blades are made to cut hair," explains Hollie, and kitchen scissors won't do a very good job of this, so it's a good idea to invest in some HD scissors that are up to the task, (try to Salons Direct or Amazon). If you really can't get your hands on them, "straight nail scissors would be best," advises Syd. You'll also need a comb, two clips, a hair tie, a towel or gown and a mirror with some good lighting.
Is it better to cut hair wet or dry?
"It's best to begin with clean, blow-dried smooth hair," says Hollie. "Greasy or dirty hair will cling together, resulting in more hair coming off than necessary." While you could get away with cutting the lengths of your hair wet if you find this easier, don't cut your fringe while it's wet as it will bounce, explains Syd, meaning it'll scrunch up much higher than you anticipated once it dries.
Point cutting vs slide cutting
There's two main techniques you can use to trim ends: "point cutting, which is where you cut the hair in small movements keeping the blades pointing up and cutting upwards into the ends of your hair," explains Hollie. Or, slide cutting "which is where you slowly glide the scissors down the hair slightly closing and opening the blade as you slide down," she adds. "To hold your scissors practice moving just your thumb and keep the top blade as still as you can, as this will give you more control," explains Hollie.
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How to section your hair
Before you get cutting, it's best to section off your hair. "Part your hair wear you would normally wear it, or if you move your hair around, part it in the centre," says Hollie. Section your hair into three. One section on the left side of your parting, from the front of your hairline, back to your ear, repeat this on the right side, then one section at the back. To do this, "place your comb on the top of your head, then slide the teeth down to the top of your ear. Clip all the hair behind the ear back and repeat on the other side," says Hollie. "Bring each front section round to the front as if you were to do pigtails," explains Syd. "Comb the hair so it is in a straight line on either side," he adds.
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How to frame your face
For face framing, take one inch sections starting from the front, and hold it between your fingers. "Use your fingers as a guide and cut upwards towards them using your point technique," says Hollie. Then, use the slide cutting technique. "Start with the scissors facing down and gently slide (or glide) the scissors down the hair – opening and closing the blades half way to take off the bare minimal. Then repeat on the other side," she says. "Step back and check the results in the mirror. If it looks a little heavy, then soften the shape by slicing the blades up into the hair to remove a little weight," Hollie says.
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How to trim split ends
For trimming your ends, "you might think that the best way to trim hair is keeping it as straight as possible," says top hair dresser, Paul Windle. On the contrary, the pro stylists recommend taking inch long sections of your hair, and twisting them around your finger. "This is hair witchcraft and so easy," agrees Hollie. "It gently removes split ends and unhealthy flyaways without compromising the length or thickness of the hair and works on every hair type." Take one inch sections of hair and twist them from top to bottom, healthy hair strands should be smooth, and the split ends should stick out. Snip off the little strands, but "just the tip. We are talking nano dusting 1 or 2mm," says Hollie.
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How to surface cut split ends
Another technique is surface cutting. Thread your hair between your index and middle finger and back between your ring finger and little finger. This should give you a section that rests straight on top of your middle and ring finger. Again, "rebellious split ends will stick up and show themselves," says Hollie. "So you can glide yours scissors over this section and removed stray unwanted tips similar to removing lint from your favourite wool coat."
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How to cut hair straight
To be honest, this is trickier than it looks. The blunter and more perfect the cut, the less forgiving it can be as there's less room for error. You'll need some help with this but if you have a friend, partner or parent with some experience cutting hair, and they feel confident, one of the easiest ways is to use a comb as your guide and razor along the bottom edge. Just make sure you have the comb dead straight.
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How to cut curls
Section a strip down the centre of your hair, then divide the hair vertically so you have a section each side of your parting at the front, and a section each side of your parting at the back. Brush hair up and back and cut the edges at an angle. Take that centre section, split in into three horizontally, pull each section forward and trim straight across. Dry your hair, let your fringe loose and cut any bits that are out of place.
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How to cut your own fringe
Start by separating your fringe from the rest of your hair. As a rough guide, you want to have a triangular section ending 1cm from the corner of each eye," says Syd. "Tie everything except your fringe back to stop you from making your fringe too wide or thick," says Hollie. Then blow dry it how you would normally wear it.
Next, place your comb under your fringe and use your comb to hold your hair straight and in place. A top tip, is to rest your comb on your forehead, say Hollie. "Do not pull your hair down between your fingers because you don't want any tension on the fringe. When you let it go, it will bounce back up," explains Hollie, meaning it will end up much looking much shorter than you anticipated.
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How to trim a curly fringe
Take the bang area, bunch it up together and cut just the ends of the hair. This will trim away the bits that get in your eyes.
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How to cut a curtain fringe
For a softer, more forgiving fringe, "I would always cut it so it forms an upside down V," explains Syd, so the outer sections are slightly longer than the section between your eyebrows.
You want to start at around the bridge of your nose, says Hollie, beginning between your eyebrows. Using your point technique, "cut upwards into the ends using scissors to avoid a blunt finish," advises Paul. Take just 5mm off at a time to prevent you going too short. "Remember, you can always take more off, but you can't stick it back on," says Hollie.
Next, move toward the sides. "To blend your fringe and frame the face, "angle your comb down to your cheekbone and dust off unwanted hairs with the point cutting technique and repeat on the other side," says Hollie.
"If you've followed this technique, you should now be able to see without having run into any major hair hiccups. You should be pretty proud of yourself. Congrats," says Hollie.
Style and ensure the look lasts all day by using a texturising hairspray to give roots a lift as well as a lightweight hold.
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