During the pandemic, people have faced many serious problems like overcrowded hospitals or a financial crisis, but also less serious ones, like closed gyms and hair salons. And if the best thing you can do to deal with the first one is wearing a mask, you can actually work out at home and… cut your own hair. Don’t worry – it’s not as scary as it sounds.
Yes, you are probably well aware, through your own experiences or through others, that cutting your own hair can go wrong in so many ways. However, there are some things you can do to make your haircut look good: it won’t be the same as when you’ve just stepped out of a salon, but you will be satisfied. With the help of this article, you will be able to go through the pandemic with trimmed hair. And who knows, maybe it will help you feel better too?
Want to learn the best advice for cutting your hair at home? Read on!
1. Ask Yourself – Do You Really Need It?
If you don’t need a haircut right now, it’s always better to wait until the hair salon is open. There’s a reason – an expert will have all the necessary tools and products you need to cut hair successfully. If you do it by yourself, you may need to order them online – which, in most cases, will be more expensive.
Also, hairstylists know what to do and are familiar with all the techniques used when cutting different hair types. You can also be sure of their skills, which were perfected and developed for years – and not everyone can say that about themselves (unless you’re a hairstylist).
If you want to wait until the salons are open, invest in reparative treatments – masks, serums, or fillers. You can also heat-style or color your hair to add a fresh vibe when waiting for your next haircut.
Of course, some people want to cut their hair because they’re bored and need change “right now” – so if that’s the case, then we won’t stand in your way!
2. Get the Right Tools
If you’ve decided that a haircut is an absolute priority right now, make sure to get the right tools. Never use kitchen scissors – they’re just not sharp enough, and most likely, they’ll ruin your hair. Invest in good professional hairdressers’ scissors – their sharp blades will allow for more precise moves, and it’ll be easier to get clean lines and edges.
If you have short hair, purchase an adjustable hair clipper with guards – this way, you’ll be able to cut the hair precisely to the length you need.
3. Start Properly
When cutting your hair at home, start with clean, dried, and styled hair. Yes, even if you’ve seen hairstylists wetting it before cutting – this allows them to be more precise, but they’re also trained to do that. If you don’t have appropriate skills – start with dry hair, so you’ll avoid any surprises when it shrinks up. Styling the hair before trimming will help you see how it looks after every small cut – and adjust when needed.
Asking someone for help is an excellent solution – cutting your hair in the mirror can be pretty challenging. You can ask a family member or a roommate to help you trim the hair or, if you want to cut it yourself, decide when it’s enough. If there’s no one to help, use multiple mirrors, so you’ll be able to see every angle.
4. And… Cut
If you’re cutting your hair at home, don’t experiment with it. Using your scissors for cutting hair, start with small, minor cuts and work your way from front to back and up. Always cut a little less than you should. You can always cut more, but you never can get the cut piece back. It may be helpful to take breaks – if you’re finished, but think that it may be better to trim a little more, wait a few hours.
And don’t cut horizontally – it may have worked for Disney princesses, but trust us, it doesn’t work in real life. Use clips to section your hair into segments. Then, pull the hair from one segment upward with your fingers, place the scissors parallel to the hair, and snap vertically. If you don’t know what you’re doing exactly, you can always look for a tutorial on YouTube where people demonstrate this and other techniques (you’ll need different ones for curly and short hair; look for tutorials online).
If you have bangs and need to trim them, it’s pretty easy. Clip the rest of the hair out of your way and use something called “point cutting”: hold the scissors vertically and make tiny cuts. Just be sure to check the best hair cutting shears before getting started! Be extremely careful about the length too, and don’t go higher than your eyebrows. And if you don’t have bangs but want to cut them – don’t. Seriously. It’s extremely tricky to do it yourself, and you may end up like that girl.
Don’t Worry About Making a Mistake
Many people experience issues with their hair growing out or ends splitting now that the hair salons are closed. In such a situation, you have to decide how badly you need a haircut. If nothing can be done with the help of masks and serums, you may need to cut your hair at home – and it doesn’t have to be a challenge.
You need to remember simple advice: always wash, dry, and style your hair before cutting, don’t go too short, take small cuts, and use the right technique for your hair type. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you can – and if you can’t, be extremely careful. And even if you’ve made a mistake, don’t worry: there’s always something you can do, like styling your hair differently or curling it. In the end, the lockdown (and the pandemic) will be over someday, and you’ll finally see your hairstylist again!
