6 Things To Consider Before Trimming Your Own Hair
Ask Yourself Whether It’s Necessary
Salons are there for a reason – it’s the experts which have the necessary skillset and tools to do the job properly, so it’s important to ask how necessary a DIY trim is. As stylist & creative director of Hershesons, Luke Hersheson says: “Great haircutters spend years honing their craft and developing not only the technical ability, but also an eye for proportion. This can’t be done by someone who has never cut their own hair before. If you can avoid it, try to use the time to give your hair a break. Great looks come out of grown-out haircuts – so use the time to see what happens to your hair on its own, as it will give your stylist and colourist more to play with once everything has opened back up.”
Invest In Reparative Treatments
“If you feel able to hold off on cutting, stock up on some reparative treatments to encourage repair and prevent damaged ends. It’s a way of still having control over the condition of your hair, without doing something drastic,” says James Johnson, Color Wow ambassador and celebrity hair stylist. “Take this time to focus on the health of your hair. Look to serums, masks and deep conditioning treatments and, where possible, avoid heat-styling. Less straightening, styling and colouring can significantly lengthen the time in between haircuts.”
Use The Right Tools
“I fear giving this advice as it often ends up in disaster, but if you feel you have a really good eye and trust yourself, then use a cut throat razor,” adds Luke. “This type of tool is the best for gently slicing ends off, and it will give a more beach babe texture to your strands. Scissors tend to give quite a geometric finish by contrast. Use the razor like a brush, gradually moving it over the ends of your hair in light motions.”
Stick To The Fringe
“If you’re desperate to trim your hair, please just stick to the fringe (if you have one),” adds James. “This is an easy way to make minor cuts that are only noticeable to you. Start with small snippets – remember you can always do a little more if you feel the need. You’ll need a good, wide tooth comb, too. Use it as a guide for a straight line and keep your snips minimal – otherwise you’ll end up with much shorter bangs than you bargained for.”
Perfect Your Technique
“When people cut their own hair, they end up taking too much off and are left with a tail at the back. This is because they bring the hair forwards and cut it while it’s on the shoulders,” says Luke. “For precision and neatness, your hair needs to be laying across your back in order to get a really straight line. If you trust someone enough, ask them to stand behind you and snip the ends a little with the razor.” James adds: “If you’re trimming your fringe, it’s important you cut into the hair rather than across. Cutting across will create a blunt style, whereas snipping upwards makes the cut more textured and forgiving, so the style will blend more evenly.”
Cut Hair When It’s Clean
“If you’re going to cut your hair, make sure it's clean and ideally, wet. You don’t want any oiliness or dirt to affect an uneven finish” advises James. Expert's also claim that another benefit of wet hair is it’s not bouncing around, so you’re more likely to get an even cut. The only time to cut hair dry is if you have frizzy or naturally curly hair – if you cut it dry, you have a realistic vision of the cut, whereas if you do it wet, you may be surprised how much the hair shrinks up once dry.
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