Any wisdom on cutting your own hair?

[chipmunk]

I can do all kinds of fancy stuff cutting dogs' hair, but it's different when you have to cut your own.

I need to trim off about an inch all round and cut my bangs. Any thoughts on any kind of styling would be helpful.

 

[punkin]

I am wise enough to know not to cut my own or anyone elses.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Dace]

My first thought is....DON'T!

But I have been known to trim mine, so :/

My only advice is use sharp shears and take it very slowly. I suggest cutting very little and the see how it looks. Tomorrow if you still feel like you need to take a little off then do it, but the biggest mistake is cutting too much and forgetting that we t hair is heavier than dry....and hold it WILL shrink up and be shorter than you think!

 

[chipmunk]

yep, I kinda know I'm taking a risk here, but I need the money I would spend for a haircut to pay to fix my work shoes. Last time I had my hair cut, I bartered with a friend to do it, and ended up hacking away at it for the next month to get it even. I figure I can't do much worse myself.

I'm gonna use my poodle shears, which are my nicest and sharpest.

 

[Wifezilla]

I figure I can't do much worse myself.

That has been my philosophy on hair styling for the past 20 years...
"I can make myself look like hell. Why am I paying stupid people who don't listen to do it for me?"

 

[big brown horse]

Go to the library! I found a great book on how to cut hair there when my daughter was a tot. I cut her hair all the time when she was young.

Dace is right, you need a really sharp scissors.

 

[freemotion]

I used to do my own bangs when I had long hair, then I would go to the stylist a couple times a year and she would scold me and fix up my mess. Once blow-dried, it looked the same to me and everyone else, though!

I watched her do it, so what I did was pull my hair back in a ponytail to get it out of the way, then comb my bangs into place. Then I would snip a little off in each direction, a section at a time.

I would grasp a section of hair between my index and middle fingers and hold my hair straight out from my head, with my hand parallel to my head, and snip, then repeat across my bangs, left to right. Then I would repeat the same method, but going from top to bottom (or vice versa.

Imagine if each hair stood straight up from your scalp and was the exact same length. That is what I would go for. Then when it was hanging down, it didn't have a chopped look. Worked for years.

Now I trade for haircuts, so I have a short style that needs cutting every five weeks or so, but it costs me nothing out of pocket.

 

[mekasmom]

I can do all kinds of fancy stuff cutting dogs' hair, but it's different when you have to cut your own.

I need to trim off about an inch all round and cut my bangs. Any thoughts on any kind of styling would be helpful.

A wise old vet once told me "The only difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is three weeks".
I think that goes equally for canine or human. As you practice cutting hair, use a hat if necessary. And remember three weeks pass in only 21 days.
It is easier to "hide" any mistakes in thicker hair that has more body or curl than in fine straight hair too. Hopefully you have lots of curls to hide any practice mistakes....... or else a beautiful hat.

 

[ORChick]

I hate hairdressers!! I have only been to a hairdresser perhaps 6 times in my life (that averages out to approx once a decade ), and was only happy with the results once - and for that I didn't get anything cut, I only asked him to show me a nice, elegant "do" that I could do myself for the senior prom. He did, and it was lovely, and I could manage it myself on the Day. For the rest of my life, however, I have let my hair grow. I take DH out into the garden once every year or so, and let him trim the ends of my wet hair at belt level (drop the trimmings right there; good fertilizer), and then I'm good till the next time . When I want bangs I cut them myself, but there is enough curl in my hair that its easy to hide any mis-judgements. I think though if I wanted anything more "styled" I would be hesitant to try it myself.

 

[sufficientforme]

I taught my husband to trim my hair. He actually does a great job. Now mind you it's only a trim on long hair but he does it layer by layer to get the right length on all the strands (that's a very important step for even and uniform cutting) and he will take a ruler to make sure he is level. I cut my kids hair, they charge too much for what you get at the salon especially for kids. Watch the video that usually comes with a pair of clippers and go to the library for technique on yours or even go to youtube for a video. What I did was pay close attention to how the hairdresser was doing it and showed my hubby. It's been along time since I had a professional cut. Invest in good scissors and I even bought the thinning scissors to make layers on occasion.

ORChick too funny, I too throw my families hair in the flower beds, to use as a deterrent for the critters.