Who Cuts Their Own Hair Around Here?

[Calliecake]

Hey Kristie, Can you cut my hair?

 

[azstonie]

Miami Antique Jewelry Show, Callie, you know it! You can count on me to trim split ends!!!

 

[ennui]

I've been cutting my own hair for 15 years, and off and on for years before that. I found myself coming home and "fixing" the cut I got from the salon, so I stopped going.

I'd like to add that it gets easier and faster with practice.

 

[SandyCheeks]

I cut/color my own hair, and I cut my 3 kids and husbands hair as well. I will go to the salon maybe 1x a year if that but I think my own cuts are just as decent. At my high school they offered cosmetology as an elective so that's where I learned to cut hair. I think of all that money I'm saving on cuts, color and tip going towards my bling budget lol.

 

[sonnyjane]

I cut/color my own hair, and I cut my 3 kids and husbands hair as well. I will go to the salon maybe 1x a year if that but I think my own cuts are just as decent. At my high school they offered cosmetology as an elective so that's where I learned to cut hair. I think of all that money I'm saving on cuts, color and tip going towards my bling budget lol.

Money is the big reason!!! I'm sure I'm not exactly spending the savings wisely, but going more than half my life without visiting a salon has certainly given me some play money!

 

[azstonie]

I've been cutting my own hair for 15 years, and off and on for years before that. I found myself coming home and "fixing" the cut I got from the salon, so I stopped going.

I'd like to add that it gets easier and faster with practice.

Hi ennui: How long or short is your hair and how do you cut it?

Thank you for the encouragement. I can't take another $100 haircut like this again. I'm willing to learn on my own head.

 

[azstonie]

I cut/color my own hair, and I cut my 3 kids and husbands hair as well. I will go to the salon maybe 1x a year if that but I think my own cuts are just as decent. At my high school they offered cosmetology as an elective so that's where I learned to cut hair. I think of all that money I'm saving on cuts, color and tip going towards my bling budget lol.

Hi Sandycheeks, how do you cut your own hair?

 

[ennui]

Hi ennui: How long or short is your hair and how do you cut it?

Thank you for the encouragement. I can't take another $100 haircut like this again. I'm willing to learn on my own head.

My hair length varies, but on average, it's long enough to twist into a knot secured with a hair stick in the summer. I tend to air-dry in the warmer months. I think I cut it very similar to the directions in the http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com/1827.html link, but I don't look up or down, I just look straight ahead. I do have bangs, and cut those by lifting straight up -- seems to conquer the angling issue.

Honestly, I've been doing it so long I don't really think about "how." But, yes, sharp scissors do make a difference!

 

[azstonie]

Good to know, its very reassuring to hear so many of us DO cut their own hair and use the techniques discussed in the thread.

I figure I've got a good 3-year grow-out project on my hands but at least I have light at the end of the tunnel (the haircut I've been trying to get is something I can do for myself) now. I was pretty upset, thinking about having to find a hairdresser who wouldn't put me right back on the road of tears/bad hair.

When I look at my haircut I would call it a "Christmas tree." Shortest layers up top where anyone can least afford them. It should be a prison sentence offense for hairdressers to put all these layers into people's hair. I looked in Town & Country, Vanity Fair, and Vogue and pretty much 90% of all the models have terrible looking hair---texturized (what a bunch of BS that is), too many layers, overprocessed, too layered, too thinned. I looked at Kate Moss and she has the same crap haircut I do except WORSE.

 

[SandyCheeks]

Azstonie, I gather it in the front and just trim the ends and then pull it over my head to give soft layers. I basically try to copy how the hair dressers do it. It turns out decent but I have longish hair so it's not a complex cut and my hair isn't thick. Good luck !

 

[azstonie]

Sandycheeks, you and your hair are beautiful, thank you for sharing a pic.

Just a few questions:

Where you say you gather the hair in the front, is that over your head and gathered at the forehead? Is it ALL of your hair or is it half the hair (like the ponytail of the upper half of the hair?)

Or do you split the hair in half, bring it to the front btw your shoulders and chest, trim the ends, then pull ALL of it over your head and gather it around your forehead area and trim (for the soft layers?)

Dry hair or wet hair?

Thank you!!!

 

[HollyS]

I've been cutting my own hair for 15 years, and off and on for years before that. I found myself coming home and "fixing" the cut I got from the salon, so I stopped going.

I'd like to add that it gets easier and faster with practice.

Exactly the same reason I cut my hair and stopped going to the salon. I've had 2 professional cuts since 1997, and both were a mistake. Btw, I get more compliments now than I ever did when a stylist cut my hair. I used to cut my mother's and father's hair, and now cut my DH.

 

[tuffyluvr]

I cut my hair myself for many years--I found a great stylist who specializes in long hair a couple years ago, which is why I stopped the DIY cuts. I would take all my hair and brush it forward so that it was combed straight over the front of my face. I would then grab a ponytail holder and brush my hair into a ponytail right on the front of my forehead and secure it with the elastic band. I would then trim the desired amount off. I would line the bathroom sink with some plastic bags to catch most of the hair. I always did it dry and always used hair scissors (I was told that paper scissors can cause split ends). The result was soft with just a bit of tapered layers on the ends in the front.

It sounds like what you are looking for is a style that is tapered, not layered, but I am no expert! I'm sorry about your bad haircut… growing out a bad haircut is the worst! I have been through it a few times. I worked as a hair model in my late teens/early 20s… it seemed like such an easy way to make money, but I stopped when I got a cut that was longer than shoulder-length in the front and SHAVED in the back. I didn't get to choose the cuts and imagine my HORROR when they began buzzing the back of my head!!! I hope your hair grows fast and you can be the hair unicorn soon!

 

[pearaffair]

Timely post! I did the top of head pony tail cut, and was very pleased with the results. Just make sure you have hair cutting scissors. They're nice and sharp

 

[azstonie]

I cut my hair myself for many years--I found a great stylist who specializes in long hair a couple years ago, which is why I stopped the DIY cuts. I would take all my hair and brush it forward so that it was combed straight over the front of my face. I would then grab a ponytail holder and brush my hair into a ponytail right on the front of my forehead and secure it with the elastic band. I would then trim the desired amount off. I would line the bathroom sink with some plastic bags to catch most of the hair. I always did it dry and always used hair scissors (I was told that paper scissors can cause split ends). The result was soft with just a bit of tapered layers on the ends in the front.

It sounds like what you are looking for is a style that is tapered, not layered, but I am no expert! I'm sorry about your bad haircut… growing out a bad haircut is the worst! I have been through it a few times. I worked as a hair model in my late teens/early 20s… it seemed like such an easy way to make money, but I stopped when I got a cut that was longer than shoulder-length in the front and SHAVED in the back. I didn't get to choose the cuts and imagine my HORROR when they began buzzing the back of my head!!! I hope your hair grows fast and you can be the hair unicorn soon!

Hi tuffyluvr and thank you for posting! Yes to tapering or on the gradient! When you cut your own hair, did you also do the vertically held scissoring into the ends?

I so hope to be my own hair unicorn! Its going to take about 2 years if growth rate is btw 3-6 inches per year

 

[azstonie]

Pear, I love your avatar, I have a modern pear myself!

Where did you gather your hair together, at the hairline or a little forward on your forehead?

 

[tuffyluvr]

I cut my hair myself for many years--I found a great stylist who specializes in long hair a couple years ago, which is why I stopped the DIY cuts. I would take all my hair and brush it forward so that it was combed straight over the front of my face. I would then grab a ponytail holder and brush my hair into a ponytail right on the front of my forehead and secure it with the elastic band. I would then trim the desired amount off. I would line the bathroom sink with some plastic bags to catch most of the hair. I always did it dry and always used hair scissors (I was told that paper scissors can cause split ends). The result was soft with just a bit of tapered layers on the ends in the front.

It sounds like what you are looking for is a style that is tapered, not layered, but I am no expert! I'm sorry about your bad haircut… growing out a bad haircut is the worst! I have been through it a few times. I worked as a hair model in my late teens/early 20s… it seemed like such an easy way to make money, but I stopped when I got a cut that was longer than shoulder-length in the front and SHAVED in the back. I didn't get to choose the cuts and imagine my HORROR when they began buzzing the back of my head!!! I hope your hair grows fast and you can be the hair unicorn soon!

Hi tuffyluvr and thank you for posting! Yes to tapering or on the gradient! When you cut your own hair, did you also do the vertically held scissoring into the ends?

I so hope to be my own hair unicorn! Its going to take about 2 years if growth rate is btw 3-6 inches per year

I have done it both ways, but found that my hair worked best with the ponytail method. My hair is medium textured, medium thickness, and the vertical scissors method just didn't come out as well.

Have you taken Biotin or prenatals? My hair and nails have grown like crazy since I started taking them--my hair has grown about 4 inches since April, which is pretty fast for me! Maybe you can speed up the process a bit if you aren't already taking those supplements?

 

[azstonie]

Missy suggested this too, I'm going to Whole Foods for biotin and/or prenatal vitamins tomorrow, thanks for the tip! 4 inches since April??? Get outta here!!!!!!

 

[tuffyluvr]

Missy suggested this too, I'm going to Whole Foods for biotin and/or prenatal vitamins tomorrow, thanks for the tip! 4 inches since April??? Get outta here!!!!!!

I looked back at my camera roll, and it looks like I got my hair cut at the end of March and I snapped a photo after my cut and blowout, and I put that side-by-side with a horrible selfie I just snapped. You can see that in 5 months my hair has grown at least 3.5 inches, which is pretty impressive for someone whose hair doesn't normally grow particularly fast! And my hair feels stronger and looks shinier too!

 

[packrat]

I've been bouncing around to stylists and can't seem to find someone I love--even asking other people and going to their stylists isn't working. They've all told me something different as far as what the last person did that shouldn't have been done etc. I'm to the point now I'd rather just let it grow and keep it in a ponytail every day, rather than trying to style it or cut it or do anything w/it.

ETA: between two stylists since October of last year, I spent $700 to get my hair cut/colored--twice. That was when I tried a "fancy" salon as compared to the ones in town here, thinking it would be better...nope.

 

[azstonie]

Tuffy, your locks are beautiful and wow look at the growth!!! You're rockin' it I got the vitamins today, now I'm going to start those babies up!

Packie, I've spent a ton of money on stylists over the years and my stats say I get royally messed up at the priciest places. I did see your selfie for your new color, and I just wanted to reassure you that while its not what you asked for/paid for, you are carrying it off btw your pretty blue eyes and fair skin. I hope you feel better about it soon.

 

[Dancing Fire]

ETA: between two stylists since October of last year, I spent $700 to get my hair cut/colored--twice. That was when I tried a "fancy" salon as compared to the ones in town here, thinking it would be better...nope.

$700 ??..I can get 70 hair cuts for that price..

 

[packrat]

Aw, azstonie, that's sweet, thank you! I did it spiky today and it fell..but maybe if I could figure out how to style it, I'd be more ok w/it.

DF, I KNOW!! Believe me, I know. I about cried.

 

[azstonie]

Aw, azstonie, that's sweet, thank you! I did it spiky today and it fell..but maybe if I could figure out how to style it, I'd be more ok w/it.

DF, I KNOW!! Believe me, I know. I about cried.

Packie, all the Living Proof products I have tried worked AMAZINGLY, and while a little pricey they last a long time and they do what they promise to do. Pretty sure they have a couple products that would give you the texture you need for those spikies to stay separated and 'up.' Try the living proof website. They have free shipping for all orders over $39. I like the Flex hairspray a LOT because you can brush it through and it kind of sets your style and you hair looks flexible and bouncy; I also like Perfect Hair Day shampoo. They are super generous with the samples, they frequently offer 5 samples for free with your order.

HAHAHAHAHA, DF, all those "hot" women you saw at the Vegas GTG, maintenance is KEY!!!!!

 

[packrat]

Aw, azstonie, that's sweet, thank you! I did it spiky today and it fell..but maybe if I could figure out how to style it, I'd be more ok w/it.

DF, I KNOW!! Believe me, I know. I about cried.

Packie, all the Living Proof products I have tried worked AMAZINGLY, and while a little pricey they last a long time and they do what they promise to do. Pretty sure they have a couple products that would give you the texture you need for those spikies to stay separated and 'up.' Try the living proof website. They have free shipping for all orders over $39. I like the Flex hairspray a LOT because you can brush it through and it kind of sets your style and you hair looks flexible and bouncy; I also like Perfect Hair Day shampoo. They are super generous with the samples, they frequently offer 5 samples for free with your order.

HAHAHAHAHA, DF, all those "hot" women you saw at the Vegas GTG, maintenance is KEY!!!!!

Thanks az! I've got that website up and am going to do some browsing!