The complete Guide to Cutting Your Own Hair
I know this probably isn’t the answer you were hoping for, but cutting your own hair is not freakin’ easy. There’s way more skill, technique, and practice that goes into it than you think, so unless you want to go viral on TikTok for a botched haircut (which, maybe that’s your thing?!), do yourself a favor and book an appointment with a professional stylist. But if you can’t make it into a salon right now, or you just don’t feel comfortable yet, you do have some at-home options. Just know that you’re gonna have to pick up the right tools (more on that in a bit) and meticulously study a few tutorials before you start snipping.
Now, keep scrolling for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cutting your own hair at home, including the exact shears you’ll want on hand, the best clips for separating sections, and more. Just promise me you’ll think twice before giving yourself bangs, alright? Speaking from experience here, people.
First, ask yourself if a haircut is actually necessary.
Any stylist is going to encourage you to wait as long as possible before attempting to cut your own hair. Chances are, even in these pandemic streets, you’ll likely be able to go to a salon safely. But not everyone can or wants to do that and we respect it.
“You don’t want to end up like that one meme of the girl who cut her bangs to her hairline,” says New York City-based hairstylist Erickson Arrunategui. It’s taken him a decade to perfect his style and develop his skills, so mastering a great haircut on yourself with a few pro tips and tricks isn’t something that can be done on the first try (or even the second or third).
Regular trims are a necessity, especially for people with color-treated and/or heat-damaged hair. According to Arrunategui and Los Angeles-based hairstylist Justine Marjan, split ends are an indicator that you’re in need of a trim.
“Split ends are usually a sign you have to cut your hair because you don’t want those hairs to keep splitting up the shaft and cause irreversible damage to your strands,” says Arrunategui. Split ends, he adds, usually don’t start showing up until three or four months after a haircut. If you’ve seen a professional within that amount of time and your hair isn’t feeling brittle, you can probably wait it out longer.
How To Trim Your Own Hair
If you’re just looking to trim the ends of your hair without taking much length off or adding new layers, the CreaClip makes it extremely easy:
- Gather your hair as if you’re going to put it in a ponytail
- Clip the CreaClip across it and slowly slide the clip down to the length you want to trim it to
- Take your haircutting shears and cut right where the CreaClip stops. You can either trim straight across (holding the scissors at a 90% angle to your hair), or you can add texture by point cutting (holding the scissors perpendicular to the hair and cutting with small, angled snips).
If you already have defined layers that you want to maintain, you’ll want to cut your hair in sections and trim the same length off of each section to maintain the layered look. If a layer is too thin to stay in the large CreaClip, try using the smaller blue clip, which is perfect for bangs or thinner sections of hair.
If you have a shorter, pixie-style cut, you’ll probably need to trim your hair every four to six weeks to maintain it. You can use the smaller, blue CreaClip to divide your hair into a top and bottom layer. Gather the top layer with the clip and trim the tips, then do the same with the bottom layer. Remember, you’ll probably only want to trim off a tiny amount since even a little bit of length makes a big difference in shorter hairstyles.
EASY, AT-HOME HAIRSTYLES TO TRY
There’s no limit to the number of styles you can create with the CreaClip, but if you’re just starting out and are looking for some inspiration, here are a few of our favorite ideas:
1. Long Layers: This style is great for many different hair types. It can add body and volume for thin hair, but will also add some bounce for thicker, coarser hair. Plus, it’s one of the easiest cuts to do with the CreaClip!
To cut long layers, you should gather all of your hair like you would if you were pulling it into a ponytail, clip the CreaClip in place, and then slide the clip down to the desired length. Make sure the bubble in the center of the Clip is level to ensure that your haircut turns out even. Then cut straight across and you’ll end up with some gentle, face-framing layers.
2. Blunt Bangs: If you’re looking for a fun, new style that’s easy to create yourself, blunt (straight across) bangs might be a great option! These work especially well on people with oval-shaped faces. To cut blunt bangs, gather the front pieces of your hair with the small, blue CreaClip. The general rule of thumb is to have the bangs fall around eyebrow length, but you can cut them slightly longer or shorter if you prefer. Once you slide the CreaClip down to the desired length, all you have to do is cut straight across those pieces.
3. Blunt Lob: A lob, also known as a long bob, is a great style to try if you have thinner hair and want to add some volume. To cut a blunt lob, gather half of your hair on the left side of your head with the CreaClip, and trim the pieces in the middle to the same length as the front and back pieces. Then gather the other half of your hair on the right side and repeat the same steps to end up with an even, single-length style.
There Are So Many Benefits To The Creaclip!
Save time and money by purchasing the original CreaClip today. You’ll also gain access to our private, VIP Facebook group, live demos, and styling inspiration from other CreaClipers.
