No natural haired woman looks forward to getting a haircut! Too many horror stories on bad ones but for some of us the thought of being pampered at a hair salon is one of bliss. That friendly welcome, incredible scalp massage while having your hair washed and the feeling of being pampered while in the beauty parlor all sounds wonderfully inviting. There is a real need for women to be able to get or do their own curly haircuts.
If you live in an area where hair salons cater for Natural Hair then you pretty much have that option however, some of us face the situation where stylists do not know how to take cater for Natural Hair. We might face other issues such as trust issues (having someone else taking hold of your hair) or that very basic worry that the stylist will take off more hair than you expected!
So for those that are unable to go to a stylist, cutting your hair at home will most likely be the solution for you. Now when I say cutting your own hair, I am not necessarily talking about giving yourself a whole new hair style (although the methods below can be used for that).
Note: if you are taking the step of giving yourself a new hair cut, only take this step if you really know you are comfortable using hair shears and can deal with the new look!
Depending on how you style your hair on a daily/weekly basis will help you determine how you will cut your hair. Another very important aspect is to use proper hair shears! Do not use your kitchen scissors to cut your hair because you will just give yourself split ends! Hair shears can be bought in many beauty supply stores, isles where they hold hair products and even in some hair salons. Another aspect is to always start off with hair that has been properly detangled, this will make it easier to get through your hair and also more accurate.
If you mainly wear your hair straight/ fully-stretched/blowouts then it is advisable to cut your hair while it is in that state. This will allow you to not only know how much hair you are taking off but also will allow you to see the true shape you will end up with. Remember to always use a heat protectant before you apply heat onto your hair and it is advisable to do a protein and moisturizing deep condition before before applying heat to try and avoid heat damage. Also keep in mind that the hair you cut off while be much more visible if you then wear your hair in its natural state (curly/coily/kinky) due to shrinkage.
If you usually like wearing your hair in protective styles, tucked away, or if you like to rock styles like twists, braids etc. then the Twist and Snip method would probably work best for you. The way you go about this will depend on your preference and your “abilities”. Some prefer to twist and snip while their hair is damp while other prefer snipping while their hair is dry.
Wet:
If you are cutting on wet/damp hair you can literally just cut off the twisted hair itself by determining where you start to see damage/spilt ends/where the ends start to thin or your desired length. Note – keep in mind that your hair will be more elongated due to the weight of the water & products therefore shrinkage will play a factor once your hair dries and you can possibly end up cutting off more than intended.
Dry:
After you have twisted your hair and let it dry (over night or over several nights) you can either just cut to the desired length/your ends or undo the twists and then cut the hair at the desired length. Undoing the twist (without separating etc) will allow you to get a better indication of how much you are taking off.
This is probably the most “accurate” method of cutting your hair however it is also the most time consuming. You will basically have your hair in a wash and go to show the natural shape of your curls and will cut each ringlet/curl/coil/kink at a time. With this method I personally suggest doing this on dry hair without altering your curl pattern in any way however, if you are comfortable with length/shrinkage and know how short your hair will be after it dries then wet cutting will work too.
All in all, regardless f how you choose to cut your hair try to keep in mind that no matter what your hair will grow back. If you happen to find yourself in the situation where you do not like the end result keep a positive attitude and if all else fails make accessories your new best friend! Big earrings, make-up, scarves/wraps, hair accessories etc. can help enhance the natural beauty of your hair!
Have you tried trimming your own hair at home? Share below!
Sabrina
