Difference between revisions of "Cut Your Own Curly Hair"

Cutting curly hair may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Whether you want to give yourself a trim to eliminate split ends or go a bit shorter for a new look, there are a few different ways that you can cut your curls. Most hair experts agree that people with curly hair should not cut their hair while it is wet because cutting curly hair while it is wet may alter the layout of your curls. Instead, many hairstylists advocate dry hair cutting because cutting your hair while it is dry will help you to see how it looks as you cut it rather than waiting until after you have dried your hair.<ref name="rf1">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/20/dry-cut-hair_n_4462316.html</ref>  However, there are also some hair experts who think that cutting hair while it is damp provides more control.<ref name="rf2">http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/haircuts/tips-for-trimming-curly-hair/</ref> Here are a few different options that can help you to cut your curly hair. If you’re in need of a touch-up or a new do, read on!

#Arrange your mirrors. Before you begin, make sure that you will be able to see the front and back of your hair by placing one mirror in front of you and another behind you. The mirrors should be facing each other. Adjust the mirrors until you can see the front and the back of your head in the mirror in front of you. If you have long hair, this step is optional since you should be able to bring each strand forward as you trim your curls.<ref name="rf3">http://adornabelle.com/cut-curly-hair/</ref>

#Trim your curls. Using a pair of sharp haircutting scissors, trim the ends of each of your curls. Make sure the scissors you use are meant for cutting hair and that they are very sharp.<ref name="rf3" /> <ref name="rf4">http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy-hair-type-2/how-to-trim-your-own-hair/</ref>Cut the hair near the ends or in the curve of the curl. Begin by trimming the topmost layers and work your way down through your curls, layer by layer.

#Separate the trimmed curls from the untrimmed curls. After you finish trimming the ends of one layer, use a hair clip to separate the trimmed hair from the hair that you have not yet cut. Keeping the trimmed hair separate will help prevent you from cutting the same curls twice. <ref name="rf4" />Continue trimming the ends of your curls until you have trimmed them all. This may take a while, especially if you have thick hair. Just be patient and don’t rush!<ref name="rf2" />

#Inspect your curls. Inspect your hair from all angles and make sure it looks how you want it to look. Use the scissors to touch up any spots that don’t look right. Look for any strands that are drastically longer than others or that are angled differently and trim as needed. <ref name="rf4" />

#Separate your hair into 1” sections and braid each section as you go. Use a comb to separate each section from the rest of your hair. After you have separated each section, braid it and secure it with a small elastic hair band.  Leave about a 1” tail of unbraided hair at the bottom of the braid. <ref name="rf2" />

#Braid all of your hair. Continue sectioning and braiding your hair until you have braided all of it. The number of braids you will have when you are done will depend on the thickness of your hair, but you should have several small braids when you are done. <ref name="rf2" />

#Trim the end of each braid. Cut the ¼”- ½”section off the bottom of the braid. Make sure the scissors you use are meant for cutting hair and that they are very sharp.<ref name="rf3" /> <ref name="rf4" /> Make sure that you cut straight across and not at an angle. <ref name="rf4" />

#Inspect your curls. Inspect your hair from all angles and make sure it looks how you want it to look. Use the scissors to touch up any spots that don’t look right. Look for any strands that are drastically longer than others or that are angled differently and trim as needed. <ref name="rf4" />

#Detangle your hair. Brush all of your hair until the brush moves through your hair easily, with little or no resistance. Make sure that there are no tangles and that your hair is ready to be put into pigtails.<ref name="rf5">http://andthenwesaved.com/how-to-cut-your-own-hair/</ref>

#Put your hair into pigtails. Separate your hair into two low pigtails on the sides of your head. Bring the ends of the pigtails in front of your shoulders so that you can see what you are doing. <ref name="rf5" />

#Decide how short you want to go. Identify the amount of length that you would like to cut and hold your hair around this section using your middle and index fingers.  <ref name="rf5" />

#Cut your hair. For each pigtail, cut the hair in a straight line just below where you are holding it with your fingers. Make sure the scissors you use are meant for cutting hair and that they are very sharp.<ref name="rf3" /> <ref name="rf4" /> You can cut your hair at a slight angle if you’d like a bit of a slant to your cut. Just make sure that you cut the other pigtail at a similar complementary angle.<ref name="rf5" />

#Remove the elastic hairbands. Take your hair out of the pigtails, run your fingers through your hair, and shake out your curls.  <ref name="rf5" />

#Inspect your curls. Inspect your hair from all angles and make sure it looks how you want it to look. Use the scissors to touch up any spots that don’t look right. Look for any strands that are drastically longer than others or that are angled differently and trim as needed. <ref name="rf5" />

#Arrange your mirrors. Before you begin, make sure that you will be able to see the front and back of your hair by placing one mirror in front of you and another behind you. The mirrors should be facing each other. Adjust the mirrors until you can see the front and the back of your head in the mirror in front of you. If you have long hair, this step is optional since you should be able to bring each strand forward as you trim your curls. <ref name="rf3" />

#Trim your curls. Using a pair of sharp haircutting scissors, trim the ends of each of your curls. Make sure the scissors you use are meant for cutting hair and that they are very sharp.<ref name="rf3" /> <ref name="rf4" /> Cut the hair near the ends or in the curve of the curl. Begin by trimming the topmost layers and work your way down through your curls, layer by layer.

#Separate the trimmed curls from the untrimmed curls. After you finish trimming the ends of one layer, use a hair clip to separate the trimmed hair from the hair that you have not yet cut. Keeping the trimmed hair separate will help prevent you from cutting the same curls twice.<ref name="rf4" /> Continue trimming the ends of your curls until you have trimmed them all. This may take a while, especially if you have thick hair. Just be patient and don’t rush!

#Inspect your curls. Inspect your hair from all angles and make sure it looks how you want it to look. Use the scissors to touch up any spots that don’t look right. Look for any strands that are drastically longer than others or that are angled differently and trim as needed. <ref name="rf4" />

*When you cut your hair, keep in mind that curls tighten up when you cut them because the weight of your hair straightens and lengthens your curls. If you have long hair, trim a little length at a time to see how you like it, and then decide if you want to go shorter. <ref name="rf6">http://www.refinery29.com/short-haircuts-curly-hair</ref>