15 Tips You Should Know Before You Cut Your Own Hair

From Redditor u/coldvault:

Practice? Kidding! I've been cutting my own hair since middle school and obviously have improved in the almost-decade since, but even that is no replacement for training. And my hair in middle school was usually terrible (although this can be said for most middle schoolers, so I blended in much better than an adult suddenly cutting their own hair would).

Watch lots of tutorials and start off small, like trimming split ends. Super important: If you make a mistake, your attempts to fix it will almost certainly make the problem worse, so leave it alone. As mentioned elsewhere, cut vertically, not horizontally. And if you can afford one professional haircut, get it, and then you will only have to maintain it, much easier than starting from scratch. Use actual hair-cutting shears, not any regular scissors, and use them correctly; no trying to chop off half of your hair in one go.

From Redditor u/bebetta:

If you have a simple hairstyle and a bit of a knack for it, you can cut it yourself pretty easily. There are a few DIY devices and techniques that are popular but check Google images and YouTube first to see the styles that result from each method.

The Flowbee and Robocut have pretty good Amazon reviews.

I've used the Creaclip and I love it. I get a professional cut about every 6 months and maintain it with the Creaclip so my bangs and ends always look perfect.

There are also some tutorials for using a simple ponytail holder. That method does work on long hair and is similar to using a Creaclip. With both, you get a completely different look depending on where you place it before cutting.

From Redditor u/johnknoefler:

There is a perfect way to trim long hair and get a layered look just like a professional cut. Fast, Easy, and Simple. First wet hair completely and shampoo. Use a conditioner and then apply a detangle cream as well. Comb out to completely untangle and align all hair. Then flip hair forward and bend over at the waist so your head is straight down and comb the hair down so it hangs straight down. Hold your position and then cut straight across the frayed ends. Stand up and comb the hair down again and rinse out the conditioner and detangle the solution. You're done. Hair should now be perfectly layered on the ends. This is the easiest and fastest way I know. I used to do it for my wife when she had long hair and we had no money for a salon cut. Edit: Thanks for the upvotes and nice comments!

From Redditor u/f-difIknow:

If you have curly hair, style it before you cut it. Take each curled tendril (dry!) and trim it. If you have thick curls you can choose to separate the curl and cut them to different lengths. This will give it more "bounce" and definition. It's really just about slowly working your way around your head trimming each curl in different lengths and attempting not to give yourself triangle hair. Dead easy for curly girls. Source: I am one.

From Redditor u/crows_n_octopus:

I've been cutting my own hair for at least the last 15 years. I don't have any training. I've even had one of my bosses ask me to cut her hair. I didn't. (I wanted to keep my job.)

I've always cut my hair in pixie style, very short. I think that helps to hide the mistakes I make.

You will make mistakes in the very beginning as you figure out how your hair behaves and the shape of your head. I cut my hair dry, never wet. That way I can see how the hair really looks on my head as I cut it away.

I also cut up into the hair, never straight across. I want my hair wispy not choppy as I have thick, wavy hair. I just grab small thin handfuls of hair and use scissors to cut up it.

I cut my every 4 weeks or so and am OK trying out slightly different looks with it. It's my creative outlet and something I'm good at. And, I've managed to keep my well-paying job ;).

From Redditor u/LuliUruguay:

I use a used shaving Gillette because if it's new it will cut too much. I dry and straighten my hair completely with a hair straightener and then grab different sections of hair and starting where I want the shortest layer I slide the Gillette all the way down. More times if it's more used. Faster if I wanna look professional :p and every time I cut I just look in the mirror. Don't rush it. You can accomplish a lot. Especially after a couple of youtube tutorials. No more paying for too short or too weird sh*t. Best haircut of your life for free.