There’s always a risk that comes along with cutting your own hair, but if you already have short hair, the thought of having to give yourself a trim might make you even more nervous simply for fear of dramatically changing your look with the smallest snip slip. Under normal circumstances, we’d recommend you leave services like this to the pros, but it’s understandable if you are at home and can’t wait until your salon reopens.
For that reason, we solicited a few tips from Jim Markham, founder and CEO of ColorProof Color Care Authority, on what to keep in mind while trimming your short hair at home. His main piece of advice? Keep it minimal.
“If you feel the need to trim, I recommend doing the very minimum possible and getting in touch with your stylist first for a quick consult before snipping away,” he said. “For short styles in particular, cutting the back of your own hair is nearly impossible, so focus on the bang area and sides, which are more noticeable.”
Read ahead for a few more tips on how to cut short hair at home.
Tip #1: Use the Right Tools
We’re not sure who needs to hear this right now, but maybe don’t use the scissors in your kitchen to cut your hair. “Use shears designed for hair cutting,” Markham said. (You can shop these shears online at Target or these trimmers.) “Kitchen scissors or everyday household scissors will not get the job done nearly as effectively.”
Tip #2: Don’t Cut Your Hair While It’s Wet
If you wash your hair before a cut, wait until it dries fully before you actually start trimming, since this will give you a better idea of what kind of length you’ll be looking at once you’re all done. “Hair shrinks as it dries,” Markham said. “If you cut hair wet, you may end up going too short.”
Speaking of shrinkage, you should also avoid pulling at or stretching the hair while you cut it, because that may also give you a false idea of where the hair naturally lays.
Tip #3: Less Is More
Remember: you’re not a professional, so if a trim is absolutely necessary, try to take off a small amount at a time. As Markham puts it, you can always go back and cut more hair if need be, but if you cut off too much hair at once, it can’t be undone.
