cutting your own hair.

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mrs boodles
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cutting your own hair.

Post by mrs boodles »

I have long hair and much as I love it I need to have it a lot shorter as with the old lungs being a bit dodgy its pretty uncomfortable bending over to wash my hair over bath. Circumstances at moment mean I don`t want to be away sitting in a hairdressers for ages while they chop it off and also its too expensive. So have any laners got some tips on how I can do it myself.
Thanks
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lancashire lass
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by lancashire lass »

It might be worth going to the hairdressers to get your long hair cut properly, then it would be easier to keep it trimmed after. It's one thing trimming, quite another cutting and re-styling, especially for the first time!

My own "hair cut" involves washing my hair then combing the entire hair (from the base of the skull and over my scalp) to the front, then using pair of sharp scissors, trim the "fringe" (which is hair from the back and the front combined) so that it is just below eye brow level. Then continue the fringe trim along the cheek bone down to just below my ear lobe on my neck (imagine an old style bikers helmet from the 60s/70s with the open face)

After rinsing my hair to get rid of any bits and toweling dry, I comb my hair in the style I have (plain and simple, a parting just to the left, and after combing my hair down to get rid of tangles, I sweep the front bits back, and turn the comb under the back so that it forms a curl under. I then leave it to air dry (not blow dry), then comb it again afterwards and some of my natural waves and the style I originally combed in, help the hair to bounce up naturally.

My hair has to be wet to stop it springing up when cutting (try not to hold hair like hairdressers do otherwise some lengths end up shorter than others LOL) Always keep combing the hair down and checking that the left hand side matches the right hand side on your face, and do a series of small trims at a time rather than lop loads off (that's when you start over-correcting and ending up with hair far shorter than you originally planned {rofwl} )
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Willow
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by Willow »

I cut my own hair for years.. This worked on me and gave a shoulder length layered cut.
I brushed my hair up into a ponytail towards the back of the top of my head (evenly & making sure it was central) tied it up, and then simply chopped it off about 3 inches above the elastic.. I used to then brush it and layer the sides a bit..
Dont cut too close to the elastic or whatever the ponytail is tied with remember that wherever you cut it will be the length of the top hair & you dont want to end up looking like a hedgehog ! yike*
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Mo
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by Mo »

The other alternative is to ask around for a home hairdresser who will come to you. They may be cheaper as they don't have expense of premisses. Qualified hairdressers with children at school often go back to that rather than employment.
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wendy
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by wendy »

Eeek !!! I have to have anaesthetic for my hairdresser to trim mine. yike*
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saint-spoon
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by saint-spoon »

I do my own... but I'm a bloke, I'm bald as a coot on top and it only takes a few minutes with a set of clippers. Probably not much help sorry. :-D
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HedgeHugger
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by HedgeHugger »

I use clippers myself, but on a number 7 (7/8's of an inch).
I've been doing that myself for around 23 years now!! I originally bought them to do my, then 18 month old, son's hair. I've only just bought meself a new pair hehe, well last year anyway, and my OH let me loose on his hair which was about 18 inches long, he loves it so much shorter himself now. So much easier to wash etc.

Due to 'pixie' cuts being in I was recently accused of being fashionable!!
The woman was surprised I could do it myself :)

I used to trim my own when it was longer too.
To get layered sides I would comb the hair forward from just behind the ear, then cut a straight, but diagonal line from the cheek up, going from the ear to the eyebrow kind of line, difficult to explain really, but used to work for me.
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jemberelli
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by jemberelli »

Is there a college near to you Mrs Boodles? The hairdressing/beauty students usually do cheap cuts or might even do it for free if they can use you as a model. Well worth checking it out.
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p.penn
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by p.penn »

I cut mine, but it is so much easier when it is short.

I just hold chunks at right angles to my head and chop {rofwl} Actually, when I have just done it, it looks really good. In fact, last time I went to the hairdressers, I was really disappointed with the result and am reluctant to go again.

BTW, I colour mine too. :-D
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mnutz
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by mnutz »

Cutting your own hair isn't that easy, best to get a friend/partner to cut it for you. Get it cut at a hairdressers first, or get one to come to you (there's always a mobile one) and get a friend/partner to watch how they do it.

Then it just takes a bit of practice.

I taught my wife to cut my hair after they started charging me at my Aunt's hairdressers. Used to be free but then they went self employed and were charging £10 a time.

1 hair cut a month = £120 a year in cutting fee's.

£15 for a pair of clippers from Argos, had to replace them once.

So I've spent £30 but saved about £300 so far. I also dye my wife's hair, I do wish they would put gloves in these packs that fit men! Don't cut her's though.
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mrs boodles
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by mrs boodles »

Thanks everyone, I am going to get my horsey daughter to cut it when I see her in next few weeks (long as she doesn`t get her horse clippers out on to my hair). We have a college quite near us but I don`t like to leave hubby by himself for very long so that is not possible and because he is poorly I am not keen on people coming into the house that I don`t know.
Appreciate all your help, many thanks. I do cut hubbys hair with clippers, so a bit of money saving there a well.
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manda
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by manda »

Have a look on you tube Mrs Boo....there are loads of tutorials to cut your own hair...mine was long and I chopped a couple of feet off it last year using the pony tail method.
If you find it hard to do yourself I'm sure your daughter would be able to do it :-D )t'
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Meanqueen
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by Meanqueen »

I cut my own hair, I hate going to the hairdressers, and they never do it right. I have two doors facing each other, hang a mirror on both. Then I spread my fingers on my left hand and use as a comb, lift the hair, and cut with a big pair of scissors in the right hand. I do this all over, then trim the fringe, back and sides.

If you are going to cut long hair, try and cut it in neat bunches, then you can sell it.
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by Mercedes »

Some styles are easier to do yourself than others. If you are looking for something like a bob, then I wouldn't contemplate trying to cut it yourself as it's a very precise cut and even some hairdressers struggle with it! If however you just want say a layered look then it shouldn't be too hard. I remember years ago when I was doing hairdressing and a lady with hair so long she could sit on it came in asking for it to be cut off! Our tutor just got her to put her head forward, brushed her hair forward and chopped all the length off. It was amazing how when she lifted her hair up it just fell into a really lovely layered look with just a little bit of trimming up afterwards to make it perfect.

I don't cut my own hair but I do colour my roots every 6wks and sit on the bathroom floor with a mirror behind me on the loo seat and one in front of me on my bedroom stool and it's amazing how you can get to the back of your hair like that :-D
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natekerillb
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Re: cutting your own hair.

Post by natekerillb »

I think this is something that you really need to spend on. It's hard to chop your own hair. Or better yet, you can have a friend who knows how to, do it for you. :-D
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