You'll need a quiet, comfortable place with a big mirror (bathroom or bedroom), good lighting, a spray bottle of water, a hand mirror, hair clips, time, patience, plus a comb and sharp pair of scissors. Sharp scissors are important, as dull scissors will result in a dull cut.
Prepare Your Hair
It's easier to cut slightly damp hair, as opposed to completely wet. Cutting wet hair (especially bangs) can result in a too-short style. It is also easier to cut clean hair. When you are ready, slightly dampen your hair with a spray bottle of water. If your hair dries as you're cutting, re-spray as needed.
Be Patient
Remember, it is better to cut too little than too much, and don't try to rush.
Single Length Hair
Hair that is one length all the way around is a straightforward trim. Just follow the procedure for bangs (below), snipping the same amount off your ends in small sections. When you're finished trimming, comb or brush to your usual style and check the back with a hand mirror.
Bangs
For multi-length hair, start with your bangs. Comb them straight, being careful not to include side hairs. Next, take your bangs between your index and middle fingers and pull them down until a line of about 1/4-inch of hair is showing. Carefully trim approximately half of that (1/8-inch) all the way across. Check the length and repeat if necessary.
Don't try to trim too much length at once. Holding shorter lengths for cutting (1/4-inch) keeps the hairs firmly in place as you cut.
You can make the line of your bangs less blunt-looking by diagonally cutting the tips of a few strands of hair across your bangs. But, only cut a few. Be careful not to overdo.
Sides and Layers
The next step is your layers, if any, and the side angles of your hair. If you have layers all over, you will be following them, top to bottom, front to back. If your hair is all one length except for the side angles, you will be working along the sides of your style only, front to back.
Choose a top layer or side piece of hair approximately the same size and thickness as you did for your bangs. This smaller amount is easiest to work with. If you try to hold and cut too much at once, the result will be uneven. Remember that you want to follow your original lengths.
You will be able to pick out layers of similar lengths by using your comb as a guide and holding the hairs between your index and middle fingers, as you did with your bangs. Slide your fingers down to leave a fairly straight line of 1/4-inches showing. Then, like your bangs, trim approximately 1/8-inch all the way across. For side angles, follow the same technique, being sure to angle your index and middle fingers to follow the angle of your hair.
This is where hair clips come in handy. As you are trimming the higher layers or lengths first, use a clip to keep each finished section up and out of the way.
Cutting Your Own Hair
You'll need a quiet, comfortable place with a big mirror (bathroom or bedroom), good lighting, a spray bottle of water, a hand mirror, hair clips, time, patience, plus a comb and sharp pair of scissors. Sharp scissors are important, as dull scissors will result in a dull cut.
Prepare Your Hair
It's easier to cut slightly damp hair, as opposed to completely wet. Cutting wet hair (especially bangs) can result in a too-short style. It is also easier to cut clean hair. When you are ready, slightly dampen your hair with a spray bottle of water. If your hair dries as you're cutting, re-spray as needed.
Be Patient
Remember, it is better to cut too little than too much, and don't try to rush.
Single Length Hair
Hair that is one length all the way around is a straightforward trim. Just follow the procedure for bangs (below), snipping the same amount off your ends in small sections. When you're finished trimming, comb or brush to your usual style and check the back with a hand mirror.
Bangs
For multi-length hair, start with your bangs. Comb them straight, being careful not to include side hairs. Next, take your bangs between your index and middle fingers and pull them down until a line of about 1/4-inch of hair is showing. Carefully trim approximately half of that (1/8-inch) all the way across. Check the length and repeat if necessary.
Don't try to trim too much length at once. Holding shorter lengths for cutting (1/4-inch) keeps the hairs firmly in place as you cut.
You can make the line of your bangs less blunt-looking by diagonally cutting the tips of a few strands of hair across your bangs. But, only cut a few. Be careful not to overdo.
Sides and Layers
The next step is your layers, if any, and the side angles of your hair. If you have layers all over, you will be following them, top to bottom, front to back. If your hair is all one length except for the side angles, you will be working along the sides of your style only, front to back.
Choose a top layer or side piece of hair approximately the same size and thickness as you did for your bangs. This smaller amount is easiest to work with. If you try to hold and cut too much at once, the result will be uneven. Remember that you want to follow your original lengths.
You will be able to pick out layers of similar lengths by using your comb as a guide and holding the hairs between your index and middle fingers, as you did with your bangs. Slide your fingers down to leave a fairly straight line of 1/4-inches showing. Then, like your bangs, trim approximately 1/8-inch all the way across. For side angles, follow the same technique, being sure to angle your index and middle fingers to follow the angle of your hair.
This is where hair clips come in handy. As you are trimming the higher layers or lengths first, use a clip to keep each finished section up and out of the way.