Change your look without risking it all

The fun in beauty DIYs is that you get to experiment, from making your masks to the occasional (careful) trimming of your bangs. But cutting your wavy or curly hair, however, is a tougher sell—there’s a reason we’re loyal to our hairstylists.

Still, sometimes it’s inevitable, and we’d never let you go at it alone. Our advice? Stick to a simple trim and leave the drastic cuts to the pros. If a visit to the salon is out of the question, heed this easy-to-follow plan from hairstylist and salon owner Lourd Ramos. Here, he shares his step-by-step guide for the safest and most effective way to trim waves and curls.

You will need:

— A pair of sharp scissors

— A wide-tooth comb

— A mirror, plus maybe another mirror

— A garbage bag or towel

— Clips or scrunchies to section the hair

STEP 1: Let it dry

Start with clean, dry hair that’s free of any gel or conditioner. “Let your waves or curls air-dry,” Ramos says. “Once you’re done, your natural texture will bounce into shape, so you can better determine how short you really want to go.”

Gather the tools you need and then cover yourself with a towel or garbage bag. Situate yourself in front of a mirror. It helps to have someone cut your hair for you, as they will have a better view of your head, but it’s possible to do this alone.

STEP 2: Brush, brush, brush

Use a comb to brush the hair on the top of your head forward toward your forehead. Comb the back and the sides down and comb through any knots, if you have them. If you have super curly, thick hair, use a pick to comb the hair out as fully as possible.

STEP 3: Go easy!

“Find a peg you want to copy as long as it is realistic,” Ramos says. But remember, you can always cut more, but you can’t glue your waves or curls back on.

To start, section your hair into four parts. “Left and right side, middle, and bottom, this is important so you will be able to cut your hair little by little,” he says.

Pull your hair down and do the bottom section first to create a guide. And then cut the middle section, following the bottom length, and continue with the left and right side. “For the last touch, create a square section in the crown area—point-cut your hair to create texture,” he says.

Avoid using any tension when holding each section, then only trim your ends. It doesn’t have to be perfect, especially if you want more of a tousled look!