Let us help you avoid a DIY disaster

Cutting your own hair comes with an incredible amount of risk. When you can, it’s always better to have a person you trust to do the work, especially when you’re gunning for a dramatic change.

But since many salons are still temporarily closed, it could be unavoidable for some.

For guidance, we asked pro hairstylist and salon owner Louis Phillip Kee to give us a few tips on how you can give yourself a trim, at the very least.

You will need:

— A pair of shears

— A double-edged comb (the wide and fine-tooth ones)

— A mirror

— No-slip hair clips

STEP 1: Prepare your work area

Start with clean, dry hair. Cover yourself with a towel or garbage bag so you don’t get hair all over yourself. Gather the tools you need and then situate yourself in front of a mirror.

Kee says the type of scissors you use is important if you want your straight hair to be properly cut. “Never cut hair with kitchen scissors as they tend to be blunt,” he says. “It will fracture or damage your hair and can create split ends.”

STEP 2: Go slowly

It’s hardest to hide mistakes in fine, straight hair so trim only what’s essential. “Because you are not familiar with the techniques of cutting, you have to work with small sections very carefully by taking small, small snips of your hair,” he says.

STEP 3: Choose your own adventure

Decide what the best results would work for you.

If your hair is long, Kee says bring it up at small sections and then point cut using the tip of your scissors to vertically snip into the ends. Use a fine-tooth comb so you have maximum tension on the hair. And use clips to keep longer hair out of your face.

If you want dramatic change, Kee recommends letting the pros freshen your layers and your self-trimmed hair.