How to Cut Your Own Hair With New Styles

Overview

A new haircut can be just the thing to freshen up your look and change your appearance. Because hair grows back, if you don't love your new style, all you need to fix it is a little time. Since it can be difficult to convince your regular hairdresser that you are interested in a dramatic change, cutting your hair yourself is a good alternative.

Step 1

Choose a style. Flip through magazines and hairstyle books. Check the Internet for styles that you like. Consider how the styles will look with your face shape, as well as how easy they will be to cut. A style with severe lines or complicated styling in the back will be more difficult than a more casual, layered look.

Step 2

Gather your equipment. You need a hand-held mirror, as well as a larger mirror, so that you can see the back of your head. Use sharp scissors you can handle easily, not craft or sewing scissors. Have several sizes of hair clips available to separate your hair into sections. Have a spray bottle of water handy to dampen hair. Damp hair is easier to cut than dry hair.

Step 3

Take your time. Don't give yourself a haircut right before a date or job interview. Pick a time when you aren't rushed.

Step 4

Be conservative. Even if the style you are interested in is dramatically different from your own, start small. It is easy to cut off more hair, but impossible to add some. Hair grows quickly, so if you accidentally cut your hair too short, it isn't the end of the world. But it makes sense to work slowly.

Step 5

Experiment with styling. After you are finished cutting, style your hair. If it doesn't look like you hoped, don't reach immediately for the scissors again. Instead, experiment with different methods of styling. If it is fluffier than you pictured, use a flat iron. If it doesn't have enough body, bend over at the waist, flip your hair over your head, and blow-dry your hair. If it is not as edgy as you hoped, use pomade or styling wax on the ends.