Home is hair the heart is!

Spring is the perfect time to spice up your style, so make it snippy.

Everyone knows hair is the ultimate accessory, and if you aren’t already sick of change, you might be looking for a way to freshen up your look. Whether you are foregoing the salon for your safety of your friends and family, or the safety of your wallet, here are a few simple DIY haircut ideas.

Before you grab the scissors, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you get snipping.

1. You know your hair’s personality better than anyone else, making you the ideal candidate to spice up your look in a pinch. Say you have one particularly perky little curl that spirals out from your temple. Or maybe your hair doubles in size as it dries! No matter what, you already know exactly how hair moves, sits, and what your bedhead looks like, allowing you to give yourself a totally custom look.
2. Confidence is key! Much like painting, sewing, makeup, or any other artistic pursuit, with a basic understanding of shapes and design you should be able to execute these simple cuts with patience and a steady hand. Think geometry!
3. A pair of hair cutting scissors is highly recommended. They are easily available with an affordable price tag, just remember to designate them as “hair scissors” and avoid cutting anything else with your shears so they stay nice and sharp. Dull scissors (like the ones in your junk drawer or butcher’s block) can result in more split ends and damage.
4. Start slow. You can always trim more hair if you’d like to go shorter, but you could be waiting months for length to grow back. Slow and steady wins the race, and sometimes it takes multiple attempts to get the style exact how you like it.

Before you begin checklist:

• Scissors
• Hair elastics or clips (depending on length)
• A fine tooth comb
• A mirror (or two)
• Inspiration photos
• Someone on video chat for morale

STOP: Should you cut your hair wet or dry? Cutting hair dry is recommended for anyone with curly, wavy, coily, or damaged hair. Cutting hair dry allows you to more accurately predict your final result and it’s gentler too! Cutting hair wet is recommended for straight styles, and for creating precise, blunt lines.

CURTAIN BANGS: Super trendy and versatile, curtain bangs can give you the perfect effortless accent for your beautiful cheekbones with the length you need to toss your hair up into a ponytail or bun with no sweat.

• Part your hair straight down the middle, and then section off the fringe area in a triangular shape using your comb. Start a few inches back into your part and draw a line to each temple clipping or tying the rest of your hair back and out of the way.
• Comb your bangs forward until they are nice and flat. You can spritz them with water to dampen them if you’d like.
• Using your pointer finger and middle finger, pinch your hair between your digits and glide them down your hair until you reach chin length. Cut a clean, straight line just below your fingers.
• Split your new bangs into two sections at the part. Working one section at a time, follow the part line at your temple with your comb all the way to the end of your section. An angle should form naturally, and you can use that as a guide to give your bangs more shape and a nicer sweep.
• Finally, gather both sections to the front and brush them forward. Using the tips of your scissors, hold them straight up and snip into your bangs. This is called point cutting, and it helps soften the edges and provide a little more texture.

TEXTURED SHAG: This haircut is perfect for anyone looking for an edgier style with some texture to their hair.

• This hairstyle is created using layers to add volume around the back and sides of your head, leaving slightly longer lengths on the bottom.
• Section your hair from ear to ear, and tie the top section up. Secure the bottom section in a hair tie or clip. We won’t be touching this bottom layer, so make sure it is tucked away safely.
• Brush out the top section of the hair. Begin sperating small vertical sections of your hair. This part will take patience, as the goal is to create shorter layers near the crown (or top) of your head, and slightly longer layers towards the bottom.
• It is helpful to compare the left and right sides of your hair by holding pieces located on corresponding sides of your head straight up or straight forward, and making sure the lengths are the same.
• Work slowly and exercise patience, it will pay off! Remember that you can always cut more off.

HEART-SHAPED AFRO: A spherical afro can be tricky to cut precisely at home, but a heart-shaped style will accentuate your cheekbones and chin and is more forgiving to cut!

• Start at the front of your head and section off the area of your bangs. Tie a hair tie onto the section and carefully drag it towards the front until the ends are sticking out of the hair elastic. Trim the ends near the tip of your nose.
• Continue with the same technique for two more sections behind your bangs, but leave a bottom section below your ears at the nape of your neck. Section hair from ear to ear, repeat the hair tie technique, guiding the ends forward using the elastic and trimming to match the length of the sections in front.
• When you get to the very bottom section, split the hair in half down the middle. Use the same hair elastic technique, this time guiding the hair down toward your shoulders and trimming both sides evenly.