I cut my hair - with the help of a YouTube tutorial

The last time our editor cut her own hair, she was a student - and pretty broke. Now she has tried again …

Hair? Something that should really be left to the professional. Hair swirl, hair structure, hair thickness, face shape - there are so many things to consider before attempting a haircut. I didn't want to believe that when I was 23, so I got professional hair scissors on Amazon and got down to work. The final result? I mistook the thinning scissors for the normal ones and had to live with an involuntary undercut.

Did I learn from it? Actually yes. Shortly after this incident, fate led me to my favorite hairdresser, and I never did anything myself. Shortly before the corona lockdown, however, he decided to turn his back on his craft and prefer to make music. Unfortunately, I can't say that I'm really happy for him. Since then I've fallen into a deep hair crisis.

How to cut your own hair - without disaster

But so that I don't have to cry in front of the mirror like last time and look at my unsuccessful work, I did a lot of research this time. After hours on YouTube and professional tips from hairstylists, I felt ready to cut my now really long hair back to shoulder length.

I learned that when I cut my own hair

You should keep these tips in mind if you are considering cutting your hair yourself:

• Only cut your hair yourself if you absolutely have to.
• Always cut less than you actually want.
• Be sure to get some decent hairdressing scissors.
• Basically, you should cut your hair dry at home - especially if you have curly hair.
• With a triple mirror you have a perfect all-round view of your hair - that makes cutting easier.
• It is better to divide hair into many, rather thin strands.
• Good light

As long as you don't get cocky and approach the matter slowly and carefully, a simple cut actually works quite well at home. I said goodbye to a good six centimeters in total. But in three steps. If, like me, you don't want layers in your hair, I can recommend the following technique:

Cut tips yourself - this is how it works

Parting in the middle, parting the hair in half and placing it over the shoulder at the front. First start with one side: Take the hair of the desired length between your index and middle fingers and cut the tips below the fingers. Important: Only cut cut by cut with the tip of the scissors. Repeat the process on the other side. Keep checking the length to prevent asymmetry. With this technique I slowly felt my way upwards.

Bob as a DIY project?

But if you want to go from long-haired splendor to bob, you should definitely become a professional. Even if the trend hairstyle looks simple, the perfect bob needs gentle gradations in the hair lengths that we as laypeople simply cannot manage. In general, short haircuts are only for advanced haircuts. Short hair does not forgive mistakes. Edges and steps are immediately visible. So if you want a perfect short haircut, you'd better wait for the hairdresser appointment.