How to Cut Your Hair at Home When You Can't Get to the Salon

Before we get into why you’re here — to learn how to cut your own hair in the comfort of your own home — it’s important to note how much we’d rather you see your hairstylist. (So much!) Besides the potentially devastating aesthetic outcomes, a trained professional has a certain set of tools and skills (plus a view of the back of your head) most of us do not. They know how to add layers, give you a prim and pinprick-sharp bob, or snip those bangs to perfection.

But we're also human beings. Sometimes, you just can't make it to a salon chair for one reason or another, or maybe you're just unwavering in your dedication to learning how to cut your own hair. Whatever the story is, if you're going to reach for the shears anyway, you might as well let us guide you.

We also called in some reinforcements: Some of our favorite and most trusted hairstyling pros are here to share their best advice on how to cut your own hair at home. This guide is best for people with straight, wavy, and loosely curled hair types. If that sounds like you, keep reading — and maybe bookmark this page for later.

• Erickson Arrunategui is a hairstylist based in New York City.
• Katelyn Ellsworth is a natural color and extension specialist and founder of The Roslyn salon and Style Icon in San Diego.
• Timothy Lehman is a hairstylist with Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger in New York City.
• Justine Marjan is a hairstylist based in Los Angeles.
• Andrew Fitzsimons is a hairstylist and founder of Andrew Fitzsimons Hair.

• First, ask yourself if a haircut is actually necessary
• If you can hold off on cutting, invest in a reparative treatment.
• If you must cut your own hair at home, here’s how to do it like a pro.
• Pay attention to the direction of your hair and your scissors.
• Be extra careful with bangs.
• Frequently asked questions

While regular trims are crucial, especially for those with color-treated or heat-damaged hair, it's highly probable that you can wait and seek the expertise of a professional instead of taking matters into your own hands. Although it's true that neglecting regular haircuts can lead to split ends and subsequent damage as they progress up the hair shaft, New York City-based hairstylist Erickson Arrunategui says that split ends typically become noticeable approximately three to four months after your previous haircut. So, if you've recently visited a pro and your hair still feels relatively healthy, you can wait a little longer to snip your ends.

Waiting for an appointment will likely save you even more trouble in the long run. Just think: Mastering a professional-level haircut by yourself, even with a few pro tips and tricks, is a skill that takes time to develop. Arrunategui has spent a decade perfecting his techniques and cultivating his unique style. So, it's understandable that achieving the same level of expertise on your first, second, or even third attempt may not be feasible.

To maximize the time between haircuts, Arrunategui recommends scaling back on heat-styling and reducing the frequency of hair coloring, both of which demand extra attention. Incorporating nourishing products like masks, leave-ins, and serums may help.

NYC-based hairstylist Timothy Lehman suggests the Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask to help repair breakage and hydrate dry, weak hair. "Once you have washed your hair and it is still wet, apply a generous amount and leave it on for two to three minutes before rinsing well."

Another option, per Lehman, is the Philip B Rejuvenating Oil, ideal for conditioning brittle and dehydrated hair. “Apply this oil at the roots and work down the shaft to the tip,” he says, adding that “the longer you leave the oil in, the deeper it will condition.” He recommends rinsing anytime from 45 minutes to two hours after application.

San Diego-based natural color and extension specialist Katelyn Ellsworth recommends the Unite Hair 7Seconds Mask because it's quick yet efficient. “It strengthens strands so that your hair is left in better shape between cuts,” she says, adding that all it takes is 10 minutes, once a week. The mask protects and strengthens with hydrating shea butter, reparative vegetable proteins, and strengthening castor oil.

While it may be tempting to grab those kitchen scissors from your junk drawer, hairstylist Justine Marjan strongly advises against it. "They aren't sharp enough and can push the hair as they cut, resulting in crooked lines that are hard to fix," she warns.

Hairstylist and eponymous brand founder Andrew Fitzsimons agrees: "Low-quality scissors can leave your ends looking sloppy and frayed; no one wants that," he explains. "The reason stylists use shears versus the ones sitting in your junk drawer at home is that the sharp, precise blades allow you to be much more exact and make it easier to get clean lines and edges," he explains.

There are two that Lehman recommend for at-home users: the JW Craft R Series Shears and the Fromm Pro Shears. The former are lightweight while still providing accuracy and the latter are “razor-sharp” for “extreme precision and exactness.”

Marjan emphasizes that shampooing and conditioning your hair before attempting a DIY haircut is essential. If your hair is oily or dirty, she explains, it will clump together, resulting in an uneven finish.

Then, our experts advise that you dry your hair. Sure, depending on your hair texture, your stylist might wet your hair before cutting it. And while it may seem tempting to replicate that salon experience and follow the same approach when cutting your hair at home, Fitzsimons says it's not necessarily the best option. Wet hair allows stylists to achieve precise lines, but it's important to remember that they have had professional training.

Marjan says make sure hair is dry and styled the way you usually wear it, “so you have a clear and realistic vision of the cut. This will avoid any surprises, like how much the hair will shrink up when it's dry.” If you have curly or coily hair, she emphasizes that you'll also want to make sure your hair is natural, with no heat styling or product applied to it. “All of these factors cause your hair to change and may be a challenge to cut at home and get the desired results,” she warns.

Ellsworth echoes this, adding, “It’s a better approach if you have thinner or fragile hair, which can snap when wet. You can physically see the split ends when your hair is dry and you might miss them when wet.”

Now comes the part where you actually cut your hair. As you might have inferred by now, you probably shouldn't experiment with a drastic new style when you give yourself an at-home haircut. All of our experts advise working in small sections and cutting hair little by little. "Don't cut to the length you want the end result to be at first. Start smaller and work your way up," Fitzsimons says. "Remember, you can always trim more, [but] it is unfortunately not possible to put [hair] back once you've chopped." (If you need some easy haircut ideas, we've got you.)

Marjan recommends working in sections that are just an inch or two wide (when spread as thin as possible between your fingers) and starting at the very front. "You can see where the hair will land," she says. “Then use that piece as a guide for the rest of the hair.” Make sure to have a set of alligator jaw clips on hand to safely secure any stray sections while cutting.

If you have curly or coily hair, Ellsworth recommends selecting which pieces to cut coil by coil so they “fall perfectly together and complement your face and volume.”

Now comes the part where you actually cut your hair. The way you hold each section and scissors will greatly impact how your at-home haircut will turn out. Marjan recommends pulling the hair straight upward with your fingers because it's the easiest way to make sure the length is even overall. Then, place your scissors parallel to the hair peeking through your fingers and snip hairs vertically rather than straight across.

"Point the scissors upwards and lightly open and close scissors on the ends of the hair," Marjan explains further. "This is a point-cutting technique that gives a more diffused finish on the ends." Basically, it's an insurance policy against uneven strands, which stand out far more when hair is cut bluntly across.

You've likely seen a stylist use this method on you numerous times, but if you're having trouble picturing it, there are plenty of YouTube tutorials demonstrating how to do it. YouTube tutorials in general, Fitzsimons points out, can be a great source of guidance when learning how to cut your own hair.

"Find someone who has a cut similar to what you're looking for and make sure they have a similar hair type," he advises. That especially goes for people with curlier hair that might benefit from a different cutting method. Just make sure you're only watching tutorials hosted by licensed professionals.

Marjan warns that trying to cut new bangs or face-framing layers is a surefire path to regret, but trimming existing ones is far easier. She advises sectioning your hair in a triangle as seen in this video of hers. When parting hair like this, Marjan likes to use the arches of her eyebrows as a guide to determine the outermost edges of the section. Then, you might want to take a deep breath and relax your hands.

"Place the hair in a comb with no tension," she explains. "Use the comb as a guide for a straight line, then cut upwards with the scissors." But whatever you do, be patient and keep your cuts minimal. Otherwise, you might wind up cutting your bangs way shorter than you anticipated.

Experts suggest that at-home haircuts should be done on dry hair. This approach offers improved visibility of split ends that require attention and provides a better sense of how your hair will naturally fall. Nevertheless, visiting a professional should still be your first choice for achieving the best possible results.

If you’re on the fence about cutting your own hair at home, our advice is that you don’t. It’s best to leave your haircut to a professional, who is trained to assess where you might need more trimming and give you the best results.

More on haircuts:

• I've Had an Undercut in My Hair for 5 Years, and This Is Why I'll Never Regret It
• 31 Haircuts to Freshen Up Long Hair
• The Top 2023 Haircut Trends Put a Modern Spin on the Classics

Now, see how hairstyling tools have evolved over the past 100 years:

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