Tuesday, March 26, 2013

the home haircut





I cut Daniel's hair last night. I'm not sure how many people cut hair at home anymore, but I am increasingly feeling like a bit of an oddity for choosing the home haircut route. Home haircuts can easily conjure up visions of bowl cuts and too short fringes. The occasional mishappen fringes of my past, though, did not put me off learning to cut hair. When I was newly married I always did the hair cuts. But as life got busier we began to pay to get it done. Occasionally we still do, but only for the adults in the family.

Back when I was a kid my mum always cut our hair. Dad's hair also. Though I do remember that she always went to the hairdressers (and would come home with the trendy 80's blow wave). I don't believe money would have stretched enough for us all to get a haircut.

But it's something I've started doing again since living out here. It kind of appeals to that inner diy-er attitude. Rather than outsourcing and paying someone else for haircuts, it's another skill that can be learned and practiced in the home. With practice, nobody will be able to tell. I've had one hairdresser's visit in two years and somehow managed to cut my own hair a few times.

While young girls with standard cuts are fairly easy, male cuts are a little trickier. You could head down the route of the clippers, but I find them unreliable and sometimes a little too harsh. Plus there was one incident many years ago when my brother accidentally shaved a huge chunk out of Daniel's hair. He had to wear a beanie for weeks. So I use scissors and a comb for a boys longer look or a short back and sides (last night's haircut was very similar to this method).

For those wondering you can pick up inexpensive hair cutting scissors from the supermarket. Though of course these are not of a professional standard, they will still do the job.
Dressmaking scissors that are not too heavy are also good. It is what my mum always used. You will also need a plain comb. You can wet the hair with a spray bottle, but I often don't do this.

Take your time. I take quite a bit of time to make sure there is no chunks or unevenness. Of course this does not make one very popular.

My mum always used an old shower curtain draped around the person to catch the hairs. You can occasionally pick these up in new condition from op shops. Fasten with a peg around the neck. Very glamorous! Once the cut hair is swept up it can be added to the compost pile.

There's plenty of you tube videos out there, and I've seen several books on the subject at the library. I learnt by watching hairdressers closely whenever I was waiting at the hairdressers, and through practice (fortunately with no disasters along the way!).




Have you / do you cut hair at home?
Any tips, disasters or successes to share?



26 comments:

  1. I'm a bit lucky in the haircut department. My Mum trained to be a hairdresser, didn't finish her apprenticeship because I came along, but is great at cutting hair so she does both of the girls hair for me at not cost. My aunty is also a hairdresser so she does my hair at a cheap price the hairdressers in the shops are soo very expensive so I know I'm very lucky and because my hair is long I don't get it done all that often. My hubby I'm not sure he'd trust me to do his hair so he just goes to the barber. I think it's great that you do these things, making you self reliant and very handy:) x

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  2. We all cut our own hair! We're not very scientific about it. I just use the kids craft scissors and hack some off when it looks too long!!! Luckily we all have wavy hair so it isn't as noticeable if it's uneven!! Minty even cuts her own hair if she feels like it... I've never really stressed about it. I like that she's free spirited and not precious about how she looks!

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  3. I used to do everyone's hair. I use clippers. I still do Frank's (hubby's). Pip's (daughter) is easy enough because she has it long and all 1 length so we use scissors here. Ethan used to let me do his hair but since he's become a teenager we've had to pay to get it done. The only person I can't do is myself so I have to pay for me.

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  4. I cut my kids and husband's hair too. I've learned the same as you - from the internet and watching hairdressers. The first time we went to a hairdresser was only last year (my oldest is nearly 5) because I'd been looking back at old photos and realised I hadn't really got the hang of it yet! I took him up to a drop-in place and watched like a hawk. Now I just scissor cut it, mostly the same length all over. I have curly hair, so I'm not brave enough to do my own, but just this morning I've been contemplating cutting in a fringe... Not sure...

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  5. I grew up in a house where my Mom cut everyones hair. My aunts and uncles and sometimes their friends would come for a hair cut. Once time, one of my good friends got her hair trimmed by my mom too! She's even been there to do peoples perms and hair dye jobs too. Although now that I'm out of the house I do go to hair salons for a cut here and there, I see them as a treat. But whenever I'm home my mom always asks to cut my hair and I usually say yes. It just brings back memories.

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  6. Sometimes I break out with a pair of scissors, hair cuts are so expensive and time consuming. Lots of curls in our house which are very forgiving. tips would be helpful, I should you tube it.

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  7. Our women have cut the men's hair for generations and I was only thinking these same thoughts last week as I was doing Craig's, "Am I an oddity?" Turns out not so much :) We usually do it outside on a lovely sunny day and we have the BEST conversations over a hair cut. (I use scissors and a comb) As for the how-to it was like learning cooking, cleaning, sewing...at my mother's knee. Good post.

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  8. I have cut my parent's hair since I was a teenager, and still do (I'm 40!). I've cut my own most of that time, and my son has never known anything else. My daughter's has not yet been touched - she's 3. My husband...well, he let me trim it once, but other than that, no one has touched it. It's kept in a ponytail, and I told him as long as it doesn't get longer than mine, I'm fine with it ;)

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  9. Looks like you've hit upon something many of your readers have in common Tania! None of my boys (11, 10 and 5) has ever had a 'paid' haircut and I've done my husband's hair for years too. I think I get a good idea of what suits them from seeing them every day. I probably let it get a bit long before I get around to cutting but none of the boys seems to mind! I learnt by watching closely at my own hairdressing appointments and practicing on boyfriends and my brother years ago. It's fun and saves money and trying to schedule more appointments into busy lives.

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  10. I'm a home hairstylist too. My girls have never been to the hair dresser but they do have easy to trim long hair. My husband hasn't been in 20 years and I usually cut my own hair too. But I must admit that even though I don't really enjoy the hairdressing chit-chat, I do like the feel of my hair after I have had it professionally cut but that could just be the wash and dry. My son who is living away from home now for uni has just started to pay for hair cuts and was surprised by how expensive it is.
    If however any of them decided they wanted a professional to do the job, that's ok with me.

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  11. I cut my twins hair because they are terrified of the hairdresser and our only visit was not an experience I am in a hurry to repeat any time soon!!!
    Miss teen and I go to the hairdresser...for me it is my little treat...my partner has only been to a hairdresser a few times in his life I think...he always cuts his own!
    I wish I was a bit better at it as the twins both have such different hair and lengths and i'm not much good at shaping...but we make do!!

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  12. I don't mind giving the home hair cut but I only do my youngest child now, her hair is pretty easy.But the other 2 and I have a huge amount of thick hair, I take us all to the same hairdresser without fail, shes the only one who can deal with it and we come out looking ok! I have had some HORROR haircuts (especially when my mother cut it!)
    Jacq

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  13. I do Mr Provincial's. We lived down the street from a home hairdresser when we lived in Melbourne and she gave me a few lessons (at a price!) just before we left. I haven't attempted Ginger's yet, but since it cost my $15 last week to have hers trimmed, I might next time. I have got Mr Provincial to trim my fringe before when its driving me nuts. Normally I go to the tafe where they do it for $12 - you win some, lose some there. You won't get a really bad haircut because they have supervision but it might not be the greatest either:) That said, I just paid $35 for my haircut last week (as to use the TAFE I have to have someone to mind the kids) and it is pretty average, I have had to trim up so missed parts of the fringe.

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  14. Cutting hair at home is all to common for me. In my 40 years I have only ever been to the hairdresser 3-4 times and that's as an adult. Each time I have never been happy with the job they did so much prefer getting Anthony to trim my hair, that said I am booked in to get a fringe done this week.
    Anthony has been cutting his own hair since he was about 10 before which his mum cut it and we have always done our children's. the older boys now do their own and as Tegan likes to wear hers long a regular home trim is all she needs.
    Growing up the hairdressers was a real luxury that no one could afford so I guess we just followed suit and kept the tradition of cutting our own hair going. I wonder if our children will do the same?
    Xx

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  15. Wow, I'd never contemplated cutting the kids hair, might give it a go though after reading this!

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  16. I always cut my son's and daughter's hair when they were growing up - they never went to the hairdresser.

    If I could take my head off and cut the back then I would! I go to the hairdresser now but never used to.

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  17. I cut all of ours also - the two boys, hubby and mine too. I hate going to the hairdresser (we all do) and not just because of the money changing hands. Its all so much easier to hop on the bathroom stool and do it ourselves.

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  18. I cut my daughters' hair..they are straightforward being long and straight across the bottom. I figure if it's a little uneven they can wear it in a pony tail for a couple of weeks until it 'blends' together! The eldest won't let me near her hair ever since I told her I'd cut a cm off and ended up cutting an inch! (it really needed it, trust me).

    The last few months I've been attempting haircuts on my own head..not too disastrous as long as the comb and spray bottle are close to hand and it's times like these I thank my lucky stars for a natural wave..it masks up all of the inevitable errors. But isn't it satisfying when you calculate how much you $ave each time you finish a cut!? Great post, Tania. :)

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  19. Oh my!! Great post! I've been cutting my children's hair ever since they were little and as there are seven of them, you could say that I've had quite a bit of practice!! With four girls who had pageboy styles with fringes when they were little and long hair when they got older, to the boys with their shortish style cuts, I've done quite a few!!
    Luckily I started early so by the time they got older and fussier, I'd worked out how to do it!! And do you know, my !8 year old son recently remarked how he has never been to a hairdresser in his life!!!
    And I couldn't help smiling at your shower curtain and peg...... must be the fashion for home hair cutting - we have the same!!!!

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  20. My Aunty cuts her kids' hair, and another Aunty cuts her own hair very stylishly all the time! When I had a fringe I always cut it myself... I tried to book Nella in for her second ever hair cut last night but my hairdresser is booked until the end of April :/ Then I sat down last night and saw this post - coincidence?? I will cut Nella's hair myself I've decided... might even do it now!!! Thanks! :)

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  21. 20 mins later... done! A bit crooked but the 3 year old is none the wiser ;)

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  22. Yep! Me too. My ten year old went to the hairdresser once but the rest of the time I cut everyone's hair but mine. I go to the hairdresser once in a blue moon and occasionally Hubby goes if I'm snowed under. It's great to see how many others are DIY hairdressers.

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  23. I go to have my hair cut about once a year and I cut both the hubby and the son's hair with clippers as I've gotten pretty good with them and they like a really simple high on top and take the sides right on down. It saves a small fortune doing it ourselves.

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  24. I haven't tried cutting my own hair at home, I'm too afraid to try. But growing up my mom always used to cut my dad's hair.

    PS: I'm currently hosting a new Fitskin giveaway, open to Australian residents only and I hope you will enter! http://www.underlockandkeyblog.com/2013/03/fitskin-naturally-review-and-giveaway.htm

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  25. I used to cut my boy's hair regularly and then they went to the barber every few times. I learned from a friend who was a hairdresser before she had kids and she had a spare set of scissors which she gave me. With four boys I must have saved quite a few hundred dollars. I'd cut on top and then shave the edges using the line that the barber made for reference.

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  26. Great post Tania. I've always cut my boys hair. I figured if I started since the very first one I would have a enough practice to get it right by the time they really cared about how their hair looked. Seven years in and I'm still doing it. (now the shower curtain idea that's brilliant, as I still seem to manage to get hair EVERYWHERE.)

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