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ms_jennifer said:
I wanted to start doing my own trims and was wondering if you would be so kind as to tell me what type of scissors I should buy for this, and if possible, tell me what process you use to trim the hair. I would also like to know what you do to trim the splits. I read about twisting and then the ends would stick out but got confused because I did have some hair to stick out but it wasnt split. I wasn't sure if I should cut it anyway or not.
Thanks for any and all comments and suggestions.
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From my Notes: (long but hopefully helpful)
how to clip/trim my ends:
Trimming your ends is not hard. I do recommend that you get your hair professionally trimmed if you are not skilled in trimming your own hair. Trimming your own hair can be done also.
I section my hair, then I comb down each section as flat to my head as I can, then I run two fingers down a section until I'm holding the end amount that I want to trim. I take off about a centimeter (2.54 cm = 1 inch). After each section is trimmed I put the Dark and Lovely conditioner on the ends so that they are immediately being kept moist.
~~ Scissors ~~
By Robert / PurpleBubba
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The main reason Stylist's scissors are expensive is because they need scissors which will last longer.
Haircutting scissors dull very easily because even though the blades are long you only use the first inch or so when cutting. If you have to do 10 cuts a day 5 days a week for a year your scissors you need to either have backup pairs of cheap scissors or you need to have an expensive pair because you don't want to be in the middle of doing a client and find out your scissors are dull.
Now as far as cheap scissors go they work fine. They just aren't meant to last as long. The best way to ensure that the pair you buy is a decent pair is to look at them. If they have an actual screw that you can use a screw driver on then they are a better pair than one that just has a rivet. The other thing to look at is do the blades come together tightly or is there a big gap between them? Hold them up so you can see if you see light between them. The less gap you see the better they are and the better cut you can get. If it has a screw you might be able to tighten it and that gap could be less.
Now as far as brands. I bought a pair of Arius Eckert scissors from a beauty supply for about $8 and they lasted me through at least 10 full haircuts so far and could probably do more.
I have also seen on here that people like the Tweezerman brand so they might be worth trying. I've also heard some people say they like to use sewing scissors.
I don't mean to make anyone sound dumb but I must say this.
Never cut anything but hair with any type of scissors you use for hair.
A few more notes:
Good Hair shears have those lines on their blades that are like ||||||| and those are done by the grinding process. There are many store brands that do have those lines. Granted they may not be as well ground. Those Lines are for keeping the hair from slipping as you cut. If you go to cut hair and the hair looks like it is being pushed forward then chances are you either have dull blades or you bought a bad pair. Do not use the scissors from Haircutting Kits. I have purchased many haircutting kits and the scissors are usually poor quality. Also none of those had screws. The purpose of a screw is to take the blades apart for sharpening however if you paid less than $50 for your scissors do not bother getting them sharpened as chances are even if you found a cheap place to do it chances are they won't last long enough to justify it. Besides You might as well get a new pair. The motto is when in doubt throw it out.
Clean your scissors with rubbing alcohol using a cotton ball. Do the same with any other metal beauty instruments you use such as nail clippers or files or cuticle pushers. We also used the alcohol to clean the mirrors.
Also get some oil for them. I don't know if I used the right kind or not but I just used the little tube of oil I got with clipper kits.
Now as far as what I have said I am no expert but it is what I have learned from my time at school.
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Web Site Links and The Pair I bought
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Tweezerman
http://tweezerman.com/
(Online ordering takes you to the following)
http://www.cosmeticmall.com/cosmeticmall//Frame.asp?BrandID=988%0D
F W Engels
http://www.sharpscissors.com/site/ssstore/index.asp
Arius Eckert
http://www.arius-eickert.com/
http://www.arius-eickert.com/scissors
I bought the 5.5" of this style Arius Eckert from my local store.
http://www.arius-eickert.com/cgi-bin/shopper.exe?key=8215&preadd=action
If anyone has any questions about this you can email me at
[email protected] and I will help you.
Part hair down center and section off right behind the ears then snip the ends I don't part any further than the top of the crown Then I comb the hair straight down and clip 1/3 or a 1/2 inch every 8 weeks.
Some causes of split ends:
· Intense heat caused from excessive use of curling irons, blow dryers, and pressing combs etc.
· Stress on the hair. Don't overuse the comb or brush. Switch up your hairstyles as well. Tight ponytails can cause breakage too.
· Chemicals such as relaxing, perming and permanent color can damage the cuticle and the cortex. This weakens the hair strands and can cause damage which leads to split ends & breakage.
· Rough bobby pins and barrettes. Make sure you purchase bobby pins, they have rubber on the tips. If the rubber comes off, discard them right away. They can rip some of your hair strands out once you try to remove them.
· Friction from coats, jackets and shirts and even rubbing your hair too hard with a towel.
· Lastly hard water (chlorine) and water from the swimming pool can cause damage if overused. I discussed the problems and possible solutions on the 'Summer Hair Tips' and the 'Hair Myths' page respectively.
Some ways to avoid split ends:
· Avoid excessive heat. I sit under a dryer when I deep condition and I only about blowdry twice a year for something different. These are the only times heat touched my hair. Try wearing styles that don't require heat such as rollersets, strawsets, buns etc.
· Use a leave-in conditioner. There's two types: a liquidity type like Aussie Hair Insurance or a creamy type like Sebastian Potion 9. Also, look for "panthenol" (or vitamin B5) as one of the main ingredients. This is a substance used to strengthen the hair.
· Keep your ends oiled. Some great products to use includes shea butter, pure coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil or plain ole old school grease. If you're feeling creative, try mixing oils together and make your own concoction. Remember, dry ends leads to split ends.
· Wear protected styles: Try "leave-it-alone" styles like updos, cornrows and twists to help keep split ends to a minimum.
· Take preventative measures. Once your hair has been trimmed, still take care and pay attention to them - this is the oldest part of your hair and they need you to look after them.
Oil the ends, give yourself deep conditioning treatments, and don't handle your hair rough.
· Do not expose your hair to extreme temperatures. The hot summer sun (ultraviolet rays) is very harmful to the hair. If you're going to be out in the sun for a while, try putting a leave-in conditioner or a mixture of a leave-in conditioner and sunscreen on your hair.
· Avoid using rubber bands. Try using terry cloth holders as an alternative.
· Even if your ends are in great shape, try “dusting” your ends every month or so. Dusting means slightly trimming about 1/8 of your ends.
Three easy ways to trim your own hair:
· Twist & Snip. This process involves twisting your hair into small or medium sized twists all over, let it air-dry completely, then snipping the ends as needed. I hold my scissors at slight angle and proceed to trim. This is a very effective way to judge how my hair to trim off.
· Straightening then trim. Blowdry then press or flat-iron your hair, then take sections of you hair and trim the ends. What you want to do is grab about a small section of hair, brush to the ends. Hold the last two inches of your hair them trim the damaged hair. Repeat this process all over your head. This technique works great when wear straight hair.
· Trimming each curl. This technique is a bit more tedious and should only be used if you have visible curls (not coils since they curl 360 degrees) and have lots of patience. Here's what I do: on soaking wet hair and shake the excess water out to separate my curls (w/o products on my hair). After my hair completely dries, I snip the ends of each curl. I can only do this on a few sections of my hair that's not coily. I am very satisfied with the results with this technique. I was able to shape my hair to the way it naturally falls in that area of my hair.
helpful tips:
· Invest in a pair of professional haircutting scissors. They aren't expensive either. You can buy a decent pair at Sally's or a regular beauty supply store between $7-$15 usd. Using scissors that aren't sharp will do damage and you can actually cause more splitting. Hide this pair and only use it for your hair.
· Using a double-sided mirror will help you see the back of your hair.
· Trim wet or dry? Opinions varies on this subject. Personally I'd rather trim on dry hair so I can see my ends. When my hair is wet, any split ends seems to be more disguised because of the wetness of the hair.
· Trim very slowly with precision until you feel more comfortable with trimming.
· Sit up and keep your head straight. If you don't this, you can end up with an uneven cut once your finished.
· If your hair is shorter, have someone you trust help you to trim the back. I had my mom help me in the back when my hair was shorter and I couldn't see back there. Since it's longer, I can see my twists by pulling them in front of my face.
· Trim when there are no distractions in your home. You wouldn't want any surprizes while cutting or trimming your hair!
· "How often should I trim?" If I had an answer to that question I'd be a millionaire.
You'll have to judge for yourself. Many factors come into play. How fast does your hair grow? Does your hair seem a bit uneven? How much heat do you use on your hair? When you twist or braid, does your ends look really ragged? You maybe in need of a good trim - and it will make a world of difference!
· Don't forget it is much harder to detect split ends on textured hair than on straight strands. If your hair is long enough, grab a few sections and evaluate the ends.
Lastly, if you have split ends, they must get trimmed off. Remember, hair does indeed grow back! So go on ahead and trim off those damaged ends - your hair will thank you and it will be much easier to handle
Thanks for any and all comments and suggestions.
