how to cut your own hair

I've been thinking all day about today's topic, "educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at." I was having a hard time coming up with anything, so I was just going to skip it. But a thought finally came to me, and I know just what it is I'd like to share.

I wasn't really specific, when I posted about my recent hair cut, but I actually did that myself. And now I will share with you some tips on cutting your own hair.

First, consider what you want your hair to look like when you're done. Are you planning on cutting off just a few inches, or are you going for a more drastic cut? Have an idea of what you want, or you will probably end up disappointed.

Are you ready? Then you'll need to pick your location. I chose the bathroom. The important thing to consider when picking your location is mirrors. If you're lucky, your bathroom has the three-way fold-out mirror. (That helps you to see the back of your head as you're working on it.) If you're like me, then you'll be dealing with a flat, wall mounted mirror, and a hand-held mirror. Not the easiest thing to work with, but it is possible.

Next, gather your supplies. Scissors, squirt bottle, comb. Also, consider bringing the broom in with you before you start, so that you don't have to walk through the house with loose hair falling off of you to get it afterward.

Now that you have everything you need, let's get started. If your hair is half way down your back, and you just want to cut off a couple of inches, then this will be pretty simple. Grab a section, twirl it, and begin snipping away. Your main goal is to create some slight layering at the ends, while keeping an even length over all. Use your hand mirror to check the back. If it's all even, then you're done! If there is a spot that is a bit shorter than the rest, don't worry. Try to match up your other sections of hair to the shorter area, to get an even look all around.

If you do it the way I did, you'll find that you keep having one section that's just a little bit shorter. Each time you try to get the rest of your hair to match up, you'll manage to get one section just a little bit shorter than the rest. At this point you have two options.

1. Set the scissors down, and go pay someone to finish the job properly.

2. Keep trying for a uniform look.

Option 1 is best for those who really don't want to end up with their hair too short. Option 2 is for someone, like me, who wouldn't mind if their hair wound up being super short.

So, you're going to keep going, huh? Then this is where it get's tricky. Unless you have, like I mentioned before, the 3-way mirror that allows you to see the front and back at the same time.

Before now we've been working with dry hair, but once you decide to go for a shorter cut, you'll need to get your hair wet. It allows for a bit more control. Using your hand mirror, check the back of your head and pick an area that you want to work on specifically. Set your mirror down, grab your scissors, and blindly feel around for the area you were just examining. Cautiously grab bits of hair and snip away. Periodically grab your mirror to check your progress. Cleaning up the hair at the back of your head is the most difficult part, just keep checking with your mirror, to make sure you haven't given yourself a nasty bald spot.

Once the back is done the way you want, you can work on the front and sides. This is much easier, since you can see what you're doing in the mirror at all times. Remember, you always want to keep the top and sides longer than the back. We're not going for a mullet, here.

When you're finished, use your mirror to check your head from every angle, making sure things look nice and even. Touch up as needed.

If you feel like you've just made a mess on your head, you have two new options.

1. Tie a scarf around your head so you can go out in public, head over to the salon, and ask them to fix your work. Preferably without laughing at you.

2. Grab some electric clippers and give yourself a clean slate. It's hair, it'll grow back.

Or, you could save yourself all of this trouble by going to a salon in the first place.