I've hit that place where I'm considering cutting my own hair. Who thought we would come to this? Maybe I'll have my husband cut it. Not sure which would end up less offensive. When Covid surfaced in the US, I was in a show out of town and was already in deperate need of a cut, but was waiting to get back to my regular hair guy. This is the longest my hair has ever been, which is not a good look for me to say the least. I have very fine hair and not much of it. The hair I do have has split and is now growing back upwards. So I've been researching how to cut hair at home. I thought there would be lots to find, considering the times. But literally everyone on the internet says "DON'T DO IT!"
Why? What's the big deal? This was my first reaction, which is funny coming from someone who hates her hair. It's my if-I-had-one-thing-I-could-change-about-myself characteristic. But I've never had that illusive WOW haircut where people say nice things and I feel special. It all seems the same, so I doubt I would even notice if a trim was crooked. What I see now is something that resembles dead grass around my shoulders. No, dead grass would have more body. Regardless, if you google "cutting hair at home", you will find lots of warnings about tears, and people questioning-- "Why do you want to cut your hair during a quarantine? Is it actually a cry to return to normalcy? Why do you care what you look like right now, you are only around your family?" Are you kidding me?! Don't make me MORE sad! This really got to me for a day. Is my need for a haircut really a plea for something deeper?
I'll save you the inner soul searching, that sent me down a rabbit hole of self loathing. NO! It's the exact opposite: letting hair grow into a rats nest just because you don't have a professional around would be the idiotic thing to do. Now most people can wait months, and have fun with long hair. For others of us, it's basic self hygiene, like flossing. Go too long without doing it and it's bad news. Plus, I'm sorry, I am not just around family right now. A huge tool for functioning in this new world is video chat, zoom meetings, and social media. Many of us need to keep putting our image out there in some way, and we no longer have our in-person charm to make up for a bad hair day.
And yes, I know it is more than likely that it will be a bad haircut. For many that might make being "social" more problematic. I think this is a personal dilemma everyone must answer for themselves. For me, a trim would make me feel more in control. And I know my partner and I can find humor in the shared experience. I don't want to change my hair, just maintain health. That's what I'm trying to do head to toe, inside and out, really. Maintain basic health. It is so, so important right now. We all need to do what we need to, to get through this as gracefully as we can. A huge part of that is helping our community. But in order to do that, we must also take care of ourselves-- whether that is a haircut or letting hair grow wild, a Nutterbutter (had one last night) or exercise (did some of this too), drinking 8 glasses of water a day or making a favorite cocktail or five to mark the end of the week. Take care of YOU. And only you know how to do that.
So, I will be getting someone in my household to cut my hair. Truthfully, I bet the before and after won't look much different, but it is some self care I can manage. Yet this brings us back to the question, how do you cut hair at home? I have the answer! Being an actor, I have friends in the business of hair. The wonderful hair stylist Jon Carter sent me great advice and video tutorials for men's and women's hair. I will say, he did give me the same warning-- "tell all unprofessionals any attempt to cut their own or another's hair may end in tears."
Therefore before I give you the good stuff (and since this post is already long enough), take the weekend and think on it. Don't go down a black hole like I did, it really isn't that big of a deal. Assume the cut will be subpar. Do you have someone you trust to do the cutting? Can you laugh and have fun with it? Or would your relationship suffer in close quarters after the cut? Do you have enough length where someone can easily fix the cut after this is all over? Most importantly, would a bad cut make you feel better in some way? I think most people would say no, but oddly my answer is hell yes. If your answer is affirmative too, check back on Monday and lets get a trim!
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