Most people with curly hair have a hair-cutting horror story (or two, or three). Finding a salon that can both cut and style coils is like apartment-hunting in New York City: long, arduous, and with limited options. You see, cutting naturally spiraling locks is 40% art, 40% science, and 20% talent. It's not like taking scissors to a head of straight strands, when you can simply line up the edges and make sure everything's even - each curl has its own independent personality. Not all stylists have mastered this skill (ditto on taking care of curly hair in general). But those who have attained it are developing their own unique methods. These are techniques learned through years of studying and working with countless natural and curly-adorned ladies and gents.
These approaches vary: there's the group that cuts it wet, some who prefer dry-cutting, and others who swear by first blowing curly hair straight in order to get the desired results. Which technique reigns supreme? There's no cut-and-dried answer. It depends on your personal preference - so you have to be the judge on that one.
Well hello there! I’m back, with a hugely requested post on my DIY cut for shape and volume I did a few months ago. As you will see from the images below, the results speak for themselves. It’s amazing what a good DIY curly cut for shape and volume can do. I was feeling some kind of way about myself for weeks after. Not to mention lots of people said it took about 10 years off me! I inspired quite a few of you to pick up the scissors and have a go too!
If you’ve been following me on Instagram for a while - if not, please do! I’m really trying to grow my following on that platform and have lots of fun on stories, and more informational stuff on my feed. Anyhusan, one Friday evening, Malibu + Coke in hand, I decided it would be great craic to do a DIY cut LIVE (for the first time!) on Instagram. I managed to save some of the live and convert it into a video, which I’ll share on Instagram. Both images were taken one week, and one wash day apart, using all the same styling techniques and products from Jessicurl. I used their Hair Cleansing Cream, Too Shea Conditioner, Confident Coils and Spiralicious Gel on both wash days. Read my review here!
After eighteen months of following the curly girl method, and using good quality products, I thought my hair was pretty healthy. But as you can see from the “after” pictures, my curls bounced up and tightened so much. My hair obviously needed (another) good chop! It just goes to show the importance of a good hair cut, even if you’re using good quality products, specifically for curly hair. So how did I do it? I watched a lot of YouTube videos, I found this one from Lana Summer the most helpful to get started. I’ve also watched my hairdresser cut my hair over the years, to see how she does it. I’ve adopted a couple of her techniques to make sure it’s even. This is the only thing I do differently than what I’ve seen in other YouTube videos. I promise, next time I do a DIY cut, I’ll film it and upload it to my YouTube channel. My layers always grow faster, which is quite common. And because I want to grow my hair long again, I didn’t take anything off the ends or length. I just cut the layers to create shape and volume.
It’s important you don’t just cut the sides and the hair that frames your face. Otherwise the back of your hair will look flat with no shape or volume. To see where and how short you want to cut your layers, take your hand over the top of your head, just above your crown. Using your fingers, gently pick up your hair until it’s the shape and length you think looks good. Get a feel for how it will look, then drop the hair, pick up a curl and snip! Yes, it’s scary - what do you think the Malibu + Coke was for?!
If you see a curl that looks pretty good, but straightens out towards the ends. Chop it off where it loses the curl pattern. This is a sign of damage that you cannot repair, no matter how much deep conditioning you do. It’s hard to let go, but it’s only hair, it will grow back. And just look at my curly bangs after I chopped that straight, damaged and dead hair off!!! So that’s it, my DIY cut for shape + volume. My hair has grown a few inches since these pictures were taken. As much as I loved my short hair, and the confidence it gave me, I’m growing my hair long again. What do you think? Do you prefer my hair long or short?
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Any natural girl knows: Curlier and coarser hair types are more prone to breakage. So when thinking about how to cut curly hair by yourself, you need to go in with the right game plan. While most hairdressers encourage you to leave the cutting to the professionals, hair maintenance is oftentimes an at-home activity that is just needed. “Giving yourself a trim in between professional cuts can help maintain your style for a longer period of time,” says Lorraine Massey, founder of the Curly Girl cutting method and the New York-based salon Spiral XYZ. Here, Massey along with Andrew Fitzsimons, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Andrew Fitzsimons haircare, and Annagjid “Kee” Taylor, owner of Deeper Than Hair salon, share their step-by-step guide for the safest and most effective way to cut curly hair, no matter what your natural curl pattern may be. Read on and trim coils, kinks, waves, and curls the right way, while at home.
Required Tools and Preparation
Taylor cautions against using regular household scissors to trim your hair, as their blunt edges may cause split ends or more damage to the hair cuticle. Good quality hair shears are key for trimming any hair length and hair type. “You don’t need to spend a fortune on hair scissors, but you also don’t want to use blunt scissors,” for example, do not use kitchen or paper scissors. “Think of your hair as being a priceless fabric,” Massey said. She recommends the Hikari scissors. “You are cutting your hair when it is in its natural state,” says Fitzsimons. “With that, you are going to want a scissor with a very sharp blade as it will not allow your curls to bend or spilt after it has been cut.” He recommends the Equinox Hair Cutting Scissors for something affordable and easy to use.
Taylor also recommends having a wide-tooth comb so you can precisely section off hair while you trim, as well as section clips to hold hair in place. After that, be sure you have a hand-held mirror as well as a mirror “big enough to see the back of your hair,” Massey says. Add good lighting and a plain wall “so that you can see the shape and silhouette of your hair” clearly.
Dry Cutting and Why It Works
Taylor says that cutting curly hair is best with a dry cut. She explains that wet hair can become very condensed and you won’t be able to gauge the amount of hair you’re actually cutting, which can lead to shrinkage and other major cutting mistakes. Massey suggests it might even be best to do the trim on the second or third day after washing your hair because by that time, it has fully settled into its natural state. It’s better to approach the hair as it really is. Each strand will react, contract, and expand differently once it’s cut. “After all we wear our hair dry, not wet.”
Similarly, it’s very important to not trim hair after straightening or curling it with heat tools, as that’s not how it’s going to look when you ultimately wear it curly. “Really take your time to observe the landscape of your hair, paying attention to all the different strands, their shapes, and how they each fall,” she recommends.
Positioning and Trimming Techniques
Start by gently swaying the hair back and forth to “allow your hair to naturally position itself.” Then, observe the length. “If your hair is longer and past your shoulders, part your hair and bring it forward from both sides, placing it in front of your shoulders as though you are making pigtails.” Look carefully at the ends and plan where and how much you want to trim. Massey suggests trimming only a fraction of an inch because, "with curly hair, small snips can go a long way; an inch is like a mile.”
Work from the Front to the Back: For a simple cutting technique, Taylor recommends starting with the front pieces of your hair, going curl by curl and only cutting off the dead ends. As you move towards the back, she says to tilt your head slightly and brush the section you’re working with to the front. She says it’s crucial that you work with small sections and trim just a little bit at a time. So don’t just cut straight across, no matter how tempting it may be.
Or Use the Clock Method: Whether your curls are short or long, imagine your hair as on a clock. From the canopy, take a curl and raise it upward so it’s in line with the 12 o'clock position. Hold it up as far as its length allows, and place it between your index and middle fingers at the point where you plan to trim. Pull hair forward and carefully snip the end of the hair that is anchored between your fingers with the tip of the scissors. Do the same on the other side of your head. The clock method helps to make sure everything is even, regardless of length or coarseness. Whenever you cut, you have to be guided. Occasionally sway your hair back and forth to see how the trim looks in motion.
To finish off, spread your hands around your scalp and gently shuffle at your roots “to open the hair so you can observe the overall shape.” Note any ends that are still split. “Simply give them a snip or wait until after cleansing.” If the ends are still split after the hair dries again, return to tend to those areas.
Style Based on Your Hair Needs
Once you’re done, you can pretty much style your naturally curly hair however you want. “I always recommend people do what they want when it comes to styling their hair,” says Fitzsimons. This DIY approach emphasizes sculpting a beautiful form and overall shape into your curls rather than chasing strict geometric rules. Curly hair doesn’t answer to geometrics. It has its own set of rules. What those rules are is different for every head of curly hair. So getting to know your unique and one of a kind curls is key.
Look at your hair, study the curls… Which way do they twist, are they big or small curls? For example, in my case, the curls in the under layers of my hair are much stronger and smaller than the top part of my hair. So when cutting your own curly hair you should adapt to your unique situation. To be able to do that, you start with dry hair! This is sooo important. Look and analyze how your curls are falling. And decide which ones to cut, one by one. Twist - Once you decided which curl must go shorter you twist the curl around your finger and hold. Cut - Get your scissors and cut your curl in a downward movement. Never cut your curls off straight! Step 4: Brush & Finetune - Pull all the curls apart by brushing it. That way your curly hair will form a fuzzy mass where hairs that are too long will stick out and will be more noticeable. Also, the shape of the cut will come out more. This way you can finetune your cut until you are happy with the form.
How to cut the triangle out of curly hair to create that round and bouncing look
Practical Table: Key Steps Summary
| Step | What to Do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Preparation | Gather tools: sharp shears, wide-tooth comb, clips, mirrors, good lighting | Avoid blunt household scissors |
| 2. Dry Cutting | Cut on dry hair; observe natural fall; consider day-after wash | Hair settles and reacts differently per strand |
| 3. Sectioning | Part and pace through front to back; trim small amounts | Small snips are safer; avoid straight-across cuts |
| 4. Clock Method | Trim by 12 o'clock, then 1 o'clock, etc.; ensure evenness | Keep blades shallow and guided |
| 5. Finetuning | Brush to separate curls; snip split ends after drying | Adjust shape to preference |