A self-trim mishap!

[MimiKeki]

Hello everybody, I hope you are all well.
I'm just curious to see if anybody else has ever made the same mistake as I have...

I was reluctantly due for a trim, as my tailbone length ends were getting a little ragged. I didn't want to go to a salon, as I do have a little fear of them cutting too much off against my wishes (like last time), so I found some self-trim tutorials on Youtube.
I studied the same technique over and over. It was the one where you tie a ponytail behind your head, carefully bring the band down to the very ends, then bring the ends over your shoulder, and trim as you choose..

I then gave it a try, cutting off maybe 2-3 inches, kinda to hip length. Now, I thought I did very well at first, but it soon became apparent that even though the hemline itself is blunt and straight, something must have gone wrong as I brought the ponytail over my shoulder, because there are different lengths towards the bottom of my hair..
It is not so noticeable when I wear my hair down, but I can tell when I braid my hair, and there is a lock sticking out towards the end where there didn't used to be.. I can also see the different lengths when I bring all my hair to the side, over my shoulder.

Such a small, silly mistake, yet I am really disappointed in myself, and I feel like I wish I had just gone to a salon now. Has anybody else had a hiccup with this method? Did you decide to then get your hair cut to the shortest part, or did you gradually trim over the months 'til the hemline was truly all one length again?

Feel so foolish!!
x

[melusine963]

I'm blessed/cursed with wurly hair, so thankfully I never have to worry about my hemline being absolutely straight because no-one can really tell. Even so, I don't quite trust myself to draw the ponytail holder evenly down my hair so I've always had someone else helping me. Don't beat yourself up over this slight mishap. If you're anything like me, you're far more critical of your own hair than anyone else is likely to be. Just remind yourself that if you'd gone to a salon there's a good chance the helpful stylist would have 'trimmed' your ends all the way to your waist.

[Rebelkat]

I'm sure that it's happened to me, but my hair is wavy and I have a slight rib hump from scoliosis, so my ends will never look perfectly straight anyways. It has definitely happened when I trimmed someone else's hair, though. I've found that it's best to start out taking significantly less than you actually want to take just in case you need to cut more to even things out. Don't beat yourself up too bad. It will grow back.

[MimiKeki]

Thanks guys, you're totally right. I'm really critical of it, I think others would think it crazy.. I've been getting more compliments on it since I did the cut, so I know I definitely needed to get rid of those dry ends. Funnily enough, my hair used to be wavy like you guys, but it seems to have gone straight as it's grown haha. Love your avatar, Rebelkat :P So cute!

[jacqueline101]

I wouldn't feel bad just see if you can even that lock up and let it grow out.

[lapushka]

Such a small, silly mistake, yet I am really disappointed in myself, and I feel like I wish I had just gone to a salon now. Has anybody else had a hiccup with this method? Did you decide to then get your hair cut to the shortest part, or did you gradually trim over the months 'til the hemline was truly all one length again?

Just the straight across cut is a disaster for me too, it ends up all wonky. It's better to go for a U or V shaped cut with Feye's method. Less chances for hiccups like that.

[Quixii]

This is exactly what happened to me last time I trimmed my hair.
Honestly, I'm just pretending it's not there. :whistle: As it's grown out, it's become a little less noticeable. Eventually it'll be time to trim again and I'll worry about it then.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Well I tried doing a straight across trim on myself and ended up with a U hemline, so am learning to like it....and have since bought a Crea Clip.

[BlazingHeart]

I'm terrified of trying to cut my own hair. I've got such thick hair, my childhood haircuts from my mother were all awful. I was the kid with thick bangs ('till 4th grade) that were never quite straight. Oh well, at least Mom didn't make them terribly short AND crooked by trying to fix them, I guess. I went to a salon for the first time when I was 12 and I've never looked back. Mind you, I haven't had her cut my hair since I've tried growing it out, but she's an old Russian lady who has cut my hair for more than half my life, so I think I can trust her to take off just a little. Might find out this summer, if I fly back to visit my family. Otherwise...well, I've heard good things about going to barber shops...

[lapushka]

Getting a little help with Feye's method is no luxury. I mean, I have my mom do this on me. She can see that the ponytail(s) are perfectly straight and so she cuts it straight off rather than wonky.

[jeanniet]

The secret to using Feye's method is not cutting off as much as you want all at once. I ponytail and bring it over one shoulder, trim a bit, then reponytail and bring it over the other shoulder and trim some more, then divide in half and bring the two halves in front and trim some more. I check for evenness as I go along. Then I just repeat until I've trimmed off the desired amount. I'm always within 1/4" of being even doing it this way, and usually more like 1/8" or less. I've cut quite a bit of my length recently, but all in increments. I don't think I ever cut more than 1/2" at a time.

[Kherome]

I used to be a cosmetologist and cutting a straight hemline is super easy...on someone else. I'll not be trying it on my own head. Fortunately I've found a lovely hairstylist who cuts what I ask for and no more, and doesn't rip the comb through my hair. Huzzah!

[Fantak]

I did the same and at my next trim date cut 3" off the longest bit and about 1" off the shortest to even it out.

[DancingQueen]

I have curly/wurly hair, so mistakes tend to not look too obvious in my hair, luckily. But I get why you are a bit reluctant in going to a salon; the experience is nice, but the just can't cut only the amount you ask for.

Perosonally, I didn't dare the ponytail method, so I got a creaclip instead, and now I let my mother cut my hair. I cut my own bangs with the small one though; I made a few mistakes, but just try to camouflage it if it looks really bad, until it is long enough that I can do something about it.

[MimiKeki]

Thanks for your input, everyone. I feel a little better about it now. What I think I will do is just forget that it's there, start to baby my hair (I've been practising benign neglect for the past year or so), wear it up every day, and get a trim in November, if it doesn't need one sooner.