Self Cut Challenge: How do y'all suggest I do this...

[triumphator!]

Okay so. On December 31st I will be straightening my hair and trimming the ends using Feye's self trim method.

At that point, I think I will cut in some long bangs (which I have done many times over the past 10 years). The added difficulty is I would like a piece of hair in front of my left ear to balance them out like this: http://tinypic.com/r/2irm59z/9 same link, different attempt to upload ---> [2 (https://gm1.ggpht.com/ZzyGD3tQlolKWakM2_i3dnSsLGslH6vvyk5QEFsKId8k4H1AL8 LQfXOB6vo0KM56jaNtULiqwttdN_TJWFyrG2bEBt1WVw0gHg0Q QAJvzRRzVaQMpLA9IlDD4ufa7VemFIIjXJh_6IIevjLM4la7F7 y-wMs2Teweb1p-H2cvD0hrAFkoD4B9ymtUfAzYsrGRkQyiycGVSIzQa2Si4rhvwu sUIuT2F6vKMtTsQOf6u7_VXhmyzfxmjm_QfQ_0pfWJlLoYuWnx YWiXC-a1txSyKFXtddg0RlZ19wV0jey3fyh6dR_Eq3PL9GX8hdkl-z5lMF1NP32AyfkmhU4X0atrse0ybeYhh38Es27VNgBIOAQEN3W uudHEhU7DoMkjkDiX6_0RoSrnec5gjqig-5XpITamKmfhHBJxxUwzitKzbCa9x58NSe95n1QNNf8THAT84ad 7vENdnNqDxLyi1Ocimg4G1WDw7bH2GMc2f0MogRnnN_ZIAGSxY c6v0Ux6IB5JbrXxrBzdgOIG3XSjO1y3qncb2kGCjj2SqQBFnzg qV-haOzOoLj8UN3lBE5HzN4lO1968Ek3A3uiBRmQZ_fNDFkddNTXc s8mBqoQVq1TxIJlt5K_6HqeaSEyoc0vUhGw4LXvsQTA4hAJzKp ExDpHPFw164GD3wrE2MKbKu4c2PrIZ3DyUqB4lZzuljar16-LAKayPT_QwEiSM=w844-h812-l75-ft)]

[pic is a screengrab from a video on making that big bun]

How do y'all suggest I do it? I know I need to angle the scissors up blah blah to make the bottom look less choppy. But as for actually sectioning and cutting... does anyone have any suggestions? I like how soft and romantic it looks.

I tried googling around and youtubing... but "cut hair in front of ears" and other variations of those search terms doesnt seem descriptive enough to pull anything on what I am searching for. Also there are lots of gross earwax videos that come up. Blegh.

All posts saying "dont do it" solely because I'm losing thickness or layers wont braid, etc, will be ignored. They are happening. I will however entertain "go to a stylist" if y'all think it is too tricky for someone to do to themselves.

[lapushka]

That tinypic picture looks like she cut all along the front temple, not just the top (which you would classically grab for bangs or face framing layers), but she cut all along the side - see, I wouldn't do it that way. I think you'll end up with lots of choppy bits on the sides.

Maybe get a stylist to do it for you, and then maintain it that way (far easier).

[DweamGoiL]

That tinypic picture looks like she cut all along the front temple, not just the top (which you would classically grab for bangs or face framing layers), but she cut all along the side - see, I wouldn't do it that way. I think you'll end up with lots of choppy bits on the sides.

Maybe get a stylist to do it for you, and then maintain it that way (far easier).

I agree. Sometimes bangs look terribly simple, but don't turn out very well when we try to do it. You can also watch how the stylist does it or ask how they cut it and you'll know for next time :)

[ipickee]

I tried this a couple years ago and ended up with epically bad bangs. Oh so bad. So bad. I'd recommend a stylist, unless you've got more talent than I have. Which is not only possible, but probable. :)

[triumphator!]

Thank you, all!

[Upside Down]

I'd suggest a long twist and cutparting all the hair you want in your bangs plus the hair for the side framing layer. That leaves you with long sides and shorter front bits. Then section the bangs part and twist&cut again. And then just finish with freehand and even them out.

I cut tiwst and cut bangs and freehand cut the side face framing layer and it was ok. My layers were much thinner than hers though.

[Robot Ninja]

I did something similar by pulling the hair I wanted to cut forward in front of my face, then freehand trimming out any choppy bits. It turned out okay. Waviness does hide a multitude of self-cutting sins.

If you're going to try doing it yourself, I'd suggest leaving the layers a few inches longer than you want them on your first pass. That way, if it works, you can do it again and take more off, and if it doesn't you can go to a stylist and have them fix it.

[Nique1202]

When I cut in a fringe, I take a section all the way from the top of one ear to the other, pull it all into a tiny ponytail between my eyes, and it gives me a soft curve over the eyebrows and small sections at the temple to frame my cheeks. I don't have a lot of pictures of the result, but in this pic (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18442&d=1439501794) you can see the soft curve of the fringe and the piece in front of my left ear (the right one was probably tucked behind the ear in question at the time). I've let it grow out since, but if I ever cut any fringe in again that's how I'd do it.

If you want to have a longer fringe than that, one that you could part and wear side-swept instead of as a full forehead cover, you could probably take the same section of hair, ponytail it level with your eyebrows but slightly to the side that you plan to part the hair on, then instead of cutting it there you could cut it at your nose/mouth/chin level depending on how long you want it to be. Then the sides would still be a little longer and give you more of a framing effect.

Whatever you choose, as recommended above I'd definitely leave it a few inches longer on the first cut than you want it to end up, so that you can make sure that you'll get the effect you like or so that you have room to get it fixed professionally if you need ti.