Compact cut APL hair?

[Ophidian]

My hair is currently around APL with natural layers (translation: grew out longish pixie without trimming the back). I'm getting at a point where the ends are feeling a little crunchy and I'm contemplating a trim. I know compact cuts are somewhat popular here for longer lengths, but haven't read anything specific about shorter. I don't want to go to a hairdresser (I know there are good ones out there, no hate! Just am too easily talked into changes I later regret). I want to stick with layers, just feel like getting the old tips off and smoothing out the transition in some places.

Can anyone advise?

[browneyedsusan]

I did it.
I have a very easy-going disposition, and tend to have an optimisitic view of things, so if it didn't come out perfect, I was okay with it. :)
Just go slow: take off 1/2" or so, then check it.

Also, either clarifying or deep conditioning might straighten it up? Sometimes that fixes the ends.

[Corvana]

I think it would be difficult to do, since I believe it requires the hair to be in a ponytail on the forehead. Granted my hair is only a touch past CBL, but I can't get it all up there. It would probably still work, but not for the longest sections, as that would either not be in the pony at all, or would be barely in it.

[Ophidian]

I did it.
I have a very easy-going disposition, and tend to have an optimisitic view of things, so if it didn't come out perfect, I was okay with it. :)
Just go slow: take off 1/2" or so, then check it.

Also, either clarifying or deep conditioning might straighten it up? Sometimes that fixes the ends.

Eh, I can do imperfection since I've gotten pretty used to my weird grown-out pixie layers, but I am concerned that if I mess it up too bad I might make it worse trying to "fix" it. But it worked for you at this length, more or less? Where did you put the ponytail? I know there are different versions (forehead and further down). I probably am due for a good clarifying. My hair always feels weird with stripping and then deep conditioning so I tend to avoid it. Maybe should give that a go.

[Ophidian]

I think it would be difficult to do, since I believe it requires the hair to be in a ponytail on the forehead. Granted my hair is only a touch past CBL, but I can't get it all up there. It would probably still work, but not for the longest sections, as that would either not be in the pony at all, or would be barely in it.

I can get it all up for the very most part, and wouldn't mind if the longest layers didn't get trimmed. The crunchy bits are mostly in the shorter bits around the sides. This may affect the overall shape though in some way? When I do the ponytail and hold the ends up they all taper to a point and I'm trying to imagine if I cut straight across where the majority of those ends would come from...

[Ondine11]

My hair is now right between APL & BSL. I'm growing out a chin length Bob with bangs. The ends got gross. Micro trimming, & oiling daily with a blend of pure coconut & pure argan oils took care of them.

[Ophidian]

Hi Ondine,

I do oil my ends pretty much daily, sometimes misting beforehand. I also do a version of LOC on them after I wash. I don't have a single split, it's just this fuzzy crunchy feeling (mildly Velcro-y) if I leave my hair down for longer than 5 minutes. If I keep them damp, oiled, and tucked into a bun they're mostly ok, but I thought a small amount of trimming might help. But since I have layers and want to keep layers and most of the weird bits are in the length, I thought maybe a compact cut might be a way to accomplish that and not end up with a blunt hemline. That said, my eventual goal is super long and fairlytaled so maybe I'll need to get used to ends that don't feel as soft as the rest of my hair.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I would give chelating a go. OR clarifying. Deep condition afterward.
To me that sounds like the issue if you really have no splits.

[Robot Ninja]

I can get it all up for the very most part, and wouldn't mind if the longest layers didn't get trimmed. The crunchy bits are mostly in the shorter bits around the sides. This may affect the overall shape though in some way? When I do the ponytail and hold the ends up they all taper to a point and I'm trying to imagine if I cut straight across where the majority of those ends would come from...

Hold the ponytail in your hand instead of tying it off and tug on the longest ends. I suspect they'll be near the top of your head, so if you do a compact cut you might end up with a mullet.

[Anje]

My first thought is to do 2 compact cuts. One with the lower hair gathered at the nape, and another with the top hair (probably parted ear to crown to ear) maybe pulled forward and snipped so the longest hairs are even with the lower portion. That would layer it a bit and trim the highest wear portions, if I'm picturing it correctly.

[diddiedaisy]

When my hair was that length I just made a pony at the nape with my hand, slid my hand down to where I wanted to cut and snipped. I kept the pony at the back and looked sideways in the mirror. Very easy and was never wonky. I can't do it now I'm mbl but it was fool proof at shorter lengths. :)

[lapushka]

My hair is currently around APL with natural layers (translation: grew out longish pixie without trimming the back). I'm getting at a point where the ends are feeling a little crunchy and I'm contemplating a trim. I know compact cuts are somewhat popular here for longer lengths, but haven't read anything specific about shorter. I don't want to go to a hairdresser (I know there are good ones out there, no hate! Just am too easily talked into changes I later regret). I want to stick with layers, just feel like getting the old tips off and smoothing out the transition in some places.

Can anyone advise?

Your layers will be very short if you do it on APL length, just warning you, they might be chin or shorter. It also depends on which method you choose, the ponytail on the top of the head, or the ponytail on the forehead.

[poli]

I'm growing out the pixie cut too. Around APL I got desperate to dust my layers a little because of the brittle ends. I did something similar as Anje describes with first ponytail at the nape then at the crown and then at the forehead. I was careful to trim no more than few millimetres. I repeated it only few times and now I rarely do it and only with the last ponytail (for the shortest layer that gets the most exposure and damage). Only did it because I already had uneven and annoying layers and bleach at the ends. I think going to trusted hairdresser to reshape it nicely would be a better idea, but I was too lazy.

[Ophidian]

Thanks for the feedback all! I think I'm going to do the two ponytails but just trim a tiny bit off to get some of the old pixie ends in the length off and blend it in a bit more. I think to do a full compact cut I'd need more length but I think a modified technique could help me dust the ends a bit while maintaining the shape I want i.e. not blunt. And I'll do some kind of clarifying wash and deep conditioning soon just for good measure.

[lapushka]

If you make that ponytail on the forehead, *do not* snip a lot off or you might end up with bangs!!! Yeah... been there.

[Ophidian]

Thanks for the heads up lapushka :)

Taking that advice into account, I ended up doing a few different ponys along the midline and snipping just the tips of each. The only part I took a bit more from was the center back. I kept the length but trimmed about 1/2 in. from the end of a high ponytail (highest part of back of head before it becomes crown). This placement was the best I could find to get at a bunch of layered ends that were left just above my hemline when I did a mullet trim just before I started seriously growing out the pixie. That part was pretty blunt while the sides were more tapered. Right after I trimmed it looked like there was more of a step than I had intended but my hair is pretty forgiving and the waves hide things pretty well. I'm hoping that the cut looking ends will blend in once it settles down but I wear my hair up all the time anyway so no big deal.

It was seriously hard to put the scissors down and stop fiddling with it. I'm a little proud of myself.

[browneyedsusan]

Atta-girl! :applause:

[lapushka]

I'm glad it worked out. It's not too short for you? Since you only snipped the very ends off, normally it shouldn't be, but still I'm wondering. :)

[Ophidian]

Atta-girl! :applause:

Thank youuuuuu :D


I'm glad it worked out. It's not too short for you? Since you only snipped the very ends off, normally it shouldn't be, but still I'm wondering. :)

No, I was careful not to cut into the ponytail too much if that makes sense--just dusted the tips. If I had done a true compact cut across the whole ponytail in one position I probably would have ended up with very short front layers like you said. As it is my shortest layers are about CBL and the longest are APL which is what I had before. The only place that I took a noticeable amount from are the outside of the longest layers in the back, so I have a bit more taper there now.

[lapushka]

No, I was careful not to cut into the ponytail too much if that makes sense--just dusted the tips. If I had done a true compact cut across the whole ponytail in one position I probably would have ended up with very short front layers like you said. As it is my shortest layers are about CBL and the longest are APL which is what I had before. The only place that I took a noticeable amount from are the outside of the longest layers in the back, so I have a bit more taper there now.

Thank goodness, cause I was worried! :lol: If you make that ponytail on your forehead and snip it off at your forehead, you'll have a mullet with bangs; trust me. Had it at one point, so keep that ponytail as long as you can when snipping away at your hair! This is usually why I don't recommend the method for hair shorter than BSL, even waist. I'd say this is a perfect method for waist length and beyond, for layering "heavy" hair.