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View Full Version : Self Trim Perfectionism Anxiety



LaurelSpring
June 26th, 2010, 02:18 PM
I dont know if anyone else goes through this when they self trim, but I go through this perfectionism thing and then get anxious about cutting off more hair than I wanted to.

I start off taking a tiny bit and it seems fine but then I keep pulling it in different directions to see if its even and then later I may notice a bit of an uneven place and start nipping at it again. I go through this every time it seems! I did a tiny trim this morning and now I think I have retrimmed it at least 3 times. I finally just now put the scissors away for good and declared myself done but if I start picking around at it later and see an uneven place it will make me crazy.

Oddly enough it doesnt bother me after I can leave it alone for awhile and unevenness doesnt bother me if I go through a no trim phase. I just seem to go through this little OCD trim thing until it makes me nuts. Sometimes I think I may go back to no trims just to avoid this or at least maybe stretch it out longer.

Tiina
June 26th, 2010, 02:23 PM
Maybe its a good idea to separate all hair into equal, as tiny as possible sections so you know exactly how much you are taking off each of them.

jane53
June 26th, 2010, 02:24 PM
That's why I have my trusted long-haired stylist trim my hair.

JenniferNoel
June 26th, 2010, 02:25 PM
Back in my days of huge trims to get rid of damage, I did the exact same thing. Practice makes perfect for me, I do my best to ensure every strand is even in my hand before I start cutting, and try to spread the hair out a little more in my hand. I start by cutting off much less than what I intend. :)

MsBubbles
June 26th, 2010, 03:41 PM
I can relate! Good thread title, too, BTW :p. I have been doing this now for about a year and half, so that's at least 18 self-trims. My hair is dead straight so I worry also about cutting it wrong (no waves to disguise it!).

My tips would be:

- Snip only a few millimeters off at a time and do the procedure as many times as you need to cut off the amount you want.

- Don't try to cut too thick a chunk because the scissors probably won't make it through all the way. I try to spread the ponytail end out as thinly as I can between my fingers.

- When you check your results in the mirror, check it as straight-on as you can, because I have found that looking over one shoulder or the other gives the impression that one side is much longer than the other, or that the whole hemline is lopsided. It's not. I'm just looking at it funny. I have to take a photo to check it sometimes.

- Even if you notice a slight imperfection, chances are nobody else will.

I think you have the best idea to put the scissors away after you've done it once or twice, and not think about it again until the next time. You will improve with practice but you can only practice so much at one time!

HintOfMint
June 26th, 2010, 04:08 PM
...And THIS is why I will never cut my own hair. Just the idea makes me antsy.

jane53
June 26th, 2010, 04:09 PM
...And THIS is why I will never cut my own hair. Just the idea makes me antsy.

me TOO!!!!

julliams
June 26th, 2010, 05:57 PM
Me too. Plus I'm only at BSL with layers so I can't be sure that I'll do right by those and I can't see the ends as well as I would be able to if it were longer. One for me when I'm all the one length at waist I think (have a couple of years up my sleeve this way - lol)

bumblebums
June 26th, 2010, 06:01 PM
I notice that most posters here who agree have straight hair (1a/b). The self-trim method works really well for curly/wavy hair, because it is more forgiving if there is a slight unevenness. In the Deva cut method for curly hair, each curl is cut separately, so a straight line is not even a goal--otherwise the hair looks like a pyramid.

So no, I can't relate to the anxiety--being a curly girl myself, I figure it won't be a big deal if I miss a hair here or there.

That said, if I had straight hair and wore it down, I probably would go to a salon to cut it. Not that some straight haired gals can't get away with it, but it seems like a much harder proposition to get it right, especially if your hair is thick.

MsBubbles
June 26th, 2010, 07:00 PM
I notice that most posters here who agree have straight hair (1a/b). The self-trim method works really well for curly/wavy hair, because it is more forgiving if there is a slight unevenness.

That's what I noticed too! But I do mine and even though I was worried/afraid to do it the first time, I have been doing them now for 18 months and for just trimming the ends I don't ever want to go back to a stylist.

I mean, it comes out straight enough for me and honestly my hair is thin/fine and hardly ever hangs the way it is in my avatar pic, so I figure nobody else sees if there is any unevenness.

Merewen
June 26th, 2010, 07:36 PM
I notice that most posters here who agree have straight hair (1a/b). The self-trim method works really well for curly/wavy hair, because it is more forgiving if there is a slight unevenness. In the Deva cut method for curly hair, each curl is cut separately, so a straight line is not even a goal--otherwise the hair looks like a pyramid.

So no, I can't relate to the anxiety--being a curly girl myself, I figure it won't be a big deal if I miss a hair here or there.

That said, if I had straight hair and wore it down, I probably would go to a salon to cut it. Not that some straight haired gals can't get away with it, but it seems like a much harder proposition to get it right, especially if your hair is thick.

This. I'm pretty sure I screwed up the method on my last self-trim, but I can't even tell, let alone anyone else. If my hair was straight, I'd be afraid to trim it myself. No way would I be able to guarantee a decent cut.

May
June 26th, 2010, 09:02 PM
I get that anxious feeling when I cut my own hair as well. I have to remind myself that I dislike my hair even more when I get it cut at a salon and that I usually do a better job than the stylists unless it's a very good stylist but I've come across those pretty rarely to be honest :(.

The good thing about self-trimming is that I can cut off the very very minimum whereas stylist usually have this obsession about cutting at least a good inch or two. I really don't know what's up with that :confused:. hehe.

I wish I didn't have that perfectionism thing either but I know when to call it a day and stop worrying about unevenness. I realize that my hair will never fall in exactly the same place twice and that I will always feel like something isn't right. Luckily I'm a wurly girl so I can get away with alot :pegasus:

AZDesertRose
June 26th, 2010, 09:10 PM
I don't worry about it that much, but then I have wavy hair which is a little more forgiving of little goofs. I get it as even as I can and call it good.

What I get anxious about is trimming my bangs/fringe. I'm always afraid I'm going to screw it up.

LaurelSpring
June 27th, 2010, 10:05 AM
I get that anxious feeling when I cut my own hair as well. I have to remind myself that I dislike my hair even more when I get it cut at a salon and that I usually do a better job than the stylists unless it's a very good stylist but I've come across those pretty rarely to be honest :(.

The good thing about self-trimming is that I can cut off the very very minimum whereas stylist usually have this obsession about cutting at least a good inch or two. I really don't know what's up with that :confused:. hehe.

I wish I didn't have that perfectionism thing either but I know when to call it a day and stop worrying about unevenness. I realize that my hair will never fall in exactly the same place twice and that I will always feel like something isn't right. Luckily I'm a wurly girl so I can get away with alot :pegasus:

This is why I started doing self trims. The stylist's version of a trim was usually alot more that I wanted to get even after I explained. I felt too out of control in that situation too many times. I never felt like I was getting anywhere length wise. Even if the stylist did cut it I still went home and started inspecting the ends for evenness and still usually found more problems than when I did it myself.

I am more satisfied with my own trims (avatar is a self trim and turned out ok), but still have that perfectionism end thing that plagues me when any trimming is involved. I think that there is alot of truth in the comments about straight vs curly. I hadnt thought about that before. Waves and curls are definately more foregiving than straight when it comes to trimming.

I think I may extend my trims to 6 months so at least when I do trim I have a little more leeway for some OCD behavior and then just give myself a limited time to obsess and then put away the scissors. If I just stop trimming and let it go the uneven ends dont bother me. I like the fairytale aspect of it. That may be what I end up doing just to avoid this trim anxiety! For now, Im letting it be. No more :scissors: for a good long while now.

FrannyG
June 27th, 2010, 02:13 PM
I am a solid 1a, and I've been self-trimming, and when I needed it (I had to have a couple of big chops due to damage), self-cutting for almost 4 years.

It's true that with straight hair, every mistake shows, but I always take off very little, and that allows for error.