I watched one YouTube video on cutting kids’ hair at home and decided to give it a go. And that, my friends, is where I went wrong. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t turn out terrible, but it’s definitely not professional. Good thing my son’s hair grows quickly.
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Seeing as I could have researched just a little more before I took the shears to my little guy’s curls, I decided to reach out to some experts for advice to share with all of you, along with a few things I learned along the way.
If your little one is in desperate need of a trim, read on for tips on DIY at-home cuts.
1. Create a “Salon”
We moved the baby’s high chair into our master bathroom and secured a towel around my toddler’s shoulders with a chip clip. He loved getting pampered at our homemade salon.
Hairstylist Adrienne Leak of Just For Me Hair suggested making sure you prepare everything you need–tools, products, toys–beforehand, and I can’t echo this advice enough. The last thing you want is to get your toddler settled and have to stop in the middle to hunt down his favorite red car … theoretically, of course.
2. Move Quickly
On the note of getting a toddler settled and still, playing “salon” was fun for about 10 minutes, and then my little man was over it. As anyone with a toddler knows, sitting still is not something they’re interested in doing. Aim for a trim that’s good enough, not perfect.
3. Give Distractions
Whatever will keep your toddler interested and still for a few minutes, give it to her. A book, tablet, favorite toy, stuffed animal–whatever it is, you’ll need it. I’m not going to lie, we also had some candy ready for bribes … and we used it all.
4. Take Their Hair Type Into Account
All hair is different, so Leak, along with experts at haircutinspiration.com, broke it down for us, from curly to straight and long to short.
For Short, Straight or Wavy Hair
- Start with wet hair–I recommend using a spray bottle of water to wet the hair vs. going the full bath-and-hair-wash route
- Divide hair into sections with clips or bands
- Comb through each section before cutting
- Measure how much you want to cut off with a comb or your fingers
- Cut small portions at a time using only the tip of the scissors (don’t cut straight across)
- When cutting on the top, hold the section of hair straight up to cut
- When trimming the bottom, brush hair down and cut from the bottom
For Long, Straight or Wavy Hair
- Start with wet hair (a spray bottle can work here, too)
- Divide hair into sections with clips or bands
- Comb through each section before cutting
- Start trimming at the bottom in the back
- Let down more hair and cut the next section to the same length
Source: @loree.1
For Textured, Coily Hair (If You Want to Keep It Longer Than 3 Inches)
- Clean and prep hair for cutting with a detangling shampoo and conditioner
- Spray hair with a leave-in detangler
- Run a light coat of a curl and coil cream through hair (Leak recommended Just for Me Curl Peace Defining Curl & Coil Cream)
- Part hair into 2×2-inch sections and band each section
- Comb through thoroughly and two-strand twist from scalp to ends
- Measure how much you want to trim and use the tip of the shears to lightly snip the ends
For Textured, Coily Hair (If You Want to Cut It Shorter Than 3 Inches)
- Clean and prep hair for cutting with a detangling shampoo and conditioner
- Spray hair with a leave-in detangler (Leak recommended Just for Me Curl Peace 5-in-1 Wonder Spray)
- Fluff with pick or comb and dry thoroughly
- For basic trims, use a 1.5-inch guard and cut in the direction that the hair grows
- Start cutting first in the middle and go forward toward the front hairline
- Next, cut starting in the middle down towards each ear
- Then, cut starting in middle down toward the neck
- In kids over 5 years old, use a trimmer to outline the shape of the hairline. Leak recommended holding on any DIY hairline trims in kids under 5, as the skin is sensitive and the hairline is still developing–leave that one to the professionals.
