• Slide 1 of 30: When you're spending a lot of time near your kitchen scissors, it can be tempting to take your scheduled chop into your own hands. Or, in an unexpected perk of social isolation, now might be the time for you to try those bangs since if it goes badly, no one will know!Last year, George Clooney revealed he's already been doing this for 25 years, cutting his hair with a Flowbee. But while he's looked quite handsome for most of this time, have a look back at his old photos and you'll soon realize he's had several bad haircuts, and many others that were just plain boring.Indeed, this is not to be done recklessly, as we all know the pain a bad haircut can bring, almost like a physical blow to our self-esteem. But if you're nonetheless inspired by Clooney, click through to find out everything you need to know before chopping your own locks.

  • Slide 2 of 30: The reason they wash your hair at a salon is not just an added perk, but rather because if your hair is oily or dirty, it will cling together and cause an uneven finish.

  • Slide 3 of 30: Though there's technically no right answer, professionals recommend that if you have straight hair and want a more blunt look, leave your hair damp when you cut for the cleanest edge.

  • Slide 4 of 30: If you have curls, waves, or layers, dry hair is the way to go, so you'll have a better idea of how your cuts will affect the end product.

  • Slide 5 of 30: The sharp, precise blades of professional shears make it easier to get a clean cut, while regular scissors increase your chance of split ends.

  • Slide 6 of 30: You can use manicure scissors, but for touch-ups only!

  • Slide 7 of 30: It's a comb with both wide and fine teeth, and it'll help with sectioning.

  • Slide 8 of 30: The pros tend to use alligator clips, but you can use anything that helps you keep hair separated.

  • Slide 9 of 30: And make sure they have the same hair type as you!

  • Slide 10 of 30: Your hair will almost always appear shorter than you wanted it after you style it, so don't cut exactly to what you think your desired length is, but rather start slowly and gradually increase.

  • Slide 11 of 30: Cut your ends at an upward angle (called a point-cut) to soften any blunt ends and help the hair blend together.

  • Slide 12 of 30: Cutting your own layers can be difficult, especially on short hair, but if you drag and lightly snip the scissors as you descend down the strands you can remove some weight from the top in a way that looks seamless.

  • Slide 13 of 30: Put your hair into a ponytail at the top of the hairline near the forehead, pull the hair forward between two vertical fingers, and snip the ends. The sharper the angle of the cut, with your wrist closer to yourself, the more drastic the layers will be.

  • Slide 14 of 30: Style your hair dry first, then snip your ends curl by curl, cutting at an angle so the ends are pointy.

  • Slide 15 of 30: Style it dry and then work on individual coils, stretching the hair out then allowing it to twist into itself. Trim only the hairs that stick out of the coil.

  • Slide 16 of 30: If you want to shape long hair, pull it forward in small sections starting at the bottom and snip to your desired length. Pulling the hair forward and cutting it will automatically give you a rounder shape, since the hair at the back will be longer than the ones closer to the front.

  • Slide 17 of 30: If you don't want that rounded look at the back, when you pull your hair to the front to snip, hold it between your fingers at a slight diagonal slant, so that the hair from the back is cut shorter than the strands at the front.

  • Slide 18 of 30: Before you cut that blunt bob, straighten your hair to make sure there are no deceiving kinks.

  • Slide 19 of 30: When your ends start to thin from breakage, it's best to trim those parts so they don't split further up. If you have a lot, straighten your hair to more clearly follow the shape of your hair.

  • Slide 20 of 30: If you're trying to avoid losing length, try putting a section of hair over your middle finger and securing it with your index and ring finger, as in this video. Then, as you slide your hand down your hair, the split ends will pop up and you can cut them off.

  • Slide 21 of 30: Always cut it dry! This will help you avoid the panic of realizing you cut it too short.

  • Slide 22 of 30: If you want bangs, don't just separate the strands along your forehead, but rather draw a triangle on your scalp that starts at the arc of your eyebrows and reaches a few centimeters back. The further you go, the thicker the bangs.

  • Slide 23 of 30: The trick to getting that curved bang shape is by taking the designated fringe strands between two fingers of your dominant hand, twisting it around 180 degrees, passing it off to your non-dominant hand, and then cutting straight across. That twist creates the natural-looking curved shape.

  • Slide 24 of 30: Anyone with high-maintenance straight  bangs should learn how to trim them to save on expensive touch-up visits. You want to cut them dry, and do point-cuts.

  • Slide 25 of 30: Style your bangs before you cut them, and when you cut them make sure it's at an angle and not straight across!

  • Slide 26 of 30: These are pretty standard, but doing them yourself for the first time just means you have to have good clippers, know your level, and go slow, cutting less than you think is needed at first.

  • Slide 27 of 30: Of course, hairdressers can give out incredible tips, but they were also trained to cut your hair with certain methods that simply can't be done on one's self.

  • Slide 28 of 30: Many hairdressers are asking that you please think this decision through and not try to attempt the most difficult parts of their job that they've studied for months. But really, if it goes badly, they'll just have more business!

  • Slide 29 of 30: Yes, hair is tied to many of our identities for different reasons, but it will grow back, and there's a certain kind of power in chopping off your own locks.

  • Slide 30 of 30: No matter your haircut, your look will always rely on how healthy your hair is.See also: Tips for impeccable hair without leaving your home.

Full Screen

Top tips you should know before cutting your own hair

When you're spending a lot of time near your kitchen scissors, it can be tempting to take your scheduled chop into your own hands. Or, in an unexpected perk of social isolation, now might be the time for you to try those bangs since if it goes badly, no one will know!

Last year, George Clooney revealed he's already been doing this for 25 years, cutting his hair with a Flowbee. But while he's looked quite handsome for most of this time, have a look back at his old photos and you'll soon realize he's had several bad haircuts, and many others that were just plain boring.

Indeed, this is not to be done recklessly, as we all know the pain a bad haircut can bring, almost like a physical blow to our self-esteem. But if you're nonetheless inspired by Clooney, click through to find out everything you need to know before chopping your own locks.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Wash your hair first

The reason they wash your hair at a salon is not just an added perk, but rather because if your hair is oily or dirty, it will cling together and cause an uneven finish.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

When to cut your hair wet?

Though there's technically no right answer, professionals recommend that if you have straight hair and want a more blunt look, leave your hair damp when you cut for the cleanest edge.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

When to cut your hair dry?

If you have curls, waves, or layers, dry hair is the way to go, so you'll have a better idea of how your cuts will affect the end product.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Avoid those kitchen scissors

The sharp, precise blades of professional shears make it easier to get a clean cut, while regular scissors increase your chance of split ends.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

If you don't have proper shears

You can use manicure scissors, but for touch-ups only!

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Get a double-edged comb

It's a comb with both wide and fine teeth, and it'll help with sectioning.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Use no-slip clips

The pros tend to use alligator clips, but you can use anything that helps you keep hair separated.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Watch tutorials with the cut you want

And make sure they have the same hair type as you!

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Cut less than you think you need to

Your hair will almost always appear shorter than you wanted it after you style it, so don't cut exactly to what you think your desired length is, but rather start slowly and gradually increase.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Soften ends

Cut your ends at an upward angle (called a point-cut) to soften any blunt ends and help the hair blend together.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Lighten without layers

Cutting your own layers can be difficult, especially on short hair, but if you drag and lightly snip the scissors as you descend down the strands you can remove some weight from the top in a way that looks seamless.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Cutting layers with the unicorn ponytail method

Put your hair into a ponytail at the top of the hairline near the forehead, pull the hair forward between two vertical fingers, and snip the ends. The sharper the angle of the cut, with your wrist closer to yourself, the more drastic the layers will be.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Trimming curly hair

Style your hair dry first, then snip your ends curl by curl, cutting at an angle so the ends are pointy.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Trimming coily hair

Style it dry and then work on individual coils, stretching the hair out then allowing it to twist into itself. Trim only the hairs that stick out of the coil.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Add excitement without losing length

If you want to shape long hair, pull it forward in small sections starting at the bottom and snip to your desired length. Pulling the hair forward and cutting it will automatically give you a rounder shape, since the hair at the back will be longer than the ones closer to the front.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

For a straight cut at the back

If you don't want that rounded look at the back, when you pull your hair to the front to snip, hold it between your fingers at a slight diagonal slant, so that the hair from the back is cut shorter than the strands at the front.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

If you're cutting a blunt bob

Before you cut that blunt bob, straighten your hair to make sure there are no deceiving kinks.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Trim split ends

When your ends start to thin from breakage, it's best to trim those parts so they don't split further up. If you have a lot, straighten your hair to more clearly follow the shape of your hair.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Trim split ends

If you're trying to avoid losing length, try putting a section of hair over your middle finger and securing it with your index and ring finger, as in this video. Then, as you slide your hand down your hair, the split ends will pop up and you can cut them off.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Fringe

Always cut it dry! This will help you avoid the panic of realizing you cut it too short.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

The triangle separation

If you want bangs, don't just separate the strands along your forehead, but rather draw a triangle on your scalp that starts at the arc of your eyebrows and reaches a few centimeters back. The further you go, the thicker the bangs.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

The twist method

The trick to getting that curved bang shape is by taking the designated fringe strands between two fingers of your dominant hand, twisting it around 180 degrees, passing it off to your non-dominant hand, and then cutting straight across. That twist creates the natural-looking curved shape.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Maintaining straight bangs

Anyone with high-maintenance straight  bangs should learn how to trim them to save on expensive touch-up visits. You want to cut them dry, and do point-cuts.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Maintaining curly bangs

Style your bangs before you cut them, and when you cut them make sure it's at an angle and not straight across!

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Buzz cuts

These are pretty standard, but doing them yourself for the first time just means you have to have good clippers, know your level, and go slow, cutting less than you think is needed at first.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Don't try to mimic everything your hairdresser does

Of course, hairdressers can give out incredible tips, but they were also trained to cut your hair with certain methods that simply can't be done on one's self.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

A tip from hairdressers

Many hairdressers are asking that you please think this decision through and not try to attempt the most difficult parts of their job that they've studied for months. But really, if it goes badly, they'll just have more business!

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Remember: It's just hair!

Yes, hair is tied to many of our identities for different reasons, but it will grow back, and there's a certain kind of power in chopping off your own locks.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Take care of your hair health

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

30/30 SLIDES