How to Trim Your Way to Longer Hair

Although trimming is important, I am not a trimming fanatic. What I mean is, I do not consistently scheduled trims throughout the year just to say I did it. I do trim regularly, but only when I feel it is necessary. I usually like to trim once per year when my hair is straight. I choose to straighten my hair because I have layers and I want to be sure to get a thorough trim. Trimming is an opportunity to reshape and redefine my layers which is much easier for me to do when my hair is straightened. I do this type of trim once per year, but that is not all I do. I also like to dust and spot trim as needed throughout the year so my split ends do not get out of control. Overall, the culmination of dusting, the straightened trim, and styling/shaping I probably trim 2-3 inches off of my hair each year.

After a bad experience when someone chopped most of my hair off when they were suppose to be giving me a trim, I trust no one.

I bought my own pair of hair cutting scissors and that is what I use to trim my hair.

How to Trim Your Hair

The technique I use is pretty straightforward:

1. Split your hair in to four even sections, two in the front and two in the back.
2. Smooth your hair out in each section to sure it is even and trim very little at a time, until you feel you have cut enough off.
3. Create deeper layers, since they have usually grown out by then.

There are times when my hair has grown out, the layers seem non-existent, and I do not want to wait until it is straight before I trim. When that occurs, I will reshape and trim my curly hair, when dry in order to get the style that is desired and to do away with scraggly ends. I also do that when I skipped my yearly-straightened routine.

How to Reshape Your Hair

This is the technique I use to reshape my own hair.

1. Separate your hair in four sections, I typically do this on a non-stretched wash and go.
2. Trim each section, being sure to shape the front sections for volume and body.

Overall, I see trimming as a way for me to maintain healthy, sleek hair but I would never do it just because it has been one, two, or three months since I had last done it. These were the ways I trimmed my hair to tailbone length, but do what works best for you. My techniques work for me.

Do you retain more length with self trims or professional trims?